Ace Gold looked over the vast croplands of Clendel, feeling angry that something that so much work was to be put into was about to be destroyed… intentionally destroyed no less. That streets that pavers had toiled hard over were about to be churned up, that homes, businesses, livelihoods were about to be set aflame.

And for what? “What purpose is war?”

“A way for cowards to escape the difficulties of peace.” Sabah stated softly from his side, her cloak ruffling gently in the morning breeze, “Killing a pony is a simple thing. Making peace with him is a far braver task.”

Ace Gold looked round at her, searching her scarred face in surprise, “That... was very poetic.”

“Princess Celestia, the speech at the closing of the second great griffon war.” Sabah admitted, her expression grim, “I wish I had my own words.”

Ace Gold turned away, looking down the line of defenders. The children of Dusklight lined up beside adults, from foals who looked barely out of diapers to those who looked an inch from the grave, “In the NCR you’d be too young to fight.”

Sabah directed a disdainful eye upwards, “So you carefully regulate killing each other? Make sure it’s all nice and legal?”

Ace Gold admitted that when you put it that way… “I guess we try.”

Behind Commander Obanao marched up and down, apparently a big shot police operative and five star hero. The kids of Dusklight seemed to respect him and he certainly cut a dashing figure in his military fatigues, broad shouldered and sharp eyed. His voice cut out across the lines, “Kai, I want you and the others to harass them as the advance. They’re going to be moving slowly, checking for mines and traps. Set up snipers on the farmlands, give them a sting then run.”

“Got it.” Kai stated, the childlike ghoul checking his rifle before looking to those around him, “Skirmish formation, don’t bunch up. If they get you in their sights, hit a ditch and crawl out of there.”

“They’ll start shelling and burning the farmland before long, try and drive you out.” Obanao stated, “When that happens, get back to the defensive line.”

Ace Gold looked to Sabah as Kai ordered them to move out, shrugging his shoulders, “Looks like it’s time to go.”

She nodded, slinging up her short rifle, “See you in the foxhole.”

¬

Dust Kicker stared through binoculars as artillery fire flew out from the city and impacted upon the advancing legions of Starhammer’s forces with plumes of fire and dirt. It barely made a dent unfortunately, Starhammer’s troops seeming to stretch across the entire plain. It was an impossible number, and all seemed to be well trained and enthusiastic, supported by a great many armored vehicles and carrying well maintained equipment. Starhammer’s own artillery was conducting its own limited bombardment, bringing down several sections of the wall and injuring many defenders, still it was obvious that he intended to take the city intact.

And with this many troops he was quite capable.

“We won’t be able to hold the walls long.” Kale observed, her mood dark, “If they wanted to they could overwhelm us with bodies in moments.”

“Let’s hope he’s more cautious than that.” Dust stated, though to be honest they didn’t really have a backup plan against that sort of attack on this front. Traps and the like would be a danger to their own troops and make retreat impossible, as a result they were trusting more that Starhammer would think they had traps deployed and move accordingly, “If we’re overwhelmed, I’ll lead the garrison in holding this position, while you get the others back to the second defensive line.”

She gave him a questioning look, “Brave of you.”

“I’m hard to kill.” He reassured, giving her a resolute smile, “And you’re a hero, you’re vital to maintaining morale. I on the other hoof have given you pretty much everything I’ve got at the strategy meeting.”

Her ever stern face faded into respect, eyes far softer as she gave him a slow, respectful nod, “Well I’m proud to fight at your side.”

Dust Kicker nodded back… then grabbed her by a horn and forced her down as a missile flew overhead and smashed into the courtyard with a huge crash and a cacophony of screams. He watched in futility as medics ran to help, knowing he couldn’t abandon his post, “…good luck.”

Kale straightened, out, eyes staring out at the advancing forces, “Nothing’s killed me yet.”

¬

Ibis looked ahead at the advancing enemy, their pace slow and purposeful even as artillery fell among their ranks. That kind of discipline she could respect, and it reinforced her feelings that these were the elite. That meant that every one they killed would be a massive blow to Starhammer's war effort, Ibis looking to her troops and giving them a cheerful grin, "Weapons to half charge! We won't get many shots, so make them count!"

Her troops called back as they crouched behind the barricades, Saddle Arabia's most elite soldiers clad in golden armor and carrying the best technology in the wasteland. She admired them for a moment before fitting her own helmet in place, looking back to the enemy, "Who is the enemy of life?!"

"Selfishness and discord!"

"What enables us to thrive?!"

"The security and peace of order!"

She laughed triumphantly, "And who stands between the two?! Who protects this world?!"

"We do!"

She flung out a hoof, "Heavy weapons, light them up!"

Intense beams of light lit up the battlefield, shockwaves shaking the cobbles as superheated air exploded outwards. The beams fell among the enemy ranks, cooking armor and igniting the grass under their hooves. Still the enemy did not falter, continuing to march ahead. Bullets flew back towards their lines, Ibis ducking as they thudded into the barricades. She saw her comrades fall and cursed silently, impressed they had weapons capable of scoring kills from this distance. Still they were almost in range themselves...

“Fire!” Ibis chopped her hoof down and her fellow Mamluks trigged their laser rifles as one. It bathed the approach in bright red energy, magic crackling in the air as hundreds of warriors boiled in their own armor. Ibis grinned as she watched, proud that her warriors had once more proven their efficiency and effectiveness.

And then the enemy flung down their melted shields, pulled weapons and fired. The rank behind them swiftly moved up, slamming down their own shields and giving just enough room to fire through as they slowly advanced. Ibis cursed and called for grenade launchers, ducking down as bullets and explosives shattered the cover around her.

The enemy was moving cautiously, still they reached the moat with frightening swiftness. A bridge emerged from their ranks with disciplined efficiency, the metal slab slamming down before they parted the shield wall to unleash a disciplined line of heavily armored warriors against the breech. They took fire all the way, still for every one that fell two more took their place.

She called for her men to scatter and they all went for secondary cover, firing all the way. Her troops started to target gaps in the armor and it began to thin the enemy line a little, still it was a long way from stopping their charge. Ibis flung a grenade free and it bloomed into bright light within their ranks, still they kept coming. Their steel armor blocked the shrapnel, their steel boots trampled the bodies of the fallen.

And then she saw him, marching through the gap his soldiers had made for him. He was unmistakable, a huge zebra clad head to hoof in steel, his eyes stern and unforgiving.

General Icoxal.

Ibis flicked her rifle to overcharge, took aim and fired. The blast hit him straight on, shattering his chest armor and sending it raining down in glowing shards. He staggered a little, growled in fury… and revealed a small patch of slightly singed fur under the melted steel.

Ibis’s rifle bleeped an alarm, drawing the attention of the entire enemy army as she tried to run. She dropped her rifle, felt the fear grip her heart… a barrage of bullets shattered the ground around her, her armor buckling and her legs giving way. She fell, crumbling into the ground, suddenly hard to breathe. She gasped, tried to crawl…

A zebra stepped towards her, his gun pointed at her heart. And to her shame, her last thoughts were how she didn’t want to die.

~

“Where is she?!” Decimus shouted at the fleeing Mamluk, his fancy face plate broken and his fancy weapon discarded. Without them he didn’t look half as tough, the 'golden warriors' looking more like scared kids in fancy dress, “Is your courage so weak?!”

The zebra shook in his grasp, “We were totally overun…”

“You are retreating in full view of the enemy, not even trying to take cover! Who trained…!”

“Let it go Decimus.” Remus advised, placing a gentle hoof upon his shoulder, “He’s just a kid.”

Decimus grunted, letting the boy go. He waved a hoof behind him, “Go, regroup at central command. We will delay them.”

The boy saluted and continued running, Decimus already seeing some of Starhammer’s soldiers coming round in pursuit. He levered himself out from a door frame, firing a shot of his shotgun that took one of them off his hooves, another sniper shot from above finishing it. A barrage of shots from elsewhere announced the intentions of his fellow Pretorius, finishing those whose eagerness had outweighed their good sense.

The main battlegroup was swiftly approaching however, and it looked like they had already been brought back under control and were sporting tough looking shields that would almost certainly stop a bullet. It was already apparent that there was no chance in a direct confrontation, Mercius ordering them to fall back as they started to take fire.

Decimus obliged, after firing a couple of rounds of his grenade launcher to give them something to think about.

¬

Cherry Sunset watched from a clocktower as Icoxal's forces punched through the scattered defenders with contemptuous ease, gritting her teeth as she counted all the brave souls who had just lain down their lives to ensure the success of this plan. Said plan reminded her of what she had been told of the histories of the districts below, the love and care that had been put into those houses, factories and businesses. Things were being built down there that had been feared lost forever, the crafts of Clendel were known the continent over.

Starhammer's forces didn't care. Icoxal marched them through the streets at a fierce pace, looting weapons and supplies as he went. Windows were shattered, fronting torn down for barricades. They walked with the arrogance of zebra who thought they had already won.

Cherry Sunset took a moment to take that in before triggering the explosives.

The industrial district disappeared into flames, explosions tearing through the district that were soon joined by further eruptions as it consumed the volatile chemicals stored within the workshops and factories. Starhammer's forces scattered and ran in a panic as they were showered in debris, Icoxal shouting out orders as he shielded himself from the flames.

Cherry Sunset took aim on his head with her anti-material rifle, pulling the trigger and watching as he crumbled backwards. Further rifle shots echoed around her, the surviving officers also falling to sniper shots as their orphaned troops ran screaming into the burning city. She took brief satisfaction, speaking into her radio, "Burning city is go, general is down."

"Roger Cherry, keep them running."

She nodded, sighting up on the next target, "With pleasure."

¬

The barrage upon Dust Kicker’s position slowed, and Dusk Kicker knew that meant nothing good, “Ready weapons!”

Thousands of zebra charged from the forest ahead with wild abandon, rocket launchers flinging charges and assault weapons blazing. Lightly armored and hidden until the last moment, they clearly took the defenders off guard. For what felt like an eternity not a shot sounded out from their line.

Kale beat Dust to it, “Fire!”

They exchanged weapons fire, Dust Kicker feeling a hard thump on his chest and a sting across his brow. The defenders dropped around him with screams, the walkway becoming slippery with blood. Attackers dropped into the dirt, those behind trampling their own fallen.

Still the result was clear. The attackers had charged a defensive line in barely more than thick clothing, soon sent into retreat as the weight of fire cut them apart. And no sooner as they had the rest of Starhammer's army charged forward, using their lightly armored brothers as meat shields.

Dust Kicker cussed, sighting up on an officer with his sniper rifle and placing a bullet through his head. Another nearby got the same treatment, Dust swinging his barrel over as female zebra carrying a large metal shard on her back quickly outpaced the others. She was certainly eager, Dust squeezing the trigger...

...the bullet flew true, the zebra moving with a blur of movement. The shard of metal quickly made its use apparent, his bullet deflected into the ground by what was very obviously a identical copy of Starhammer's sword. Dust Kicker hesitated, watching as more of the sword wielders came running forward.

Kale's voice was mixed with both anger and fear, "There are more of them?!"

"One less." Dust Kicker stated with purpose as he fired another two shots of his rifle. These were deflected too, the zebra clearly grinning now. He was not to be defeated so easily however. He fired a shot at the zebra's legs that was once again deflected, only to jerk his rifle upwards and fire another. This one hit true, passing straight through the zebra’s jugular and sending her choking and gasping to the ground. Dust admitted it had been a pretty lucky shot but he still felt good about it, eager to try it out on Starhammer himself.

Kale rose beside him, her autocannon mowing down an entire rank of the enemy with one lazy swing before she focused her fire on the closest sword wielder. This soon exposed their other weakness, though he at least tried to block. It was of limited use against Kale's heavier weapon and his sword was sheared in half in moments, along with his upper torso.

Dust dared to believe they were doing well for a second before there was a cry from the massed enemy ranks, missiles and grenades roaring outwards in a fierce barrage that was joined by mass artillery fire. The hastily erected defensive walls fell in moment, the towers coming down and the defenders sent screaming for cover. Dust Kicker leapt as he felt the floor crumble under his hooves, slamming hard into the courtyard and shielding his head from the raining debris.

He stood up to the sight of dead and dying defenders all around. Kale stood up nearby, testing her weapon for a moment or two before angrily hurling it aside and retrieving a discarded rifle in her jaw.

A sword wielder leapt through the smoke and fire, his blade swinging for Kale’s head. She turned with a look of focused fury, dodged the swing with a lazy dodge and drove her head into the zebra, shattering his ribs without any evidence of effort on her part. Dust Kicker finished the zebra off with a downwards stab of his combat knife, looking to Kale as he slotted the weapon back into its sheath, “Run!”

She looked to him for a moment before doing as she was told, galloping back towards the plaza.

Dust Kicker turned in the other direction and made for the ammo store, darting through the chaos and noise to the small sheltered area beyond. Several other members of the defense had the same idea, waving him over as they provided cover fire. Dust Kicker turned and backed towards the cover, using his assault rife and shotgun to thin the approaching enemy before ducking behind sandbags, "We hold this area as long as we can, ok?"

"Here they come sir!" A zebra swiftly replied, Dust Kicker ducking as bullets struck the wall behind. The defenders took formation as they fired back, ducking behind barricades and hurling grenades. Dust Kicker found the sandbags he was positioned behind knocked flying by some sort of explosive and ducked behind some cover further back, trying to get a better view of the situation as he took down any targets that passed within his sights. The entrance had been totally overrun as he had suspected, defenders retreating back as discussed to take cover in the surrounding buildings.

