//------------------------------// // Chapter 56: A Day of Battle; Part 1 // Story: The Centurion Project // by TheEighthDayofNight //------------------------------// “Fire!” The shout of the auxiliary in charge of the artillery group managed to pierce the sounds of the battlefield as steel met steel, and blades met flesh. Shrieks of rage, pain, and artillery all washed over each other, and at the center stood Elias, his blade already wet with blood. Elias spotted his gladius a few feet away, beneath the stomping feet of more than one minotaur who seemed intent to kill him. His scutum caught a powerful blow aimed for his chest, and Elias responded with a chop of his hand-ax, cracking open the minotaur’s skull, and sending the beast limp-legged to the dirt. His eyes carved a line… …across the road map, trying to locate all of the best spots for ambush. No point on the trail was too outlandish, no terrain considered too difficult to attack through. He briefly wondered if burning the forests around them was an option, but the thought didn’t sit right with him. There wasn’t any need for scorched earth if he just planned ahead, and besides, he quite liked all the greenery. He might have gotten used to the lively Equestria landscape, but that didn’t mean he forgot the blasted greys of Earth. He’d rather not see them again. …across the battlefield, seeking out points of weakness. Overhead his scouts and spotters dodged arrow fire, mostly with ease. One pegasus was not quick enough, however, and a squawk left his muzzle as an arrow ripped through a wing. The pegasus tumbled from the air and slammed into the shield wall, rocking a trio of legionaries in place. Their cohesion fell for just a moment, but the minotaurs were more than strong enough to take advantage, and several pushed forward, their weapons leading. They were met by the second line of legionaries, who with war cries, rushed forward, plugging the gap before it could rip the line in two. As Elias ripped the ax blade free, another round of artillery shrieked overhead, chased by a trio of fireballs, courtesy of his spellcaster auxiliaries. While the massive flaming rocks that were the artillery projectiles splashed down near the tree line, further casting it ablaze, the fireballs were far more precise, seeking out clumps of minotaurs to detonate in. Pieces of bull rained with a hail of scorching dirt, acting as a brown shower for the already ripped apart landscape. Elias slipped beneath a swipe and shoved the offending bull away. His eyes watery from the smoke in the air, Elias didn’t notice when the minotaur raised his shield to block his counterattack, so when his ax slammed down, the head shattered on the bull’s shield. Elias stood agape for a moment, staring at the headless handle in his hand. Then he looked to the minotaur, who grinned and rolled his shoulders. Elias growled, then shouted as he threw the handle uselessly at the bull. “Anyon you worthless piece of birdshit, I’m going to kill you!” He rushed forward, and slipped the scutum from his arm, gripping it in both hands like a club. His first swing batted aside an attack from the bull, and the second did the same. Elias ducked under a third attack, then swung up with his shield, clipping the minotaur’s chin and clacking his teeth. With the momentary stunning, Elias had more than enough room to pull a knife free from his belt, a knife that quickly found itself buried in the minotaur’s belly. A howl of pain from the bull was silence by a scutum to the face, then another. The minotaur fell to the grass, and Elias followed, straddling the bull’s chest as he slammed his scutum into the minotaur’s unarmored head. It took several blows, but eventually his head split open with a… *crunch* Elias closed his eyes and savored the sound of a good piece of toast. Not burnt, but far from soft, the piece of bread was like a buttered slice of heaven, and he had to suppress a moan. He was not so quick with his smile, and he heard a giggle. His eyes looked over to Luna, who held a hoof over her muzzle as she grinned. “Apologies General,” she said, completely unapologetic, “I just truly enjoy watching you eat. Never have I ever seen someone so happy with something so simple as toast.” Elias shrugged and took another bite of his delightfully crispy breakfast. “What can I say? Sometimes it’s the simple pleasures. I’d rather do this job a hundred times than ever be hungry again.” Elias’ head snapped back, and a strong taste of iron filled his mouth. He had taken too long with his kill, and another minotaur had taken advantage. A hand wrapped around his neck and dragged him to the ground, then a shadow passed over his face. Elias squinted upward and tried to pry the hand from his throat while the minotaur took a moment to taunt him. “That’s it?” the cow laughed. “A couple warriors and you’re already done for? With how much the Warchief talked about you, I expected more!” Elias stopped struggling against the