//------------------------------// // I Am Done Running // Story: Warfare // by Rated Ponystar //------------------------------// June 24th, 1422 E.F I...I don’t know how to write what has just happened. I don’t even know why I am writing this here and now. All of it happened so fast and soon... Maybe because it's all I can think of doing after going through what I can only describe as a tragic nightmare made manifest. One moment I was sleeping in my bed at the hospital. The next, I found myself thrown to the floor by the force of an explosion. The glass on my windows shattered as I heard screaming and panic.  The first thing I wondered is if I’m back on the battlefield, but then I see doctors and nurses trying to get patients out or checking upon them. More explosions can be heard both far and near. The feeling of their impact is close to the point where the very ground starts to shake.    Having been through so many bombing raids in the past, I knew already how we were being attacked, but I needed to know just how screwed we were. To my horror, it wasn’t only the hospital. The entire town of Ponyville was being bombed by the humans. I rushed outside to see how many bombers there were, but the sky was too dark to see. Plus, the smoke was too thick from the fires spreading across the entire town and beyond its borders. The Sweet Apple Acres farm was like a sea of embers and destruction as its once prideful apple trees lit up like candles. From a distance, I could see Princess Twilight’s castle crumble into shattered crystals as I prayed the princess made it out alive. Even the rivers nearby looked to be sparked and burning like the fires of Tartarus. All of this happened while the sounds of Ponyville's citizens, panicking in terror, could be heard in all directions. At first, I thought about flying up to better look at the enemy and their numbers. Then I remembered I didn’t have wings anymore and felt utterly useless. Looking back on it now, such an action would have been suicide to do so even if I did have my wings. Besides, what countermeasures did we have to deal with a bombing raid? Ponyville wasn't even thought to be a prime target for an attack! Princess Twilight’s voice soon echoed across the entire landscape with what had to be a spell. She ordered everypony to evacuate the town and make for the train station to retreat to Canterlot.  My first thought wasn’t to run for evacuation but to instead help out those at the hospital. There were so many ponies injured and sick who were unable to leave on their own. How could I leave them behind when I was better off than most of them despite my loss of wings? I don’t remember who I helped or how many, but I just did it without thinking. I listened to whatever the doctors told me to do while praying a bomb didn’t blow up the hospital while we were all inside of it.  It soon became clear that we couldn’t save all the patients. There just weren’t enough helpers, and some of the staff members had already run off in fear. Bastards. They had a duty to their patients and their fellow workers, but they left them to die out of concern for their own lives.  Thankfully, I didn't have the challenging responsibility of choosing who was to be saved and who had to be left behind. I pity those who had to do so. I can’t help but wonder the feelings of those we left behind and what they thought in their final moments. Feeling betrayed and left to die like that? Such a thing should be unthinkable to an Equestria's citizen, but everything has changed because of the war, huh? Leaving the hospital proved to be just as dangerous. All of Ponyville was in flames. Even now, off in the distance while riding the train, I can see the fires still burning. All those ponies...burning in their homes...their guts spilled out into the streets. Nopony was safe from the bombs that fell from above. It just happened so fast.  Why did the humans target Ponyville? It holds no strategic value in a militaristic sense. Was this a means to break our spirit and attack us culturally? It was the home of our great heroes and the iconic location for many recent events. It was a town looked upon with pride for embracing the lessons of friendship that was part of our nation’s heritage and ways.  Or maybe humans are just sick and twisted flankholes.  It’s a miracle the train was able to escape, but that’s thanks to Princess Twilight Sparkle. Her shielding spell protected so many, but not all of us. So many are just dead or had to be left behind to save what could be saved. I can hear families crying for their loved ones just outside my passenger room, including foals trying to find their moms and dads.  I don’t know what’s going to happen next. I just hope that there is a plan.  -Corporal Halberd Wings, 139th Arial Spear Regiment, 2nd Platoon *** June 25th, 1422 E.F It’s been a full 24 hours since the bombing, and I haven’t been able to sleep. I don’t think I’ll ever sleep again after what happened last night. After arriving in Canterlot, we were all put in a refugee section. It was already filled to the brim of ponies from all over Equestria. Some of them were giving us glaring or fearful eyes. I've never seen so many cold and despairing eyes before.  Not long after I arrived, they picked all soldiers from the train, including myself, to be given new orders save for those too critically wounded. I was quickly told that I’ll report to a new captain and her unit consisting of Canterlot soldiers and new recruits starting tomorrow.  I was so confused by this because, as far as I knew back then, my commanding officers were still alive along with the rest of my division. While I had been sent to Ponyville to recover, they were all sent to fight the invading forces near Dodge City. Only there isn’t a Dodge City anymore. There was a bombing there as well, except the humans in that raid killed everyone. My entire division was gone. If I'm being honest, I barely knew anyone else there that was alive save for a few faces. Thundershot was the only friend I had left, and with him already dead... Buck. Am I cursed to lose everypony I know in my life? I later learned that the bombing runs were everywhere in Equestria. A massive attack from the air has crippled the war effort and ruined cities beyond even the most basic repairs. Even here in Canterlot, I notice that entire sections are destroyed or closed off. Apparently, they were hit with some kind of strange chemical attack that I later learned was called White Phosphorus. It burned the skins off its victims while others choked to death as the fumes burned inside their lungs. Rumors are going around that Princess Twilight’s parents were also killed this way. Still, then again, there are dozens of stories going around. Rumors of entire armies being wiped out or surrendering. Cities from across the nation are submitting or being captured by human troops. Most of the generals and higher staff are either dead, captured, or have committed suicide. There are even rumors that the Elements of Laughter and Generosity, Pinkie Pie and Rarity, are dead.  That last one I...I sadly found out to be true just moments before writing this. Somepony, who was there, told me that they saw Sugarcube Corner blew up with everyone inside. Another pony told me they saw the bodies of Rarity and Sweetie Belle while running away. Two of our greatest heroes are gone. One is a traitor, and only three remaining. Sweetie Belle. I only talked to her once, but she was a good pony, and I can’t help but weep for her. I hope she and Scootaloo are together again if there is an afterlife after death. It honestly feels like I don’t know anything anymore. Like...are we even going to survive this?  The only city that seem to still be left standing are Canterlot, but how soon until they come? How many of us are already dead or enslaved to humanity? What hope is there left with so much loss? The Equestrian army is all but destroyed save for what remains in Canterlot. The only remaining force still active in fighting outside of Canterlot with a sizable army is Lt. Colonel Blazehoof, who is fighting his way towards Canterlot from the north. All others are too small to make an impact.  This means...Canterlot is on her own.  I remember reading about these events in history when the Equestrian Army fought against the predator invaders in its past wars. How the last of our enemies refused to surrender. They fought to the last with their backs against the wall in a desperate attempt to survive. The last stand. And now it was our turn. I swore that I would fight to the end and not live in a world where humans rule us. I guess it's time to test that resolve, huh? -Halberd Wings *** June 26th, 1422 E.F Some refugees from Clousdale have arrived. They couldn't stand the surrender of Cloudsdale so they all left for here. I still can't believe that my home city has given up to the monkeys.  The home of so many great heroes and achievers in our history, including the military. The prideful home city of the Wonderbolts and its legacy. All of it is dead to me. To surrender without a fight. To give up without a single shot. It’s a disgrace to every pegasus hero we ever had, from Commander Hurricane to Rainbow Dash.  All that’s left standing is Canterlot, who shall make its final stand in the coming days. Everypony who can wield a weapon is being recruited save for foals. There isn’t any training or proper lessons on how to fight. They just get a weapon, armor if they’re lucky, and are told to prepare themselves to die for the sake of Equestria.  