Crossing an ocean with a flight of dragons was an interesting experience. They had far more stamina than any pegasus and rarely needed to stop. Typically, when they did so it was because we’d found a small landmass.
Small was relative, of course, since everything seemed insignificant in comparison to the dragons Ragnhild had selected. They were the largest and strongest. Probably from her first brood, as dragons get bigger with age from the day they’re born to the day they die.
Less informed ponies believe that their growth is tied to their greed. That’s an old mare’s tale, though. They just never stop growing and the longer they survive, the bigger they get, and the bigger their hoard gets, too.
As an example, Ragnhild was larger than the Reciprocity. Her children were its match. It was an impressive force to be at the head of. It also made the crew nervous. They spent a lot of time looking back, as if imagining that at any moment the dragons might attack. They wouldn’t, however. We had a bargain and I believed very strongly that Ragnhild was not going to betray it.
I’d also come to learn that outside of negotiations, Ragnhild was fairly easy to talk to. That is to say as long as it was clear neither of us was trying to get something from the other. It was nice since, at this point, I seemed to have more in common with her than the ponies crewing the Reciprocity. They kept their distance from me.
On our second day of travel, we’d come to a stop on an island no bigger than the Canterlot palace grounds. The dragons were taking turns resting while the others circled above. With some help from a couple flighted members of the crew, I’d managed to get down from the ship to look around.
There wasn’t really much to see. A small amount of tropical trees and plants, a lot of beach, and bright blue water. It reminded me of Colton Head Island. That was a good memory. When I got back, I’d take Crystal back there and figure out some way to pick her up and fly her over the water again. Later, though… focus now.
Ragnhild was laying in the surf directly off the beach, looking very much like her own island. I trotted down the sand to address her. “We’ll be reaching Nordanver soon.”
“Yes, I have been there once or twice before. Long ago, I chose not to stay, as I prefer ponies to gryphons.”
“Why is that?”
“Ponies are less likely to renege on their bargains which means I do not have to spend much time demonstrating the consequences of betrayal.”
A shiver ran down my spine. The casualness by which she spoke was frightening. The consequences of betrayal were likely death. At least it would come swiftly. Dragons were reasonable creatures… until you cheated them. Then they were one of the most dangerous forces to be reckoned with.
“Tell me, Dread Knight, are you so important that you do not do your own flying any longer? Those ponies brought you down to address me. Is that meant as a show of power?”
Beneath my visor my nose scrunched. Another reminder of my impairment. Still, our bargain had already been made; I suppose there was no harm in revealing this. Plus, I didn’t want the matron to think I was posturing.
I turned my side to her and pulled the campaign cloak free, revealing the shattered wing. “I was wounded in battle. My wings can’t keep me aloft when armored. Even without it, I fly poorly now.”
Ragnhild craned her neck, her massive head coming close to peer directly at it. “I see. That is a pity. You will be less valuable as a protector, but I did not ask your capabilities as part of our bargain. How will you lead us into battle?”
Less valuable… The hairs of my coat stood on end as I forced an even tone. Snapping at her would do no good. “That was a topic I sought to broach with you a bit later. There is a small and fast airship I might be able to commandeer, if we arrive in time and I can find it. In truth, it would be easier if you and I fought as one.”
The mighty dragon’s head shot up. “You want to ride me into battle?”
“No, Matron. I seek passage on your back so that we may coordinate effectively.”
“So you wish to ride me into battle.”
“Yes.”
She snorted. “No, absolutely not. I will carry you in my claw.”
The idea of being carried like a ragdoll filled me with great concern. “Matron, I am not seeking to get some sort of leverage on you. If I am in your claw, you will limit your fighting capabilities and, to be honest, I couldn’t hold onto you. At least on your back, I could have some control of my fate.”
Ragnhild rocked to the side, sending small waves up onto the beach and soaking my hooves. “I do not like it… but I will accept it since you have been an honorable pony, regardless of what you call yourself. Know that should you show bravado, I will buck you free and leave you to gravity’s care.”
“Agreed.”
“Then you may be carried on my back. Now, answer a question for me since I have agreed to your request.”
I nodded. “If I can.”
“How was it you were aware that I knew Nimbus Knight?”
My brow arched. “To be perfectly honest, I wasn’t certain. I only knew that Nimbus Knight was personally known to Nocturna the Mentor. I also knew that you and she were close. It seemed likely that you would at least know of a knight so close to her.”
