//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: War's Herald // Story: Two Sides of the Same Coin // by LunarShadow //------------------------------// Chapter 4: War’s Herald         I’ve assessed the situation. They’re well fortified and there’s no chance of going around them. The patrols they’ve sent out are good. I’ve already lost three scouts to them. As for a frontal assault, it would be nearly impossible at the moment. Their archers are the best in the land. I’ve seen them nearly reach across the river.         Our pegasi have been constantly doing bombing runs in an attempt to soften the resistance in preparation for the push across the Moonshine. However, they’ve got to have some of the best unicorns in the land shielding the fort.         It’s been three days since Captain Dual left for reinforcements. I don’t know what’s taking him so long. It’s a half day’s run south back to Luna’s Hope and I know we had more units ready to march at a moments notice. It would be a full day’s hard march to get back here.         If he isn’t here by tomorrow, we have to push across with what we have. If we don’t, my scouts say they’ve spotted the Solar Empire’s grand army about three days ahead. If we haven’t taken the fort by then, it’ll be impossible to execute the Princess’ orders.         So, tomorrow, we attack. Tomorrow, we turn into the same breed as the Solar Empire ponies. ---         The General flipped the journal shut and got up. Stretching, he looked around the tent. It didn’t consist of much. He had insisted on living as simple as he could to make the connection between command and troops. The closer they were, the more the soldiers were willing to do for their leaders.         The tent had a cot in the corner with a wooden chest at the foot of the bed. Inside, the General knew he would find his battle armor and sword, and that would be it. Other than the bed and the chest, there was a simple desk that the General used to write in his journal or compose orders and reports.         Sighing, he shuffled to the cot and collapsed into it. Laying in the dark, he reflected on the war.         What do we really want? They say we’re fighting for our freedom from an oppressive government. But why does Princess Luna insist on pushing on beyond the fort? We could easily just hold out here, tire them out.         Once they get sick of launching one failed attack after another, they’ll become more open to a parley. Or, at least one that doesn’t end in treachery and if my spies’ information is correct, it’d be soon.         The General tossed and turned, trying to get comfortable. Finally, he gave up and swung his hooves over the side of the bed. Looking around blearily, he decided on writing in his journal some more. He was about to trot over when a voice came from the tent entrance.         “Clou—”         “Colonel Star!” He spun around and glared at her. “Don’t... don’t use that name. I dropped it many years ago.”         Colonel Star cringed and backed up a step before gathering herself and returning the glare. “Fine, General. But please, this is not a formal visit. Call me by my full name.”         The General’s look softened and he whispered, “Very well, Star Shine. What brings you to my tent?”         “We march into battle tomorrow,” stated Star Shine. When the General nodded, she continued. “You said yourself that we don’t have enough troops to take the fort as is and you know me. I’ll be on the frontline doing my damn best to secure victory, but...” She trailed off         “but..?” he prompted, looking at her expectantly.         Star Shine nodded towards the bed. “Please, just grant me this last... selfish desire. I’m willing to die for my country, but I want to do so knowing that there was somepony who cared for me beyond their superior.”         “Oh Star...” The General trotted over and wrapped her in a hug. Whispering, he said, “You know I’ve always loved you. I would never let you forget that, but you know what we agreed to after that night at the Ragged Mare. We were just friends, no more.”         Pushing him away, Star Shine sighed and walked to the edge of the bed. She sat down and looked at him sadly. “I know, but I didn’t mean sex. I just want to share the bed tonight. For old time’s sake.”         The General looked at the ground and shuffled his hooves. “I... I’ll think about it. Give me a few seconds to gather myself.”         I really shouldn’t. We’re at war and there’s no time for relationships like this. But... Looking up, he realized that she was as beautiful as ever. Her mane still seemed to sparkle and her coat glowed slightly in the moonlight. Sighing in defeat, he realized that he still loved her.         “Fine. I’ll grant your last wish.” He crawled into bed with her. Resting his head on her mane, he smiled contently. She cuddled close to him, but lay turned away from him. “Thank you.” He simply nodded. His eyes fell on the picture sitting on his desk. It was the picture same picture of him and his daughter that he brought every time he traveled. Maybe we could have had a life together. A peaceful family in peaceful times. And then this. His eyes drooped and the room grew bleary as he fell asleep. If only you were here with us now. ---         The battle had been progressing smoothly. The pegasi beat ferociously on the shield until it cracked, killing enough of the unicorns to drop it completely. Then, the General ordered his troops to advance across the river.         