The Equestrian Honor Guard
Chapter 32
By Honored Service
“Sweet Celestia.”
“This can’t be happening.”
“Honored what do we do?”
“Honored!”
“Honored Service snap out of it!”
I stared at the next wave of changelings charging at our position on the top watch tower. They poured up the stairs and were coming in fast and low from the sky. The burning city of Canterlot light up the early morning. Ponies crowded behind us as they waited for the next evacuation chariot to arrive. I slammed another clip into my rifle and shouldered the powerful beast.
“We stand and go down swinging Saddle.”
***************************** 3 Hours Earlier *********************************
The door to our barracks was thrown open by a gruff looking Lieutenant whose armor was gold but not shiny. His spiky red mane was messy and he was missing his helmet. His dark brown coat was matted like he had just woken up. “GET UP SADDLE COMPNAY! ON YOUR HOOVES!” He spun around and began galloping out the door but stopped just outside of the door. “Honored Service, report to the Princesses immediately after you have suited up in full combat gear. Code yellow and blue.” He took off to the next room to wake up the other companies.
“Shit!” I scrambled out of bed with my fellow guards and began throwing on our gear. My usual gear was donned but I also but on my tactical vest over the armored chest piece. I loaded all the magazines I had left for rifle in the chest rig pockets. I slipped my Berretta into my shoulder holster along with the all the clips for it. Bad Bertha found its place strapped onto my left thigh and I put on the dark brown duster. My name tag and military patch were still attached along with my Cutie Mark Crusader patch. I picked up my rifle and pulled the magazine out. Only 17 round left in this magazine. From the Manticore, Timber Wolves, and that damn target at the archery range, I was down to 207 bullets for the rifle, and only 3 and half mags left for the pistol. About 59 9mm if I remember correctly.
“I’ll meet all of you down on the line after I see the Princess.” I waved good bye to the company and ran to the throne room. Ponies cladded in armor raced past me in different directions running to and from. Some were carrying swords and spears while others carried quivers full of arrows.
What was going on? It was like we were going to war or something.
“Honored! Over here!” Shining Armor called out from a table near the thrones. Both Princesses were near him looking down at the table.
I saluted as I approached the table. Captain Armor returned the salute. “Honored I'm sorry to have to do this, but we are going to have to cut your training short on the Equestrian Honor Guard. We need you now.”
“Sure I can finish it later, but what’s going on?” I placed my rifle on the table next to a map that showed the outline and blue prints of Canterlot.
“No I mean I'm giving you a promotion now. There isn’t time for more training, it’s now or never. Do you accept?” The normal kind and honest Shining Armor was gone and replaced with a serious and stoic one.
“Of course I do.” What else do you say to that? No? No thank you? Something was up and I wanted to know.
“Then I hereby promote you to the Equestrian Honor Guard. Congratulations.” He reached under the table and pulled out a helmet. It was shaped for my head. It resembled the gold ones the guards wore except it had a green feather plum along the top of it instead of red or blue. I reached out and picked up the shiny helmet and slid it onto my head. I imagined it to be heavier and more uncomfortable, but it felt snuggly and it felt weightless.
“Now you truly look like a guard.” Celestia smiled, but the smile looked forced. Luna carried a neutral look on her face as she consulted the map.
“Alright what’s going on, why does Canterlot look like it is preparing for war?” I laughed at my joke but nopony else did. “Princesses?”
“We are going to war.”
“Come again? It sounded like you said we are going to war.” I stared at the princesses, but they didn’t break down and laugh and pat me on the back congratulating me for catching onto the joke.
“Early this morning, one of our look outs spotted a large group of flying creatures heading straight towards Canterlot.” Celestia said grimly.
“We confirmed that the groups of creatures were changelings. And they were being led by Queen Chrysalis, except she had a dark power around her. One that is all too familiar to me.” Luna hung her head and sighed.
“You mean…the Nightmare is coming?” I tensed up a bit. I was supposed to have another 10 months to get ready to fight this monster. I was unprepared, under trained, and was scarred shit less to fight the Nightmare.
“Honored, I need you to keep calm and keep cool. I need you during this.” Captain Armor put a hoof on my shoulder. He smiled up at me.
I swallowed my fear and puffed up my chest. “What do I need to do?”