Ragnhild grinned. It was an affectionate grin, but the insanely sharp fangs made it seem all the more intimidating. “Well played. Yes, I knew Nimbus Knight, as did your mistress. He was an honest, humble knight. There were many great trials in his life that could have left him broken, but he always pushed on.
“In the end, he retired with a beautiful female and had two sons and seven daughters. All of which served your mistress well, though none better than his daughter Moonlit Star.”
Moonlit Star? The Moonlit Star? Luna’s would-have-been mentor? “Matron, you know an awful lot about these ponies. May I know how that is?”
Ragnhild nodded. “You may. Your mistress was very kind to me in my youth. As we grew, so too did our bonds of friendship, so much so that we often walked amongst each other’s broods. Though back then, this was possible because I was far, far smaller. In fact, the last time I saw Nimbus Knight, I was barely twice his height.”
This was fascinating. Ancient timelines were tough to piece together. A common pony expression was ‘a thousand years ago,’ which really just meant so far in the past nopony could remember it and records were weak. Dragons may have different methods of timekeeping.
“Matron, who was older: you or Nocturna?”
“Nocturna by far. She was the oldest alicorn that had ever been. At least until your current one. To my knowledge, no other alicorn has ever been so long for this world. They differ from dragons in that way. Alicorns tend to move on so that another may rule. Dragons stay until we are forced from our position.”
“I see…” A hundred different thoughts swirled in my mind. Ragnhild was there. I could ask her anything. Moonlit Star was my distant cousin to the extreme. Still, we were from the same line. Had it all started with Nimbus? Ponies in service to the House of the Night for centuries? Before I could ask, Ragnhild interrupted my thoughts.
“We must go; my brood has rested.” Without warning, she reached out and took me in her claw. I went rigid. “Fear not, Dread Knight, I will not harm you.”
She flapped her wings and rose easily into the sky. With a gentleness I did not expect, she set me on the command deck of the Reciprocity before turning and heading off on our course.
Captain Bore stared at me with wide eyes. “Are you okay, Major?”
My hooves wouldn’t move. I was just standing at a perfect attention. If somepony had pushed me, I’d have fallen over like a fainting goat. Once I found my voice, I replied, “Doing fine. Just fine. Everything is fine. Set course, Captain.”
“Aye!”
☾
We arrived in the Rindaire province on the dawn of the sixth day. I’d kept the ship and the flight at the maximum altitude possible to reduce our chances of detection. Who knew if King Kronson still had spies behind our lines? As the sun peeked over the horizon, I shifted my attention to the captain.
“Captain Bore, I need you to steam at full speed and let General Ironhoof know I was successful. Have him delay the main assault and be sure to stress that he must keep our forces back.”
Tidal Bore nodded at me. “And where will you be, Major?”
I motioned off to the side where Ragnhild lazily flew. “On her back.”
“Major, you be a crazy pony. Best of luck to ya, an’ may the seaponies be on yer side.”
“Seaponies?”
“I don’t know, it seemed mystical. Tough to compete with a flight o’ dragons. Good luck!”
“Thanks,” I replied with a chuckle before trotting to the rail. My wings extended out as wide as they could. Luna, please let this dragon catch me. Then I hopped off the Reciprocity as it streaked across the sky.
The wind hit me and felt amazing. I flapped to catch the current but my shattered wing just didn’t work right. Instead, I sailed downwards like a rock. Ragnhild swooped below me and I landed heavily on her back.
“You are larger than Nimbus Knight,” she commented idly.
“Thank you? Are you and your warriors ready, Matron?”
“We are. Are you certain this is the bargain you wish to make? Once we begin, there is no turning back. This cannot be undone.”
Was it? Yes. Yes, to get home to Crystal. To saves the lives of those closest to me.
“The bargain is made. It is time to punish King Kronson’s brood.”
“So be it, Knight of the Moon!” Ragnhild thundered before pumping her wings and driving herself forwards. We weren’t as fast as the Reciprocity, but we’d make a far more meaningful entrance.
Along her wingspan, each warrior fell into place, slowly building out a very large V formation. There were no instructions, no orders; they just did it.
Within a couple of hours, the dragons had crossed a huge expanse of land and the border citadel was visible, stretching along the whole opening of the valley. The walls, keeps, and towers loomed in the distance.
The allied forces of Nordanver and Equestria were far closer to us. The general had held them back as requested and it seemed we’d made it just in time.
