Sins of Harmony
Volume 3: Crisis to Ashes
Chapter 52: Positioning for War
Late Morning
March 28th, 1008 ANM
Equestria, Ponyville
Carousel Boutique
It was a good thing that her parents had left 2 days ago, as things had really gone to hell, even with no direct threat looming.
Encroaching spacecraft, somehow made by Aeternum itself, that dwarfed all but the largest of cities on the planet in their size, along with one massive moon based craft, and a mysterious pair of craft guarding the gateway Aeternum had placed there, in a time that seemed long ago now.
But what set things off here was one single event, miniscule, but there.
Last night, as the chaos unfolded worldwide, a strange light went up from the everfree forest, tiny, but there. And it took flight and shot off towards the south, unseen after that.
It was quickly revealed to have come from the Harmony Caldera, where the tree of Harmony once stood, where this all began.
Now, it was clear. As well as from the sea, anywhere near an open volcanic vent of some sort was a danger, a potential attack point that couldn't be as easily countered as from the ground or air.
Orders went out, and Ponyville was one town in Equestria that took part in this voluntary evacuation scheme. Other locales worldwide took part also, as population centres near volcanic areas inland were evacuated, namely those smaller in size that couldn't be as well defended, meaning the bigger cities actually swelled in population size.
In an ideal world, it would remain voluntary.
Things grew tenuous, so it was actually fortunate that Cal'vel, Smoulder and Razak had volunteered to remain behind in the Ponyville area, to aide in evacuation, but more to give some degree of security, in case anything did crawl out of the Caldera and make a beeline for the town.
They'd already had the dragon migration, but that was predictable, if chaotic. This was wholly unknown, and perhaps more dangerous for that fact.
Being a former Element Wielder, Rarity had chosen to stay behind, and so had Pinkie Pie. Spike stood by the Unicorn as the pink mare had dashed up to the boutique's front door, somewhat calm for her usual behaviour this time of the morning.
"I just said bye to the cakes, they're going off on their train in 2 minutes. I saw a few others already gone, some still packing, but at least half the town is leaving."
"Yes, I sent Sweetie Belle off with Applebloom and Big Mac. Scootaloo and her parents left as well, as did many other ponies I usually see."
Rarity quietly was thankful she'd had Sweetie Belle leave, this was no place for fillies, even if her younger sister was approaching her maturation years.
Beside her, leaning against the boutique's wall, Spike asked Pinkie: "You sure your family will be alright?"
"Yeah, I sent a letter to Maud, and she'll tell my folks and sisters. So, now that we have our folks sorted, and everyone leaving is on their way out-"
Pinkie trailed off, as she saw a dark red fire drake, fully grown to her 200 foot length, swoop overhead in a patrol manner, she regained her train of thought:
"Why not throw a party fro those staying behind. I'm sure anypony staying could use something to ease their minds."
"That's not a bad idea, but where would you get the supp-" Rarity asked, but Pinkie cut her off with a hoof.
"Remember when I went off to Yakyakistan to try and find out their customs after we screwed up many things we made ready for them?"
"Yes."
"You and the others snuck into my party vault. DOI! That's where I get all my stuff from!"
Spike suddenly had an idea, although her muttered it a little pessimistically: "I know something else that thing could be useful for, a raid shelter."
"Yeah, and we can party while we sit safely!" Pinkie segway'd directly into Spike's suggestion.
Grabbing Spike's clawed hand, Pinkie began to quickly drag him away: "Come on Spike, I need some big muscles to carry half the stuff!"
"Uh, wait, can't I, Rarity, do something!"
"I think I'll stay and see who is and isn't leaving town again." Rarity said, giggling a little as Spike gave up resisting Pinkie's pulling, the dragon resigning to walking/running to Sugarcube corner.
"How does she do that? Drag him off like that?"
Surprised, Rarity turned to see Razak perched atop the Carousel. He stared off incredulously at the departing dragon and pink pony pairing, while Rarity simply replied:
"I have no idea. And why aren't you patrolling?"
"I'm on break. Besides, dad said I was slowing him down."
"How rude of him." Rarity commented.
"He's right though, given how fast he can fly." Razak shrugged from atop the boutique.
Rarity then paused, murmuring: "Thank you for staying, you and your parents. It helps with feeling safe while ponies leave for other places."
"We do what we can, when it suits us. Oh, hey, OHMEN!"
Razak stood up, bellowing across the street to a walking brown maned, grey coated Unicorn male. He turned his head, having just kissed Cheerilee goodbye as he loaded her last bag into the carriage she was sharing with others.
