The Storm Descends
Pony Hammer Chapter 1 (A Cross-over Fan Fiction of My Little Pony Friendship is Magic, and Warhammer 40,000)
A Fanfiction by Heretical Brony.
"Hurry Sister!" Princess Luna called to her Elder sister, Princess Celestia, as the castle at Canterlot shuttered under the impact. Outside the creature roared again it's voice echoing throughout the stone, draining the air of hope, and blanching the courage from her remaining defenders; this red lion faced Titan was drenching the stones of her castle in the blood of champions. The Words, those horrible words, echoed threw her bones. "Blood for the Blood God!" A thousand other voices repeating those words, a murderous army was crashing its way through the castle. "Sister, we must go, I cannot hold this gate open forever!" Princess Luna pleaded. The Bloodthirsty monster and its horde were coming from the east.
Canterlot shook again, this time the blow came from the west; where a decaying stench perfumed the air. Stone crumbled and valiant castle guards outside started to call out in feverish agony, as pestilence came upon them and the foulest of creatures, who possessed forms of decay, marched beyond a bloated being. Its body's was covered in weeping sores and small pustulent creatures feeding upon the squalor of its form.
To the south the walls shook, the titan that assailed her castle in this direction lead an army that was beautiful to behold. Lovely to levels she could not believe. Graceful and fast, as the she demons struck and Celestia's defenders screamed, though she was unsure if it was in agony, of rapturous pleasure.
To the north her Pegasus defenders were tied up in battle with a great bird like sorcerous titian and a legion of ever changing, yet shapeless, horrors under its commanded. From that direction the light of the tear in reality ever gleamed, it was from here that the forces of this army came. She could not hold them off. Canterlot, the center of Equestria, has fallen. This was just the beginning of the battle Celestia proclaimed; to herself, before she and the last of her body guard fell back to the last safe haven, the moon. As a final action, a message was sent to Ponyville, praying it had not fallen yet. Her most promising student, perhaps she could have the bravery, no, the naiveté to cast this spell.
Cut off the rest of Equestria was Ponyville. Though they could flee, to where could they run, the Capital city of Canterlot lay in ruin and they knew not why, all they could see was the smoke from the fallen castle and the dust from the encroaching army, that and the strange shimmering light in the distance. Twilight Sparkle waited, and waited from news from her Mentor, until finally the baby dragon gave a belch and the scroll appeared. He cleared his throat and read the words.
My Beloved pupil,
I hope that this letter finds you safe, as you know are you being invaded. We are doomed, and yet not all hope is lost. The magic of friendship, that you have been studying, is all that can save us now. There is one last spell, a spell that I was unable to cast, but I know that you can. You are my greatest pupil, and the hope of our world. Anypony can save us, it will be you; our survival is in your hooves.
I have absolute faith in you, and in your abilities. Please use the enclosed spell. It will be hard on you, but you must save us all. I know it is unfair to call upon one so young, and one still learning the deeper and older magic, to perform such a difficult task, but I have no one else on whom I can rely.
My most faithful pupil, the army that is assaulting us, is not of this world but rather of all the evil, in all the worlds. It has come together and like a toxic slime, congealed to form these demons. The magic that you have been studying in Ponyville cannot be directly applied but indirectly it will do great things.
Your Ruler, and Teacher,
Princess Celestia
Twilight Sparkel took the scroll from spike and read the spell studying it before she gasped. This was truly a powerful spell that would require all of her friends to complete.
It was not long before they were all gathered together, upon a tall mountain at the cave where the sleeping red dragon once lay. They looked at each other, and the grave face of Twilight Sparkel. All of them had seen the smoke rising in the direction of beloved Canterlot. They all felt the terror building in their hearts. Slowly Twilight Sparkle spoke, her words coming to them each, with a sense of trepidation.
"I am afraid that Equestria needs us, and sadly it has to be us. The bonds of friendship, the way in which we showed it when we defeated Nightmare Moon, that was true and pure magic! We are going against demons, and by the sound of it, Equestria has no defense against the sheer numbers of demons we are facing. "
"Twi, then why are we here?" Applejack probed, thinking of her family. She wanted to return to them to make one final stand when the enemy arrived.
"Because, maybe somepony does have a way to beat them!" Rainbow Dash countered, looking to Twilight Sparkle for confirmation.
Pinkie Pie bubbled. "A super special, extra keen, happy way!"
Everyone looked at the pink pony, it was a moment before Twilight Sparkle spoke again, her voice soft. "Yes, in a way, that is why we are here."
