Gorun stumbled through the caves beneath the Ashen Fields. The darkness did little to sooth his pain, the stillness was shaken by the Great Dragon Char fighting with Discord above. Several dozen spiders rushed passed him, catching every other word of their attempts to capture four ponies that had infiltrated their lair. The numbness from the spider's poison eased some of the pain from the Orc's arm, but the poison had worked its way through the rest of its body by this point. Its body was beginning to fail, it would soon have Gorun unable to move at all; this only angered it further. Staggering out into the ledge of the cavern beneath Castle Char, the Orc was approached by several spiders.
"Gorun! Flame Ponies stole the dragon poker and-" A spider spoke quickly.
The Orc struck the spider across the face, watching it reel back towards the edge before kicking it over into the cavern below; listening to it screech all the way down.
"Eat them! Bite them! Feast on them all! Attack the castle from below! Bring me Smolder! I want him alive!" Gorun shouted in anger, watching the spiders flee at his words into the tunnels leading to the dungeons of Char.
Turning to the path leading to the old North Tower, Gorun lurched his way up the steps to enter Castle Char the way he had before. Clawing against the wall, the poison was giving it some mobility in his arm but dulled all its other senses. The tower shook from the battle the dragon was waging in the fields, bringing a small smile to the Orc's pained face.
The main entrance of Castle Char was surging with teams of Flame Ponies assisting in the evacuation of the castle. Injured Solider Ponies were being transported to the Narrows; the threat of the Great Dragon Char destroying the castle wasn't being taken lightly. Flare, Topaz, Spinel, were giving out orders to able bodied Soldier Ponies on where certain groups of injured ponies needed to go. Luckily, Twilight Sparkle, Alex Papyrus, and Pinkie Pie were on hoof to assist in clearing the rest of the castle.
Alex was attempting to move several boxes worth of artifacts he deemed to be irreplaceable into more secure rooms in the dungeon. His insistence to preserve what little history the Flame Ponies had left was admirable, but Twilight had to constantly remind him that his own life was also an asset worth saving.
"Alex! You can't take the statue!" Twilight scolded him, watching him attempting to move a seven foot statue through the door.
"It is an important piece of Flame Pony history that must be preserved!" Alex insisted, tugging on it with all his might, trying to get it to budge.
A sudden quake from above rocked the whole dungeon, the statue slumped over, snapping off the head of the statue Alex was holding onto. Staring at the stone pony head in his arms, Alex tossed the head back into the room and ran towards the next room.
"It was a poorly sculpted anyways." Alex stated, trying to devalue the loss.
"Alex it's too dangerous to be down here anymore, we have to get to the Narrows." Twilight insisted, chasing after him.
"Just let me grab a few more things, Ms. Sparkle!" Alex pleaded, sprinting the length of the corridor with Twilight close behind.
Up ahead the mixture of scuffling, flames searing, muffled screeches could be heard echoing off the corridors. The sounds grew in volume as both Alex and Twilight reached the junction. From around the corner Tiff and Applejack came charging through, nearly crashing into Alex who hit the brakes hard. Ember was close behind, spraying a burst of fire back down the corridor they had come from with Wisp backing up beside him.
"Applejack?" Twilight asked, sliding to a stop next to her and Tiff.
"What the hay are you ponies doing down here?" Applejack asked in surprise.
The sounds of screeches echoed through the dungeons with more blasts of fire that Ember and Wisp shot back down the corridor.
"Run!" Wisp shouted to every pony, pointing back the way Alex and Twilight had come.
No pony needed to be told a second time. Twilight led the way with Applejack, Tiff, and Alex in tow. Bringing up the rear was Ember and Wisp who periodically turned around to breathe more fire back down the corridors to impede the swarm of spiders chasing after them. Charging up the stairs, Twilight reappeared in the Main Hall with Applejack and Alex behind her. Tiff had stopped short, staying near the door fumbling in his satchel, while the light of Ember's and Wisp's flames could be seen flashing near the bottom of the stairs.
"Hurry up, Tiff!" Applejack shouted.
