Chapter 9: The Tide Turns
Those who are blinded by their overconfidence
Shall soon be dealt a deadly blow.
The allies commence an important operation
To strikes their enemies from all directions.
Chapter 9
The Tide Turns
June 17th, 2021
1830 hrs
Emareia, Gracemareia outskirts
Shamrock went outside to watch the setting sun. The beautiful sight he has seen so many times from a small house overlooking the sea was always soothing for him. It had been over two years since he and his best friend, Talisman, decided to retire from the Emareian Air Force, wanting to start a new life, away from any conflict. But it was easier said than done. Though Shamrock was now living a prosperous life with his young wife, and they were going to have a baby in the next few months, something kept bothering him since the last two weeks. Every time his fiancee asked him what was wrong, the green pegasus brushed her worries aside.
He kept wondering how much more he’ll be able to lie to himself like this…
Shamrock took a deep breath of fresh air, and a dim smile appeared on his face. Maybe he was just exaggerating it… Just then, he noticed a lone figure on the sky, heading in his direction. When it got closer, Shamrock recognized his friend.
“Hey, Talisman, nice of you to drop by,” the green pegasus greeted him.
“I figured it would be a good time to see you,” said Talisman, landing before Shamrock. “After all, you’re going to be a father soon.”
“Heh, yeah… I’m hoping it’s going to be a filly,” Shamrock blurted out. “Or, better yet, a filly and a colt, heh…”
Talisman chuckled, but his expression became much more serious within seconds.
“I’m sure you have already heard… Equestria has been attacked again.”
Shamrock immediately dropped his lighthearted attitude as well.
“Yeah, I know… I’m getting worried about our fellow Angels… Talisman, is there really nothing we can do to help them?”
Talisman shook his head.
“I’m sorry, Shamrock, but this conflict does not concern us. We have our own lives to live now. They will handle things by themselves.”
“I hope so…”
Talisman looked at Shamrock. The green pegasus seemed resigned. He had to accept what his friend just said, even though he would drop everything and fly to Equestria on a whim, if it was up to him. Talisman knew how he felt.
“Listen, even without our assistance back then, Equestria would have eventually overcome the griffin invasion. I’m certain of it. They fought for their country… as we did for ours. Now, they should be able to fend off these new invaders as well. And besides, the griffins are on our friends’ side this time. If things become too tough for them to handle, they can always call for help.”
Shamrock kept staring at the setting sun.
“I guess… But still, I can’t help but wonder how Fluttershy and the others are doing… If we have a chance to see them again…”
“They said they’ll come and visit Emareia again when your baby will be born, remember? One way or another, we’ll get to see the Angels of Equestria again. And don’t forget that Mirage has proven many times that they are capable of dealing even with seemingly impossible tasks. Worrying about them will not help. All we can do is have faith in them.”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
The green pegasus felt a little more relieved now. He heard a sound of opening doors, as his fiancee, a beautiful dark pink-coated pegasus mare, came out.
“Shamrock, dear! Come in, dinner’s ready!”
She then noticed Talisman as well and trotted toward both stallions.
“Oh, you’re Shamrock’s friend. Talisman, wasn’t it? How nice of you to come. Would you like to stay with us for dinner?”
Though Talisman seemed hesitant at first, he glimpsed at Shamrock and replied:
“It would be rude of me to decline such an offer.”
The pink mare giggled.
“Shamrock told me that you were a pretty serious guy. Looks like he was right. Tee hee… All right, boys, come on in!”
Talisman motioned to Shamrock to follow him. He nodded in response, but before he went back, the green pegasus looked to the setting sun once more, his thoughts focused on the innocent, yellow pony that seemed like a true angel to him...
“Fluttershy… I hope that you and all of your friends are safe. Please, watch yourself… I’m looking forward to see you again. May the Golden King smile upon you.”
==========
1900 hrs
The Crystal Empire, castle grounds
No less than 1500 ponies, both the residents of the Crystal Empire and the soldiers of Equestrian Allied Forces that evacuated from Canterlot, were eagerly awaiting the Royal Sisters. They both walked out of the castle along with Princess Cadance and her husband, Shining Armor. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna seemed a little exhausted. Whispers of concern began to echo throughout the crowd. Everypony was wondering what happened.
After a few minutes of nervous waiting, two more figures emerged from the castle. One of them was Spike, the young dragon, who remained in the castle library up until now, helping Twilight Sparkle gather necessary data about the Crystal Empire’s military structure. The other was Gale. Spike made a quick announcement that the Royal Sisters had something very important to tell everypony, then he walked toward Twilight, who was standing almost right in front of the royal ponies, along with her closest friends. Rainbow Dash, as well as most of the pegasi, were hovering above the crowd.
“The Princesses look a little tired…” Cloud Kicker said quietly.
“It must be the side effect of using so much magical power,” Firefly ascertained. “At least they showed Aurora and her goons not to mess with us.”
“My little ponies…” Princess Celestia began.
At first, her voice sounded weaker than usual, which caused some more concerned whispers. But, with every new sentence, the solar princess’ voice started to build up.
