Across the city, Twilight and her friends unceremoniously rushed into the palace, searching for Queen Marwe. For the time being, Twilight had decided not to tell the others about Zecora's sorcerous crime, figuring it was best that they hear it from the zebra's mouth.
The retinue of palace guards were preparing themselves for field service in the main hall and weren't as quick to respond to the sudden intrusion.
"<Be quick!>" Twilight proceeded to try--and fail--not to fumble a Zebrish sentence. "<Where does is Queen Marwe find lemons be?>"
The guards simply stared at her in confusion before Applejack stepped forward with a polite smile.
"We need to find the queen, y'all."
They were directed to the royal armory, where Marwe was being outfitted for combat. Her mane was tied up into a bun and her eyes decorated with war paint. A pair of zebras were attaching armor plates made of strong wood covered in metal while a third nailed on a set of sharpened horseshoes.
"What is it you want, Princess Twilight? As you can see, my nation readies to fight."
"Your Majesty," she replied "We want to know if there is any help we can be at all to your war effort. Zecora requested that we protect you, if we may."
Marwe's otherwise stern countenance softened--just for a moment.
"This is not the Equestrians' battle." she said stoically. "I wouldn't ask you to face sword's cut and shield's rattle."
"With all due respect," replied the alicorn "we came here to bring our peoples closer together. Zecora is our friend, and so are you and your people."
"And technically," Spike posited, "we don't have to act in our official capacity to participate in this battle. Think of us as... a third party."
"Mercenaries." Dash added with a wink.
"Soldiers of fortune with plenty of cupcakes!" Pinkie said, pronking about the armory while doling out desserts to the zebra guards she passed.
"No payment required." finished Twilight. "Though, if you'd consider extending amnesty toward Zecora, we'd all appreciate it."
Marwe glanced at the floor with a small chuckle. One of the armorers took the opportunity to place a golden helm atop her head and drape a cloak over her shoulders.
"I may have to consider it, Princess. I will at least let you assist us nevertheless."
Applejack and Rainbow Dash *yessed* between themselves and shared a hoof bump while Pinkie continued bouncing around, sharing her pre-battle snacks.
"Just show us how to get armored up!" Applejack smirked with a tilt of her hat.
"Fluttershy and I will gladly serve in a medical capacity, off the battlefield." Rarity said politely, putting her hoof over her friend's shoulder, who nodded silently. "She isn't much of a fighter, and while I can hold my own, I feel my skills are best put to use stitching wounds rather than creating them."
"I'll help too!" came a familiar voice from behind them. The six ponies turned to see Nuru, standing boldly in the doorway. She drew back slightly upon seeing all eyes on her, and realizing she didn't have a rhyme ready.
"<Young filly, you're not supposed to be-- wait.>" Marwe started to scold the mare before stopping herself. "<You live with the colt housing the Equestrians, don't you?>"
"<Yes, Your Majesty.>" Nuru replied with a respectful bow. "<My name is Nuru. My brother Sundiata is serving with the city guard, and I wish to help my people, too. I'm no shaman, but if there's anything I can do to help the wounded or the doctors, I'll do it.>"
The queen turned to face the teenage mare, just barely entering adulthood but speaking with strength beyond her years.
"<I've never met one so young with such a strong sense of patriotism, dear Nuru.>" Marwe said cordially. "<I find that quite admirable.>" Nuru shied away slightly from her praise.
"<If our friends Rarity and Fluttershy will have you, you are welcome to assist them in dealing with the wounded.>"
Nuru smiled with determination and looked at the two mares in question; even though Rarity and Fluttershy hadn't understood the words spoken, from the general tone of their voices, they could pick up what had been said...
..but of course, that didn't stop Twilight from trying to interpret.
"Oooh! Okay, let's see. I recognized 'heal' and 'friends', and maybe... 'lemon'? And well, pbbt, Rarity and Fluttershy, of course, and um... there were a couple new verbs thrown in there, I know they were verbs because of the ending! Would those conjugate like Class 1 or Class 2 verbs? I run, we run, she-he-it runs... I need to write this down, Spike-- could you take a note?"
