A trio of ponies moved quickly over the hills outside of Manehattan. Two were Unicorns, wearing heavy metal armour, and the other was a more lightly fitted Earth Pony, carrying a telescope. They were on their way to scout the city out, in the hopes of learning all they could about the Cabal defences that had been raised during their stay within the pony city.
Reaching one of the taller hills, the pony with the telescope stopped, already setting the device up. The soldiers beside her kept a close eye on their surroundings, watching for anything creeping up on them.
A minute passed before she finally got the telescope ready, quickly bringing the electronic device a Guardian had given her up.
“We’re outside the city and the telescope is set up. You guys ready?” She said, pushing a little button on the device.
“All good on our end. What do you see?” One of the male Guardians said in response, drawing the pony’s vision to the scope.
“We are on the West side of the city. They have built a large wall around it, and it looks heavily defended.” She said as she moved the scope over each section of the wall.
“What sort of defences are we looking at?”
“Lots of soldiers around the base of it, with a few massive machines on patrol. The walls seem to have stationary defences along the tops, along with spotlights.”
Thanks to their positioning, there wasn’t any way the Cabal patrols could see them unless they were specifically looking for them, though she still tried to be quick. The pony doubted their enemy would give much mercy to spies.
“How many entrances does the wall have?” The Guardian asked.
“The West wall has a single entrance, with most of the defences set up there. With how many troops they have, you would need a massive army just to break through,” The pony said. Her scope showed masses of Cabal guards, each heavily armed with weapons she couldn’t even describe.
“Are you able to move to the South wall?” The being on the other end of the device questioned.
“We should be able to, just give us some time.”
She stowed the device in her saddlebags and picked the telescope up again, placing it on her back. Seeing they were going to move again, her two companions kept close, not leaving her side as they began their move around the city to the Southern wall.
Their walk was silent, all three of them keeping an eye out for any signs of them being spotted. A half hour passed before they reached their destination, apparently unseen. In the same manner as last time, the mare began setting up the telescope, her guards going back on lookout.
As soon as it was ready, she raised her device, speaking into it, “We’re at the Southern wall, taking a look now.”
- - -
Exodus stood stoic as he listened for the mare on the other end of the radio. The rest of Odium were preparing in the store rooms, leaving him alone as he tried to gather as much intel on the Cabal as possible.
Hearing her confirm she had reached the next wall, he spoke up, “Good. Same defences as the other, or are they different?”
“One entrance that is heavily guarded, multiple defences along the top of the wall. Same thing as the other side.”
“That should be good enough. Get yourselves out of there, my ship is inbound to pick you all up,” The Warlock said.
The mare gave a confirmation and cut the transmission, prompting him to go find his team. With two walls being identical, and one connected to water, they could get a pretty good idea of what they would be firing at.
Stepping out into the corridor, a variety of ponies were moving past him, each preparing for the fight they were soon to embark on. He doubted many of them were truly ready for a battle of this scale, but he appreciated their longing to protect their home.
The search for the rest of Odium went by quickly, as he found them within the first storage room he looked in. Each Guardian was stocking up on items they would need, synthesis packs and Glimmer mainly.
“Hey, Exodus.” Kervis said, looking over at the Exo, “What were you up to?”
“I was gaining information about the defences around the city,” Exodus explained, drawing curious looks from the other three.
“How? I thought Churchill wasn’t able to look at the walls closely enough,” Elana said.
“I sent a couple of ponies. They are on their way back, and we have a good idea of what we are up against.”
The Titan tilted his head, “That wasn’t in the plans.”
“We needed to do it. I’m surprised we didn’t bring it up during the meeting, since we now understand the enemy defence layout. All we need to do now is launch the assault.”
Kervis shrugged, going back to the crate he was searching through, “I’m not complaining. What are we looking at?”
“Goliaths and general footsoldiers around the base of a large wall constructed around the city. There are turrets up on the ramparts, and two known entrances, one on the West wall, and the other on the South,” Exodus explained.
Procor chuckled, “They really don’t want to lose that city.”
“It’s the only base they have, so it makes sense they want to keep it safe. Providing this all goes well, however, they won’t have it for much longer.”
Kervis nodded, “We can only hope that there is a city left behind that wall. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Cabal knocked most of it down to make space for their forces.”
“That isn’t our problem. Right now, we need to focus on the major threat. We can leave rebuilding to the ponies that are going to live there.”
Elana looked over, loading a magazine into her sniper, “I doubt the ponies share the same thought.”
“They will have to deal with it. We are soldiers, not builders,” The Warlock responded, grabbing himself a secondary synth.
“Still, I’d like to help in any way I can when this is all over.”
This drew Procor’s focus to her, “So you’re staying?”
“I think so, yeah. I don’t have anything to go back to, but here? I have a reason to stick around here. These ponies need someone like us to be there, even if it’s just me.” The Hunter said as she sat upon a small stool set up near a crate.
The others went silent as the thought ran through their minds. The conversation of returning had come up many times in the past, but it wasn’t until now that it truly hit them. While Elana was young, and had nothing to go back to, the rest of Odium did. With the end nearing them, they had to finally consider what they wanted when the Cabal had been defeated.
“Providing Exodus is willing to stay, I think I’d probably set up here in the bunker,” Kervis said, breaking their long silence.
“I took everything important with me when we left the Tower. I don’t have any reason to go back barring the want to be closer to the Traveller.”
The four Guardians went quiet once again as they looked over at Procor.
“I really can’t make any decisions about that right now,” The bronze Titan said, replying to the unasked question, “But if I was given the option right now, I think I would probably stay with you all.”
Elana laughed, “That was a lot easier than I expected.”
“We have had some time to think on it,” Exodus said, “Plus, not much is happening at the City. With the end of SIVA, I don’t really think anything can really damage it.”
The young Hunter sighed, “Kinda wish I was reborn before all that happened. From what I’ve heard it was pretty fun.”
“It’s fun to listen to, but hell to deal with while it is going on. Trust me, things were a lot different a couple of years ago,” Kervis said, also taking a seat upon a stool.
“I’ll take your word on it. I just hope our adventures here are a bit more fun than what the Vanguard had planned for me,” Elana said.
“Knowing the Vanguard? This place will be infinitely better. I haven’t even been here a month and I’ve had more interesting things happen to me than the entire three years I spent defending the City.” The green Titan laughed, leaning back.
Exodus and Procor gave a laugh with him, knowing all too well what the Titan was saying. Their time in the storage room was spent with more idle talk, as each Guardian waited for the entire team to be ready. When Exodus packed his last synth, he turned, “We all ready?”
“Seems like it. How long do we have until we start?” Kervis asked.
“Two hours, the ponies and Frames are already moving out,” The Exo said.
“Then let’s not leave them waiting.”
- - -
Celestia looked out over the army following her. They were using unicorns to cast fields around sections of the army, concealing them from the Cabal sensors. The only way they would be spotted would be by direct line of sight, something their enemy wouldn’t get until they began their attack.
Quite a few hundred were left at the bunker, awaiting the Cabal drop ships. They would be coming around to the Eastern side of the city when they began.
As she hovered in place, high above the crowd, her sister joined her, “A trio of ponies have just been dropped off by a Guardian ship. They have given us information on the city and its current occupants.”
“Good. Pass it to the high-ranking ponies as quickly as you can. The more information we have the better,” Celestia said.
Luna gave a nod, flying down towards the sea of troops. As she watched the dark blue Alicorn disappear, she sighed. She hadn’t been in a war of this scale for many years, and even then, they had the advantage. This fight was heavily against them, and she knew it.
Her feelings of dread, however, were extinguished as she remembered the sight of what once was Canterlot. If she let her feelings get in the way, she could only imagine the outcome. She wouldn’t allow any more ponies to die, not when she was there.
The Solar princess turned to look out at the distant city of Manehattan. The carriers above it were like dark clouds, blotting the sky above the once bustling metropolis. She longed to see it as it was, but in the back of her mind, she knew they would never be able to rebuild it to what it once was.
Her eyes slowly fell to the front of her army. This war was about to end, and regardless of how it ended, she felt confident that she would remain proud of the things she had accomplished, both during the war, and before it even started. Determination filled her as she started flying slowly forward, keeping up with the forces below her. This was ending today, no matter what.
- - -
Above the Cabal controlled city, hundreds of drop ships began cloaking. Each had been outfitted with a jammer, which kicked in as their cloak came on. Their pilots knew exactly what was going to happen to them, and their jobs, but they were all willing to do it to protect the ponies that simply didn’t deserve the torture Va’aull was planning to put them through.
