Surprise, anguish, fear and a mixture of other feelings overwhelmed the ponies present in the great hall. No one was able to fully process what had happened moments before. Even the rulers, Celestia and Luna, questioned what they had just witnessed. In front of them, imposingly, was FORNAX, the creature that had seriously injured Celestia's student, Princess Twilight Sparkle. Although he had healed the wound he had inflicted, he now demanded a battle.
The bearers of the elements watched their friend tensely, still in the arms of the creature. The internal conflict was evident: was FORNAX a ruthless enemy or a more complex figure? However, there was one thing they all shared: grief and anger over the harm Twilight had suffered. Despite the relief that she was still alive, they couldn't help but cry because of the trauma they experienced. Even Pinkie Pie, always the most optimistic, cried inconsolably as Rarity tried to comfort her. Fluttershy, for her part, stood motionless, her gaze lost, too affected to shed a single tear more.
Point of view: Fornax
I stand before the bearers of the elements and the self-proclaimed "rulers" of this kingdom. Although they hold the title of princesses, they appear to be no more than symbolic leaders. In my arms, I hold the so-called "princess of friendship," who tried to confront me. Their resistance was minimal, but I didn't eliminate it. According to information obtained from Celestia's secret files, Twilight is linked to the "Tree of Harmony", a key power entity for this world. Without complete information about his connection to this tree, his life still has strategic value. Also, if my negotiation with Celestia fails, I might need her as a key player.
I look at Celestia and say firmly:
"Well, princess?"
An alert in my helmet's visor interrupts my focus. The sensors detect a massive buildup of energy around Celestia's horn. Before reacting, a call notification appears on the screen. I turn off the internal sound of the helmet to answer.
"What's going on, Sofia?" I ask.
"Sir, we have problems," Sofia replies in a serious tone.
"How serious?"
"Too much. Yellow energy has circled the sun again, but this time it is not orbiting the planet. It's heading toward him.
"How much time do we have?"
"I estimate thirty minutes for the impact," he replies, with no apparent emotion.
He glanced at Celestia. His face is marked by anger, clearly directed towards me. She is so blinded by her fury that she seems to be unaware of the impending destruction it will bring to the planet and its kingdom. I return my attention to the screen.
"Sofia, send all the available ships. To collect the collected material.
"What do you plan to do, sir?" He asks doubtfully.
"We will leave the planet. Apparently, I've provoked Celestia enough that she'd rather destroy me along with her entire kingdom.
"Sir, positioned snipers have a free kick. They could remove it before it's too late.
"No, Sofia. If we kill it, we will face greater problems.
"But his death would give us access to key labor for our operations. In addition, I have simulated the probabilities and risks of rebel groups are minimal.
"I'm not going to risk it. Celestia's death would create chaos among the population, and I cannot waste resources in quelling revolts. In addition, she controls the sun. Until we have a solution to maintain solar cycles, their presence is essential.
"Understood, admiral. I will begin preparations for the evacuation.
"Perfect. I'll also need extraction in my coordinates in five minutes. Keep the snipers in position in case of any problems.
"As ordered, admiral," Sofia says before cutting off the communication.
I look around. The emotional chaos in the room is evident. The guards of the place, curiously uniform in fur and mane, do not represent any threat. As I turn towards the entrance, I notice a unicorn crying on the ground as it watches me. He's the supposed captain of the guard, and he seems more concerned about the pony in my arms than he does about stopping me.
"What a disappointment... although, at least, he has not lost sight of his objective.
A new alert on the helmet appears: "20 MINUTES TO IMPACT." He looked down at Twilight Sparkle.
"I think I'll take you with me." You could be good company for the long journey.
I was ready to leave this place full of colorful creatures and mediocre soldiers, when a scream rang out, stopping me in my tracks. I turned to the source of the sound, only to be met by "Queen" Celestia, who was rubbing her neck as she stared at me intently. Before I could react, a call alert appeared in my viewfinder: it was Sofia trying to communicate.
"What's going on, Sofia?" I asked, activating the communicator.
"Sir, the small star has left its collision course and is returning to its starting position. What did he do? Sofia replied, perplexed.