hand clenching his throat, and instead decided to attack the minotaur to drive him back. His fists punched at the minotaur’s muzzle, but the bull merely laughed the blows off. “Gotta say, with how much Warchief Stone Horn talked you up, I thought this would be harder. Good to know that I’m gonna claim that reward for binging you back alive.” Elias again tried to break the minotaurs grip, but earned more laughs. A second hand joined the first around his throat, and Elias’ eyes rolled back as the grip tightened, strangling away all of his air. “Sleep little human,” the minotaur growled. “Sleep and win me the favor of the Keepers themselves.” Elias struggled and fought, but he was simply less powerful than the bull. His struggles weakened and his vision grew blurry and dark as he slowly suffocated… **Earlier that day** Elias stood tall as a horn call echoed through the air. The column halted, with ponies looking around in confusion as a second horn blast filled the air. To their right was a thick forest, and at a glance he could tell that it was largely empty, certainly lacking the ‘ten-minotaurs-to-a-tree’ figure Stone Horn had threatened him with. To the left was a wide swatch of grassy terrain that inclined slightly into a second tree line. It was from this direction that a trio of scouts suddenly appeared, with one clearly struggling to stay aloft on an injured wing. The pegasus, a Lunar Guard, flapped halfway across the field before an arrow struck out from the trees atop the hill. Elias frowned as one of his scouts veered in flight, intentionally placing herself between the arrow and the injured guardspony. The arrow embedded into her armor, but luckily for her, the leather held, and she resumed her flight back to the column at normal speed. Elias drew a pilum from his back holster before she ever landed. The red flag signaled his troops to begin forming up, with a few of his idle scouts taking to the air to inform the other generals of his intent to fight. The legionary cohorts quickly dropped their marching gear and formed into blocks, double timing up the hill with their centurions at the lead, while the auxiliary cohorts uncovered the wagons and began rapidly assembling their special equipment. Elias paced their way as the scout landed and fell in step behind him. “No ballistae!” Elias called. “The incline is too shallow, and they don’t have the range to be mounted on the wagons. Catapults and the trebuchet only. Ballistae auxiliaries assist in set up and ammunition ignition, then fall in behind the legionaries with your pila. Keep your shields close, you may be used for flanking maneuvers today.” The orders were taken without comment, with the auxiliaries merely obeying, switching tasks in a moment. A trio of earth ponies began raising the struts of the trebuchet, while Scarlet Shield flapped above them, tying off ropes and directing weapon placement. On the ground, several unicorns used their magic to tear away the topsoil beside the road, digging down to get at the bedrock far below for their ammunition. While they were carrying a few shaped stones and drums filled with oil, they couldn’t well carry thousands of pounds of rock or steel, so the land had to provide. He was just lucky that the timbers of the artillery could be enchanted to weigh less, while acting functionally the same. The primary disadvantage of artillery was it’s slow, cumbersome nature, but with the power of magic, his teams had trained to the point where the catapults and ballistae could be assembled and ready to fire in less than five minutes, with the solitary trebuchet taking about ten. Elias looked away from the preparations and to the scout, who offered a sharp salute. “General, we spotted thousands of minotaurs gathering. From what I could tell, they’ve been shadowing us since negotiations… fell through.” ‘Three days then,’ Elias mused. ‘I wonder why they waited so long? No doubt to ensure that your supply lines were well and truly cut.’ He looked toward the trees to their right, completely ignored as his legionaries assembled before the incline. “And has anyone scouted the column’s right flank? What about the extreme left and right of our battle line?” The scout looked to the woods. “With permission, I can send sorties in all directions.” Elias sniffed, thinking silently. “No,” he voiced. “Send word to General Nightshade, have her use her scouts to ensure we’re not being flanked, then have the rest of our scouts form up above the battle line to act as spotters. We have the disadvantage of the hill and forest on both sides; we need to use our ammunition precisely.” The scout shuffled on her feet. “The wind’s blowing our way too General.” Elias glanced over his shoulder to Pyrelight, who was helping unload the barrels. “Did you hear that Centurion? Make sure to measure and compensate for wind speed.” The unicorn nodded without looking at him. “Yes General.” Elias then looked out to the soon to be battlefield, pleased