“Get down to the line with your company. Saddle Company is going to be in charge of the west tower evacuation sight. Helping keep ponies calm and protecting them if need be. Short Blade is in command, and you will assume second in command for the time being, but I don’t think there should be a problem with orders. Your squad works well, that’s why you get an evac site. Now get over there, the first group of ponies will arrive in 15 minutes.” Shining Armor saluted me. I returned it and ran off towards the line to get Saddle Company and head to our area.
I raced out of the castle just in time to look up and see the sun cresting the horizon. Then a large black spot moved in front of the sun and grew closer. Changelings. Thousands of them. And they were heading straight here.
I stepped on it and made a beeline to the line of companies along the wall that wrapped the entire way around Canterlot. I spotted the large S flag and ran to it. My company was there and was looking at me as I stopped in front of them.
“Let’s move Saddle. We got control of an Evacuation site on the west tower. Short Blade, you're in charge for now.”
“I... alright, everypony lets move out and get there!” He took the lead and I fallowed behind while the two pegasus took to the sky to our left and right. Hammer Strike and Battle Plan brought up the rear.
“Honored is everything okay?” Fast Skies dipped down and flew next to me.
“No, that shape in the distance,” I pointed at the black spot in front of the sun that was getting closer every second, “is an army of Chagelings, and they’re coming straight for Canterlot. We’re going to be evacuating ponies out of here.”
“Well lets save some ponies, it’s about time the Royal Guard did something!” Quick Flurry said as he tucked his sword off his belt and slashed it through the air.
I was about to respond when I heard a loud whistling coming from above. I looked up to see green balls of fire screaming down from the sky and heading straight for us.
“FIND SOME COVER!” I yelled over the increasing volume of the whistling. I dove under an awning as the rest of the company dove into the store to avoid the incoming hostiles. I watched as the changelings struck the ground with such impact that they created holes where they hit. They had some velocity behind them. Shit, and that shell must be pretty strong to survive a hit like that.
I aimed down the 3.4x scope on my rifle at the nearest changeling and squeezed the trigger.
BANG
Tink
I watched as the side of the changeling exploded sending chunks of black chitin and green goo everywhere. It staggered for just a moment before collapsing in the same hole it had crashed into.
Never mind, I guess that shell couldn’t stop my Wonder Rounds®. More sickening thuds of the invaders hitting the ground surrounded me as I moved to the door of the store to check on my friends. I immediately brought the rifle up when I saw that Hammer Strike was engaged in hoof to hoof combat with a changeling. I watched as Hammer got a few good right hooks on the damn bug, but the bug had one thing on Hammer; wings. He would take off into the air and swop down and try to gore Hammer with its horn. I let the rifle fall to my side and gripped the handle of Bad Bertha and let the knife slide out of the sheath.
“Hammer catch!” I threw the knife across the room to the blue earth pony.
He looked over and caught the knife in his mouth and turned his head just as the changeling swooped down low to him. The changeling never finished his attack as its head feel to the floor beside its body. Hammer trotted over to me and dropped the knife into my outstreatched hand.
“Thanks for the assist.” He said as I placed BB back into my sheath.
“Where’s the rest of the company?”
“They headed out the back and I got attacked by this guy here.” He pointed a hoof at the twitching body of the changeling.
“Come on, let’s catch up to them.” We both dashed out the back door and towards the west tower in the distance.
As we came out of the back door we slowed down as I noticed 10 hovering changelings above us. “Hammer,” I whispered out of the corner of my mouth, “get behind me and don’t get in front of me.” I slowly reached down and slipped my finger around the trigger of my rifle. Hammer slowly shifted behind me. I shifted my weight to my left foot. Then the first changeling attacked.
It dropped low to the ground and flew straight at me. I smirked and leveled the rifle at the incoming insect.
BANG
Tink
I dove to the right and shoulder rolled as the dead bug crashed into the wall behind me. As I came up, I brought the rifle up to my shoulder and began aiming at the remaining changelings that seemed frozen by the act of violence they had just witnessed.
My rifle barked at the enemy as changeling after changeling dropped to the ground, large pools of green gooey blood seeped onto the grass and cobblestone street.
“Get some!” I screamed as I fired point blank into another changeling as he attempted to spear me at the end of his shiny black horn. Gore splattered across my chest and duster. The body twitched once in front of me. I reared my leg up, and brought the heel of my boot down hard on its head.
SQUESSH
It sounded just like a cockroach. I looked back to Hammer Strike who was standing there with his jaw in the ground. “Let’s move Hammer, we don’t want the others to have all the fun.”