"So the anger of the "queen" is over. I didn't do anything, Sofia..." I replied as I looked at Celestia, who was now looking at her side with a frown. I followed his gaze and understood who had intervened. But I think I know who fixed the problem. Sofia, cancels the evacuation order. We will stay.
"As I ordered, admiral," Sofia said before cutting off the communication.
I increased the volume of the audio sensors in my helmet to listen to the conversation between the two rulers.
"What were you thinking, Luna, when you gave me an electric shock?" Celestia asked, clearly annoyed.
"Me!?" Luna replied, indignantly, while pointing at herself with one of her helmets. Rather, you tell me what you were thinking when you wanted to smash the sun against us! You almost killed us! And all because of that creature! He said, pointing at me with obvious frustration.
Celestia looked down, embarrassed.
"I'm so sorry, Luna," she said softly. He had never lost his composure in all these years. But..." raising her head again, she looked directly at me, "seeing my student almost lose her life at the hands of FORNAX and not having done anything to prevent it, that generated in me a deep hatred... I hate him, but even more so myself, for having put my image as a princess above my student's life.
Luna sighed and replied with a calmer tone.
"Celestia, I'm also angry with myself for not having intervened in the fight. But it is our duty to maintain composure in these cases and not to show weakness in the face of our adversaries. Then his gaze fell on me, with a mixture of concern and suspicion. Although, in this case, I think this adversary is someone we should fear.
Suddenly, I felt an impact on my back that made me take a step forward to avoid falling. The helmet's visor displayed a message: "MINIMUM ARMOR DAMAGE. NO REPAIRS ARE REQUIRED."
"And my shields?" I asked internally.
"RESET SHIELDS IN 1 MINUTE," the system said.
"Shit," I muttered as I turned to see the person in charge. It was the same weeping pony as before.
"You've got guts, boy... I thought, " but you're not a threat worthy of my attention."
When I was about to ignore it and return to my conversation with the white queen, the pony attacked me again.
"Hey! Who do you think you are to attack princesses!? He shouted, with an angry look.
"It's none of your business," I replied as I turned off the sound inside the helmet and activated the communicator. Sofia, who is this guy? It's starting to irritate me.
"According to the kingdom's archives, his name is Shining Armor, former captain of Celestia's royal guard and current ruler of the Crystal Empire alongside Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. He's also Twilight Sparkle's older brother," Sofia explained precisely.
"So he's the brother of the little pet I'm holding?" I said, smiling behind my helmet. This is getting interesting.
"Isn't it my business!?" I'm the captain of the royal guard, and it's my duty to protect the princesses," Shining shouted determinedly.
I turned the internal sound of the helmet back on.
"Protect them?" How did you protect this princess? I said as I lifted Twilight by the neck, putting her in front of me.
"aw, that hurts, you know?!" Twilight complained, clearly annoyed.
Twilight's scream further ignited Shining's anger.
"Let go of it right now!" he shouted, beside himself.
"Or else what?" I challenged him.
"SOLDIERS, surround him!" Shining ordered authoritatively.
The guards, obeying his order, began to surround me, blocking all possible exits. Pegasus positioned themselves above me, while others blocked the giant windows of the place. They even formed a barrier against the bearers and rulers to protect them. An impressive display for ponies, but they made one crucial mistake: they focused all their attention on me.
"IN THE NAME OF PRINCESS CELESTIA, YOU ARE ARRESTED FOR ATTACKING THE CROWN!" Shining shouted firmly.
I sighed and looked at Twilight, who was still hanging from my arms.
"Hey, Twilight, can you tell your brother to withdraw his soldiers?" I'm not going to be as gentle as I was to you.
"What?" What do you plan to do to them? She asked, fearful.
"Nothing good. So, tell them.
Twilight nodded, visibly nervous, and turned to her brother.
"Shining, tell the guards to leave!" I'm fine, he hasn't done anything to me! He shouted, trying to calm the situation.
"Don't worry, Twi, I'll take care of this guy!" SOLDIERS, HANDCUFF IT! Shining replied, ignoring his sister.
"No, brother!" Twilight cried desperately.
I sighed again and then threw Twilight out of the fence the ponies had created.
"Well, it seems there's no other way," I murmured as I turned off the internal sound of the helmet and activated the communicator. Sofia, snipers have a green light to shoot. Avoid mortal blows, I don't want more deaths.