“Hold tight to me, Dread Knight, for we shall lead this attack,” Ragnhild rumbled. Once more, she pumped her wings and flew higher into the clouds. When the citadel below looked like little more than a model, she tipped forwards and dove.
The wind whipped past me as I clung to her scales. Each second that passed put us closer and closer to the Sudramoar forces. Some of them finally seemed to notice the massive shadows baring down on the fortifications and started scrambling.
Crossbows were being aimed, bolt throwers were being adjusted, and many of the gryphons were ducking behind shields or into the towers.
Ragnhild roared. It was a massive, powerful bellow that hit me at some primal level. I clung to her, unable to move. My eyes fixed forwards and it seemed many of our adversaries were likely stunned.
Eventually, some broke free and the bolts started streaming past us. I had little doubt that many struck Ragnhild because she made absolutely no effort to dodge them. If they made any sort of impact, however, it didn’t register. When we were close, I felt her inhale deeply, expanding out her chest. Then it started.
The ancient obsidian breathed out and a wave of dark miasma streamed forth from her maw. It hit the top of the citadel and spread out like a vicious fog. It blasted into barred windows, shot through the cracks beneath the doors, and the shields held by the Sudramoar were useless.
That was one of the things that made obsidian dragons so fierce: they didn’t breathe fire. Hiding from their breath was next to impossible. It was like trying to avoid a smell.
All of the gryphons in the cloud started coughing. Frantically, they clasped at their necks or tried to hold their breath as if they were being strangled. Panic overtook them briefly, but then they died… and I had a front row seat.
Ragnhild pulled up and started for the heavens. I looked back, my eyes fixed to the carnage. The obsidian warriors were mimicking their matron all along the vast fortification. On each pass, they breathed their clouds, filled the area, and dispatched my enemies.
Whatever resistance that may have been put up was long gone now. The Sudramoar were trying desperately to escape. Those that flew up were often caught by dragon maw or claw. Those that tried to retreat failed to escape the speed at which the clouds caught up to them or before another wave of dragons breathed on them.
The matron wheeled and swooped in for a second pass. Her chest expanded again before she filled the entire area behind the main keep with a thick fog. She then turned sharply and landed on the roof of the nearest tower, crushing the heavy bolt thrower there.
While holding onto the rampart, she started to flap her wings, moving the air and forcing the cloud to follow the retreating soldiers. All around us, obsidian dragons dove in and out, using their most potent breath against a force that couldn’t have ever been ready for it.
All of this because I’d made a deal. Yes, to save many. And to kill how many?
I looked around me. There were bodies everywhere. Hundreds… probably thousands. I wasn't able to see the whole line given how long it was. There was no movement. The miasma had gotten everywhere. There was no stopping it. How long had this even taken? Five minutes? Ten?
There was no great battle, no honorable combat; just a massacre. No wounded, just dead. These poor soldiers never stood a chance. I could hear my armor rattling as my body started to shake. “Matron… I think we’re done. Please, we’re done.”
Ragnhild’s wings stopped flapping and she looked back to me. “You are satisfied? We can pursue those that escaped. Our bargain was to destroy the enemy.”
“No! I mean… no, let them go. They’ll tell their leaders what happened here and that will be far more effective.” I couldn’t stand the thought of anymore blood on my hooves. “Would you do me the kindness of dropping me off with my army before taking your leave?”
“I shall. Do not approach this place for at least a day and, should the winds change, fall back,” she warned before tilting her head up and roaring once more. It was painfully loud and echoed off the valley’s walls. Fear and dread filled me again. What were we compared to these creatures?
All of the other dragons immediately stopped what they were doing and flew to Ragnhild’s side. They landed in the bailey, seemingly oblivious to the deadly cloud and hoard of corpses.
“You have done well, children; our bargain is complete. Take your rest while I return Dread Knight to his brood.”
All of the dragons bowed their heads. Most of them were littered with crossbow bolts sticking out from their tough hides and scales. None of them looked seriously or even mildly injured though. The worst I saw was one with a bolt thrower bolt through their right wing. I imagined she… maybe he would heal. It hadn’t stopped flight.
Ragnhild took off and flew the short distance to our camp. She seemed to recognize what the command tent was and landed outside it. As she did, ponies and gryphons scattered out of the way.
The rest there seemed paralyzed with fear. I was pretty shaky myself, but I tried not to show it as I hopped down. There was a little more left to do before this horrible business was concluded.
