//------------------------------//
// The Day Before the Battle 
// Story: Terror in Equestria 8:  A New Threat 
// by StormLuna 
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It was morning in Ponyville as Twilight woke up form a less than peaceful slumber.  That morning she was tired as she had nightmares about the enemy that had suddenly vanished coming in and not only dethroning her, but managing to undo everything she had built in Ponyville.  She stretched and said to herself, "Ugh, I hope those are only nightmares and not visions, I have worked too hard over so long to build what I have here." 

The first thing she did when she got up was tap into the eye and scan the world.  She was pleased as she saw nothing bad happening around the world but was frustrated as she continued to look closer off to the east and no matter how hard she looked, just like it had been every time since she first saw them, nopony at all was to be found.  She yelled, "Where the hay are they?  Why can't I see them?"  Then it hit her, she realized that they must have cast an invisibility spell on themselves.  She groaned, "Ugh I wish I could see them when they were invisible!"

That morning Twilight decided that she would do something that she had not done since the defeat of Colgate, she decided she would eat with the army.  Unlike it was in the old days when she would have just the officers with her, she headed to the base to join the whole army and just like it was in the old days, she ate the same food that they did.

When she arrived the army was shocked that she was going to eat with them but one of the officers was wondering if something else was going on.  Once Twilight got sat down, her dark Alicorn major, Black Cloud asked, "Your Majesty, what is going on?  Why are you eating with us instead of in your tower?"

Colonel Dark Storm added, "Does it involve that army that is marching on us?  Are they getting close?"

Twilight replied, "Actually yes, it does.  If my calculations are correct, they should arrive today and I want to get everything taken care of, including duplicating our hoof soldiers."  She looked around and noticed that two ponies who were on active duty were not at the base like they were supposed to be.  She continued, "Have any of you seen Pinkie Pie or Rainbow Dash this morning?"

Dark Storm asked, "No, I haven't.  Where are they usually at this time of morning?"

Twilight replied, "They are usually at Sugarcube Corner."  She looked around and noticed that breakfast was not being served yet and continued, "Well I will go and get them.  Today is the day I can least afford them to not be present."  

Her officers nodded as she took flight for the sweets' shop.  When she arrived she headed in and found the two casually eating cupcakes laughing over silly things.  She approached them with a scowl on her face and ordered, "To the base, now." 

Rainbow replied, "Twi, why do we have to be at the base this early?"

Pinkie added, "Yeah, we just got started on our cupcakes!" 

Twilight ordered, "I'm not going to ask you again, either you go to the base or you go to the void." 

The two gave her a nervous look and simply nodded.  They followed Twilight to the base where they joined her and her officers right as breakfast was being served.  When breakfast arrived Rainbow and Pinkie were shocked by what they were getting, eggs, bacon, toast, cider and hash browns.  Rainbow looked around and saw that all the soldiers were getting the same thing.  She asked, "Twi, your whole army is getting this today?  Is it like this every morning or is there something important going on today to warrant this?"

Twilight replied, "They eat like this every morning but the reason you are here is that there is something important going on today that warrants you being here."

Pinkie commented, "Well whatever it is, thank you for having us over here!"

Twilight replied, "Don't mention it Pinkie, just promise me you'll be ready for what will happen later today." 

Pinkie simply nodded and began to dig in on her meal.  Despite doing a good job in hiding her anxiety about where the army was that she had seen headed towards Ponyville a couple days ago, Twilight couldn't help but be nervous.  Something in the back of her head was telling her that they were likely much closer than she thought.





After she and her army had finished eating breakfast, Twilight ordered them to gather in front of the platform she always addresses them from.  Once everypony had gathered and she had their attention she began, "Alright troops, I'm sure you are wondering why I joined you for breakfast this morning."

One of the changeling soldiers replied, "Actually yes, I am." 

Twilight continued, "As you all know a couple days ago I saw the army of those ponies that I went to demand tribute from marching this way.  Given the rate that I saw them marching at, I am guessing that they should arrive sometime today so I'm sure you all know what that means."  

Dark Storm asked, "Does it mean that the hoof soldiers are going to be duplicated so that we will be more than prepared?"

Twilight said, "Yes, it does."  She cast her gaze out towards the ordinary soldiers and ordered, "Troops, I need you to gather over by the base of my tower so I can duplicate you." 

One of the soldiers asked, "This soon?  What if they don't arrive for quite some time and we are hungry when they arrive?"

This did not sit well with Twilight.  She glared at the soldier and asked in return, "So this is how it's going to be huh?  You are going to dare to question your Dark Goddess?"

The soldier held his head low and replied, "No your Majesty, I'm sorry for questioning you." 

The soldier along with the rest of his comrades headed over to the base of the tower and waited for Twilight to do what she has done so many times in the past.  Once they were all gathered together Twilight flew off her platform and landed in front of them.  Her horn began to glow as she recited,  "From one to two, two to four and so much more, when one is simple mere, more and more shall appear." 

She fired a bolt of energy at her soldiers and as soon as it struck them, there were twice as many as there were before.  After her duplication spell, she had five hundred of each kind of soldier but she knew that she would likely need more if she is to defend not just Ponyville, but her crown.  She cast the spell several more times until she had 4,000 of each kind of soldier.

Twilight looked at her vastly larger army with a smile.  She cast her gaze back at the soldiers along with Pinkie and Rainbow and ordered, "Over here with the rest of the army, now!" 