"As I ordered, admiral," Sofia replied coldly.
Just outside the castle
On the roof of one of the houses surrounding the castle, a droid emerged from its camouflage. An assault-type android was lying on his chest, holding a sniper rifle similar to a Barrett M82, albeit modified to fire 150mm shells. On the opposite side of the castle, another identical droid materialized on the roof of another house. Through the droids' visors, the positions of all the soldiers surrounding Fornax were visible: a total of 32 targets, distributed in different races. Fifteen were flying over Fornax, while the rest blocked any possible escape routes.
Suddenly, a message appeared in his visors:
"PERMISSION TO SHOOT. NON-LETHAL TARGETS."
–Confirmation code accepted. Pointing to targets. Preparing ammunition – both droids announced with their mechanical voices.
Quickly, the droids began to lock onto their targets. Each designated 16 targets, focusing on non-vital areas. They aimed at the limbs of soldiers on the ground, while for those flying, the target was one of their wings. The guideline was clear: immobilize without causing casualties.
–Objectives indicated. Initiating immobilization – they said in unison.
A roar broke the air.
POOM! POOM!
POOM! POOM! POOM!
POOM! POOM! POOM!
Gunfire rang out as empty shell casings fell, rolling across rooftops before disappearing into the streets of Canterlot. The thunderous sound of gunfire spread, alarming citizens.
POOM! POOM!
POOM! POOM! POOM! POOM!
RELOADING!
The inhabitants began to run in terror, seeking refuge. Some locked themselves in their homes, while others knocked on other people's doors, begging for a place to hide. Chaos reigned. The royal guards tried to calm the crowd, helping fallen ponies or caught in the stampedes, but the origin of the shots remained a mystery to them.
POOM! POOM!
POOM! POOM! POOM! POOM!
RELOADING!
Finally, after a series of synchronized gunfire, the droids pinned down all the soldiers.
–Immobilized targets. Awaiting orders – the droids declared.
It wasn't long before a new message appeared in their viewers:
"RETURN TO CAMOUFLAGE MODE AND CHANGE FIRING POSITION."
–Order received. Activating camouflage for repositioning – they replied, before vanishing into thin air.
Silence took over the streets of Canterlot. Although the shooting stopped, the fear persisted. Fearful citizens remained locked in their homes or hiding places, waiting for confirmation that it was safe to leave. Meanwhile, the royal soldiers, having no more civilians to protect, began a search operation to locate the cause of the rumbles.
However, their efforts were in vain. The only thing they found were some small metal objects on the roofs of two houses. Given their size, they ruled out that they were responsible for the noises and discarded them, continuing with their fruitless search.
BACK TO THE CASTLE, LUNA'S POINT OF VIEW, SECONDS BEFORE
I find myself sitting on my throne next to my sister Celestia, surrounded by guards, as chaos unfolds in front of us. The situation had escalated alarmingly. All of this had gotten out of hand, and he couldn't help but blame the one known as Fornax. Their presence here seemed to be the epicenter of the disaster. My sister, blinded by anger, had been willing to make an unthinkable decision: to smash her star into us. If he hadn't felt the sweltering heat, he wouldn't have noticed his intentions.
Now, the throne had become a battlefield. Shining Armor, carried away by his fury and desire to protect us, had ordered his soldiers to surround Fornax to stop him. Twilight Sparkle, in a desperate attempt to reason with her brother, uttered words of warning that were ignored. The tension felt like a lump in my throat as Fornax spoke with an eerie calm.
"You're making a mistake, captain," Fornax said, his voice so calm it was chilling.
"I don't think so. You made the mistake by coming here with the intention of hurting my sister and the princesses," Shining Armor replied, confident of his victory.
Forcing myself to keep my composure, I tried to analyze the situation. Fornax didn't seem ready to attack. He stood serenely, as if he were waiting for something. His next words echoed in my mind.
"Because of your irrational actions, your soldiers will end up hurting... or worse.
Fear invaded me. What was he planning? Before I could process it, Fornax turned to me.
"Princess, I'm very sorry what's going to happen, but someone must show this pony who has the highest rank.
