So, it's been a few days since Cloudsdale, and we had been able to get everypony to the Hive. A few does, I imagine either allies of Silver's or something else, had joined after the fighting. Once everypony from Cloudsdale, mostly pegasai, I did my usual wave thing, which resulted in the usual, collars being removed, and missing appendages being regrown. Whether it's because of their warrior heritage or extreme hate of their oppressors, just about every pegasus signed up to help the resistance, and were given Cabal armor by the wave.

Right now, I was in the war room with the princesses, Silver, and Chrysalis. We were discussing what we were going to do next. "I say we hit the Empire next," Chrysalis said.

"Why?" Nightmare asked. "It is sure to be heavily defended. And besides, Shining Armor is there, and we all know his skill with shield spells."

"Nightmare is right," Celestia said. "So long as Shining is there, he'll be able to keep his shield up."

"And of what my sisters say," Silver said, "he keeps mares around him, and the few threats to actually get to him, he uses mares as living shields, sometimes letting them die. The only exceptions, so far, anyway, would be his sister, and princess Cadence."

"Well, there must be someway to attack it," Luna said, and this is where I came into the conversation.

"Indeed there is," I said. "And it is an obvious one: deceit."

"What do you mean, Mau'ual?" Chrysalis asked.

"Simple. Even if it wasn't where a prince was, they'd guard the place as if only Dainn himself mattered more. Ask yourselves: why?"

"The crystal heart," Celestia said, and her tone showed she didn't know where I was going, but from Silver's smile, she did.

"Exactly," she said. "Which, if i may, Mau'ual, means we need to make it look as if we don't know how important the former heart is to their control. I assume you know how?"

"Yes," I said. "What we need to do is strike at what are seemingly unimportant towns and cities, far away from the Empire, so it seems as if we know not how important the Empire is to them. If the plan works, then we'll be able to, at least, slip more agents into the Empire."

"What do you mean, 'agents'?" Nightmare asked. It seems I forgot to say that part.

"I suppose I should explain," I said. "You see, there are a few mares who, though want to go back to the way things were, love sex. I made them a deal: they help us gain information, because the Caribou think females are too stupid, more often than not, to be able to comprehend plans, and they get fucked as many times as they want, in a way. As for after this is all over, I have a few ideas."

"And what if one turns on us?" Nightmare asked, to which I chuckled.

"They have seen only me, and they are currently mares only from Ponyville and Cloudsdale," I replied, crossing my arms. They have no idea where we are, our numbers, or even who's an fellow agent or a full blown red collar. They have nothing to harm us. I ensured that much. Are there going to be leaks? Yes, no way to fully prevent that, I simply reduced the risk to the resistance as a whole," I replied.

"It was my plan, you know," Silver said. "Only reason I let you go with it is because they'd trust you more than a Caribou."

"Hmph," Chrysalis said. "I will admit, it is an impressive plan, " Chrysalis said. "But still, why did neither of you say anything."

"Playing it safe," Silver said. "Don't want to risk the same thing happening to us that we hope to bring on the Caribou."

Whatever was going to be said next, though, was interrupted by a guard, a female changeling, rushed into the war room. "What's going on?" Chrysalis aske,d knowing her guards wouldn't come in unless it was important.

"My queen, the outposts," she said, panting, indicating she had run here. "They've gone silent. The only word is that creatures of black flames attacked.

"What did they look like, other than the flames?" I asked.

"No idea, sir. Just that the guards, before being killed, said that the creatures had black and white skin with flames coming from them."

"Damn it," I muttered. I can't believe my luck, but another question is why. "I can't believe this."

"What is it?" Celestia asked as I stood up.

"An old foes forces have quite possibly arrived for me," I said before exiting the room. As I passed a small group of guards, who were on alert, I told them, "find my battalion leaders, and have them rally near the front entrance with their groups, and be at the ready." They nodded, and rushed off as I made my way to the designated spot. On my way there, I saw guards evacuating non combatants away from from the entrances as they themselves got ready for a fight.

As I neared the main entrance, I saw Applejack's battalion already there. "Spread out," I said in as calm but authoritative tone I could.

"Ya know what it is?" Applejack asked.

"I believe so," I said. "I only hope I am wrong." Because if I'm not, we are most likely dead.

As the other four battalions under my command arrived, howls and screams I knew well could be heard, and they were getting closer. "Unicorns up front, and prepare to fire!"

Behind me, I head the shuffling of hooves, but did not look back. Just as the last sound of that died down, a roar was heard, and a single entity came flying out of the woods in front. Said entity was as the guard earlier described, but it also had what looked to once be some sort of dress, one now torn, with three fingers on each hand, and an ear splitting howl. I was afraid of this.