Starhammer's forces were well trained though, having already repurposed and shifted barricades to allow them easier access into the city. Dust Kicker was already suspecting they wouldn't be able to hold this area for long at this rate, but they could at least make sure they paid for it. He lined up his rifle, picking off support and heavy troops at the rear, calling out encouragement to the others as they defended the ammo stores against the rushing enemy. He was embarrassed to say he didn't even know their names, but they fought like heroes.

And then the line broke, sandbags cut apart and defenders sent flying, two cut down in a single swing. Blood splattered the floor, a red carpet standing ready for the conquering king.

Dust Kicker admitted to hesitating a moment, his eyes locking with Starhammer's as they both sized each other up.

Dust Kicker fired his shotgun, Starhammer grunting as he deflected the heavy shot away and darted behind a support pillar. Two defenders ran at him from either side but Starhammer grabbed one and flung him into the other, taking them both out in one sharp thrust before leaping away before Dust Kicker could line up a shot.

Dust Kicker charged out, assault rifle firing full auto in the zebra's general direction. Even if he couldn't get a clear shot, a glancing hit would at least do something. Bullet slammed into his armor but Dust Kicker took it without even wincing, focusing all his attention on their commander.

It worked, a bullet cutting across Starhammer's leg and slowing him enough to land two more on his flank. They burst into flames, highlighting the zebra enough for Dust Kicker to line up a shotgun blast on his head...

Starhammer cut out with his blade, shearing through a support pillar. The roof section it had held swung downwards with a painfully loud creak, Dust Kicker's shot flying well wide as the swinging wooden plank caught him firmly across the back of the head. He stumbled and fell as the whole thing came down upon his back, driving him downwards as Starhammer patted out his armor and looked down at Dust Kicker with a cruel smile.

There was a further set of loud breaking noises from above, Starhammer quickly backing away. Dust looked up as the scaffolding slowly broke free from its supports, desperately trying to tug himself free...

He had just got a good two thirds of his body out when the whole thing fell, Dust Kicker briefly becoming aware of a half ton of metal and wood striking him upon the skull before his brain decided enough was enough and everything went black.

His part in the battle was over.

¬

Twenty six. Twenty two zebra and four ponies, dying in the mud as the poison worked through their muscles, eventually stopping their hearts from beating. Twenty six living creatures, with dreams and ambitions, and Ace Gold had ended them with a single shot of his crossbows. Those he was leading had killed dozens more. It was all too easy, Starhammer’s forces once again a little too eager in the face of a seemingly underprotected target.

They soon learned, Starhammer's advance scouts falling back to march alongside their tanks in a firmer battleline. Ace Gold knew that was their skirmishing over, ordering the troops to fall back to the defensive positions. He did a quick head count as they emerged from the farms, noting that many of the teams were under strength and a couple had disappeared entirely. Ace hoped they had just got lost…

He looked around, noticing Sabah wasn’t among their number. He tried to convince himself that her skills wouldn’t let her be killed so easily.

"Get into position! We're about to let the dams loose!" Kai called out from the battleline, firing a sniper shot that took out two approaching soldiers with a single bullet, "Ace, get them back here!"

Ace hurried over, trying to protest, "We're not all back yet..."

Kai shook his head, "This is war, and they're already dead. Get into position."

¬

Sabah split off the moment they left the barricade, heading off on her own ahead of the skirmishing forces. They could call her a misanthropic loaner if they wished, she just didn’t want to blame anyone else for getting her killed. She travelled through the shadowed farmland, hugging the taller crops tightly to conceal herself.

Sabah saw the approaching zebra, dropping low and rolling into an irrigation ditch. The cold, muddy water covered her but she had faced worse, pulling the pin free on a grenade and launching it across the battlefield with a sharp tug. It bounced into the middle of the squad and they noticed it far too late, sent flying as it decimated their formation. The remaining zebra were quickly cut down by snipers, Sabah moving on without a second thought.

Killing still had no effect on her. She wondered what that said about her, and her vaunted rehabilitation. Months of religious teaching, and she could still kill a zebra without a single pang of guilt.

A roar from ahead cut short her thoughts, ducking behind some corn and staring ahead at where an enemy tank was churning up the fields with a slow advance towards their lines. It fired again and Sabah watched the shell soar towards Puppy’s walker, her easy dodge allowing the shell to demolish a building behind.

All the more reason to take it out.

There were four soldiers flanking, two carrying shovels and two armed with rifles. She darted in from a blind spot, her mud smeared coat only earning the briefest glance before she drew her knife and leapt in. She took the first out with a quick stab to the neck, using him as a shield as she drew her rifle and placed several shots into the other armed soldier.

The two remaining attacked her with their shovels. It was the worst idea they ever had, Sabah easily avoiding their clumsy swings and ending their lives with a few quick stabs of her knife.

She watched the one she had shot struggle for a moment before ending it quick and clean with a single stab to the back of the neck. She then turned her attention to the tank, leaping up onto the trackguard and forcefully jamming her explosive pack into the gap between the plating. She triggered the timer, leapt down, and rolled to cover.

The blast tore the tracks away entirely, sending it swerving into a ditch with a mighty crash. The fire quickly spread through the interior, Sabah taking note of a job well done as she checked herself for injuries… and saw something move just above.

The pony descended from the sky, his drab coat hidden within the smoke. Only his wide grin and shining eyes distinguished him in any way.

That and the gleaming knifes attached to his hooves.

She dodged away but he caught one of the knives on the edge of the track guard and swung himself forward to follow her, aiming for her neck. The sensible thing to do would be to dodge to the side, it was now clear however that this was an experienced fighter who would expect such a thing.

Therefore she did the decidedly less sensible thing and dove straight forward, striking up with her knife into his chest. Unfortunately he reacted with more of his unnatural speed, hugging her hoof against his body at an angle that only allowed her a shallow cut, at the same time driving his own blade hard against her hip. She yelled out in pain and twisted, kicking out with a hoof and driving it into his gut. This he didn’t expect, flung into the smoking wreck with a clang and a gasp of pain.

She landed with legs spread, stumbling as pain drove through her injured leg. Even as she gritted her teeth to focus herself once more she saw the pony emerge back through the smoke, blade shining. He slashed at her and she felt a sharp sting across her brow, blood dripping into her eyes. She kicked dirt up but the pony blocked it with a swipe, sharply darting forward and driving his blade across her neck.

She felt the blood spray, knew she was about to die. Sabah felt calm flow through her, a cold animal instinct.

She launched herself forward, driving her skull into his muzzle. It shifted and he yelled, Sabah fixing teeth into his cheek and tearing it open as she threw herself onto her side and bucked out with both legs. It connected and he flew sideways, crumbling into the dirt with a gasp of pain.

She quickly took a swing of healing potion as she collapsed sideways with her flank bleeding, though it left her unable to do anything as the strange pony rose to his hooves and did the same. His eyes travelled round to look at her, his grin wide, “You’re good.”

She spat, “You’re fucking evil, and I’m about to put you into the ground.”

He gave a sharp, piercing laugh and flung a shining cloud of blades out at her. She rolled away and kicked up dirt, sprinting for the fortifications as fast as she was able. She looked up as she heard loud booms above her, seeing a pegasi with underwing rocket engines firing a full on autocannon down at the defenders below.

And after taking on whole squads and tanks, she was finally starting to feel outgunned. She looked ahead to see she had fallen behind the enemies' lines, cursing and taking off to the side. She would have to find another way back to the city.

¬

Ace looked upon the enemy and knew true fear, having visited the most crowded cities in the NCR and still never experiencing quite like the army that stood before him now. There were thousands of zebra charging across the fields, weapons roaring as they sent a rain of death towards their position. Alongside them, long boxes of riveted armor, covered in enough firepower to reduce the city to rubble on it's own. He had heard of the zebra's war machines, still nothing had quite prepared him for facing them in battle like this. Even Puppy's war frame at least had some elegance to it, these 'tanks' on the other hoof terrified with their sheer uncompromising brutality.

He watched ponies die around him, Kai taking a bullet in the head and ducking down to desperately apply some healing potion to the bloody wound. Others weren't so lucky.

"Fall back!" Commander Obanao called as the enemy closed, Ace cursing as they abandoned the first defensive line and ran towards the secondary barricades. They left behind a lot of their own fallen, Ace wondering just when their much spoken of master plan would actually happen...

...and then he saw it, the fields ahead glittering and the enemy advance slowing. He saw zebra desperately try to pull hooves from sucking mud, tanks pitch forward and skid sideways, tracks spinning uselessly upon the swiftly flooding ground. He shouted out, honestly astounded that it had worked as intended, "The dams are open! They're sitting ducks!"

Commander Obanao shouted his order as the enemy advance ground to a halt, "Light them up!"

Cannon shots flew over Ace's head as he joined the assault, watching Puppy lean out and spray an incoming tank with charged bolts of magical energy. The tank endured it for but a moment before erupting in flames, more debris blocking the path as the enemy infantry finally escaped the flooded fields and charged across the barricades. Ace scanned the now abandoned defensive line as Starhammer's troops vaulted over it, locating the ammo boxes positioned alongside... "Kai, can your ghosts hit those ammo boxes hard enough to detonate them?"

The ghoul licked his hoof, held it to the sky, and nodded firmly, "I'm pretty sure that's doable."

Ace looked ahead, Starhammer's forces already taking up defensive positions and exchanging fire with the defenders, "Soon would be good."

He looked back to see Kai had already vanished, deciding to concentrate on his own predicament for a moment. He bounced a crossbow bolt off a shard of broken armor plating and scored a hit on a heavy machine gunner at the back, placing another bolt through a charging zebra's knee and sending him crashing to the ground. He just didn't have the firepower to hold them back however, forced to retreat backwards as they swarmed his position.

Then a series of bright energy blasts shot downwards and the ammo boxes detonated with a series of deafening cracks. Starhammer's lines were near cut in half, even those a fair distance from the blasts left staggering and shell shocked. Ace only hesitated a moment before shouting the order, "Charge! Take them down!"

The defenders swarmed forward, throwing grenades and drawing knives. Starhammer's lines quickly fell into disarray as they were set upon, many not even managing to get their knives out. Ace at least rewarded such innocence with life, laying his opponents out cold with quick, efficient hoof strikes. Many of the other invaders weren't so lucky, determined hooves driving knives and spears deep as they avenged themselves upon their enemy.

Ace paused for a moment in the middle of the battlefield, looking about as Starhammer's forces retreated all along their lines. Had they won?

And then a bolt of energy flew across the battlefield and struck Puppy right in the side. For a moment it didn't appear to have done anything...

...a second later and paneling exploded all along her body, sparking wires and shattered components smoking and spluttering as she tumbled sideways into the dirt. A moan went up among the defenders and Ace's eyes quickly swept towards the bolt's origin, preparing himself for the fight he had been waiting for ever since their last encounter.

And then his heart fell, as he realized he had made a terrible mistake.

It wasn't the pale zebra.

He watched bullets spark off her shields, charging defenders swinging for her and quickly being hurled aside with casual bursts of telekinesis. He watched a single beam of light from her horn tear an artillery cannon in half, the entire emplacement detonating in a fierce roar.

He watched Dream Star stride through their lines, confident in her invincibility.

He flung a hoof forward, his voice rising in fear, "Target that mare with everything you have!"

Sniper bullets streaked downwards, penetrating nothing but magical images of her that sprung up all around the battlefield. Not a moment later an augmented pegasi burst overhead on underwing jets, missiles streaking from disposable pods and tearing apart the buildings they had been using as sniper nests. He watched impotently as a pony seemed to just appear out of the smoke and fire and stride into the middle of a defensive outpost, seven of the defenders dead in just a few flashes of the knives that seemed to spring from every part of his body.

The defensive line collapsed in moments, zebra running for cover as the barrage continued. Obanao called out and grenades and missiles flew into the smoke beyond, only to be quickly intercepted and cut apart by a glowing grid of pink energy. It collected at a point and then burst outwards in a beam, turning everything it hit to ash. Ace dived down just in time, watching from the dirt as Obanao and those around him were reduced to nothing more than dust.

After a moment he gingerly raised his head back up, looking across the battlefield. Just a single mare stood there before him, magic at her horn and a smirk across her withered lips. Dream Star's voice was casual and terrifying, exactly how he remembered, "Ace Gold wasn't it? Fancy meeting you here."

¬

"Keep it up everyone!" Bleak Waters called out as the runners carried ammo crates towards the front lines, radio workers franticly handling out assignments, "You see that fire out there? That's Starhammer's finest general, running headfirst into a trap. And those explosions out west? Starhammer's armored division being turned into scrap!"

"Fucking right!" One of the Clendal guard officers called as he gathered a unit around himself, "Flanks two and three are contained, and the Queen is leading a fighting retreat from flank one. Let's get in there and support her, and finish this rout!"

Bleak gave them a grin, "Kick his ass guys."

"The heart of the zebra!" They called in response as they charged off, heads held high and proud.

Fluttershy came over as Bleak Fields watched them leave, her eyes soft and kind, "Do you wish you were out there?"

"Me?" He exclaimed, laughing, "Hell no. I'm capable of two things of use in this battle. Being able to smile in the face of imminent annihilation, and in a pinch knowing which way to point a rifle." He shook his head, grinning at the thought of it, "I'm no soldier. I've no care to be."

She smiled back at him, "You are a leader though."

"Maybe." He admitted, "Ace Swift might have been a giant pain sometimes, but zebra followed him because he made you feel safe. Gave you the confidence to better yourself, to take chances. When this is all over, I'd like to do something like that. Help build up society again."

"I know you have it in you Bleak Waters." Fluttershy stated, then nodded to a zebra just ahead, "I think there's a mare who could do with that right now."