I looked up to the great dragon and said loudly, “Ragnhild, Matron of the Obsidian, our bargain is complete. I thank you for lending me your might.”
“Dread Knight, Knight of the Moon, may you heal fast and remember your part of the bargain. I should like to see you again.” Then she pumped her wings and left, her brood following after her.
I stood alone in the center of the camp, all of the ponies and gryphons were staring at me. Their faces held a mix of confusion, fear, relief, and horror. It was a painful experience. One that took all of my effort not gallop away from.
General Ironhoof approached with Brigadier Hammer in tow. I stood to attention, fighting the urge to shake and collapse.
“You did it…” the general said breathlessly.
“Yes, sir.”
“How?”
I shook my head. “That is between the matron and myself, sir. Equestria is not party to it.”
“I don’t… alright. Can we begin our assault?”
“No, sir, not until tomorrow and I suggest moving the army back. Should the winds change we might be undone by our own plan. The citadel is empty. They’re all dead and I highly doubt they’ll ever be back.” The casualness by which the words fell from my mouth sickened me.
Brigadier Hammer asked, “What? All dead? Major, there was an army there. Thous—“ I winced. I couldn’t help it. Hammer saw it, too. His tone dropped. “I see. It’s okay. Thank you.”
Thank you… thank you for killing everyone. The back of my mouth tasted of bile. “General, I’ll write a report for you but, if I may, I’d like to retire. I’ve been in motion for six days and I’m exhausted.”
General Ironhoof just blinked. “Yes… of course. Dismissed.”
I saluted and started to trot to where the Black Dragoon banner was. It was a bit blurry beneath my visor. Tears were making it harder to see. It would be a good place to hide. My lancers would have a tent for me. My stomach churned worse as the images of the dead started to come back to me.
All along my path were allied soldiers just looking. None cheered, none spoke to me… they just looked. The stares started to cut through my armor. Keep your head up, just for a little while longer.
The sound of hooves moving quickly from behind caught my attention. A merciful distraction. It wasn’t long before Grey Maelstrom was at my side.
“Are you okay?” she whispered.
“I did what was necessary.”
“I don’t disagree, but are you okay?”
I shook my head no. “Going to be sick.”
“Okay, that’s okay. I’ll get a bucket and meet you in your tent.”
“Yup,” was all I managed before trotting faster towards the dragoons. Ponies everywhere were staring at me… probably wondering how I could do something so awful. How could I be a monster like this? This was war! This is what happened in war! This is what it takes to go home.
All of my dragoons stood when I arrived. They didn’t look at me like a monster, at least. No, they were sharing looks of concern and pity. “Sir…” Captain Brynja started but I held up a hoof.
“Need a minute, please.”
“Yes, sir.”
I ducked into my tent and tossed my helmet off before collapsing onto the floor. By the moon, I’d killed them all. I’d had to put monster against monster to save everyone and I’d done it. Kronson killed thousands for resources. I’d done it just to go home to my wife.
What would she think of me? Could she even take a pony like that back? Crystal, please… forgive me.
The Sudramoar are the ones who started this whole thing, and while these soldiers were just following orders from their greedy king, you have to admit that nothing would end unless Nordanver ended this fight. Hopefully they'll be able to not only use this opening to take the fight back to the Sudramoar, but perhaps even use those stone walls for their own protection in the future.
This chapter, so deliciously dark, Dread Knight I hope this was worth it, Silent Knight I hope Luna cures your nightmares.
Well, this has some rather dark parallels. As someone who's studied history and read up on quite a lot of wars, I can see the logistics, but that was a rather heavy decision. I hesitate to say this, but I'm rather glad you chose to portray Silent's reaction that way at the end. It shows quite a bit of who he is and who he tried to bury deep beneath the mask of Dread Knight.
Its war though, you do what is neccesary to ensure your own survival. I feel that its pretty bad of the other ponies too look at Silent like he is some kind of monster. Without him many of them would have probably have died, and now they didnt have to lift a hoof to make the war stop.
I feel that you can compare this to what USA did agains Japan during World War 2, they dropped two nuclear bombs with massive damage wich injuried and killed both enemy soldiers and civilians, but they did it to ensure the survival of their own soliders agains an enemy that wouldnt surrender otherwise.
7342291 nailed it
7342547 Exactly. War is terrible, but at times needed. North Kingdom never asked for this war, neither did Equestria. the South Kingdom did. The blood is on Krongson's claws.