"What do you plan to do?" Celestia interjected firmly.
Fornax did not respond. Suddenly, a rumble broke through the air followed by the sound of shattering crystals. I turned my head instinctively toward the broken window, but a heart-rending scream forced me to turn my attention back to the living room.
"AAAAAHHH!" A guard shouted.
Horror seized me when I saw one of the soldiers on the ground, holding his right front leg... or what was left of it. Its limb had been torn off, leaving a trail of blood that stained the marble floor. I tried to look away, but my gaze met the missing limb across the room, shattered and unrecognizable.
I closed my eyes, trying to block out the image, but another rumble rang out, followed by another and another. Each one was accompanied by the screams of pain of the soldiers. Pegasus fell from the air, their wings mutilated, landing brutally on the ground. The throne room, once a place of honor and majesty, was filled with tears, blood, and mangled bodies. The stained glass windows, the pride of our history, were now only scattered fragments.
Time seemed to stand still. The memory of that dream was projected in my mind: a room full of corpses and blood. The ground now dyed red looked too much like that vision. When the thunderous sound stopped, only the echo of screams and crying remained. My mind was blank, unable to process the magnitude of the massacre. I wanted to cry, but the tears wouldn't come out. My paws were shaking, my body was paralyzed with fear.
I sought comfort in my sister's gaze, but I stumbled upon something that chilled me even more. Celestia, always a pillar of strength and emotion, showed an expressionless face. There was no anger, no sadness, no fear. Only empty. For the first time in my life, I felt afraid of my own sister.
A sound of footsteps brought me back to reality. It was Fornax, slowly advancing towards a terrified Shining Armor. The captain, who minutes before had been so sure of himself, was now trembling. He tried to stand up, but his fear was evident. He cast desperate spells on Fornax, but they bounced uselessly against an invisible barrier around him.
"NO! STAY AWAY FROM ME! Shining shouted as he backed away in panic.
Fornax continued to advance, relentlessly, like an executioner who pronounced sentence.
When Fornax got close enough to Shining, Shining desperately generated a shield around him, hoping that he would protect him. Fornax paused in front of the shield, watching it silently. Then, he placed his left arm on the magic surface, and with his right, he raised his fist to the sky. Without warning, he descended it with enormous force and speed, impacting against the shield and piercing it with ease. Surprisingly, the shield didn't break, but Fornax's arm was now inside, as if the barrier couldn't repel it.
Shining, on the verge of panic, tried to close the hole where Fornax's arm had entered, but it was useless. Fornax opened his hand and slowly pulled it toward him. Shining tried to back away, but the shield prevented him from doing so. Finally, Fornax's hand caught him by the neck, lifting him effortlessly.
Shining's shield disappeared in the blink of an eye, and the unicorn began to struggle for breath as Fornax lifted it into the air, holding it firmly. Shining, wearing his helmets, tried to break free from the grip, but it was useless. Fornax pulled him closer until their faces were just inches apart.
"I warned you, you were making a serious mistake. Next time, listen to your superiors... "Captain," Fornax said, emphasizing the last word with a tone of authority.
Shining, terrified, barely managed to nod his head.
"Good," Fornax replied. Then...
Before finishing his sentence, he felt a few small bumps on his back. She turned her head and saw a purple pony, her face bathed in tears. Twilight Sparkle was trying to hit him with her helmets, but her strength was insufficient.
"N-no... don't hurt my brother..." Twilight sobbed between gasps.
"Twi," Shining whispered with difficulty, his voice almost inaudible from the lack of air.
Fornax softened his grip, letting Shining breathe.
"Don't worry. I won't hurt him. I was just teaching him a little respect for a superior," Fornax replied calmly.
"What?" Twilight asked, still disconsolate and not understanding what she meant.
Fornax released Shining, who fell to the ground with a loud bang. The unicorn inhaled deeply, trying to catch his breath, but he didn't have time, as Twilight would tackle him seconds later, hugging him tightly.
"Twi!" "I don't breathe," Shining gasped, trying to break free.
"Oops! "I'm sorry," Twilight said, moving away awkwardly as she tried to calm her crying.