He looked, frowning, "Xani?" He admired the zebra for a moment, stalking around the courtyard with her crossbow loaded. She appeared as silently confident and intimidatingly deadly as ever, Bleak Waters considering the person least in need of his encouragement. Even if they had become closer lately, he was under no illusions that she did more than tolerate his light hearted banter, "I think she would rather be left alone to concentrate."

"She doesn't look too focused to me." Fluttershy advised with a smile, "Trust an old mare."

"Alright..." He left Fluttershy's side, trotting over to the zebra. Small and slight for her race, she had still grown a little taller than him in the last few months. It was a change that made her intense stare, jerky movements and near silence even more intimidating, especially since she was still one of their deadliest warriors. Despite that he found that she never quite got the same respect as the other fighters, despite taking on raider leaders and Starhammer himself. He knew she liked it that way, hated fame and attention, still it bugged him, "You ok Xani?"

"No." She responded quietly, anger creasing her muzzle, "I should be out there."

Bleak Waters had considered that. He wondered whose idea it had been to give her back line duty, "Why aren't you?"

She paused, looking between the tower, then him. Finally her eyes moved back ahead, her voice a little softer, "If he gets this far, I'll give you time to escape."

He grinned at her, appreciating the thought, "We'll give them time to escape."

"That would be stupid." She muttered sharply, "You are no killer."

"I'm a fighter..."

"No, you aren't."

He looked at her for a moment, sighing inwardly. He had angered her again, typical, "I want to fight, isn't that enough?"

"No." She answered, clearly growing more angry, "I would like to be like you, but I'm not. We cannot be more than we are."

He blinked, not understanding, "You would like..."

"You think I'm a hero." She turned, glaring sharply, "My father was a horrible zebra, he was a brutal, sadistic monster. He taught me to be the same, and I laughed as I tore his throat out. I still love it, love the blood and the killing, I like watching them die." Her expression suddenly softened a little, regret moving into her eyes, "I keep to myself because I'm not worth knowing. The only thing I can do is kill, kill for you. Kill for everyone."

He looked at her for several long moments, digesting this. It was the most he had ever heard her speak. He kind of realized why Fluttershy had sent him over, "Xeni, I've met a lot of nasty equines in this world, and seen some the ugliest shit there is."

"Then why are you smiling all the time?" She asked, with a hint of frustration in her voice.

"Because there are zebra like you, and Luna, and Swift, cleaning it up. Cleaning it up for stripeless fools like me. And that makes me grateful, and confident that there's a better world ahead."

She turned her eyes away, "Swift and Luna are dead."

He chuckled, "Then you're an endangered species, and as a result I'm not letting you throw your life away while some joker like me is running for safety."

She sniffed, a sound that made Bleak Waters' heart bounce. He couldn't see her face, but her chest was shaking a little, and her voice was weak as she finally managed to speak, "Bleak... you know, I do feel a lot better... when you're here."

He chuckled, now realizing why Fluttershy had sent him over, "Then this is where I'm staying."

¬

Fluttershy smiled as she turned away. She was confident now, confident the world was in good hooves. She slipped her stealth cloak about her shoulders and strode into the streets beyond.

¬

Kale elbowed the barricade into place as Saddle Arabian Mamulk soldiers took position behind, one of their armored tanks driving up and levering up its main gun to point down the road. Behind their lines Clendal fighters were helped away by medics, Kale yelling orders as she organized their retreat.

She saw them ahead, Starhammer’s forces advancing. She looked to the Mamulk around her, clad in those ridiculously fancy uniforms, holding those decorated and finely tuned weapons. They certainly looked impressive, but could they fight worth a damn?

She was about to see, spotting a group of Starhammer’s forces charging down the road, “Ready arms!”

Starhammer’s forces dropped into cover, squatting behind whatever they could find as they took pot shots to cover further advance. Some of the Mamulk fired back, others looked to her for orders. She stared the advancing forces down for a moment, holding out a hoof, “Keep your fire light, let them advance.”

One of Starhammer’s troops lifted a missile launcher, firing a shot straight at the tank. Kale sighted up and shot the missile out of the sky with a single, well aimed bullet, watching as it veered off course a slammed into the ground. More launchers swiftly appeared, Kale deciding it was time, “Main cannon, fire!”

Packed into tight quarters, the troops didn’t have a chance to escape as the tank fired a high explosive shell right into their ranks. Shop fronts collapsed down upon them and those left were picked off by the Mamulk’s, Kale smirking as the enemy advance very quickly reversed.

And then the window just above shattered outwards, a zebra shaped object jumping out with a large blade attached to their back. For a moment Kale thought it was Starhammer… but then more appeared, dropping down all around. She turned swiftly to track the nearest, only for the zebra’s swift swing to cut her weapon in half and draw a thick wound across her torso. The Mamulk quickly panicked with their formation broken, the sword wielders cutting them down with long sweeps of their weapons. The one who had wounded her leapt in to finish the job, Kale stepping aside and driving her head into his hard enough to take him straight out of the battle. There were a lot more of them though, Kale readying herself as she found herself increasingly alone.

One of the sword wielders carved straight through the entrance hatch to the tank, pulling the screaming camel operator free and flinging him to the ground. A female sword wielder laughed as she decapitated him.

“Well, well, Kale the Bloody Horn.” One of the bigger sword wielders stated with a smug cadence, his body language loose and lazy, “Not as fast as you used to be huh? Your time is over old lady.”

“You’re all stinking fools, and the first one to try me will lose his lower jaw.” She threatened, though privately her wounds had already slowed her down far more than she was comfortable with. Still... maybe this was a good day to die.

And at that moment a dark shadow flew overhead, twin plasma casters flinging green fire against the enemy. One of the sword wielders went down screaming, another finding his weapon rendered almost totally useless as his attempt to block the fire left it a smoking mess. Moments later that sword was shattered apart, a hard kick driving the shards into the zebra chest with decisive fury.

“What is that…!?”

“Shadow demon!”

The black figure hissed a furious cry as she came in low and fast, her body entirely clad in black armor and her face covered by an intimidating looking breathing mask and goggles. She moved blisteringly fast, too fast for any normal zebra. Her voice hissed like a ghoul, old battle cries on her lips, “Caesar wills!”

“Ghost warrior!” The lead sword wielder shouted, swinging at her.

She ducked the slash effortlessly, boosting forward and punching the zebra’s lungs out with a single thrust of her hoof. The others all backed away and allowed a barrage of shots from Starhammer’s now rallying forces to hit the strange black clad figure, punching holes in her suit and allowing a thick pink gas to leak out. She hissed, leaping back and crying out, “Arate!”

A swarm of blue birds flew overhead, detonating above Starhammer’s advancing forces with fierce explosions of cyan flame. They flew away with their shine extinguished, leaving devastation in their wake. Kale paused a moment to admire the efficiency before calling out to the panicking troops, “Rally, rally! To me, the enemy is broken, push them back!”

The remaining sword wielders ran, the black clad figure stepping forward to pursue before thinking better of it and drawing back. Her head moved up to look at Kale through those creepy looking goggles, “Here to offer my azziztance Queen Kale.”

Kale recognized the armor, “You’re a ghost operative.”

“Name’s Myrtis.” The ghost explained, cheerful despite the circumstances, “Trained to defend the innozent of thiz land from all tyrantz in the name of Lord Caezar and all that."

Kale wasn’t about to bemoan the assistance of a ghost operative in a pinch, “Well glad to have you.”

“Happy to be fighting for a noble cauze.” She declared enthusiastically, looking around at the Mamulk as they hesitantly ranked up, “What happened to your Spirit? I was born in the harzh desertz of Saddle Arabia, they forged me into a warrior. A warrior in Caesar Remicon’s servize, I fought the mighty forces of Equeztria and bloodied my hoovez in the greatezt battlez of the war to end all warz!” Myrtis swept out a hoof, “Follow me, follow one of your own! Let us drive this tyrant back to the sea!”

They all cheered, Kale looked down at the warrior with further respect, wondering how they missed this one, “I feel I should leave this to you.”

“I would be grateful.” Myrtis exclaimed enthusiastically, “I’ve been stuck fixing plumbing for weeks. Really need to kill somezhing.”

¬

Ace flung grenades and they were cut apart before they got halfway, fired his crossbows with absolutely no effect, even fired a missile launcher straight at her. Dream Star just warped away to reappear right next to him, taking up in her telekinesis and flinging him through the air to slam against some ruined brickwork.

He gasped as he slid down, pain lancing through him. She was still smirking, still showing absolutely no effort whatsoever. She had walked through an entire army like it was just another day. What the fuck was this mare made of?!

And then he saw Xenith appear just behind, shifting aside her invisibility cloak just a little. Dream Star saw him looking and almost turned, only to whip her head right back as Ace rushed her. She fired a blast from her horn and Ace dodged by the skin of his teeth, prepared his mana reserves…

Xenith struck Dream Star’s shields with a disrupting strike, leaving the mare’s shields shaking as the shockwave travelled through them. Dream Star hesitated, and for that brief moment actually looked surprised. Ace took the opportunity in full, slamming his own hoof into those shields from the other direction and tearing them down with a sharp ringing sound.

Dream Star’s eyes opened in shock. Ace Gold dutifully delivered a hoof strike straight at them.
The hit connected, and it felt like hitting concrete. He swore and brought his knife to bear, hacking at her neck and actually drawing some blood through flesh like boiled leather. Dream Star staggered drunkenly and Xenith rained blows upon her, spinning and delivering a fearsome double leg buck to the mare's body. They both put everything they had into it, master and student in combination.
And it wasn’t enough. Dream Star expanded her magic with a blast, forcing them both away. Ace barely rolled aside as Dream Star fired a blast of energy from her horn, carving a deep groove through the earth. Xenith darted backwards and kicked a grenade at the mare, only for it to deactivate with a puff before it got anywhere close to her.

Dream Star span, eyes narrowing at the old zebra. Xenith tried to draw her stealth cloak back over her but she wasn’t quite fast enough, Dream Star’s magic hitting her straight on and shredding it, and her, to ribbons.

She sailed through the air to impact some distance away, a limp bloody mess.

“NO!” Ace Gold unleashed everything he had from his horn, remembering the lessons Midnight Dreamer had taught him. He had never been a great spellcaster but you didn’t need subtlety for a horn beam, just power and control. He had plenty of both.

Dream Star took his blast without flinching, then shattered the tip of his horn with a perfectly timed counter spell. Ace was still reeling when the mare flicked her head and struck him with another spell, spending him spinning broken into the dirt.

A brief moment more and the pain caught up. Unconsciousness came quickly after that.

¬

Sabah crept through the ruined loading dock, still aflame and covered in corpses. All the same it was a little way off the main battlefield, and as she hoped seemed to be mostly abandoned. She continued on, stepping across the bodies and snatching ammo for her weapons.

"Holy... child..."

She looked to the side, seeing a pony shift slightly upon the ground. She approached closer and felt a grim certainty take her as she stared at his wounds, "I'm here."

The pony craned his neck round to look at her. He was middle aged, a little chubby. He had a kindness to his eyes that made her sad, his coat a warm brown color, "I heard others speak of you, saw you in the market. I'm glad you're... still fighting."

"I have some Med-X..." She started.

"Save it... for the living..." He gave a strained laugh, "I... guess I'm going to be with the Holy Fire soon... I don't know. What do you believe?"

Sabah wasn't entirely sure actually. Celestia was always vague on the topic, "The holy fire is as good a guess as any."

"I've... got kids. They're all good zebra. That's a blessing of the fire isn't it?"

Sabah nodded, knowing that much at least, "The Holy Fire demands that we bring more life to the world than we take out of it."

"I... think I killed a couple of zebra..."

That was why she struggled to believe. She could spend an eternity balancing those scales, "What did you do before this?"

"I was a baker..."

"Then you contributed to the food on the tables of thousands, to the welfare of a city that serves as an inspiration for dozens of communities through the wasteland." Sabah replied, feeling like she was reciting from a textbook but trying to sound sincere, "Did you bake well? Did you try your hardest every day, try to make the world better?"

He smiled, "I... did..."

"Then you have nothing to worry about in the next world." She confirmed, "And why did you choose to fight?"

"For my home... for my family. For what's... right..."

"Then you pass with the blessings of Celestia too." She asserted softly, placing a gentle hoof on his forehead, "May you be forever at peace."

She stayed there for a little while, unwilling to move on. It wasn't long before his breathing stopped, Sabah standing and taking a deep breath.

"I find it hard to bring the two together you know?"

She looked round with a start, cursing as she saw Going Merry and Ethesus standing nearby. She glared at Ethesus, the one who had spoken, "How long have you been hiding there you bastard?"

"That's exactly what I mean." The fat zebra declared, waving his hoof at her, "You chat up stallions old enough to be your grandfather, swear a blue storm and brush your hair every couple of moons, yet you spout religion like a first year nun. You don't really believe that craptrap do you?"

Sabah had trouble believing it sometimes too. But the truth was, "Yes, I do."

"Why?"

"Because it makes more sense than anything else in this world." She looked to Going Merry, "Such as why you're dressed in Enclave armor."

Going Merry smiled, soft but determined, "I might be Dashite, but I earned my corporal pips fair and square."

"Twenty years ago... as a cook."

"Supply officer actually." She replied, fluttering her wings a little before giving an apologetic smile, "I know you told us to hide Sabah, but I'm not helpless. I can fire a rifle and maintain a suit of power armor, and I'm not over the hill just yet."

Sabah glared back at her. Maybe she wasn't, but she wasn't exactly young either, "And what am I supposed to say to Sunny when you get killed?"

"What am I supposed to say to her when you get killed?" She responded, then nodded to the streets behind, "Now come on, we still have a battle to win."