Last I knew a standard invasion of the Japanese islands would have been 1 million deaths on the allies side. ONE MILLION and that's a conservative estimate. And not including deaths on the other side. Heck even after the bombs fell parts of the japanese miltary STILL wanted to fight. It took the Emporer to have Japan to surrender.
With this act SK has saved more lives on both sides then any other move they could be made.
Well. That was a thing. This is going to change international politics a lot. People are going to assume that Equestria has acces to a WMD in the form of the dragons, unaware of the true nature of the bargain. I can see other nations trying to court other dragon flights as a counter, which brings it own share of troubles, as most of them won't know the rules Silent made use of. Not to mention that other (younger) dragon matriarchs (or patriarch?) might get a tad hotheaded. This is going to have long lasting repercussions on the level of the reveal of the atomic bomb.
:puts aside his wine, taking in deep, solemn breaths: How... delightful. How exquisite. How delicious... :his lips quiver: I hunger and thirst for drama, for pain and anguish... :a chuckle escapes him: ... this... by the Moon... this... this is a riveting feeling... m-more... more! :he falls into a deep, dark laughter: More, Silent Knight! Give me more!
I see what you did there.
I'm pretty sure that this is going to come back to haunt Silent Knight. Literally committing a war crime, by our consideration of things.
oh god this chapter. It was darker than i anticipated but I feel you portrayed Silent's feelings very well.
keep up the good work.
Heh.
Ooo, now there's some interesting bits of backstory. And wow did Nimbus have a lot of kids. His beautiful wife was the real hero, that's more than eight years of pregnancy assuming no twins, triplets, etc.
Oh my god. Say hello to chemical warfare, against an enemy that didn't have anything prepared to stop it and delivered by a force that can range as far as tactically or strategically needed. Unless Kronson has a miracle in a can somewhere, I can't quite imagine this turning into anything other than a complete strategic defeat for him at this point. For all he knows, the dragons could fly to his capital city next.
This is not a particularly harmonious thought, but I think the Harmony was just paid for, probably tenfold or more.
And that emotional toll on Silent from this action. Darkness corrupted Dread Knight as the final Trial of the story?
You know, what I find the saddest is that Crystal will likely forgive him simply because she could never comprehend the scale of what he did. It's one thing to hear about, very much another to bear witness too. In that sense, is it possible for him to be forgiven? What does forgiveness mean when those who would forgive you cannot grasp the true magnitude of your infraction?
For what it's worth, comparisons to WWII Japan aren't exactly all that sound. This citadel was about as purely a military target as it gets.
It's more akin to WWI chemical warfare.
I kind of wonder what Crystal's reaction will be to the promise of their line's pact with the dragons. -- Then I was reminded that he redid the bargain, so that point doesn't matter at all. lolz But it would have been interesting.
Another swag chapter, Anzel.
7342697 To be fair to Silent, what we consider to be war crimes started out as just a new strategy against the enemy. Something else to consider; Dragons are a sapient race, so you can't declare THEM or their biology to be crimes against -whatever- because of their need to defend themselves or desire to help their friends.
This... This is the true horror of war... It's not the massacre itself, but what drove it.... Many lives were saved for just as many needless loses. There was so much pointless destruction because one king wouldn't call it quits, and in the end Silent's going to be called the monster when what he did probably saved more lives than was lost in that one fell swoop.
Sudramoar gryphons be like
media.giphy.com/media/8P8u3gh2OJqog/giphy.gif
Thank you, Anzel, for showing the dark repercussions of righteous vengeance. The idea "I don't start fights; I finish them" is all fine and dandy when you're not worried about moral quandaries.
7342831
Frontline fighters are actually only part of any major military formation and we're talking about an installation here, new though it is. There are likely cooks, smiths, tailors, masons, and all kinds of other less-than-combatants around who could not escape despite being on the periphery of the engagement area or even in a "safe" location. Armies need a lot of associated labor so, throughout history, armies tended to be chock-full of non-soldiers who hung back for the actual fight. Heck, I've heard that families traveling with soldiers was generally the way of things.
Silent had all of them nuked.
7342517 at what point do they go from being defenders to attackers. While Silent made a bargin to reach this point after this it will go back to fighting the hard way the only benefit is how many soldiers does the other side have left and how well are they trained
7342729 considering this is how Obsidian dragons hunt/ fight I can't imagine somewhere there isn't defenses against them but you have to know they are coming
Though it is damning to reduce the loss of lives into matters of arithmetic, the loss of several thousand lives at this battle may well have averted the loss of hundreds of thousands in later battles.
