//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Shadow Wars: Dawn of a New Empire // by Void Streak //------------------------------// Celestia was sitting on the roof of a large skyscraper and was overlooking the City of Manehatten. She should’ve known this would’ve happened. “Sister, you seem troubled,” said Princess Luna, joining her older sister and fellow princess onto the roof. "I could've stopped this," Celestia said, angry at herself for her former protege's downfall. Luna sighed, placing a hoof on her sister's shoulder, "No pony could've predicted this, not even you." "No, you don't understand, there were signs, they were staring at me in the face and I foolishly ignored them," Celestia muttered angrily, shaking her sister's hoof off her. "Celestia, you should get some rest." Luna urged. "No, I need to correct my mistakes. I need to take Void Streak down." Celestia said finally before leaving the room, Luna felt helpless at the situation. Her student was not doing much better, he had been Void's best friend. Luna decided to go and check on Defender, who had been training with his magiscaber. Walking towards the training grounds, she watched as her student cut down every single mannequin that was still standing with his blue magiscaber. "Defender!" Luna called out, halting the young pegasus's training "Yes, Princess," Defender acknowledged, walking past his mentor as he put the training equipment back to their original location. "That is enough training, you need to rest," Luna ordered, she couldn't stand watching, her protege train himself to the point of exhaustion. "I can't, I have to be ready to face Vo- Him." Defender said, Luna noted the way Defender stopped himself from saying Void Streak's name. Luna sighed, "Defender, you can't face him, alone." "I HAVE TO! He was my best friend and he betrayed me." Defender shouted angrily as he remembered his fight against his former friend. "Revenge is not the elemental way. Revenge will only make you as bad as Nightwing." Luna told her student. Before Defender could retort, a royal guard ran into the room, "Your majesty, Princess Celestia needs you in the command centre," the guard explained. Luna nodded as she motioned for Defender to follow her. *** The command centre was located at the top of Manehatten's tallest tower, The Celestia State Building. "Why couldn't the command centre have been located on the ground," Defender grumbled to himself as Luna chuckled at his remark, her face soured as she what appeared to be a hologram of Void Streak, now known as Nightwing, Equestria's sworn enemy. The hologram then began to speak, Nightwing's voice rumbled all around them as everypony could only glare at the evil pegasus. "Attention Citizens of Equestria, I am Emperor Nightwing. I am here to tell you that your precious princesses have abandoned you in the face of danger and invasion. Last night, my forces marched through the remains of the grand capital city of Canterlot. While her defenceless subjects were being slaughtered right before her eyes, Princess Celestia fled in fear. She is now hiding like a coward and has left your cities open to attack. Right now the City of Cloudsdale is being destroyed after they refused to join me peacefully. Now you can be like Canterlot and Cloudsdale and have your city, wiped off the map or you can join my new Imperial Empire and have guaranteed security and safety. Join me or die, those are your only options, you have twenty-four hours." "Everypony in Equestria heard that message and we are already receiving reports that Cloudsdale is under attack by those flying ships. We have also lost contact with the cities of Las Pegasus and Vanhoover." A royal Guard captain said as everypony cursed themselves. Blaze then spoke up, "We cannot abandon Cloudsdale lest more cities will join the Imperial Empire." "We may be too late, by the time we are able to muster an army to defend the city, Cloudsdale will already be destroyed," Cerberus said. "That may be the case but as protectors of Equestria, it is our duty to defend all cities even when all hope seems lost," Star Swirl explained. Luna then declared, "I can quickly mobilize a detachment of Night Guards to help hold the Imperials off while we wait for reinforcements." "Do that, we must do everything that we can," Celestia ordered, stressed out by the situation that she was facing. *** Emperor Nightwing smiled as he stared up at the smouldering ruins of Cloudsdale. Unbeknownst to Celestia and the Elementals, he had lain a trap, while the Equestrians thought that he was destroying the city, in actual fact, he was rigging the city with hidden explosives that would detonate when the enemy came close. He had no intention of destroying the city, Cloudsdale was far too important to lay waste to, besides, how could he rule an empire if his empire had no functioning cities. He had ordered his APIs to use strafing runs against the city so that it would give the impression that the city was being destroyed, while several hundreds of Soldier Droids flooded the city with the intention of occupying the city. The civilians had not been evacuated as Nightwing was going to be using them as pony shields and hostages. Below the floating city several cannons, that could fire magic bolts, were lined up and hidden by sheets of camouflage, ready to bombard the city as soon as the Equestrians arrived. Cloudsdale was more of a death trap than a city. Suddenly a Droid Soldier walked up to him, bowing before saying in a robotic voice, "My Emperor, our droid scouts have reported that multiple Equestrian Chariots are flying at speed towards Cloudsdale. Should we move to intercept?" "No, let them enter the city. I do not want to scare them off before they can enter my trap." Nightwing ordered. Nightwing was grinning as he watched the Equestrian army rush into Cloudsdale, his evil grin grew wider as his keen sight recognised Princess Luna and the traitor, leading the Equestrian forces, which he noticed were Night Guards. His mood soured upon realising that they were Night Guards. Night Guards were trained by Luna, herself and were effectively more experienced and tougher than the average Royal Guard. This did not concern Nightwing as he knew that even if they managed to escape the city alive, they would be no match for his APIs, who would destroy them as soon as they made any form of getaway. Still smiling, he ordered, "Let the battle begin, FIRE!"