Retrieving a small vile of orange flakes from his pack, Tiff lit the small fuse on the vile just as Ember and Wisp leaped out from the dungeon. Tossing the small vile down into the dungeon, Tiff slammed the stone door shut before ducking for cover. Every pony followed suit, getting low to the ground and covering their heads just vicious explosion blew the stone door to pebbles and collapsing the staircase leading into the dungeons; blocking the path.
A thick layer of dust hung around the threshold of the door leading to the dungeon. Twilight put a hoof on Applejack shoulder, wondering if she was alright, as Applejack gave her a few nods that she was. Alex looked completely and utterly depressed at the sight of the dungeon staircase. Wisp and Ember gave each other a high hoof before making their way over to Tiff to give him his own props.
"What the hay was that?" Ember asked curiously, inspecting the cave-in.
"A small bottle of Dragon Powder." Tiff replied.
"Where did you get that?" Applejack asked.
"Roman. You said I couldn't use thermite so I went for the next best thing." Tiff explained, watching Applejack hoof face herself.
Hoof steps were fast approaching. The explosion had drawn eyes from all over the Main Hall but some ponies were finally coming to see what else had gone wrong; or right in this case.
"The explosion came from over here!" Topaz shouted, rushing over to the side of the staircase.
"Who the hay is setting off explosives?" Flare hollered in disbelief, following close behind.
Wisp perked up at the sound of Flare's voice. Stepping out into better view, Wisp saw Flare slow to stop at the sight of him. There was a moment of confusion of seeing Wisp here in the castle, and so soon, but it was all pushed aside when she rushed over and embraced him tightly. Wisp lifted her off the ground, spun around on the spot before setting her back down and caressing her in his arms.
"I'm glad you're safe." Wisp mumbled.
"What about you?" Flare asked quickly, stepping back to get a better look at him.
"We're fine." Wisp replied, looking to every pony for confirmation; every pony nodding their head.
"We were chased out of the mines by a swarm of spiders. We had to collapse the staircase leading to the dungeon." Ember added, motioning to the door.
"How are things up here?" Tiff asked noticing the frantic pace every Soldier Pony was moving at.
"The Great Dragon Char is threatening to attack the castle, we're evacuating every pony, injured or not." Topaz reported.
"Where's the Obelisk?" Flare asked curiously.
"The darn thing flew off without leaving us a forwarding address." Applejack replied, looking none too happy.
"You lost it?" Flare asked accusingly at Wisp.
"The thing is full of magic! What was supposed to do?" Wisp asked in his defense.
"That was our only weapon against the dragon, Wisp!" Flare shouted.
Before they could argue further, Spinel rounded the corner from the corridor leading out into the now destroyed courtyard; looking very concerned.
"Ma'am, we've received reports that spiders are no longer being challenged in key areas. Our pegasi have reported spiders using the cracks within the earth, made by the rampage of the dragon, to crawl behind Flame Pony lines in an attempt reach the Narrows." Spinel reported quickly.
"Blast!" Flare mumbled, stomping her hoof in frustration. "We still need to move the ponies in hospital to the Narrows, but it'll be all for not if the spiders are allowed to swarm over it."
"What can we do to help?" Twilight offered.
"We'll need ponies defending the Narrows from any and all spider attacks. Many Flame Ponies have opened their homes to the injured but it will be difficult for them to provide care and protection if spiders are at their doors." Spinel informed them.
"I'll round up whatever ponies I can, from the Narrows, to help keep the spiders at bay while you continue your evacuation." Ember offered.
"I offer my assistance to help in this endeavor." Topaz stated.
"So will I." Tiff added, stepping up next to Ember.
"I'm coming too." Applejack said, adjusting her hat.
"So are we." Twilight added, pushing Alex forward with her magic.
"Say what now?" Alex asked looking surprised.
"Count me in." Wisp said, slamming his hooves together ready for a fight.
"No, I need you here." Flare stated pulling on his arm.
Wisp looked at Flare, then at every pony, before leaning over to whisper to her.
"I don't think this is a good time for us to be fooling around when there's a war going-" Wisp was cut short by a sudden punch to the arm by Flare.
"That's not what I meant!" Flare snapped, her mane sparking. "I need you to help us carry the ponies in the infirmary out of here."
"Right! Of course! I'm on it!" Wisp said quickly, racing up the stairs to the hospital with Spinel in tow.