“In the past few days, we have experienced an aggression upon our land. Our enemies are more dangerous and ruthless than we originally perceived them to be. As the commander-in-chief of the Equestrian Allied Forces, I hold full responsibility for all soldiers and civilians who died in this conflict up until now. My sister kept convincing me that I should have taken action earlier and not wait for the last possible moment. But I still had my doubts. Alicorn magic can become very dangerous if it were to get out of control. However, we both agreed that we shall not be holding our powers back when the safety of subjects and Equestria is threatened, as it is now. It is time we stop retreating. It is time for us to fight back!”
Her last sentence brought up an uproar of positive exclaims from the ponies gathered at the castle grounds. Princess Luna then stepped forward.
“We are aware that the situation is difficult. Our enemies have struck us in several points at once, preventing us from effectively defending our land. But now, we shall give them a taste of their own medicine. If we join our forces and strike back at our foes, they will be overrun. We will not allow them to run rampant in Equestria any longer!”
Another positive uproar sounded among the crowd. Gale approached the ponies now.
“That is why we are going to launch a large-scale campaign that will involve all of our available military forces here. It shall be known as Operation Eternal Liberation. I will go over the most important details of it now, so I advise you to listen carefully. Each and every one of you may play an important part in the upcoming battles.”
Now everypony set their sights on the Royal Sisters and the Wonderbolt operator. He motioned to the three pegasi sitting at the side, who were holding a large, paper map of Equestria, much like the ones seen in every school. When it was shown to the crowd, Gale asked Twilight to assist him. Then, the operator started explaining the details.
“At the moment, the Exiles are occupying about 80% of Equestria’s territory. The only active points of resistance are still present in three cities: Stalliongrad, Cloudsdale and Manehattan. Each of these aforementioned regions is very important, at least in a strategic meaning. Therefore, it is imperative that we aid the soldiers stationed there in order to regain control of the situation. We have decided to launch a joint campaign in order to make it happen. The campaign will be called ‘Offensive Campaign S3E7’. It will be comprised of the following three missions.”
Twilight used her magic to draw a large blue circle in the Crystal Empire area on the map, which indicated the concentration of EAF soldiers. She then added a straight, green arrow with a letter “A” that pointed in the direction of Stalliongrad, and then another one which connected Stalliongrad to Fillydelphia. Of course, this was mostly made for ponies who were too far away to hear exactly what Gale was saying. Their companions, who were closer, relayed all information and explained what the drawing meant. The crimson pegasus began explaining details of each mission.
“First, there is ‘Operation Rendezvous.’ This is an air-to-surface operation, whose objective is to provide additional support to Stalliongrad’s defenders. Both Twilight Sparkle and Applejack will be in charge of the first part of this operation.”
The two mares nodded. Gale carried on with the details.
“As you know, Stalliongrad has many weapon manufacturing and research facilities located in major parts of the city. We cannot let the Exiles get their hooves on them. It’s already bad enough that they have taken Canterlot and will most likely discover the Meson cannon. On top of that, our 1st Naval Fleet is located in Stalliongrad port as well, where they evacuated after sustaining heavy damage during the battle for Fillydelphia. The objective is to secure our position around Stalliongrad, drive off the Exile troops and secure a route for our 1st Fleet. With their assistance, we might be able to recapture Fillydelphia and prevent the enemy from bringing up any major reinforcements via the sea.”
Twilight drew a few more arrows heading out of the Crystal Empire into Stalliongrad. The ponies were listening even more attentively.
“Naturally, this operation will require most of our ground forces stationed here, and later, at least 5 pegasus squadrons as assistance to ensure that the 1st Fleet will reach Fillydelphia. Once the 1st Fleet sets sail for Fillydelphia, Captain Bluehaze will take over the command. All of our three main ships: Luminescence, Daybreak and Nightfall, are still being repaired and reinforced. The former will soon become a pegasus carrier, which can be used as a mobile base for our air units, while the other two shall be an Aegis-class ship and a battle cruiser respectively. They will be key to the success of this operation, so our air forces and the remaining ships will have to protect them at all costs once they make it out to the sea.”
Many ponies seemed determined after hearing the plan. They felt an urge to pay the Exiles back for disturbing the peace in Equestria and the deaths of their companions. Gale waited for a moment until they calmed down and continued explaining the plan.
“Next is ‘Operation Crossbow.’ This is an air-to-air combat operation, whose objective is to provide aerial support for Cloudsdale. This operation will be lead by Spitfire. The Wonderbolts shall also be sent to Cloudsdale as the leading flight. This operation will require most of our air forces, since we’ve received reports from local HQ that the enemy is preparing a major offensive on the city. The defenders will not be able to hold out against them on their own. A large-scale air battle will most likely take place. We will need as many pegasi as possible.”
Twilight drew a circle with a letter “B” in it, then added an arrow that was pointing in the direction of Cloudsdale. She drew it in yellow font instead of green, in order to distinguish this particular route. As Rainbow and her friends were listening to Gale’s plan, she began to wonder: which part of the operation were they going to aid? Both were important, though Rainbow was more interested in participating in the latter one. Gale noticed that several ponies were uncertain about these simultaneous attacks. The plan was very risky, and if something were to go wrong, the entire EAF army could end up in shambles.
