Author's Notes:

Warning: sailing through some Grimdark waters... Just a heads-up.

FIGHT LIKE HELL, FIGHT LIKE DOOM MARINES!

Ch.3: Rekindled Fear and Legacy...

(Princess Luna, Underground Sanctum...)

I can't believe this... THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!!! HOW DARE THAT HARLOT WITCH COMMIT HER HIVE TO SUCH MONSTROSITY ACTS!!!!

After what the Crystal Guardspony had told us, about the fate of both Shining Armor and Cadence, and the Crystal Heart. We were devastated, all three of us. Twilight, being effected by this the most, was worst for ware. She was crying out loudly from this information, and Chrysalis hugging onto her tightly. Twilight did the same.

As for reasons why Chrysalis is also distorted... She won't admit it, but I think she did love Shining Armor. She's even hugging Twilight as if her life depended on it, even going so far as to hide behind her mane, so that none of us can see her shedding tears. Most notable though, was her singing a lullaby to Twilight and herself. She was doing it quietly, so that only the two would hear, but I can still hear it.

As to why we were all in such a state? The things that Cocoon's Changelings are doing to them, are horrendous beyond belief. Shining Armor have been beaten, tortured, all publicly so. They even removed his left arm, and... And sterile him. They forced the citizens to watch as they did it, while the Changelings just laughed it off, like it was a joke! Worst of all, is that he and everypony have to watch Cadence... Getting used as a sex slave. This has been going on and it's breaking their will to fight back!

"If only my Doom Marine were here to hear of this deprived debauchery of theirs..." I growled, feeling both angry and useless all at once!

"Um... Pardon me, your highness, but who is this Doom Marine you speak of?" The Crystal Guardspony asked me. "You seem to speak highly of him."

"Indeed." I answered him. "He was awoken just hours ago, brought the invasion in Canterlot to an abrupt halt, by pushing the Queen into a tactical full retreat, and now he will liberate your kingdom."

"Amazing..." He commented breathlessly. "To think, one pony, strong enough to, not only beat the forces within Canterlot, but to stand his ground against the Changeling Queen."

"Well, he's not a pony, per se." I corrected him, but he just looked at me, as if I was crazy.

"Really!? But, if he is not a pony, then what is he?" When he asked that, I was about to answer him, but we felt the ground all around us rumbled. "W-what was that!?"

"That would be my Doom Marine..." I answer him as I could barley hear the faint sounds of explosions going off, far in the distance. "And he's not happy."

"Yeah, I'll say..." He added. The refugees inside the Underground Sanctum, are now whimpering in fear. With what my dear Bryan is doing up there, he must have heard of what happened to Twilight's family here.

"What's going on up there!?" I heard a mare shouted in a panicking manner. "It feels like a Warzone is happening above our heads!"

"What are we going to do!?"

"Please...please don't let us die down here..."

More and more ponies were going into a panicking frenzy, but I can't let their fear dictate rash decisions.

"My dear little ponies, be calm!" I shouted out loud, getting every last soul's attention. "There is no reason for you to fear! What is currently happening up on the surface, will bring about your Empire and you to freedom!"

Soon they began to murmur among themselves, not really certain of what I say is true.

Sighing, I began to tell them a little story from long ago. "It was over ten-thousand years ago, when me and my sister were very young..." This grabbed their attention again. "... Back then, we were at war with the Demon Hordes of Tartarus. We were hopelessly outnumbered, outmatched, against a threat that thrives off of battles. There was no end to them."

"How?" I head a young little colt ask me. "How did you survive? And is all of this true?"

"Yes, little one. It appears my sister has a habit of removing certain past events from the history books, just to make things look so much more peaceful in Equestria." I shook my head at this. "While I understand her reasons, I still think she is acting childishly about it. She even removed you from the history books, out of fear of a repeat."

"Oh... So, how did you survive?" He asked once more.

"Why, the Doom Marines themselves, of course." To prove my point, more tremors rippled through the earth from the explosions. "Although, I may have brought just one, but that's more than enough to turn the tide."

"But, your highness, our homes..." He spoke up. "Won't he end up destroying them, as well?"

"I'm sorry, but yes. This Doom Marine is one of the strongest out of the Five. But, he is also the most dangerous." I answered him. "Not by choice, mind you..."

"How come?"

"It lies within his powers. While they do give him incredible strength to defeat, even the mightiest of Demons, it has its drawbacks." Just as I finish talking what needed to be said, we heard a voice rang out.

