And They Shall Know No Fear

As promised by Celestia, exactly two days later, her babies, who had matured in maternity flasks, went out into the world. Two meters tall, athletic, and clad in golden armor created by the best minds in Equestria, they were awe-inspiring to everyone around them. Their perfect facial features, so similar to their mother, were absolutely divine. In their sturdy hands, they carried elaborately crafted spears that looked more like ceremonial weapons than combat weapons, golden shields with the sun emblem, as well as ornate swords, in case of closer contact.

Arranged in neat rows in the main square of Equestria's capital, they quickly attracted the attention of the assembled ponies, who had been invited by order of Princess Twilight, who was about to make an important announcement. Standing on the stage erected on the occasion of the event, the princess told her subjects about the changes. By her order, the garrison of the royal guard of Canterlot will be reinforced by a newly formed type of troops called the Legio Solaris. These warriors, created by Celestia herself, once the supreme princess of the kingdom, will stand guard over the capital and all of Equestria. Princess also emphasized that this army would be subordinate only to her. No one from the highest aristocratic society or high-ranking officials of the Royal Guard dare to give them orders, on the contrary, the newborn army has every right to take command of the guards in case of war, invasion, or emergencies.

Aristocrats sitting across from Twilight didn't like what they heard, while the captains of the guard were in some kind of confusion. The ambassadors of the allied states were most wary, fearing the use of such powerful beings against their kingdoms. Although Twilight assured them that Equestria's friends had nothing to fear, she also issued a warning that anyone who dared to encroach on the sacred lands of the pony people, or on the ponies themselves, would face the power of the children of the celestial alicorn. Subsequently, this message spread all over the world, frozen in anticipation of the unknown.

After Sparkle's speech, the First Hundred, together with the Royal Guard, marched through the streets of the city, carrying two standards in front, one with the symbol of the sun, the other with the symbol of the Princess of friendship herself. This sight was so stunning that ordinary ponies fainted at the mere sight of the synchronously marching giants so similar to their mother, whose memory was still alive in the current generation of ponies. Flowers were thrown in front of them, shouting joyful words, but there was no hint of emotion on the faces of the soldiers themselves. With stony faces, they marched forward like a single machine.

The next day, on Twilight's orders, several groups of five to ten ponies scattered throughout the kingdom. The angelic warriors unceremoniously stormed into the reception rooms of mayors and other city managers, handing them parchments with the royal seal. They said that from now on, in every city, no matter how small or large, there would be a detachment of Legiones Solaris. The heads of settlements and towns were strictly forbidden to prevent the sons and daughters of Celestia from transferring control of the administration to ordinary guards or the police. In the event of an emergency, the senior captain of the group has every right to take over the city and command it at his discretion.

A large number of them were stationed in Canterlot and in cities on the borders from the South, West and East. Ponies all over Equestria welcomed the angelic host. At their very appearance, the ponies fell into awe, falling to their knees, and celebrations were also held in honor of their arrival, although the legionnaires themselves did not care about these holidays. As their beloved mother had taught them, they stood guard over the subjects of the crown.

In the North, situation was somewhat different. A detachment of up to twenty legionnaires marched ceremonially to the Crystal Palace, where they met with Princess Cadance and her husband, who was once the captain of the guard himself, bowed respectfully and only after permission entered the castle, began to settle in. Unlike the corrupt and power-hungry city managers, the royal family of the Crystal Empire were close relatives of Twilight, and therefore the arrival of legionnaires to the kingdom had to correspond to the ceremonial status, so that every crystal pony would understand that they had come not to conquer, but to help.

In less than a few days, evil tongues began to whisper in the royal court. Some claimed that Princess Twilight Sparkle was under the very strong influence of her mentor, while others said that there was no change of power, that all those days when Equestria was on the verge of destruction were planned by Celestia herself to train her future puppet and continue to rule on her behalf. Now she has decided to further consolidate her power by creating these hideous golems from her blood!