She reluctantly followed the unlikely duo, "And how are we supposed to do that?"

"I used to run these alleys." Ethesus replied with a grin, "The back streets are a warren of secret shortcuts and blind turns, and I know every one."

She sighed, but accepted with a reluctant nod. Truth be told, she suspected they had already lost. Still she intended to make them work for it.

¬

"Come on Jaia, hustle." Cato shouted as they packed up the last of the gear, snipers already hurrying down from the clock tower roof to take up new positions. He looked round as Jaia struggled along behind, laden in tripods and ammo packs, "Leave that shit behind already."

"We... we're going to need it... the central plaza..." She stated as she wobbled towards the stairway.

"We're not going to help them one bit if we turn up three hours late." He countered, looking over as Cherry Sunset emerged onto the landing, "Paladin! I trust the plan worked then?"

She nodded to him as she swept her eyes across the bank's lobby, as normal prepared for anything. After confirming it was clear she hurried over, eyes firm, "General Icoxal is dead and his forces are in full retreat. The Praetorians and the rallied members of Commander Ibis's force can handle this flank now, we need to reinforce the central plaza."

Cato saluted, always eager to see his commander at her best. They would stand up and notice after this. Fire willing, they would soon be swimming in recruits, "Shall we follow you?"

"No." She shook her head, moving away towards a different door, "I'm going to head across the rooftops, it's quicker. You take the street level route, we'll meet up later."

"Sir." He repeated as she left, his eyes turning to Jaia beside. As expected the mare watched her go with a look of tearful regret, looking like she wanted to say something but pulling it back after a moment's hesitation. He knew that look, having seen it a lot recently. Now was really not the time, "Seriously Jaia, keep your eyes on the battle, and off the paladin's ass. You'll live longer."

She shot him a sulky look as she hurried over, "Like you're any better, mister yes sir no sir..."

"That's just the expected admiration of a senior officer." He countered, heading down the stairs and towards the exit, "She's your boss Jaia, stop dreaming."

She went quiet and they continued down the stairs in silence, Cato wondering if he was going too far on this. Maybe he really wasn't any better, and the fact that all the females worth a damn in this world only had eyes for each other indeed bugged him more than he cared to admit. He opened his mouth to apologize, but as normal his tongue had different ideas, "Look, Cherry really liked Iyana, and her death is clearly still on her mind. Maybe later, when..."

"I know." Jaia responded sharply, "That's why I haven't said anything. But you can't just..."

"Wait." He put up a hoof as they reached the exit, hearing the sound of fighting outside. He drew his sub-machine gun and advanced, flinging up a hoof sign as Jaia took position behind. Troops should be watching this building, stopping their approach. This building was chosen because it was easily defended, the plaza in front giving garrisoned troops a wide range of firing positions, "I'm going to open the door. Get ready."

He had just reached for the hoofplate when it suddenly exploded outwards, striking him in the face and knocking him backwards with a bleeding muzzle. He heard Jaia cry out in worry as he fought to regain his bearings, a moment before a gunshot ran out and the zebra simply gave a strangled yell. Cato's heart froze at the sound, rolling over and bringing his weapon to bear on the remains of the exit and the figure that had emerged.

General Icoxal charged though with a look of furious rage, armor in tatters and fur still smoldering. He just marched straight through Cato's gunfire and hurled him backwards with a unnatural strength, sending him smashing down upon a sofa at the back of the room. Its legs instantly broke against the impact, dumping him onto the floor in a shower of feathers.

Cato struggled to rise, head spinning. He wasn't sure how badly he was hurt but... he looked back to the entrance, Jaia slumped onto the floor in an expanding pool of blood.

And then Icoxal leapt screaming for Cato, near twice his weight in zebra slamming down on him at high speed.

¬

Dawning Grace watched Starhammer's troops approach down the street towards the rear of their retreating forces, knowing that without intervention the brave defenders would be cut down without mercy. It would be a poor end for such brave souls fighting to protect their home, something Celestia would not stand for.

And she was Celestia’s representative in this land, and as such it was something she wouldn't stand for either.

She strode out into the street and her already readied spell burst from her horn, blinding light flashing out to blind the pursuing soldiers. Her voice echoed out as she drew the spear from beneath her robes, magnified by the enchantment already dwelling in her throat, "You stand against harmony, and against life itself! Feel the fires of Justice, the spear of Celestia!"

She felt the stares of the Clendel defenders behind, grinning wildly as she basked in the attention. This is why she was out here, not just to hunt down some foolish little girl! Her mission, her real mission was to embody her ladies' power and glory in this Godless land!

They fired back, shredding her discarded cloak as she burst free of her garments and threw her wings wide. The grenade launcher attached to her spear sent a fragmentation shot right into the middle of their ranks, Dawning Grace sweeping down and striking them down with elegant sweeps of her spear and blasts of her horn.

She giggled as the blood splashed against her face. It was a glorious day indeed.

¬

Cato angled his pistol upwards and fired, placing a bullet into the general’s chin as he brought his hooves down upon him. It was a heavy pistol and it was a well placed shot, by any rights it should have taken his head off. Against Icoxal? It simply seemed to piss him off.

It gave him opportunity to stumble away however, leaning back and firing a few more shots as he fought to escape. As before they barely had any effect, just seeming to disappear into the general's mighty form. And Ixoko, he was big. So big that he could easily block the exits, just staring Cato down with a look of dark rage.

"You..." The general breathed, his voice sounding horse and damaged from the smoke, "You fight without honor, without discipline! Explosives, traps!?"

Cato wasn't going to hold back against that one. Frankly if he was going to die anyway he might as well drive the knife further, "And you have no brains. It's your job to keep your troops alive general, not march them into an obvious trap like a moron."

Icoxal moved with dark purpose, "I'm going to put your head on a spike boy."

"Come on then!" Cato replied, though he was under no illusions about his chances here, “Come and see what a real zebra is made of!”

“Well said son!”

The voice sounded out with firm, well spoken cheer, the voice instantly familiar. A shotgun blast quickly followed, then another, striking Icoxal in the temple and shoulder to knock him flying to the ground with blood plastering the floor. Cato looked around to see a zebra he certainly hadn't expected, Clear Voice clad in the well worn remains of his old enclave uniform with his custom shotgun firm against his cheek. Sharps followed a moment later, trotting nervously towards the fallen general.

Cato couldn't believe it, seeing them in person. To say they were heroes of his was an understatement, "What are you doing here?"

"We're not dead yet kid." Sharps answered, his voice low and growly, "The others noticed you had fallen behind, we offered to check."

"Good job we did." Clear Voice confirmed, keeping his weapon focused on the general's fallen form, "This is Starhammer's top general isn't it?"

"Yes, it's..."

Icoxal rolled back to his hooves, a grenade flying out to detonate up in the rafters. Wooden paneling came raining down and Sharps and Voice dodged away, Icoxal quickly and efficiently placing two bullets through Sharp's leg and crippling the ghoul. Voice distracted him with a few shots to the torso with his shotgun, carving bloody chunks from the zebra but barely seeming to phase him.

Cato figured he would have no better luck with his pistol, running over to Sharps and jamming a vial of healing potion in his waiting hoof. The ghoul gave him a smile, shook out the joint and took off, bounding towards the general as he traded shots with Voice.

Icoxal screamed in rage from what remained of his ruined face, firing a series of shots which Sharp dodged with an easy leap. Another jump and the ghoul became a blur, snapping Ixoko's head back with a spin kick before hooking a bandoleer of grenades about his throat. Sharps hit the ground on the other side, pulled hard on the rope and rolled away with a selection of arming pins, shielding himself as Icoxal struggled to free himself from the deadly wrapping...

Cato took cover behind a pillar as the whole building shook, paneling cracking and dust pouring down from the ceiling. He came back out to see half the roof had come down, Sharps and Voice both dusting themselves down as they stared into the smoke and fire that billowed from the general's location.

And there he was, standing tall amid the destruction. A fallen beam had impaled him all the way through, his neck had been torn open, parts of his body were on fire...

And slowly, too slowly, the general sank down onto his knees. The smoke cleared slightly, revealing glassy eyes and a limp jaw, his mighty form slowly slumping sideways with only the debris propping him up.

Voice doffed his cap, voice respectful, "A mighty foe indeed."

Cato tore his eyes away from the general, limping his way back into the lobby. He saw that beyond the door many of the soldiers defending this place lay dead by the general's hooves, his eyes focusing on the small form beside the doors.

He made it to Jaia's side, the mare's eyes half closed, a point blank pistol wound marking the side of her skull. He sighed and closed those eyes with weary regret, remembering the days spent tormenting the girl at school, running through the fields together pretending to be heroes...

He had always considered himself far more responsible and heroic than her, but she had been the one who convinced him to leave. The first to devote herself to following Cherry.

He sat down beside her, letting the pain of his wounds finally settle upon him, "You rest solider. You did good."

¬

Explosions shook the central tower above, the beams and rivets of the structure groaning under the stress. Bleak Waters reminded himself that this was one of the safest structures in Clendel as he escorted one of the guard commanders inside, knowing logically that a few stray shots wouldn't bring down the hull of an enclave raptor.

Still, he felt himself wince every time.

"Commander Zanton." King Zane stated as he looked up to Bleak Waters and his companion, "Is the west flank secure?"

"Uncertain sir." The commander admitted, "Reports are that the enemy took heavy causalities. Still, that flank has no pretty much gone silent."

"Obanao?" Zane asked.

"No word. Nor have we from Puppysmiles or operative Kai."

Zane sighed, looking down, "Is there anyone we can send to assess the situation?"

"Queen Kale is guarding the approach sir. I can send a runner, but I'm not sure she'll have zebra to spare..."

"I'll do it." Xeni spoke from nearby, Bleak Waters turning with a start. He hadn't even realized she was there.

Zane turned to his advisers, who all gave nods. Commander Zanton spoke up in agreement, "She's quick, quiet, and a good fighter. It makes sense."

Bleak Waters agreed of course, still he had a bad feeling, "I'll go with you."

Xeni turned, looking upon him with pity, "You would slow me down."

"I..."

His words died on his tongue as her eyes shot up in sudden suspicion. Her mouth opened in warning... a moment later and a knife appeared behind her, glinting in the artificial light.

It all happened at once.

Commander Zanton charged past Bleak and threw himself down upon the floor, body tightly curled. Zane's bodyguards pulled their king to the floor. Bleak Waters called out about the knife, Xeni moving just in time to catch the blade in her shoulder instead of her throat.

The grenade exploded beneath Commander Zanton, plastering him across the room.

Silence... except for the sharp ringing in his ears. After a moment he opened his eyes, not realizing he had them closed. He shifted, trying to concentrate through the headache and tinnitus. Wounded zebra lay all around, crying in pain. The room was covered in blood, and in the middle of it stealth cloaks were draw back to reveal a whole unit of Frumentarii operatives.

The assassins drew weapons and fell upon the injured defenders without mercy.

~

Sabah snapped the zebra's neck with a quick tug, watching as the other was cleanly headshot by Going Merry. It was getting exhausting by this point, and rather numbing. Sabah had never killed this many in a single day, in fact she might have doubled her body count already. She was unsure if had made any difference, there didn't seem to be any less of them, "Is this hit and run stuff really helping? Because I don't feel we're getting anywhere."

"I am running low on ammo." Going Merry reluctantly agreed, "Maybe we should..."

And then a rock struck her cleanly about the head, sending her slumping back against the ground without so much as a sound.

Sabah swept round, body low and crouched. She hadn't heard anyone approach, how had they... her eyes widened slightly as she saw the zebra before her, his sword casually resting against his shoulder, everything about him casual even in his fancy armor. His voice was cheerful, unconcerned, "You kids, always causing trouble."

She shook her head free, readying herself once more. She could end this, right here, right now, "Starhammer..."

"My, aren't you an ugly little thing?" He responded with a smirk, "Got quite a glare on you there!"

"Ethesus, get Merry out of here!" She screamed as she leapt for him. He swung high and she slid under the blade, leaping up and going for a lunging headbutt. He butted back and won the exchange, slamming her back to smack against the cobbles. She gasped as she hauled herself back up, spitting blood, "Ungh..."

"Do I know you?" Starhammer asked, advancing forward with a grin, "You remind me of that one little zebra who tried to stab me, but you're a bit fatter and dirtier."

She darted upwards, dodging about his next swing and then leaping over his counter swipe. Her hooves shot out and nailed him across the jaw, Sabah landing on the other side and leaping about to seize his neck.

He swept his hoof about and caught her in the stomach, hurling her hard against the wall. She slumped down with a gasp, her body bruised to hell, her head bleeding. She really didn't feel like getting up again.

Starhammer just smirked at the display, "Not bad kid. Nil points for good judgment, attacking me. Still good judgment is overrated."

"Just... kill me..." She spat, preparing herself for the end.

"You know what, just for that... no." He holstered his sword, turning and striding off with a laugh, "I mean some zebra's got to be alive to record my glorious victory right?"

She cursed his smug arrogant ass as she lay there, looking to the alley where Ethesus and Going Merry had been and seeing nothing. Looked like he had taken her advice.

She on the other hoof was now injured and alone, in a city full of zebra trying to kill her. She drew herself upwards, emptied out her pack of broken healing potions and limped on. No point in sitting around after all.
¬

Bleak Waters saw one of the assassins, a lithe female zebra, launch herself towards one of the city representatives, currently helpless on the floor with his leg badly maimed. The assassin on the other hand moved with terrifying grace and swiftness, a long, gleaming knife attached to her hoof and her intentions obvious.

Bleak Waters threw himself forward. His rifle failed to fire and so he just detached it and flung it upwards, deflecting the zebra's knife away.

