Chap 8
*The Siege Begins*
The moon was full in the night sky. It provided illumination over Sand Dune and the castle. Luna and Sekhmet walk to the hillside from Labyrinth and Celestia and Capper met them from Klugetown. They peak over the sandy hilltop and watch for movement. Reaper must have known of their presence because the hordes started to swarm out of the town. Celestia and Luna readied their spears.
Celestia and Luna charge in heading straight for the tip of the horde. Capper and Sekhmet stayed behind and waited for the princess’s signal. Luna charged ahead shot a blast of magic at the closets brigands. And Celestia came in slashing away at the filling attackers. At that point Capper and Sekhmet charged in soon followed by the creatures of Klugetown from the left flank and those from Labyrinth from the right.
The Minotaurs with their speed and their size were the first to plow through the horde quickly catching up to the Celestia and Luna. The forces clashed together but the creatures of the badlands kept their momentum. Capper and Sekhmet catch up with the princesses and push forward.
Capper then shot a flare into the air and the airships who were waiting beyond the line of sight of the castle made their advance. Celestia looked at Capper and said, “We need to get inside to stop the siege weapons from firing their artillery.” Capper nods and shoots a number of blue flares towards the castle. The blue flare blinded the castles vantage point long enough for the airships to get in range. A few dozen well armored hippogriffs stood at the ready on the ships decks. When they saw the blue flare they took off.
The hippogriffs flew down and struck the ground with force enough to clear away the brigands around them. Once the area was clear the Minotaurs who prepared a charging line ran in creating a clear path forward and securing the brigands outside it. The line continued all the way to the castle after each group of two or so hippogriffs dived in and the Minotaurs charge secured the clear space.
Celestia, Luna, Capper and Sekhmet follow behind the advancing line all the way to the castle doors. The four cautiously enter and advance inside as the battle raged on outside. Not a single member of the brigand horde was inside. They stop mid-way through the greater hall as they catch a glimpse of two glowing white eyes in the shadows. It growled and walked into the moonlight pouring in from the broken roof top.
“Is that… a dragon?!” Capper asked. The dragon charged and the four jumped away to the sides.
“Go! Find Reaper and end this!” Sekhmet said.
“We can handle this!” Capper continued.
Celestia and Luna nod and rush passed the mid-sized dragon. It snapped at them as they pass but Sekhmet’s chakrum struck it in the back of the head before returning to her. It turned to Capper and Sekhmet. “You ever fight a dragon?” Sekhmet asked.
“Not exactly, I met one once. I tell you about it later.” Capper replied.
The dragon charged and Sekhmet and Capper jumped around the halls evading it’s slow but powerful attacks. They struggle to find a vantage point to go on the offensive but eventually Capper comes up with a plan. “Sekhmet, hold off from attacking him and I’ll make him face me.” Capper said.
“I got you!” she responds. She stops throwing her chakrum and hides in the shadows. Capper jumps into the middle of the hall and pretends to be out of breath. “Woo.” He breathes heavily. “You gotta slow down now. You might hurt somebody.” He continues. The dragon whips around stares him down and inhales. “Oh dear.” Capper says.
As the dragon draws in its final air Sekhmet jumps up from behind and with her chakrum in her hand strikes the back of its next. She continues forward landing just in front of Capper. The dragon bursts into dust behind her. Capper stands their gawking. “I’m surprised that worked.” He said.
“I’m not, my father trained me well.” Sekhmet said winking at him.
The hall shook as may more growls were heard emanating from the surrounding halls. More glowing white eyes emerged reveal more dragons. “Time to go?” Capper asked.
“Yep.” Sekhmet said.
They rush out of the main doors just in time. The corridor created by the hippogriffs and minotaurs was breaking apart. The two joined the creatures and made their way back to the front lines. During the retreat the dragons started flying out of the broken roof tops and headed for the nearest airship. “He has dragons!?” Celeano said. The dragons made quick work of the canvas flotation device and brought the airship down to the ground smashing into the hordes.
“Alright! Offensive positions, ready for a broadside!” Celeano barked.