to find the legion slowly and carefully forming into their three-layer battle line on the left flank of the field. The first two layers consisted of the heavily armored legionaries, who would begin the battle standing tall, using their pila to rain death upon the enemy. Once their standard three was gone, the ponies would crouch down and lock their scutums, providing a massive wall of a testudo, while also allowing the auxiliaries behind them to throw their javelins. The legionaries would largely act as a massive shield, with the auxiliaries holding the killing power until they ran out of ammunition. That wasn’t to say that the legionaries lacked the ability to fight back. As they formed their testudo, the legionaries would poke their more permanent spears through the gaps in the formation, making it look like a porcupine. Once the auxiliaries exhausted their munitions, however, the ponies would be force into a messier melee, one that the other guard forces would start with. Elias hoped that the vast arsenal of ranged weapons sufficed to drive the minotaurs back, but if it didn’t, his legionaries had still been trained well. The first line would charge forward, clashing with the minotaurs until they weakened, or until the enemy was driven back. IF the former occurred, the second, fresher line would charge in, relieving their fellows. The first line would retreat and recover their strength, and so the two would cycle, fighting an ever-exhausted enemy until victory was obtained. Victory, or death. Scarlet called out orders and the artillery slowly moved into position behind the lines of ponies. Ammunition piles stacked up beside the siege engines, with Pyrelight setting alight several torches, enchanted to last for an hour. Elias moved forward, running his hand up one of the legs of the trebuchet. While not a Roman invention, he had read extensively about them while studying the Byzantines, and he knew that nothing of the sort existed in all of Equestria. Catapults were a rarity, but an engine like the trebuchet was new, dangerous. The stones for the counter-weight driven machine were three times the size of their catapult counterparts, and he couldn’t help but grin at Pyrelight. “Prepare a warning shot Centurion. I have a feeling the minotaurs will issue some ultimatum, and I want this to be my reply.” The unicorn nodded, and though she tried to hide it, Elias noticed a small grin of excitement on her face. In practice they had never actually used live ammunition, but had instead used magically simulated rounds to prevent property damage, as well as reduce the chance of information about the weapon leaking. It would be the crew’s first true use of it, and even Elias was a bit excited to see it in action. He had, with the help of a few engineers, designed it personally. He just wanted to see if it worked. Duty came first however, and Elias made his way toward the carriage, where the other generals were waiting. All wore their full armor, and Elias couldn’t help but smile at seeing Nightshade’s adorably fluffy ears poking out, flicking this way and that. The childish thought quickly vanished as Scarlet and Night Flash slammed down beside him, falling into step as he came to a stop just before the gathered ponies. “What’s the battle plan?” Nightshade asked. “Just as we discussed earlier,” Elias said. “I want the Solar Guard to make up the center of the line, while the Lunar Guard makes up the right.” He looked to Chaser, who was already scowling heavily. “The Royal Guard will remain in the rear, keeping an eye on the supply wagons, but primarily guarding the princesses’ carriage.” “We aren’t nurse maids,” Chaser growled. “A dozen guards could-” “The entire Royal Guard will stay back,” Elias snapped. “I am not risking the safety of the princesses for the sake of your, or anyone else’s pride. Your force is the smallest, your is the most elite. If everyone else dies, you need to extract and evacuate. That is the plan. If you don’t like it, tough. Yell at me after we’re done.” The pair glared at each other for a moment, but Elias quickly decided that the gray pegasus wasn’t worth the focus, and looked to the other generals. “Combat doctrine for you all is the same as always, bubble shields to block projectiles, large, charging formations. Just try to stay in line with my legion; my ponies know how to watch their sides, but I’d prefer their focus be forward on the enemy.” “Who is going to be controlling the formation on my immediate right?” he asked the Solar generals. Lionheart raised his hoof. “I am. I’ll make sure the earth ponies don’t rush forward too early, just make sure you don’t stay too stagnant. I no more want my flank exposed than you do.” Elias gave him a nod. “I’ll keep an eye on it.” He looked up the hill, to where a few minotaurs were poking their heads free of the protection of the trees. “One last thing,” Elias said. “If they rout, stay in place, don’t give chase. The forest is their