They all obeyed and joined the army.  Once Twilight knew she had their attention she began, "Alright troops, now that your Dark Goddess has a sufficient number of troops, she is ready for battle!  She is ready to wipe out those ungrateful enemies who refuse to pay her the tribute she deserves."  She puffed her chest out and continued, "Now, after we kill each and every one of them we shall have more than enough to eat but remember this soldiers, your Dark Goddess gets dibs on the king!  Your Dark Goddess shall feast on his flesh!" 

For the most part her troops began cheering loudly but a couple of the older officers along with Pinkie and Rainbow had to fake their cheers as they thought that Twilight was being overconfident and that such arrogance could lead to her downfall.





As Twilight was duplicating her troops and then giving her speech, White Magick and his generals looked on in disgust.  White Magick knew now that he was going to have to duplicate quite a few troops during the night when he could do it undetected but the fact that Twilight was discussing feasting on his flesh did more than anger him, it enraged him but he managed to keep his cool.  He cast his gaze at his generals and said, "Well, now we know how many duplicates we will need and you know everything she said in her speech?"

Green Death replied, "Yes your Majesty?"

White Magick said, "We shall use that to rally our troops, we shall tell them that this so-called dark goddess not only wants to kill us but eat us as well." 

Black Night commented, "She was like that in the past, always wanting to feast on her enemies and back before the last battle in Ponyville, she did that to an enemy from the Crystal Empire, well two enemies to be exact." 

White Magick gasped, "Seriously?  She isn't just joking about feasting on us?"

Green Death replied, "Nope, it's no joke.  Her and Colgate both had a taste for pony flesh although Colgate would even eat dark Alicorn and changeling meat too if it meant she could intimidate her enemies." 

White Magick knew that his generals would not lie to him but still had trouble fathoming that ponies would eat meat, especially the meat of other ponies given that his kind along with those who resided in Ponyland were strictly herbivores.  He looked in the direction of the forest and ordered, "Alright generals, let's get into the forest so I can reverse the invisibility spell and we can get something to eat." 

When they found the rest of their forces they were not one bit happy.  They were hungry, they were thirsty and while they were invisible, they were unable to eat or drink.  White Magick heard them grumbling and ordered, "Troops, now that we know what we need to know, gather here right in front of me." 

His troops did as ordered and once they were all gathered together, his horn began to glow and he recited,  "The unseen shall now be seen, with their friends being present, hiding  only shows resent, those who have disappeared shall now appear." 

He fired his energy at them and not only did they become visible, but so did he.  Once the spell was complete he continued, "Troops, we need to get much deeper into the forest.  Hopefully there will be some sort of lake and bushes that we can quench our thirst and hunger with." 

Black Night said, "Your Majesty, I know where we can find what we need.  Follow me." 

White Magick and the rest of his forces followed his generals very deep into the forest until they found a decent sized lake with some plum bushes in the area.  White Magick looked around and was pleased with what he saw.  Not only did the area have sufficient water and food but the forest canopy was good and thick, which he felt would provide protection from being detected by Twilight. 

The rest of the day and well into the evening White Magick remained rather quiet while Blue Star and the army was much more talkative, which brought about concern from his son.  Finally once it had become dark enough that the unicorns had to use their horns to create some light, Blue Star was going to find out why his father had been so silent.

He headed over to White Magick and asked, "Father, you have been very quiet.  What is wrong, are you concerned about the outcome of the battle tomorrow?"

White Magick replied, "No son, I am not.  I am simply trying to clear my mind and focus on what the best way to deal with their dark goddess is."

Blue Star asked, "Are you going to kill her or are you going to deal with her in some other way?"

White Magick replied, "No, I'm not going to kill her.  I plan on trying to cleanse her of the evil that has possessed her.  There are many different kinds of evil but the evil that is in her, especially with how her eyes are, will be extremely difficult to cleanse but I know with the right amount of focus and the aid of changeling ooze, I should be able to take care of her." 

Blue Star asked, "Father, are you not going to address the troops tonight before we turn in?" 

White Magick stood up and replied, "Just give me a moment."  He walked over to where the army was resting and said, "Troops, I'm not going to say a whole lot tonight because I think we should just rest our minds and relax but I will say this, we need to be completely alert for the battle tomorrow." 

One thing that had been bothering the soldiers is that there were not very many of them.  One of the unicorn soldiers asked, "Your Majesty, there are so few of us and I am certain that their dark goddess likely duplicated her forces multiple times over.  Are you going to do that to us?"

White Magick replied, "For the regular dark Alicorn and changeling soldiers, yes.  Tomorrow morning I will duplicate them sufficiently to where we will outnumber them so don't worry about that.  For now though, just relax and get some sleep tonight because I want us eating an early breakfast so we can launch our attack before their dark goddess is ready for us." 

One of the soldiers asked, "About the duplicates, won't they have to eat and drink like the rest of us?"

White Magick replied, "Actually no soldier, they do not.  A duplicate is an exact duplicate so when a soldier has a full stomach and is well hydrated is duplicated, the duplicate will be so as well."

The soldier replied, "Well that makes me feel better, much better." 

White Magick asked, "Any other questions?"  When he was greeted with silence he took that as his cue to finish, "Well troops, get plenty of rest tonight because like I said, we will be eating an early breakfast and heading towards Ponyville early so I can duplicate the dark Alicorns and changelings to where we will have an advantage."

Earlier in the evening White Magick had been resting off on his own but that night would be different as he decided he would rest in the same area that everypony else was.  While he was not overconfident or thinking that the battle the next day would be easy, he did have a feeling that his troops would prevail and that he would be able to free Twilight of the evil that has possessed her.