She grinned, lunged forward and took him backwards, slamming him against the ground. Her blade came out, pointed at his neck. He hadn't even been able to resist.

Until a crossbow bolt lodged itself in the assassin’s head, dropping her sideway to the ground. Xeni came running, covered in blood from her injured shoulder yet hardly seeming to notice. Another dead Frumentarii lay behind her, his throat torn out, "Bleak!"

And then she looked to the side, worry flashing through her eyes. He followed her gaze and saw King Zane bleeding and struggling to get away as another female Frumentarii stalked him, this one familiar somehow. Xeni launched herself forward, only for the zebra to turn and fire her own crossbow in one swift movement. This shot imbedded a crossbow bolt deep into Xani's cheek, tearing through her face and shattering teeth. She staggered, the Frumentarii going for the kill with a cruel smirk plastered across her face.

Bleak Waters threw himself forward, slamming himself into the mare. She staggered back a short distance before stabbing him twice in the side, Bleak Water's ignoring the pain and smacking her across the jaw with the butt of his rifle.

She backed away, shaking her head clear. And now Bleak Field's recognized her, "You're... Zenali, leader of Starhammer's spies."

She turned back, looking at him with anger.

"You killed Princess Luna."

She smirked, then nailed him with a bare hoofed blow he couldn't even begin to see coming. She followed it up with another downwards strike that knocked him senseless, before grabbing hold of his rifle and pulling it away. She stripped the jammed bullet from it with a quick stab of her knife, then turned it to point towards King Zane, "I'm afraid I don't have that honor. Though I can kill your king."

Bleak Water's heart soared as Xeni launched herself forward at Zenali, only to freeze in terror as the assassin saw her coming and turned her rifle to bear. Bleak desperately reached forward, clasping the mare's leg and tugging. The shot from Zenali's rifle went wide but she quickly compensated, kicking Bleak Waters away and striking Xeni aside with the butt of her rifle. Xeni rolled onto her back and fired her crossbows, only for the bolts to deflect against the rifle's stock.

Zenali chuckled, turning and snapping Bleak's leg with a expertly targeted strike. She turned back as he screamed, her face twisted into an evil grin, "I get the impression that you care about this boy."

Xeni hesitated at her words, even as Bleak Waters willed her to just ignore him and attack.

"Tell me. What would you do if I did..."

And then King Zane charged forward and shoved a spear through Zenali’s shoulder and out the side of her neck, letting the weapon free and leaving her to topple to the floor in a gurgling, thrashing heap. He watched her for a moment before throwing them a couple of healing potions, picking up the fallen rifle and turning to the fight around them, "Villains huh? Always have to monologue.”

¬

Xenith coughed as she felt dirt against her cheek... she was still alive...

She sucked in air as she awoke, the events of the last few moments coming back to her in a rush. The battle, the fight against Dream Star... getting blasted away like she was barely a consideration.

She was already aware that it wasn't good. She had taken enough injuries over the years to be aware of what most of them felt like, and the inability to breathe, the sharp wheeze, the pain in her chest... she had collapsed her lungs, broken her ribs.

She had survived such injuries... twenty years ago. Now they were a death sentence.

She prepared to meet her end, sinking into the dirt.

¬

Signal Jammer paced the surface of Puppy's war frame, watching out for enemies as her hirelings worked behind her. She was reminded once again how much she hated battlefields, hated being here among all this death. She just wanted to get what they came for and go home...

"We have it!"

Jammer rushed across the smooth back of the war frame as her men finally pried the cockpit lid free. Inside was what looked like some sort of status pod, impressive technology to be sure, along with some sort of telepathic user interface. She was inclined to inspect it further, but first the real prize, the occupant...

A skeleton lay in the bay, cybernetics threaded through the bones. Jammer's magic could already tell there was no life, no energy within the corpse, her men already poking at it with no response.

Puppysmiles... was gone.

¬

Xenith gasped as her lungs reinflated, her tissues already starting to knit together. She rolled back over and forced herself to her hooves on a shattered frame, knowing that her fight wasn't over yet. She still had things she needed to protect.

She expanded her senses behind her at the war rig and the ponies atop it, hoping that they would continue to be distracted by that for the time being. She then attempted to run back towards the fight she could still feel ongoing ahead, Ace Gold likely still there somewhere. She didn't get far however, her knees too weak, her frame too damaged.

Black matter formed around her joints, reinforcing, strengthening. Her muscles tightened, filling with the sort of power she hadn't possessed in a long time. And though everything in her told her to run she resisted, bile in her throat as she looked down at the blackness around her body, "Get out of me."

The voice sang through her, inspiring trust and co-operation, "We have to save Ace Gold."

Xenith gave it neither, "I can do it alone. You have no right to infest my body."

"I know." The voice stated in quiet shame, "Hate me all you want, but he'll die without our help. You know that."

She did. And Xenith had seen a lot in her time. She understood the foolishness of hatred, and the wisdom of looking for unexpected allies. And thinking about it, "You are Puppysmiles... you are Nightmare Moon?”

“...I...”

“You a god of death, one of those who destroyed an entire empire?"

"...I am."

Xenith hadn't survived her years in the pits by refusing to take every advantage she could find, "Then show me that power."

Strength flowed through her, her heart pumping faster as endorphins flooded her body. She sprang forward, moving faster than she thought possible. She felt Starhammer's forces firing upon a small pocket of defenders and charged, body tight and low as she sprang across the cratered ground and struck them flying with quick darting hooves. What bullets hit her healed up in moments. A whole unit was down in seconds.

It was unsettling. She knew it wasn't her strength. Still, strength it was, and she intended to use it.

Her eyes focused through the smoke and fire, blindness torn away as the magic flowed through her. And there she was, Dream Star marching confidently towards the still form of Ace Gold. Xenith didn't need further encouragement, kicking dirt behind her as she charged in.

How was this possible. How was she so strong?

"I'm actually really impressed." She heard the voice state in her head, "You're not very magically powerful, and a lot of your mana channels seem to have been blocked off by damage."

"That's impressive?" She thought to herself.

"It means everything you did was with nothing but your natural physical abilities. It means you became the most successful gladiator in the world with nothing but your basic skills." The voice became firm and serious as even more power flowed through her, "Now lets see what you can really do!"

Dream Star looked around as Xenith came through the smoke and fog, smirking arrogantly. A warning from Puppy quickly directed her attention to the side and she swept her hoof around to deflect a thrown knife, seeing another pony descending down towards her with blades mounted upon his legs. She blocked the attack with a single hoof, seizing the pony in a rolling tackle and breaking his leg before kicking him away with a hard buck. It was almost casually easy.

Dream Star gave a yell of rage and blasted out with her magic. Xenith rolled away, kicked off the floor and flung her hoof out with a screaming cry of rage. She enthused every bit of magic she had into it, hardening her hoof and reinforcing it with shadow matter. It was the strongest punch she had ever thrown, Xenith feeling intoxicated with the power.

Windows shattered all around, dirt exploded outwards and a vacuum formed around them, all air pushed aside. And after a short moment of numbness Xenith felt her bones snap like twigs, her muscles torn apart by the sheer force of the impact. Her hoof fell uselessly to her side and she collapsed into the dirt, pain shooting through her body.

Dream Star's expression turned into shock, staggering back a little with her shields shattering around her. Then after what seemed an eternity blood spurted from her nose, her muzzle clearly broken and several teeth knocked loose. She looked like she was about to collapse for a moment... before anger took her eyes once more and she found her hooves, "You... little.. how... I’m going to kill you slowly!"

Power collected at Dream Star's horn as the unicorn slowly rose back onto her feet, the witch’s eyes slowly regaining their focus. Xenith felt her broken body supported by braces of shadow matter as Puppy’s voice shouted desperately, "Run!"

She did, grabbing Ace Gold's motionless body in her jaws and sprinting for cover as bolts of magic flew overhead. She made it round a corner, following the road towards the centre of town. Her body still ached, well aware that under the bracing her bones were still broken, "That... didn't work as well as I expected."

"I'm sorry!" The voice pleaded, "You're a lot less... durable than I'm used to."

And for a moment Xenith though she was back in her prime. Even a demon's power couldn't hold back the clock she supposed.

¬

Futtershy padded forward towards the centre gate, totally in ruins and with the corpses of dozens of warriors scattered about the courtyard. Dust Kicker had been defending this point, Fluttershy didn’t see him at least… though he could have course been buried beneath the ruins.

She didn’t want to think about it. She gathered the winds about herself and jumped through the rushing skies to land on the edges of the line of tents set up just across the field. A couple of camp guards turned with shock as she appeared behind them, Fluttershy knocked both unconscious with a stare.

She should have been terrified of how much power she wielded with conviction behind her. At the moment however, her mission was all. Her only concern was how useful it was to have an ability capable of subduing a target non-lethally.
And how she could use it for assassination.

She firmed her convictions, reasoning that the apocalypse happened because she hadn’t been brave enough to do what had to be done. That if she had just done the sensible thing and struck against Luna, maybe all of this wouldn’t have happened.

She took a deep breath, gathered the winds around her and shifted aside the tent flap into the command tent.

A single zebra turned, it wasn’t anyone she recognized. An officer. She stunned him with a single stare, but he at least resisted the effect enough to remain standing. He even grappled for a gun, Fluttershy swiftly moving forward and striking him across the side of the head.

It kinda hurt, and he barely shifted. His hoof came out and wrapped about her neck, grappling her as he tried to pull his gun free… she panicked, flicking out the knife attached to her hoof and driving it into his neck.

He dropped with a gurgle, Fluttershy looking down at him in dawning realization as the life drained from his body. She looked at her hoof, coated in blood.

What was she? What was this world making her?

She heard the tent shift behind her, spinning round to confront the new arrival. This was someone she recognized, a hooded figure draped in bone.

The pale zebra.

¬

Easu hooves worked with all the speed he could manage, the mare on the table choking as her heart beat weaker and weaker. The explosion had torn most of her chest away, drove shards of metal into most of her major organs. Even with healing potion she was dead, and they had been forced to ration stock almost an hour ago now.

It was pointless, and she soon breathed her last. Easu cursed the cruelty of thinking species and covered her up, looking about the hospital for the next patient. Niyada stood at the entrance, the camel triaging them as they came in. He marveled that the warm young teacher seemed so good at it, despite never having any formal training.

"Here." She cheerfully stated as she nudged over a bucket of soapy water, Easu dipping his hooves and quickly cleaning off the blood. She watched him for a moment, concern in her eyes, "You should take a break, that's six surgeries in a row."

He grunted, "Still patients to be seen."

"Easu, that last patient was dead on arrival. You can't save everyone."

He looked up at her, the camel's face far too young for such an assessment, "How can you place such a judgment on a life?"

Her smile became a little sad, "Maybe because I'm a camel. Applying worth, calculating risk against profit... it's in our blood."

He quickly withdrew any such suggestions, "That's not true."

"I'm not ashamed of that Easu." She replied, "There's a reason a camel never started a war."

He was just about to respond when yells and gunfire erupted just outside, Easu tensing and quickly moving between Niyada and the door. He didn't know quite what he would do if any zebra came in, he had no weapon and they should be shielded by their status as medics...

...should be.

A bullet cut through the wall and shot across the room, spraying plaster in its wake. Ebony ducked as a medical scanner beside exploded, other medical staff screaming and dropping to the floor. Ebony on the other hoof did not seem particularly affected, marching across and stating in a loud but controlled tone, "Someone go out there right now and tell them to check their fire! This is a hospital."

Easu didn't know quite how well that would go, but he had a few ideas. They mostly involved being filled with bullets, "We just all keep our heads down. The battle should move on shortly."

Then the door creaked open, a couple of the outside staff stumbling inside with terrified expressions. Heavy boots shook the ground, the light from outside blocked out by a large figure as he stepped into the room.

His eyes took in the room, a large grin spread across his brutish, charming face, "Well look at all this. Quite the set up."

Easu backed away, Niyada breathing the word on all their lips, "Starhammer..."

The words awoke the fire in Easu's heart, his eyes glaring at the tyrant, "Don't you lay a hoof on anyone here. We're not combatants."

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it." Starhammer declared, stepping forward and seizing a young nurse about the neck. He drew her close, smiling dangerously at her before looking to the others, "I've got quite a few of my own soldiers who need attention after all."

Ebony was quick to reply, "We have sworn to treat anyone. Let them wait outside..."

"No, I don't think so." He replied, tone growing more serious, "They'll come inside right now, and there will be no waiting."

"That's not how..."

"I'm the one with the big sword kid." Starhammer responded sharply, his grip on the young nurse becoming a little tighter, "What part of that don't you understand?"

Ebony looked conflicted for a moment, looking across to Niyada. She in turn looked to Easu, who firmed himself and took one step forward...

Starhammer smashed the nurse across the jaw with his sword and knocked her spark out, his blade deploying with a blur to point straight at Easu's neck. Starhammer just smirked from the other side, body tense and ready, "Go on Easu. Take another step."

¬

Fluttershy ignited the winds around her, warping through the air to slam into the pale zebra with all her strength. The zebra yielded surprisingly easily, Fluttershy remembered Ace stating that she was just a small girl. Even as she thought this however the zebra rolled tightly under her hooves, twisting about and kicking Fluttershy away with a quick strike. Fluttershy stumbled, helpless as the pale zebra rolled upright and swung her staff sharply upwards. It unleashed a fierce blast of energy, Fluttershy reacting on instinct and just staring into the blast…

The tent exploded around them, broken communication equipment shattering across the plains as the torn cloth thumped down some distance away. Fluttershy moved a hoof away from her eyes, looking in shock at the crater that now lay between her and the pale zebra. Said zebra was now standing very still, her expression inscrutable under that mask.