Oh. Mai. Gawd. I knew this was gonna be good, but hot dang. That was awesome. <queue maniacal laugh>
7342992
Considering the level of technology present, airtight structures and suits are several centuries away, so the only defense would be shield spells or maybe magi-tech shield generators if they exist. Even then, you would likely trap yourself in the miasma until you use all your air and suffocate.
7343117 Ponies in the show had hazmat suits? But they probably used filtered air instead of bottled air, so they might not work. Activated charcoal probably doesn't do the trick against Obsidian Breath.
7342547 Well, John the Baptist after torturing a thief
Looks up at his hero the Commander-in-Chief
Saying, “Tell me great hero, but please make it brief Is there a hole for me to get sick in?”
The Commander-in-Chief answers him while chasing a fly
Saying, “Death to all those who would whimper and cry”
And dropping a barbell he points to the sky
Saying, “The sun’s not yellow it’s chicken!"
7342601 We're all sons of Chrysalis now.
OUT FUCKING STANDING!
Excellent work.
Well. That was... interesting. A true show of power using what was effectively a WMD of sorts (a chemical one I believe). Great chapter, looking forward to more.
7343117 Is the miasma danergerious contact or breathed in. Breathed in are solutions have been for a long time
Ouch. Well that'll add to the reasons why Silent Knight refuses to go to sleep at night when he gets back. Up side is he now has a legitimate reason for being crazy. Guys gunna need ALL the help to be able to function after this.
7342697
SK's actions were horrible, and necessary, but in no way a war crime. It was a direct attack on a valid military target. Any civilians or non-combatants that were killed in the attack were collateral damage. Their death's were not the intended purpose of the attack. It was not an attack on civilian non combatants. It was not an act against his own forces code of military justice. It was not banned by international treaties or agreements. (Well, okay, I'm assuming on those last two.) It was a (successful) act of war. And those are perfectly legal when one is at war.
You may argue that war itself is a crime. Though if you try to arrest your own soldiers and generals, you may find your neighbors are not so morally squeamish. But I get very tired of seeing every horrible event or occurrence in battle labeled a 'war crime.' You are, quite literally, devaluing the meaning of the word.
7343069
Actually, your description of the effects of a nuclear weapon is horribly inaccurate.
Everyone in the blast radius does not just 'die' or 'evaporate.' Preceding the blast wave is thermal pulse... A massive wave of infrared radiation propagating ahead of fireball at the speed of light. That whole 'duck and cover' thing from the 50s and 60s? Not bad advice. It takes a few seconds before the fireball starts throwing off that much heat, which means you have a few seconds to put something between you and ground zero.
If you're out in the open? I hope you enjoy third degree burns across all your exposed skin. With your unexposed skin likely to follow, since your clothes will then be on fire. And quite likely your surroundings as well... Screaming and on fire doesn't strike me as a great deal more pleasant than an instant case of pneumonia due to inhaling blistering agent or simply asphyxiating.
Of course, the blast wave will be their soon to put you out of your misery. Assuming your close enough to the blast of course. There's nothing magical about nuclear weapons. The blast wave is more powerful up close and covers a larger area than a conventional bomb... But it has the same effects. Tossing things around. Knocking down buildings. Causing massive internal injuries. People can survive all of that... At least briefly. But it's unlikely to be a pleasant briefly...
But hey, maybe you were a goodly distance away from ground zero, in the shadow of a building, and looking the other way! So, you're not blind, on fire, or a mewling mass of torn flesh and broken bones waiting to die! Congratulations!
Now you just need to find a place to hide out for a few days with at least three feet of dirt or concrete between you and the outside world... Otherwise you're going to get to experience the wonderful world of acute radiation poisoning! But don't worry, even a few hundred REM is survivable with prompt medical attention! Which... You're unlikely to be receiving, what with all the local infrastructure being on fire and there being thousands of people in the exact same situation as you, and not enough medical capacity for a fraction of them...
Yeah, I'm going to have to go with poison gas on this one. More easily defended against, has a small area of effect, less long term damage, and generally more humane.
(I think I'll try to avoid having either dropped on me, mind you.... )
I wonder what new and wonderful weapons Sudroamar will employ after this. My moneys on mustard gas or equivalent.
7342265
He doesn't need to be knighted, or at least have some kind of Luna's approval? Well, then I'm really looking forward, how she will react to this.