Fornax, satisfied that he had resolved the problem with the guards, turned around to talk to Princess Celestia. However, before he uttered a single word, a proximity alert appeared in his viewfinder. Quickly, he turned on himself and deftly caught an object that was coming straight at him at high speed. But it didn't stop there: taking advantage of the object's momentum and its enhanced strength, it turned 180 degrees and smashed it into the ground with brutal force, kicking up a dense cloud of dust.
When the dust dissipated, the supposed "object" turned out to be Rainbow Dash. The pegasus, now lying in the center of a small crater, lay motionless, its body lying on its side. His eyes were completely white, and a trickle of blood was sliding from his mouth.
"Rainbow!" Rarity and Applejack shouted in unison. Both tried to hold back tears. Next to him, Pinkie Pie sat with her hair completely straight, covering her face. Fluttershy, unable to bear the scene, had lost consciousness and lay passed out on the floor.
"That crazy little filly," Applejack muttered, putting his hat to his face to hide his anguish.
But then, a voice broke the silence:
"She's not dead. He's still breathing," Fornax said nonchalantly, as if trying to downplay the seriousness of the matter.
The words brought a glimmer of hope to the bearers, though Fornax's cold tone made it difficult to fully believe in him.
Fornax stood up with the intention of addressing Celestia again, but as soon as he opened his mouth, a ray of yellow light struck him with devastating force, hurling him towards the entrance of the throne room. But it didn't stop there. The impact went through everything in its path: doors, walls and rooms until it completely took him out of the castle. The beam continued its course until it was lost on the horizon, leaving a huge hole in the structure that now showed the exterior.
Celestia, who had launched the attack, stayed in place, her expression serene and completely expressionless. Luna, who was next to her, looked at her in horror, unable to process what her sister had just done.
With an eerie calm, Celestia rose from her throne. She descended the small stairs in front of her with firm steps, showing unquestionable strength and authority. His bearing did not reflect any emotion, and this did not go unnoticed by anyone.
He crossed the hall with determination, passing by the wounded soldiers whose cries and wails filled the air. The bearers, still shocked and with tears in their eyes, watched her as she advanced. Celestia stopped next to Twilight, who was still motionless, staring at Rainbow Dash's unconscious body. Slowly, Celestia extended her helmet to Twilight's shoulder, managing to pull her out of the trance she was in. Twilight turned her head slowly, meeting glances with the princess.
Third-person view
Twilight looked up, confused and disoriented.
"Princess?" He said in a trembling voice.
Celestia leaned slightly towards her, keeping her expression neutral.
"Are you all right, Twilight?" He asked softly.
Twilight blinked, trying to process her mentor's words. He closed his eyes for a moment, and tears began to flow again.
"Princess," he whispered, before breaking into inconsolable tears. Princess! He shouted as he clung desperately to one of Celestia's front legs. This... "This is my fault..." he sobbed. You warned me not to fight, but I didn't listen to you! All this was caused by me! His voice broke. Please... forgive me, princess.
Celestia looked down, her countenance softening with genuine sadness.
"Twilight... my loyal student and Princess of Friendship... "It's not your fault for what happened," he said, placing a helmet over Twilight's head, trying to calm her down. Your actions were motivated by a desire to protect me. The one who must apologize is me.
Twilight looked up, bewildered.
"But why, princess?" If I was the one who disobeyed...
Celestia sighed, her tone heavy with sorrow.
"Because, despite your warnings and efforts, I was not able to do more to stop Fornax's actions. His eyes swept across the destroyed room, filled with sadness. Many of my subjects have been injured today because of my lack of action. He turned his gaze to Twilight, lifting his chin gently to meet her eyes. Now, I must do the right thing and take care of this situation personally.
Twilight swallowed, her voice barely audible.
"What... What will you do, princess?
Celestia looked up, recovering her solemn bearing.
"First, to attend to the wounded. He looked back at Twilight with determination. I'll need your help for that. Do you remember the Executioner's spell?
Twilight's eyes widened as she realized the magnitude of what her teacher was asking of her.
"Of course, princess. But wouldn't it be better if Princess Luna helped him?
Celestia glanced sideways at her younger sister, who was trembling, staring blankly into space.
"Unfortunately, Luna is not in a position to concentrate at the moment. He turned his attention back to Twilight. Do you think you can do it?