The resounding voice of one of Marwe's generals could be heard from the ikanda as he rallied the city guard into a small makeshift army. Sundiata donned his armor and fastened on his weapons from within one of the adobe buildings; outside, he could hear the thundering, synchronized hoof-steps of zebras traversing the walls and city streets, preparing for war. The mbeba ngao with their heavy wooden shields, the mandekalu with chainmail and lance, the fast-moving pombos, lightly equipped to scout and skirmish, and of course, the levied citizen-soldier like himself. He had been trained well, and was confident in his own abilities, but still, the thought that he could die today made him uneasy.
He thought about his sister, hoping she would stay safe and keep out of trouble during all this. He thought about his friends, many of whom were about to take to the field with him, and many of whom might not come back. He thought about Zanzebrar, his home, and whether it would still be free, or even standing, by sunset. Lastly, Sundiata thought about the army amassing outside the walls. How many of its soldiers followed Soumaoro's wicked ways, and how many were following him out of fear? Likely, most of them were just ordinary zebras like him; they had tried to protect what they loved and had failed, and now, they were made to come and fight for the ambitions of a vile sorcerer-king. The fact that so many had been made to march to their deaths maddened Sundiata, and he was determined to take as little life as possible in this fight.
Reaching into a bucket of water nearby, the young stallion splashed his face and tried to snap out of his reflections. His unit would take to the field before long, and if he wasn't in the moment the whole time, his chances of survival were slim.
Sundiata shifted in his seat; from behind him came the gentle clatter of armor, and a familiar voice came from the figure in the doorway.
"<Are you ready, my friend?>"
Sundiata smiled. "<Never thought I'd see you in armor.>"
"<After what I did to Marwe, it's the least I can do.>"
"What in Tartarus is THAT?"
Princess Twilight and Spike stood slack-jawed on the city ramparts, gazing out across the arid fields at the gargantuan monster marching ahead of Soumaoro's main army, which shook the earth with each great step it took. It very much resembled the hydra that Twilight once encountered in Froggy Bottom Bog back home, but on a massive scale. It stood several stories tall, as tall as some of the skyscrapers in Manehattan, and its scaly body was pitch black. It possessed seven heads on serpentine necks, each with a single horn and blazing red eyes. Its jaws snapped and its mouths hissed and roared as it drew nearer to the city, casting a dreadful shadow across the plains.
"Whatever it is," added Spike "it doesn't look very friendly!"
"It's not." Marwe's voice came from beside them. Dressed in full battle regalia, she'd come to survey the battlefield before leading her troops out to their fate. "That's Kirimu, an ancient titan long forgot."
"I'm not well-read on Zebrican legends. Mind filling me in?" asked Twilight, her eyes still glued to the malevolent dragon.
"Long ages ago, Kirimu ravaged the land and proved quite the foe; it took many zebras' lives to lay the beast low. When at last those ancient warriors had won and shown their worth, they bound him and chained him deep below the earth."
Twilight and Spike glanced at each other.
"In Tartarus." They both said.
"But now that Soumaoro has set the beast free, I fear that we might not overcome this enemy..." Marwe was silent for a moment; almost reflective, Twilight thought. Finally, she looked back up and gave Twilight an affirmative nod.
"I'll gather my forces and take to the field. In victory or defeat, I shall not yield."
Marwe trotted back down the stone steps, her personal guard in tow. Twilight stretched her wings and checked her straps and armor; she and Rainbow Dash had had to make some adjustments to fit, since there were no winged zebras. She hoped that it would protect her nonetheless.
"Twilight..." Spike said, approaching his friend. "Whatever happens... I'll be with you all the way."
Twilight smiled gently and patted Spike's head. "I know."
Soumaoro's eyes gleamed with villainous pride as his army marched onward, mere minutes away from battle. Soon, the last of his hated enemies would fall, and Zebrica would be his alone. It was a day he'd dreamed of for years. He hadn't been sure how easy it would be, but once he'd discovered the gate to the world beneath and unleashed Kirimu, his victory had been certain.
He allowed himself a smile as the titan's shadow drew closer to the city walls. He could practically taste the fear of all Zanzebrar, and that feeling made him powerful. Soumaoro relished the thought of facing the queen in battle, whom he knew was a powerful sorceress, and seeing the look on her face as he ended her. He could picture himself sitting upon Zanzebrar's throne--and it was only a matter of time before he could.
"<Sir.>" said Hondo, his general, trotting to his side. "<All units have reported ready to deploy.>"
"<Good.>" Soumaoro replied. "<Have them arrange themselves in line formation and block any escape routes from the city. Kirimu will advance on my signal and crush the walls, after which the troops can flood in.>"
Hondo nodded and briskly galloped off, relaying orders to the company commanders. Kirimu screeched in bloodthirsty excitement, eager for the battle to start. Soumaoro laughed to himself.
"<This city will be mine by sunset... and all of Zebrica will answer to me...>"
Zanzebrar's armed forces solemnly marched out before their great city, grimly determined to face whatever lay ahead. Marwe was at their head, her armor gleaming in the harsh sunlight. Her retinue of guards had been replaced by Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie, all outfitted in zebra-made armor and equipped with little other than horseshoes, also determined to avoid dealing in death. Marwe admired their principles, but she knew that battles were seldom won without bloodshed; she would protect her kingdom and her people, even if it meant ending the lives of Soumaoro's enslaved soldiers.
Behind the royal party, Marwe's three generals led great contingents of zebras, brave stallions and mares who were just as determined to protect their homes and families. Sundiata was among them, and he couldn't help but notice somezebra making her way up towards the queen.
Marwe was surveying the enemy forces before her, and didn't notice Pinkie Pie pronking out of the way to let someone through. When she turned and looked, beside her stood Zecora in full battle gear, including war paint. The two former friends shared a silent glance; Zecora smiled. After a moment of hesitancy, Marwe returned it.
From across the great field, Soumaoro stepped forth from among his armies, which let out a great chant to herald him. The old warlock stood atop a flat rock to announce himself to his enemy, and the savannah became quiet.
"<Queen Marwe of Zanzebrar, I offer you this one chance only:>" He magically amplified his voice to be heard from far away. "<Surrender your nation to me, or die.>"
Marwe called back to him, likewise amplifying her unshakable voice.
"<I fear neither death nor pain, Soumaoro, and I most certainly do not fear you.>"
The Zanzebrari let up whoops and cheers in support of their queen.
"What are they saying?" whispered Rainbow Dash to Applejack.
"Like I'd know." the farmpony replied. "Prob'ly just trash-talk."
"<All of Zebrica has learned to fear me,>" continued the sorcerer "<and you shall as well. Perhaps.. if you fear not me, then you shall fear the great Kirimu...>"
The black dragon's many heads screeched at the mention of its name.
"<...who once ravaged zebrakind with its mighty hunger and unstoppable strength? I assure you, Queen Marwe, that between my monster and my armies, there is nothing on this globe that can stop my ambition, not least of all a petty sorceress such as yourself!>"
"<We shall see who is the more capable sorcerer, you foul husk of a creature.>" Marwe replied, her eyes almost glowing with energy. Soumaoro's eyes seemed to take on a similar sheen as he bore his rotten teeth in an overconfident grin.
Though their contest was invisible, Zecora could sense immense magical energy across the battlefield, like nothing she'd ever felt before; Marwe and Soumaoro both possessed magic like no zebra Zecora had ever known. From all the way back at the city walls, Twilight could feel the burst of energy as well, and temporarily became woozy. After some time of competition, with their armies chanting and beating their shields behind them, Marwe seemed to gain the upper hoof, though not without great effort.
"<Soumaoro!>" she called through gritted teeth. "<You... have no power here!>"
As soon as those words had left Marwe's lips, the knotty wooden staff on which Soumaoro leaned exploded into splinters with the sound of a thunderclap. He staggered for a moment, and the armies became silent again. Zecora's eyes widened, hardly believing what they'd just seen. The warlock seemed injured, but not defeated; Marwe took his moment of weakness to address her enemy.