"Be careful when moving the General you big oaf!" Flare shouted after him.
Flare shook her head. Although, a small smile did form across her face at the thought of Wisp returning safely. Turning to the rest of the ponies, Flare didn't have much choice but to rely on them for now.
"We don't know how many spiders have gotten behind our lines so watch your flanks out there. Once all the injured ponies are settled, I'll have Soldier Ponies sweep every inch of the Narrows to help you ponies out." Flare stated.
"We'll keep you ponies covered." Ember said confidently leading his group of volunteers across the Main Hall.
From the doors of the Castle Char, the group of ponies trotted out to glance at the surrounding areas of the Narrows. There was no immediate indication of spiders in the Narrows, but it would be foolish to believe that spiders would be so obvious in their attempt to infiltrate.
"Tiff, Applejack, Twilight, and Mr. Papyrus. I would ask you to take the west end of the Narrows and keep it free of spiders. Ember and I will take the eastern end." Topaz insisted turning to them.
"Shouldn't one of us be going with you? Make it an even three on three?" Applejack offered, noticing the uneven groups.
"Shining Armor is routing his battalion back towards the Dark Marsh, we shall join up with him there. You will need every pony you can spare to keep the western areas free of spiders." Topaz informed them.
"If you see any able bodied Flame Pony, don't hesitate to ask for help." Ember instructed them, before sprinting off towards the eastern end with Topaz.
Roman Mason, the Ashen Fields most skilled architect, stood behind the counter of Stitch Rose Shay with several of his rock cutter ponies hovering around him. Rarity, Crow, Stitch and Rose stood off to the side ready to listen to the instructions Roman was about to give.
"Spiders have been sighted at the far end of the Narrows, here." Roman began, tapping his foot on a blueprint of the Narrows; towards the west end. "Lucky for us most of these buildings are shops, which means they are practically empty."
Every stone cutter pony nodded their heads in understanding. Stitch Rose Shay was currently the hub of Roman's and Rarity's counter offensive against the looming threat of spiders. Rarity had refused to leave her seamstresses alone to combat the looming war with the Orc, which caused her seamstresses to refuse leaving Rarity's side in fear of her being in the path of danger. In the end, Roman found four stubborn ponies refusing to evacuate and adopted them into his plans.
"We're going to set up charges here and here. We'll blow the street the moment the spiders are in range, that's when we'll catch them with their fangs down and drive them out of the Narrows." Roman continued, drawing lines with charcoal on his blueprints.
"What of the Queen? How are any of us going to deal with that?" A stone cutter pony asked anxiously.
"You can stay here with the filly if you're not up to it, Barnes." Roman replied, motioning to Stitch.
"Hey!" Stitch shouted sounding insulted.
"Let it go, Stitch." Rose said, putting a firm hoof on her shoulder.
"The Hoot Owl Shift will set the charges just outside the shop across the street. The Day Shift will plant the charges next door in front of the haberdashery. Then every pony will take their marks and wait for our signal." Roman concluded with the nods of his stone cutter ponies.
The stone cutter ponies poured out from the shop, leaving Roman to clear away the stone slates he had laid out on the counter.
"What can we do to help?" Rarity asked curiously.
"Any of you know how to fight?" Roman asked, sounding skeptical.
"Just because I'm a lady doesn't mean I haven't had my fair share of scraps from time to time." Rarity said, sounding quite trim and proper.
Roman didn't look at all impressed by this.
"I have a lot of pins that I can stab spiders with." Stitch offered, holding up two hoofuls of needles.
"Rarity stays here with the filly; Rose you can keep an eye on both of them." Roman concluded; much to Rarity's and Stitch's objection.
Roman ignored the oncoming argument that was sure to follow, heading towards the door when he spied Crow suddenly stepping forward from behind Rose.
"What's your name, kid?" Roman asked, stopping in front of him.
"I'm C-C-Crow." Crow replied.
"You want to help too?" Roman asked.
"Y-Y-Yes, I d-d-do." Crow stammered determinedly.
Roman narrowed his eyes at him, sizing Crow up, looking to see if he really was serious about helping.
"Alright, Crow, you're with me. We're going to the far end of the street to wait for the Queen Spider." Roman said motioning for him to follow.
