Prologue
Over 1000 years ago, a dark presence appeared from out of nowhere.
No creature knew of its origins or where it came from. All they knew was that it would destroy and attack the lives of the innocent with no mercy, and manipulate those it deemed useful, as if it were second nature.
When word of this opposing force had reached the Royal Sisters, Celestia and Luna, they decided to take action.
To combat the Royal Sisters, this force had created 22 special sets of armor made from the purest darkness. These suits of armor were named Surplices and they granted the wearer unimaginable power, at the cost of their own free will..these slaves to the darkness and harbingers of death were called the Specters.
To counter the Surplices and their ungodly power, Celestia channelled the power of the Sun itself and the Elements of Harmony to forge 13 suits of armor based on the constellations of the Zodiac; she dubbed these sacred armors the Gold Cloths.
The Gold Cloths were bound to 13 righteous warriors known as the Gold Saints, who each carried a mysterious power within them called Cosmo as a result of them donning the Cloths that have been bathed in the divine lights of the Sun and harmony itself.
The Cosmo the Gold Cloths possessed allowed these warriors to tap into the forces of creation and grant them the power necessary to defeat the Specters.
A grueling battle between good and evil had transpired, eventually..hope prevailed and the Specters were vanquished, their Surplices were sealed away along with their creator.
One day this dark force will return, and bring forth chaos and destruction only for 13 new warriors to rise and appear to defeat it once and for all.
This is the story...of the Knights of the Zodiac.
(Over 1000 years ago)
Somewhere in the Badlands of Equestria, the sky is covered in black clouds of smoke.
Princesses Celestia and Luna were standing with the other creature leaders where 13 ponies in hoods were standing behind them.
Celestia: Queen Novo, what are our casualties?
Novo: Too much. I'm afraid we must fall back.
Celestia: As much as the lives of others we lost, we can't afford to give up now. This is our only chance of taking down this monster.
Celestia faced Luna.
Celestia: Sister, please lead and take every creature away from here. Me and the Gold Saints will end things here.
Luna: No sister! Please let me stay and help!
Celestia: No Luna. If I were to fall, then Equestria would still have you as it's new ruler in my place. Please take care dear sister.
Luna started to cry.
Luna: Sister…
Luna turned away and faced the leaders.
Luna: Every creature, fall back!
Luna took off with her flight where all the leaders except Celestia and the hooded figures stayed behind.
The hooded figures took off their cloaks and revealed themselves as the Knights of the Zodiac, clad in each of their respective Gold Cloths.
Leo: Princess. What are your orders?
Celestia: Do you have them?
Leo: Yes.
Leo ordered Libra to come forth who was carrying a small chest in a satchel.
Celestia took the chest and opened it where the Elements of Harmony were inside.
Celestia took the Elements as they levitated around her.
Cancer: He's coming!
Pisces: Brace yourselves everypony!
A dark vortex formed where bright red eyes formed within.
?: AH HAH HAH HAH! Celestia, oh what do I owe the pleasure of you seeing me?
Celestia: Silence you monster! Your rule of terror is over!
?: Oh, and how? With your pesky Elements? Or those so-called "Gold Saints" you call the Knights of the Zodiac?
Taurus: Watch yourself fiend! Don't underestimate our power. We defeated your Specters!
?: Oh. Them. Yeah such a shame. Sadly, you forgot these.
Out of nowhere, the remaining 21 Surplices levitated out of the vortex.
?: My Specters may have been vanquished, but their Surplices live on! You should've destroyed these completely, but you failed in doing so. Now. PERISH!
Beams of dark energy fired from the Surplices as dark bolts of lightning struck down.
The Saints and Celestia dodged the attacks.
Gemini: We have to take down those Surplices!
Aries: And we need to protect Celestia!
Scorpio: Scarlet Needle!
Scorpio shoots down one of the Surplices where Capricorn appeared.
Capricorn: Excalibur!
Capricorn formed the sword beam and knocked down three more Surplices.
Sagittarius: Infinity Break!
Sagittarius launched their attack and took down six more Surplices.
Aquarius: Diamond Dust!
Aquarius performed their ice attack and blew away five more Surplices.
Virgo: Demon...Pacifier!
