//------------------------------// // I Fight At Sri Lanka // Story: Warfare // by Rated Ponystar //------------------------------// December 14, 1421 E.F I’m sorry I haven’t been able to write for a while. I honestly had forgotten I had this thing ever since Princess Luna’s… death. It’s still hard to believe she’s gone, for all of us in the unit. I can still remember the long ten-minute silence we had on the day of her funeral. I wasn’t there in Canterlot, but every soldier in the army was required to do so at a specific moment in time. It was the longest ten minutes of my life as tears dripped down my cheek in mourning. Our beloved Princess of the Moon had been shed of her mortal form and returned to Elysium to watch over us. That was what was being said anyway. Some had stated they lost their faith, but they were just weak in it. Our Princess may be gone, but she still lives and will return one day. I am sure of it. But besides the death of Princess Luna, it’s just been… well, I remember a quote from a human book that said, “War is Hell”. The humans may not get much right, but they sure got that one on the dot. Ever since Princess Luna’s death, the human armies of the world had been fighting to retake their lands and we’ve been assaulted at every front from east to west. Their new Thalmann Generators, or Magic Killers as some still call them, have been hurting our armies to the point where we’re being retrained to fight without our magic. The barrier is being slowly destroyed each day with more and more of Equestria’s colonized lands being open for attack. We’re forced to abandon the newfoals that live here. Some are reported being herded up and taken away. Others are just killed on the spot. Poor creatures. They converted to escape humanity and now their former humans were killing them out of fear and ignorance. Currently, I am stationed Sri Lanka, an island just south of India which the humans have managed to retake. We were put here in case our forces fell and we’re to hold the enemy back as best as we can. Now, after months of waiting, they arrived about a few weeks ago, but it’s not looking good. It’s not just us though. A lot of lands are under attack such as our territories in China, the Philippines, South Africa, and more. Over here, we’re giving the humans as much fight as we can give by using the trees to our advantage for sneak attacks and night assaults. However, they just firebomb us back and send in their troops to deal with us. I didn’t think war was going to be this brutal. They never said it was this bad in training. They don’t train you to deal with all the chaos, smells, and confusion. How one minute your flying, then running, fighting, and flying again all in minutes. They don’t tell you how to deal with all the blood, lost limbs, and cries for mothers and fathers to help them. The sobbing of scared ponies in fetal positions or running away in terror. The agonizing yells of the dying and fallen who are beyond saving. The bodies piled up before they are sent off to be cleaned and returned home in a pine box. And the waste… they don’t tell you about the waste that comes out of the dead bodies. There are days when I just can’t eat much. We’re currently doing our best to hold the Northern Central Province while waiting for reinforcements from home. Home. This is the longest I’ve ever been home and soon it's going to be Hearths Warming Eve. I won’t be able to attend Midnight Mass or sing this year. I won’t be able to taste my mother’s warm pudding or exchange gifts with my sister. I wish this war never happened. I wish I was at home. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** December 15, 1421 E.F I almost died again today. I’ve had a few close calls in this war, but I’ve managed to make it each time. A bullet nearly got me in the face if it wasn’t for the fact that I flew right at the last moment and narrowly avoided getting my halo and harp. I made sure to thank all the goddesses from Celestia to Flurry Heart for surviving. Other than that, it was another charge from the humans and another retreat for us. I managed to kill three this time. One with my spear and the other two with my sword. I hate to say it, but I wish we had weapons like the humans have. They don’t need to get too close to kill us one by one. The humans were like angels of death, and their guns were their scythes. I can still remember my first kill. It wasn’t that long after we arrived in Sri Lanka. I speared a human in the throat as he looked at me with wide eyes. His hand holding the spear by reflex before I pulled it out. I stared at him with my mouth open as he fell to his side, clutching the wound in vain to stop his blood from spilling out. From the moment he fell, to the moment he breathed his last, I felt horrified by what I had done. I felt sorry for the human I had killed. Did he have a family? Children? A good life? I threw up and felt tears come down as I sat there sobbing despite a battle going on around me. If it wasn’t for Thundershot getting me back on all fours I might have been killed that day. His face haunted me-and still does sometimes-but then I remember this is the enemy. These are the monsters who will kill, rape, and destroy my home and my fellow ponies. No matter how much it may sicken me, I must continue to fight for their sake. It’s still not the worst kill I’ve ever had. The worst was a few days later. Some higher ranking officers decided it was a good idea to use the potions as weapons to turn the humans into ponies like us. Usually, they’re only used for the raid attacks in human lands, but with Equestria now on the defensive things have changed. I only managed to successfully hit a human once with it. I watched as his body slowly began to change into a pony. Normally, the process is done in the Conversion Bureau with other medical equipment and unicorns to make the process safer. Without that… I can see why humans fear it. The sound of bones conjuring and changing shape. The flesh being moved around from the inside as organs are pushed and squeezed. The face-melting and reforming with the skull changing shape. Hair growing out of every pour of the body. Their eyes growing as blood seeps out from the pain. I didn’t get a chance to see it finish as the human took his pistol with his only non-changing hand and shot himself in the face. He killed himself rather than change. And for that one moment, I couldn’t blame him. From what I heard this is a common practice. Most shoot themselves as soon as they are hit with the potion. Others have poison pills in their mouths. A few of the more extreme ones blow themselves up to take their enemies with them. While I can understand just how painful it can be, do these humans prefer dying than becoming one of us? I can understand if it was without the proper procedure. I do… but still… I guess I just don’t understand it. