//------------------------------//
// Prologue: Crimson Skies 
// Story: Borne on Wings of Steel 
// by The Party Pony 
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The rain poured down in a relentless barrage, dark clouds smothering the stars. But even above the thunder and lightning rose the shouting of soldiers and commanders. An explosion rocked the ground, sudden flame like a bolt of lightning. Somewhere amid this deadly clash, in the chaos of the nighttime battle, Sergeant Rainbow Dash was taking cover in a small trench. Dash was a tall mare, her uniform worn and muddy from the previous days' fighting; her multicolored hair tussled from the relentless mountain wind. She was the perfect image of a fighting Equestrian, both in looks and in spirit.

It was only five years ago that King Sombra reappeared, along with his cursed Crystal Empire. Princess Celestia issued a call to arms, and Rainbow Dash was one of the first to join up. Despite her blank flank, she became one of the best fighters in the service. In fact, it was  a thunderous charge at the Battle of Galloping Gorge where she preformed her Sonic Rainboom, blowing the enemy formation to pieces and gaining her cutie-mark.

But that seemed so long ago now, as explosions lit up the darkened sky, and the groans of the dying filled the air. Since then, Sombra had all but destroyed the Celestial Army, driving them backwards across the Alicorn  Mountains east of Canterlot. Rainbow Dash had injured her wing in the Siege of Manehattan, and was transferred to the infantry as acting sergeant. Usually, Dash felt pain at being forced out of the Air Corps. But as another bolt of lightning leapt across the sky, she didn't envy the pegasi their task.

"Sir, General Gleaming Sword reports that a war chariot is headed towards our position." said a monotone voice beside her. Corporal Maud Pie, Dash's loyal second-in-command stood as solid as a weathered stone despite the explosions and shouts around them.

"That's exactly what we need." replied Dash sarcastically, "Tell that incompetent idiot that we're still waiting for our freaking air support!"

Corporal Maud calmly took a scroll from her pack and began writing a reply. The tell-tale scream of a ballistic spell was heard overhead and a few yards in front of them, the ground exploded in a shower of fire and earth. Without looking up, Maud shook the dust off her paper and continued to write.

"That was too close." muttered Dash, "Those Crystal sorcerers must be taking some target practice." 

With nothing to do but wait, Dash quickly surveyed the situation. Private Pinkamina Pie, or "Pinkie" as most of the squad called her, was curled up and shuddering as the sounds of battle echoed around them. She had been through too much during the Battle of Manehattan, and probably wouldn't be much use in the fighting ahead. Privates Jade Sword and Brute Force had been injured during the earlier fighting, and lay unconscious, sprawled alongside the bodies of their fallen comrades.

And that was it. Those were the only survivors of the Fighting 122nd Overlanders. The last three months of campaigning through the Foal Mountains hadn't been very kind.
Dash stepped forward and lay a hoof on Private Pinkamena's quivering shoulder.

"Come on, soldier." said the Sergeant with firm confidence, "We’re going to get through this, understand??"

Pinkamena turned around and looked at Dash, her eyes wide with fear. "The explosions..." she said slowly, "they... they don't stop..."

"We're not going to die!" yelled Dash. She gestured excitedly to the clouded sky, even as the rain continued to pour. "You see that sky, private?? Pretty soon that's going to be filled with our boys! We're going to get air support, and pegasi are going to scream down from the stars and wreck havoc on our enemies! Okay?? We're going to win this!"

Slowly, Pinkamena nodded. Her shuddering lessened, and after a moment of silence she took a protein bar from her backpack. At least she was eating again.

Dash was happy that her pep-talk had worked, but frowned all the same. She remembered what Private Pinkamena had been like before the Winter Campaign, when the war was young. The energetic young mare that was always ready to crack a joke... gone forever. Just like so many other things in Equestria.

Sergeant Rainbow Dash looked down at her wing, bloody and bandaged. The medics said she might never be able to use it again.

"Sir, they won't give us the air support." The voice of Maud cut through Dash's thoughts like a crystal scimitar. "They need a lieutenant's authorization code before they can send it."

Dash fumed. "Of course they do!" Walking to the edge of the trench, she lightly rolled the body of Lieutenant Spitfire with her front hoof, then rifled through the pockets of the fallen soldier's trench coat. She grabbed a piece of paper with her teeth, and tossed it to Corporal Maud. "There," said Dash angrily, "That's Spitfire's authorization code. Now get me some freaking air support!"

A sound like rolling thunder was heard, and in the far distance a trail of dust was coming up.

"Well, I guess that's the war chariot. Now how in Tartarus are we supposed to stop this thing?!"

The dark shape rumbled towards them slowly, but with unstoppable power. Dash knew it would only be a few moments until the armored vehicle opened fire on their meager cover.

Thinking fast, Dash leapt out of her position and charged across the open field towards the enemy vehicle. Maybe it was suicide, but it was the only hope of success. She sped across the field like lightning, nearly as fast on her feet as she was on her wings. Screaming towards the war chariot, she saw the drivers raise their bows.

"Well... looks like I've got one shot at this..."

Swerving, Dash dodged two crystal arrows as they splashed harmlessly into the muddy ground. Holding a spear in her good wing, the Sergeant span quickly around, launching the projectile at full-speed towards the enemy.

Her aim was devastating.

The spear lodged itself in the spokes of the wheel, snapping the weak point of the chariot's indomitable armour, and causing it to spin out of control.

Smirking, Dash drew her sword with her teeth, and charged into the unexpecting crystal soldiers, leaping onto their chariot as it span in helpless circles. Dash's skill with a sword proved true, as she quickly out-maneuvered the crystal warriors, and laid their bodies to rest upon the muddy battlefield. The ponies that drew the chariot quickly unhitched themselves and retreated into the darkness.


With a cry of victory, and ballistic spells exploding behind her, Dash dived back into the trench.
She chuckled for a moment, overwhelmed with the joy of battle, then turned back to her second-in-command. "Well, Maud, how's that air support?"

Maud looked back up, her eyes completely empty.

"Sir... they're not coming."

The entire world came to a halt. All the fighting, all the noise of battle seemed to fade away in the face of what Maud said.

"What do you mean they're not coming?!"

"They say it's too dangerous, sir. They're pulling out. Three cohorts of the Crystal army have been sighted on the south side of the ridge. The whole Royal Army is surrounded."

"But if they got to the south side, that means-"

"Canterlot has been captured, sir. The defenders surrendered half an hour ago. General Gleaming Sword says that we're to lay down arms."

The sound of beating wings filled the air. Not from the Royal Airborne Division, but from Crystal Pegasi as they slowly descended towards the trench. Rainbow Dash stood motionless, shaken to her core. All the hope seemed to melt away, washed out with the rain that poured down from the heavens.


"It's over, sir. We've lost."