Rainbow Dash 7: The Weight of One Spear
Upheaval: Journeys
Rainbow Dash 7: The Weight of One Spear
The Legion very rarely took prisoners in northern and western front. Rainbow had heard enough from her time in it to know that. It wasn't so much because they delighted in killing far too much to attempt it, but more because the enemy just didn't allow for it. Both wolven and ursans preferred to fight to the death. When forcibly restrained, they starved, broke themselves against their bonds, or even clawed their own throats out. Ursans, in particular, were nearly impossible to hold. They were too large, too vicious, and too proud. As such, Rainbow didn't exactly find it too shocking to see the extremes Flight Shatterspine took to secure their prisoner.
It was a slightly smaller than average ursan they captured, which likely contributed to how they managed the thing. Blood trickled down from its knees and elbows, where the lancers had stabbed with their weapons. Several unicorns from the arrays had moved in. They inscribed some sort of circular pattern on the ground where the ursan now stood, and they surrounded the inscription with their horns alight. A magical glow enshrouded the ursan, likely to severely restrict its movement. The casters involved looked pretty hard-pressed in maintaining the hold. Even hamstrung, the ursan put up a serious fight against its bonds.
As Rainbow walked closer, the nearby lancers watching the thing looked at her, then parted to let her pass. Scarlet was quick to alight next to her while she moved to stand next to Longstride. Next to him, Razor Beard gave her a curt nod before returning to overseeing the proceedings.
"Stop struggling, ursan," Razor Beard said. "We both know how this is going to go."
"What's Hassyth up to?" Scarlet asked. When Razor Beard glared at him, both Rainbow and Longstride pulled him back. "What?" he muttered. "We all want to know, right?"
Another lancer stood to Razor Beard's other side. He said something in some growling, guttural tongue. Most likely the same thing his commander just said. The ursan answered with a roar that had Rainbow step back instinctively, her front hoof already reaching for the bone thing she kept in her pack. The others stood firm while the ursan went on growling in its tongue.
"His name is Gra-Gel-Huf, Sir," the translator said. "He demands a swift death, preferably by his own claws."
"Of course he does," Razor Beard replied. "Trapped and surrounded after a humiliating defeat, and it's still about what he wants. Tell him we'll let him kill himself if he gives us enough information. If not, we're starving him to death."
While the translator growled, Rainbow whispered to Longstride. "So he dies either way? How's that going to get him to talk?"
"He has been placed in a position of humiliation with this capture," Longstride replied. "His shame will not let him live after being beaten so soundly by ponies. Even if he does choose to live and flee, his fellows will know he was captured, and they will kill him anyway. Ursan honor demands that, if he's faced with certain death, his own claws are the least shameful route."
"And the most humiliating is a slow kill by his lessers," Razor Beard added. "I've heard that dying that way nets you the worst fate in their afterlife. You're surprisingly compassionate, Rainbow Dash, I didn't expect the one to carry on Sir Yargh's rampage would be so kind."
"I was just thinking that he wasn't going to cooperate if he had no way out of this alive!" Rainbow retorted. "These ursans are crazy..." She glanced at the bone thing, still attached to that broken lance she now carried around. She had the thing for a day so far and ponies were already assuming she was some insane killer. The bone thing did not glow or ooze. Perhaps her exertions tired it out. Or maybe it just didn't find anything strong enough to want to kill.
"He says we should ask our questions. He'll decide if they're worthy of answers," the interpreter said.
"Arrogant glob of fur..." Razor Beard groused. "Are they here on official Ursinium business or is this a private matter?"
The interpreter growled and grunted the question. The ursan replied with a curt series of growls.
"This is a private venture," the interpreter said.
Razor Beard stroked his namesake with a hoof. "Is that right?" he asked. "Why are they here, then?"
"He doesn't know," the interpreter replied after an exchange.
"Holding out on us already, bear?" Razor Beard asked.
Rainbow imagined herself in the ursan's position. It was going to die either way. What made more sense? Hold on to some information to protect some allies that would kill her anyway? Or give up everything and be killed anyway? She'd hold out to the end, for sure. But that was if it was Equestria she was protecting, and her comrades were her friends. If the Legion made no secret of immediately killing her just because she failed once...well, that's hardly motivation to be so loyal. She just might spill the beans in that case.
This particular ursan looked young and fanatical, if she had to guess. The first ones she saw were rebellious teens or something. This one was more naive loyalist: all gung ho about his race. He was a lucky find. She was about to say that aloud, but stopped herself. She had her fill of Longstride's comebacks for the day.
The ursan growled again after some prodding from the interpreter.