Stifling a groan, as he saw the distant dragon, and waving Unicorn mare looking a little embarrassed at his call, Ohmen grumbled loud enough for Cheerilee to hear:
"Subtlety's a foreign concept to him, obviously."
"Well, he's probably glad your staying behind. You are going to be alright aren't you? Your head feel fine?" The magenta mare asked, as Ohmen turned his head, the Changeling hybrid magic flickering his face slightly before her with a green shimmer.
"Its much better, but even not at what I once was I'm still sure I can do well enough. I know my limits now."
"Just be careful." Cheerilee admonished, as she climbed into the carriage with some others ponies.
Ohmen gave a small smile as he turned away, reverting to his base, ape like Changeling form, walking on all fours. With half the town going, and him being known as one defender staying just in case, he could afford a little lax in his disguise magic. It was easier on his brain too.
Meanwhile
Harmony Caldera
The wind roared as Cal'vel flapped his large red wings, the blue scaled, 200 plus foot dragon landing with a thud on the rocky ground.
Before him, surrounded by the Everfree forest edges, the caldera simmered and bubbled gently, but showed no sign of recent exit after the Aeternum flying drone came out last night.
"What the-"
Before him, a few heavily damaged drone creatures of shapes already seen littered one side of the lava lake's shoreline. Some sort of fight had happened here.
That explained the departing form, either the fight ended, or it continued elsewhere.
Gazing around, Cal'vel sniffed the air, using his smell along with anything else to sense his surroundings. The sulphur gases, the obscured forest scents.
A metallic and unknown scent coming from upwind, to his right.
Heckles raised, the massive dragon slowly gazed about, particularly focusing on his right. He saw nothing, but he smelt it.
No footprints though, nor sight or sound. Cautious, Cal'vel knelt down his massive neck, smelling a drone for comparison. It smelt more of rock, whereas this unknown scent was metallic, or only vaguely metallic. There was not a single organic scent to it, which was worry enough for him.
Growling, Cal'vel made sure to keep alert. A few mighty wingbeats sent the blue dragon skywards, while he murmured aloud to himself: "I must be losing my mind."
As he flew up, he did meet Smoulder halfway back to Ponnyville. The Red Fire Drake female, and his mate, nudged his head with her more slender neck, remarking:
"Nothing?"
"No. I don't think so. But who knows?"
As the dragon flew off, unseen amidst the trees, a set of eyes watched the male dragon, strongest among his kind, depart with thunderous wingbeats in his wake.
It had barely survived against those half dozen drone creatures, and had fled when the aircraft burst from the lava lake.
She hadn't been warned of how aggressive the response the moment she entered the gateway may be, nor of what other organics may have found a way to use it too.
But Tul'rok knew she was in this time already, and that was more than she, and the Eternal One would've preferred.
She had more work to do still, and stealth was critical. And the other Alien organics having come through the time portal, accident or expedition motivated, had already failed in keeping their presence a secret, be it orbit, fighting on exit, or crashing in two cases.
Early Afternoon, local time
March 28th, 1008 ANM
Canterlot, Royal Palace
Throne room
Somehow, they were surprised it hadn't happened already. But it arrived in the form of a high priority message from the New Gryphon head of state.
As soon as Celestia began to magically levitate the letter, it shone a familiar shade of grey, and the paper began to glow, before it shot forwards into midair, and a pair of circular portals revealed themselves.
Somehow Tul'rok had all the seals and official documentation forged, and it was a deceit to pass on his message. The Friendship Castle in Ponyville had been carefully watched for any signs of him tampering with it, so this was easier.
The guards were alert, rushing forwards before Celestia raised a hoof and warned them away. 2 court members were quickly ushered out of the chamber.
Inside one, in a deep dark cavern, Princess Twilight was restrained against a wall, with two pretty much unconscious reptiles, Faral Kol the female Komodo, and Jorani the Python female. She was oblivious, clearly fighting against her restraints, a clamp of sorts around her horn and wings while restrained.
But Celestia's heart froze at the second portal. On one side, Tul'rok stood, in a form of solid metal and rock, but mottled and dotted on the surface like his old Wyvern body's scales. On his opposite side, as he gave a sly grin of success, restrained to two extended poles by his mismatched hands, Discord grimaced at the two metallic poles he was locked onto by his hands, unable to lash out, but oddly enough he was being compliant.