Which very slowly, she reached up and pulled away. Smooth, pretty, familiar features lay beneath the bone, the pale zebra dropping the mask into the dust and pulling her hood away. Her eyes were still however as inscrutable as ever.

“Kunari.” Fluttershy breathed, her brow swiftly contorting in anger, “I thought Starhammer had you exiled.”

‘And the legendary pacifist is killing zebra, in service of war and brutality’ Kunari calmly signed with lazy sweeps of her hoof, a barest hint of anger in her eyes, ‘So it seems we are both traitors to our ideals.’

Fluttershy would accept no criticism from a zebra like this, “What ideals justify blood magic and killing children?”

‘What ideals justify burning the world on a balefire pyre?'

Now this pricked her temper, "Don't you dare compare yourself to me. I did what I did with good intentions..."

'As do I' Kunari stated, her hoof signs calm and precise, 'For peace'.

'Starhammer brings peace?' Fluttershy swiftly signed back, tensing her body and gathering her magic reserves for the inevitable fight, 'Do you truly believe him a hero, after everything that's happened?'

'Unfortunately Princess Luna put an end to that, and I'm sure you yourself have noted his emotional instability.' Kunari closed her eyes for a moment, looking pained, 'It's getting worse, and our time apart did nothing to stop it. His killing of Tradash was... deeply unfortunate.'

Fluttershy was beginning to understand. She had suspected it for a while, "Time apart... it's you. You gave him his power didn't you? You made him what he is?"

Kunari nodded, her sign simple, 'yes'.

Fluttershy eased herself forward, "Then forcing a fight would you would make him weaker."

'No need.' Kunari signed efficiently, then moved a hoof to a vial of blood hung at her chest, 'His part in this grand story is already over'.

And then she pulled the vial loose and stamped firmly upon it, shattering it apart with ease.

¬

Easu's eyes narrowed, seeing it before anyone else. Starhammer sagged, buckling under his own weight... his hoof came up to his chest, his eyes widened in terror.

He hit the ground, his sword clattering down beside him, "No...!"

"Are... you alright?" Niyada questioned gingerly, honestly sounding concerned.

"I... it's none of your..." Starhammer gasped again, struggling to rise. He waved a hoof at them, "Get out of here!"

"You are unwell." Ebony observed, moving forward with her stethoscope already deployed, "Please stay still."

Easu instantly swept his hoof upwards, blocking her, "What are you doing?!"

"We should offer him medical aid." Ebony commented with a blunt lack of emotion, her eyes turning up towards Niyada, "He is ill. We are doctors."

Easu would normally respect such dedication to one's ideals. Now however... "That's insane."

Ebony looked Easu in the eye, unyielding, "You just invoked our neutrality. That behooves us to live up to those ideals."

"Let her past Easu." Niyada stated, though there was a hardness there, "But keep an eye on him."

Starhammer growled as Ebony approached without fear and placed a hoof on his neck, still he barely seemed capable of moving now. Ebony looked him in the eye after a moment, still as casual as with any other patient, "You are having a heart attack. Niyada, I require ten milliliters of Flux."

Niyada nodded to two of the nurses, then looked back at Starhammer, "Will he die without it?"

"Yes." Ebony confirmed simply.

"Then..." Niyada hesitated, looking guilty, "...I want you to call off your attack."

Starhammer chuckled evilly at her ultimatum, "Held at ransom by a fucking pacifist..."

"The only thing holding you to ransom is your own conscience." She replied firmly, "Ebony will heal you no matter, the only question is if you're capable of massacring the people who saved your life."

Starhammer looked back at her, his expression conflicted for a moment. Easu could even believe he was considering it.

"This was magically induced." Ebony commented, her hooves sweeping across his abdomen, "A killswitch built into your magical pathways. I have unblocked it now."

One of the nurses handed a syringe over to Niyada and she approached Starhammer, the zebra looking up at her as she approached. Something bitter lay there, something disturbingly broken, "Will that cure me?"

Ebony nodded, "Yes. There is no physical damage, you simply need to treat the arrhythmia."

"Now you just need to decide how you will be remembered." Niyada commented as she approached with the syringe, "As a misguided hero, or the most honorless villain."

Starhammer laughed at this, his body sinking further towards the ground, "You're right... and it seems my story ends here."

Niyada frowned, "It doesn't have to."

"Yes it does. She's taken it from me." His eyes came up, his mouth open in a wide grin, "But I'd be damned if I go out like a bitch."

His body moved like lightning, striking Ebony to the floor with a sharp elbow and leaping for Niyada. She stepped backwards in shock, Starhammer drew something from his barding...

...Easu moved. Too slow.

He could only watch as Starhammer plunged a knife into Niyada's neck, cutting neatly across her spinal cord and extinguishing her life near instantly. His other hoof snatched the syringe from her, stabbing it deep into his flesh. He laughed, wild and terrifying, flinging Niyada's body towards Easu before leaping away.

Easu smacked Niyada's body aside, screaming in rage as his mind focused on Starhammer alone. Giggling madly as he destroyed innocent lives, lashing out as if a child losing a simple game. Easu had sworn to abandon rage, had wanted to make the world a better place...

...but now he realized how that would never come true. That the only true power for change was the ability to kill for a cause.

He hit Starhammer like a cannon shot, propelling him straight through the wall in a shower of debris.

¬

'It's not finished yet of course' Kunari stated, as calm and controlled as ever as she stood boldly among the wreckage of the command tent, 'Another will take Starhammer's place. Another will do what must be done.'

Fluttershy had heard a dozen evil speeches in her time. She was not inclined to give this one much respect, "And what is that?"

'Unite the world.' Kunari signed, a slight smile on her face, 'Bring peace'.

"Through war and death?!"

'The unending bickering of politicians will never bring peace, you should understand that. The world needs to be inspired to peace, needs to be given a cause to rally around' Kunari offered Fluttershy a piercing stare, 'Equestria was built upon the legend of Hearthwarming, cemented by the political theater Celestia offered.'

"Those were real heroes, not..."

Kunari cut her off with a slice of her hoof, ‘Celestia was no hero. She was a masterful storyteller, a cunning politician. A good mare yes, but one who knew the value of rallying a nation around an ideal, of embodying that ideal to lead others into the future. That is something all others have failed to appreciate. Tradash, Tandia, Littlepip, Xephyr... all too scared to do what they knew must be done, to take the power offered to them and forge a better society.'

Fluttershy shook her head, "A better society requires the united will of everypony. It cannot be forced by lies and coercion!"

'That is why you failed' Kunari answered with a wicked, hateful smile, 'You were too proud, too arrogant to get your hooves dirty. Too proud to tell a few lies, leave a few corpses, and safe the world.'

Fluttershy felt her jaw clench in anger, "You're totally insane."

'All it would have taken was the humility to soil yourself in pursuit of a greater goal. Abandon your ideals, and do what must be done.' Kunari replied with sharp motions of her hooves, 'Maybe then, you wouldn't have the blood of billions upon your hooves.'

"Maybe you're right." Fluttershy conceded, hoof tensing upon the trigger of her shotgun. Her eyes came up, focused upon Kunari, "I'll start with you."

Kunari smiled, eyes meeting Fluttershy's, 'That's the spirit.'

¬

Tandia stepped through the streets, her vision focused only on the one now before her. Frantic, scared, he wore the colors of Starhammer but had already started to tear that uniform away. His name was Zebar, he was from a small farm nearby. He had joined Starhammer's forces to support his parents. He was a good zebra, as far as things went.

In time he would join the reconstruction of the city, and talk about the things he had seen. He would discourage some, inspire others. In time, he would walk down the street at the wrong moment, deliver a letter a few moments late, say the wrong words to the wrong pony.

History would never remember him, but upon him stood events that would rock the world.

She was close to him before he could react, her hoof gently resting upon his forehead. His eyes widened for a moment and blood trickled from his nose, a second before he hit the ground dead.

Tandia observed him for a moment before moving on, assured that events would now proceed as they must.

¬

Cherry Sunset took a moment to scan the crowd as she made it back to the central plaza, her rifle hot against her side as she looked at the tired, battleworn faces of the crowd ahead. That there was this many still alive gave some comfort, still the signs of hard battle were all around. Kale was making a speech at the front, doctors scurrying around tending to the most badly injured.

She spotted a small zebra girl nearby, waving her over. The girl looked surprised but did as commanded, Cherry giving her a grateful nod, "What's your name?"

"Xeni." She answered simply.

"I need fifty cal ammo for my rifle." She asked, keeping it to the point, "Where would I find it?"

The girl nodded and walked away, Cherry getting the message and quickly following her hoofsteps. She eventually saw the camel ahead, digging through boxes with a frazzled expression. He looked up as she approached, eyes narrowing, "Equestrian make, anti material rifle."

"Yes, it's..."

"Here." He stated gruffly as he hoofed over several clips, already turning his eyes away, "Now if you'd excuse..."

She snatched them in her teeth, slammed them into her loader and shrugged the clip into place, bringing the rangefinder to her remaining eye. After a moment to verify the target she pulled the trigger, sending a high caliber bullet into a group of approaching soldiers ahead and placing a hole through three of them before the bullet came to a rest. The other defenders around her reacted a moment later, scurrying into position as the attack began. At the very least she had given them warning, and caused the enemy to hesitate.

The little zebra beside snatched a knife from her side holster and flung it through the air with a quick twist of her head, striking an approaching soldier through the temple and dropping him instantly. That gave her warning of a second attack from the alleyways to the side, enemy troops pouring out in what was clearly an attempt to flank them. She saw her companion Bang's enormous form straighten out from where he had been treating a fallen zebra, the minotaur roaring as a bullet caught his shoulder before swinging at the enemy with a carving knife clasped in his mighty hand.

The ferocity of their defense had caught Starhammer off guard, it was obvious. The fierce attack faltered slightly, his soldiers looking unsure...

There was the roar of a jet engine and something shot out of the alleyway, catching Bang in the head with a mid air buck that knocked him limp into the crowd behind. The figure then used that momentum to spin round in mid air, jet engines belching smoke as he fired a barrage of shots into their forces from the autocannon he was carrying.

A pegasus with jet engines and an autocannon. It was distinctive alright, and familiar, Cherry hesitating a moment too long. It gave him time to see her, Bitter Fennel boosting out the way as she fired and letting her bullet sail past uselessly. It had been her first missed shot of the battle.

He looked pleased to see her... but he didn't hesitate, bullets from his autocannon shattering her knee joint and tearing apart her loader. She cried out and hit the floor, watching the camel supply officer fall with a bloody hole where his chest used to be.

Cherry caught another bullet that drove deep into her gut, ignoring the pain as she lined up her shot. Even with her loader gone, she still had one bullet already chambered...

She fired, striking across Bitter Fennel's side and shredding a few components before the bullet span away to impact on a distant building. She saw him grin, likely thinking she had missed.

And then his jet engines wobbled sideways as the sudden lack of his stabilization unit made itself apparent, propelling him through a building to the side in a shower of debris.

She never missed.

¬

Sabah heard the battle ahead, pressing a hoof to her side to stem the bleeding and sipping what remained of her healing potion. With the pressure to her side it did the job, Sabah shaking off the pain and advancing towards the plaza.

The dark shadows of wings hovered over her and Sabah's eyes darted to follow, distracting her for a crucial moment as a group of Starhammer's zebra charged out in pursuit. Sabah was unable to roll away in time as they opened fire on her position, opening up several new bullet wounds as she span around and fired her rifle until the feed jammed. She hurled it aside and switched to her pistol, ending the fight with two shots to the final zebra's eyes.

She fell back onto all four hooves with a gasp, not sure exactly how many times she had been hit. Most of the bullets she was sure had impacted her guts rather than her upper torso, that at least would give her a chance to get some healing potion...

Then the wings fell across her again, once more surprising her from behind. This time they did not go over, instead descending upon her with a rush of air.

She rolled aside and the spearhead hit stone, only to be quickly swung upwards to cut across her face. Sabah yelled as her eye was deadened and her vision fought to compensate, looking out at Dawning Grace's grinning face as the fake alicorn prepared to lunge, "You dirty traitor!"

"On the contrary." Dawning Grace responded with soft dignity, "I still intend to defend this place. But an opportunity to dispose of you at the same time..."

Predicable, they always talked. Sabah responded by leaping out of the range of her spear and pulling up her pistol, only for that pistol to be ripped away by a burst of telekinesis. That telekinesis then shifted target to grip Sabah's neck, choking her and pulling her forward towards the waiting point of her spear. Sabah twisted with all her strength at the last moment and just avoided it, taking hold of the weapon in all four hooves and snapping it against the pavement with all her remaining strength.

Dawning Grace growled with what sounded disturbingly like pleasure, leaping forward and straddling Sabah, pinning her with the broken haft of her weapon. Sabah couldn't wiggle free in time, feeling the shaft press against her shoulder, back legs suspended in the air, front hoof dangling with no purchase on anything. It was a good pin, she had to give her that.

"Do you remember Lindel?" Dawning Grace asked, chuckling to herself, "I do. How you humiliated me? How you broke my wing, made me beg?" She pressed the haft hard into Sabah’s throat, cutting off her oxygen, "Beg Sabah. Beg for your miserable life!"

There was no escape. She was just pinned to well, there was no room to move... if Sabah hadn't graduated from the school of 'ponies pinning you to the floor, and not taking no for an answer'.