“I understand that you are concerned,” said Gale, “but I trust the commanding officers of both of these operations. I’m sure they will perform well. Also, the leaders of your own units are competent and brave, too. The soldiers at Stalliongrad and Cloudsdale will also provide support. The risk is great, yes, but it is the only way to inflict considerable damage to the invaders and prevent them from running free in Equestria. Worse yet, we don’t even know what the situation is in the regions they already captured, since the communication lines are off… The sooner we act, the better.”
That reasoning rid most of the ponies of their doubts. Their spirits had been reinforced again. Gale carried on:
“Finally, the last mission is called ‘Operation Gambit.’ This is an air-to-air / surface operation, whose objective is to recapture the Equestrian Air Force base in East Manehattan. We have already sent the first strike team over there, and two more will join them soon. As soon as the necessary amount of soldiers have gathered, we will commence the operation. Recapturing the Air Force Base will allow us to set a rally point for our forces in the region. If all goes well, it will give us a chance to recapture Ponyville, Hoofington… perhaps it may even allow us to prepare a plan to liberate Canterlot.”
Twilight made one last circle on the map. This one had a letter “C” in it and was colored red. The arrow was pointing in the direction of Manehattan.
“You know, if all of these will really work, then the Exiles’ offense will be completely crippled,” Firefly said to Rainbow Dash. “Maybe then we will have the opportunity to search for their main base…”
“We’ll get to that eventually,” Rainbow interrupted her. “For now, I’m more concerned about Lightning Dust. How is she going to handle the upcoming fight…?”
“Personally, I don’t care,” said Firefly. “ So long as she doesn’t let her entire team get slaughtered… Let’s focus on what’s really important. Something tells me we’ll have to split our team again…”
Rainbow nodded in silence. Then, as if he was reading her mind, Gale turned his sight to the blue pegasus and said:
“Mirage 1, I’d like to ask you something.”
Rainbow felt the eyes of other ponies gazing at her, but she felt no pressure at all. She flew toward Gale and gave a salute.
“Sir?”
“I’m sure you’re aware of the importance of this campaign. The assistance of your Mirage squadron will be invaluable to us. However, because this campaign will involve our forces in three separate regions, I’m afraid you will have to choose which of your teammates will join which army group. Do you think you’ll be able to make a decision by tomorrow?”
“I can give you my decision right now, Gale,” Rainbow replied.
The amount of confidence in her voice slightly surprised the Wonderbolt operator. Rainbow’s teammates were looking at her with uncertainty.
“I’m well aware of my team’s strengths and weaknesses, so the decision isn’t that hard. I’ll take Mirage 5 and 7 with me, to aid the operation at Stalliongrad. To me, it seems to be the most important one. Mirage 3 and 4 will go to Cloudsdale to help the pegasi there. Mirage 2 and 6 will go to Manehattan to help the strike teams. We may end up not being that much of a help, but we will all do our best.”
Once the Mirage fliers got a grasp of what they heard, they gave salutes to Gale and the princesses as well. A big grin formed on Cloud Kicker’s face.
“You heard that, Lightning? We’re going to Cloudsdale, together. I’m relieved, you know. For a moment, I thought Rainbow was going to separate us. I wonder if...”
“Don’t worry about it,” Lightning Bolt cut her short. “As long as we’ll watch each others' backs, we’ll be fine.”
Derpy and Firefly didn’t mind going together either. Manehattan was actually one of those places that Firefly hadn't visited when she returned to Equestria, since she never really had time to go there. Fluttershy and Medley weren’t worried either. In fact, Medley even seemed positively happy about going on a mission together with her idol. Yet, as soon as she realized the importance of this “offensive campaign,” and that the team will have to be split for its duration, a frown appeared on her face. Fluttershy noticed it.
“Medley, are you alright?” she asked.
“Yeah, just… a little overwhelmed,” the green pegasus replied.
“Very well, Rainbow,” said Gale. “I will trust in your decisions. I’m quite sure even your presence alone will help our soldiers. Before I go over the details for each operation…”
The Wonderbolt operator turned to Princess Cadance and Shining Armor, who were standing at the side.
“Can we count on the assistance of your Crystal Ponies, Your Highnesses?”
“We can spare about a hundred troops to each major region,” Shining Armor replied. “But we will need to secure the positions in the vicinity of the Crystal Empire before we can consider sending any significantly larger forces. After all, we have to make sure the enemy doesn’t attack us again in the near future.”
“I see. Well, any assistance is welcomed. Thank you kindly.”
Gale then turned his sight back to the crowd of gathered ponies.
“Fierce resistance by Exile forces is expected in all three missions. Choose carefully which one you wish to participate in. I expect you all to give your very best. That is all.”
-----------------
1945 hrs
Unknown location
Aurora was frustrated. No further signals came to her from the northern borders of Equestria. It was as if everything had been vaporized there. Shockwave had been tasked to perform research about the area. As he checked the files, he kept talking to himself quietly.
