We stand united 1x1 Maple Bat

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Maple had grown black claws now her wings had some as well her golden eyes contrasting the dawn sky, Her coat had grown darker rather than the bright yellow it had turned more into a yellowish- brown as a responce to what happened to her, the new appearance had scared the whole camp.

Luna was about to use the spell but she hesitated "Uhh... Jack. Is there a way to test this soul transfer spell before using it on her I memorized the spell on the document but I don't know..."

Celestia stared Maple down she noticed she wasn't moving or attacking, She was only standing there watching... Perhaps waiting for the right time to attack them. Celestia had lowered her guard for a second in her confusion and then Maple attacked her Celestia barely blocking the hit "Maple... This isn't you... Come back to us please!" She knew it was pointless but she said that anyways. "I can hold her but I don't want to fight her. Just hurry with that plan of yours..."

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

Jack was in a panic.

but then he realised something.

'The DNA of Kiran is still in her after all this time.... which means....'

"Luna, use the spell now! There is still time to save her, she has not fully turned yet!!" Jack said

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Luna fired the spell it hit Maple her body fell when a golden colored-soul emerged from it, since Maple put up no resistance against the spell, Luna kept focused as Woody held up his artifact. Luna carefully moved the soul into the artifact once she did the gemstone on it started glowing a yellowish color. Once it was said and done Woody ran over to Luna and Jack hugging them both again "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" He said happily, since it worked.

Luna smiled "It wasn't a problem Woody. I just had to block out my fear and know I was able to do it. I'm glad I was able to do that." She looked at him "What you'll do now with it confuses me was this just for closure?"

Woody nodded "Yea. For now at least."

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

Jack was staring for a long time, not saying a word, but something was deeply bothering him.

"Luna, could you perform that spell one more time on her body? It is not over yet." Jack said as he stared at Maple's body with tensity.

 

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Woody looked at Luna and Jack "Me and Celestia are gonna go meet Ember and the others at canterlot you two catch up with us later

Luna was confused but she trusted him and fired the spell at the body again...

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

Eventually, a second soul went straight into the artifact.

"Hey Woody, is it alright if I can have the artifact for a while? I need to prepare some things." he asked

He then looked at Luna

"Thanks for that, we should be heading towards Canterlot as well, I guess I still have a lot to prepare for." Jack said.

"We all do in fact, soon it is going to be a difficult battle." he admitted

Edited August 18, 2017 by Mickey Adaptus

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Woody gripped the artifact. "I... I don't... No. No I trust you here." He handed it to him placing it in his paw gently "I'm trusting you with my sisters life be careful ok?" He said before walking off to go finish getting his camping gear Once he had packed it all up he and celestia left for canterlot.

Luna walked over to him "Ready to go?"

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"Don't worry Woody, I have been carrying this artefact with me for almost 7 years. I am not one to lose such things" Jack said in a reasurring tone.

He was lost in his thoughts until Luna's question snapped him out of it.

"Yeah, i am ready." He said as he climbed on her back.

 

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Luna nodded, "Let's go then." Luna carried him back to canterlot. Once they arrived Luna walked over to where Ember and Flurry where. "Did you all find anything else useful back in the temple?"

"We took a bunch of stuff some of you more trusted nobles are looking into it all. It could take a long while before we find something though but that's ok!" Flurry said "Where's Maple?" She didn't realize how heavy of a question she'd just dropped.

Luna simply answered "Away... For now. She'll be back I promise."

Emebr looked at Luna "We heard you took out that center from Moonshadow before he left to find you. Good job kinda wish I would've went but that would have left chrysalis and flurry alone both of them don't see too skilled in combat. Well I mean physical combat."

Flurry Looked at Jack "What exactly do you think that the nobles will find in all that stuff we found?"

Edited August 18, 2017 by Maple Bat

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"I think they are going to find lots of jewels, but also weaponry and armor."

"If we are lucky, they might find some very ancient armour patterns because from what I remember, my mother is to this very day wearing very ancient armour that has some unique properties to it, like enchantments from civilizations that have died very long ago. I think one of those things might contain gravity impulses, which makes the wearer able to move with extreme speed and agility because of the magic and technology used to it. And of course, since the schematics behind these things had been lost, they had become very rare, making it relics among warriors." Jack said as he climbed off Luna's back.

