As Thunder hooves runs through the small town he started calling home toward the guard barracks, he noticed the rain started to come down more. Passing the tavern toward the west end of town he came upon the barracks. Pounding on the door yelling to whoever is inside “Hey! Anybody awake in there?”
After a few moments with only rain and the rumble of thunder, the door opened up to a tired looking pony. “Hey kid, ponies are trying to sleep what is the -”
“Look,” Thunder interrupted him “we have a badly injured pony with Mr. Needles, looks like he was attacked, and not by wild animals. Did you guys see him come through the gates before they closed?”
“Look, we closed those gates over an hour ago, back when the storm started. Only ponies who came in today were those that came in today, were the people who already live here who go out and explore the wild.” The guard let Thunder in out of the rain. “Was the pony a pegasus?”
Thinking back to only a few moments ago. “Yes, one of the ones who was in the tavern the other night. Went out looking for this ‘ghost knight’. He said all this friends were killed, and the ghost is coming for him next.”
A few other guards awake now due to their conversation. One of the few unicorn guards spoke up “Thunder, that is an old foals tale. There is no ghost in the woods.”
Thunder shook his head, “I never believed it either, but he was attacked by somepony. Those wounds are not ones a wild wolf or bear makes. Plus both him and his buddies were well equipped. I doubt they would get over taken by a bear or a pack of wolves.”
The head guardsman stepped forward, “Thunder, look, we will form a small band of volunteer ponies to look around the area to see if we can find his buddies, but not till after the rain.”
Soon as he finished speaking a loud high pitched scream was heard. All the ponies grabbed their ears trying to block it out, but it was as if the scream pierced their skull directly into their brains.
“Okay on second thought….guards gear up and get ready. We are under attack! Whisper, I want you to send a distress call to the nearest city yesterday! Private Armor I want you to take Thunder to the armory, get him a weapon, we need all the hooves we can get.”
The head guard started barking orders left and right as Thunder Mark and Private Armor headed down to the armory with the other guardsmen.
***
Mr. Needles finished bandaging up his newest patient. “Don’t worry lad, you are safe now. Thunder went to talk to the guards.”
As Mr. Needles started packing up his tools a high pitched scream was heard. Grabbing his head to block out the noise he knew what was about to happen. “Oh dear….honey! Get my other set of tools out, I fear tonight is going to be more than eventful!”
***
Thunder looked over his set of armor he just finished putting on. Private Armor just finished putting his on also and then started looking around. “Curses, forgot we had no spare weapons. You don’t by any chance know how to use a crossbow do you?” Thunder shook his head. “Buck it. Going to break protocol here.”
Private Armor walked over to the locked area where Breakers hammer was kept while they were here. He unlocked one of the lockers and pulled out a sword. “Here, we keep weapons that visitors have, these are the ones that either they forgotten about, or they died while here and their next of kin never claimed them.”
Thunder Mark looked at the dark steel blade. To him it looked like any other sword so he strapped the scabbard on and followed Private Armor back upstairs.
Upstairs the once sleeping area for the guard ponies was turned into what Thunder could imagine as a war room. The captain had a map of the town drawn on a bed sheet and had areas marked off with numbers. “Perfect, looking good Thunder, now both of you are going to Area 4, that’s on the East side of town. Stay there, stab anything that tries to stab you. We have 5 hours till help arrives from the closest city. The storm prevents any pegasus from flying in the fast way.”
Both of them nodding Thunder and Armor trotted over to their area, the town looks different than before they went down stairs. Lights were a lit with magical light. Ponies who Thunder have grown to know seem to suddenly have weapons and armor on. It’s as if these nice wonderful ponies suddenly turned into warriors in the span of a 30 minutes.
Passing Mr. Needles home Thunder took a look inside, he saw the injured pegasus on the bed, but no Mr. or Mrs. Needles was seen. He hoped they would be alright. He also hoped that they weren't really under attack.
Arriving at their designated area, Thunder saw two other ponies with him. One was the local baker who had a mace on him. The other was one of the few guard pegasi, he had a crossbow and a couple daggers on him. Giving each other nods, Armor spoke up. “Captain said 5 hours to hold out. You both know protocol. Loafy, you stick next to Thunder, Wendy, you are our eye in the sky. Thunder, just stay back and get anything we miss got it?”
The same high pitched scream from before returned, every poony grabbing their heads trying to block out the sound. Just as sudden as it started, the screech stopped. Looking to make sure his friends, he suddenly realized something.
“Hey, you guys hear that?” Thunder asked.
“Thunder, I don’t hear anything, I am pretty sure I can hear less because of it!” Loafy said.
“No that’s the thing, listen. There is no sound at all, you don’t hear the storm, or the normal sounds from the woods.”
Suddenly realizing he is right they all looked up over the wall. Looking into the darkness they saw nothing but falling rain. Looking at each other tensions high they heard it. No, a lot of it, more than one singular it. The sound of a thousand pairs of wings flapping. No, wait, a thousand pairs of wings buzzing.
Private armor put the face of his helmet down drawing his falchion. “Here they come guys, stay frosty!”
Suddenly a wave of black and green came over the wall and Thunder Mark knew without a doubt, tonight would be an eventful night.