“I see… Interesting… So it seems the rumors were true…”
Trickster got impatient and exclaimed:
“Hey! How long are you gonna keep us waiting, man?!”
Deathwing approached the purple pegasus.
“Well, Shockwave? Did you find anything?”
“Affirmative,” Shockwave replied. “I have checked all possibilities, and I keep coming back to a single solution. The area where we lost contact with our troops is most likely in the vicinity of the Crystal Empire.”
Aurora turned his head to him.
“The Crystal Empire? But it disappeared over a thousand years ago… unless...”
“That is correct, my Lady. The Empire has appeared again. They were keeping their activity without much of a foray, so this fact is apparently known only to the citizens of Equestria.”
The blue alicorn snorted angrily. Once again, Celestia had eluded her.
“If that is true, then Princess Celestia and her ponies are embattled there, regrouping and gathering forces for a counterattack. We can’t let that happen! I will send another group of soldiers to destroy that relic of an empire! I will not be bested by Celestia!”
Deathwing turned his sight to Aurora and spoke with a concerned tone.
“With all due respect, Lady, I wouldn’t advise that.”
“What?” Aurora exclaimed. “Are you saying it is a wrong plan?”
“Not the best, at least. We should reconsider our strategy. During those last two weeks, we’ve already lost many of our troops… one third of our fleet was destroyed at Fillydelphia, our ground forces casualties are approaching 20% total… Maybe it's time we take a more defensive approach.”
Aurora looked deep into Deathwing’s red eyes, as if she was trying to read his mind. Ultimately, she stepped back and asked:
“What are you suggesting, then?”
Deathwing started walking around the dark room, slowly circling around his comrades and Aurora, as he explained.
“The enemy is most likely going to move into offense now, trying to regain their lost ground. We should concentrate on stabilizing our control in the regions we already captured. If the EAF are going to win more battles, we might find ourselves at a disadvantage. Our element of surprise is gone now. We revealed nearly every asset we possess to Celestia and her soldiers. They, on the other hoof, may still have something they can use against us… If we strengthen our control over Canterlot and its surrounding regions, we can put up quite a resistance…”
Deathwing then fixed his sight on Aurora again.
“Of course, it’s only a proposition, my Lady. You don’t have to listen to me.”
The blue alicorn was thinking about what she just heard. It was all true. She needed to keep the pressure going and somehow convince the ponies that were still opposed to her her that the resistance is futile.
“I’m glad you are here with us, Deathwing,” said Aurora. “You helped me come up with a decision. I know exactly what to do now. If you can please let me be alone… I need to speak with our allies. I will see you tomorrow.”
Shockwave, Trickster, Havoc and Deathwing were already at the door when the purple pegasus turned to Aurora one more time.
“It might be a good time to start experimenting with the Zeal. Do not worry, Lady Aurora. Once it is finished, no one will stop us.”
“I’ll leave it to you, Shockwave. Do not fail me,” Aurora said to him with a stern voice.
When the Reapers left the room, Aurora turned on the monitor. The intimidating image of a large, black dragon appeared on it. Hisses and growls could be heard from the speakers before he responded properly.
“What is it now, Lady Aurora? I’ve heard your soldiers were experiencing some problems in the recent battle…”
“That matter does not concern you, King Aigaion,” Aurora replied. “I shall deal with this problem. My forces in Equestria shall soon be reinforced. But if my plan is to succeed, I will require the assistance of your generals.”
A grin appeared on the black dragon’s face.
“Naturally. We are at your service… as long as you will keep the promise you’ve made.”
“If they will help us establish superiority in Equestria, you will be rewarded. Of that you can certain, O' Mighty One.”
Aurora sounded a little annoyed, but Aigaion did not seem to notice. The promise of another large hoard of gems was enough to motivate him.
“Excellent. I will have a meeting with them at once. Which exact regions do you have in mind?”
Aurora pondered for a few seconds before answering.
“I’ll need assistance in keeping our superiority in Manehattan, to make sure the enemy will not recapture their Air Force base. Another general would be a great help during the upcoming battle for Cloudsdale, too. And… Oh, yes. Recently the locals in Ponyville have begun to cause trouble, sabotaging my army’s equipment. The same is happening in Fillydelphia. Maybe they wouldn’t be so bold if they knew a dragon was watching over them.”
“Understood,” Aigaion responded. “I will make sure these regions will be watched over. I believe you will be satisfied.”
“Yes, no doubt…”
Aurora ended the conversation. The black dragon turned his monitor off as well. Aigaion’s orange eyes started to examine the chamber as he searched for a messenger. He noticed one of the younger dragons lying on the floor, apparently taking a nap. He had red scales, orange spikes and slightly torn wings.
“Now, to set things in motion… Garble, come to me!”
Upon hearing the roar, the adolescent reptile quickly sprung to his rear legs and ran toward the throne.
“Y-Yeah, boss man?”
“I want you to go and tell the rest of the Generals to assemble here. I have some important tasks for them.”
“Yes, boss man, at once!”