The Emperor stood looking at Sanguinius a tear in his eye, held back as if something was touching him in a way that Sanginius could not comprehend. Seeing his father, and the bravest soul that he had ever encountered, look so grave Sanguinius spoke "My lord, I have faced Daemon hordes, the foulest of Xenos, and never once felt fear, but now seeing this look upon your face I know true terror. "
"My son, my beloved Sanginius, be resolute. I know that Horus's treachery has cut you deeper for he was so close to you. He was your brother not just in body, but also in spirit and I know the bond between you was deep." The Emperor then turned to look at the gathered warrior, Primarchs and their assembled forces. Then in a voice resonating with the authority of his throne on Terra he addressed them as their general. All of you, my sons, be strong of heart and courage and let us go into the belly of the beast! We shall turn the tide of this war that perhaps we might save what is left of humanities cradle!" With these words said, the Emperor of all mankind, his Son's Sanginius, the leader of the Blood Angels Legion, and Rogel Dorn, the leader of the Imperial Fists Legion, teleported up to the flag ship of Horus's fleet.
"I don't know how to beat a demon army, but the spell that Princess Celestia sent me will bring us a hero. A Champion who has beat them before, somepony who can give us the strength to stand up to this nightmare. A golden warrior of virtue brought to us from another world!"
"An angel?" Fluttershy gasped in anticipation. "If we are being attacked by demons," She whispered timidly "then only an angel could stand up to them."
"A careing Angel. One of exquisite beauty, whose face is radiant like the sun, with wings as white as I am." Rarity pronounced.
"This golden angel had better be more than beautiful." Rainbow Dash snapped. "She had best be brave to, somepony who knows no fear!" Rainbow dash called out, as Twilight Sparkel began the magic. Their gemmed objects that each of them received during the showdown with the twisted moon princess glowed as the magic built. The hope for their hero, the one who would lead them to victory, burned brighter as the friends pooled themselves together.
"A true and noble soul, full of compassion, and capable of great love." Fluttershy whispered as the winds of fate spun around them.
"A true blue, genuine, bonified guardian angel is all we need." Applejack stated flatly, adding her prayer to the others as the rift began to open.
"Horus!" Sanguinius called as his blade came down met by the renegade War Master's mace. Sparks lighting up their faces fell from Sanguinius's sword meting the demon infused power mace of Horus.
"Brother you should have joined me." Horus snarled as his talonous lightning claw tore at the armor of Sanguinius. The armor sent off sparks as the gem given him, by his brother Magnus the Red, protected him from the armor tearing power of his brother. Sanguinius brought his sword in, glowing red in the wash of his psychic might, for what seemed to be a downwards slash across the shoulder, and down to the opposite hip of his beloved brother. As the lightning claw came up to block, the blade dipped like a peregrine falcon, diving down instead to cut Horus from hip up to shoulder. The war master could not block in time as the blade connected and the power of scarlet blade was unleashed. His demon slaying sword tore into the corrupted terminator armor Horus wore. The blade though did not go in deep enough, and it became stuck in the cracked armor. The angelic man, tried to free his sword, but it was too late. He felt the talons bite into his flesh, sending a current of electricity directly into his body. The attack was not just against his flesh but also his soul. For Sanguinius the agony was beyond any he had felt before.
He felt his sword wedge free, as his body crumbled against the stairs, his blood staining his white wings red. Slowly the light faded from his vision. He heard the voice of his father, The Emperor call out his name. He saw the leader of all humanity stand against the Warmaster. With a final suddering gasp the light of the world left his eyes, the weight of the souls of his followers, who came with him to their deaths, weighed upon him. He had done what he could, the battle for him was over, and he had failed, though he knew the fault that he made in Horus's armor would grant The Emperor victory, for he had already seen this moment in a vision.
It was then he heard the voices of young women. A chorus of prayers for help, a song describing the one to save them. The pleas for the aid of an angel to turn back the tide of demons. "A careing Angel" "knows no fear" "A true and noble soul, full of compassion, and capable of great love." "A true blue, genuine, bonified guardian angel."
"I cannot help you, I'm dead," Sanguinius said. Then he felt them, the souls of 5 of his trusted guard. Men who he knew were dead, gathered to him, "Perhaps, there is enough strength in me yet to banish a few more hearts of darkness back into the abyss from which they came!" The Angelic man closed his eyes and when he opened them he turned to his guard and addressed them. "Brethren! We are not going to our rest with those who have gone before us. Fate needs us to be heroes once more. You noble souls, and princes among men, come, together we have work to do, and then, and only then when the light shines again on this one more world then we shall go to our rest knowing that that the lives of all that we have touched, and the generations yet to come, have been made better by our deeds!"
Five voices, shouted in unison, "For Sanguinius! For the EMPEROR!"
Twilight Sparkle and the others looked at the rift as it showed them the angel. He was everything they had prayed for, well a most everything. He was strong, courageous, noble, a charming prince. Behind him floated 5 other men, all 6 of them were dressed in golden armor that shone in the light. As they watched, the fatal wounds the angels had taken healed.
"I found more of them!" Called a seductive voice. The friends turned to behold strange looking females riding upon beautiful steeds. The angels just hovered there, the smell of these new creatures riding upon their strange mounts clouded Twilight Sparkel's mind and the magic winked out, she couldn't sustain the spell that was calling the angels. Had she failed?