Every Cabal leaving the city had a single red stripe across their breastplates, given to them before they left the carriers. The thought of betraying their leader was almost horrifying to some of them, but the strip was a sort of symbol. A mark that proved their change of heart, that showed they had a new leader.
Thovog was well-known to the rebel Cabal, as he had shown respect and kindness to many of them, even when doing so would have caused him far more trouble than it was worth. Generally, Cabal were more militaristic and brutish, but with their banishment from the Empire, many moved away from that line of thinking. Even if they hadn’t realised what was happening until Thovog’s Psions had spoken with them.
Their ships flew over the green fields outside of Manehattan quickly, none looking back. They all knew what had to be done, and the fact that there was no turning back now. The thought of remaining loyal to their leader often rang through their trained minds, but it was forced back. For the first time in their lives, they had decided to focus on the greater good, instead of what their leader thought was right.
The bunker that the Guardians had set up in eventually came into view, just fifteen minutes after they had left. With their part in this plan, speed was incredibly important, and none of them wanted to fail.
They began uncloaking as they descended, their jammers still operational. There was a large army outside the underground facility, all watching them as they approached. The ponies seemed ready for them, each already armed. The plan was ready, all there was left to do was get into position.
- - -
Odium looked up as the swarm of ships approached. They were going to take a drop ship each, letting their own ships hang back and wait for the battle to begin.
“Last chance to grab anything you forgot,” Kervis commented.
“We’re ready, Kervis,” Elana said.
“Listen, in case any of us don’t make it, it’s been an honour,” Exodus said quietly.
“We’re gonna make it, bud, and afterwards we can have that race, just me and you,” Kervis replied, patting him on the shoulder.
Exodus managed a smile behind his helmet, “Wish I could be as optimistic.”
The roar of the Cabal ships grew louder as they began landing, covering the fields, “See you later, Exodus!” Kervis shouted, the sound of the many engines threatening to drown him out.
“See ya!” The Warlock yelled back, moving towards a nearby ship. As he walked, Chrome joined him, smiling up at him. The Exo gave a nod in return, boarding the vessel. Various ponies were there already, taking all but two seats. While Chrome took a seat, Exodus remained standing, drawing his Tlaloc and checking it over.
Their stay on the ground was brief as the pilots did their final checks and took off, flying up into the sky and waiting for the other ships to be ready. Down below, multiple drop ships were rising up to meet them, each loaded with their own teams of ponies. It took nearly five minutes for them all to join their ship, each running their check and cloaking.
When the fleet was ready, they began their flight towards the city, and the army slowly approaching it.
- - -
Kervis sat within his drop ship, looking at his helmet. Rain had joined him when they were loading up, something he didn’t mind. It was always nice to have company when readying for a major attack.
They didn’t say anything as the Cabal vessel shook, flying at breakneck speeds towards the ocean, no words were needed. The silence gave him time to think upon their situation some more, and as per usual at this point, about Kalis.
While the others had seemed to have gotten over her death somewhat, his mind was still reeling from the event. Watching her ship fall and blow up was a sight that haunted his dreams, almost preventing him from sleeping some nights.
But each time it happened, Lemon came and talked with him. Even during the early hours of the morning, she was willing to sit and speak with him, to help settle his mind and his fears.
Thinking on it, he came to the realisation that many of his issues had been fixed by her just being there. Her presence aided in clearing his mind of the awful memories that kept clouding it, leaving him able to feel happy.
His eyes widened as he thought of how Kalis made him feel. She was similar to Lemon in some ways, though one of the biggest ways was the way she made him feel when she was nearby. The possibility of love briefly revealed itself in his mind, but it was quickly stomped out. They had barely known each other for that long, and he wasn’t even the same species as him. The likeliness of her loving him was far too slim to be worked upon.
He almost felt like laughing as he donned his helmet, his visor flickering to life as the many bars filled up upon it.
‘Not exactly something you should be thinking on right now, Kervis,’ He thought to himself, picking his Pulse rifle up and checking its magazine.
As they neared the ocean, three of the ships peeled away from the main group, each with their own Guardian inside. They were going to stay with the army on the ground until they split up, delivering the Guardians to their sides of the wall.