As we moved up the west tower I followed a trail of bodies. Most of them were changelings. But a few were ponies. Some were guards and others were normal ponies. I was furious. Dead ponies in my Equestria? This would not stand for. Chrysalis better watch out, there’s a pissed off human after her.
I jumped around the corner leading to the top and brought my rifle up. I came face to face with Fast Skies who had a sword pointed right at my throat. I lowered the rifle quickly as she tucked the sword away onto her belt. Her shiny gold armor was now dented and smeared with green goo. In fact, everypony was looking pretty roughed up. There must have been more resistance up here than originally thought. At the top of the tower I had complete view of the city. And it didn’t look too good. A lot of the buildings were caught on fire, with some sickly green and yellow fire.
Behind Battle Plan and Short Blade was a group of scared ponies. They were all huddled together and some of them were crying. Except for one little filly. And she was staring right at me. I slowly walked over to the group of ponies to try and comfort them, but they mainly just cowered more as I got closer.
Then that one little pink filly said, “It’s okay mommy, thats the human. Trick Shot said that he’s gonna protect us; like a super hero.” She smiled at me. Now I remembered why I did what I do, to save and protect the innocence that these ponies have that I’ll never have.
I kneeled down in front of the filly and in the calmest voice possibly said, “That’s right sweetie, I'm not going to let those bugs hurt you or anypony, okay?”
“Honored you better come look at this.” Quick Flurry called out as he landed next to me and took off his dented helmet.
******************************Present********************************
“Sweet Celestia.”
“This can’t be happening.”
“Honored what do we do?”
“Honored!”
“Honored Service snap out of it!”
I stared at the next wave of changelings charging at our position on the top watch tower. They poured up the stairs and were coming in fast and low from the sky. The burning city of Canterlot light up the early morning. The ponies crowded behind us as they waited for the next evacuation chariot to arrive. I slammed another clip into my rifle and shouldered the powerful beast.
“We stand and go down swinging Saddle.”
The next wave of changelings was approaching fast as we all stood ready to defend the ponies behind us. I saw a glint of gold off in the distance. The chariot was coming, we just had to hold out for a few minutes, and then we could get these ponies out of here.
I turned to the group of evacuees, “Listen up, the chariot will be here in a few moments, just sit tight, and don’t panic.”
“Honored and Sky, guard the front. Quick and Battle guard the side. I’ll watch the rear and other side. Hammer gets the door. Nopony comes up unless they are cleared.” Short Blade barked his orders out like a true leader. Here we go, round 2.
I leveled out my rifle and selected semi auto fire and began to pick off changelings from long range as the approached the tower.
BANG BANG BANG BANG click
tink tink tink tink
I hit the magazine release button and dropped the empty mag to the ground. I slammed a new one into the rifle and hit the bolt release switch.
Click
Lock and loaded.
The changelings swooped in as I reloaded my weapon. One almost had me, but an arrow sprouted out of its chest and it plummeted to the ground below us. I turned and nodded to Battle Plan as he readied another arrow on his bow.
“Hold this spot!” I hollered at my friends as we held off the advancing enemy. A sneaky changeling leapt out of nowhere and knocked me flat on my back. My rifle was knocked loose from my grip and fell next to me on the sling. I rolled to the left as the horn speared the area I had just occupied. I jumped up and drew my pistol as I came around to face the changeling that was lunging at me again. I dodged to the right and hooked my arm up so that the pistol’s barrel came to rest right under its jaw.
BANG
Tink
The limp changeling fell to the ground next to me. I wiped the barrel of the pistol off as I tucked it back into my shoulder holster. I picked up my rifle and faced the ledge again just as 5 more changelings landed and began making their assault on me. I ran forward to meet them head on and fired my rifle simultaneously. 3 changelings feel before we clashed near the center of the west tower platform. I used the butt of the rifle to knock one back while bringing the barrel around and jabbing it into the other changeling that was approaching from the left.
BANG BANG BANG
tink tink tink
I let the barrel slide out of the mushy hole left in the now dead changeling and turned to get the last one, but it was nowhere to be seen. I looked all around and spotted the last changeling flying away towards the edge of the city. I raised my rifle and aimed down the acog sight.
“Damn.” I lowered the rifle. The little bugger was too far to try and waste bullets.