Edited August 18, 2017 by Mickey Adaptus

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"Wow that's neat!" Flurry said. Luna and ember started talking about strategy for the upcoming battles and they walked off. When they did flurry looked at Jack "Alright so really cut to the chase. What happened to Maple, is she dead? Or...  Worse?"

Woody had walked by them at that moment he acted like he didn't hear it but he did he walked around the corner and listened

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

Jack sighed.

"It would be very bad if I were going to lie to you, so here is the thing... she got infected by one of those creatures, and so.... she eventually succumbed, but not before we were able to drag her soul straight into this artefact, along with someone else. So we are trying to give her a new body, but I am going, to be honest, here, it is not going to be the same when you see her... She might.. return in mechanical form, and have a very different appearance." Jack said

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"I don't care about that. As long as she still behaves as the same Maple I grew up with." Flurry said "Even though she got infected she's still my friend. Can I speak with her now?"

Woody walked around the corner "Actually I think so. Sorry for evasdropping but Jack she can right? Since there was that other artifact that could talk with us."

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"She should be the same, the only thing that will be diffren't is her appearance, and perhaps a slight change in her voice, but other than that, she should be the same." Jack said.

He then turned to Woody.

"Currently she would not able to communicate without any form of the same magic that was used to transport her in this, but.... all i have to do is transfer some of my magic into the artefact, that will allow her to talk. Give me a moment." Jack said as he started to channel some of his magic into the artefact.

"Now is your chance." he said with a smile.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Maple had felt like she was uncoincious for a while but the she heard Jack speak "Wait?" She said "What happened?"

"Maple!" Flurry said "Oh Celestia you're ok."

"Yea I feel ok... What's goin-" She tried to look at her hood and realized "Wait! I... Oh..." She was upset "I guess that means I attacked you guys at that camp huh?"

"Yea sis but you proteced us from way worse. We needed to find you to get your soul anyways so it ended up saying time." Woody said "Elorn is supposed to get you a new body soon as well You'll be ok soon Maple." 

"Still... I guess I should thank you Jack something tells me you made this all happen." She told him.

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"Well, all I did was tell you guys how to get this done, I do not really deserve so much credit." Jack said.

"But i have a question, who is this Elorn? I don't recall having heard about this pony before." Jack said with confusion, not knowing about the stranger yet.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"He's not a pony actually. He's the same race as you are Jack. We met him before I got taken into the center. He actually was the one who. Kept me from getting infected at first that is... until we got caught inside the center." He voice drifted off. "But it doesn't matter now. I hope he's alright though he didn't get hit during the fight I think since I was the one who started it. And Jack telling everyone how to get something done my not be the most useful but that's what you call 'leading' "

Flurry wanted to just take the artifact and protect it with her life but she didn't really understand any of this "Well lets hope he can get you that body soon. I don't know how much I trust this thing," She pointed at the crystal. "To stay in one piece."

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"Do not worry Flurry, this artefact is stronger than you think, my father made it himself, and he was incredibly skilled." Jack said with a smile.

He then looked at Woody

"Might be best if you 2 get some more time to catch up, i am heading to the others to discuss the war plans. Though don't worry about the magic running out, this thing should have enough to run for an entire day." Jack said to him as he walked to the others.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"Thanks Jack" Woody said putting the artifact necklace back on "Maple... I'm sorry that I didn't go into the center with you I was just scared at the time."

"It's ok Bro, Thanks for uhh... Ya know not killing me when I turned..." She said back.

-------------------------------------------------------

Luna, Celestia and Ember where going over the basics of how centers where build and how tough it was to break into one along with the horrors that where inside

Luna said "It would be dangerous to send ponies in there we can destroy them with magic from the outside."

Celestia shook her head. "It's not enough Luna the blast from the core manages to destroy the base and everything in it if we aren't through enough then they'll just put the center back up again.