friend, not ours. We go chasing after them, they get a chance to stab at the wagons and the carriage. This all becomes very pointless if that happens. If they run, return to the starting place of our battle line and wait in place. Let your ponies rest. We’re not going to lose today by underestimating our opponents, and unfortunately...” he scowled at the trees all around them. “Unfortunately I can’t say they picked poor ground. For all we know, we’re surrounded, let’s act like it and be pleasantly surprised if that’s not the case.” Looking to Nightshade, he said; “Have your scouts watching our rear constantly. If we’re flanked,” he jabbed a finger at Chaser, “you’re our quick response. If you see a hole that isn’t immediately patched, fill it. Finally,” Elias pointed out over the battlefield toward the legion standard. “If you need to find me and you can’t see me, I will be by my standard. Despite how my ponies look, we can move when we want to. If anyone needs reinforcements for any reason, don’t be afraid to come and ask for them.” Elias took a deep breath, couldn’t help but feel a flutter of nervousness in his chest. The grass waved gently in the ever so slightly chill breeze. The grass was simply so green and lively as it waved back and forth. The trees were already beginning to turn, with the occasional yellow leaf drifting toward the ground. A deep breath brought in the smells of nature, of life. Even moving into formations the ponies were somewhat cheerful, chatting with one another, jostling, bragging, the normal things, as if the day would bring about anything normal. Elias decided not to think about what the field would look like once the day was done, decided to ignore the faint whiffs of burning plant life he could already detect in the air. There would be plenty of stenches for later. “Let’s get this done as quickly as possible. Watch your flanks, stay in line.” “What if we have to retreat?” Shattered Shield asked. “There is no retreat here,” Elias said, narrowing his eyes at the pony. “The princesses are stuck in a heavy box. We can’t retreat with them, and I’d rather die than retreat without, as should you. We fight and win, or we die. Retreat shouldn’t be a word in your vocabulary.” Shattered Shield withered as Chaser’s irritation shifted his way. When he looked for any support amongst the other generals, he found none, with even Lionheart offering a disappointed scoff and an eye roll. Shattered Shield gulped and bowed his head. “A-apologies General Bright. I just thought it was worth discussing.” “Planning for failure invites it,” Elias snapped. “And I have no intention of failing. I suggest you buck up or you’ll end today in shackles as a coward.” The unicorn withered away further, wisely remaining silent. A horn call sounded from the trees near the top of the hill, drawing everyone’s attention up. Three clear figures stepped free of the trees, and one waved a green flag. Elias drew a pilum from his back sheathe and waved it in reply. “Get your ponies into position,” he said. “I’ll see what this is about.” Lionheart cleared his throat. “Am I still not the diplomatic arm of this army?” Elias shrugged. “Come if you want, but I highly doubt this is going to be very diplomatic.” He then started up the hill. Lionheart did fall in step beside him, but stayed slightly behind, silently giving Elias the center stage for any talking that went on. Behind them, the rest of the guard forces began deploying beside the legionaries. The sounds of thousands of feet trampling the grass filled the air, and the burning smell grew stronger as some of the artillery munitions were set alight. At the top of the hill, Elias found Warchief Stone Horn flanked by a pair of lightly armored minotaurs equal to his height. At a glance, Elias figured that the bulls were just slightly older than the Warchief was. Behind one of them stood Stone Hoof, who looked wearily down the hill at the preparing ponies. Elias focused on Stone Horn, however, and unlike the last meeting, he didn’t bother removing any of his equipment. Negotiations weren’t going to last long if the muscle the minotaurs had brought was an indication. The human rested a hand on his gladius hilt and squinted at the Warchief. “So, what delay are you going to cause me today Stone Horn? This journey is only supposed to take a few weeks, but if you’re going to waste my time every couple days, it may end up being longer. I’d rather be home of Hearth’s Warming if you don’t mind.” “You can try to hide your fear behind flippancy General Bright, but I can still smell it,” Stone Horn sneered. “This field reeks of fear.” Elias snorted. “You’re upwind of us. You sure that’s not your own fear your smelling?” His eyes flicked to one of the warriors. “I mean look at this cute little calf. Is this your first battle? Gonna make daddy proud and die in the first volley?” The bull’s eyes turned red in an instant, and he let out a roar before leaping forward. Elias dipped to