“Here comes the chariot. Everypony get on board once it lands. The drivers will take you to safety.” Short Blade waved the ponies away from the center of the west tower as the gold chariot touched down. The evacuees rushed on board and took their seats on the chariot. I looked at the 4 guards pulling it and yelled, “Okay you're all set, get them out of here!” The chariot slowly rose and took off into the distance. I relaxed for the first time in hours as the chariot disappeared from my sight.
I leaned against the wall of the west tower and sighed in relief. Saddle Company grouped around me and we all relaxed. I pulled out my canteen and drank some of the water that was left in it. Everpony else pulled out their canteens and drank too. The sun was directly overhead and was beating down on all of us, causing us to sweat and pant in the heat.
"Well that was a fun day!" Quick Flurry said as he put the cap back on his canteen.
"I must say that it was rather a good change of pace." Battle Plan agreed as he slung his bow across his back.
"No. No this isn't good." I said without looking up. "This is Equestria, it shouldn't be like this." I stood up straight and walked to the edge of the platform and looked out at the city. Dark black smoke billowed into the sky as the flames ate away buildings bellow us. "We need to get down there and stop this."
An armor clad Pegasus flew by and swung around and came to rest near our group. "Short Blade?" He asked looking around at the group of guard ponies.
"That's me."
He reached down and pulled a scroll out of a small pouch and hoofed it over to Blade. "An order from the Princesses. An Honored Service is to report to the throne room for further assignment. He is to reach the throne room using any means necessary. The code word to enter is Black Sun." I nodded to the Pegasus who took of back into the sky and dove down towards the center of town.
"Well company, I guess I'll see you back in the barracks for all-ins tonight." I cracked a smile and walked towards the stairway leading back down to the streets filled with pain and suffering. I stopped short and turned around and ran back to Fast Skies. I lifted her up and planted a kiss right on her lips. "I'll see you soon, I promise." I saluted Short Blade and ran to the stairs. I jumped up and landed on the railing and slid on the hand rail all the way to the bottom before jumping off and sprinting out the door.
Hammer Strike watched the human kiss the Pegasus mare, salut Blade, and slide down the stairs till the end. "Damn, he's smooth."
"I'll say." Said Quick Flurry as he watched the human sprint down the road dropping a changeling with a quick burst from his rifle.
********************The Edge of the City******************
"My Queen." The lone changeling bowed low to the ground in front of the tall figure.
"And why are you here and not out there fighting?" The dark Queen roared at the shaking minion.
"I mean no offense my Queen, but this creature that stood on two legs stopped an assault single hoofed on the west tower. We could not best him, I was the only survivor from the attacking group."
The Queen tapped a hoof to her chin. Deep in thought she planned her next course of action. She stood and moved next to the changeling and placed a hoof on its back.
"I'm sorry about your assault group. I'll handle this. But you have failed me." She locked the poor changeling's head in the crook on her foreleg and jerked the head back and to the left. The body spasmed for a moment before it stopped its convulsing. "Tomorrow we may have to make an appearance on the battlefield Queen. Deal with this, human, before he becomes a threat."
"I thought he wouldn't be a threat?"
"He won't."
***************************The Mane Street*********************
BANG BANG BANG
I let a burst fly into a changeling that leapt off a roof top in an attempt to stab me with its horn. I dropped another empty mag to the cobblestone and slammed a new mag home as I ran down the street leading to the castle gate.
I would never forget today. The images of fighting and violence was seared into my mind. The dead changelings. The dead ponies. I couldn't stop seeing them. I rounded a corner and stopped dead in my tracks at what I saw.
10 changelings were circled around a small group of ponies. I watched as they circle grew smaller around the trapped ponies.
"NO!" I screamed and dashed towards the ponies in danger. "NO!" I yelled again.
I wasn't fast enough. I headed the screams and looked away. Those screams. The screams of the innocent. I lost it. I ground my teeth and all I could see was red. I let the rifle drop to my side. I drew my pistol from my holster and slid BB from the sheath and rushed towards the changelings. They were to involved in their evil sickening task to see the charging human.
I was horrified to see what they had done to the ponies. I saw the blood. I smelled the blood. The stab wounds inflected on the ponies. The hoof prints covering the bodies. The teeth marks all over the throats. These. Fucking. Monsters.
I jumped over the dead bodies and changelings and landed in the front of the few still living ponies. Most of them were foals and mares that had been pushed to the center of the circle to try and protect them as long as possible. The changelings took a step back from me but didn't let up.