"Your highness! Sir!" Looking behind us, we saw one of the other Guardsponies running towards us. At least there is a platoon down here with us, because I highly doubt the one I have been talking to, could have gotten all of these refugees down here by himself.

"Private, what is it?" He asked him, once the young private reached us.

"Sir! The entire east side is all on fire! Whoever, or whatever's doing this has the Changelings beat, they're completely disorganized!" The Private reported on what he saw on the surface.

"This is our chance..." I said as I felt determined about this opportunity open to us. "We can storm the castle and rescue Cadence and Shining Armor!"

"Even so, we can't get to the Crystal Heart. It's within a barrier they placed upon it." The Sergeant stated on what he told me earlier before.

"I know, but we can worry about that later. For now, rally our forces. We need to reach the castle." With that said, the Crystal Guardsponies readied themselves for the upcoming battle.

Before leaving, I looked back at Twilight and Chrysalis, they didn't move from their spot. Nor was I going to bother them. Asking a few of the Guardsponies to stay behind and look after the refugees. When that was done, I followed the rest of our comrades to the surface.

Summoning my Moonscar Scythe, I reached up the front, beside the Sergeant. As they released the ramps, that we're apart of the roads, we charged up onto the surface. We meet resistances, but they were more of a minor annoyances. Still though, they slowed us down a bit.

Looking out to the east, flying above the fights below, I can see Bryan's trail of destruction. He's close to reaching the castle.

"DIE YOU WITCH!!!" A Changeling shouted from behind me. Trying to stab me in the back. The fool. Teleporting before he could plunge his sword through where I was before, I severed his head from his shoulder, watching the corpse fall back down to earth.

Looking back towards Bryan's direction, he was only a couple of blocks away from the castle now. "My Doom Marine, please, hurry. Save them..."

(Bryan/Doom Marine, Reaching the castle grounds...)

"P-please! Please show mercy--!" I blasted the cowards face off with the Super Shotgun. After what that guy told me on what happened here, back at the house a blew through, only because I lost my shit for what these Changelings did. The executions, the torture, the rape... All of it, and more. But most of all, the rape and torture that they done on Twilight's family members here. For Hell's sake, they even forced the people here to watch it as they did so, especially the children!

So, instead of picking them off one-by-one, I'll take them all head-on! The first group I ran into had some kind of Heavy-type Changeling with them. But, unfortunately, he was even more useless to do any good for the team. The Chainsaw did most of the work, but after about dispatching two or three more groups of these Cocoon loving fucks, the red light on it started lighting up, letting me know that it's on the twenty percent mark of fuel left.

Switching it out for my Combat Shotgun, placing the Explosive Barrel mod on, I let loose some H.E. rounds on the rest, but I also ended up damaging house properties along the way, creating fires and such.

As much as I want to use the BFG-9000, I'll only do more damage to the people, than I am to these fuckwits.

Anyway, I reached the castle grounds, which was swarming with the bugs. They even had more of those Heavys with them. But that's not gonna stop me from tearing open a new asshole with every last one of them cunts!

Switching to my Plasma Rifle, I charged straight into their ranks, shooting my way through them. They tried to overwhelm me, but I used the Heatwave to scorch those in front of me to ashes. Jumping into the air, by using the height of one of those Heavys, I whipped out the Rocket Launcher and started raining death and destruction from above. About halfway through of killing the living Hell out of them, I saw this Crystal Heart thing, sealed within a barrier surrounding it. But there is one way I can get inside, from above. What these amateurs did was widen the barrier, where you can fit about thirty of those fat-ass Demons with the cannons integrated on both hands.

"Let's test this barrier of theirs..." Running towards one of the unfortunate volunteers, I grabbed him by the neck and threw him at the barrier. After that I kicked his face into nothingness, with enough force to make the barrier send out rippling waves across and around it.

"Okay, save the Royals, and then destroy the Crystal Heart." With that said, I went back to killing the rest of them off...

After finishing off the last Heavy with a Glory-Kill, by using that Lance of his to off his head, I looked around to see if there are any who survived me. I found one perched up against the barrier, struggling to stand up. Walking up to him, I heard him muttering something.

"N... No... This is... This can't be..." Once I was up to him, he looked towards me with a face full of disparity. "You..."

"Yeah, so?" I asked him rhetorically. But I still want to hear what's racing through his mind.

"You... All of this... In ruins..."

"Well, you started this war. Of course this is bound to happen, not everyone makes it back."

"No..." He shook his head. "This... Cannot be called a war... I refuse to accept this as a war..."