the side of the sloppy charge, then in a flash of steel, cut the minotaur’s spine. The leather armor they were wearing covered the front extremely well, but the back not so much. No doubt to encourage the fighter wearing it to always face his opponent. The bull dropped like a stone, his rage mixing with roars of pain as his limbs failed. Elias couldn’t help himself, he giggled at the sight of the flailing bull. A part of his mind recognized how sick that was, but the rest was already geared up for bloodshed, and it relished yet another enemy put into the ground. Elias rolled his shoulders and grinned at Stone Horn. “Really? If you’re going to try and kill me, at least bring your best. You apparently didn’t learn your lesson last time. Guess I need to teach it again.” The second bull charged forward, though without the same rage as the first. Elias’ grin dropped and he blocked the first swing of the minotaur’s ax with his shield, countering with a jab at the bull’s legs. A fist warded away that attack, and the ax descended again. Elias stepped back out of the blade’s path, then slashed at the minotaur’s throat. The bull mirrored his step back, and the pair stood off against each other, weighing up their options of attack and defense. Just as they both tensed to spring forward once more, Stone Hoof shoved his way between the two, pushing the young minotaur back with a bellow. “Enough! This is not the way, and you both know it.” Elias snorted, shifting his weight back and forth between his feet. His eyes flicked to Stone Horn, and his lip curled as he spat at the minotaur’s feet. “You’re a coward, and I’ll see you dead before today is out. You’re lucky your elder is here to do your thinking for you, because without him, your corpse would join that of your lackey.” The other young minotuar let out a bellow and shoved Stone Hoof to the side. “Don’t touch my brother!” He rushed forward, his weapon leading. Elias stopped the attack with his shield, and the two jostled for position with each other, pushing back and forth, growling and spitting in each other’s faces the whole while. Seeing that he would quickly lose any kind of physical struggle against the far larger and stronger minotaur, Elias reared a leg back, then sent it forward beneath his shield, drilling the bull in the crotch. The bull let out a bellow of pain, and the moment of distraction gave Elias an easy victory. He shoved the minotaur to the ground, then sheathed his gladius and drew a pilum topped with a crimson flag in a smooth motion. Elias planted a foot on the minotaur’s chest, then, glaring hate at Stone Horn and his aghast father, he plunged the javelin down and into the young minotaur’s chest. The beast bellowed in pain, then slowly began to choke on his blood, a sign that Elias had missed his mark. He didn’t care, and some part of him thought the situation better for his slightly off attack. Elias’ hands began shifting the spearhead inside the bull, while his eyes met Stone Horn’s glare. “You apparently didn’t learn the lesson last time, so I’ll repeat myself. There is no glorious victory here for you, there will be no prize. The fate of all who oppose me is this,” he stomped down on the bull, drawing a gurgled cry of pain from him. “Children who pretend they know how the world works, weeping and begging for their mothers while they bleed out, or burn, or die in whatever other horrific fashion I see fit to bestow upon them.” His eyes flicked down, and he gritted his teeth, twisting the javelin slightly to the right. “My ponies will not retreat, and they will not surrender. They will fight until the bitter end,” his eyes flicked back up, “and the ground before them will be stacked to the sky with dead minotaurs. I will pave the road from here to Canterlot with the bones of you and your warriors, so I dare you-” He let out a roar and ripped his javelin free, then plunged it back down into the minotaur’s throat, finally ending his suffering. Just to ensure he was dead, Elias gave the spear a savage twist before stepping back, leaving the weapon in place. He spat on the minotaur, then fixed Stone Horn with a glare. “I dare you to come fight me. I warned you once, and I won’t extend that mercy again. Your corpse is going to decorate the battlefield, and I will make your stupid fat head the centerpiece of my mantle.” Stone Horn snorted and made to move forward, but Stone Hoof stopped him with a hand, now staring with horror at the dead minotaur before him. Elias let out a short bark of a laugh, one that died almost as quickly as it was uttered. “This is all the warning you’ll get. If I see another minotaur, they’re dead, am I clear?” “I will kill you,” Stone Horn growled. “I would give anything to see you dead.” “How about you let my army pass through then?” Elias sneered. “I’d gladly give my life for that. Then I get to live on in the Equestrian history books as the valiant human who made sure all the ponies survived. I might die, but