My blood was still boiling for the dead innocent ponies. I lunged at the nearest insectoid pony and plunged my knife through its skull with a sickening sucking noise. A changeling rushed at me as I turned and fired the pistol point blank into its face. The magic bullets the spilt apart shredded it's face into pieces sending green gooey blood and bits of grey brain everywhere. I yanked the knife out of the changeling's skull and ready myself for the next attack.
Two changelings leapt at me at the same time. I dropped to ground and rolled forward as they crashed into each other. I spun around on my knees and unloaded rounds into the two dazed buggers. Their bodies jerked as the rounds ripped into there shells. Green goo ran onto the street from the bodies. I kept myself in between the changelings and the ponies. I fired the pistol at another changeling and heard a screech next to my ear. I turned to see that the red hot bullet casings from my pistol had hit a changeling that was approaching silently from my side. I sliced my knife up and to the left and watched as the changeling's head fell to the side and the body collapsed to the ground. I smirked and kissed the side of my pistol, my number one assistant.
The last three changelings faced me all at once. They kicked their hooves up and charged. I fired the pistol till it was empty and holstered it. One changeling fell onto its face and stopped moving. I brought the rifle up and let a burst off into the chest of another changeling that jumped at me. I dove out of the way to avoid the last one. I leveled the rifle and squeezed the trigger at the last one.
BANG BANG BANG
tink tink tink
It collapsed in front of me, most of its right side missing from the explosive magic rounds. The remaining ponies were all still alive, but looked shell shocked. One pony pointed over my shoulder and screamed, "Look out!" I spun around and tried to bing the rifle up in time at the changeling that was speeding in my direction. It was using its wings to propel itself at me faster than I would have liked.
I could only watch in what felt like slow motion as my rifle was lifted slowly and the changeling charged faster. So this is how it would end, caught off guard and speared with a horn. Not exactly how I thought it would end.
A gray and blue blur interrupted my thoughts and knocked the changeling of course. Short Blade tackled the changeling and pinned it to the ground as Hammer Strike leapt out of nowhere and slammed a hammer against the struggling changeling's head. It stopped struggling.
The rest of Saddle Company entered the street and saw me. "Am I glad to see y'all!" I said as I recovered myself and helped Short Blade up.
Blade smiled and sheathed his sword, "You think we would let you get to the castle without some back up? Well then you humans really are dumb!" We all laughed.
"Actually I need y'all to do something else." I jerked a thumb to the group of scared ponies behind me. "Somepony needs to escort them to another evac point. And I need to get to the throne room. Divide and concur." I glanced at Short Blade, "Your call Blade."
He kicked a dead changeling and said, " Hammer and I will move with you. Sky, Battle, and Quick will move with the evacuees to extract Shetland 2-3. Let's do it Saddle."
Sky, Battle, and Quick all moved to the ponies and began to comfort them and offer them water from their canteens. I watched and noticed one of refugees narrow their eyes at Quick, and their eyes flashed blue green.
"Flurry down!" I called as I brought the rifle up. Flurry dropped to the ground as a bullet ripped trough the changeling's head. It's body flickered like a light going out and the pastel green pony became a shiny black corpse.
"Check the eyes, the change briefly if it's a disguise." I said as I let the rifle drop back to my side. I brushed some dirt and gore off the edge of my duster and fallowed behind Short Blade and Hammer Strike as we made our way to the large sealed gates of the castle.
"I'll see you soon again Sky!" I called out after the Pegasus. She blew a kiss at me and rounded a corner with the group of ponies and Quick and Battle.
Stay safe Sky. I need you.
As we approached the gate we could see piles of dead changelings lying around the gate. Most of them had arrows protruding from the bodies. An arrow impacted the ground right in front of us and we halted.
"Don't come any closer or you will be shot! What's the code?" Asked a magically amplified voice.
"Black Sun." I called out.
"Hold for magical scanning to insure that you are not a changeling in disguise." A slow spreading purple aurora moved toward us as we stood waiting to gain access to the castle. The aurora passed over Short Blade and the washed over me, but Hammer Strike collapsed when it hit him. I ran over to him and picked his head up and watched in horror as he morphed into a changeling. The gate opened and Shining Armor galloped over to us. His armor was scratched and dented in different places and a long scar ran across his muzzle. Join the club I thought.
The changeling in my arms began to stir. It cracked opened its eyes and tried to fly away; but I held tight.
"Where is Hammer Strike!" I screamed at the wriggling bug.
"I'll never talk to ponies or their allies!" The changeling hissed at me.