It may be wildly different for other folks reading this chapter, but the whole thing to me had this eerie quietness to it. No fanfare, no spear rattling, just a soft whooshing hiss as the army was lain low in one sweep. The soundless reception that SK got on return, too, added to it. Very sobering, very somber. Very done. This chapter had a very different flavor to it than the ones depicting combat before. I've loved all the chapters so far, and this one goes right on that list, too.
Why? Oh, Silent Knight, why? Why would you make such a terrible and fell decision? Why would you kill so many?
The answer, of course, is as obvious as it is simple: So that others don't have to.
No matter what he does, he is at his heart what he always has been: A paladin.
A well played strategy on Silent Knight's part. Although, that strategy came with a very heavy cost that SK will be paying physically and mentally. I hope it was all worth it in the end. I'm not so sure there is much left of SK after that.
While I know this story will be the end of the trilogy, I do hope to see at least one more story of SK and Crystal after all this. His psychological damage will be more than enough for another story or three.
I feel really sorry for SK, as his problems are only going to get worse when he gets home. Shell shock is some serious shit.
7343607 While there was a League treaty to that effect, the failure of any side to use poison gas in WWII probably had more to do with the exceedingly dubious tactical value of poison gas in the then-modern environment. Fighting that went on around and behind field entrenchments, and interwar engineering advances in air filtering and overpressuring bunkers meant that the strong points of gasses were largely irrelevant. The Americans mostly preferred to use napalm and firethrowers in situations that a generation previously would have called for gasses.
Mind you, every army had attached chemical weapons units which generally got broken up to refill combat losses, or used as light artillery instead of their ToE designation. The only chemical incident I'm aware of was when a German air raid accidentally hit an Army-level mustard gas depot in Bari, causing a couple hundred casualties.
The way I see it, Silent... don't really need to bear the brunt to the guilt. Its not truly his fault that events have led up to this point, He was merely a component of a large chain of events that happened. He killed Alistair as the result of Alistair and the sudramoar gryphons attack on Luna and saber rattling, thus the war ended up coming into being, Those gryphons were, I suppose it could be said, were fated to be on that wall. Their deaths are not the result of his actions so to speak, but the fact that he is just an instrument of fates will for their times to end at that point and place in time, be it by Dragonic Miasma or Pony assault. As for Crystal.. Im sure she understands that war is atrocious, there's always atrocities that are tied with it and people, or in this case ponies, well, someone has to do it. I am under the assumption she would be able to make peace with it, though it will take time for her to. Basicly, he played the math, Thousands of gryphons and a garenteed victory? or thousands of gryphons and thousands of his forces mixed in, and not even a garentee at winning. Although to be fair I do feel for Silent, making a decision like that should never be simple or easy.
Marvelous chapter, simply the only way to put it. Such a way to end a war. A few thoughts on the matter.
First, it's not a war crime because Equestria and the North just won the war. Winners don't get charged with war crimes. The only real rule on the battlefield is to win. Anything else is secondary.
Second I'm confused that some people are shocked or horrified by Silient's actions. The thousands dead here are but a small fraction of the casualties from this war. What difference does it make if those are all killed in one strike or if they are killed over the lengths of several days battle? Why is it more tolerable to kill on an individual basis but wholesale is frowned upon. Is bleeding out from a wound more humane than a few seconds of suffocation?
The goal in war to to kill the enemy. If a soldier can kill one opponent, it is their duty to do so. If they can kill a thousand then it is a thousand times more so. Soldiers are equipped with the most efficient methods to kill and they are trained in the most effective techniques to kill. They should not be criticized for success.
That is all.
7342852 I'm looking at it from the standpoint of humanity.
7343419 From a human standpoint, we have rules on weapons that inflict horrific and inhumane injury. We have rules about using gas weapons and lasers for a reason. The horrific way it kills or maims is so inhumane that we all agreed that we wouldn't even inflict that on our enemies. I'm not saying that Silent Knights actions were not necessary, and that his actions didn't save lives in the long run, but that doesn't make it GOOD, either. He did a pretty horrific thing for a good reason. It's not supposed to be a black and white answer, here. From a human standpoint, he's committing war crimes. America did it too, dropping nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We won, so we weren't persecuted, but we also realized how horrific it was, and we've spent energy ever since to make sure it never happens again.