I’ll still be a hero, and you’ll be nothing.” “I am going to butcher you, and then your so called army will serve my tribe for all time!” Stone Horn bellowed. “You will be nothing more than a corpse, one bloated with every rat and parasite im-” Elias turned his back on the bull and began walking down the hill. Behind him, Stone Horn let out another loud bellow, his rant uninterrupted by Elias ignoring him. “I will kill you Elias Bright!” the bull shouted. “Today will end with your corpse paraded around my war camp!” Elias gave him a silent middle finger in reply, not stopping his downward walk. Lionheart fell in step beside him, his eyes staring straight ahead. The human glanced down at the pony. “Do speak your mind General Lionheart. As I’ve demonstrated, harsh words do little but irritate me, so you shouldn’t fear reprisal.” Lionheart glanced up. “Your strategy is as sound as it ever was; antagonize until attack is guaranteed. Depriving them of two more warriors certainly doesn’t hurt.” His muzzle curled. “But you are a brute, and while that has use here with these beasts, it will not serve your future well.” Elias snorted and smiled. “I’m surprised that you of all ponies give half a shit about my future.” Lionheart matched his snort. “Seeing tomorrow relies on you believing you have a future General, and I’d very much like to see tomorrow.” Elias rolled his eyes. “Don’t try too hard to see it, or you’ll find fate taking it away in revenge. In my experience, those who want to live the most die first.” He offered a grin to the unicorn. “Try fighting. It’s worked wonders to keep me alive.” Lionheart rolled his eyes as they came to the line, and he peeled back toward his forming-up section. “I’m sure it has. Just try not to let me take all of the glory.” Elias sneered at the unicorn’s back, but said nothing more, turning back to move toward his legionaries. The silver clad ponies waited in a cacophony of small movements and smaller clatters. Ponies combed over themselves and each other, checking gear, and checking morale, even if it was unspoken. Ponies pressed their heads together, whispering encouragement to one another. A few were even clutching at small symbols of suns and moons, whispering words of what Elias believed to be prayers. Such instances were quick, with the ponies uttering the prayers quick to straighten and slide their holy symbols away, their ears flicking to keep watch of the forward forest line. Toward the center of the front line, a small gap split open, allowing him access to the middle of the formation. Elias passed through rows of legionaries, some of whom payed him no mind, but many who offered him smiles and nods of respect. Elias returned as many as he could before he finally came to an empty pocket of space. Night Flash, Book Binder, and all of the other officers turned as he walked into their small meeting area. Elias noted a few excited smiles and tail waggles, but those were quickly squashed under professional demeanor as the ponies stood waiting for his orders. He had few to give, however. They knew how the formation was supposed to work, knew their roles to play. It was only once things began to go wrong did he need to start directing them. Still, a small address to make sure everyone was confident wouldn’t hurt. “Listen up,” Elias started. “Keep the line held here, follow your combat training. You will hear from one of the scouts if anything needs changing. If you think the orders didn’t come from me, the key phrase is ‘starshine’. Is that all clear?” All of the ponies nodded. “Ice Blossom, Gray Granite, report to your cohorts, and check in with your auxiliary centurions. Make sure they’re ready to receive the enemy, and make sure that everyone has their shields at the ready. The cows aren’t going to run even if we kill half of them in the opening salvo.” The pair saluted and departed. Elias continued. “Book Binder, stay back with the artillery for now. Make sure they’re not wasting ammunition, and make sure there are a couple of eyes on our supply wagons. I don’t need anyone sneaking behind us.” The green unicorn looked like she wanted to protest, but she gave him a short salute before departing for the rear, grumbling under her breath as she left. Elias looked to Night Flash and Scarlet Shield. “You two are with me. Scarlet, I want you filtering scout reports. Let me know if anything significant happens. Night Flash, I may use you as a runner to direct artillery fire. Make contact with Auxiliary Centurion Pyrelight and tell her to stand by for targets.” He pointed out across the field to where the pair of minotaur corpses were already attracting flies. “That marker is one hundred and ninety five steps away. Have them prepare all fire based on that location. Tell them to give a test shot when they’re ready.” Night Flash saluted and took to the air, wheeling back behind the line. A trio of scouts quickly found their way to Elias’ side, awaiting orders. The human frowned