"Where is he!" I yanked out my knife and placed it against the base of one of its wings. The creature spit some green goo on my duster. "Wrong answer." I jerked the knife upwards and the wing fell off and onto the ground.
"Aaaahhhhhhhhhh!" The changeling hollered into the air.
"Where is he!?" I moved the knife to the other wing. "I'll ask one more time. Where. Is. Hammer. Strike." I held the knife steady against the wing base.
"Please no. He's... He's in the basement of some restaurant."
I let the knife begin to slip into the shell. The changeling jerked as I held it down.
"Four leaves! In the basement at Four Leaves!" The changeling screamed as I put the knife back into my sheath.
I let the bug go. It began to run away from us. I slowly raised the rifle to my shoulder and aimed down the sight.
"Captain Armor, tell the Princesses I'll be a little late."
What did I feel when I shot a wounded crying changeling as it ran away?
Recoil.
*************************Four Leaves**********************
"Shory Blade, you wana cover outside while I move inside?" I asked as I looked at the restaurant through my binoculars. I observed that the shattered windows would be the quickest way in. A few dead ponies littered the area showing how fast and savagely the changelings had attacked. Ponies had been enjoying a nice breakfast when the attack started.
"That sounds best." Short Blade levitated his sword out in front of him and I put my binoculars back into my pack and readied my rifle. "Okay you take left I'll move right."
We advanced down the street to the restaurant. This part of the town must have been hit first because there was nopony alive. And there were no changelings anywhere to be seen. We got to the broken window and we ducked through it. Inside the restaurant was worse. The stench of fresh blood was everywhere as we moved to the rear of the building. We came to a door. I nodded and Blade opened it and I moved trough scanning the left with my rifle. Stairs lead down and I made a fist to Blade and pointed down. He nodded and moved back to the front of the building and I moved down the stairs to the basement.
It was pitch black. I flipped a switch on the wall and the lights slowly flickered on. Along the wall and stairs was a trial of blood. It was still somewhat fresh and sticky. I pushed back the pestimestick thoughts and continued to a door. I opened it and moved into the room.
"Who's there?" A desperate voice called out to me. A deep desperate voice. Hammer Strike! He was alive.
"Hammer it's me! Honored. I'm here to get you buddy." I flicked on the lights and stopped dead in my tracks. I shuddered and almost vomited at what I saw. This nightmare just got worse.
Hammer Strike was lying in a pool of blood. He was cut and bruised everywhere on his body. One eye was closed shut because it was swollen so badly. But the worse part was his rear legs. They were broken at different angles making it impossible for him to walk. I could see bone protruding through at one spot. Oh god Hammer.
"It's okay buddy, I'm here, I'm getting you out of here." I kneeled next to him and placed my rifle down. I pulled out my canteen and held it to his lips as he drank.
"Short Blade! I need some help!" I yelled up the stairs.
I stroked Hammer's mane trying to comfort him. He whimpered and cried out of his one good eye. "Hammer how did this happen?"
He coughed and spoke softly. "You had just left. Blade decided that we should follow you and help. Quick and me turned into this building to see if we could help anypony. I came down here and a group of them little bugs jumped me. Hard. One of them took my place and... and I could hear it talking to Quick. And I couldn't do anything. They said something about me being useful for nourishment. Whatever that means." He coughed again and I told him to be quite.
"Is Hammer okay?" Short Blade asked as he stopped at the end of the stairs.
I looked back and shock my head. "He's hurt pretty bad. We need to get him out of here."
"Blade? Did you hear me? What are you starring..." I looked up at the ceiling to what Blade was looking at.
Gray green sacks covered the ceiling and corners of the basement. There were hundreds of them.
"Blade do changelings lay eggs?"
He just nodded.
"Well fuck." So that's what they meant by nourishment.
Egg sacks. We were standing in a new changeling hatchling site.
"Blade, can you levitate Hammer Strike out of here?" I couldn't carry this big earth pony out by myself, and I needed to take care of this new problem.
"I can, but not for long, maybe till we reach that hill down the road." Short Blade thought aloud.
"Just leave me. Get out before they hatch." Hammer coughed out.
"Fuck that shit!" I said down to the wounded guard. "Blade, get him out, I'll meet you on the hill."
The light magical sound was heard as Short Blade's magical aurora surrounded Hammer Strike and lifted the large earth pony up the stairs. I could hear Hammer groaning in pain. Tuff it out buddy. Tuff it out.