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** December 17, 1421 E.F I got a letter from home today, something which made me feel happy despite having lost another five miles to the humans. The good news is my family is okay. Mom and Dad are well and while my sister has a small cold, she’s getting better. They’re all praying for me back home as well as the others who decided to join or were enlisted by the draft. Thankfully my sister still has two more years before she’s at the age. I don’t think she can even handle half the stuff I’ve seen since I became a soldier. The church is doing well, but these days it's more funerals than anything. Soldiers from home return in boxes or urns for families to mourn before they are given the final rest in the winds. I sometimes fear that it will be my fate and that I’ll return home in a box for my family to mourn. But there is no greater glory then to die for the sake of others according to the teachings. For he or she that lays their life for another soul, will be eternally reward in Elysium where they will feel no pain and know only eternal harmony. If my destiny is to die for the sake of Equestria, then so be it. Other than that, they sent me a box of cookies for the holidays. I shared them with my comrades as we all had a small cookie party. Turns out a lot of us got them from our families. I wish we had some milk though. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** December 19, 1421 E.F Damn it! You can’t do anything without fearing a shot from out of nowhere! We had to deal with a sniper the past two days that’s had everypony on edge! It all started when one of the recruits, Private Windchime, had his head explode and his brains splattered all over the ground. Everypony ducked for cover but five others got shot. Three were killed on impact. One died later in the medical tent and the other looks like he’s going to make it but he’s going to be three-legged now. We still didn’t even get the bastard. He fled before our scouts could get him. Ugh, I hope the higher-ups have a plan because I can’t stand this place anymore! -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** December 20, 1421 E.F Well, we’re moving out, but not far. Eastern Province has fallen with barely any survivors and the humans are moving on to Uva Province. If that falls, they have a clear shot at the Southern Province where our marine bases are located. We’ve been ordered to give up our position, but we’re leaving traps along the way while a few of us are volunteering to stay behind and make sure they go off. There is a good chance none of them are going to come back and they know it, but they are willing to die for Equestria. I remember our commander ordering us to salute them like we were saying farewell to them for the last time. My hope is that when we win this war all the lives that were lost for the greater good will be remembered. Thankfully, nopony I know is being left behind. Then again, the only one I keep close to is Thundershot. Most of those I trained with are dead, too injured to fight anymore, or were transferred to another unit. Because of this, Thundershot and I are close. The two of us are not only bunkmates from training, but we always have patrol and fight together. I’ve saved his sorry cute butt more than once, but he’s saved mine at least twice as much. On our way to our new HQ, we flew side by side together and talked about what we would do if we managed to survive the war. I told him I want to settle down with some colt and maybe adopt a few foals before starting my own church like my father. Chances are they’re going to be a lot of orphans after the war. Thundershot said he’s going to take all his money and blow it on a month-long vacation in Las Pegasus. Ha! I’d said I joined him if we win. If. That’s what I said and Thunderlot looked at me like I was mental. He then stared at my eyes with the most serious look I had ever seen from him. Thundershot told me we were going to win. He’s that confident we’ll beat the humans and I found myself believe it too as he went on about our advantages such as our friendship, harmony, princesses, and magic. When I pointed out the Thalmann Generators, he stated that they’ll find a way around them. After all, Princess Twilight was one of the most brilliant ponies of our era, so she was bound to find a way to defend ourselves against the magic killers. Maybe we will. No, I think we will. Thundershot is right, we gotta keep hope up. This war is far from over! -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** December 22,, 1421 E.F Just arrived at our base. A lot of troops around here. Command is expecting a battle in the next few days. Ugh, and on Hearths Warming Eve too. I guess I won’t be writing in my journal for awhile until this is all over. Hopefully, I’ll survive and write in this again. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** December 26, 1421 E.F Hey journal, I’m sleeping next to a cute handsome stallion who gave me quite a ride last night. I swear Thundershot is a name that means what it does. Haha. Well, Happy Hearths Warming Eve. The humans haven’t attacked us since we got here, but we’ve been on alert. However, the scouts learned last night that the humans weren’t making plans to attack us. I guess it's because this the Christmas holiday for them. I find it strange that our holidays are so similar, but I guess it was just easier for the newfoals to adjust quicker. Anyway, when it was reported that the humans had no plans to attack us, the commanders decided to give us the okay to have our own celebration. It was a big morale booster too. For the first time in so long we were able to relax and let our manes down. There was singing and dancing. Laughter instead of the dying cries of the fallen. A few of us started exchanging stories about our lives outside the war and what we wanted to do after it. There was a priest who held a small mass for us, where we prayed to the goddesses for victory, peace, and to welcome those we lost. The Captain then surprised us all and started playing the fiddle which led to us having a hoedown. I danced with Thundershot a lot, even did a slow dance with him, before we headed over someplace private to talk. He then showed me a bottle of wine his mother sent him last month he was saving for a special occasion and figured this would be it. The two of us toasted to our friendship, to Equestria, and our comrades as we began to drink the bottle while watching the moon above. Thundershot’s face glowed well in it. I guess that’s why I decided to kiss him because he looked so perfect under it. He was surprised at first, but not too surprised before he kissed me back and soon we were all over each other. We decided to use my bed and before we knew it the two of us were taking off our clothes and getting… frisky with each other. I asked him what we were going to be after this. Special someponies? Friends with benefits? In the end, we decided this would be a one-night stand. This was a war still. We could die any day. But for now? All that mattered was two stallions who needed to blow off some steam and by Luna’s Wings did he blow. Sorry, he just woke up and kissed me good morning. Again, we agreed to keep this as just a one-night stand, but it was a stand that we both needed he said before leaving. Now, I gotta go. I gotta pee from all that wine I had, and I’m scheduled for a seven-hour watch shift today. Which is fine by me because I don’t think my sore rump can sit on anything right now. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** December 28, 1421 E.F The humans have started making their push, but so far they haven’t charged at us yet. They’re just firing shells and rockets at us while their bombers bomb the mountains. However, they seem to be not up to their usual zealotry of blowing stuff up. These mountains and forests can protect us enough, along with some shield spells, but it’s only a matter of time before they manage to come at us with infantry. The mountains make it hard for vehicles to attack us, so that’s a plus. I think they’re also holding back because we’ve made a base at one of their religious temples: Muthiyansomething. I don’t know I can’t say or write it right. It’s not one of the religions that… killed Princess Luna back in Jerusalem. I don’t know what this faith is about. Something about a human who got enlightened or something. It’s a heathen religion anyway so it doesn’t matter. Normally, such things get destroyed when Equestria takes over a new land due to the barrier so we can put up proper temples to the princesses. For some reason, this one was kept around. Maybe somepony liked the structure or something. Princess Twilight I heard tends to do that to popular structures the humans made. It was why she kept the Sidney Opera House, but I also heard she destroyed some big wall in China because it was built on the backs of slaves. But there is some good news! Me, Thunderlot, and a few others are going to be promoted soon. I don’t know what rank and for what reason (Private Jewel Crest thinks it’s because we’ve survived this long), but I guess that’s something to celebrate. One has to always find the good in something, right? -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** January 9th, 1422 E.F Happy New Year. Okay, a very late new year. One that I’m glad to be alive to see. If you’re wondering why I haven’t written in so long, it’s very simple. I got shot. Right in the lower area of my waist. Thankfully, my armor managed to absorb most of the damage, but it still felt like I got hit by a minotaur’s horn right near my liver. I thought for sure I had died when I woke up a hospital, but no, I was still alive and kicking. They couldn’t treat me at the base, so I was sent to New Zealand with a few others for medical treatment. I’m better now, and I’m still good for duty when I’m released, but damn is it good to be away from the battlefield. I’m sleeping in a nice bed, no sound of gunshots or artillery, nor am I getting bad food. Granted hospital food isn’t that great either, but it’s a step up from military rations. Shi Lanka, however, was lost. We couldn’t hold it. Just as soon as I was sent away for treatment, the US and Japanese Airforce arrived and started bombing the entire island. An emergency teleport was used at the cost of many unicorns who had to use their life energy to mass teleport so many of the army back to our base in the south where a retreat was ordered. Thankfully, Thundershot and a few others I know are okay, but there were still a lot of losses. Word has it that the humans managed to find a way to use the Thalmann Generators with their missile arsenal to seriously damage the barrier. I don’t know how damaged it is, but now it’s no longer showing up on places like southern Equestria and the Crystal Empire. Everypony is worried that we’re going to get attacked now by some missile or bombing run, but the humans don’t have the strength to do that. Even if they tried, they would have to get through our defenses. After the invasion of the Changelings years ago at the Royal Wedding of Princes Shining Armor (Rest his soul), and Princess Cadence defense of our borders was put into maximum overdrive. It even become more important when we came to Earth. Other areas aren’t doing too well either. Africa is now fully back in human hands as well as most of upper Asia, but we’re still holding strong in the Philippines and Guam. There is talk that the Crystal Empire almost has its Crystal Cannon ready for use again after Discord sabotaged it. Maybe it can turn a few armies into a bunch of craters like it did with those holy cities it destroyed a few months ago. But the best news I heard is that my family is going to be visiting me in a few days! I can’t believe it! I guess there is an upside to being shot at! Gotta stop writing. Time to take my pills again. Ugh. -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** January 11th, 1422 E.F The… The Crystal Empire… It’s gone… It’s all gone… -Private Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon