Elyas, the Lunar Templar Master of the Forge, quickly walked the length of the monastery wall. He smirked a bit to himself as the ponies and scouts manning the walls focused actual guns downrange of the wall. It had been a bit difficult at first, but once he had delved into his quite expansive memory banks he found the data files for stub automatics and quickly set to work smelting and forging with a bit of help from volunteers.

While he had instinctively wanted to hoard the information from those who were not tech-priests or tech-marines his logic won out in the end, knowing that if they could make and maintain their own weapons it would be a lot less stress on the tech priests and more time that could be spent researching ways to enhance their gear. He had already begun small modifications that were reducing the size of the power pack that supplied their power armor while keeping it at the same energy output. Admittedly the modification was only on his own suit, but one suit was better than none of them getting modifications. With each new design he added to his personal copy of the Standard Template Construct. It wasn't too hard, a few notes here and there about ways to cool the reactors on the power armor better, deconstructing his own Boltgun carefully to be able to set the diagram in the STC so that more Boltguns could be made without worrying about them jamming, more efficient methods to clean and worship your machine spirits to keep them in your favor.

All in all, their efforts here at the monastery would pay off when they could meet back up with their brethren.

Elyas turned his attention towards a few excited shouts just ahead of him as he picked up his pace, wondering what was stirring the soldiers now. Their recent turning of the chaos tide had bolstered their morale when it came to how easily they had been able to dispatch their enemies before they even made it up to the old Castle of the Empresses. Needless to say his jaw nearly dropped out of his helmet as he saw what his soldiers were seeing.

"Get everyone at attention, have a squad guard my back! I'm going out to get them!" He began to bark orders as he made his way to the gate. He quickly pointed at two of the Neophytes that had been stationed at the monastery before the attacks had started. "You two! With me!" without hesitation they fall in step with the slightly-larger marine as the gates open and he quickly makes his way out into the open air.

"We thought you two would be with the others in Canterlot." He gives a slight bow as he approaches two haggard-looking alicorns.

Celestia is the first to speak. "Well, we had to travel very discreetly because of Clover's discovery of a powerful set of artifacts." They both give him a smile as the Neophytes assist in bracing their empresses.

"You two look exhausted, what happened..." Elyas' concern tinged his voice a bit as he helped get the two Alicorns into the monastery.

Luna spoke this time. "We hath found them... twas a long and perilous journey that tested our mettle... but we triumphed when all was laid to rest." She had gained a bit of a smug grin by the time she was finished. "We are simply winded and we shall return to Canterlot upon the morrow."

Elyas pursed his lips. "if our enemies were strong enough to give our Empresses a challenge and pose a true danger... He refused to finish the thought as it would only mean that he was expecting the worst for Canterlot's situation. "We need to get you two rested, that way we can fight back more effectively."

The Techmarine's attention forced its way to an approaching soldier who quickly saluted him. "Speak Soldier..."

"Sir... We have... A small security breach..." He whimpers a little as he slowly drags out the end before letting out a yelp when the techmarine grabs the front of his uniform.

"...Where..." The marine growls.

Elyas couldn't believe what he was seeing, sitting calmly in a chair that... HAD APPEARED OUT OF FUCKING NOWHERE!!!... was a... He couldn't even describe it at first, now that he was calm... -er... he could finally see that he was standing across from a living shadow.

"Umbra Shadow-walker, at your service." The shadow says as his white smile curls like a used-car salesman.

"And what exactly do you do?" Elyas asked cautiously.

With that the shadow stood, the chair fading into a mist as he opened his arms wide. "I'm an inter-dimensional salesman! as well as a bunch of other titles that I don't need to get into now and likely you don't have the time for. I deal in what you need for a reasonable fee, I have everything that anyone could want. So!" He smiles a bit wider as he sits down, "...What do you want?"

Elyas took a small breath. "Its not about what I want... it's about what my brethren need. We need supplies, troops and weapons. Most of all though, we need a tactical genius to help turn the tide of the war."

The shadow lets out a small chuckle. "Buddy, like I said... I got everything you need and even some tech you can't get at all. So, how about I get you a data slate with a list of the wares I have... grouped conveniently of course... and you simply mark the items you want. After that's all said and done we can work out a price from there."