"Only the leaders know," the interpreter said. "The Matriarch tells him and he goes."
"And that's it?" Razor Beard asked with a sneer. "So much for ursan pride if he has no problem shutting up and working with the Empire."
The ursan roared when the interpreter repeated this, following it up with a series of indignant growls.
"He says the coatl is a tool," the interpreter said with a smile. "The clan will let him have his pony magic, only after he has made his payment."
"Big talk from a pack of mercenaries," Razor Beard said. "You don't have what it takes to make a coatl work for you. He must laugh every time he thinks about it."
When the interpreter repeated those words to it in its tongue, the ursan growled deep, then lunged at Razor Beard. The unicorns strained to keep it in check, and the lances that kept it impaled shook. Still, the bonds held, even if its enormous claws did come within a foot of Razor Beard's face. Seeing its efforts fail, it roared out some words. Flecks of blood and drool struck Rainbow's snout and forelocks. That and the stench of this ursan's breath forced her to turn away briefly.
"He says the coatl has nowhere to go but the Ursinium court, and the only way he can accomplish that is through the clan's approval. The coatl cannot hope to burn this bridge or he will have nothing at all."
"So it does tie with their court," Razor Beard said. "Even if indirectly."
"Wow," Rainbow muttered after wiping her snout. "He spilled all that just because of a taunt? Talk about easy."
"Yes," Longstride replied. "Reminds me of another easily led around idiot."
Rainbow was about to let out a retort when Razor Beard spoke first.
"What a pack of lies," Razor Beard said. "As if Ursinium accepts anything that isn't ursan. I thought I was talking to a warrior, bear, not lying scum."
The ursan roared again. Rainbow was ready with a foreleg to cover her face this time.
"He didn't like that lying remark," the interpreter said.
"I can guess that myself," Razor Beard said. "I can also guess that those first few sentences were just strings of impotent cursing, so get to the useful bits, Legionnaire."
"He says we know nothing of Ursinium's current affairs," the interpreter said. "Dar-Sa-Haf will bring magic to bear in their Extermination Campaigns."
"Dar-Sa-Haf..." Razor Beard's eyes narrowed. "Not Arugek."
"I've heard that name before," interpreter said. "Some big-shot matriarch on the rise in Ursinium's court. Arugek's new favorite whore-bear, probably."
"One who can get these thick-skulled bears to start exploiting magic," Razor Beard said. "Mission's clear then: the coatl needs to die before it presents itself to Ursinium proper." He turned towards Rainbow. "Your mission is Western Legion business now, northern legionnaires. I expect full cooperation."
"Given that we need the Western Legion to assault Willow Manor, we expect the same," Longstride replied.
"Tell us about the clan stationed in the manor, bear!" Razor Beard yelled out behind him. "Is that Dar-Sa-Haf's clan? Is she your matriarch?"
There was only a soft growl, then silence.
"He doesn't want to say anything else, Sir," the interpreter said. "And the blood loss looks to be getting to him."
"Fine," Razor Beard snapped. "Chop his claws off. Let him bleed out."
When one of the lancers pinning the ursan approached with a swooping blade, Rainbow stepped forward. "Hold on," she said. "You said you'd let him kill himself."
"He just screwed his side over by being a prideful hot-head," Razor Beard said. "You think he deserves an honorable death?"
"But--!" Rainbow closed her mouth. The ursan was going to die anyway. It shouldn't really concern her how it did. What Razor Beard said sort of made sense. The ursan was a traitor, even if accidentally. Sad given that it was its own pride over the Ursan cause that tripped it up
The ursan howled and struggled. Not enough to hide the gruesome slicing and squelching noises.
"Let's go to my quarters," Razor Beard said. "You did some scouting, correct? I want to hear what you've found out."
Debriefing was short and curt. Longstride's magic eye powers apparently included memorizing everything they saw or something. Or he just had a good memory. Rainbow had expected him to skip over that other sniper because it was clearly personal, but he had no problem reporting on it. He did skip the part about how they related to each other. Rainbow found herself under a great deal of scrutiny as soon as the business of attacking Willow Manor was out of the way. How did she come upon the spear? Was she related to Sir Yargh? What powers did the spear possess? Could she give the spear over if she wished to?
Rainbow answered as best she could, which didn't help much given how little she knew and what she did know, she wasn't too comfortable sharing. The last question proved the sore sticking point. Razor Beard clearly wanted the spear to stay within the lancers. Rainbow thought so too, but she still held the thing closely.
"What's the matter?" Razor Beard asked, his gaze steely. "Think you're the only one to wield that Western Legion artifact?"