She shifted sharply, dislocating her shoulder with a horrible popping sound and a horrific surge of pain. It allowed her to slide the limb out from Dawning Grace's grip, drive her head up to smack against the mare's muzzle. Dawning Grace cried out as blood spurted out, covering Sabah's fur as she pushed herself upwards with a sharp thrust and wrapped her back legs about the alicorn's neck.

And for just a moment Dawning Grace's benevolent eyes faded into fear, "Please, mercy!"

Sabah's eyes narrowed, "Like Celestia would?"

"Yes, I..."

Sabah broke the mare's neck with one quick twist. Clean, quick, and merciful.

¬

Something had really happened to Starhammer. His strength had gone, his agility had gone, he no longer moved like lightning and hit like a truck. In comparison to Easu, the zebra was nothing.

But for all his advantages, Easu had to admit Starhammer was a terrifying opponent. He fought like a mad dog, with no regard to his own safety. Like a zebra with nothing to lose.

"I saw the fire! You'd rather burn this city to the ground than let me take it! I scare you that much!" Starhammer screamed in glee as he flung broken masonry at Easu, then swept in with a knife. Easu blocked with on hoof and punched out with the other, knocking Starhammer back and sending him bleeding. It didn't stop him smiling, in fact his expression only seemed to grow wilder, "This world was stagnant, stale, as rotting as that old bitch Tandia! I changed the face of this continent!"

"No one will remember you." Easu growled as he sprung forward, only for Starhammer to offer no resistance. Instead his just threw himself backwards towards some burning rubble, taking Easu with him. They both struck hard, Easu screaming in pain as his robe caught fire and rolling through the dirt behind in an attempt to put it out. Eventually he just flung the garment away, looking about for his opponent, "You've proven what you are today!"

"A villain!" Starhammer screamed as he came through the flames and smoke, his own fur smoldering as he struck Easu a nasty gash across the cheek, "A warlord worthy of legend!"

Easu growled in fury, breaking the zebra's knife with a hard punch and ignoring the gash it left across his hoof. His next blow he sought to end this, slamming a hard uppercut that send Starhammer's teeth flying. The zebra slammed down a short distance away, Easu snarling as he advanced, "Is that really all that matters to you?!"

"Heh..." Starhammer spat through blooded lips, a smile returning to his face despite his injuries, "It's the only thing we leave behind."

And then he ran, kicking dust in his wake as he galloped for the gates.

¬

The ground split, the heavens shook, the very fabric of magic seemed to fray around Fluttershy as she advanced forward, eyes fixed upon Kunari's. Their stares were linked, their thoughts, personalities and egos matched one against one. Fluttershy understood the mare, saw her thoughts, her history, her hopes. And she knew that Kunari understood hers.

"All of history is a convenient lie, the concepts of honor, law, harmony itself manipulated to bind civilization together! You will only save civilization by embracing that truth!" Kunari projected into her mind, her will and conviction absolute.

"One mare cannot decide the fate of billions! The future is one we decide together!" Fluttershy shouted back, refusing to yield even as Kunari's thoughts burrowed into her brain, "Who are you to decide the world's fate?"

"Someone who perceives something beyond the same old banality of politics!" Kunari thought, her mind brutal in its utter conviction, "You know I'm not doing this for ego. You know I'm not doing this for myself."

"No, you're doing it for some vaunted future that doesn't exist!" Fluttershy expressed back, not a word exiting her mouth, "There are real ponies dying out there, real pain and suffering for your imaginary future!"

"Don't pretend you care about the now! About real ponies!" Kunari screamed, the sands exploding around her as her mental attack smashed against Fluttershy's own defenses, "You're afraid of real ponies! You lived alone, abandoned your family! And not because your work was important!" Kunari suddenly smirked, her gaze wicked, "It was because you preferred your work. Because saving the world was less scary for you than saving your marriage."

Fluttershy stared back at Kunari, seeing her history in turn. The zebra standing there in the classrooms at Garm. Voiceless, unable to express herself. Bullied, overlooked, a small figure who learned to fear and look down upon others for their failure to understand, "It doesn't excuse this."

"I don't want excuses." Kunari projected back, her small form doing nothing to downplay the power in her eyes, "Let Starhammer talk about his legacy. In time, no zebra will even know my name."

"So you elevate heroes to... what, conquer the world for you?"

Kunari sighed, deflating slightly, "I meant him to save the world."

"That's not looking so good."

"Yes... Tarashi proved less suited that I expected."

Fluttershy couldn't be more repulsed, "You mean your magic sent him crazy."

Kunari looked up with sincere regret, "He seemed so perfect. He was so laid back when I met him. Didn't even like fighting that much." She smiled, "He liked to tell stories. He was kind to children."

"And now look what you've done to him."

"Monsters can change the world too." Kunari stated with firm conviction, her eyes confident, "The world united against him, the infrastructure he left behind used by others. A long list of dead tyrants behind him, and a list of noble heroes before him. A cautionary tale for future generations."

Fluttershy looked to the zebra with fury, "You turned an innocent zebra into a monster, all for your great future?"

Kunari shrugged, facing Fluttershy once again, "None of us are innocent. The world makes monsters of us all in the end."

¬

Easu had just rounded the corner when Starhammer hit him, descending from above with a barking laugh and hitting him with all four hooves. Easu was slammed down and his attempt to roll away was greeted with another harsh kick, Easu taken off guard that a zebra who had been running in fear only a moment ago was now so keen to go on the offensive again.

"This is why I'm a hero and you're a nobody Easu!"

Easu blocked another kick, rolling back onto his hooves and panting as he faced off against the thuggish zebra, "What are you talking about?"

"What are you fighting for? Justice? Vengeance? Glory?" Starhammer laughed, spitting blood into the dirt, "I know who you are, I know who your father is! You could be king, you could make a difference!" He glared suddenly, anger filling his eyes, "Hiding behind a burlap robe."

"Healing the sick." Easu growled, "Fixing the mess you caused."

"You've spent your entire life running from who you are. That savagery inside you, the royal blood that burns in your veins." Starhammer's eyes glinted with wild enthusiasm, "I take the world head on! And just look what I have achieved!"

Easu snorted, “I’ve seen your achievements with my own eyes.”

Starhammer rushed forward, striking with his hooves. It should have been easy enough to counter now Starhammer had lost his strength but the zebra just laughed as Easu drove his hoof into his cheek, diving straight through the attack and striking wildly with no sense of self preservation. Easu found himself driven back, a powerful headbutt leaving them both bleeding and stunned. Starhammer recovered first and dived forward, Easu grabbing hold and flinging him to the side.

Starhammer rolled back onto his hooves, giving a deep and sinister laugh as he faced Easu once more, "You're too afraid to even hit me properly! Even after everything, you're holding back!"

Easu was. He couldn't go all out, not now. Because he stared into the heart of madness and he saw himself smiling back, "Why? Why kill her? She was good, she was kind, and she was no threat to you! I thought you wanted to be seen as a hero!"

"I do." Starhammer replied with a smile, though something dark shone in his eyes now, "But you and your friends spoiled that. If you hadn't painted me as a tyrant everything would be much easier."

"You're killing zebra because we accused you of killing zebra?!"

Starhammer smirked, "Hero or villain, it's all the same to me. Whether they curse or praise me, at least they'll never forget my name."

"She manipulating you!" Easu shouted, wondering how he didn't see it, "Kunari's spell, the one that gave your strength? It..."

"Sends you insane, I know." Starhammer replied coolly. He smiled as Easu paused in shock, "She told me, when we first met. Was firm in her belief that it was useless, that she never wanted to use it again."

Easu shook his head. That didn't make sense, "Then why...?"

"Because I convinced her otherwise. I begged her for that power, convinced her that I could handle it. And that if I couldn't... I told her to place a kill spell inside my heart, so that she could end me at any time."

Easu looked to the zebra's chest, "That heart attack just now?"

"I asked her to place this spell upon me." Starhammer confirmed, his grin growing wide, "Everything that has happened was as I wished it."

"Why?" Easu asked.

"Because I was sick of being a nobody." Starhammer replied, firming his hooves, "I'm surprised you tracked my past down to be honest. Before this, I didn't think any zebra even knew my name."

¬

Kunari glared back with all her fury, "Why do you persist Fluttershy? This world has no more need of you! Your world is gone!"

Fluttershy found it hard to argue. Her hooves slipped, her mind yielded. Kunari was after all a master shaman, and Fluttershy? What was she?

A novice, a well intentioned amateur. A little girl, playing at politics.

She couldn't say she disagreed with Kunari's plans. Given what she had witnessed, they made brutal sense. The history of the world was a story of villains and heroes, in an endless cycle of destruction and re-building. At the peak of the new peace, corruption set in, and a new crisis emerged to shake things up. And they were all just pawns.

But what if they weren't? What if someone took control of the story, created heroes and villains, tried to limit the destruction? Tried to guide them all to a better future? What if Starhammer's actions did guide the way towards peace?

It would be a noble aim. One Celestia herself had admitted to doing on occasion. But Fluttershy realized then, that ultimately Kunari had fallen tragically short, "Everypony told me I had survived for a reason. I thought it was so I could continue to fight for peace, but now I see why I failed." Fluttershy looked up, stare firm but regretful, "You're right, I was a loner like you, I was isolated growing up. That was why my attempts to bring peace were a disaster, and why you turned Tarashi into a lunatic. Because we look at a nice person and figure they will always make the right decision, never understanding the real equine beneath. Because they're complex and beautiful and unpredictable and brilliant, and we got too wrapped up in our own heroic tales to realize that. We both failed to save them, because we never bothered to understand them."

Kunari gritted her teeth, brow furrowing in anger, "I'm not playing with megaspells!"

"You're playing with ponies, just like I was. And you're getting them hurt, because you see them as victims to be saved. You treated a powerful, dangerous force as a resource, that it would remain static and predicable." Fluttershy fixed her with a decisive glare, "Just like I did. And I realize it now, I survived so I could ensure that mistake is not repeated."

Kunari shook her head, then broke eye contact and darted backwards. Her hooves swept the ground, runes bursting out around her, "So you refuse to change the world? Just accept how things are?”

"No. I work together with others, I try and convince ponies that I am right... and I accept when I am wrong." She shook her head, "Because I'm not arrogant enough to think I have all the answers."

"You're not brave enough to do what must be done." Kunari responded, raising a hoof, "And that's why I have to kill you."

And with another flick of her hoof the wind became daggers, streaming down at Fluttershy in a fierce rain of death.

¬

Xenith nearly let herself fall right there and then, swearing mentally at Puppy as the demon willed her to continue, stopped the imminent heart attack with sheer applied magic. Her jaw ached from the weight of Ace, her leg ached from the multiple compound fractures, her ribs hurt from where she had got her chest caved in just minutes earlier...

"You HAVE to keep going!"

Easy for her to say...

"I feel everything you feel! But you can't let her catch up!"

Xenith knew that. She was no quitter. She proved that as she drove herself forward, towards the towering spire of the central plaza. Still it was the right of the old and the bitter to moan a little bit from time to time...

She burst out onto the plaza at a run, ducking out the way by pure instinct as the defenders fired upon her. They lifted their weapons as they properly identified her, one shouting and waving her over.

And then she felt magic charge behind her and dived to the ground, a bolt of energy flying overhead to tear a hole through the zebra who had waved her over. His companion cried out, Xenith keeping her head down as the whole defensive line unloaded upon the alleyway just behind.

She dared to look, Dream Star standing there with her shield positioned in front. And for a wonderful moment Dream Star looked to be struggling. Her shield collapsed partially and several bullets found their way deep into her flesh, the mare wincing and delivering a harsh cry... a cry infused with primal magic.

And instantly a little more than half the defenders slumped to the ground, eyes rolling back in their heads. The others were easy prey as a second spell sparked within their ranks, the broken corpses of their fellows rising up and launching themselves upon their former comrades.

And then Dream Star's horn sparked out and she staggered slightly, eyes narrowing in pain. She stood there, struggling to focus, completely defenseless.

Magical burn out. Finally... finally she was vulnerable!

Both Xenith and Puppy debated their next action, Xenith once more feeling deeply offended at actually agreeing with the demon as they made their choice. She took a chance to catch her breath, turned, and sprinted for the tower entrance. She heard Dream Star call out behind as she dodged the attacking zombies, "Get her! Grab her, and bring her to me!"

It had been tempting, but burn out or no Dream Star likely still had plenty of tricks up her sleeve. It was about time they found a few tricks of their own.

¬

Decimus charged in alongside the other Praetorians, roaring as they fell upon the enemy. He activated his shotgun and got in close, trusting in his armor as he moved purposely through their ranks. Starhammer's troopers fell one after another and their own troops moved in to fill the gap, Decimus managing to punch a reasonable sized hole in their defense...

Another zebra charged out of Starhammer's ranks, his eyes shining like coals. Decimus turned and fired in one cool motion... and the zebra brought up his sword, deflecting the shot and carving his blade across Decimus's breastplate. Decimus’s armor instantly tore and deformed against the blow, not designed for that sort of attack. The sheer impact caught him a second later, flung through the air to slam hard into the pavement. His helmet bounced away and he struggled to realign his weapons, watching helplessly as his fellow Praetorian Travarian charged in to help and had his head instantly carved from his shoulders.

The sword welding zebra laughed, drawing his mighty blade across his body with a sweep of the ropes that attached it to him...

...before one of them snapped and the blade shifted to slam down beside Decimus. A small zebra child charged in, firing her crossbow desperately as she leapt in to attack. It was brave, but futile. Her bolts lodged harmlessly in the mighty zebra's flesh, her knife slamming into his neck but failing to even penetrate the solid bands of muscle. He simply knocked her aside and pulled the blade free with a curious expression, slamming it into Decimus's shoulder after a moment's consideration and pinning him to the floor.