The Taken, somehow, had come here. I didn't even know they were in this universe, so this was a shock. Not as large as it was to my comrades when I described them later, but still quite shocked. "Take it down!" I yelled, and the unicorns fired at it. Not even a Taken Wizard shield can withstand near thirty, fully charged magic bolts, and, with some added firepower from my rockets, it was killed.

"Be ready," I said. "There is never just one of these abominations." As soon as I said that, more Taken poured out from the woods, and there were multiple of each of the Hive variation. "Damn it," I say. "Battalions, fall back and protect the royals! I'll buy you what time I can."

"But Mau'ual-" Azure said before I interrupted.

"I know what these things are," I said. "Now go! I will rejoin with you all if I survive. If not, give them hell." With that, I turned to face the oncoming Taken as hesitant hoofsteps were heard behind me, getting fainter as the Taken neared.

Just as they reached me, they encircled me and growled, howled, anything but actually speak, really. I proceeded to crack my knuckles. "And here I thought the rest of the week past Cloudsdale would be boring," I said before I activated my thrusters, and lunged head first into the enemy.

Canterlot-Throne room

Today was an odd day, to say the least. Why, you may ask. Simple. Dainn had not fucked a mare or any female yet, and it was well past mid-day. His closest advisers had worried, but he had been able to convince them he was okay. In reality, he was not.

Not out of injury or humiliation, at least to this degree. Rather, it was something from his past.

More accurately, probably the only female he didn't see as a sex object, and, given Caribou society, that was saying something. His old friend, Silver.

What friend? a part of him asked as he sat on his throne. She is a female. They are not our friends, but our slaves and subordinates.

So? another, older, in terms of how long it had been a part of him, asked in reply. What does that matter? Equestria was on equal footing before, and even the odd buck would say it was better than now.

Yes, and they were all swapped and fucked like the female sympathizers they are. When will you realize that the only place for mares and all females are on their knees, sucking our cock?

Perhaps when you finally mature, the older part of his said. We both know that Silver was, and quite possibly still is as capable as a male, the bearer of the Element of Honesty most certainly is. The only reason you beat Celestia is because you stole part of the Chaos god's power.

To use it for a noble reason. No female should have power.

That's quite hypocritical, seeing as how you place mares in positions of power. Albeit over other mares, but still.

"My king?" a Caribou guard said, breaking Dainn out of his mental argument, for lack of a better term.

"What is it?" Dainn asked, hiding the inner argument well enough.

"S-someone wishes to see you," the guard said. "They say it has to do with the demon that aides the Resistance."

"Then send him in," Dainn said. "If he thinks he can help kill the demon, seeing as how none have come to me with a solution other than brute force, I may as well try to get a laugh out of the situation."

"Of course my king," the guard said before he left the room.

A few seconds passed, and Dainn thought that he would need to flail someone when the light in the room noticeably lessened, and a portal of some kind appeared, the color being black and white. Through it stepped a being that even had Dainn terrified a little, and it took a lot to make him scared.

The being seemed to be a large, taller than a minotaur, mix between a caribou and a moth. It stood on two legs, a red tunic going to the floor, not a dress, even Dainn was annoyed by individuals who thought they were the same. Its skin was blood red, its armor like bone. It had three fingers on each hand, both of which were over the hilt of a sword that looked to be the same material as the armor. It had three eyes, each a bright green, in a triangle formation, and a headpiece that seemed to resemble horns, with slightly folded wings coming from the back that were blood red as the skin. Just the air the being gave off was enough for Dainn to respect him.

"And just who are you?" Dainn asked. "And how will you be able to help me?"

The being looked down at him for a few seconds before speaking. "I plan on helping you, as I must deal with one of this 'demon's' kind myself," he said, the voice deep enough to indicate it was a he. "There are only a few things I will ask of you in return."

"If you help me deal with the demon, whatever you want," Dainn replied. "But you did not answer my first question."

"If you must know my name," the being said, "then you must know my title as well." He took a small breath, and spoke.

"My name, mortal, is Oryx, and I am the Taken King."

Author's Notes:

For those who have read my most recent displaced, Equestria's Supreme Commander, you already know about the mega war. If not, let me explain. Basically, I'm planning a large crossover between my six displaced and any who are willing to help them. On one side will be my displaced. On the other, Oryx and the other main enemies of my displaced. If you wish to assist in the war, I shall place in the notes when it is time to begin there. And yes, next chapter will have the fight between Mau'ual and the Taken.