Twilight wiped away her tears and nodded decisively.
"Of course, Princess Celestia.
A slight smile curled Celestia's lips.
"I'm glad to hear that, Twilight. Now, try to calm down.
Celestia headed towards Shining Armor, who remained seated, his face downcast.
"Shining," she called out to him in a firm voice.
He looked up, gritting his teeth in frustration.
"I'm sorry, princess. I failed in my duty to protect you... and my sister. He slammed a helmet on the ground, his voice full of self-reproach. I failed them all...
Celestia shook her head, her tone calm but firm.
"You did everything in your power, Shining. You fulfilled your former role as Captain of the Guard, and I am grateful for that. But now, your duty is in the Crystal Empire. The captains you chose have proven themselves capable of protecting this kingdom. Next time, let them fulfill their responsibility.
Shining let out a small bitter laugh.
"I guess I'm getting old for these things already.
Celestia smiled slightly.
"And remember that you are a father now. You have to take care of yourself if you want to see Flurry Heart grow up.
Shining smiled, a barely noticeable blush peeking across his face.
"I will do my best, princess. I promise to stay out of trouble... and I'll be the boring ruler my wife deserves.
Celestia nodded in satisfaction.
"Remember that Cadance will always be there to cheer you up. He winked at her before turning to Twilight. Are you ready?
Twilight nodded in conviction.
"Yes, princess.
Both princesses positioned themselves in the center of the room, closed their eyes and began to channel their magic. Their horns glowed with intertwined auras as they recited in unison the following:
By the light that is reborn from pain,
and the silence that calms the clamor,
blood shed, body broken,
Listen to the echo of the liberated soul.
May the executioner of death depart today,
And may the light of life be all I go to
to bring back the wounded on this floor,
restoring peace, closing mourning.
So I command, so it shall be,
that the cure will be done here today!
In this way the Executioner's spell came to life.
Meanwhile, on the flagship Infinity
Sofia was in the control room, observing the events through a 3D hologram of the throne room. I walked around the projection, analyzing the data with interest.
"Fascinating," he murmured. These creatures possess a source of energy completely unknown to humanity. I'll need time to decipher its complexity.
An alarm interrupted his thoughts. Sofia opened a holoscreen, where a map of the planet showed a blue sign that quickly disappeared.
"Why are you hiding?" He whispered as he closed the map. These interferences will be challenging, but I will get the necessary data.
Another alarm rang out. Sofia activated another holoscreen.
"This is Sofia.
"Agh... Need... Fornax's voice sounded tired and painful.
"I've already sent a repair ship to your location. It will arrive in 70 seconds," Sofia replied, calmly.
"Agh... Thank you. But I'll also need... armament. This will be complicated.
"I foresaw that need and sent supplies with the ship," Sofia said.
Fornax heaved a sigh of relief.
"Keep an eye on the ponies."
"As I ordered, Admiral.
He cut off communication and returned his attention to the hologram. The AI closed the holoscreen with a wave of its arm and muttered to itself:
"It's time to go ahead with the plan.
Back on the planet, somewhere in Equestria
In a forest, near the castle, there was a huge crater. At its center, Fornax lay, motionless, unable to move due to the damage to his armor. He closed his eyes, trying to regain strength and prepare for the fight he knew was coming. He was waiting for the help that Sofia had promised him. Suddenly, a cold air began to surround him. It was a reindeer pelican hovering above him, suspended in the air. The Pelican's tailgate opened, and two mechanical droids emerged from inside, one medical and one support. At the same time, three spherical drones, dark in color and adorned with red lines, descended with great accuracy, surrounding Fornax, ready to act as escorts.
The droids touched the ground and, without wasting any time, approached Fornax. They knelt on either side of him, while several arms with specialized tools came out of their backs. Quickly, the droids began to disassemble the armor, piece by piece, with impeccable precision. As the armor was removed, Fornax was exposed, and his helmet was eventually removed, exposing his artificial skin, made of nanomachines, designed to provide an extra layer of protection. In case of wounds, the nanomachines would be automatically activated to heal them.
Once the armor was completely removed, the medical droid approached Fornax to initiate a detailed scan of his body, verifying that there was no internal damage. After completing the check-up and confirming that there were no serious injuries, Fornax slowly sat up, stretching his body with effort.
