We stand united 1x1 Maple Bat

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

The drones eventually reached the 2, sticking the needles straight into the dried meat, when they were done, they picked them up and started to fly away.

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Eventually, Elorn woke up, they had been thrown into some sort of locked room, along with a few unconscious and infected ponies.

He looked around carefully before getting up, he shook Maple a bit to wake her up as he then proceeded to check the walls.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

When Maple felt the shaking she sprung up. She went to grab her spear and swing it at the one who was shaking her but her weapon was gone. That was lucky almost killed my ally there. She thought Best hope he didn't know I tried to attack him, "Anyways. I don't think we thought this through." She said looking for weak spots in the locked door. "Seems like we're pretty stuck..."

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Woody saw what happened and panicked "They don't have their weapons!" He ran over and picked them up after getting them he started heading back to the ally hoping none do those drones saw him.

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

Elorn smiled when he noticed Maple's sudden reaction.

"Your instincts are sharp, but it is important that you control that, judging by your equipment you must be a soldier right? If such things are left unchecked, you could end up hurting or even killing a civilian by accident, it is a good thing I have sharp senses." He said

"And well, the only part you have to think through before attacking is when you are planning a head on attack for the entrance. Every conversion centre is different and has different structures, so there is no way to prepare if you do not know what you will be up against. I have been training myself to improvise in such situations because even with a great plan, you cannot always foresee everything."

He checked the walls, and then the locked door.

"We won't be able to force our way out of here, so here is what we should we, we wait until they are going to retrieve us, we play unconsciously like we did before, and the moment they try to pick us up, we attack and react as faster than ever before."

"How does that sound to you?"

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"I am a soldier." Maple said quietly. She considered her options here "Alright. I trust you I know we just met and all but... You didn't let me get infected so I have all the more reason to do so." She walekd over to a spot where there weren't any bodies and laid down looking up at the roof. "How long 'till they come in ya think?"

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Woody made it back into that ally moving through it in hopes of finding the conversion center and freeing the other two. It however was a big city he had a lot of ground to cover

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"That is hard to say, it would depend on how many bodies they would have to convert." Elorn said.

"Though it could take about 5 hours, I would suggest using this time for useful purposes, if you feel like sleeping, go ahead and do say, I will wake you when it is time." he said as he leaned against the wall."

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Jack almost fell asleep, but quickly woke himself.

"Ok i must not fall asleep during this process." he said to himself

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Maple heard him say that it was gonna take a long time she tried to fall asleep but really struggled to do so with all the innocent ponies by her all of them doomed to a infected fate. She was starting to have a little trouble staying calm in this situation. She took deep breaths as she laid there waiting being as calm as she could be. She took her armor off and set it aside hoping to get better air flow.

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Ember had finished packing up her weapons away. "Should we head out to that temple thing soon or not?"

"Not now." Shining Armor said. "We'll need jack to be healed for the mission and magic works too so it shouldn't take to long

Celestia had returned to the crystal empire. She walked over to the group 

Luna looked at jack a bit suspicious "Do you thing Multiple healing spells would make this go faster of should I let Flurry handle the healing?"

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

Jack looked at Luna.

"I am not sure, i mean, i am missing organs, i don't even know what is supposed to happen." he said with a confused tone.

"Let go of the healing, for now, it is time for him to arrive."  The voice in the artefact said calmly

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Maple couldn't sleep. She just laid there scared. She decided she needed to get her mind off things. "Say Elorn how about a game of 20 questions? You ask first."

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Flurry looked at the artifact "Are... Are you sure." She looked at Luna. Luna nodded agreement that she should stop and she did. "O...K? Jack you feeling better?" She asked nervously.

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

Elorn smiled.

"That is a pretty interesting choice to pass time. Very well."

"What is your strongest trait?" he asked.

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Jack fell unconscious when the healing spell wore off.

"He prefers to meet Jack in a subconscious state rather than among the living, else it would draw uncertain attention." The voice said in a mysterious tone.

 

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"I'd say my will power. I'll never back down if Equestria need me even if I know I'm going to get killed, So far things have gone well." She answered, She thought of a question "How'd you get to equestria? Spaceship? Wormhole?"

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Flurry flinched when he passed out "Oh no. Is... Is he gonna be ok?" She asked the artifact. Looking around for... Something.

Luna put her hoof on Flurry's back. "After he wakes up, Flurry. He'll be better than ever." Luna said calmly watching for signs of life from Jack.

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"Well, spaceships are hard to acquire with how most of what our homes have become, getting into a wormhole requires a spaceship or by some power. But I arrived via the use of a Warp gate, ancient contraptions that have been built by our very ancestors to travel from planet to planet back when Spaceships were still very unreliable." Elorn said.

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"Do not worry young one, he is in very good hands, I could feel a faint presence that had been watching us the entire time, it was a subtle presence. But it was without  a doubt the one I had been expecting." The voice said.

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Jack eventually opened his eyes, he was in a sort of dream state, only this time it was not his own dream, but rather created by something else.