"Well, that's too bad." Pulling out my Pistol, I aimed it at his head, charging up the shot. "Because this is no longer your war. It's my war you're all playing now." I pulled the trigger, and splattered his head all over the barrier upon where he stood against.

After killing the damned fool, I heard a pair of doors opening up from behind me. Turning around, a flight of stairs risen up from the ground to the doorway. I saw some more Changelings pouring out from there, only to realise that they made a grave mistake. Their eyes widen in fear, as they looked upon the mass bodies of their comrades, lying in pieces of themselves.

They tried to get back inside, but I blew those bastards up with a couple of rockets as I raced up to the door. I threw a Frag inside and killed any who tried to closed the doors on me. Moving inside, I made my way towards the Throne room, at least, I think I was. The only reliable thing I can be certain of, whether or not I'm going the right way; is the enemy. The more there are, the closer I'm getting at.

Heavy Assault Rifle in hand, I navigated my way through, and killing every fucking bug I run into. So far, it seems I'm making the right turns, more kept coming to get me. Making one last turn, I saw the doors across the other side of the hallway. The downside to it is, that it's filled with the fuckers blocking the way. They stand between me and that door.

"No option, I'll have to go Berserk." Activating my power-up, I ran straight into them, filling out the corridor with their blood and guts...

(Princess Cadence, Throne room...)

"Well, this is unexpected. Are you certain?"

"Yes sir! The Lunar Witch is in the Empire! We have yet to figure out how, but the bigger problem was whatever that thing was, managed to punch a hole through the city barrier!"

"Hmm, this is troubling..." The Changeling Commander said, as he rubbed his chin with one hand, while rubbing my inner thigh with the other. I was sat on his lap, while he sat on the throne. "Still though, we have at least one trick up our sleeves. Perhaps that'll be enough."

"Perhaps..."

"And I had plans for tonight as well." He said as he stood up, picking me up and then settling me on the throne. With a grin on his face, he lifted my chin up, so that I was facing him. "I was going to have the troops have there way with you, before we kill your husband. But, we'll have to skip the best part, and say our farewells to the young prince."

I was shocked by this. Of all the things they put us through, Shining was suffering throughout it all. Not to mention, it was my fault he lost his left arm, all for talking back to them.

Letting go of me, he waved at his troops. "Bring the prince forward please." He called, as he walked down the throne's stairs. I struggled against the binds they placed on me, along with a custom made latex gimp suit. Which didn't cover much of my privates, just made me look like a slut for them to use. And my husband had to watch it all...

"Ah, Prince Shining Armor! How loving to see you, doing well?" I saw them dragging him over. Oh my dear... "Well, at least you made it, through and through. Considering your condition." Look at what they've done to you. You've lost so much...

"Well, I would love to sit and chat, but I'm going to need you to die now. Seeing as how you bore me up to this point." Pulling out a knife, he walks around him, standing behind him, he grabs a hold on his mane and pulls his head back.

Tears were streaming down my face, as the knife's blade placed at Shining's neck. Grinning widely, showing his fangs, he taunts. "Go on. Say it. Say goodbye to your whore of a wife."

Please, no! Don't do this to him!

"Cadence..." I heard Shining wheezed, shallowing breathing through his mouth.

"Yes, that's it, tell her." Stop this, you monster!

"I..."

"Come on. You're almost there..."

No...

"... Love you--" As he said those words, the Commander slit his throat. Blood pooled forth from the wound. As the Commander let go of him, Shining's body fell to the floor.

"Ah... Such a sweet happy ending. Well, for us, anyway!" As he said that, he and the other Changelings laughed at this. Such cruel malice. What could motivate such acts of oppression? Why even do these things?

Why...

"Oh, now don't look so sad." The Commander said, as he cleaned the blade off on Shining's mane. "I mean, he's in a better place now. Well, as better as any other place, he can actually be of use!"

I tried to shut it all out, I tried my hardest to do so. But he would not cease his sick little bantering about my dear husband. It wrecked my heart to hear and see all of the things they did. And now, they have taken away the love of my life. Those monsters...

Soon, we all heard somepony teleporting inside the Throne room. Looking past him, my eyes widen as soon as I saw both Twilight and Chrysalis standing there. But when they saw Shining's body, they hesitated to act, which gave the Changelings a chance at apprehending them both.

The Commander looked behind himself, smiling still, as he did so. "Ah, good! More pleasers to pleasure their betters. And what's even more exciting, is they are none other than the late prince's little sister, and the traitorous whore, themselves! Well, it explains how that Lunar Witch made it inside..."

"Shining..." Twilight called out to her brother.

"You bastards!" Chrysalis shouted in anger.