The pelican, suspended above him, began to descend. The hatch opened completely, revealing a compartment where a new armor rested, identical to the previous one, but with improvements. Fornax climbed into the transport and approached the new armor. At that moment, a hologram of Sofia appeared in the air, projected between the pieces.
"Admiral, thanks to the information gathered, I have improved the armor so that it can better withstand the battle against Princess Celestia. In addition, I have added some improvements that could be useful," Sofia said in her clear and precise voice.
"I'm glad to hear that, Sofia. I'm sure taming that mare won't be easy, but thank you," Fornax replied, running a hand over the armor, feeling its weight and improved structure.
"The princess is still in the castle, so she'll have time to get ready." Sofia added, her professional tone. He then disappeared, leaving only the image of the armor in front of him.
"All right, I'll be ready for whatever comes," Fornax said, determinedly. He then ordered the mechanical droids to begin fitting the new armor on him.
The droids, skilled at their task, quickly got to work. Thanks to their advanced mechanisms, they took the new armor and began to put it on Fornax's body, piece by piece, making sure that everything fit perfectly. The preparation was almost ready for the battle to come.
Castle of the Princesses
Celestia and Twilight were trying their best to complete the spell, but after a few moments, a circle began to be drawn around them. When the circle was completed, a wall of green energy began to rise from the ground, forming a dome surrounding the two ponies. Inside, both the princess and her student showed signs of great effort to maintain the spell. Suddenly, multiple tentacles, made of the same green energy, began to emerge extending from the dome. The tentacles headed toward the soldiers lying on the ground, and each encircled the body of a pony, slowly lifting it several meters into the air. The soldiers were suspended in the middle of the room, while the two bearers, still conscious, watched the spectacle, especially their blue friend, who was also part of the spell.
Inside the dome, the two princesses redoubled their efforts to initiate the next step of the spell. The dome's brightness intensified, and the tentacles began to glow with the same energy. This light traveled through the tentacles until it reached the suspended ponies, who began to glow a light green. From his wounds, small bright spots began to emerge, floating in the air as the wounds closed completely. However, what happened with Rainbow was something different: the bright spots came out of her mouth.
When the soldiers' wounds were closed, the glow around them and that of the tentacles began to fade little by little, as the ponies slowly descended to the ground. The tentacles that supported them disintegrated, starting from the tip and reaching the dome, which also began to unravel. Finally, the two princesses were exhausted, their faces reflecting the mental effort that the spell had required.
"Gasp... Is it all of them?" "Gasp ," Twilight said, clearly tired.
"Yes... gasp... they are all," Celestia replied, taking a deep breath of air.
Regaining some breath, Celestia hurried towards where Shining Armor was.
"Shining, I need you to go get the doctors and nurses in the castle. The spell we performed only helped a little, but many of the soldiers are still in very bad shape and will need urgent help," Celestia ordered, her voice neutral but firm.
Shining took a few moments to answer, but finally nodded.
"Of course, princess. I'll take care of calling the doctors," Shining said, getting up quickly and running into the hallways for help.
Celestia watched as he walked away until he lost sight of him. Then, he turned to Twilight.
"You did great, Twilight," Celestia said with a warm smile.
"Thank you, princess, though to be honest, I was afraid to ruin it. That spell requires so much concentration... If I had been distracted for a second, I could have caused more damage to one of the ponies. He might even have killed one! Twilight exclaimed, visibly upset by the pressure.
Celestia approached her and put a paw on her shoulder.
"But nothing like that happened. You managed to stay focused because you knew these ponies depended on you. That shows you're a great princess, Twilight," Celestia said softly, seeking to calm her down.
Twilight nodded, looking at the guards asleep from the spell.
"You're right, princess. None of that happened, and I was able to make amends for my mistake," Twilight said, more calmly, before looking back at Celestia. What now, princess?
Celestia took on her serious face again, letting the silence drag on for a moment.
"Now, dear student," Celestia began with an authoritarian voice, "... It's time to end this.
"What do you mean, princess?" Twilight asked, confused.
