A monstrous, terrific cacophony of hydraulics and metal echoed through the empty halls of Sevilin's headquarters. None had dared enter the palace after him, especially after the reports from soldiers that he was in a momentary state of shock before fleeing inside.

Sevilin was never outright surprised.

Sevilin Jacobs was the master of control.

He was their beacon of hope and safety.

So…

What now?

Sevilin, clad in his intdimidating Conquistador armor, pushed open the doors to Sanctuary. He was met with gasps and fearful stares. Ignoring them, his suit roared to life and he took to the skies.

Its maroon plates barely shone when in direct sunlight, seeming to both devour and reflect the rays of the star. A lengthy spear sat upon his back, its head serrated with dozens of teeth made for tearing through flesh.

The golden-yellow eyes glowed under the gleaming horns that pointed dead-ahead, as if they existed as a challenge to any who would go against it. Jets of blue flame spat from its back and clawed feet, allowing it to hover in mid-air while it pronounced Sevilin's orders.

With but a thought, his voice became amplified, ringing in the citizens' ears like a strong trombone. "Chrysalis, Trixie, Orion, Lightning Dust, Creak-shiv. Meet Sevilin Jacobs in the War Room immediately."

Blasting away, he entered back into the palace and broke into a stride the second he hit the stone floor. Outside, the citizens of Sanctuary whispered between one another about the titanic metal human that had just flown and proclaimed news from Sevilin.

If the other two, smaller suits of armor would be any guess, the Sanctuarians had to assume that it was Sevilin in the hulking metal monstrosity. Both times he had worn the armor he had been involved in a skirmish or battle of some sort. Could that mean he was pulling them into another conflict?

The prospect frightened some and worried others. But none more than those who had been summoned. Mustering up their courage, each hailed individual filed into the stone-hewn home of the human, moving quickly to the War Room.

"This is definitely about what happened at the Empire," Orion muttered. Chrysalis and Trixie stared down at the small Alloy Dog.

"What would he have us do?" Chrysalis questioned him. The Dog let out an exasperated breath and was about to answer when thundering, rhythmic footfalls cut him off.

"Get inside. Now," he growled. The aggressive tone had all five of the requested beings inside in an instant. The doors slammed shut and Sevilin's glowing eyes illuminated the mahogany table they were crowded around.

The top of the Conquistador's head scraped against the ceiling, gouging out ridges in the stone while leaving the suit perfectly intact.

Clearing his throat, Creak-shiv spoke first. "M'lord, if I may, what exactly is going on?"

The golden daggers shifted to him and focused on the Timberwolf. "I don't know why, but Rainbow Dash claimed me to be an enemy of Equestria and an adversary to the thrones of Celestia and Luna. Her outburst was uncalled for, even more so was the reaction of the Princesses. Even though we had the beginnings of a trust, I feel we have been betrayed."

Chrysalis could sense the calm pulls and pushes of his emotions. Angry and hurt, no doubt, but glowing in a hot white instead of a raging inferno of red. Like waves crashing onto a beach, his brooding was kept under control within an even pool of soothing order and clarity.

She couldn't read minds, but he was certain that he was channeling his anger and confusion into action. "This betrayal, as I have just calculated, will lead to war between Equestria and Sanctuary. Before you voice your opinions and shock, let me add this: We have a fighting chance."

The group's reaction ranged from shocked to relieved. Trixie was certainly shocked. "We can't go against Equestria! Even with your armor, you're only one man. To believe that you yourself can single-handedly bring Equestria, the Princesses and the Elements of Harmony to their knees is delusional!"

Sevilin's shoulders whirred and he straightened himself fully. "It is not I that will bring Equestria to its knees. No. It will be deception and sleight-of-hand that win this war." The two glowing slits moved on Chrysalis momentarily before shifting to Creak-shiv.

"Creak-shiv, you and your wolves are to utilize the Everfree at all times. Use hit and run tactics to keep Ponyville under pressure. Harass the citizens but do not assault them."

A brittle wooden eyebrow raised. "And why would be waste our efforts with Ponyville?" the old Timberwolf asked.