"Ah, ah, ah..." The Commander 'tsk'ed at them, waving a single finger. "None of that now. He's dead, and there wasn't anything you could have done to better his conditions anyhow." He boasted to them.

Chrysalis struggled against her captors, rage filled her eyes as she looked upon him, with an intent on killing him. Twilight, on the other hand, didn't do anything. How could she now? She just looked on in despair at her dead brother.

The Commander was about to say something, but we heard a big knock on the door, which, in turn, shook the whole room. One after another. Looking at the door, there was a spell placed on it, to let only Changelings in and out, even by teleportation. Seeing it crack and break with each powerful hit, from the other side of the door, has put every Changeling present - excluding Chrysalis - on edge.

Upon the final strike, did the doors came flying off their hinges, and the barrier broken down. Walking through, was something I've never have seen before. But what I felt coming from this being, along with the Changelings, sent chills down my spine. Rage. Pure and simple. And terrifyingly so, seeing as it surrounded his body. Every time his metallic boots stomped onto the crystal floor, sent booming tremors throughout the room.

Those that held Chrysalis and Twilight, let go of their charges, and regrouped with their Commander, along with the rest doing the same. Coming to a stop, between Chrysalis and my little Twiliy, he looked at the two for a brief moment, until he spotted Shining's body, and stiffened up.

The Commander, saw this, and using his magic, he picked up Shining and threw his body at him. Has he no respect, nor shame!? When the body reached the newcomer, he catches Shining and held it. Although, I can see his hands trembling, but not because of shock. It was of hatred. Slowly, he turned his back to them, and lied Shining body to the floor, decently so...

"You... Killed him..." I heard him say, as his entire form shook with even more rage building up within himself.

Seeing this as an opportunity, the Commander had one of his troopers sneak up on him and stab him through the back. But, just as he was about to do so, his entire upper form completely obliterated in a shower of blood and gore. We were all frightfully surprised by this, as we saw that it was the metallic being himself, who done the deed, with just one swing of his fist alone. I can't imagine such a creature wielding that much power.

Getting back up, he looked towards the Commander, a sense of bloodlust filled the room. Soon, we started to see traces of fire lighting up around him, bringing up his shaking fist to his face.

"Kill... Kill... I... Kill you all..." Wait, somethings not right. His voice... It changed! Why has it changed into something horrifying!? Soon, his entire form caught fire, as a circle of some kind started to appear under him.

Seeing this, the Commander shouted his orders, pulling out a syringe. "Men! Inject!" Placing it within their necks, they pressed down on it and pulled the needle out. Soon, they grew in size and mass, twice their normal height!

"Hah! Let's see if that thing can withstand against us now!" The Commander said, his distorted voice sounding a bit more deep. Although, his empty boasting were nothing to what is to come.

Looking back at the small tornado of fire, I saw his silhouette taking a new form, his armour made some changes, to make him look a tad bit taller than usual, but not a lot. But the new design of its appearance, that's what set the fear into all of our hearts. It look so unnatural, as if it came from Tartarus itself. The presence of a Demon. Soon, the fires died down, and out came a monster.

With glowing green eyes piercing through the Changelings souls, a fire was burning brightly from them. The Changelings themselves were frozen on the spot, they didn't even make a move or anything. They were just as scared as we were.

Before anyone could say anything, we heard him let out a deep, feral growl, before shouting in the most Celestia-forsaken voice I have ever heard.

"I WILL FUCKING MURDER YOU CHANGELING FUCKWITS!!!!!!!!" With that said, the first Changeling off to his right, was the first to go.

Tripping him up, the mutated Changeling was suspended in the air for a second, before getting his head crushed within record time. The second mutated Changeling, saw this, and charged at him. Only for this creature to use his fallen comrade as a club, and whacked him onto his back. Throwing away the corpse, he jumped onto the downed Changeling, open up his chest, and ripped out his intestines.

Two more charged up to him, but he was too quick for them, and with one punch for each of the two, did he sprayed parts of the room with blood and internal organs. The last four surrounded him, but even that didn't make much of a change. He still came at them, killing them in the most violent way possible. The last one, he ripped his horn out and stabbed his eye with it.

All that was left, was the Commander, and before he could do anything, he was tackled onto the floor. From there, this Berserker proceeded to beating his face in, creating cracks within the floor. Even though he has already beaten every ounce of his being into oblivion, he still kept on punching.

"DIE! DIE! DIE! DIIIIIIIIEE!!!!!!" He kept on repeating, over and over again, until the floor collapsed from underneath him. Falling down where the Crystal Heart was.