With their own unicorns leading the way, divided between protecting the other soldiers from arrows and maintaining a water-walking spell. They quickly made the other side and blew the doors of the hinges. This is easy. Too easy, the General thought to himself.         Things went sour from there. All the ponies in the fort that had been killed in the bombing suddenly rose up again as if nothing had happened over the last few days. They fought with a vigor that no troop had ever seen.         “General! We’re being massacred! We need something, anything to turn the tides!” The unicorn stood across the table, grimacing. He had his horn tucked under armor and he looked ready to just collapse. Blood streaked down his face and a nasty cut marred his chest.         The General scowled and said, “Do you think I cannot see that? Very well, I will take to the field myself. Perhaps that will make the difference.” He strode over to the tent wall where his sword rested. Picking it up, he turned back to the poor unicorn. “Go to the medical tent and get that injury.”         Galloping out, he signaled to his personal guards and headed for the battle. At the river, two unicorns nodded and cast the water-walking spell.         Running across, him and his guard quickly joined the battle. Spell after spell flew around. The screams of the dying pierced his ears, but he ignored the pleas for mercy.         Jumping over a dead Lunar soldier, he viciously swung his blade, cutting down an enemy. He ducked under a spear and dispatched the owner. Sidestepping a clumsy thrust, he chopped down, killing the unfortunate pony.         Then, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a mare completely cloaked in shadows, despite the full moon. She seemed to have an aura of power. Her blades easily sliced through waves of Lunar troops.         Gesturing at the mysterious mare, the General nodded at his guards to follow him and attack her. They looked for a second, but it was a second too many. An axe sliced through their armor, killing both instantly.         Howling in fury, he stabbed the offender through the chest. Drawing his blade out, the General charged the shadow-cloaked mare. He slid under her blades and tried to impale her gut. However, she jumped up, avoiding the sword by what must have been a full meter.         Laughing, she dive bombed him, barely missing the General as he threw himself back.         Wait! The General stared in amazement. I’ve heard that laugh before.         “Captain?” he asked, lowering his blades. His defence faltered and the mare took advantage of it.         She charged him, one of her swords outstretched. It easily bypassed his feeble attempt to block. The blade easily slid through his chest as if it were red hot.         His mouth gaping, he looked at the sword. Blood seeped from the wound and he felt light headed. Looking back up at the mare, he mouthed wordlessly. He fell to his knees, his vision fading fast. The last thing he saw before he died was her deep, magenta eyes.         “Why, daughter? Why?” ---         The General sat up suddenly, drenched in sweat, his eyes wide. Looking down, he felt his chest. He found nothing but his coat. No blade, no blood, no wound. Panting, he looked around the tent. It must have been still a few hours before the new day.         Turning to the mare beside him, he focused on her. How did I ever get so lucky? Gently running his hoof through her mane, he smiled. She could have chosen any stallion, but she chose me, a newly promoted general that barely knew what to do with an entire army.         Raising a daughter alone was tough, but I was happy. The only thing that could have made me happier would have been being with Star Shine. If this war ends, and we’re both alive, I promise I’ll marry you. He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. We’ll find my daughter and maybe, just maybe we can live a happy life.         He lay back down and closed his eyes. This time, his dreams consisted of nothingness, a black void. The rest of the night passed uneventfully. ---         “G-general? Colonel?”         Both ponies sat up and rubbed their eyes wearily.         In the tent entrance stood a scout. “The troops have been up for an hour now and are wondering when the attack is to start.”         The General waved a hoof at the scout. “It’ll start as soon as the Colonel and myself are dressed in armor. Dismissed!”         The scout disappeared into the camp, presumably to tell the captains.         “So, this is it?” Colonel Star looked at the General with a fierce determination. “I’m ready to drive the Solar dogs back.” She swung her hooves over the edge of the bed and got up. “I’d better go get ready.”         The General nodded and said, “Go, get the troops assembled. I’ll address them with a short speech and then we’ll meet in the command tent to finalize the last of the plans.” He pushed aside the blanket and stood up. Walking over to the chest, he opened it and pulled out the helmet.         