The lights within their ship shifted to a red glow, prompting the ponies and Guardian to do their last preparations. The end was in sight, all they had to do now was reach it.
- - -
A few miles from Manehattan, the swathes of ponies and frames began splitting up. A few hundred remained at the back, consisting of the fifty trained ponies, and supporting frames. The rest moved into three smaller armies, each moving along their own paths around the city. They were still too far away to be seen by the Cabal’s scouts, and their jamming field was still holding strong around the soldiers. The groups were quickly joined by a Guardian, each of them slowing to allow their drop ships enough time to deliver their human and light-infused pony. The appearance of their allies helped bolster the ponies’ morale as stories of their previous battles were whispered through the ranks.
Their walks were uneventful, as the jamming fields kept them basically invisible. The Southern army was the first to stop, Celestia standing at the front of their lines, and Procor standing beside her. He had chosen to go without a pony, letting Elana and Exodus fight alongside the remaining two light-infused ponies.
The Western army was the next to stop, Elana and Flame standing at the front of their lines. They had figured they might as well combine their Light, hoping to deal more damage with the two sources of Hunter Light side by side.
Lastly, Exodus, Chrome and Luna stood at the Northern side of the city, their army standing silently behind them. The entire process had taken almost an hour, but each side was now ready. All they were waiting for now was radio contact from Kervis, and they would begin their charge.
“Never thought I would end up doing this...” Flame muttered, looking up at the sky. It was a cloudless day, something the armies appreciated.
“Same here, at least, not this quickly,” Elana said, following his gaze.
“I don’t know how you all manage to stay calm during stuff like this,” The pegasus said.
Elana chuckled, “Flame, I’m scared shitless right now. We just know how to hide it, I guess.”
“Wait, so even Guardians like Exodus can be scared?” He questioned.
“Sure. He might be a lot better than the both of us, but every Guardian is scared of death. At least, that’s what Kervis told me.”
“But I’ve seen you come back to life with zero effort. How could you be afraid of something you can’t go through?”
Elana smiled, “We aren’t completely immortal, Flame. Guardians can, and will, die. Kalis is a prime example of that. Death lurks around every corner we face, but as Guardians, we have to do our best to ignore it.”
Flame sighed, lowering his gaze to the hill that they were standing behind, “How long do we have before we start?”
“Not long now, I’d imagine. When Kervis gets into position, we start the attack.”
The next fifteen minutes were spent in silence, the soldiers standing restlessly behind them. Each was prepared to fight for their country, but many couldn’t get the thought of death from their minds. One false move, and they were dead, and each one of them knew it.
But they still stood ready, unable to bring themselves to turn away from this now.
“We are in position,” Kervis said, jolting the Guardians into position.
“We hear you. The three armies are ready, waiting on you,” Exodus responded.
“Then launch the attack. Good luck, everyone.”
All at once, the thousands of ponies rushed forward, the Guardians leading each charge. The unicorns kept their fields up for as long as they could, shrouding the armies as they moved forward.
It wasn’t long before their masses were sighted, Psion sniper fire coming from the ramparts of the wall as soon as they came into range.
Tens of ponies fell to the precise rounds, but the rest charged onward, ignoring their fallen. The Guardians of each group had already started returning fire, Elana managing to pick off quite a few, helping to keep her army’s numbers constant.
The Cabal had started sending more soldiers outside the walls in preparation for the attack, but thanks to the element of surprise, they didn’t have enough time to deploy any new Goliaths. The ones already outside the wall had started moving towards the incoming forces, flanked by hundreds of legionaries and centurions, their only hope being to slow their attackers long enough to get reinforcements out there.
As Elana crested a hill, she pulled off to the right and took aim at one of the Goliaths. Her training with Kervis and Kalis coming into play, she fired a single round into one of its engines, the machinery bursting into flames.
She wasted no time in taking aim at the next, decimating its armour and leaving the front of it without support. Its nose drove into the ground, dirt flying everywhere. With its mobility now gone, it raised its cannon as high as it would go and began firing, hoping to at least cut down some of the ponies before they reached it.
Thankfully, however, its shots were inaccurate, and its distance gave the ponies plenty of time to shield themselves from the incoming fire as Elana destroyed it with three more shots.
While one of the tanks had fallen, two more still bore down on them, prompting her to retake her aim. Her job wasn’t done yet, it was just beginning.