Sins of Harmony
Volume 2: Enemies Unbound
Chapter 52: Mourning, Stone-Hearted Surge.
Late Morning
21st June, 1006 ANM
Manehatten, Baroque General Hospital.
There hadn't been much of the bodies left untouched in the chariot, by the bullets or , mostly, the flames from the incendiary rounds.
If not for the flames, there may well have been bodies suitable to display for the mourners. Instead, 6 black body bags, 2 elsewhere for the earth ponies pulling the cart, and a dozen others for those hit behind the chariot in their cars or wagons.
Inside the 6, the 3 mares, the 2 Unicorn guards too slow to leap over the chariot to form a shield, and the Pegasus guard that was at the driver's seat.
All one would see inside the 6 black bags, on top of the morgue tables, was some charred bodies. But, there was enough unburned fur left on each to clearly say which body was whose.
They had come down the day before, taking the night to grieve over the initial news.
Meeting with the other concerned guards/Hephaestus members that had gone on ahead to try and protect them, failing in doing so, they had gathered in the morgue. The others waited in the hallway, trying to make sense of how it happened.
Her mind was blank, as she'd witnessed the burnt corpses being unzipped enough to confirm it was them.
The body bags had been zipped up, and she'd just taken to sitting against the wall, hunched over, quiet. Twilight was in complete shock, unable to comprehend any of this.
What worried her most was how Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were taking it. They were still holed up in Cloudsdale hospital, healing from their attack. Twilight's alicorn status brought with it increased strength, and magic was a good healer regardless.
Still, it meant she and Spike had to be the ones to bear witness to the sight of Applejack, Pinkie and Rarity in black body bags.
Spike had been completely silent the whole trip up to Manehatten, but as he was on his knees, head in hands, he finally let his anguish forth.
Rarity's death hurt the most, given she hadn't been just a friend.
All Twilight could hear from the larger dragon as he was bent over was a weak, breathless exhale, his face missing.
She finally let it out.
By the time she'd come to from her silent tears, half an hour had passed without her noticing.
30 minutes later
Further down the hallway, where he'd already paid his respects to the 3 guard ponies killed, in their own body bags, Flash saw the room where Twiligth and Spike were heavily mourning inside, the closed body bags still lined up as they were on the tables.
Having glanced in, and both were still in the state they were in with the bodies, Flash couldn't help it.
"I'm going in."
Nearby, having come with them, Discord had said sadly: "You should."
Out of the corner of his eyes, Discord saw Flash quietly approach Spike first, laying a comforting hoof on the unresponsive dragon's back. The larger reptile was still in a very bad state.
As he joined Twilight on the floor, her slowly moving into his embrace, Discord wiped away some tears that came to his eyes.
They were his friends too, but, he was here on Celestia's behalf, because matters in Canterlot concerning the attacks taking place, and the chaos with everything Garnet had apparently been scheming, meaning she wouldn't be in Manehatten for another few hours.
In the hospital, he saw a few recognisable figures approaching down the hallway, all looking dejected.
Spike's brother, Razak, was first to reach the window. He muttered quietly: "We tried to find out how we could, but, we didn't stop it."
He gazed quietly inside at his distraught brother, and he recalled the relative kindness Rarity had shown him before the raid in Ponyville last year. The fact that Spike and her had been in a relationship made it worse.
Behind him, Razak turned to listen in as the others with him, meaning Ohmen Magnes and Caarim, began to try and make sense of the situation.
"It must have been with the local mafias, no wonder it was so planned out. Road works, they herded them right where they wanted them to be." Caarim commented, the cobra having gone over the incident by reports already.
Ohmen then replied, revealing the nugget of information crucial to this: "There's something I passed on to Varkan, and he says this: The grey diamond dog that used the machine gun was larger than normal, near the same size he suspects Garnet would be fully grown, but much larger than even a big diamond dog."
Razak realised what this meant: "Wait, Garnet did it? In person? Why?"
"Maybe the scum wanted to make sure his plan worked this time." Discord spat, mentally calling this Garnet every possible insult he knew of.
Casting a look back, Razak said sadly: "We'll let them know, help with any closure issues or whatever."
It wasn't the only sad thing that happened, as about a few days ago Razak had almost lost Kynok, recently revealed as working fro Garnet under a big money reward, but deceived all the same. He'd almost killed all 3 of the ponies/dragon in that morgue room, mourning for the three Garnet had personally killed successfully.
Yet, Razak couldn't help but feel guilty at him only ALMOST losing Kynok, and Spike losing 3 of his friends, and his girlfriend, permanently.
Other side of the planet.
Same time
Local time: Late Afternoon/Early Evening
Maldives, volcanic island
Having erupted for a month and a half at a very high intensity, stunning and puzzling volcanologists worldwide, the Maldives volcano had, yesterday, given a sudden, loud burst of activity, before gradually fizzling to a slower eruption.
