Dim ancestry

by Arto

Prologue, Part 2: A prelude to descent

The city of Trottingham. A strategically important position, once home to twenty thousand ponies. Now, a theater of war for two armies. Taking it would mean unlocking a way straight into the griffon capital city. Before the main assault was launched, a number of infiltration teams were sent to scout out enemy positions and cripple the chain of command.
The Night Company was to be the first to land in hostile territory.

Starshield was standing right next to the door, ready to breach.
"Team two in position" a voice came out of the comm device.
"Get in on my signal. Keep it quiet." he whispered. "Three... two... one... go!"
He opened the door and went in, stepping lightly on his hooves. Sergeant major followed behind him. A griffon was looking out the window, unaware of the two pegasi. The captain gave Tempest a sign to wait, as he approached the guard. When he was right behind him, he extended his hoof blade and slit the soldier's throat.
"Sweet dreams."
The duo continued to go deeper into the building, ascending a set of stairs. There they encountered two more guards, they were probably getting close to the officer's quarters. Both ponies took up positions on the sides of the door. Starshield took out a single bit and threw it on the other side of the room. The griffons moved towards the source of the sound to investigate, and when both entered the room, the pegasi approached them without a sound. Starshield and Tempest worked in perfect synchronization, breaking the necks of both guards at the same time. They dragged the bodies aside and quickly advanced through the now empty corridor. Tempest put his ear to the door, listening closely.
"They're here." he whispered. "We're going in quiet, or we're going in hard?"
"Keep it quiet. There may still be guards on the ground floor. We don't want to cause trouble for team two."
The purple pony nodded. He opened the door slowly, looking inside.
There were three griffons, one of them bearing a lieutenant's insignia. They were leaning down on a table, studying what seemed to be a map of Seaddle. The Lunar Guards entered the room slowly, when one of the griffons turned around. Before he could let out a sound, a throwing blade pierced his throat. The other two turned back in panic, but the ponies were faster. Starshield smacked the officer's head on the table, letting out a loud thump, while Tempest stabbed the other soldier in the chest. The azure pony whispered something to the griffon lieutenant and ended his life, splattering blood over the map. A few seconds passed, the duo silently letting the adrenaline go out, when a voice came out of the radio.
"Team one, this is team two. Ground floor is clear. Orders?"
"Wait down there, we'll join you in a moment. We have half an hour till dawn, that's when our main forces strike the city."

-----------------------

He was just lying in the grass on a hill overlooking the town beneath. They had two more days until the company would be relocated to the frontline again, so he figured he could take some time off. He enjoyed each occasion to take the armor off. the blue stallion just staring into the sky. He was about to fade off into daydreams, when a voice coming from behind got him away from his thoughts.
"I knew I'd find you here."
He could probably recognize this voice during a Gala.
"No running away from you Shade, eh?"
"Someone has to keep an eye on you." the gray pegasus smiled at him.
"Well, I guess there's room for two in here."
The mare gently lied down beside him. The way she moved, how her black mane waved on the wind, it all made his mind drift away a little.
"I have to admit, you know where to find a nice view." she turned her head towards him. "It's beautiful here this time of the year, isn't it?"
"It is. I used to spend holidays here when I was younger."
"I'll have to come here when the war's over. Talking about that, what will you do after this ends?"
That hit him like a falling rock.
He never thought what to do when he'd come back home. Since he was eighteen, all there was for him was the military. The perspective of coming back to normal life... He just didn't know.
"I... don't really have any plans."
"Now, that is a surprise. Our great tactical genius doesn't have a plan." she had a mocking smile on her face.
"I don't want to give you that cliche stuff about a nice home and garden."
"Well, it does actually sound nice." she put her head on Starshield's shoulder. "Though, I don't think you could just spend the rest of your life like that. Not you."
"You really can read my mind, Shade. How come you're not a unicorn?"

-----------------------

It was already two hours into the assault. The griffons knew what was at stake, and they were fighting fiercely. The Equestrian forces were making slow, but steady progress.
Starshield's company was split into four groups, making their way deeper into the city, street by street. The group led by the captain himself just took over the Trottingham steel factory, along with a group of unicorns that were to dig in at the site, when a panicked voice came through the radio.
"This is Checkmate 7! We're taking heavy losses at the City Hall! Requesting immediate support! I repeat, requesting immediate support!"
"This is Checkmate 1, we're on our way! Hang in there!" Starshield responded. "We're moving out, GO GO GO!"
Twenty five pegasi flew into the air in one moment. The Night Company was well known for it's speed in combat, and with their friends in danger, it made them even faster. Everypony flew in a perfect formation, flying between the buildings without any room for mistakes.
The group encountered a griffon air patrol on their way, resulting in a short skirmish between the parties. The patrol was outnumbered, retreating after losing two soldiers. The pegasi platoon continued their flight to the City Hall, and saw both sides resuming engagement just as they descended.
There, Starshield saw something that almost made him fall to the ground.
A gray pegasi, lying on the floor, red spilling around her. He landed next to her, ignoring the war around him. He didn't even know when he started to cry. He embraced her, as if he hoped that the warmth would bring her life back. His consciousness started to fade away, as if something deep inside was taking over.
Tempest, along with the rest of the platoon, was trying to hold back the assaulting griffons. In a single moment, he saw Starshield fly by with the corner of his eye. The captain was moving at an insane speed, Tempest could've sworn he could hear a supersonic crack. The azure pony threw himself right into the heat of the battle. Sergeant major has seen him fighting many times before, but this was beyond anything he had seen. Each move was another attack, the pegasi striking every griffon he could reach. The captain was moving through the enemy lines like the reaper himself. What was even more shocking, he came out of it all without a single scratch.
The next thing Starshield knew, he was standing in the middle of the battlefield, his hooves covered in blood. Tears were rolling down from his eyes. He didn't remember what happened while he lost his consciousness... Only a distorted voice, one that he couldn't understand, yet it felt so familiar... Was it calling him? Everything felt so cold... And then... laughing?
"Captain?" It was Tempest calling him.
"Leave me... Just... g-go away."

Comments

[Pieróg]

I totally luv it

[piepeace]

hay whens the next chapter coming