I saw a large tank in the corner of the basement. Several lines of piping ran out of it and into the kitchen above me. I could only pray that this was gas of some sort. I used the but of the rifle and brought it down on a valve located on the side. A rotten egg smell leaked out of the tank. Perfect. I grabbed a metal bucket and placed it on the edge of the small window near the ceiling of the basement.
I raced up the stairs and out the side door as the restaurant filled with combustible (I hope) gas. Once I was I the middle of the street I aimed at the metal bucket thought the window.
I gripped the foregrip and selected semi auto fire.
"Witty one liner about eggs and scrambling." I said and squeezed the trigger.
The restaurant erupted into a ball of flames as the bullet exploding on the metal bucket and ignited the gas. Derbies rained all around me as I walked away from the explosion. I headed towards the hill where Short Blade had propped up Hammer so he could watch the fireworks.
Hammer Strike clopped his hooves together in applause. "I think you were looking for, 'I like my eggs scrambled'." He coughed again and wiped some blood off his lip.
"Shut up you. Save your energy." I helped Short Blade get Hammer onto his back. We began the long walk back to the castle. The sun slowly was dipping under the horizon. Day one of the changeling assault was nearly over and night one of this nightmare would begin.
***************************The Castle*********************
"Black Sun." I said as we went through the magical scan again. This time we got through fine. Shining Armor greeted me.
"The Princesses weren't to happy when I told them you'd be late. But under the circumstances that occurred, they said they could let it slide. Come on, I'll get Hammer to the infirmary, you get to Princesses." The tired Captain and Short Blade moved away with the groaning Hammer to a large tent set up in the castle garden.
I climbed the stairs leading to the throne room. Injured ponies were laying everywhere. Guards and civilians alike. All stopped and watched me walk past as I moved through the wounded and scared. But this time ponies didn't cower in fear. They looked up and nodded to me. A few even mumbled their thanks to me. And one little pink filly ran up and leapt into my arms and hugged my neck.
"Thank you Mr. Human, for saving me and my mommy!" She jumped down and ran to a pale blue unicorn mare and hugged her leg. The mother nodded to me and cried into her daughter's mane.
"You're welcome." Was all I could say as I walked to the throne room doors. Two unicorns with spears guarded the door.
"Halt!" One of them pointed his spear right at my chest. "No entry to the throne room for anypony!"
The other guard looked over at the other one and said, "Silver are you stupid?! That's Honored Service, he's been out there all day. And the Princesses asked for him!" The guard swung open the door and stepped aside. As I walked through I heard him whisper to the Silver, "I heard from Rits, that he killed like a 1,000 bugs and blew up a nest. And you just-"
The door closed behind me cutting off the rest of the gossip about me. I saw both Princesses looking at the same map from this morning. They had solemn looks on their faces.
"Honored! It's so good to see that youre alright!" Celestia left the table and trotted over, Luna close behind, "Please tell us everything about today's events."
I spent an hour recalling and describing the events that unfolded. From the west tower to the rescuing of Hammer Strike. The Princesses were horrified at the brutal fighting that the changelings used and were sadden at the lost of their ponies. But they were happy that I has saved so many.
"Again Honored you empress me. You have leapt in front of danger to save ponies that would never think of helping you."
I waved her off, " I'm an Honor Guard. It's in my contract. Now I'm heading off to the artisan district to offer assistance to the guards there." I picked up my things and headed for the door.
"Honored, we called you here so you could rest. You have been fighting and running nonstop all day. You need to regain your strength." Celestia called to me as I opened the door.
I stopped and turned back to the Princesses. "I'll have time to rest once this is over."
I shut the door and marched out into the night. The horizon was aglow with green fire which casted an eerie shadow on everything. I slung my rifle across my back and faced the burning city as the wind wiped at my duster. I was dirty, sweaty, and tired; but I was a human, and I had protecting to do.
********************************6 hours later*****************************
I leapt over the destroyed fruit stand and rounded a corner as the buzzing got louder. Get in and kill the messenger they said, it will be easy they said! I turned and gave a burst from my rifle into another changeling. The changelings used messengers to transport orders to and from the Queen. Take them out and hypothetically we can stop the attack momentarily.
Killing the messenger had been easy as pie. I had jumped off a roof and landed right on its head crushing it into the street. Intimidating and bad ass yes, landing me right in the middle of the changeling assault group. Not so good.