Equestria. A utopia that once had the cleanest weather, safest homes, and happiest citizens. A land that was perfect with strong leaders, a philosophy of love and friendship, and a government system where everyone had the means given to them for what they needed. Now it was all ruined by the evil that is humanity. Their greed, hatred, and ignorance have destroyed something so pure that should we even come out of this alive, it will take centuries to fix. The only thing standing before them and total victory are us, the few still willing to fight, and Princess Celestia, who is protecting us all with her shield spell. Some of the more veteran soldiers say they haven’t seen a shield this strong since Prince Shining Armor’s during his royal wedding. This is the moment of truth—the final battle of good vs. evil. And I know that I am not going to survive this. Deep in my heart, I know my fate is sealed, and I am done running. I will die here, but I will die a true stallion of Equestria.  To do anything else is a disgrace.  -Halberd Wings *** June 27th, 1422 E.F I finally met my new commanding officer: Captain Hope Diamond. Of all the commanding officers I’ve been under, I’ve never met somepony like her. She is one of the few who are still smiling and urging us to never give up. Perhaps it has to do with her name or cutie mark, a golden smiling sun upon a diamond-encrusted shield. Maybe her talent is giving hope to those of us in the darkest of times. I can’t think of a darker time than now. Since I’m an established soldier, she’s given me some troops to command as a unit. Honestly, I was just a corporal, but it looks like I’m going up in the world. The ponies under me look to me for guidance and some kind of protector. Most of them have never killed or hurt anything in their life, and one of them is only fifteen years old.  I do what I can to teach them how to use a spear and a sword, but it's clear that they’re lacking any fighting ability. Well, they’re going to have to train quickly. We don't have any more access to the guns or tanks or any other human-based weapons and equipment. All the factories for those were in the other cities. What little there is are now in the hands of specific guards and units.  Since Canterlot consists of many levels, we’re charged with guarding one of the gates leading from the third to the fourth. Our job is to prevent any human soldiers from entering, should they breach the gate, but I wonder how long we can even last? Regardless, this is the duty I am given, and if it means that I must die standing, so be it.  I keep wondering what’s happened to my family: my father, mother, and sister. My father told me that should the worst happen, he planned on all three of them dying together. He wouldn’t let my mother or my sister be raped and brutally murdered by those damn monkeys. It’s funny, I should be in tears or in sorrow, but I’m not. Maybe it's because I’m glad they know peace and no more war. Or perhaps after all the losses I’ve suffered since the fighting, I’ve just become so numb. Who knows? -Halberd Wings *** July 3rd, 1422 E.F Been a while since I wrote in this, but guess what? I’m not dead yet. Not that casualties aren’t happening. The humans have been shelling us for the past three days. Every few hours they attack with missiles and artillery to break the shield, but by Princess Celestia’s willpower, she continues to hold firm and protect us. While this happens, I can see the entire human army surrounding us on all sides. There are some hoping that Lt. Colonel Blazehoof and his army can help us, but word has it that we lost contact with them two days ago. We don’t know if they are dead or alive or surrendered.  Everypony is on edge, and things just get worse and worse each day. Food and water are scarce, and fights or riots break out every so often to the point where the guards are forced to use lethal force to get everyone to stop. When the citizens aren’t rioting, starving, or weeping, they’re killing themselves. Some just jump off high buildings. Others take whatever weapons they have and end their lives that way. One of the mares under my command, Twist, said she saw the corpses of a pony she knew from Ponyville named Silver Spoon with a vial of poison in her hoof. Twist said that, even though she was once a bully, she didn't deserve such a fate. One or two of the ponies in my command have already slit their own throats. We don’t even bury the bodies; we just burn them without a service or anything. It would be worse if a disease was to break out now. Some ponies are talking about how this is the end that the humans will kill us all. A few think we should surrender or try to escape. Then there are those like Captain Hope Diamond who refuse to give up. I’m not giving up as well. Giving up means that my friends, my comrades, my...lover, died for nothing.  I’ll never give up, nor will Equestria do so. Harmony in life or Harmony in death.  Nothing in between. -Halberd Wings