"By causing distress in their hometown, the Elements will naturally want to tend to the problem. The Princesses will most likely be against it but loyalties will be swayed once the six of the mares are asked to abandon the helpless. Use emotional ties to break their loyalty ever-so subtly."

The bass-filled resonance of Sevilin's voice chilled the occupants of the room, while his size made them glad he was on their side. Or rather, they were on his.

"Trixie and Chrysalis, you two are to work together. Trixie, you will research illusion spells to be used on articles of clothing such as necklaces. Chrysalis, have your changelings do what they do best and infiltrate every meeting Equestria's generals and Princesses have. I want full informative coverage on every move."

The human continued with his plan. "The illusion-infused articles of clothing are a safeguard in case the changelings grow weary from keeping their disguises up for too long. I expect research to be started by tomorrow."

Sevilin's faux eyes now centered on Orion. "Orion, I want subterranean systems leading throughout the area surrounding the Whitetail Woods for supplies and transportation. If you place traps such as cave-ins or anything requiring magical expertise, come to me and inform me of it. A map would be ideal as well."

"Finally, Lightning Dust." His mechanical bull head turned to the the left to stare at her. "I need patrols doing visual sweeps daily, as well as armed squads to keep the Equestrians out of the air. If at any time a ground squad of Equestrians numbering more than two-hundred are spotted, alert me immediately."

Lightning Dust saluted along with the others, and Sevilin stomped out of the room. "At ease. Trixie, follow me." The mechanical clangs and clicking of gears rang throughout the halls, drowning out the sounds of the pony's hoofsteps.

"How may I serve you, m'lord?" she asked while desperately trying to keep pace with Sevilin in his new body.

Without missing a beat, a huge clawed hand grabbed Trixie's midsection, eliciting a surprised yelp. She was suddenly placed upon Sevilin's shoulder, which shifted with light swaying movements.

"Trixie, your job is extremely important and especially sensitive in the grand scheme of things." Sevilin suddenly stopped walking and swiveled his head to stare at Trixie with his haunting yellow eyes.

"I need you to set up diplomatic relations with the Equestrians. In essence, you will be stalling them while we prepare for their inevitable assault on Sanctuary." Sevilin's armor detected slight vibrations and rising heat in Trixie. "I know that you're nervous, but you have to understand something."

Trixie stared into Sevilin's eyes. "What?"

"If we don't stand up and fight against this, everyone will die at the enemy's will. In this city I have chosen to harbor more than a few enemies of the Elements and Equestria, both personal and national. That in itself is an excuse to attack this place."

"Not only that, but some of the most dangerous creatures known to this planet are kept here as well, bar a dragon. Burning this place to the ground and 'rescuing' the ponies inside would be a mission I doubt Equestria would pass up."

Sevilin's eyes narrowed. "I lived amongst a xenophobic race for many years, and I can say with absolute certainty that I am tired of such hate. Equestria is xenophobic by nature, it is a trait in equines that exists even on this world, it is what keeps them alive. Yet they haven't yet realized that their phobia has begun to harm them more than the actual foreigners."

Sevilin once again broke into his long strides, ducking under a few archways as he went. "The Princesses, even for all of their immortality and wisdom, are much like their subjects. They are afraid of change and wary of of outsiders. While they may have welcomed me at first, my suit detected brainwave patterns and slight facial twitches signifying distrust and disgust."

"What I'm trying to say is this: it would have happened sooner or later. We couldn't have stopped this even if we had tried. I placed too much trust in this world that it wouldn't happen, even when a small voice said that it would. I trusted far too much, and now I must turn my backs on everything they may say or do."

"This is war, Ms. Lulamoon. This is war."

The Princesses and the Elements of Harmony had left the Empire on a sour note. Instead of happy farewells and shouts of adoration and love, they received hisses and jeers.

The two rulers of Equestria sat in the massive war chariot, stone-faced, while Rainbow Dash glared down at the Crystal Ponies from over the edge. "How dare they boo the Princesses! Who do they think they are?" she growled.

Twilight sat in the back, staring at her hooves. Her country had just… strong-hoofed the entire city into submission. This was a form of tyranny, she was sure of it. It said so in her history books and during her teachings with Celestia.