With a small flourish the shade produces a tablet and holds it out for Elyas, who accepts it with a nod and begins looking for supplies.

Defying logic and reason Umbra actually gave a small whistle in an impressed tone. "Wow... you guys really wanted a lot of stuff."

"I've been having digging teams around the area bring back enough gems that it should cover the cost." Elyas responds evenly. "So, how much."

"Well..." Umbra says slowly as he pulls out a scientific calculator and begins mumbling to himself. "....hmm... tanks... a few crews... plenty of ammo... tactical genius... alright!" He looks back over to the marine, "Factoring in bulk bundle buys and the fact that foodstuffs are the easiest for me to get, I'd have to say about three hundred of those magical gems should cover the cost."

Elyas purses his lips, the cost would drain most of his stock, but survivability over research. "...Done." he says as he holds out his hand to the shade, who completes the handshake in turn. "I need the refreshed troops placed in Canterlot, have the other stuff stored in our Monastery."

"Can do, I'm working on it now." The shadow replies with a cocky smile.

Astelan stood at the entrance to Canterlot Castle. His face under his helm simply reflecting the contempt he had for the twisted, chaotic monstrosities that preyed on his people, on those who were entrusted to his care by the mighty Empresses themselves before they began seeking out the weapon lost to the chaos outside.

With a low growl only his new squad heard him over their vox-comms. "...For the honor of the Empresses, our land shall stand, there will be order... and these heretics who follow the decrees of chaos shall burn in the fires of the hell their forms spawned from." He turned to his sergeant and gave him the signal to rally the troops before he began to step up to a podium.

With the ease of a political leader he removed his helmet and slowly looked over the gathered population, everyone who had been within the middle and inner rings of the city and were in fighting condition. The creatures that made themselves known as lifebringers had done an admirable job, but disappeared mysteriously after they had finished their work. It worried him how easily they had slipped through their defenses, but the fact that they were here to help wasn't unappreciated. He took a small sigh before clearing his throat and grabbing the attention of everyone, starting quietly.

"...Those of you who stand before me are quite possibly the last of the uncorrupted left on the planet. Those beasts out there seek to destroy us and our very way of life. You all know this, that is why you are here..." He takes another breath, letting the sentiment hang in the air for a few seconds. "The marines who stand proud to guard this city cannot hold out on their own, they need help just as any of you do. The saying that 'every little bit counts' matters more here than anything before. They outnumber us and we are on the losing side of this siege, but with your help, we can hold out longer." He starts making himself a bit louder. "We must hold true to our faith in the Empresses! They will return! And with them will be the weapons we need to undo this curse!" A few murmurs go through the crowd. "Look around you and what do you see? Ponies? Griffons? Minotaurs? Zebras? The crowd I see before me is so much more, you may have lived different lives up until now, but now... in this moment... you all stand to lose the last bastion that you call home, and here... It doesn't matter where you were born, you are all here now, fighting against a threat that doesn't discriminate. They don't care where you were born, they don't care what race you are, they don't care how old you are... If we do not kill these monsters... they will kill us." He gets even louder, nearly shouting for everyone to hear. "We may be fighting a losing battle, but I will burn in the fires of Hell before I EVER go down without a fight! I fight for the Empresses, My brothers fight to protect the land the Empresses call home! WHO WILL YOU FIGHT FOR!?" There was a dull roar going on as he finished, his scowl deepened only a little before letting out another roar, "WHO DO YOU FIGHT FOR!"

He almost smirked as he got a resounding "We fight for the empresses!" response back from most of the crowd.

"Then prove that courage! Make them fear the day that they decided to attack our world! We will neither give nor ask for quarter, there will be no mercy for those beasts!" The crowd was cheering with the speech. "We fight for the Empresses!"

"And we shall have no mercy!" most of the crowd cheers in unison before guardsmen start going through the crowd to arm whoever was capable of wielding a weapon.

Astelan had a dark look to his face before putting his helmet back into place. "...there will be no mercy..."

Author's Notes:

Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. I was planning to release it at the beginning of the month...

Obviously not as a joke, but just because I wanted to...

But I was late, and I'm sorry... but you know what I'm not sorry about? The fact that I'm finally getting the story some momentum again!