"The Queen!" Rose shouted in horror, her mane flaring.
Rose took Crow's arm immediately, refusing to let Crow take a single step towards the door. Roman looked rather surprised by her sudden outburst, looking at Crow with confusion.
"I-I-I-I'll b-b-be okay, Rose." Crow stammered, trying to calm her down.
"Like hay you will! If you think that I'm going to let you go anywhere near a Queen Spider then… then… then…" Rose was nearly out of breath speaking so fast.
Crow leaned over, giving Rose a small kiss on the cheek, causing her mane to suddenly poof into a soft flame from the shock. Rose's face burned red hot, stammering gibberish, watching Crow smile softly at her. Rarity had her hooves over her mouth, eyes full of delight, while Stitch kept rolling her eyes and gagging.
"I'll be okay." Crow whispered to her.
Twilight, Applejack, Tiff and Alex took off towards the western part of the Narrows, taking the streets hoping to find some civilian Flame Ponies along the way. Although, many of the Flame Ponies they came across were assisting in opening up their homes to the injured ponies being transferred from the castle. It was difficult to ask any of them come along with them, seeing as if spiders were to get through, there would be need of strong ponies protecting the injured.
Taking the main road of the Narrows, the ponies hurried along the empty shops to create fortification at the end of the path. It wasn't long before their plans started to fall apart as dozens of spiders swarmed over empty shops, breaking in windows, knocking down doors, attempting to find Flame Ponies hiding.
"Hey!" Applejack shouted towards the spiders.
A few dozen spiders stopped what they were doing to look down the road at the four ponies standing there.
"Oi! There's some!" A spider hollered to the others.
The spiders started to swarm into the streets, hissing loudly, baring their fangs, barreling down towards them.
"Oops." Applejack mumbled, covering her mouth.
"I suggest a coordinated reduction of space while discussing a new plan of action." Alex mumbled to the others.
"You mean retreat?" Tiff asked curiously.
"I didn't want to be the pony to say it but yes, retreat." Alex said rather nervously.
"We can't let these spiders get one hairy leg closer to any of those injured ponies!" Twilight declared, her horn glowing a brilliant purple.
"You said it, Twilight." Applejack remarked.
Tiff flared his mane, stepping a few paces out in front of Applejack and Twilight. Alex wasn't built to be a Soldier Pony, confrontation he was used to dealt with arguments and the exchange of opinions; not hoof to fang. Yet, Twilight was no more a scholar then he, and she stood bravely to face these spiders. Stepping out in front of Twilight, Alex stood alongside Tiff, flaring his mane with him ready to fight.
The spiders grew closer, Applejack was ready to defend Twilight while she casted her spells. Tiff and Alex were ready to disperse the swarm the very second the spiders got in range; every pony's heart was racing.
Two explosions shook the street, both originating from the shops around the swarm of spiders. The blasts decimated the spiders, throwing them in the burning buildings, blowing some to pieces, while stunning many others. Dust and smoke billowed into the streets; it became hard to see any pony through the smoke. Twilight, Applejack, Tiff, and Alex were at a loss for what had just transpired, until several groups of Flame Ponies charged in from the alley ways to combat the spiders. The door of Stitch Rose Shay slammed open. Rarity stepped out, a bandana wrapped around her head with charcoal smudges beneath her eyes.
"For Equestria!" Rarity hollered aloud; horn blazing with magic.
There was confusion still coming from the four ponies until several spiders that had escaped the blast by means of taking the rooftops of the shops came leaping down at them. Twilight's magic zapped one spider, making it disappear without a trace, while Alex and Tiff blasted another spider together sending it flying back into the destroyed building. More spiders climbed down the walls, Applejack punching a spider between its eight eyes before bucking it through the neighboring shop window.
"Who threw that spider?" Rarity demanded squinting into the smoke.
"Rarity?" Applejack asked in surprise; recognizing her voice.
"Applejack? Twilight? What in Equestria are you doing here?" Rarity asked in surprise.
A couple of spiders dropped down next to Tiff and Alex, only to regret it immediately as Rose blasted a focused torrent of fire knocking both spiders across the street from the threshold of Stitch Rose Shay.
"What are you doing here, Rarity?" Applejack asked bucking a spider in the face.