Aigaion followed him with his sight, wondering if his recent idea even seemed plausible. Many young dragons, such as Garble, were fascinated by the Generals and saw them as an example they should follow. Aigaion thought about creating a small division of those dragons so they could aid the Exiles. It would be no problem for Garble, as he already lead one dragon group before, even if they weren't exactly experienced in warfare. Still, Aigaion wasn't certain about other possible candidates... they still seemed not ready to him.
Suddenly, another adult dragon emerged from the shadows. This one had brown scales and gold eyes. He looked about a head smaller than Aigaion, and the expression on his face showed impatience.
“How long are we going to get involved in this conflict?” he asked. “I do not trust this alicorn, brother.”
Aigaion turned his sight and fixed it on the brown dragon.
“We already talked about this, Gyges. As long as this conflict pays off for us, it would be a shame not to get involved. Drakonia and its subjects need those gems. Our country has long been in an crisis, since we lent over two thirds of our natural resources to help them rebuild after the Ulysses Disaster. We had hoped that this loan would be returned soon, but it didn’t. Without the gems, we cannot sustain our magic and life force for too long.”
For that brief moment, Aigaion’s voice became a bit sadder, as it was clear he was concerned about his kind. Then his regular growl resumed.
“That was when Lady Aurora appeared and proposed an alliance. In exchange for our support, she will give us the desired amount of gems. At first I thought she was bluffing, but then she showed me over 1000 gems that she gathered along with her ponies from around the world. She told me there was much more they could offer, so we struck a deal. I would be a fool to say otherwise. We are only gaining profit for our involvement.”
The brown dragon called Gyges snorted with disgust.
“I still don’t trust them. Ever since those Exiles showed up, the situation in Drakonia started to get worse. They are swarming unrestrained in the region, as if they were in their own country. And you still let them build a city near our borders? Only you seem to be blind to the fact we are being used, brother.”
Aigaion rose from the ground, stretching his huge wings and giving out a roar.
“Mind your tongue, Gyges! I may be your brother, but I am still your superior as the king!”
“How could I forget?” the brown dragon asked sarcastically.
Just then, the massive stone door to the royal chamber had opened, and three more dragons entered. The shortest saw both Aigaion and Gyges glaring at each other.
“Whoops. Bad timing, I guess. We ran into another family argument,” he hissed.
“Not to worry,” said the tall blue dragon. “It would appear the conflict has ended before it could escalate.”
Aigaion saw the three figures and motioned them to come closer.
“I’m glad you’ve responded so quickly. How is your wing, Gleipnir?”
“Bah, that was only a scratch,” the grey dragon growled in response. “I feel like a newborn, my king.”
“Good. I want you all to listen to me carefully. I just had a conversation with Lady Aurora. She believes that the Equestrian army is preparing a counteroffensive. She requested each one of you to go and aid her forces.”
Gleipnir, as well as the other two dragons, seemed pleased to hear that. Especially the short, yellow one, whose green eyes gave out little sparks of electricity. Aigaion quickly explained the details. First, he turned his attention to the blue dragon.
“Orgoi, I want you to go to Manehattan and aid Lady Aurora’s defense force there. She believes it is only a matter of time before the enemy attacks.”
“I will send them to a cold grave,” Orgoi responded.
“Gleipnir, you shall go to the Cloudsdale region. With you keeping an eye out for approaching enemy pegasi, our allies should claim the city easily.”
“Naturally, my king,” Gleipnir nodded.
“The locals in Ponyville region are sabotaging our allies’ supply lines. I want you to silence them, Spiridus,” Aigaion spoke to the shortest dragon.
“They are as good as dead,” he replied with a hiss.
“Lastly, the region around the city of Fillydelphia should be reinforced, too. This will be a job for you, Gyges.”
The brown dragon responded by silently nodding his head as well. He didn’t seem very interested in going anywhere.
“I will be expecting positive results, you hear me?” Aigaion growled. “It’s time for the ponies to start fearing us again.”
When the three dragons turned around to leave, Gyges wanted to go with them. Spiridus leered at him.
“Consider yourself lucky that you are a General in the first place. You are only here because our king takes pity on you.”
“What did you say?!” Gyges roared.
“The truth. If it weren’t for the late Prince Hraesvelgr’s death… We had enough troubles with him when he was alive. To think he would attempt to usurp the throne, to try and kill his own father… He betrayed us by siding with those damned Belkans. How can you not be ashamed of how your nephew ended?”
“Not another word!”
Gyges sent a piercing sight to Spiridus, but he ignored it and carried on.
“At least he got what he deserved… the most humiliating death possible! I mean, killed by a pegasus pony? That’s so sad, it’s hilarious!”
“How dare you! Take that back!”
Unable to hear any more insults toward his relative, Gyges lunged toward Spiridus. He was prepared for an eventual attack, but Orgoi intervened. The large, blue gem in his armor glew briefly and, a second later, he shot an icy projectile from his mouth, which turned into an ice wall when it hit the ground, separating Spiridus and Gyges.
“Gentlemen, this bickering is pointless,” the blue dragon said calmly, “although you both make valid points. It is true that Prince Hraesvelgr betrayed us, but do remember that the pegasus pony that killed him wasn’t your typical flier. If the stories about him are true, he was capable of defeating entire squadrons on his own. It is only fair that he did not fear a confrontation with the late prince either.”