Celestia listened once, and then summoned those concerned, and those recently arrived from the Las Pegasus military base. They'd need to hear this.
"And don't bother trying to talk to either portal's members. They can't hear this, its a one way communication, except for me obviously. I am the only bridging, mindful communication you have, so pay attention."
"What are you going to do with them?" Celestia asked, her bitterness clearly evident. Beside her, drowsy but very alert, Luna stood beside her sister.
Nearby, by request, Starswirl and Caarim, the cobra his assistant for now, waited for the response. Further back, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy listened in, the latter pegasus fretting over Discord's imprisonment just as much as Twilight's. For the other two mares, they were more worried for Twilight, and barely knew Faral unconscious beside her, and not knowing the python with them whatsoever.
Near the end of the throne room, Varkan leant against a wall, but he could hear every word. And stood beside him, Captain Blacksaddler also listened in, with a very grumpy looking Prince Blueblood there too. He was not at all pleased that Varkan was walking free, nor what was occuring.
"To your princess and her 2 fellow prisoners, who are thankfully asleep due to low body heat, nothing. I'll get to the Princess later. But as for Discord, he's made a deal with me, and I'm very satisfied that I managed to convince him so easily to do it."
"Discord would never betray us to you!"
"Oh please, he's doing this to protect his precious pony friends, and the world, and for him personally his little 'Sun Butt', as he so affectionately-"
"What did he promise!?" Celestia cut him off. Clearly Discord's mind had been read, even his own inner personal thoughts. How else would his 'bed name' for her be known?
"As soon as the 3 large craft are in their positions around the planet, making them ready along with the moon asset, Discord shall use his magic to remove the enchantments on both the Moon, and the Earth. From there on, the magical damage to both, the Moon's orbit and the Earth's spin, in the Civil War over 1000 years ago, shall be allowed to run its course."
"At that very instant, the magic he set up, the magic that your own piggybacks on to control the day and night, shall be gone. Your power, shall be finished."
"And from there on, the assets shall set to work repairing the damage in ways that won't be constantly undermined, as they'll work to compensate while the magical damage runs its course. Equilibrium will be maintained, and the power required shall be incomprehensible."
But then, before anyone in the throne room could comprehend it, Tul'rok admitted:
"I shan't waste time. Every second the portal is open, more of these unwanted invaders can come through. A predicted danger, but one I'm sure Aeternum will send more in through to counteract. It's still unaware that I'm in control, and I'll convince it so whenever it is, wherever it is, on the portal's other side."
Luna then angrily demanded, as she had seen it through her observations: "What are those spacecraft going to do? Tell us, NOW!
"You're in no position to be making demands. Especially since already, the 3 approaching craft are in range for a, if I feel the urge to, bombard the planet at say, any location of my choosing. I think a few megatons equivalent is good, a sliver of energy and matter for the size of those craft. Oh the wonders of something smashing down from orbit, and going boom where it lands. Discord agreed to help me very quickly after this little fact, persuaded him, so that I can be persuaded to keep the ships there for their intended, and much, much more energy intensive roles."
"Your holding the world hostage!" Captain Blacksaddler blurted out, his mind picturing the equivalent of small asteroids or nuclear bombs going off anywhere on the planet.
Celestia held up a hoof to quiet him, but then asked: "What do you want from us? You got what you wanted from Discord, but you wouldn't contact us if you didn't want something."
"You are a wise ruler, but also, unfortunately, a personal enemy of mine. So, I am here to make you a promise. The moment spells are lifted, and the assets begin their work, I begin a campaign against you. Killing you is meaningless, its a one off thing. So making you watch as your ponies, the world, is razed, bit by bit, knowing I'm doing this because of what you did, will be a little more satisfying."
"HOLD YOUR TONGUE MONSTER!" Luna bellowed, the room shaking in her rage.
"Oh, and while we're on the subject, I have a few more to address after this. So, I'll be seeing your mutant boyfriend soon, and then he'll see my Sa'ral, my mate, very soon after that. I'll return Princess Twilight soon after, to witness it, and to tell you about it in excruciating detail."
"You had 1000 years of rule without you, so consider this you stepping up. Let's see how long you last when Equestria's power grip by the day and night cycles is gone, even with your sister and 2 lesser princesses. Well, before I decide to raze the planet that is, I'd like this place to be not so full of bickering, pathetic civilisations. At least animals are predictable."