"Defending fashion!" Rarity declared, zapping a spider with her magic that strayed too close to Twilight. "And defending my friends from these deplorable spiders."
There was another explosion that shook the street, several yards down the path, marked by the upheaval of several spiders that were thrown into the air. There was a lull in the fight, allowing Twilight and the other ponies to take a breather. Several Flame Ponies stepped through the smoke; some looked slightly familiar to Applejack, realizing that these were the stone cutter ponies that had helped build the dam. A familiar pure black, red flamed, Flame Pony trotted out of the smoke towards the Twilight and the others.
"Roman!" Tiff shouted in delight; rushing over to embrace his friend.
"Well bugger me; I didn't expect to see you fighting Tiff." Roman said in surprise patting him on the shoulder.
"We could say the same for you." Applejack remarked, looking very pleased to see him as well.
"Mr. Roman and I coordinated the defense of this part of the Narrows in the event that spiders were to somehow get through." Rarity explained, stepping outside to hug Applejack and Twilight.
"We rigged the two shops next to Stitch Rose Shay and Wallcarts to blow. We got nervous seeing you ponies suddenly show up." Roman explained further looking at remains of both shops on either side of the street.
"What about the ponies that owned the shops?" Alex asked in surprise.
"It was a tacky haberdashery and a vacant shop. Nothing to cry over, dear." Rarity remarked.
"Rarity was going to blow it up anyways, even if the spiders didn't come." Stitch remarked stepping outside as well.
"That sounds like Rarity." Applejack said, watching Twilight snicker.
"It had to be done, I could not stand to see such bland knickknacks staring at me every time I passed by." Rarity said in her defense.
"Where's Crow?" Rose asked, looking over at Roman.
"We set off the bomb once the Queen stepped into position. After that we set off to join in on the fight and that's when we got separated." Roman stated, looking a bit confused.
The smoke had already cleared. All of the stone cutter Flame Ponies had returned but Crow was no among them. Rose's mane flared anxiously, straining her head around to see if there was any sign of Crow. Roman could see the worried looks on many of their faces, stepping over to his stone cutter ponies to ask them if any had seen the Flame Pony called Crow, but none had an answer.
"Where's Crow?" Stitch asked, nervousness about her voice.
"I'm sure Crow is… is probably taking the long way round." Rarity said quickly, watching Rose pace about.
"Crow, where the hay are you!" Rose shouted very loudly down the street.
There was a silence that followed that made every pony's stomach turn. No more so then Rose who could feel herself start to shake at the idea of Crow having been bested by the spider.
Suddenly, from the remains of the haberdashery, Crow stepped out quickly looking very confused by the urgency in which his name was being called. In his hoof he held a small crystal buttons he had pilfered from the destroyed store.
"W-W-What?" Crow asked, unsure of the collective sigh.
"Run Crow!" Stitch shouted at him.
Confused at her words, Crow turned to see Rose glaring at him just inches away from his face. It startled him so bad that Crow tripped over his own hooves, giving Rose the chance to tower over him further.
"When I call your name you better answer! Stutter or not, you don't leave me standing here thinking you got yourself blown up or eaten! You got that?" Rose shouted at him, while Crow hid behind his hooves.
"Y-Y-Y-Yes, m-m-ma'am." Crow stuttered, not daring to look her in the eye.
Rose stepped back, allowing Crow the chance to get back onto his hooves. He seemed rather shaken by Rose's yelling, even just having set off a bomb, he was more afraid of Rose's temper. With that being said, Crow was equally as surprised to find her suddenly kissing him.
Crow was shaking for a whole different reason now; his heart was racing as every pony smiled approvingly his way. All accept for Rarity who squealed in delight, nearly fainting into Applejack's arms while Stitch attempted to heave. Rose's face turned exactly that, a rose colored red, as Crow stepped back; looking just as flustered. Then Rose punched him in the stomach. Crow doubled over while Rose stormed back inside Stitch Rose Shay, while every other pony back off to give her space.
"Is that what mares do when they get kissed by a colt?" Stitch asked curiously.
"Of course not! That was not how it was supposed to go at-" Rarity said in disbelief before Applejack stepped in.
"Sure, pumpkin." Applejack said with a laugh.