The ships turned to port and brought around the harpoon guns. The dragons take off from the downed ship and head to the next closet. The canon lines open fire and launch untethered harpoons in the direction of the fallen airship. Many of the dragons burst into dust and as they fall the crews and those on the ground hear a massive growl come from the castle. The top of the castle breaks apart as a huge dragon climbs out and takes aim at a nearby vessel.
Celestia and Luna find their way to the throne room, the roof and walls had holes in them, damage due to time. The moonlight beamed on Reaper who was sitting on the throne. “You’re little army is pathetic, and embarrassment even. How could the great Celestia command such meek creatures?” Reaper taunts.
“Enough Reaper, it’s time to end this.” Celestia said.
“How dull. Why don’t you go play with my pet Apep Celestia, I only need Luna.” Reaper says.
A loud growl emanates from outside. “Ah looks like he find your friends. Better go help them he can be… a little rough.” Reaper chuckles.
“When we defeat you, our friends will be safe.” Celestia said.
“Uh why am I still talking to you.” Reaper said. He floated out of his chair releasing trace amounts of miasma undetectable by either Luna or Celestia. “Luna come, let’s talk.” He continued while floating around Celestia. “I want to see Nightmare Moon, I’ve heard so much about her.” He went on to say.
“Nightmare Moon is gone, and she will never exist again.” Luna proclaimed.
Back outside Apep had destroyed another ship, he looks at Celeano and takes aim. He breathes in and before he could finish his attack a large harpoon with a large chain flew passed from the aft of Celeanos fleet striking Apep in the side. Two airships emerge from the clouds that had been accumulating and launch two more harpoons with chains. The first ships commander had a ram skull helmet and his second in command was a Fennec fox named Set, accompanied by a black cat named Bast. On the other ship a pony called Sia, a bird called Hu, and a Unicorn named Heka stood at the helm.
Apep writhed around then took aim at the approaching ships. Celeano commanded another barrage on the giant dragon. A volley of harpoons struck Apep swaying his attention back to the original fleet as he roared.
Reaper continues to antagonize Luna biding as much time as he can in hopes his miasma takes affect weakening her will and forcing out Nightmare Moon. “Your weak forces will soon be the dust of my new army, and with them I’ll destroy Equestria.” Reaper says still floating around the two princesses. “Only the power of Nightmare Moon can stop me.” He continues.
“Enough!” Luna says stomping the ground. She looks at Celestia and nods. Celestia looks over and returns the gesture and in an instant they charge Reaper. They take turns striking at him leaving no opening for him to counterattack. Reaper dodges effortlessly knowing that he can accelerate the process if he keeps them active.
The new ships turn hard to port and put tension on the chains lodged into Apep. They hit their boosters and pull the dragon fully out of the castle. Apep stumbles forward and strike the ground crushing many brigands to dust. The remaining three ships from Klugetown fire their harpoons behind the command of the ram helmed commander.
Apep recovers and tears out some harpoons from his side and launches them back at a Klugetown ship. The ship gets struck all over but remains airborne. The creatures on the ground are being pushed back and the horde seems to gaining more and more members no matter how many are turned to dust.
Apep lets out another growl and those creaturs on the ground closest to him are stunned momentarily. Apep then emits a bright light from his eyes directing it at the airships. The crews and commanders are suddenly paralyzed. The ram helmed captain was at the head of his ship. He could only look on as his crew who couldn’t move, Sekhmet on the ground about to be overrun, and he glances at the Klugetown ships and sees Celeano also paralyzed.
Celestia and Luna trade lunges and strikes at Reaper to eventually over his dodges. Before they could land a first strike a gold trident materialized and blocked both their attacks stopping their momentum. Reaper laughed, “Your spears can’t hurt me, even if you were to land a hit.” He begins his attack and in quick succession. Neither Luna nor Celestia could get an attack in as he was too quick with his barrage.
He pushes them back, knocks Luna aside, and strikes Celestia in the head. Before she could recover he hits her again with the back of his trident throwing her to the back of the throne room. He then turns to Luna and begins the assault backing her slowly into a wall.
End Chapter