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"Celestia is right, they build their structures at immersive rates."

"But I perhaps know of a way of a way to draw out their leader, even though the death of their leader will not stop them completely, it will severely lower their morale, which will be a lot better than fighting them in their prime."

"It might be a bit risky, but I can use myself as bait, lure him out of his hiding spot, they know I am an asset to your cause because of all the information, so it would only make sense that he would specifically try to eliminate me one way or another, and given how our progress has been going, with enough luck, he will grow impatient and will show his face on the battlefield. If we put large armies into hiding spots, we can strike the moment he shows himself, tough we need large numbers, he is obviously not going to show up without atleast a large reinforcement of his own. How does this stragety sound to you guys?" Jack asked

[Maple Bat 3,568]

The few thought about it for a while. Ember was the first to say something "Sounds like a plan. A chicken can live without it's head but it cant do much without it." She said as she drew her sword to sharpen it.

Luna was a bit defeated but she knew the plan was good. "Alright the pony army and Griffin army should do this while the dragons wait. They're rather hard to hide." She said to avoid being rude.

Celestia intervened "Though are we sure this'll work with out a experianced commander leading the ponies?"

Luna shook her head. "Maple could still go but she'd have to put herself in danger. Moonshadow is a good choice though... What do you think Jack how hard is the battle going to be?"

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"Well, if I am going, to be honest here, hiding the dragons won't a problem, all we got to find is a suitable terrain, we need all the fighting power. This single ambush is going to determinate a big part of the war."

"But killing that leader is going to a bit more difficult because don't let his attitude and appearance fool you, I do know that he is Raukan, and on tons of combat injections with a combination of his armor. He is essentially a crazed close combat berzerker that only grows more hyped and enraged by the feeling of pain, and I can safely say his weapon is meant for straight through armor, so blocking against his attacks are going to be difficult unless you can somehow create a similar amount of force back."

"And for the commander leading our armies? That is going to be tricky, Maple getting a new body is going to take a while, and while Moonshadow is a good commander, I am not sure if he could go toe to toe with the enemy leader. But the thing here is, should this plan fail, then we won't get another chance at killing their leader because it will be apparent he won't be showing his face anytime soon should we fail." Jack said

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"Well do we have to do it soon?" Celestia asked "Because if it is something this big I don't think we should chance it with Moonshadow as his emotional state may cloud his judgement. That only leaves Flurry and Woody as those with experience in commanding but they both are pacifists." Ember rolled her eyes.

"True he doesn't know that she's going to be alright Moonshadow probably only wants revenge." Luna responded We best focus on the centers for now, That'll make this Raukan start to make agered choices. When he starts too and He know Jack's alone then he'll gladly rush after him alone and Bam..." Luna punched the table making a loud noise. "We kill him."

Ember stood up. "Not exactly we are chancing it off the ideal that he will do that... However, Jack from you description that assumptions seems pretty accurate wouldn't you say?"

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"You are right Ember, it does seem pretty accurate, but here is the reason why I think he will attempt soon. He won't be trying to capture me because of his own will, but because his master demands it, and this leader will follow that order like a loyal lapdog. Because if there is one weakness in the enemy, it is that most of the warlords are even afraid of Valtrek to a certain extent, not wishing to undergo his wrath, they will follow any of his direct orders without delay, which makes me think this plan will work out, that leaves me to just one question, who is going to take out the leader? Me trying to kill him is just out of the question." Jack said.

"But him rushing alone is still not entirely true, he may be bad-tempered, but there is no way he would go out in the open all alone, should he made this mistake before, he wouldn't be alive at this point."

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Celestia shook her head "Jack taking out the leader may not be an option right now. I don't think any of us are trained enough to that point."

Luna nodded hearing that "I feel as though only one pony has enough reliable training though, She's down for now however. And once Maple gets the new body... She'll need to get used to it as well. Ember possible could but she might die as well... Given how trained the mere soldiers are the leader must be significantly stronger than them and most of us struggle with them... How long do we have before we are forced to put some sort of plan into action do you think? If we don't have to attack the leader now we can destroy the centers until Maple makes her recovery."