Struggling on freeing one of my hands, I managed to free one and took off the ring inhibitor on my horn, I used my magic to rid myself of that suit and got me some clothes. After that, I flew over to where Twilight and that were.

She was lying on Shining's chest, sobbing into it. Chrysalis wasn't any good herself. I don't care what happened back then, we were all suffering here. Hugging Twilight, I tried to comfort her, as best I could.

Shining, your death has been avenged...

(Bryan/Doom Marine, Crystal Heart...)

"Ugh, fuck..." I groaned out. Picking myself up, I looked myself over to see I was back to my old self once more. But damn tired.

Pulling out my Pistol, I looked around to see where that murderous prick was at, only to remember I killed him in my Berserker form.

"Save us..."

What?

I looked around to see who said that, only to come face-to-face with the Corrupted Crystal Heart...

"Help us, please..."

There it is again. Was it the Crystal Heart?

"You must help..."

"What must I do?" I asked.

"The Heart... Destroy the Heart..." Well, I see where this going now. Aiming at the Crystal Heart, I charged up my shot. "Please... Set us free..." Pulling the trigger, I shot at the Crystal Heart. Piercing through it, it started to crack, until I was blinded by a flash of light, as it exploded in my face, sending me flying off...

([Third Person])

As a blinding light emendated from where the Crystal Heart was, an explosion of sorts was heard, and all of the fighting taking place outside the castle came to abrupt stop. With it, the barrier that had imprisoned the Crystal Empire was now abolished, fading away from existence.

Seeing this happening, the last of the Changelings decided to high-tail it out and retreat back to their Hive.

Soon, the air was filled with cheers, as the streets were filling with its everyday citizens, coming out of hiding. Only to be silence, as a metallic body came barreling out from where the Crystal Heart used to be. Moving out of its way, as it came bouncing by them all, until it skidded to a halt, by digging up the ground.

Everypony within the vicinity of the incident, came rushing over, to see what it was. It was unlike anything they have ever seen, it was either Pony, nor Changeling.

There was something glowing in its right clutched hand.

Before any of them could do anything , the Lunar Princess descended from the night sky, unto the mysterious being.

"My Doom Marine! Are you conscious!? Say something!" She cried out. They were all thoroughly surprised by this, and did a double take-back. Soon, she started shaking him. "Come on! No, don't do this to me!" She was getting desperate at this point. "Please say something!"

Eventually, though, the Doom Marine started showing signs. With a groan, he tried to move. "Oh... Goddammit..." He said groggily.

"Oh thank mother, you're still alive!" She said in joyous, but it was cut short from what he said next.

"If only that... Could be said... For all of us..." When he said that, she looked at him confusedly.

"My Doom Marine, what are you saying?" She asked him, but she wasn't liking where this was going.

"He's... Dead."

"Who?"

"The Prince." When he answered, the crowed around them both were thrown into a distorted state from this information.

"What?"

"They killed him, Luna. He died before I could even save him..." The Doom Marine growled. "I couldn't save him, but I sure as Hell slaughtered his killers."

"Please, no more, my Doom Marine. It's over..." Luna tried to comfort him, but it did little to persuade him.

"I'll kill them... I'll fucking kill them all..." He stated. Looking down at his right hand, he unclenched it to see what he was holding, which turned out to be a piece of the Crystal Heart. This part didn't seem to be corrupted by the slightest, which is weird, considering what it went through.

Clutching his first again, he looked towards the castle. Getting back up on his feet, with the help of Luna, they made their way over there. They eventually made it to the Throne room, where they found the three mares crowded around the deceased Shining Armor, crying their eyes out.

The Doom Marine looked at Luna suggestively, wanting her to be with them. Reluctantly, she let him go, and sat beside the girls. Shuffling his way out of the room, the masses made their way to the Throne room, gave him a wide birth of space, not wanting to hamper or bother him.

Soon, he found himself a balcony, away from the crowd, for him think. He wanted to be alone for the moment, thinking over on what to do next, before hunting down Cocoons Hive and her head. First, a memorial will be built upon where the Crystal Heart used to be, carved with the Fallen's names upon it. After that, he'll carve in his Doom Marine's mark: The Doom Slayer's Mark.

After concluding on this, the Moon itself started to change colour, going from its traditional pale light, to a blood-red light. Bryan looked up towards it, staring into it, until looking back at the piece of the Crystal Heart. Growling, he clenched his fist once more, glaring up to the moon, he made his vow.

"I will murder all of those fuckers. I swear to God I will..."