"I mean, it's time to face Fornax and become his guardian, to make sure he doesn't do the same thing again, here or anywhere else in the kingdom," Celestia replied, determinedly, as she began to walk to where Einar stood.
When Celestia arrived at Einar, she stared at him.
"Is there anything I should know about him before fighting?" Celestia asked coldly.
"Only he's someone you shouldn't underestimate," Einar replied.
"And that's all?" Celestia said, a little irritated by the scant information.
"Don't die," Einar said, without much encouragement.
Celestia sighed, clearly frustrated by the lack of details.
"Well, sigh... Let's get this over with," he said, turning and heading for the hole left by the attack on Fornax.
When she reached the exit, Celestia stopped for a moment, spread her wings and took flight in the direction of where Fornax was. Einar watched as he walked away, his figure disappearing into the horizon. After a few moments, he returned to the throne room, where he found the Stev drone, which was outside, held by a chain. Einar slashed the chain with a swift motion and then grabbed the drone with a claw that emerged from its armor.
"How is it possible that your self-healing system is damaged?" Einar asked, curious.
He pulled another claw from his armor, which held a small sphere, and brought it to Stev.
"This will repair all your systems. We'll need you to keep an eye on the carriers and keep gathering information," Einar said as he inserted the sphere inside Stev.
The drone began to glow softly. When he stopped shining, Einar let go. Stev took flight, heading toward the carriers. First, he stopped next to Twilight, who was resting in the middle of the room. The drone landed next to her, and she looked at it with a slight smile.
"Heh... Hello, Stev. I'm glad to see you well," Twilight said, relieved.
The drone rested next to her, and Twilight, thinking he was tired, let him rest beside her.
Back in the woods
Fornax exited the pelican, already wearing the new armor and holding the helmet with one hand. He signaled to the droids that everything was ready and ordered them to retreat. He watched as the droids boarded the ship, and when they were inside, the boarding gate began to close. When the door was completely closed, the pelican increased the power of the engines, generating a strong air current, and began to take flight.
Fornax watched as the Pelican rose to a certain height, then disappeared from his sight. Despite this, he still felt the air current generated by the powerful engines, but after a while, the breeze completely disappeared. He was about to return to the castle when an alert appeared on his visor: "Creature approaching the current position at high speed."
Fornax looked at the right spot, but seeing nothing, he increased the image radius in his viewfinder. That's when he spotted the creature – Princess Celestia – rapidly advancing towards him.
"Very well, the time has come," Fornax said, drawing his sword and thrusting it into the ground. He placed both hands on the handle of the sword, preparing for the confrontation. "I'll wait for you here, princess. Let's see what you are capable of and it shows that your life in the earthly world is necessary for my plans.
It wasn't long before Celestia arrived, positioning herself a few meters in front of him.
"How are you, princess?" Fornax greeted, his tone laden with defiance.
"Fornax, you have committed innumerable evil acts against my soldiers and my student. "I'm here to end your reign of terror," Celestia replied, her voice tingling with anger.
"It was their fault for meddling in matters that do not concern them," Fornax replied, raising his voice. I only imposed a punishment on them so that they would learn not to do it again.
"Still, your actions will not be tolerated in my kingdom," Celestia said, putting herself in an attack position.
Her horn flashed brightly as magic began to surround her. Swords made of fire began to swirl around her, and a small portal appeared in front of her. From the portal emerged a huge spear, the blade of which was adorned with a sun symbol, and the stick, white with gold inlays, completed the imposing weapon.
Then, a magic circle began to form on the ground, surrounding Celestia. When it was completed, a large wall of fire emerged from the edges of the circle, hiding the princess from view. However, it did not last long. As the wall of fire disappeared, Celestia appeared completely transformed, wearing golden armor that covered her back, chest, and neck. Their helmets were protected with larger pieces on their hind legs, and a stylized helmet covered much of their head, with a hairstyle that evoked Roman aesthetics.
"Did you want to face me?" "Well, here I am, ready to punish you for hurting those I love," Celestia declared, her voice firm and determined.
Fornax stood motionless for a moment, watching the princess. From the grooves of his helmet, a red glow began to emanate, a sign that he was ready for battle.
With a swift shake, he dug up his sword from the ground and adopted an attacking stance.
"All right, 'princess,' let's see what you're capable of.