Things had been so carefree and jocular in the past week, bordering on ridiculousness. But now? Now it was chaos as thick as molasses. With Sevilin clearly cornered and backed up into a wall, he was surely planning to lash out or strike back in some way in the looming future.

She knew nothing, however, about what tactics human beings used in battle. Not only that, but what tactics he would use when his race was a space-faring people? She could only imagine having to battle an enemy several thousand miles away with no real shot at even touching them.

No magic could reach that far and nopony could create any type of ballista or siege device to match the pure range and power that Sevilin's race had managed to create for itself.

His race's technology most likely exceeded her's by at least a few thousand years. Space travel technology couldn't have been a drop in the pond, after all.

Twilight Sparkle, for the second time in her life, heavily doubted Princess Celestia. She was proven wrong the first time when she understood the concept of friendship and achieved friends to boot. Now though?

Twilight shivered, but not because of the brisk air of the cabin. No. Twilight held the opinion that her mentor and role model had severely miscalculated the situation with the human.

Rainbow Dash's panicked and fearful reaction made no sense, as well as her adamant ferocity to alert the Princesses so suddenly instead of attacking Sevilin directly. It really was a baffling circumstance, but Twilight couldn't make heads or tails of it.

The green flash that hit Rainbow Dash had very nearly killed her, but had it caused some other damage that wasn't readily apparent? There was no way to know once the spell went off; no trace of the booby trap remained after it had struck. The rest of the mission was a success and the Crystal Heart had been returned to its people.

The second that Cadence and Shining had instructed the Crystal ponies to seal off Celestia and Luna from Sevilin, Twilight had regretted it. The ensuing struggle had even caused her to begin hyperventilating.

And seeing her big brother and former foalsitter in cages with Leyline Disruptors fit over their horns, gagged and bound, left a guilty pit in Twilight's stomach.

The two rebel ponies were being kept in the war carriage to the royals' left, pulled by a quartet of pegasi in gleaming gold armor. Twilight couldn't bring herself to look at the flying prison, instead keeping her gaze focused squarely on either the floor of the chariot or her hooves.

Nopony spoke to one another, either mimicking Twilight or staring out at the rolling landscape filled with mountains and trees. They were out of the North proper  by now, and were making good time to Canterlot.

Back in the Empire, however, two stallions began to set the pieces into the puzzle.

"You say she just… hopped up and accused Sevilin of treachery?" Force asked with a hint of incredulity hidden in his voice. The Raised Eyebrow of Potent Suspicion didn't make Silk Shot feel better, either.

"Stop making that face!" the plum-colored stallion whined. "And yes, she just sprung up like a fresh, Faust-damned daisy and screamed bloody murder."

"Yet-to-be bloody murder," Noble Force corrected.

"Oh, you know what I mean! The point is, I think there's some background string-pulling going on. Something or someone is messing with Rainbow Dash and we have no clue it's even inside her," Silk said with a grim expression on his face.

"And you want my help to find out just what it is that has Miss Dash under its control. Is that right?" Force responded. Silk Shot nodded.

"That's exactly it."

"Listen, Private." Force crossed his hooves and shook his head slowly. "The unicorns have already been over all of this. She's clear. Nothing in her system, no mind-altering chemicals, no foreign magic. As far as they could see with their magic, she was fine."

Silk's ear twitched and he blinked, staring out the window. "What'd you say?" he asked as he slowly turned to face his superior. Force rolled his eyes and repeated the last thing he said.

"As far as they could see with their magic, she was fine."

"That's it!" Silk shouted.

"What's it?" Force was now genuinely intrigued due to the stallion's outburst.

"Their magic! Sombra didn't use conventional, everyday unicorn magic! He used dark magic, shadow magic, umbral magic and what have you! The unicorns can't pick it up because they can't detect it!"

The two stallions shared a moment where they simply stared at one another.

"We have to get to the Princesses, and fast," Force stated before his wings opened and he blasted down the hallway in a rush to find a squad of pegasi to escort Silk Shot and a squad of Equestrian troops to Canterlot. Next Chapter: Chapter 16- Colossus Estimated time remaining: 11 Minutes