He glanced once and smiled as Colonel Star exited the tent. I promise... I’ll keep you as safe as possible.         Setting the helmet aside, he levitated out a steel breastplate that shined in the moonlight seeping through the tent roof. Carefully, he buckled it on and adjusted it to be as comfortable as possible. Then, he retrieved the leg guards and fitted them over his legs. Lastly, he got out a protective chainmail saddle and attached it to his back.         Picking up the helmet and hovered it in front of him, looking at his reflection. He could tell by the way his eyes saged that he had slept more poorly than he thought.         It was just a dream. It means nothing. You’ll never have to kill a family member. Especially her. He closed his eyes and sighed. At least, I hope so. She made her choice, she knows the consequences.         Turning, he placed the helmet on the horn of the saddle and trotted out of the tent, putting on a brave face for his troops. When he stepped out, he found himself facing the entire camp. The General walked over to a hastily constructed platform and looked out over the soldiers.         “This is it. This is the decisive battle.” He paused as the troops muttered to themselves. After a few seconds, he waved a hoof to silence them. “I won’t lie to you. They are well fortified, and it’ll be a tough fight uphill. But we have something they don’t. Superior tactics.”         He waited while the troops stomped and cheered their approval. When the quieted down, he continued. “They have the power, they believe themselves invincible behind their walls. But we will prove them wrong! We cannot, will not fail!”         The cheering picked up again and this time, it didn’t look like they were going to stop. Roars of approval and insults towards the Solar Empire echoed around the camp.         “For the Princess!”         “We’ll push those scum from our rightful land!”         “They stand no chance against the might of the Lunar army!”         The General raised a hoof into the air. “For the Lunar Republic! For glory to the Princess!”         The soldiers took up the cry, turning and marching Moonshine River in preparation for the assault.         The General spotted Colonel Star and beckoned to her. “Start the final bombing runs and then meet me in the command tent,” he shouted.         She nodded and waved at a group of pegasi. They saluted and trotted to a pile of barrels filled with something flammable that the General didn’t understand. They each picked one up and took off into the air. Thirty seconds later, they dropped the bombs onto the fort.         The forts shields held, but the General could tell that the bombings over the last few days had taken a toll. Cracks marred the protective bubble and with each bright explosion, they expanded.         Turning away, the General walked to the command tent. A few captains and Colonel Star greeted him when he entered. He nodded in acknowledgement, but focused on the map.         “Does everyone know the plan?” When they all nodded, he continued. “Okay, Colonel, are your troops ready? Are they in good condition? We may need the reserves.” She nodded and he turned back to the map. “Good. Captain Bruiser, Captain Fleet, you’ve both reassigned one third of your units to Captain Shadow’s?”         Both the Captains nodded. “We’ve made sure to reassign a good number of unicorns, just like you asked,” said Captain Fleet.         The General smiled grimly. “Good. The main force will need as many unicorns as possible to maintain the strongest shield possible. Now...” He glanced at his subordinates. All were paying rapt attention. “We will start with a large frontal assault. When the main unit hits the opposite shore, that’ll be the cue for Captain Bruiser to cross the river half a mile southeast of here. The second he reaches the other side, he and his troops will charge the whole way. Don’t forget to take advantage of your shields, keep casualties to a minimal.”         He turned to Captain Fleet. “You, you are to station your unit half a mile northwest up the river. When you see Captain Bruiser’s troops hit the wall, that will be your cue. After that, same tactic as Bruiser. Dismissed!”         Captain Shadow saluted, but didn’t move. “What if what of the units can’t get across the river for some reason?”         “We do not deal with what ifs. Now go!”         He saluted again and trotted out.         Colonel Star held back. “This is it. If we succeed, we’ll have them on the run. If we don’t... it was an honor serving under you.” She walked around the table and hugged the General, kissing him on the lips. Pulling away, she said, “I know this is hardly the time, but... I’ve always loved you.”         The General blinked in surprise, but accepted the kiss. “I love you too. We’ll survive this, I promise.”         He sighed and followed her out. But where she continued on, he stopped and observed the troops. “You have two minutes to be in position,” he called.         Messengers zoomed back and forth, carrying the order to various leaders of the units. Slowly, the massive army separated, ready to take Fort Ironhoof. The last of the bombs were dropped, and as planned, the shield surrounding it shattered. Even across the river, the cries of pain coming from the fort could be heard.         