The other lancers in the room stared at Rainbow impassively for the most part save for that clench around their jaws. "Yeah," she said. "I found it, it's mine."
Razor Beard looked like he was going to take a step towards her, but Rainbow matched his gaze and held her ground.
"I seriouly doubt you've even had even basic lancer training," Razor Beard said. "You got very lucky in the last fight, Northern Legionnaire, but even you have to agree that you're under-trained and over your head. You have the attitude. Even I can see that, but you lack weight. Don't you think you should at least start out with a regular lance before moving on to an extremely valuable artifact?"
Rainbow bit her lip, growing all the more aware of not just the stares from all the present legionnaires, but their underestimation. It was like she was back in Flight School for a few moments, being called names and being expected to fail as she often did. Razor Beard did have a point. She could hand it over for a while, train with normal lances, then ask for it back.
"Hey, she's shown how awesome she is with that thing already!" Scarlet snapped. "She doesn't need this put down! I bet she could charge a full-grown dragon and take it down as she is!"
Rainbow winced, suddenly remembering the brachyurus she also thought she was capable of bringing down. A dragon...
"I'm sure that Yargh thought something similar," Razor Beard said. He turned to Longstride. "Ranger, you look to have a more sensible estimation of your friend's lancing."
Rainbow braced herself for another put down.
"That artifact will not function for anypony else," Longstride said. "Legionnaire Rainbow Dash may not seem much at first glance, but she has proven capable in difficult times. The spear clearly thinks so too."
"How can you be sure it can't be used by others?" Razor Beard asked.
"Because, if it was, the Legion would have taken it from Yargh before he was anywhere near stupid enough to charge a dragon," Longstride replied. "They didn't, meaning they had to either trust him to use it well or they were stupid enough not to secure it. The spear functions for Rainbow Dash. It will serve Equestria better than being a Shatterspine trophy."
"Maybe we should try it first," Razor Beard said. He took a step closer to Rainbow. The other lancers weren't so eager.
"Are you really going to test what kind of other defenses this artifact might have?" Longstride asked.
After another moment, Razor Beard merely shrugged and smiled. "Stubborn filly. Try not to end up like Yargh too." He backed away, but Rainbow was quite sure that wasn't going to be his only try.
With that out of the way, the coversation turned towards logistics and planning. The Western Legion had the advantage after repulsing that attack, but fighting ursans that were dug in was a different story. Pushing into the woods, and away from the open sky of South Wind, will limit lancer effectiveness and visibility for the arrays. There was also the coatl itself. The Western Legion rarely dealt with the Empire. Usually it was just a band of slavers or two, or a spy cell. A coatl overlord, even a disgraced one, would prove a unique, and very dangerous, challenge.
"How is he in terms of magical power?" Razor Beard asked.
Scarlet, who had been content to hang out by the back of the room after his initial outburst, stepped forward. "That bastard's got a lot of spells to throw," he growled. "He used to do magic contests back in Nazcatania. He's pretty up there with the best of them."
"Damn...we don't want a repeat of the Deadmarsh Incident, but we can't expect the south to send some rangers at a moment's notice," Razor Beard said.
"Deadmarsh Incident?" Rainbow asked.
"Oh, I know that!" Scarlet replied. "The Western Legion sent some arrays to help the Southern Legion with an operation in Deadmarsh. They got the job done, but a coatl caught them by surprise before they could withdraw."
"All twenty four unicorns died before they could even react," Razor Beard said. "The arrays hit hard, but they need a wind up. A quick-firing coatl will slaughter them up close."
"Hassyth has acquired a pair of eyes that will point his spells at the right targets from great distances," Longstride said. "It will be better to keep the arrays here and rely on maximum range besieging bolts."
"Besieging bolts?" Razor Beard asked with a snort. "With the manor barely visible and thick forest cover? You have a plan, ranger?"
"I will mark the targets," Longstride replied. "Send in your skirmishers to provide us with a distraction. Once the manor is marked, the arrays can pound the manor. With all the destruction, we can assassinate Hassyth."
"Leave it to me!" Scarlet said with a grin; a rather overenthusiastic grin that was halfway into a grimace. He failed to notice the withering stare from Longstride, forcing Rainbow to put a hoof on his shoulder to calm him down a bit.
"Get some rest then, ranger," Razor Beard said. "We'll commence this operation as soon as possible."
The three of them left, Rainbow eager to get a nap in after this incredibly tiring day. Behind her, some of the lancers were talking excitedly.
"First flight to take down a coatl!"
"The flight that rediscovered Yargh's spear!"