The portals flickered, as they began to collapse, a set of 4 grey shining eyes hanging in the room as they turned towards Starswirl, Caarim, and the 3 mares:
"No point trying to question that drone, its now too far gone from me to be of any useful study. I'm changing all the time, and with the amount of energy I can siphon off and not compromise the repairs to the cycles needed, your powers don't challenge me in the slightest. I turned your greatest weapons, the Elements, against you. I will soon destroy the last of Siral the Savant's 7 masterpiece creatures, and I shall turn the world against the last of the Alicorns. How wonderful to see your legacy both fulfilled, restoring harmony, yet also, blowing up in your face, isn't it Starswirl?"
Starswirl shot an utterly venomous glare at the eyes, before he saw it turn to Varkan briefly, and say with a last flicker:
"Congratulations Varkan, you're finally getting all you wanted. The power of Celestia, and Equestria, is being toned down. Maybe now you can kill Celestia like you almost did, and sometime fantasise, with no Sun or Moon duties holding you back. You're welcome, and I'm sorry you made it out of that riot I organised, and I'm not sorry you couldn't get revenge on the Calamaks, nor for the hatchlings you oh so carelessly put under a drone's care. They barely screamed, just a flash and they're gone, along with the hatchery just for added grief in the mix."
Beneath his feet, the marble floor screeched as his claws raked them in vitriolic hate, as Varkan then let loose a shattering bellow he didn't know he was capable of. Blacksaddler grunted as he was violently thrown back, his magical crossbow yanked from him. Surging forwards, Blueblood was knocked back as Varkan, using the only weapon he had now, fired a bolt, the crossbow enhanced by stored magic.
The portal vanished, and the sound of a cracking stain glass window case when the bolt embedded itself through the stain glass picture of Tirek's recent defeat.
"Seize him!"
Sun guards rushed forwards, all grappling the Wyvern to the ground as he writhed and bellowed guttural, murderous threats at the now vanished portals, and their master.
"VARKAN! Calm yourself!" Celestia ordered. In his rage, he spat in her direction, shrieking:
"DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO! I JUST HAD EVERYTHING I WORKED FOR TURNED AROUND AND AGAINST ME! MY REVENGE STOLEN, MY KIND REDUCED, AGAIN! AND HE DID IT JUST TO SPITE ME!"
"Among others present." Starswirl murmured, earning an annoyed glare from Luna and Celestia, but it did calm Varkan down. The guards all still restrained him, while Blacksaddler wandered over and took the crossbox off the guard that had grabbed it.
"That's mine thank you."
Still calming, Varkan turned his head towards Luna, who's face had softened just a little but at Varkan's unhinged state. She could see his regret in trusting Aeternum, and in the very least, trusting Tul'rok.
"Varkan, calm down. You must-" Celestia urged, but Luna cut her off:
"Give us your support Varkan, turn from Tul'rok. We can't afford to be enemies now."
"I turned from Tul'rok the moment the first bullets were fired at that party. I sided with Aeternum, it promised me things, and it hasn't failed me. But its gone, Tul'rok's a menace, and no way I'm helping him."
"Then its settled, how do we stop him?" Applejack asked.
There was a pause, before Starswirl reasoned: "We, should let him go ahead. He's right. And he's put us in a vicegrip. He has Discord, and the moment he lifts the spells, he'll be killed. I don't think Tul'rok told him that bit."
"We have to save him!" Fluttershy interjected loudly, but Varkan said with some pessimism:
"So you'll save one Draconeraqus over repairing the world's physics from its magic damage?"
"I can't let him die!" Celestia said a little loudly, her own control being lost. Discord was one of the only beings she wouldn't outlive, and with their bond, fractured by his paranoia recently as it was, made him more valuable to her than otherwise.
"Is there not a way to save him, and still let him remove his spells?" Luna asked, as if looking to Varkan or Starswirl for an answer. Neither said anything.
"Why don't we just storm the place and snatch him up, along with Twilight!? And say to Tul'rok's face if he wants to do his little repair work, he'll let Discord do it safely and live!" Rainbow Dash angrily remarked.
"Miss Dash, that idea is completely-" Prince Blueblood interrupted, being versed in military history himself.
"Do it by the air, we need to get there fast. If this is going to play out, the least we can do is better steer its course. Tul'rok's plans with repairing the world's rotation and moon orbit can't be interfered with, too dangerous if they go wrong." Celestia remarked. Luna was surprised, but she admitted:
"Its either that, or do nothing."
"If you unfreeze my assets, I can get in contact with some people, and their contacts also. Heavy hitters, people close to the Sowta Prancap island." Varkan threw out, still restrained by a handful of guards as he had finally calmed enough to talk reasonably.