out across the field, heard calls from the ponies to his right to prepare their spell shields. He decided that the same was prudent, and looked to one of his runners. “Tell the shield casters to ready their spells, but to wait for my orders before casting. I don’t want to waste valuable magic on arrows when we have perfectly good shields.” He glanced back to his standard bearers as the scout took off. “Stick close to me during the opening volleys. I’ll keep you covered.” Star Orchid and Thunderstorm both offered short nods, their hooves wrapped tight around their standards. The ponies around him winced as a loud clang, followed by a whirling shriek, heralded a ball of flaming stone crackling through the air. The massive stone overshot the pilum and slammed into the tree tops, igniting leaves and sending branches to the ground. Cries of pain and alarm began filling the air, drifting down the hill to the ponies’ ears. Elias turned his head slightly, scowling when he began hearing cheers from the other guard forces. A few of the legionaries shifted in place, mumbling to each other, and Elias noticed some grins. Luckily, he had addressed at length how the legionaries were to conduct themselves on the battlefield, and it only took a short bark of reprimand to wipe away smiles. “Stand at the ready to receive the enemy,” Elias bellowed. “If I hear so much as one cheer from my legion, I’ll have you all strip off your armor and fight naked! You are not here to celebrate death, you’re here to win with pride. Now shut it and focus!” A voice in his head chuckled. A bit hypocritical, don’t you think? Elias closed his eyes. “Shut up.” “General?” Elias blinked and looked down to Scarlet, who was looking up curiously, his ears trained upward. When the human gave no verbal response, Scarlet tilted his head slightly. “General? I’m sorry, but I didn’t hear what you said.” Elias swallowed, then looked out across the field. “Just talking to myself,” he noted absently. “It’s nothing.” He put on a smile and glanced down at the pegasus. “So; how are you feeling? Do you think you’re ready?” Scarlet looked across the soon-to-be battlefield. “Taking your advice…. I don’t know. I just hope I don’t freeze.” Elias’ grin took on a more genuine tint, and he matched Scarlet’s stare, watching as water appeared in the sky, dousing the trees. Smoke drifted lazily through the air, already giving the battlefield a slight haze. “That’s not a terrible feeling to have. Just let your instincts lead, and stay behind the line. You’re more useful to me running reports and directing fire. Alright? Fight only when you have to, but play to your strengths at all other times.” Scarlet nodded, and the two simply stood in silence before a loud horn split the air. Elias squinted slightly as the trees at the top of the hill began to rumble with the sound of moving feet. Dark forms peeled from the treeline, forming a massive writhing line that was loud and angry. Snorts, shouts and bellows reached out across the field to meet the waiting wall of ponies. Scarlet gulped. “Hey General, is it bad to say that I really need to pee right now?” Elias snorted, not looking away from the posturing minotaurs. “I’m fairly certain your armor doesn’t restrict that ability Strategist. Pee away. Better now willingly than later.” Scarlet chuckled nervously, then looked up. Elias glanced down, and the pony’s nervous smile shifted. “Wait, you’re serious?” “As the grave,” Elias answered. “Trust me, you do not want to piss yourself in a fight. It reeks, and you chafe. It’s distracting, not to mention humiliating.” He shrugged. “But if you’re worried about being judged, I wouldn’t be. The invitation is open to everyone. Urine is going to be the easiest thing to wash off tonight.” Scarlet’s ears flicked. “I mean… Okay, what I meant was, how can you not know if I can pee or not? You can just look!” Elias’ mouth tightened into a line as he tried not to laugh aloud. “Strategist; while I appreciate the offer, I am not going to check out your balls to see how free they’re swinging.” The ponies around them chuckled as Scarlet flushed a deeper shade of red. “That’s not what I meant,” he squeaked. “Then what was?” Elias asked. “Pee comes out from one place on the body, and that is attached to the balls. You said I could look, indicating that I should look at your balls. Is that assessment wrong?” Scarlet blushed harder. “S-shut up! I just… kind of forgot you’re different. It’s natural for us to be naked, and well… I don’t stare, but looking at other ponies bits…” “Stop digging, the hole is deep enough,” Elias said, a smile breaking through. “For me it’s always been easy to avoid looking, so I don’t habitually check. Perhaps it just happens more often for you because all of that is at eye level.” Scarlet perked up, and Elias immediately recognized his teaching voice. “Actually, its for a far more fascinating reason!” The stallion turned around with a happy smile, blissfully unaware