Virgo releases their attack and knocks down the remaining six Surplices.
Leo was pleased.
Leo: Well done! Now let's help Celestia and-
Before Leo could finish, they were stabbed through the chest with a sword where the dark figure emerged from the vortex covered in dark smoke where they killed the Leo Saint.
Sagittarius: Leo!
Virgo: NO!
Gemini: Get him!
Sagittarius, Virgo, and Gemini charge only to get killed by the dark figure with their sword.
?: They are your last hope? These so-called Saints are worthless!
Aries and Capricorn fought off the monster only for another sword to block them where the two Saints got stabbed and killed.
Cancer: Dread Vice Claws!
Cancer formed crab claws the block the blade
Cancer: You're going to pay!
Taurus: Shining Charge!
Taurus came charging towards the evil threat and rammed them into the side.
?: Impressive. But impressive…
The fiend took one of its blades and thrust it up Taurus' jaw and through his head killing them.
?: Isn't enough..
Cancer attacked with the Dread Vice Claws only for the dark threat to dodge each attack.
?: You think I'm like my Specters? You dare insult me by comparing me to them!
The dark threat cut off both of Cancer's front hooves as they fell down.
?: I am nothing like those weaklings!
The dark threat cut off Cancer's head, killing them.
Aquarius attacked the dark threat with hoof to hoof combat.
?: Is that you're best?
Aquarius jumped back.
Aquarius: No. This is!
Aquarius' body starts to glow where they channeled all their cosmo into their front hooves.
Aquarius: Aurora Extinction!
Aquarius launched the powerful ice attack that hit the dark threat as a glacier of ice formed on impact.
Aquarius: That ought to teach-
Before Aquarius knew it, the dark threat broke out of the glacier and cut the Gold Saint clean in half. Killing them.
Pisces and Scorpio attacked the dark threat who dodged them.
?: Too slow.
The dark threat throws one of their swords where it hits Pisces and pins them into the ground.
Pisces: NO! PLEASE!
The dark threat dive bombs and crushes Pisce's face killing them.
Scorpio: You'll die, you monster!
?: Monster? I'm no monster…
The dark threat dodges a buck from Scorpio and breaks their hind hooves with a swift movement with the flat end of their sword.
The dark threat pulled out it's sword stabbed in Pisces' chest where they took both blades and stabbed Scorpio in the shoulders, pinning them down.
?: I'M A GOD!
The dark threat takes Scorpio's head and breaks their neck, killing them.
Libra: That..that monster! He killed 11 of our comrades..without a hint of remorse! Now what?
The strongest of the Gold Saints, Ophiuchus walked up.
Ophiuchus: I will deal with him. You stay and protect Celestia so we can end this.
Libra: What?!
Celestia: No you can't! You'll die!
Ophiuchus: And what about the others? They died trying to save Equestria. So I'm going to do the same, your majesty..we all came to terms with the possibility that we might die in this battle, all of us made peace with that, because even if some were to die..those of us who still remain would keep fighting no matter what, and that is exactly what I'm going to do..I refuse to let my comrades' sacrifice be in vain
Libra walks up to Ophiuchus and hugs their friend.
Ophiuchus: Libra, my friend..my brother in arms, goodbye.
Libra: Should the worst happen, I want you to know that it was an honor to fight at your side.
Ophiuchus: Protect Princess Celestia with everything that you have, may your Cosmo burn
Ophiuchus charged towards the dark threat and uses their staff to block and counter the blades
Libra:...Princess...If you're going to make your move. Do it now.
Celestia was hesitant at first but she knew she had to work her magic and fast.
Celestia channeled the power of the Elements where Ophiuchus was seen fighting off the dark threat.
Ophiuchus: Golden Cobra Fangs!
Ophiuchus launches one of their hooves out where a barrage of Cobra Head projectiles hit the dark threat who put up a barrier to defend itself.
?: Fool! There is nothing you can do!
The barrier was launched towards Ophiuchus who got knocked back where his staff got knocked out of their grasp after clashing with one of the blades.
Ophiuchus retaliated quickly and bucked one of the blades away where they dodged the other blade.
Ophiuchus' body starts to glow where they form a giant Cosmo construct of a snake.