"By our Prince, this is a glorious start of an era for Shatterspine!"
That this "glorious start" involved plenty of casualties for Shatterspine was not lost on Rainbow.
"Hey, Rainbow!" Scarlet said once they had moved away from Razor Beard's office. "Think you can lend me that spear for that mission?"
Rainbow frowned, her front hoof instinctively moving to protect her pack. "What? Of course not!"
"Oh, come on!" Scarlet said. He hovered next to her. "This is Hassyth we're talking about! I have to get that killing blow on him!"
He presented such a longing look that Rainbow hesitated. A glance to the pegasus by her other side, not even looking at his face, was enough for her to shake her heard vigorously. "Like that matters!" she snapped. "Haven't you been listening?"
Rainbow paused again when that longing look turned into a defensive jut of his jaw. She let out a long exhale before steeling herself.
"I get it, okay? He was terrible to you since...well, since you were born! But he's a problem to all of us now." Her voice lowered. She suddenly thought back to that moment back in the airship and understood it better. "This spear is for fighting for Equestria...not helping your revenge."
"Pff...fine!" Scarlet snapped. "I'm fine with killing him with my bare hooves. You're really losing your fun side, Rainbow! You're becoming just as stick-in-the-muddy as Longstride!" He flew off towards his resting spot.
"Losing my fun side?" Rainbow snapped. She raised a hoof in a half-hearted attempt to stop him, but knew all too well, that it was impossible to try to catch him. "I'm just trying to better at this Element of Loyalty and legionnaire thing..." With a sigh, she went back to walking on with Longstride.
Finally, after a few more minutes of walking, Longstride spoke up. "You surprised me," he said. "I thought you'd be quick to hand over the responsibility of that spear."
"I hate this thing already," Rainbow muttered. "I like being awesome, but everypony's after something with me now."
"You can hand it over to Flight Shatterspine any time," Longstride said. "None of them will be able to use it, but that would free you of the responsibility. You are already an Element of Harmony. Nopony would blame you if you refused to shoulder more weight."
Rainbow raised an eyebrow. "What? No 'You must live up to that spear's power now' or 'Everypony expects a lot from you and you better deliver' from you?" she asked. "Or maybe you think I can't handle having a super weapon like you?"
"I was trying to say something good about you, you stupid mare," Longstride retorted.
Rainbow snorted, then turned to look at him. The earlier battle hadn't done much to Longstride. Not surprising when he could fight from so far away. Still, he had a worn look about him. Not old or anything, just a weird sense of being tired. He stared back, his eyes spinning lazily. "What is it?" he asked.
"You worked with the Legion as a Thorn, right?" Rainbow asked. "Did you get a bunch of ponies wanting to take your bow?"
"Plenty," Longstride replied. "Camellia attracts the weak and undisciplined like flies: ponies who think that, if they could only have a magical bow, they would be great archers."
"Yeah, except you, huh?" Rainbow remarked. "You deserve your magic bow."
"Says the mare who owns an artifact she just picked off a cave floor," Longstride replied. "Is your line of questioning going anywhere or are you just wasting rest time again?"
"I was going to ask how you dealt with them!" Rainbow snapped.
"No different from what you just did," Longstride said. "You were awkward and hesitant, but that can be blamed on your inexperience with ponies wanting things from you. You answered correctly, Rainbow. At least, I think so."
Rainbow stopped at that, forcing Longstride to do the same. "You really think so?" she asked.
"I did not have the option to refuse Camellia when it was given to me," Longstride said. "However I 'dealt' with it came because I had no choice. You do have a choice with that spear, but you've chosen to carry it anyway, weight and--"
For a moment, Rainbow could have sworn his eyes widened, as if he had surprised himself. "Think nothing of it," he muttered as he moved on. "Ultimately, my thoughts on the matter are irrelevant."
Rainbow found herself having to rub her face to keep from grinning like an idiot. She was beaming inside, but there was no way she was showing it to Longstride.
"Rainbow..."
The renewed seriousness in Longstride's tone helped manage the unbidden smile on Rainbow's face as they resumed walking. "What?" she asked.
"Have you thought of what you're going to do after this mission?" Longstride asked.
"Rainbow let herself grin this time, then patted her pack. "I'm gonna master this new weapon I got!" she said.
Longstride's eyes narrowed. "How lucky you stumbled upon it," he muttered. "What were you planning before you acquired it?"
"What does it matter?" Rainbow asked with a snort. "It's the plan I have now! Besides, why are you asking?"
"After this mission and its complications are settled, I wish to accompany you further."
"Why?" Rainbow asked defensively. "You want to keep me out of trouble because I have this spear?"