"H-hello? Is anyone there?? Or is this.. the afterlife?" Jack said with a confused tone.

Suddenly he saw someone approaching, a Terran with an orange coat and green eyes, clad in a combination between robes and very light armour that seemed very ancient.

He had a very abnormal presence about him, an aura that was radiating warmth straight from his body, yet it was not an aggressive warmth, but it was a gentle one, the very same you would feel as sun rays would shine upon you.

"Hold on, who are-" Jack words died in his throat as he for some reason had trouble speaking out the last words.

The figure walked forward, and gave Jack an empty stare, he said nothing, just that very stare.

It had been going on for a while until the person kneeled down before Jack and placed his hand straight on his forehead.

Jack shook a bit by the sudden touch, it felt weird as he could feel the warmth, but he did not feel any sort of feeling that you would normally feel from a hand.

Suddenly countless of feelings started to flow straight through Jack's body, he felt like he was undergoing some sort of transformation almost.

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Suddenly Jack shot awake back to the living realm, he was totally flabbergasted as he looked around in confusion.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Flurry, As soon as he woke started to cast a healing spell on him. Luna moved a hoof in the way "Don't I think he's fine. Lets just wait a sec-" She got tackled by Celestia

Celestia picked up Luna with her hooves hugging her "Oh my gosh Luna I was so worried about you! I'm so glad everyone's ok."

Luna was smiling she'd never seen this happen before "It's ok sister, You had a good plan the elements seemed to have worked! They fixed Jack!"

Celestia walked over and examinded Jack "That is wonderful news."

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Maple looked at him from where she was laying. "Anymore questions for me? Cause I've still got a few to ask..." She sounded worried about something almost to the point of terrified, Elorn could easily notice that Maple was acting restless, she kept moving around shifting on the ground.

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

Elorn was quiet for a second, before looking at her again.

"Sorry about that, but i need to keep our surroundings in check to, they might arrive at any moment." Elorn said

He then noticed Maple's uncomfortable behaviour.

"You should try to calm yourself, once we are in the conversion center, that feeling is going to get worse, wich you need to overcome if you want to destroy this centre." He said.

"But here is my question, how strong your current military?"  he asked.

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Jack looked around, he then examined his hands.

"It is weird, i don't feel that pain anymore, and i feel very light headed, but at the same time... It just feels pretty empty at the moment, like there was this whole feeling and poof, it was gone!" he said surprised.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"Take my strength but cut it in half twice and then multiply it by the number of troops and that's how strong we are, Well plus 2 goddess a god of chaos and the elements of harmony. " Maple answered as she stood up. "Getting out of this small enclosure I'll feel less scared. It's just these ponies could have been my friend and.... and now they're gone. It feels like they're all dead because I wasn't here in time." She sighed "They'll pay for this."

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"Jack I have a question if you don't mind me asking. Who is warlord Ezrath?" She asked a bit concered about how Maple and Woody had gone after. "The artifact spoke of him."

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"Now you know how most of us are supposed to feel every time."

"Though this will only get worse as time progresses because this won't be a war forever, it will become a never ending apocalypse."

"That is why people like us are there us who try to fight against this madness, no matter how hard it becomes, it is something you need to embrace once the time comes because all your former titles and memories will be just that, memories"

"Because i am going to tell you something that might be hard for you hear, once you liberate your own planet you are not going to be safe forever, you will only buy your people a few years of peace at the very most, because unless you root out the evil from its source, it will be coming back and back until you are all wiped out." Elorn said.

 

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"He is a very well known person, he has built quite the reputation, let countless of campaigns against other planets with his armies. But he is also a deluded tyrant and a zealot, being one of Valtrek's high followers. I guess he most stands out for his savage nature, using any means possible to destroy the enemy, even if it would mean destroying the very planet they are trying to conquer in the process." Jack with grimness.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Maple smilied hearing that again. "I know J... A friend of mine told me that. He promised once Equestria was safe we would go battle the evil at it's source. I don't care if it cost me my own life to protect everything... It's worth it." She looked at the door thinking about how she could get it open.

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Luna flinched Celestia saw that "Sister? Is something wrong." She looked at Luna nervously.

"Uhh... Jack just how strong is He? Becuase I might have sent Maple and Woody to go fight him." Luna asked nervously,

Celestia snickered "Quite some commanding there Luna."

Ember, Flurry and Shining where all waiting now for Jack's responce not saying a word.

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"He is really strong by our normal standards, he may not have magical powers like you or me, but he was originally a Raukan, meaning his physical traits and strength are at a very high level, not to mention how much modifications he would he have gotten by now,  he out strength a dragon or even a Ursa minor when his anger kicks in." Jack said

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Ember laughed. "Above a dragons strength? That's all the savage can manage. Maple's taken plenty of dragons I may not have seen it but when one of mine goes rouge she can stop them. Perhaps not single hooved but with that half-Dragon helping her. This guy doesn't stand a chance." She laughed confidently.

Luna smiled hearing that "Thanks for the encouragement Ember. Makes me worry about her less."