"<You zebras who would take up arms against me, tell me why it is you fight. I believe the answer is simple: you fight because you fear Soumaoro. He came to your lands with foul magics and proclaimed himself your leader. He turned once proud warriors into his legion of slaves--well, fear him no longer! This old stallion is no match for the might of Zanzebrar, and he knows it! If you join me, we can be rid of him easily! No aged conjurer could stand against so many swords--even his great monster will flee when we turn our wrath upon it! So I encourage you, take back your pride! Cast off his yoke and side against him!>"
The savannah stood silent for a moment, aside from a light breeze and the rustling of armor. Finally, one brave colt from among Soumaoro's ranks cast off his helmet with a clank and broke into a full-bore gallop across the field. But Soumaoro, who had recovered from his minor defeat, would not have deserters. He angrily slammed his hoof to the ground and, with another great thunderclap, a bolt of lightning descended from the heavens to strike the fleeing zebra. A gasp went up from both armies; in a moment, the colt was reduced to dust on the wind.
"<THEY ARE RIGHT TO FEAR ME!>" Soumaoro exclaimed with an anger in his voice that was audible for miles. "<I brought their kingdom to its knees by myself! I laid low many more with the great Kirimu! And I am still just as powerful without my staff, Queen Marwe! But when you are laid low, your friends and your kinsmares dead around you, your city in ruins, how powerful will you be? It is the law of nature that the strong rule the weak, and I am the strongest creature in all of Zebrica!>"
"<If that is the case, then what need do you have for armies and monsters?>"
It was Zecora. Marwe felt her heart drop into her stomach as she stepped forward to taunt Soumaoro, and she instinctively wanted to protect her childhood friend. From across the field Soumaoro scoffed.
"<My armies show that I am powerful.>" he replied. "<And they do my bidding without question. If they were not here, I dare say that conquest would not be nearly as enjoyable to me.>" The old stallion paused for a second, squinting his eyes to try and see who the stranger challenging him was.
"<You are brave, young zebra, to speak so boldly against me.>" Soumaoro stroked his beard in contemplation. "<Tell me your name.>"
"<My name is akin to a curse among my people.>" Zecora replied, scowling with narrow eyes and flattened ears. "<But even so, your foul tongue would not do it justice.>"
The army amassed behind her roared with cheers for Zecora. Even those that still did not trust her admired her audacity in standing up to Soumaoro. Meanwhile, the old enchanter simply chuckled.
"<So be it, nameless one...>"
The sorcerer-king raised a hoof, and the front row of his army readied their weapons.
"<...you will die just the same."
Soumaoro gave the order to advance, and his troops began an implacable march forward.
Marwe turned to face her people.
"<Zanzebrar now!>" she called out.
"<Zanzebrar forever!>" the army replied.
She shared one last glance with Zecora, and they drew their swords together.
With a rear and a whinny, they led the charge side by side.
The two sides met in the middle of the field, looking and sounding to all the world as two great tidal waves crashing together. Arrows flew, spears splintered against strong shields, and glinting swords caught each other in the hot afternoon air. As the battle lines entwined, the melee became more chaotic, with pockets of fighting across the savannah. Within the first crucial minutes, the Zanzebrari had managed to hold their defense, though they were fewer in number and a retreat seemed likely. Both sides of the conflict steered clear of Kirimu as the monster continued its unstoppable march towards the city.
On the field of battle, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie served as an effective fighting force, to the simultaneous amazement and detriment of their foes. Rainbow Dash, a seasoned Wonderbolt, was far too fast to be caught, zipping between arrow volleys and bristling spear arrays to deliver disabling kicks or lash the air into a whirlwind and clear a path for her allies to advance or retreat. Applejack's mighty hooves rang against the enemy's helmets like the striking of a bell, and the KO'd zebras would awake to find themselves hogtied with strong Equestrian rope.