Blueblood scowled at Varkan, but words from Blacksaddler's mouth were ones he agreed with:
"A bigger enemy has ways of allying others, right, wrong or traitor together."
Celestia began writing some letters, as she directed out: "Blacksaddler, Varkan will give you his contacts, you shall find any suitable for the raids. We must rescue them, and hope that Tul'rok concedes, or is overwhelmed. We'll say it is only to save Twilight, but we'll try and capture Discord before he can align those ships to fire on population areas, however they will."
Saluting, Blacksaddler stood back with Blueblood, as the sun guards pulled Varkan to his feet, the Wyvern standing stiffly as Luna approached now, asking sternly:
"Why help us? I must know before we can trust your help here?"
"I did everything before because I felt I had to, I had a duty to bring back my kind, however I could. But this, I, WANT to undermine, destroy Tul'rok. I won't be turning from that course, you can be sure of that. Besides, my friend is there too, and I want her back."
Fiery red reptilian eyes met the starry blue irises, and she knew he was genuine. He could be trusted, and he had a stake in this assault too, with Faral captured where Twilight also was.
Princess Luna turned away from Varkan, who was slowly released by the guards at last. She looked at the 3 former Element users, and one in particular.
"Miss Dash, you may want to be ready, a Wonderbolt Reserve could be a useful member in the team."
"But you must realise. You will have to be forced to say this was unsanctioned, off the books, unless it succeeds. If you get captured or killed, they'll think anyone involved was rebelling, trying to get back the Princess without orders from the rulers."
Celestia's words did little to sway Rainbow Dash, as the cyan mare said with some anticipation: "I want to see Tul'rok's face when he sees us snatch his hostages from him."
"Those ships will be reaching the closest orbit to Earth in 2 days, they'll likely circularise their orbits then. We have that long."
"I've made military operations in the past on less time than that." Celestia remarked. Varkan looked away a little, as he recalled how one personal mission of Celestia's had been one they'd intercepted in Dingolia 32 years ago. But Celestia knew it too.
Both hoped this would be better than that, despite having less planning time.
This had started the moment those two met, fought, and everything soon after. It was all coming full circle now, for Celestia, for Varkan and for Starswirl.
They all had done their sins, or made mistakes, but for the sake of survival, they could put aside their disagreements without needing to say it.
It was very shortly after this quick debate about the course of action that Applejack found herself worrying for somepony she thought she wouldn't.
Socium was imprisoned here in the castle dungeons for study, and to hide him.
She had seen him, and now she was confident that had Aeternum still been in control both on this world, and wherever he was now, none of this would be happening as badly as it was.
Early Afternoon, local time
March 28th, 1008 ANM
Sowta Prancap island, Western Africka
Patrolling NEMA fleet
Equestrian militia had a means of sending uninterceptable communications, which a certain dragon to a certain former Unicorn had used with his green fire.
The Equestrian destroyer's captain saw the letter before his eyes, held up by his red horn magic. Reading it, he shook his head a little at the desperation of it.
A call for more bombardment, as a secret rescue mission was underway. Heavy hitting, but discrete, made of multiple races, and meant to be in and out fast.
"Ready launchers, we've got some more ships inbound anyway to help. We've got new orders to bombard anything on the surface of the island that moves, and try and collapse the island's dug tunnels where we know the prisoners aren't held."
"Sir, we've made little headway up until now." The ship's helmsman, an Earth Pony male, said quietly, as the Captain stood in front of the bridge windows.
"We've not been trying to collapse tunnels at all up until now. Everything except a straight route to the prisoners, we have it roughly mapped. Orders from the very top."
Gazing out, the Captain saw the cannons, magic enhanced or technology, along with missiles and even some magic and magnetic launcher cannons, lining up on his ship, and on the 2 Gryphon ships nearby. It seems command had sent this across their allies too, probably by this discrete letter method also.
The island however, still loomed in the dusk skies, as foreboding as ever with what lay hidden.
Still, it was not as foreboding as what was to come from beyond the atmosphere if they failed.
A long chapter, but the conflict is growing as the time runs shorter and shorter. In times of crisis too, former enemies will very quickly help each other, and not waste too many words on it.
Also, a mysterious visitor is wandering about. One of the crashed aliens, or someone else perhaps.
As usual, please review/critique as one would. Detailed reviews most especially welcome for the purpose of constructive criticism.