Then he advanced a step and reared up, preparing to drive both hooves into the fallen zebra child below.

¬

Xenith was back in the pits again. The monster inside knew what she needed and provided it in full, all her development and philosophies forgotten as she stabbed and twisted and broke the enemy with the kind of ferocity that only came of terror and desperation. Her body was not built for this and she knew it, still if this was where she died then so be it.

Puppy agreed, she could tell. A mixture of fear and certainty inside the creature. Like Xenith, she knew she wasn't going to make it out of this.

Her eyes flicked across the battlefield, looking for a child. Any child, a child that would keep her safe, who would protect her no matter what happened...

She spotted Xeni a short way ahead, about to be stomped by one of the Starhammer wannabes. She was one of Luna's, she would understand... she opened herself up and let Selene free, a trail of black smoke flying across the battlefield.

¬

Xeni felt something possess her, something fierce and desperate and familiar, "DODGE!"

She rolled away with a speed she didn't know she possessed, the sword wielder's hooves shattering the stone where she had been a second ago. A quick instinct to hit him with a horn blast made her question her instincts for a second, said instincts hesitating for a moment before amending that to a simple suggestion to hurt the zebra in a way she felt most appropriate.

She did, bucking out hard at his side. It wasn't pretty, it wasn't elegant, it was fairly ineffective for a mare her size... but it did its job, sending the much larger zebra crashing into his own ranks as magic surged through her muscles.

It continued to surge as she swept herself around, facing the approaching army. She felt Princess Luna's voice in her mind, telling her she was strong, telling her she was awesome.

She firmed her will and charged them, Starhammer's forces collapsing in disarray as the rest of the defenders followed behind.

¬

"Cowards!" Dream Star cursed as she saw Starhammer's forces turn to run, picking a plasma rifle off a dead guard and buckling it to her side. It had been a while since she had used a weapon but her instincts were still good, turning a dozen zebra to goo before striding into the tower with a troop of zombies around her.

She spotted the old zebra mare who had stolen Puppysmiles from her, the mare running into a lift and quickly sending it zipping upwards. She cursed and followed, thinking that if she still had her telekinesis she could have just brought it straight back down.

She bemoaned the indignity of it all as she pressed the call button and waited, taking a moment to consider that Starhammer’s forces seemed to be losing somehow. That was at least something to make her happy, though she had seen the fates of enough tyrants to hardly be surprised.

He had done his job, he had got her this far. Now he could go die, along with everypony else here. Her final prize was just ahead.

¬

Xenith backed away from the door into the lighthouse chamber, trying her best not to resist as she felt Puppy leach her mental resources. It was an incredibly weird feeling, that didn't help the somewhat tense situation, "Please work fast Puppysmiles."

"I'm trying my best!" She entreated, before adding, "And don't talk to yourself. Ponies will stare."

Yes, they might think she had an evil demon stuck inside her skull.

She swept round as the window shattered, bullets shattering the ground and sending kids scattering. She saw the cyborg pegasi from before hovering there with his side patched up, grinning as he shattered consoles and furniture with high caliber bullets. Some of the children fired back but the bullets just bounced off him, the pegasi giving a booming laugh as he continued his assault.

Puppy suddenly shouted out in her mind, 'I've got it!'

Then the door shattered, knocking everyone to the ground with an expanding blast of force. Dream Star grinned in triumph as she strode through, plasma rifle at her side and grenades clasped in her jaw. All her attention... was on Xenith.

Xenith broke and ran backwards towards the crystal rod, everything finally falling into place. To activate the magic of the crystal, it needed to be combined with something tied to its creation, its purpose. It needed the power that formed it. It needed the magic of friendship, the magic that brought these children together. The magic that when brought together had made this rod. The magic that when brought together had made Midnight Dreamer a Princess.

Her hoof struck the crystal's surface, Xenith feeling Puppy reach deep down inside herself and bring forward an orb of shining light. An orb of concentrated harmony. The last memory of a dear friend. The orb of magic. The genesis of a Princess.

It flowed into the crystal and took residence inside its core, expanding throughout it's facets, multiplied and purified by the crystalline structure. The crystal hummed, started to spin, the light growing brighter as it drew all magic to itself. Dream Star screamed in rage and fear took her eyes at last, the whole room seeming to hold its breath...

Fear. She felt it flood through Puppy, unable to understand why. Why that beautiful, holy light was so scary to her. Puppy simply took a moment to breathe her thanks before the magic activated.

And then Puppy was gone, and silence flooded her mind.

¬

Fluttershy looked up as an echoing blast sounded out from the centre of the city, twilight suddenly seeming to fall as an expanding shockwave of blue energy washed over them. The city sparkled at its touch, the signs of battle somehow seeming muted and unimportant in its absence. In its place was calm, peace, the satisfying sense that things were right.

Kunari's eyes went wide, her body shrinking and becoming somehow less as her magics failed around her. Fluttershy on the other hoof felt a wave of strength echo through her, looking down to see her fur shining like crystal.

She looked up at Kunari, still staring in disbelief. Fluttershy felt a wave of sympathy for the mare, even thought she knew what was to be done, "I'm sorry."

Kunari's jaw clenched, her magic gathered... Fluttershy unleashed the full force of her will and the barricades exploded around them, Kunari flung through the air like a rag doll and sent slamming into the city wall. She did not get up.

¬

Easu felt the energy wash across him, bitter, foul tasting medicine for his soul. He felt harmony within the blast, and he could barely stand to feel it upon his fur. His grip slackened on Starhammer's neck, the weight of what he was doing falling upon him...

Starhammer drove his knee up hard, wriggling free and setting off in a limping retreat. It was a moment before Easu could stand to pursue, frustration building as he easily matched the injured zebra's pace even at a fast trot, "You can't escape!"

"You... you're a zebra of peace..." Starhammer gasped, giving a gap toothed smile as he continued to limp down the street. A trail of blood followed him, Easu almost impressed at the scumbag's ability to stay on his hooves. Starhammer's voice too was still friendly, diplomatic, more suited to a mild disagreement that a murderous feud, "Let me go and I promise, I won't hurt anyone. I'll pay reparations, I'll disband my armies."

"You're a liar." Easu growled, feeling the anger grow hot once more, "A liar who deserves to die."

"Sure... maybe I am..." Starhammer admitted, his pace slowing a little as he looked back, "But you... you don't want to kill me. You're a good zebra."

"You know nothing about me."

Starhammer shook his head, stopping for a moment to catch his breath before turning back, "Tradash used to talk about you a lot."

Easu increased his pace, feeling his muscles tense instinctively, "You shut your mouth about him!"

"I didn't kill him... he was my friend."

Easu glared, "You're a liar."

"I... I took credit to make myself look more impressive..." Starhammer's voice shook, actually seeming to choke for a moment, "...I... didn't kill him..."~

"Then who did?!"

"It was... it was... me..." Starhammer shook, backing away, his composure now completely lost. He started to laugh a little, frightened and manic, "...but it was an accident... I'm sorry..."

"You're a mad dog." Easu growled, "And you need to be put down."

"Then put me on trial!" Starhammer begged, looking round desperately as they reached the gates. His eyes darted around the ruined camp, growing ever more manic as they scanned across each fallen soldier, "I put forward the law of kings, that I be placed..."

"Laws do not apply here!" Easu yelled, moving forward at pace... only to grunt as Starhammer snatched a rifle from the ground beside him and fired it on full auto. Two of the shots tore across Easu's body as he closed, slamming a hoof into Starhammer and shattering the rifle in two, flinging the zebra across the courtyard to slam into the dirt with a gasp of pain. Then he advanced, glaring down at the whimpering would be conqueror and raising a hoof...

...and he couldn't bring it down. His heart ached, and vengeance drained from him. His master's voice whispered to him and Easu cried, backing away as the tears ran down his face. He... knew letting this scum go would lead to more death. He knew this was selfish of him. But... he couldn't do this anymore... he had seen too much pain and death, and he just... couldn't...

Starhammer rose with some difficulty, gave Easu a cautious look, then retreated wordlessly towards the gates. Easu just stared impotently after him.

"Tarashi."

They all looked round, Fluttershy moving out of the alleyway with Kunari upon her back. Starhammer looked at her through bloody eyes for a moment before a strangled cry escaped his throat, "Is she...?!"

"She's still alive." Fluttershy stated, laying the mare gently upon the ground and moving away from her. Starhammer instantly galloped over, only to stumble and fall upon injured hooves. Fluttershy moved to his side with a calm, compassionate expression, offering a hoof and helping him up, "Here, go to her."

Starhammer chuckled, "After everything... element of kindness..."

Fluttershy moved away, letting him limp over to Kunari's side, "Generosity."

Easu couldn't bear it, just watching in frustration as Starhammer made it to his girlfriend's side. He didn't deserve it. He didn't deserve such kindness, "Fluttershy... you don't need to do this..."

Fluttershy gave Easu a look that made his heart ache, full of compassion. She shook her head, "No Easu, you don't need to do this."

He didn't understand. He still didn't understand as Fluttershy moved over, took a pistol from the floor and buckled it to her hooves. Nor when she placed that pistol at the back of Starhammer's head, took a moment to whisper something, and pulled the trigger.

The tyrant slumped forward across Kunari's body, the light in his eyes extinguished. Fluttershy observed him for a moment before moving her weapon down and firing once more, placing a bullet neatly through the head of the unconscious Kunari. Then she unstrapped the weapon and threw it aside, silent as she stood before them.

Easu shook with emotion, "Why?"

"Because somepony has to." She answered, turning towards Esau and offering him a smile of beautiful sympathy, "And it doesn't need to be you."

¬

"Keep fighting!" Decimus roared, pressed on all sides as Starhammer's forces fell back to defensive positions, unsettled but not broken by the blast from the tower. He knew they needed to strike now, that if given time to rally they would run over what little defenses they had left like water, "Drive them back!"

And then something whistled overhead, a nearby hotel blasted apart by some kind of high explosive shell. Another soon came down, and then another, those around him uttering his worst fears, "They've turned the artillery on the city!"

Decimus fought for an answer, "They know they've lost."

"Damn their stripes!" Mercius growled from beside him, "They plan to reduce this city to rubble in their retreat!"

Decimus raised his eyes to the sky, watching another shell streak down. He had nothing to do, nothing to say. There was no way they could reach the artillery.

They had failed...

"Look! On the horizon!"

"It cannot be!"

¬

Clear Skies soared towards the city, instantly grateful she hadn't been in the fight. Most of it was on fire and corpses were strewn everywhere, wondering for a moment if the city had fallen. If that was the case, intervening now would be utterly pointless, "We'erth... too lathe?"

"No." Came the commanding voice beside, his tones shaking the skies, "I can see her... and I can see the shine of the crystal heart!"

Clear Skies saw it, the glow at the tip of the central tower. Even that small light was shaking though, wavering as a high explosive shell struck the middle floors with a fierce roar, "Teh arthilary!"

"I see it!" Spike roared, powering ahead with a mighty flap of his wings. His gullet ignited, spraying fire to the skies before straightening out into his attack run, "Dragons of the Drakestone peaks! Show them fire!"

Clear Skies quickly winged upwards, moving out the way as dozens of dragons soared past her to spray the enemy positions with flame. She considered herself a pretty cynical pony, but had to admit it might have been the most glorious thing she had ever seen.

¬

"Fluttershy."

"I see them." Fluttershy stated as she gently moved away, looking to the troop of zebra soldiers currently holding weapons on them. She stared straight at ahead, voice rising in authority, "The battle is over, I command you to..."

The soldiers briefly looked to the sky as a shadow fell over them, then screamed as one. A second later and a couple of tons of dragon came down atop them, squashing them beneath his claws with no effort whatsoever.

The dragon's eyes spent little time admiring his handiwork, instead they swiftly looked up to regard Fluttershy with the deepest relief, "Fluttershy! You're alive!"

"I knew they couldn't kill you Spike." Fluttershy replied, thought privately admitted that at her worst moments she had had her doubts. A smile slowly spread across her face and she even felt a few tears drip down her face, though her heart was still numb and cold, "Though you certainly took your time."

"Yeah..." He blushed, a rather amusing sight on the enormous dragon, "The last few months have been... interesting."

"I bet." Fluttershy replied. She looked to the dragons currently mopping up Starhammer's forces, which certainly did have her somewhat shocked, "There are lots of dragons now?"

Spike scratched his head in embarrassment, "Yeah, apparently... I'm their king or something?"

"How did that happen?"

"Um, there was this ritual, and this evil dragon, and I travelled back in time... and at one point I met my mom I think?" He shrugged, "It's been a complicated few months."

Fluttershy chuckled, "I know what you mean."

"Yeah, you're kinda... looking like some comic book alternate timeline Fluttershy."

Flutterhy looked down at her blood covered hooves, "That's... a long story."

"Lady Fluttershy!"

She looked behind, a trail of zebra defenders marching up. She was forced to wince once again at that title, the worship and trust that went with it. They really had no idea, "It's ok everyone. It's over."

They came closer, looking across at Starhammer's body. Their eyes widened, a look of relief flooding in, "Starhammer is dead?"

"Yes." She responded, looking across at Easu, hollow eyed and silent as he looked across the piled up bodies, "Prince Easu slew him in battle. He has ended the war."

He just looked back at her, though he didn't protest. Maybe he understood. Maybe she understood now. Easu took a moment to stare at her before facing the soldiers, "Order every zebra to clear the city, look for survivors."

Fluttershy kept her eyes on him, and his on her. Maybe it was wrong, maybe he wouldn't forgive her... maybe she had just made another tyrant. But then maybe Kunari was right, and the world did need heroes.

Even fake ones.