As is usually case, the whispers quickly turned into discontent. At first, it was quiet, because none of the noble houses wanted to deal with armored warriors, one blow of which could simply kill. Having decided not to openly oppose the crown, the aristocracy, led by Fancy Pants, began their secret game. At first, they began to slip some of the princess's orders, and in some cases they were not carried out at all, or if they were, then exactly the opposite. At the same time, noble houses began to create a personal army using the fortunes earned during the years of Celestia. This army was a diverse rabble, which included all the detached. Changelings, diamond dogs, griffins, even guards unhappy with the new policy of the princess. Gathered at the southern border of the country, it was replenished with new recruits every day. Even the former thugs of the Storm King joined the banners of the disgruntled aristocrats.

At some point, the Higher Nobility felt that it was time to remind the young princess who really runs the kingdom. Before launching a direct head-on attack, it was decided to first eliminate the princess and her five friends by neutralizing them and placing them in custody. The only obstacle to this goal was the Legiones Solar, but a number of plans were developed against them, according to which, at hour X, the guards loyal to the opposition would plant explosives under the walls of the legionnaires' barracks, begin throwing poisonous grenades at patrols and attacking posts throughout the city.

On this day, Twilight met at the Friendship Council she created to discuss the situation in the country and beyond with her beloved friends, and just spend time over a cup of hot tea with cakes. At the appointed time, guards with blue armbands on their right hooves began to leave their posts throughout the palace. A large group of up to thirty ponies stormed into the throne room without any warning, surrounding the Elements of Harmony in a ring and pointing their spears at the shocked ponies.

"What's going on here?!" Twilight shouted, covering her friends with her wings.

"Please forgive me, Princess! But you are no longer in a position to give us orders! By the decision of the Supreme Council of the Aristocrats of Canterlot, you and your friends are under arrest!" unicorn pony centurion answered her ceremoniously.

"What?" princess couldn't understand anything.

"How dare you treat her like that?!" Rarity suddenly shouted. "Twilight is your princess! Celestia herself, along with Luna, handed over the reins to her!"

"Yes! Rainbow Dash soared up, "You, the guardians of the city of Canterlot, took an oath to protect your princesses!"

"Enough of this chatter!" unicorn shouted menacingly. "Grab them!"

But before even one of the rebels could take a step, the doors to the throne room flew apart and four mares and Legiones Solar charged. They famously split enemy fighters in half with lightning, moving with such speed and grace that it was impossible for ordinary guards to even hit them. Six friends who once admired Celestia's creations hid behind a huge throne, watching in horror the fleeting massacre. Without mercy, the legionnaires killed everyone they could lay their hands on, methodically and brutally killing those who rebelled against the crown. In less than a minute, it was all over. The hacked and bleeding bodies of the guards lay under their hooves.

After peeking around the corner and taking a closer look, the princess fell into a daze when she saw how the blood-soaked warriors' mane caught fire, and sharp fangs grew out of their mouths. Twilight clearly remembered the image she had hoped to never see again.

The legionnaires themselves gradually began to come to their senses. Realizing the scale of the carnage they had committed, they immediately turned their gaze to the terrified princess. The eldest of the sisters, Captain Celestine, came forward on one knee, which was followed by the other sisters.

"Princess Twilight! Please forgive us, but there was no other way out! We had to protect you!" there was a hint of excitement, if not fear, in warrior's voice. "We need to get you and your friends to a safe place as soon as possible!" a bright flash comes from Celestine's horn, as in an instant everyone in the hall is teleported to an unknown destination.

***

Canterlot was on fire! Peaceful ponies scattered in panic and hid against the backdrop of the unfolding battle. Loyal to their mother and sister, the legionnaires brutally dealt with the traitors, who used all weapons against them - from blades and spears with bows to magic and poisonous grenades capable of killing anyone without a protective mask. The rebellious ponies paid a huge price just to find out about the uselessness of all their weapons.

Blades of their swords shattered into small pieces upon contact with the armor of the angelic host, spears and arrows were just as useless, the guards simply could not hit those who moved faster than they could notice. Grenades with deadly poison were also useless. Extraterrestrial physiology of Celestia's children allowed them to breathe poisoned air into their chests without any problems.

And while the battles were raging in the city, an equally impressive war unfolded in the sky above it. Dozens of airships, hidden from prying eyes at the very bottom of the mountain on which the city stood, soared up, preparing to start firing. No sooner had the captains given the order to open fire, than defenders rushed to meet them like lightning striking from the very ground, boarding the ships. The attempt at resistance was still unsuccessful and drowned in blood. As if obeying someone's will, Legiones Solar, without hesitation and with wild smiles on their faces, exterminated yesterday's allies without any mercy. In the head of each of them, a gentle voice, so dear and desired, repeated the same thing: Kill! Maim! Burn! In bloody ecstasy, every single one of them, without any hesitation, fulfilled these three simple truths.

