//------------------------------//
// A Battle for the Books. 
// Story: The Equestrian Civil War. 
// by Grandore 
//------------------------------//


Chapter 12: A Battle for the Books.


The second battle woke at dawn in Wintergrass Valley. The two armies lined each side of the valley, then with no warning, charged at each other. The only difference in this morning was that, without a doubt, Shade Star was leading the NLR into battle, wings spread and horn pointed in front of him. Most of the Solar Empire stopped in fear, except for Squad Lightbringer, who continued to charge out of shock. “Archmane, We have you with us, no worries.” Grandore whispered when the rest of the army froze. The two squads clashed, and almost instantly, Grandore and Archmane released a spell creating a magical barrier around them. “It’s a one way barrier,” Grandore had stated years ago when he first taught it to Archmane, “anypony can leave, except for the casters, but once left they can’t re-enter.” Archmane preceded to launch offensive attacks at Thunder Flash, not to let him get close. Pinkie went to fighting Octavia with Flim at her side, Silverspeed shot bolts as fast as she could at Vinyl. Grandore jumped at Shade, launching crystals out of the ground all around Shade, only to be dodged. Shade jumped into the air and twirled, launching a flurry of feathers outwards hitting Grandore along the side and chest. Then, smiling, he released what looked like a wolf of darkness out of his horn which knocked Grandore to the ground, then slid him across the dirt to Archmane’s hooves.

“No…” Archmane looked at his teacher, anger covering his face, “No!” Archmane roared, sending frost out through the bubble, launching everypony out except for him, Grandore, and Shade Star. “You…You killed him!” Archmane’s eyes went from black to the light blue color of ice, ice forming armor around his body and wings of ice sprouting from his back, “Now…Now I will kill you!” With that Archmane dashed across the ground at an insane speed, hitting Shade in the chest and knocking him back. Archmane brought his head back and rolled it, ice being formed in the air. He pointed his horn at Shade Star and released the spell, launching a long, dragon shaped ice mass at Shade, who threw constant dark wolves at it. When the dragon hit Shade it knocked him to the ground, when he went to get up he found Archmane holding him down. Archmane then grabbed Shade’s right wing with his mouth and pulled as hard as he could, multiple pops and rips sounded as Shade’s wing slowly peeled off his body as he screamed out in pain.

“Arch…mane?” Grandore stood, his white coat covered in crimson. Archmane turned normal and teleported to Grandore. After grabbing him he teleported the two of them to the camp along with the rest of the squad, where they spent the rest of the day.