Spiridus looked back at Orgoi. His combative attitude almost had him confront another general. That wasn’t the first time; he had plenty of struggles in the years past.
“Well, if it was me, I would never end up like he did. I’d sooner have killed him myself.”
“Then you would pay with your life,” Gyges reminded him, tearing the ice wall down with his claws.
“That is enough!” Aigaion’s commanding voice sounded. “This issue has already been dealt with. My bastard son is no more. I suggest we focus on the present now. Go and prepare yourselves for your missions. Gyges, stay a while longer. We need to talk.”
Spiridus gave one more cheeky grin to the brown dragon before he followed Gleipnir and Orgoi out of the chamber. Aigaion spoke with a much softer tone now.
“Gyges, I understand that you feel regret toward Hraesvelgr. But you couldn’t do anything, he was already beyond our control back then. It happened 25 years ago. Time to move on.”
The brown dragon lowered his head.
“I could have stopped him… I could have reasoned with him. I am partially to blame for his death. I'm sorry...”
“I told you already: don’t be. You did everything you could,” Aigaion said reassuringly. “Do not be concerned about what Spiridus says, either. You know that he is simply jealous of your royal heritage. He’d probably want to be a heir to the throne himself. But after Hraesvelgr’s death, I have placed all my hopes in you, brother. I know that one day you will be ready as my successor. Just remember that the Dragon King should think about his country and his subjects, first and foremost, and not torment himself about an incident from the past.”
Gyges glanced back at Aigaion before he pushed the stone door open.
“Then perhaps I am not ready to succeed you yet…”
When Aigaion was left alone, he kept reminiscing about his son. How did it come to this…? Why would he rebel against his father and try to kill him? What the Dragon King have done to earn so much hatred from him? Was lending a helping hand to a bunch of exiled ponies the reason? Or was it simply lust for power?
Did he really made the right choice…?
==========
2200 hrs
The Crystal Empire, Mirage squadron’s base
The EAF army groups had been assembled. Nearly 1000 earth ponies, unicorns and pegasi were going to participate in “Operation Rendezvous.” Twilight, Applejack and Firecracker Burst were going to have about 900 troops under their command. All of them were more than willing to fight the invaders after they heard the Princesses’ speech. The pegasus squadrons that chose to participate in this operation were Falcon, Lancer, Sweeper and Cygnus. They hoped to aid Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Medley as best as they could.
For “Operation Crossbow,” no less than 150 pegasi decided to head for Cloudsdale and help the defenders there. Among them were Phoenix, Dragon, Sorcerer and Hornet squadrons. Sunburst and Flare Star were given secondary command, though they were still obliged to follow Spitfire’s orders. The Wonderbolt leader clearly stated that cooperation was the key to the success of this mission, and free engagement was going to be prohibited.
Finally, 120 more ponies wanted to participate in “Operation Gambit” to assist the first strike team that was already on its way toward the city. While Lightning Dust’s squadron would be the lead flight during this operation, three more leaders decided to bring their fighters into the upcoming battle. Tornado Swirl and Overdrive, leaders of Burner and Racer squadron respectively, each had five teammates ready to confront the Exiles. They only waited for the order to go and provide suport for Lightning Dust's team. The third leader, a magenta-coated female pegasus named Carnival Tail, was leading the newly formed Tiger squadron, specializing in interception. Among other fliers, they were distinguished by wearing orange vests with black stripes, similar to actual tiger skins. Gale advised Carnival Tail to change the pattern, or it would make them stand out too much and make them prime targets for the enemy. The magenta flier dispelled his worries, stating that the enemy would not be able to catch up to them.
All operations would commence in the next few days, as soon as the EAF soldiers would reach the designated areas. The pegasi from Mirage squadron were now analyzing possible battle scenarios. Cloud Kicker noticed they were one head short.
“Hold on, where’s Firefly?” she asked.
“You’ve only now noticed that she stayed behind to talk to Gale?” Rainbow Dash asked her.
“Sorry, I was so excited about the prospect of going to Cloudsdale along with Lightning that I wasn’t really paying much attention to what’s going on around me,” the purple pegasus explained with pure sincerity.
“That’s OK. She should be coming back soon anyway…”
A few seconds after Rainbow said the last sentence, the door to the Mission Control opened and Firefly entered the room. She had a serious look on her face.
“Something wrong, Flash?” Lightning Bolt asked her.
“I asked Gale if those four Exile fliers that managed to escape from Winterbliss Fields were taken care of…”
“Yeah?” Rainbow urged her to continue.
“All four of them are dead.”
“So that means the interceptor squadron did its job,” Medley said with a positive tone.
“Not exactly…”
Firefly’s ominous statement caught the others’ attention. The pink pegasus walked up the table and put some photos on it.
“When the interceptor squadron found them, they were already dead. Somepony got the Exiles first.”
“Who?” Derpy wondered.