The burst wasn't a coincidence, as the 6 gems, filled with the Elements of Harmony, were delivered via the Mantle in a protective shell unit, to the Entity's core of its essence, inside the main magma chamber.
The burst eruption registering a massive VEI 6, lasted only a few seconds, as the Entity sensed it was no longer plagued by weakness.
Now, the 6 Elements were housed in the secondary chambers, slowly draining the energy remnants they carried, so the Entity could adapt to having the complete, unobstructed power of all 6 Elements as it took it all in.
The smoke had begun to fall, but the eruption continued at a slow, VEI 1. It was a very smokey eruption, little lava coming out at all. All it served was to obscure the island, a mile across, in a black veil.
But inside, the island was vastly different. The savage, month long eruptions it had forced had created a steep incline, turning it into a veritable fortress at sea. But no organic would survive the ashfall to reach its midway slope if it tried.
Elsewhere however, the Entity had other issues, alongside its projects it was undergoing longer construction times on. It already had assets in place in Manehatten harbour, and it knew where Garnet roughly was.
Roughly wasn't good enough for a covert attack, so, the Entity decided to test out a technique it had developed.
With the full power of the Elements at its disposal as time went on, and it growing better with its abilities every day, it could, 'experiment' with its assets.
It had ideas of exploiting strong organics already alive for its purposes, bringing them under its control, enhancing them.
Such was the nature of its forces waiting to attack Manehatten, uncaring for the irrelevant lives it would destroy.
Garnet hadn't left Manehatten yet, reasons unknown. But, the Entity thought it was high time to fully test its capabilities.
The tsunami earlier this year had been a test of its indirect abilities. Now, came time to test its direct abilities, and to hunt with extreme prejudice the one who came close to ruining its plans.
His attack on those 3 mares had sealed the deal. The Entity cared not for any organic, save for the 6, and the others who had wielded the Elements personally. A temporary, but influential connection.
And it warranted all the more to lay waste to the city Garnet was foolish to stay inside.
21st June, 1006 ANM
Early Afternoon
Manehatten, Cob condo estate.
Garnet had visibly sagged in relief as he read the news. He had a method of gauging whether the Entity had been weakened, and the news of the Maldives volcano easing up was just what he wanted to hear.
"I did it."
"No, I did it! You wouldn't have had the stomach to pull the trigger."
Ignoring his alter ego, Garnet knew he could relax better.
He was in his dark red fur, uncoloured. He'd booked this hotel room to stay in, confident that nobody knew exactly what he looked like as Garnet. He was overtly careful to cover his tracks.
It lined up with him reading in the news that 3 mares had been killed in their carriage ride to the museum, and it made big news.
After all, these 3 were associates of one of the Princesses after all.
Relaxing in his chair, Garnet didn't know whether he should consider himself a hero or pursuing his own interests. Yes, he could now expand into the territories the Entity had affected with the Tsunami without having to answer to it, but he'd seen the Entity's long term plans, and how he had no place in it, let alone many others.
The dark red diamond dog, like everyone in the city, had no idea what was waiting to attack.
Late Afternoon
Manehatten, downtown, Centurion Royal Hotel.
Floor 15, room 10
Celestia had arrived as fast as she could, as had, surprisingly, Shining Armour and Cadance.
Luna had also come, though she felt out of place, given how much longer Celestia knew Twilight than she did.
Lucius had come also, but his reasons for doing so were different. He had his sympathies for them, but he had news he needed to share.
"Starswirl said the pieces of that drone in the palace he recovered, sort of, flashed, the night before. He's analysed them, and he suspects it was the Entity surging in power all of a sudden."
"By his theories, the Entity recovered the energy fragments from the 3 in this city the night before they were killed. He, it drained them, it had no weaknesses after that."
Lucius's words only stung even more, as it made the deaths of the 3 all the more harsh.
Luna fought back some angry shouts as she said in a calm tone: "So, their deaths were needless then?"
"As cruel, as it is, Garnet was trying to kill them to weaken the Entity for some reason. That power, it must have been a good reason to do so." Lucius admitted.
"Its still an inexcusable attack, and it worked." Luna said.
Nearby, Razak had been sitting beside Spike, the younger dragon oddly quiet yet again. He'd heard the details, as had Twilight.
Both took it differently.
"Razak, if Garnet is found, or cornered, I want see him die."
Spike's calm request had caught Razak of guard. He himself wasn't averse to killing, but Spike? It wasn't like him.
"Kurze. Seeing him die, it won't bring her-"
"I know! It, it'll help, I think, I hope."
He was fighting to not burst out in rage, but Spike was skilled in keeping his anger in check, along with other primal desires.
Luna saw the pair of dragons, one suffering, while Lucius said sadly: "Garnet did this. He had Razak's family nearly killed, put Kynok onto a suicide mission he nearly succeeded in, he was always unstable, and now, this."
The Sombra clone scowled as he walked off. Sighing to herself, Luna wandered into the bedroom where the others were, comforting the youngest princess.