Gritting his teeth, the General signaled for the main army to begin the attack. A large, clear red protective bubble surround the unit and some unicorns parted the river so the unit could cross. They struggled against the enemy unicorns that tried to wrest control from the Lunar soldiers. In the end, the unicorns tasked with keeping the river dry succeeded.         Arrows bounced off the shield, but did not impede the army. Finally, it reached the banks of the other river. The second the first pony stepped onto the enemies side, the whole unit charged. They slammed against the walls and the battle began in earnest.         The General shook his head. The charge hadn’t made a single dent in the wall, and the force behind the collision had really weakened the shield. They had maybe a minute to gain entry before the Solar soldiers on the wall could rain death down on his troops.         He gestured for a messenger. “Has Captain Bruiser and his unit began their charge?”         “Yes they have. There they are now!”         Sighing in relief, he watched as the unit slammed into the wall. This time, a gaping hole appeared. The unit poured through and engaged the troops inside the fort. The distinction between the two sides became hard to tell.         Backing up, the General dismissed the messenger and went into the tent. At the large map in the center, he examined unit placement. He moved the piece that represented Captain Bruiser into the fort. He also shoved forward the small pony piece that represented Captain to the wall.         “Now, we only need Captain Fleet and the fort is as good as ours. He sat down to wait for news.         He didn’t have to wait long. Five minutes later, the same messenger burst in, panting heavily. He collapsed on the ground and the General rushed over to help him up. Bringing him over to a barrel of water, the General filled a cup and tipped it into the messenger’s mouth.         “Thank you kindly! News... the battle goes pretty well.” He took another gulp of water before continuing. “Captain Bruiser’s troops were driven out of the fort and he’s regrouping for another assault. Captain Shadow’s shield broke a few minutes ago, but they’re almost through without too many casualties.”         “What about Captain Fleet?”         The messenger backed up. “That’s where we have bad news. The Solar Empire has a fort about two miles northwest of here. They sent reinforcements and attacked Captain Fleet. It was a small force, but they managed to kite the unit all the way back to the stronghold.”         “What?” roared the General, glaring at the unfortunate pony in front of him. He whipped the cup against the wall, causing the messenger to flinch. “How? I know Captain Fleet was trained better than this!”         Backing up rapidly, the messenger made for the exit. “But... ah... the good news is that he secured the enemy fort. It’s ours.”         “Dismissed... just get back to him and tell Captain Flee that he’s going to get an earful after the battle. If we all survive this, which we may not because of his stupidity.”         Come on, now we need you more than ever. Please, hurry Captain Dual. The General slid down against the wall and groaned. There’s no way we can take a fort that is as fortified as Fort Ironhoof with as many troops we have. Especially since a unit is two and a half miles away now. ---         As if an answer to his prayers, a pony burst through the tent an hour later.         “General!” Captain Dual saluted. “We saw the smoke from the bombings and marched double time. We’re ready to join the assault.” “Where were you?” shouted the General. “You were supposed to arrive yesterday! And why didn’t you send any forerunners?” Captain Dual looked away in shame. “We were already moving as fast as possible. By the time we could see camp the battle was well underway already.” “That doesn’t matter,” seethed the General. “You always send forerunners the second you leave.” “I’m sorry,” cried Captain Dual. The General took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “The harm is done. We can’t dwell on it. You are to replace Captain Fleet’s unit on the northwest flank of the fort. Dismissed!” Captain Dual saluted, but stopped part way out of the tent and said, “Oh, I nearly forgot. The Princess has a request for you.” “A request? She never requests anything. She makes orders.” The General raised an eyebrow. “She said it’s a request because you may be pre-occupied with the battle here. But if you have time, she wishes that you return to the castle.” Nodding the General frowned. “What’s so important? Spit it out.” Captain Dual turned around. “They have a prisoner that the Princess thinks you may be interested in interrogating yourself.” “No,” came the reply. “Are you sure? It’s a Sunseeker named Archer. He may have information on somepony you’d be very interested in.” Captain Dual smirked. “Your daughter.” The General’s blood ran cold and he stared straight ahead. My daughter... a chance to be reunited. She means the world to me. I have to know. “Send some unicorns. I’ll need help teleporting there as soon as possible.” “I thought you would.” Captain Dual grinned. “I wish you luck. When you come back, the fort will be ours.” He spun around and left the General to his thoughts.