“How should I know? The guys from the interceptor squadron did some photos as evidence. I asked Gale if we could borrow them for a while. I thought these photos could help… You can take a look, but I’m warning you: it’s not pretty…”
As the seven mares were examining the photos, they were either cringing with disgust or gazing at them in disbelief. Each photo showed a body or bodies of the fallen Exiles, blood seeping out of their wounds. Their bodies were lying in weird positions as well. At least one of them seemed to have a broken spine, the other had a cracked skull.
“Whoever found those Exiles did them good,” Lightning stated.
“Yeah, for real…” Medley blurted.
“It must’ve been a very cruel person… This is horrible,” Fluttershy squeaked.
Firefly gathered the photos and put them in the bag she had with her.
“I’m going to bring those back to Gale. When I get back, I think we should hit the hay.”
The other fliers agreed with her. Before Firefly left, she turned around and said:
“Oh yeah, one more thing: the initial report suggests that there was an unidentified flier in the area. Whoever it was, it could be a potential enemy… or an ally.”
Firefly’s last statement kept the other Mirage fliers speculating about the attacker’s identity until she returned. Medley thought that it could have been a renegade Exile who didn’t want to have anything to do Aurora anymore, Cloud Kicker insisted that it must have been an argument between the squadron’s leader and his teammates. Rainbow Dash was also thinking about who could have beaten these Exiles so easily… but she kept it to herself. For the moment, at least.
-----------------
2345 hrs
The moon was already shining bright in the starry sky. Everypony was fast asleep. Rainbow Dash suddenly felt a hoof poking her flank and heard a quiet voice:
“Hey, Rainbow… wake up…”
“Mmm… wha…?”
When the blue pegasus slowly opened her eyes, she noticed a familiar figure before her.
“Medley…? What do you want?”
“I can’t sleep…” she confessed. “Can we talk?”
“Now? In the middle of the night?!” Rainbow tried to keep her voice down so that the others would not wake up.
“Please…”
Rainbow sighed, got up from her bed, and the two pegasi quietly left the room.
“OK, let’s go outside. Let’s hope they won’t catch us violating the curfew,” Rainbow said to Medley.
The green mare nodded, and they both headed to the roof the Crystal Castle. They laid down on their backs. For the first few moments, neither pony said a word. Medley only kept drawing imaginary lines with her hoof, as if she was drawing some shapes. Rainbow patiently waited for her to explain her reason for dragging her out of the bed. Finally, Medley said quietly:
“Wow… There are so many stars tonight…”
Rainbow rolled her eyes in mild annoyance.
“You didn’t make me come here just so we can gaze at the stars, did you? What’s the problem, Kid?”
Medley rolled her head to the right, feeling a little shameful.
“I… don’t know if I should tell you. You’re going to laugh at me.”
“Come on, don’t be ridiculous. I promise I won’t. Tell me, what’s bothering you?” Rainbow urged her.
“... I’m worried.”
“Worried?”
“Yeah. That operational campaign that Gale told us about… It’s going to be something huge. And we’re all going to play a role in it…”
“Yeah…”
Rainbow didn’t know where that conversation was going. Medley carried on.
“But, back then, during the Equestrian War, most ponies were relying on us when they were fighting. They hoped we would bring them another victory. Now we are just another unit in a large army…”
“So?” Rainbow asked. “Many ponies still think of us as the awesome team that we are. And now we have an actual, well-trained army, compared to the previous conflict, when everypony pretty much had a baptism of fire at some point…”
“I know… It’s just… the thought of having to split our team again makes me feel… nervous.”
Rainbow looked at Medley, not knowing why she was acting like this.
“Come on, Kid. We had to split up several times, and every time we did, things ended up in our favor.”
“Yeah, but… this time we are going to three separate regions that are very far away from each other,” Medley said quietly. “We won’t be able to contact Firefly or anypony else... “
“So that’s what worries you? That you will be away from the rest of the team?” Rainbow asked.
Medley responded with a quiet “Mm-mm.” Rainbow thought for a while on what approach she should take here. Finally, she said in an assuring tone:
“Listen, Medley, if I didn’t trust you, gals, I would never make a decision to split the team up. We would go all together to either Stalliongrad, Manehattan or Cloudsdale. But I believe in you. I believe in all of you. I know you have what it takes to make sure each of these missions will be successful. Besides…”
Rainbow put her hoof on Medley’s shoulder, baring her teeth.
“You don’t have to worry about anything. After all, you’re going with Fluttershy and me.”
“Yeah, you’re right… Thanks for trusting in me, Rainbow,” said Medley.
“Hey, we’re going to need a competent scout during the mission.”
Rainbow stroked Medley’s mane a little as she giggled. It would appear the problem that bothered Medley was no more.
“If you got your worries outta your chest, let’s go back,” said Rainbow.
But Medley did not move.
“Wait… There’s one more thing…”
“What is it now?” Rainbow whined.
“About those Exile pegasi that got away…”
Rainbow's expression became more serious now.
“The ones that were found dead near Winterbliss Fields?”
“Uh-huh… Any ideas who could’ve killed them?” Medley asked.
Rainbow shook her head.
“Dunno. But… For a second, I kinda hoped it was Mobius. But when I checked those photos that Firefly brought us… I realized that it couldn’t be him.”