AJ's armor clattered as she tightened the rope binding three of her foes together. Rainbow Dash swooped to a stop near her and wiped sweat from her brow.
"Gettin' tired, Rainbow?" Applejack said with a chuckle.
"Not a chance!" the Pegasus replied. With a noise of exertion, she lifted the three zebras in her forehooves. "I'll keep movin' 'em to the back of the column. I'm sure they'll be happy to get away from Mr. Old and Crazy over there."
"In that case, I'll keep introducing everypony to my hooves!" The orange mare gave a laugh and ran in place to limber herself up. "Anypony steps to me, they're gonna see more stars than in Luna's night sky!"
Suddenly, Pinkie Pie's shrill voice came up over the din of battle.
"APPLEJACK! DUCK!"
Instinctively, AJ dropped low to the ground, pressing her hat to her head.
"What?! Where?!"
Pinkie smiled and pointed to the sky. "Up there. A duck!"
Glancing skyward against the sunshine, Applejack could make out what did, in fact, appear to be some kind of duck flying overhead.
"Pinkie! Focus on the fight!"
"Don't worry, Applejack, ya silly pony! With zebras like Zecora and Marwe on our side, we've got this in the bag!"
The mares' conversation was interrupted by a fierce-looking zebra brandishing a sword charging towards them from among the fracas. Applejack readied herself to fight, but before she could even step towards him, Pinkie's forehooves were moving almost too fast to be seen; she was giggling hysterically as she pelted her foe with a seemingly infinite supply of cupcakes from her mane. AJ wisely decided to pull Pinkie away after the zebra had nearly disappeared beneath a pile of sugary treats.
Across the field, Sundiata's fight wasn't progressing as smoothly.
His unit was being pushed back by a rising tide of adversaries, and several of his allies had fallen around him. Every ounce of his concentration was on his defense, blocking or dodging or countering attacks that could come at him from any direction. His jaw felt like it was about to be ripped off, and his sword felt like it grew heavier in its grasp with each second. Nonetheless, Sundiata had fought valorously beside his fellow soldiers. He had fought one-on-one with three different enemies now and had managed to defeat all of them; he was confident he had disabled two of them with his attacks, but the third he had likely killed when they reacted to his strike in an unexpected way. It wasn't something he could dwell on right now, Sundiata knew: he had to stay alive and help his allies.
Seemingly out of nowhere, Sundiata found a sharp spear being thrust towards him, its iron head glinting in the sunlight. He briskly jumped back, teeth clenching around the hilt of his khopesh, and pawed the ground as a new combatant approached. A smallish zebra, carrying a spear and shield, outfitted in the uniform armor Soumaoro had given his forced conscripts. From their softer face they seemed a bit young, and Sundiata couldn't quite tell if they were a mare or a stallion; whatever the case, it was likely they didn't need or want to be here.
Sundiata told himself he would try to subdue them... but if they died, they died.
He needed to live.
The young soldier lunged at him with another thrust of their spear. Sundiata dodged to one side and tossed a foreleg around the haft, pulling it close to him so his foe couldn't make use of it. With a quick step forward, he bashed his forehead against that of his foe, the noise of their helmets resounding almost as loudly as the pain consuming the inside of his skull. The other zebra staggered backwards, their grip on their weapon loosening enough for Sundiata to toss it aside. After a moment, they'd cleared their head and raised their shield, ready to counter whatever their foe might attempt. Sundiata simply stood in a ready stance, the taunting whoop whoop of zebrakind coming from his throat as he pawed the ground.
All was still for a moment. The chaos and bloodshed around them seemed to fade away as this fight became each zebra's whole world. Neither particularly wanted to make the first move, but both of them knew it had to happen. Even if one or two soldiers here or there mutually agreed to stop fighting, there would still be countless others ready to strike them down, or commanders to brand them as traitors. Sundiata would defend his home to the last, and the other zebra dare not cross the sorcerer-king.