Ophiuchus: Titan Supremacy!
Ophiuchus motions the construct and rams it into the dark threat where they plow the monster through the ground where the snake construct picks up the dark threat and rams them into the ground.
Ophiuchus jumps back to get some distance.
Ophiuchus: Hurry! I don't know how much longer I can-
The dark threat recovers and rams into Ophiuchus and pins them down.
?: PATHETIC WHELP!
The dark threat beats up Ophiuchus with dark Cosmo infused hooves.
The dark threat then grabs hold of Ophiuchus' head and sends Cosmo electricity through their body as the Gold Saint screams in pain.
The dark threat flies up and fires a powerful projectile down where it hits Ophiuchus and explodes.
As the light dies down, the dark threat lands.
?: As I said, it's pointless.
Libra: That's what you think!
The dark threat looks up and sees Libra where Celestia was glowing gold as her mane and tail were on fire.
?: W-What the?!
Celestia: Say goodbye. FOREVER!
Celestia fires a powerful beam of magic where the dark threat gets hit.
?: GRAAGH!, N-NO! I WILL NOT BE DENIED MY RULE!
The dark threat tried to fight back only for Libra to fire a beam of Cosmo to support Celestia where Ophiuchus used the last of their strength to fire a single projectile.
The dark smoke coat surrounding the figure faded off which revealed an male alicorn with a pink mane, a blue coat with blood red eyes, who was also panting exhaustedly from the damage he had received.
Celestia: It's over. You have lost...Virus!
Virus tried his best only to be overwhelmed by the power of Cosmo and the Elements of Harmony.
Virus: NO!
Virus' horn breaks apart where he and the Surplices are sent flying away where they were sealed away. Never to be seen again.
Celestia turns back to normal where Libra carries the chest as the Princess puts the Elements back in as Libra puts the chest in their satchel.
Celestia and Libra run over to Ophiuchus as they try to support him.
Celestia: Please! Stay strong!
Libra: You can't die!
Ophiuchus: Please...don't cry…or else I will die with sadness…
Libra: How can we not cry...we've lost so much..we are the only Gold Saints left.
Celestia: Just hold on! We can get help!
Ophiuchus: No. There's no time...besides...we won...so it's okay…I can die peacefully, I have no regrets, Equestria is safe...and the light of the Sun can shine once more...
Libra and Celestia continue to cry.
Celestia: Thank you. Thank you for everything!
Libra: And thank you! For being my friend!
Ophiuchus smiled.
Ophiuchus: You're...wel...come…
Ophiuchus closed their eyes slowly where they died smiling.
Celestia and Libra cried as the bodies of their fallen friends were laid around the battlefield.
Somewhere in the distance, where Virus was sealed, the dark threat wasn't done.
Virus: Curse you Gold Saints..curse you Celestia!..I underestimated your resolve..but I will not relent, If I am forever trapped in this eternal prison. Then I shall be born anew. But If I fade away into nothingness, then my successor will be the one to bring forth this world's destruction!
A few days later, it was raining where the funeral of the fallen Gold Saints and to all those who had died in the battle were being held.
Libra was up in front where they watched their friends getting buried where Celestia and Luna walked up to them.
Celestia: Libra…
Libra: Princesses…
Luna: We are sorry for what happened to the others.
Libra: Thank you for your condolences..but my friends can pass on happily, knowing that their sacrifices weren't in vain.
Celestia: Virus has been defeated, but we are far from done. Libra, while Luna and I help rebuild, I want you to take the Gold Cloths and hide them around Equestria. Until another threat like Virus emerges, the Gold Cloths will be hidden and sealed away until a new generation of Saints are born, I have faith that they will carry on the legacy of the Zodiac.
Libra looked at the Saints' graves where they looked at the Royal Sisters.
Libra: Of course. I won't let you down.
Libra was given all the Gold Cloths where they left the next day to hide and seal them away across Equestria.
12 of the 13 Gold Saints have perished, where the sole survivor was left alone as they hid the Cloths..
Until the time comes where they'll be needed once more, the Cloths will stay dormant until a new generation of Gold Saints are born.
This is the story of the Knights of the Zodiac.