On the terrace, leading off from the hotel room balcony, Ohmen and Caarim had kindly stepped out to give them some space. They had to reflect on everything that happened. The Centurion Royal Hotel sported some of the best oceanic views in Manehatten, giving plenty to muse at.
"You think he'll be found?" Caarim asked.
"..I doubt it. He's stayed hidden for 25 years, he's too good." Ohmen scowled as he admitted. The grey and brown maned unicorn mutate flickered between Unicorn and Changeling mutate in his mild anger and lack of focus.
Caarim sadly rested his raised head and neck against the railing, looking out at the bay and the harbour walls, the distant waves out at sea white against the smooth dark blue. A few tiny specks showed ships coming into and leaving the harbour, while the skies above reflected an almost ironic cloudless sky.
30 miles away
Manehatten bay, undersea area.
Under the shipping lanes, the sea floor was calm as usual.
Beneath it however, a tremendous amount of energy, both magical and physical, was being readied to be unleashed. It built and built, until it was correctly distributed.
The Entity, shapeless but present by its nearby assets, had focused most of its energy here, as it needed a more precise event.
It fired.
A massive, nearly 8 mile wide section of seabed suddenly broke loose, enveloped inside a magical layer of energy that kept it as one solid piece.
Against all laws of physics, it began to slide UP the 2 degree seabed slope, driving forwards at a rate inconcievable to mere mortals.
It shoved forwards, displacing water as it drove forward about 30 metres along the seabed at speeds near 20 miles an hour.
Finally, after 5 seconds, the dislodged seabed suddenly ceased, the magical envelope flashing to flash melt and solidify it to its new position.
In the waters, the displacement by the sudden shift in the 8 mile wide seabed was finished, and its displacement would manifest in the unseen swell now hurtling towards the Manehatten metropolitan area.
Hidden in the bay, the Entity's other assets locked themselves to the harbour floor, knowing the swell may displace them if not locked down tightly.
Late Afternoon
Manehatten, downtown, Centurion Royal Hotel.
Floor 15, room 10
"Just, we'll be here for you Twilight."
Cadance quietly nuzzled her old charge's head as the violet Unicorn silently weeped into her chest. Her brother sat on the other side of the bed, a hoof making comforting circles on her back.
Celestia watched nearby, knowing that maybe, just maybe, Twilight might be alright in the long run.
Looking out the window, she noticed all of a sudden that Ohmen and Caarim had rushed to the corner of the balcony, something catching their eye.
Her mind leaving her distraught younger princess, Celestia magically pulled the sliding door open, and immediately noises not there before reached her.
A siren was wailing, a loud, droning note, as she saw what Ohmen and Caarim had spotted.
The harbour had drained slightly, the water retreating a good distance from whatever shores it touched. Out at sea, beyond the breakers of the harbour, it gathered.
"Tsunami." Ohmen breathed.
The sirens began to spread, as the wave had come out of nowhere, but was already coming in.
Up ahead, at the breakers, a small fishing boat was caught and carried as the wave broke over the breakers, and just kept coming.
"Those breakers are about 20 feet high, and it cleared them!" Caarim yelled aloud.
Finally, the sirens reached them, the nearest one, like an air raid siren from an old war tale, began to drone loudly.
Any thoughts of grief were snapped out of existence at the knowledge of what was heading for Manehatten.
They were lucky, being on the 15th floor, but anyone on the ground had to get up, fast. The wave looked big enough to sweep through all of downtown Manehatten, the flat cityscape a weakness here.
Twilight had all but broken away, and rushed out to see the water crashing over the distant breakers in the harbour beyond.
"Princess, what can we do?" Twilight begged.
Celestia was silent, as she looked down at the streets at the hordes of citizens heading into whatever tall buildings they could.
"Hope not too many die."
"Many of the buildings in the city are strong, concrete. We'll fare better than the Oceanic one in January." Ohmen reasoned.
But the wave kept coming, and reason was the last thing on people's minds at it reached as far back as where the water had retreated.
In the harbour, the sea came crashing forwards.
A dark red diamond dog, seconds ago relaxing in a condo tower hotel room, had just began to fear the cause of this event as he gazed in horror at the surge.
There were no tectonic fault lines nearby, no hot spots fast forming enough, nothing the Entity could have done in its weakened state to trigger this that he knew of.
The only hope Garnet had was that this was the death throes as its power weakened permanently.
In reality, it was the opening move of a siege the Entity had planned, with no concern for collateral damage.
The tsunami was to flood the city, to ensure Garnet couldn't escape too quickly, either flooding where he was or by traffic of others fleeing the city slowing him down.
The wave closed in on the city, its swell reaching 50 feet high before it crashed down, surging towards the city's waterfront.
An apt start of the last big confrontation bout, given how I opened this story.
The casualties in Manehatten will be less, given the buildings are less prone to collapse than say, straw huts and fishing village structures. Also, multistory buildings will be helpful.
As usual, please review/critique as one would.