"Save me," Twilight Sparkle whispered as a beautiful hand caressed her skin making her feel the same heat as if a handsome stallion had just brushed against her. Her friends were being rounded up like dumb beasts, and she could not stop it.
"Our lord will want a word with you, what was that magic you were performing?" the alluring she-demon purred in her ear.
In desperation Twilight Sparkle threw her head back and looked behind her. The rift that held the 6 angels was gone. No. She had failed. She felt the hand caress her again. Her body started to ache for more, carving greater sensation from this creature.
At first she thought it was a roar of a lion, or maybe a Mantacor. Then as the echoes bounced it around she realized they were words. "For Sanguinius! For the EMPORER!" The demon suddenly drew back.
"No, no, it can't be. They cannot be here!" Then her eyes went wide in shock, "How can YOU be here?" Twilight followed the demons gaze up as it shirked. A golden armored form came down upon the daemonett, his crimson sword flashing, sending off sparks. As Twilight Sparkle turned her head, drawn by the sound, she saw the 5 other angels were doing battle with the demons, and winning. They held in their hands large swords that crackled with power; these two handed blades glittered as they pressed their attack against the demons on their wrists of ther right hands were strange devices that, though two of them had slight different. They all roared and spat fire at the whim of their barers. One of the angels brought his sword down cutting threw a crushing pincer claw before continuing on to slash apart the thin, lithe, sensuous body of the demon. Ichor flew through the air spattering his golden helm but otherwise not even slowing him as he turned to help another angel who was working to drive back the demon that had been attempting to collect Fluttershy. She was currently crouched down holding her head in fear.
Within 3 heart beats the demon's bodies were laying on the ground, shattered, and bubbling as they dissolved into sludge. One of the angels approached the blond haired one. "Sir, what should we…"
"Brother Markus, this is irregular for us, but these women are the ones who called us here. You heard their pleas for help, the same as I did."
"But they aren't human." A second Angel spoke.
"Brother Calvius, I will explain later, but I as your Primarch command you to defend these equine creatures. They are not Chaos's ally, and they have begged us for help. Shall we turn on them like the Traitor Horus?" Twilight Sparkle quickly realized that the fair faced one, with his mane of long blond hair, was their leader, which in a way made sense as his armor was more ornate, Inlaid with stunning red gems, and draped with the pelt of a snow leopard. Then she noticed another fact. The other 5 angels wings were mechanical, fake, only the head angel had real wings.
"I understand my lord, I shall do as you say. If these equines are to be spared, and the forces of Chaos put to the blade, then I figure we all owe these demons retribution. In the past we have worked alongside the Eldar, how is this any different?" This third angel whose shoulder bore 3 ruby blood drops spoke calmly
"Well Spoken Brother Jared." The chief angel said, as Twilights Sparkel's friends gathered behind her.
"Then Primarch shall we not question them? Ask them about the conflict that transpires on this world?" This one they could see the name of. It was Enoch, written in beautiful script upon his shoulder, where there was a set of ivory wing decorations, which came up to a point at the crown of his shoulder. In the center of these decoration wings was a red gemstone blood drop, mounted on a disk of gold.
"Do you suppose these Xeno Horses speak the same language we do?" Said the last of them, mocking his ally. This one was the one who spared Fluttershy's life.
Twilight Sparkle watched in shock as the timid pony crept up to this callous angel. Her faint voice whispered words that stopped the angel's debate, all of the angels turning to Fluttershy, those simple words, spoken with such honesty that they became the two most powerful words known to humans. "Thank you."
The callous one who questioned for a moment if they could communicate knelt down upon one knee so as to look her in the face. He reached up and removed the golden helm and placed it to the side. "You're welcome." He looked at her, he seemed to be weighing and measuring her. "Lord Sangiunius, their eyes, I see no evil in them. They have intellect, but these are… innocent."
"Yes Brother Tobias," The chief angel said placing a hand on his comrade's shoulder. "It's why I thought we should agree to come here." With that said, he looked around at the ponies and the next words he spoke were to them. "I beseech you; take me to your leader."
Sanguinius, The Emperor, Horus, Daemonetts, Bloodthirsters, Blood Letters, Great Unclean Ones, Plague Bearers, Seekers of Slaanesh, Steeds of Slaanesh, Space Marines, Sanguinary Guard, the Horus Heresy, and the Blood Angels and any that I forgot to mention here are copyrighted to Games Workshop, as part of the Warhammer 40,000 Intellectual Property(IP).
Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Nightmare Moon, Ponyville, Canterlot, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and all other ponies are the Intellectual Property (IP) of Hasbro Animation, as part of the My Little Pony Friendship is Magic Copyright.
This work and all following chapters are produced without thought of monetary gain, and used without expressed permission of the owners of the rights to these IP and as a form of appreciation for all the hard work done to produce them.