The disappointed tone in Rainbow’s voice did not bother Medley, but that last statement certainly did.
“How can you be so sure?”
“I remember how he fought during the Equestrian War… I watched him at any possible occasion, trying to learn something,” Rainbow explained. “He wasn’t cracking skulls, breaking spines or anything like that. He would never kill another flier with such brutality.”
Medley thought about what she heard. It was true. Mobius was an honorable kind of fighter. He stuck to some unwritten rule that prevented him from being as vicious as some of his opponents were.
“So, then, who did it?” the green pegasus asked.
“I have no idea,” Rainbow replied. “But whoever it was… I don’t want to meet it. And I hate to think what we’ll be up against if it turns out to be our enemy…”
Medley gulped quietly. The thought of meeting the killer of the Exile pegasi wasn’t pleasant for her at all.
“OK, enough worries for now, Kid. Let’s go back,” said Rainbow.
“But I wanna…”
Medley didn’t finished the sentence. She let out a long yawn and started rubbing her right eyelid. Rainbow chuckled.
“Come on, you’re gonna end up dropping off. I, for one, want to feel refreshed tomorrow. Let’s go,” she reiterated.
“Rainbow…”
“What?”
“Can I… sleep with you tonight?” Medley asked sheepishly.
Rainbow sighed and nodded.
“Fine… but just for this one night.”
“Thanks.”
When both mares returned to the squadron quarters, Medley laid her head on Rainbow’s flank and almost instantly fell asleep. Now it was Rainbow who had trouble falling asleep. Her thoughts were focused on a stallion with silver mane again.
“Mobius… Where are you now…? Do you even know what is happening here? If only you’d come back to help us… No. There’s no point in daydreaming. You have already helped us a lot during the Equestrian War. Now we have to fight by ourselves. But I am not afraid. You showed me what it means to be an ace. Even though you never said a single word… Thanks again, Mobius. Wherever you may be… I hope that one day we can meet again. Heh… Those Exiles better watch out.”
Finally, Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. The moon and the stars kept shining bright until the first beams of the morning sun appeared. A dawn of a day that started a new phase of the conflict.
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Heheh, clever.
Can't wait to see where this goes and I'm hoping that Cipher show his head to the EAFs. Nice to see a little bit of character development on the dragons, I kinda felt pity on them, especially Aigaion and Gyges. Don't worry, Hraesvelgr's betrayal to his country won't do him any good... even if he's already dead.
And so the counter-punch begins. Good luck and good hunting, heroes.
Oh, how you'll wish that WASN'T literal, Aurora...
I wonder if the flier that intercepted the Exiles was the Demon Lord?
"Yo buddy, you still alive?"
5042266
You didn't read the last chapter?
>>Bwaak I had completely forgotten about that...
5043961
Cap. Bluehaze was present in Chapter 3. Carnival Tail is the leader of the Tiger squadron.
For too long we have been playing defending ourselves!
It is time for us to go on the offensive and retake our land!
We will likely only get one try so we must make it count!
FORWARD FOR THE ROYAL SISTERS!!!
gameranx.com/images/updates/b-acecombat-1313139249.jpg
BTW, what are your guys opinion on Ace Combat Assault Horizon?
Never played any of the other myself, maybe that is the reason i liked it.
5044612
Ace Combat Assault Horizon, in my opinion is like your generic Michael Bay movie. Bamco and Project Aces did something right by amping the models and the destruction engine (steel carnage), but the gameplay quickly gets repetitive, the same reason the critics used to bash Ace Combat Infinity. The battles in the game are too scripted to the point that it became boring in a short time. (eg. Markov's final battle in Washington DC) It also creates a sense of fake diffculty to a game-breaking levels.
Short word, decent game, but not too good either. I rather rented this thing and I regretted buying it in the first place.
5044714 I see your point.
Also, i didn't buy it when it came out, i purchased it on steam where i got the echanced edition for 10 euros. Ther was also a free weekend so i tried it out before purchase. Game was a bit bullshitty around the final boss, but the soundtrack overall was and still is amazing
5044749
Personally, I enjoyed the game a lot. It looked and sounded great, though the gameplay was divise at times. I'd buy the Enchanced Edition on PC as well, if I could.
5045086 I agree, the destruction was friking awesome.
5044749 I agree with you on the soundtrack. It was so badass, it can be remixed with the older titles' missions.
5048684
The former.
Wait...a city?
That means there are Exile civilians....
5055236 A city full of Aurora's cult of alicorn fanatics. Great...
5061320 Things are gonna get VERY ugly when Equestria goes on the offensive and the Exiles have thier backs to the wall....
5061340 Call me psycho or a sadist, but I'd like to see some Exiles got their end from this war.
5116036 Aurora and the Reapers, at a minimum. Civies; not so much.
5117034 At least someone needs to snap them out from their unhealthy living by worshiping a fake goddess. A big What The Hell, Townspeople!? or something that goes along the same line.
5117926 I agree....I just hope things don't go into Obligatory War Crime Scene levels. Especially now that we know what a sociopath Lightning Dust is (calling poor Firebolt "pathetic", anyone?)
Impressive as ever, P.V.