Having learned from the only surviving Pegasus about the total failure of the capture of the capital, the aristocrats located in the southern deserts, trembling for their skins, could not think of anything better than to lead the army they had gathered to the border of Equestria.

Thousands of creatures, walking and flying, moved forward at the command of their commanders. Hundreds of heavily armored airships soared into the sky, carrying in their holds a deadly cargo in the form of multi-ton bombs. But as soon as they reached the border, a bright flash ahead destroyed the entire invasion fleet, leaving only ashes fluttering in the wind.

Traitor aristocrats in the rear didn't have time to really understand anything, as the creature that had just destroyed their entire fleet fell like a comet right into the center of the marching army. There was a bright flash, a shock wave swept across the ground, sweeping away everything in its path, and then a mushroom cloud rose into the sky.

There was no doubt who could be capable of such a thing.

As they were about to run, they were immediately stopped by the landed Celestia. With burning eyes, she bound them with magic, squeezing them harder, breaking bones, preparing to squeeze everything out. Fancy Panst tried to croak something, but it came out frankly badly. In his last bleats for mercy, he began to lose consciousness. The last thing he saw was the hellish gaze of the goddess he had once faithfully served.

"Get up!" a voice that seemed to come from another world echoed in the official's head, forcing him to immediately open his eyes.

Terrified and trembling, the unicorn couldn't figure out where he was, and only Celestia towered over him in his field of vision. Burning with rage, the mare was ready to incinerate him right on the spot, but Twilight, who was sitting on the throne behind in complete horror, forced her teacher to restrain herself.

After recovering a little, Fancy realized that he was now in the throne room, surrounded by a huge crowd of reporters, the remaining loyal aristocrats, and just ordinary ponies. His hooves were shackled, and a magic suppression ring was placed on his horn. The hall was simply overflowing with Her Holiness's legionnaires. He had nowhere to run and hide.

Twilight also had all her friends by her side. Even Spike was sitting in his seat next to her, hiding behind the wing.

"Let's get started!" an enraged Celestia announced loudly, teleporting to the right of her sister standing below the throne. "Fancy Panst! You are accused of attempting a coup d'etat and overthrowing Princess Twilight Sparkle! You admit your guilt?"

He didn't know what to say. Shock and panic hit him, the words wouldn't come out. Frowning, Celestia teleported back to the criminal, hitting him in the face with all her might, causing several teeth to fly towards the hooves of those present. The once noble pony sobbed, falling to the floor and writhing in pain.

"Speak!" shudder could be heard in the alicorn's furious voice. For a brief moment, it seemed that she was about to become hysterical and beat the once-devoted servant with her bare hooves.

"Celestia! Please stop!" Twilight stood up from her throne. "It's not you! The real Celestia would never beat up a pony, even a traitor!"

"I'm sorry, honey, but times have changed!" Celestia was about to finish the beating when her favorite student got in her way. A few centimeters separated the alicorn's bloody right hoof from the young princess' face. "Twilight!" she took a step back. Shocked audience froze in silent silence. "What are you doing?"

In response, Sparkle hugged her mentor tightly. "I understand how you feel... I understand how much you love me! For the sake of the ponies you love, you're ready to destroy the whole world! And in an impulse to protect me, you began to pull the blanket over yourself more and more, telling me what to do, and like a silly girl I listened to you because I thought it was all right! I didn't even really notice how I went from being a princess of Equestria to becoming your shadow! Ready to carry out any order you give, because you were everything to me and you are everything now! You sacrificed Equestria and the ponies who inhabited it over and over again, just so that I could study, develop and earn respect among our people, while you became less and less popular! And now you've achieved your goal! I'm ruling the kingdom, just like you and Luna planned! But now... It's like I'm not deciding anything right now! It's like I don't exist, but there's only you and your rage!"

"Twilight..." tears streamed down the mare's cheeks.