Celestia hugged her sister again "You have much to worry about sister, But right now Maple's not a problem. When she gets back is." She smiled as bright as the sun.

"That's cheating." Luna said nearly blinded by her bright smile.

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After telling Elorn about her fear she felt less guilty about what was around here and eventually managed to get some sleep. She was a quiet, But sensitive sleeper, The door opening would likely wake her anyways.

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

Jack frowned deeply.

"I cannot believe what I am hearing... Do you guys even realise what you are saying?"

"You are going to expect that this warlord is going to allow himself to get into open fielded dual? I have seen Maple's strength, yes she is strong, but she is NOT a murdering machine, she is a soldier! A soldier, who has a family, a brother that you are sending out to the very same thing nonetheless. What are you going to tell Fluttershy once she finds out that you sent her daughter and son to their deaths like that? Because here is the reality of the situation, you are trying to par one of your most loyal soldiers and her brother against a murdering machine that knows no such thing as mercy. Because you know how this is going to end up?"

"He is simply going to murder Woody first and by that Extension just tire Maple out while he fights on like a berzerker, this is warfare, not for heroics!!" Jack almost screamed out of frustration.

"I may be young, but I have seen this happen plenty of times. Because if I was in command, I would form a massive army and attack them with plans, tactics, not sending out 2 people who are going to suffer pointless deaths!" Jack said in a massive scolding.

"Have you thought of the prospect that the enemies you are going to face are not on the same scale as the ones you have faced in the past? You guys only know of the enemies you have faced in Equestria, that is the problem here, you guys are trying to compare this warlord to standards that you are accustomed to, but I can assure you, you are all dead wrong in your current assumptions, how do you think he is still alive? Should he at the strength you tend to claim Ember, he would have died long ago, but I know he is stronger then what everyone seems to be assuming here. Even my assumption is probably going to be incorrect."

"You all want Equestria to survive? Then open your eyes to the reality that you are facing, this is not some standoff that you are going to win with petty deathmatches! I did not sacrifice everything only to die and lose everyone again just because of errors that are being made in the strategy!"

"Because I was sent out there to kill that tyrant, my brothers and sisters would not act like this, they would not send me out to die there all alone, they would rather die all together then let something like this happen!" Jack said.

He then gave a big sigh after his big outburst.

"I apologize for my outburst, but I had really expected better of you guys." he said with disappointment

Edited August 11, 2017 by Mickey Adaptus

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"Being honest with you Jack, I don't believe he's in equestria at all. As for Maple's current location I have no idea but looking for a dragonequus and a Bat-pony night guard shouldn't be too hard." Luna smilied "Actually. We can ask them. Woody can do the same thing spike can Sister. Do you have your normal parchment?"

Celestia took out some parchment, a quill, and a jar of ink from her back "There you go. I'd never leave the castle with out it just in case." She winked.

Luna wrote on there

Dear Siblings of Chaos,

You are more needed in the crystal empire at the moment. In a act of unclear thinking I sent you two to your own deaths I need you both to return to the castle imminently, Safe and sound. Once the two of you arrive we do have a few things to discus as well quite a lot of things have changed for the better.

Safe travels,

Princess Luna.

Luna rolled the letter up and realized she had no way to send it but Celestia used her magic on it sending it to Woody. Luna then smiled "Now we wait for them to get here!"

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Woody had found the outside of the conversion center. HE waited a good ways away from it for the two to emerge, While waiting though he got a letter from Luna. He opened it and read it quickly. Knowing Maple was still alive, Woody would have to wait until she got out of there before heading to the crystal empire.

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

Jack did not answer as he just looked the other way with sadness on his face.

'Perhaps i should keep this kind of things to myself, I am not one who has a say in it in the end after all.' he thought deeply.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

After a little bit Luna became worried. She started awkwardly pacing  "Wheres their letter? I know Maple always keeps stuff to write inside her armor. So somethings amiss."

Celestia stepped over to Jack "Excuse me Jack? If this... Warlord is here then how hard would it be for those 2 to find him?"

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Woody was scrounching his gear to find something to write to Luna with, but Only Maple had it he sighed. "Great now she thinks we're dead. Come on Maple please be ok..."

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

Jack sighed...

"That would be rather hard since he probably keeps moving his position from spot to spot, but even then he would have lots of forces surrounding him." Jack said.

"But you need no advice from me." he muttered to himself

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Luna heard what Jack said under his breath. "Jack? You do realize that I had no idea how dangerous this warlord was right? You opinion matters and given this reaction you really meant he's dangerous which is why I asked them to come here to meet up with us." she looked around "I expected I'd be... getting a message is from Maple though. You don't think?"

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Maple woke up from a nightmare "Ugh. Have they come by yet?" She asked Elorn.

[MickeyAdaptus 2,211]

"You are right Luna, but who knows what could have happened to Maple and Woody, with everything that has been going on lately, the chance is big that something has happened to them, just think about when we boarded the train, they were sending a massive strike force after us." Jack said with worry.