Sundiata made a mock charge, causing his opponent to flinch behind their shield. The younger combatant reached their snout to retrieve a dagger strapped to their shoulder, and Sundiata took this moment to attack. A wide swing of his curved sword was caught by the shield, and this was intentional; he could see his foe had been shaken by the close call, and he continued to press his attack. Unable to pry the sword free quickly enough, Sundiata swung his body into that of his adversary, knocking the smaller zebra to the ground with a grunt. As his opponent tried to get up, he carefully aimed a kick right to their face, laying them out for good.
Turning to retrieve his sword, Sundiata took a brief moment to check on the zebra he'd defeated. The edge of his horseshoe had left a cut across their cheek and a trickle of blood flowed from their nose, but the young one was still breathing. After wrenching his sword from the wooden shield, he made sure their head tilted to the side to prevent them from choking, then proceeded to rejoin a cluster of his allies.
"<Sundiata! Over here!>"
The stallion quickly dashed to the side of several of his fellow militia. They were falling back with a number of other soldiers; their attempt to use a large acacia tree as a rallying point had failed, and the pursuing enemy wasn't far behind.
"<The commander wanted us to regroup and hold back that incoming wave!>" said a shield-bearing mare. The cut above her eye and the sweat of the day had covered her face and neck in blood. The others that followed her weren't in much better shape.
"<Wanted?>" Sundiata said, his jaw barely strong enough to speak. "<Why isn't he here with us?>"
"<He's dead.>" she replied. "<They got him pretty deep with a spear. He... told us to regroup and leave him behind...>"
The cry of a frantic stallion came up from the other side of the group. "<Shields up, shields up! Here they come!>"
A line of heavy wooden shields quickly formed a line in the dusty earth, with Sundiata and the others taking shelter behind them. A cry of "Zanzebrar forever!" was taken up to counter the noise of Soumaoro's charging minions. Sundiata wasn't sure how well he and this band would be able to stop the charge, but he prepared himself to enter the fray...
...when suddenly, a great line of fire shot across the earth some distance in front of the shield wall. The charging enemy practically crashed into each other to avoid running through it. There was a brief moment of confusion before a lone figure trotted in front of the shields, the flames seeming to obey her command.
"Zecora!"
She looked back at Sundiata and smiled.
"<Don't you remember what I taught you?>" she asked almost cockily. "<The elements will come to your defense!>"
Sundiata's eyes brightened and a smile crossed his face. How could he forget? He supposed he had been so anxious during the combat that his pleasant days of training with Zecora had slipped his mind. He trotted out from behind the defenses towards his friend and ally, already feeling the magic inherent in the earth ready to receive his command. With a deep, calming breath, he channeled his thoughts and energy into his hooves. He slammed a forehoof hard enough to pierce the earth, and a great rock about his height rose up before him. He swiftly spun and bucked it with his hooves, sending it careening through the wall of flame and into the enemy formation. Those that weren't pummeled by the mass of earth decided to retreat; very few stood their ground against such sorcery.
Sundiata and Zecora shared a smirk. Zecora turned to face the band of her allies.
"<If you would see Zanzebrar saved, then charge with me!>"
A cheer went up from the group as they readied their weapons. Zecora quenched the flames she'd summoned, and led the charge with Sundiata. Now it was the enemy's turn to retreat.
On the far opposite side of the field, Applejack had gathered Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie to her side once more, fighting alongside the Zanzebrari as Soumaoro's forces crashed against them. Pinkie Pie had now retrieved a small party cannon and was successfully introducing the zebras to confetti warfare.
"Hey! AJ!" Rainbow Dash called out as she cracked a horseshoe off of somezebra's jaw.
Applejack finished her technique of lassoing an opponent, tossing them into the air and slamming them back to the ground.
"Yeah?" she said between breaths.
"Twilight said we were supposed to protect the queen," RD continued, zipping overhead "but where did she get to?"
"...I'm not sure..." Applejack looked about. "Pinkie, do you have any idea whe--"
Pinkie eyes widened with worry as she absentmindedly shoved a cupcake into an enemy's mouth.
"Yeah... I see her."
The girls' faces all paled. Marwe was facing down Soumaoro alone.