"No," Longstride replied. He was silent for a while, leaving the scrunch of their hooves against the snow to fill the void. "You have a very important cause that I have good reason to help see through."
Rainbow strained her ears when she could just hear a ghost of a long exhale from Longstride.
"I also find you good company for what it's worth."
That should have been a moment worthy of mockery or at least a tiny bit of gloating. Longstride didn't allow for a lot of openings and Rainbow had been waiting for such a chance to rub his nose into the fact that she was better than what he expected of her. She opened her mouth, but whatever gloating she had prepared didn't come out. It just didn't feel right saying it now. It was probably because she was tired and didn't want to argue anymore. Yes, that was it. She was so tired that she was feeling a little lightheaded and the upcoming battle left her giddy. "Um..." she said. "Sure. You're pretty okay company too. I guess..."
Longstride merely nodded. Once they reached the house Rainbow staying in, he flapped his wings to leave. "Goodnight," he said.
"Night," Rainbow replied, her tone oddly too subdued for her liking. She watched him fly off to some nearby trees. Being skilled at sleeping among branches herself, Rainbow didn't find that too strange. It just didn't feel right, though, that he stayed so far away from the village and his fellow legionnaires. She didn't get the whole loner thing. What was so good about being alone?
Realizing she was about to call after him and ask him that, Rainbow shook her head and darted inside. Rest, and the chance to clear her head of all these weird things awaited.
The following morning came by too swiftly. Rainbow rubbed her eyes and shook her head. She had gone to bed tired, but somehow stayed awake for too long anyway just staring at the rafters.
'Stupid Longstride,' Rainbow thought. 'He should have just insulted me and gotten it over with. Instead, he had to make it weird...'
The bone thing remained in her pack. She had slept with it still strapped to her, as uncomfortable as it was, out of fear that somepony might try to steal it. Even now, she was hesitant to show it, as if the mere sight of the spear might inspire ponies to do things they wouldn't otherwise. She carried the haft of a spear with her as well. When the time came to fight, she counted on the bone thing to attach itself to one end like before.
Shatterspine was on the move. They probably started at the crack of dawn. Heavy, plate barding gleamed in the morning sun along with polished, steel-tipped lances and curving swooping blades. The lancers were in high spirits, despite the presence of several wagons meant to carry their dead.
The earth pony skirmishers were in a more somber mood. Theirs was less of a glory role. No decisive charge to break the back of an ursan unit, no deadly barrage of powerful spells to scatter the enemy. Yet, they suffered the highest number of casualties yesterday, and everypony expected the same for today. They were the ones that Rainbow's group was going with into the forest.
Then, there were the unicorns, casting minor cantrips with each other to "warm up". They got to hang back, away from the main danger. It would be an enviable spot if Rainbow didn't know that the enemy would be keeping them as a top priority, and that, if the ursans or Hassyth did reach them, it would be a slaughter.
Each group stopped whatever they were doing briefly to look at Rainbow as she passed. She heard some of the whispered and muttered words: "Yargh", "Spear-bearer", "Secret Weapon", "Upstart north legionnaire". It was a relief when she finally spotted Longstride and Scarlet. With a wave, she flew over to them.
"You ready to kill Hassyth?" Scarlet asked with a grin. Rainbow answered with one of her own and a vigorous nod, happy to put that outburst of his behind her.
Next to him, Longstride merely scanned the forest ahead.
"You see anything?" Rainbow asked.
"Yes," Longstride replied. "He's waiting."
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Wonder how the lancers would react to Rainbow being Heartlander and not just from the northern legion.
Has anyone else adjusted as well as Rainbow? She has Hurrican blood in her i tell ya
It’s back!
Hmm, I’m liking the character development with Longstride... and still many mysteries to be solved.
It appears that Longstride is defrosting in terms of personality.
8619830
Wouldn't they already know? It's kind of written all over her butt.
and
Try
Looking good
I like how the relationship between Longstride and Rainbow Dash development from enemies to a strange sort of friendship
8620388
img00.deviantart.net/6df9/i/2013/062/e/4/protect_equestria_by_adalbertus-d5wv5i3.png
If This image is anything to go by, their armor is always covering their Cutie Marks.
I must say I love the world you have build here.
8619899
Something I’ve actually always sort of wondered was if the mane six were the descendants of the six companions, both in the main show and now especially in this. I mean, Clover was purple in this wasn’t she?
Originally I actually thought they could have straight up reincarnations, and that as the elements of Harmony they were redeeming the sins of their pst lives. But with the six ghosts in the abyss, I can say that that theory is down the drain.