Just because it was war and war is hell is doesn't mean that we have to act like devils to one-another. Silent Knight crossed a line of morality. He knows it, too. Look how he reacts. He would do it all over again, because he's playing the long game, but it's still a terrible thing.
To be honest, I was actually expecting the dragons to completely demolish that blockade of a structure, not actually poison its defenders to death. I sure hope that Luna won't be too harsh Silent for what he helped contribute. And as for Crystal, I doubt she would ever stop loving Silent despite what he did in saving the lives of his fellow soldiers in this chapter. After all, as his wife, Crystal is suppose to help her husband overcome that kind of severe trauma.
7343875 Agreed. I'm also faithful that Crystal would still accept and love Silent no matter what he desperate measures he took to help win and conclude the war.
7344036 So, you're saying the existence of those dragons is a crime? That they used the weapon that is built into them during conflict is a crime?
Seriously...They are not some object to be labeled.
Also...That was not a civillian target.
7344338 As a human, using a humano-centric view is how I'm analyzing this. Gas, regardless of where it comes from, especially one that obviously causes excruciating death, is a terrible thing. I'm not saying that the dragons shouldn't have done what they did, but it's still a horrible thing to inflict on somebody.
And, again using a humano-centric view, the Geneva convention restricts use of certain weapons on BOTH Military and Civilian targets, because of how horrific it is to inflict on a human, soldier or not.
For the purposes of this discussion, the dragons are being used as a weapon of war, so objectifying the fantasy creatures that breathe poison gas isn't a terrible stretch.
This isn't a black and white scenario. Silent Knight did a terrible thing for a good reason. He's going to have to live with that. He's the one that unleashed the dragons on the Gryphons, and SILENT himself is horrified with what he's done. His reaction should inform our feelings on the matter. No matter how many lives were saved, Silent himself unleashed the dragons on the Gryphons and he destroyed them. They were the enemy, yes, but the text is explicit about how the death they suffer is terrible and awful. It's not supposed to be EASY to compartment into "good" or "bad".
"War is cruelty. There is no use trying to reform it. The crueler it is, the sooner it will be over."
"War is the remedy that our enemies have chosen, and I say let us give them all they want."
"You cannot qualify war in harsher terms than I will. War is cruelty, and you cannot refine it; and those who brought war into our country deserve all the curses and maledictions a people can pour out. I know I had no hand in making this war, and I know I will make more sacrifices today than any of you to secure peace."
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7344389 And they are not human, aren't they?
That said...True, I can agree with that. Not with objectifying another sapient being.
The line between good and evil is blurry. Same as with the line between civillians and terrorists nowadays, when the only economy in an area is slave and drug trading. They support and profitted from the suffering of others but should or shouldn't they be counted as civillians? Kind of like Kid soldiers actually...You don't kill them and they will kill you. But, they are still kids who weren't taught better, who were ripped form their home and fall into the hands of terrorists to mold them as they wanted. Many soldiers were sent home because they can't handle the PTSD such things caused. Civillians that are not civillians and kids that are not kids.
It's is a dark world out there where the lines are blurred as fuck.
...
Well, that happened.
And now, after this glory-less waste of war, comes something nearly as horrific as watching it unfold.
The clean up.
If the hundreds to thousands estimate is on point, we're looking at mass graves, funeral pyres, or an astonishing cemetary on the border. Even with a day's preparation, the sheer scope of the attack... Then, its nature. The expressions of the dead. How many of them were unaware, or asleep when death came for them? And it won't be Sudramoar dealing with the death toll. SK definitely needs to be kept away from the wall, by force if necessary (Brynja and Painted, looking at you), probably sent home. Make this a true retirement, even.
How long would it take Sudramoar to realize the initial reports aren't some exaggeration? Considering the Japan parallel brought up by another commenter (that it took the Emperor to decide to end the war) what would Kronson's reaction be?
I have to believe, given this and the Alicorn Spire negotiation, that Celestia and Luna will limit bargaining between ponies and dragons going forward. Maybe an international accord against wartime dragon treaties, especially involving direct dragon attacks.
I don't see SK going back to be Cadence's security chief. Liaison/ambassador to the dragons, probably. It would fulfill his promise fo Ragnhild, even if Luna doesn't reconstitute the Order. Oh, who know? Maybe have the Dragoons as an honor guard for the ambassador and dragons?
I'm sure we'll know the answers soon, but this chapter does have unsettling implications. Silent is beyond the breaking point, and now he has to see who he even is anymore.