"If I really mean something to you, if you really love me, then you'll let me decide his fate! Or I will abdicate the throne and leave you forever! You'll never find me!" words rang out like a thunderclap in the hall, for every pony heard them.

Everyone present was shocked by what the princess said. From simple ponies to Elements of Harmony with Princess Luna. For Celestia, her words were like a knife right in her heart. Twilight, who was trembling a little, was nevertheless very serious in her intentions, as could be read from her frowning face. Right now, she had set her conditions right in front of her, and Celestia's mind was in a mess. Hundreds of thoughts were mixed up, making it difficult to come up with a single answer. For the sake of her student's safety, Celestia was truly willing to destroy this entire world. Just like for Luna or Cadence!

But now she could lose not only Twilight's affection for herself forever, but Twilight herself. And that would mean that all those nine years were wasted. The suffering of ponies, the invasion of numerous enemies, Equestria standing on the brink of death - all this will be in vain.

Calming down and gathering all her thoughts together, Celestia took a step back, only to bow low to the shocked gasps of the audience. "I accept your terms, Twilight..." Celestia said humbly.

Unable to hold back her tears, Twilight rushes to Celestia, hugging her tightly. After a pause, the young alicorn turns to the assembled shocked audience. "As the ruler of Equestria, I am obligated to take care of all ponies, as Celestia and Luna bequeathed to me, but they also gave me the right to judge my subjects! And what happened today has no justification! Fancy Penst! Do you admit your guilt?"

"Yes, Princess..." he burst into tears.

"In that case, I decree: to deprive the leaders of the uprising of all finances and transfer them in the form of payments to the families of the dead guards, no matter traitors or loyal to the crown! Everyone should get the payouts! You will also be exiled to the western lands! You will live and work, but you will no longer see high positions! Is everything clear to you, Fancy Panst?" Twilight spoke firmly and clearly.

"Yes, Your Highness..." he barely mumbled.

"In that case, I declare the meeting over!"

***

Celestia was standing on a hill from where she once loved to control the sun and moon, a place with a beautiful view of the city, but now the time of nostalgia is over. The city was almost burned to the ground. Entire families were evacuated from the affected buildings to a temporary accommodation facility located in the Royal Castle. At times like this, she was very proud of Twilight. Her best and most loyal student was ready to give her entire castle to the needs of her subjects. He and Luna managed to raise a great princess.

Even after everything that had happened, Celestia continued to be proud of Twilight. Having overcome her fear of her all-consuming aura of fire, the newly crowned princess spoke out against violence from the pony she revered as her God. And today she taught her another lesson. Again.

"You weren't yourself today!" Emperor interrupted Celestia's thoughts.

"Judging by the fragments of those memories that you passed on to me along with your knowledge, you liked to lose your temper yourself... Lord of Mankind!" he just laughed softly in response.

"That's right, princess! Sometimes I like to lose my temper! But for the most part, I still keep myself in check!" but Celestia didn't believe him.

"I would like to believe..." she replied emotionlessly.

"You can deny it all you want, Celestia, but you and I are very similar!" and now there was not even a hint of a joke or irony in the Emperor's words, his words were serious. "We are both ready to sacrifice everything to achieve our goals!"

Celestia smiled. "But we have different goals!"

"Really?" Emperor was surprised. "Don't we want our nations to prosper? Don't we love them? We are both willing to put everything on the line to make our subjects happy!"

"Yes, yes... For example, to sacrifice your affection for your family and friends! Calling your children tools! Throw them into the crucible of war over and over again! Oh the stars..." alicorn laughed. "I'm not even halfway through your journey yet, and I already want to jump off a cliff and smash into a bloody mess!"

"But you won't do that!" there was more truth in the words of the Ruler of the Human race than one might have thought.

Thin streams of tears began to flow down the cheeks of the alicorn. "Of course I won't... Because my ponies aren't safe yet!"

"And you realize that your children alone won't be enough... Right?"

"Right..." she repeated "If we want to survive, we have to put everything we have on the line... I don't think there will be any problems with my sister... Cadence, too... But Twilight... I can't offer her that... I have no right to do that!"

"But you must!" Emperor declared loudly. "Otherwise, the end of everything!"

Realizing the price they would have to pay, the former princess could no longer hold back the tears streaming down her cheeks. "Yes... End..."