And that is why I was running through the destroyed market and artisan district in the middle of the night. On the plus side, I was so tired I was no longer tired.
The buzzing increased as my pursuers gained on me. I slid under a leaning wall and spun around and emptied the rest of my magazine into the changelings. 5 of them ate every round and fell into pools of green gore. The last one ducked behind the destroyed building.
I dropped the empty mag and put a new one into the rifle. 5 mags left. Running a bit low. Time to conserve ammo. I let the rifle fall and hang off my side by the sling and drew my knife out.
"Oh no, I can't believe my weapon broke and I'm defenseless!" I walked out into the opening as the last changeling crept onto the roof behind me. I could hear him moving along the shingles as he prepared to pounce on me.
I twisted around and thruster my knife up into the stomach of the changeling. It gasped and gurgled, but still snapped its fangs at me, I reached down and yanked the short spike out of the handle of the knife and jabbed it in to the temple of the changeling still gored on the knife.
I yanked both weapons out of the changeling and let the body fall to the ground. I put the knife back together and sheathed it.
The last day and half had turned me into a changeling killing machine. Forget zombie apocalypse, these little buggers were no match for me. Even in large groups I was able to make a stand now. Their tactics didn't change and they didn't have weapons or magic. They could change forms, but they certainly weren't doing that very much.
If Queen Chrysalis was as powerful as her army, this would be a fucking cake walk.
I headed back to the makeshift command tent that was erected in the artisan district. A changeling poked its head out of a trash can as I walked by about to jump out and spear me.
I nonchalantly turned the rifle and hip fired one shot through its head; sending it sliding back down into the trash can. "One liner about taking out the trash." I know I didn't seem that upset about all fighting but I was. I was just masking the pain with humor. On the inside I was crying for every pony that I saw dead. For every pony that I hadn't been able to save.
The changelings had brought the fight to me. Ponies might show mercy, but news flash changelings, I'm not a pony.
I lifted the tent flap and strolled into the command tent.
"Honored, did you stop the messenger?" Asked the Lieutenant of the artisan district.
"And the entire escort." I said as I sat down in a chair and sighed. I took a swig from my canteen and drained the rest of the water. I refilled it from a pitcher that was sitting on the table. I looked at the map on the table.
Slowly but surely we were pushing the changeling army back to the edges of the city. Where ever I had fought you could see the large dent in the enemy lines.
"Honored you've done all you can do for now. Why don't you grab some rest? Celestia knows you could use it." The lieutenant said as he rolled up the map that showed my newest assault and hoofed it to a Pegasus to deliver to the Princesses at the command post in the castle.
"I'll rest once this battle is over." I stood up and moved to the tent flap.
"That wasn't a suggestion guard." The lieutenant growled at me.
Without turning around I tapped my dirty helmet, "I out rank you Lieutenant, only 4 ponies out rank me. The princesses, Shining Armor, and -"
"Me." That voice. Light and airy but with a bit of scratchiness.
"Sky!" I jumped out of the chair and ran to the entrance, throwing my arms around her and hugged her close.
"You know I don't really out rank you." She said giggling as I pulled back from her.
"But I value your word more than others." I smiled and brushed some hair out of her face.
"Well then Honored, I think getting some rest would do you some good." She turned and started walking back to the gates that lead to the mane street leading to the castle.
"Right behind you ma’am." I called out and ran to catch up to the mare.
We moved through the ruble filled streets. Nearly all the bodies had been cleared and disposed of (changelings) or properly buried (ponies). Barricades and defense positions had been created everywhere to help in the defense of the city in case of another main attack.
I don't know if I had enough ammo for another massive attack. 2 1/2 mags of 9mm ammo and 5 magazines of 5.56mm. Not an abundance of ammo left. I considered the possibility of saving the shells and refilling them with some type of propellant but that left trying to find a primer to ignite it. And I don't have a bag of primers just lying around. I was living by waste not want not.
The gate swung open and allowed us into the fortress that was the castle. They Princesses had ordered that this castle be turned into an impenetrable bunker, and they had succeeded. The changelings could fly over the wall sure, but the hundreds of archers would stop them once they touched down inside the walls.
All in all, this was as good a spot as any to get some rest. We moved together to the barracks of Saddle Company and went to bed. One large bed at the edge of the room was missing its occupant. A large blue earth pony that wouldn’t be joining us back on the field.
y'all getting pumped for the conclusion? I sure am.