of the suppressed snorts and laughs around him. Elias looked to the sky as the pegasus presented himself, his tail flicking out the way. “You see, it’s actually all in the tail!” Scarlet noted smartly. “It blocks sight line, and during heat season, it helps cover up scent and moisture. Some ponies even weave in cedar branches or put perfume on their tails to help cover scents. A tail covering the genitals indicates lack of interest, but perhaps a peak, or a full view can mean several things, including-…” “Blatant flashing of a minor,” Elias cut in, still refusing to look to the exposed pony rump. “Strategist, you’d better hope you don’t survive today, because your court martial is going to be legendary with this many witnesses.” Scarlet blinked owlishly, then looked around. He lived up to his name, falling into a deep blush as he whirled around, his tail clamping firmly between his legs. A hoof tilted his helmet down, to try and hide his shame as the legionaries laughed and jostled, with a few nudges making their way to his side. Elias let out a brief chuckle, a sound that barely hit the air before it died as another horn call filled the air. The bulls on the top of the hill fell silent. Elias swayed in place, his eyes flicking all along the minotaur line for movement. In the trees, there was a faint glow present, and his mind worked to anticipate what it indicated. It could be remnants of his artillery fire, or it could be some plow from the minotaurs, some yet unseen weapon. Elias drew a pilum, this one with a black flag tied around the top. “Catapults, one shot each, cold shot!” he called. He heard the order repeated in detail, then felt a shadow pass over his face as Night Flash took to the air. The pegasus called down the target ranges, then spiraled higher into the air as the stones were fired. Elias watched the arc of the stone shots carefully, mentally pumping his fist when they smashed into the minotaur line. Even better was the fact that the stones rolled further into the woods instead of back down the hill. He didn’t need his troops dodging their own artillery fire. Night Flash spiraled to the ground, leaving the field in near silence again, interrupted only by the occasional cry of wounded minotaurs. Elias tapped his fingers on his shield, frowning at the opposing battle line. “Why aren’t they coming?” he mused aloud. “We’ve killed at minimum a dozen of them, if not more. Why are they still waiting?” Scarlet rolled his shoulders. “Intimidation strategy maybe? The scouts would have reported back if we were being flanked, right?” Elias nodded slowly, rolling his jaw. “I didn’t find anything special in my research about minotaur magic, you?” Scarlet shook his head. “From what I’ve read, save for a few notable figures in their tribes, minotaurs don’t use magic for anything except blacksmithing; like the gryphons do.” His ears flicked. “This could be the silent portion before their war chant.” Elias grunted, raising his pilum into the air again. “Well if they’re going to give us still targets… Artillery, one shot each, hot shot! Perhaps fire will force them forward.” Just as the artillery pieces began to shriek and whine their way to firing, the minotaurs let out a single collective roar. The ponies couldn’t help but flinch at the shock of the sound, and in the sky, Night Flash mis-flapped, nearly dropping his flight path into one of the arcing catapult rounds. The blue pegasus corrected quickly, and the quartet of flaming boulders met their targets, this time with a flare of fire as they splashed into the minotaur lines. Even the breeze pushing away from them didn’t stop the stench of burning meat from filling the air, but if the minotaurs noticed, they didn’t show it. A horn blew behind their lines, and another collective shout rose up, accompanied by a single clank of weapons on shields and armor. Scarlet’s ears flicked, and he shrank slightly in place. “That’s the no mercy chant.” Elias’ upper lip twitched. “Noted. How long will it last?” “Maybe a minute,” Scarlet answered, his eyes fixated on the bulls as they slammed out another guttural note in their collective battle song. “According to the sources I read, they open with one of three war chants, then send their most eager warriors forward.” The red pegasus fell silent in a way that caused Elias to look down. “I sense a ‘but’ coming.” “But,” Scarlet continued, “none of the accounts ever talked about an army this big. Usually they only consist of a few tribes. I don’t think Warchief Stone Horn was bluffing on his numbers.” Elias shrugged. “Numbers won’t save him, especially when we’re better equipped.” His pilum waved through the air again. “Full discretion passed to Adiutor Binder! Fire until you run dry.” The call was again repeated, and quickly more shots shrieked through the air, flying in faster succession. As more artillery fire blasted the minotaur line, the other guard forces began to shout and jeer, letting their own battle cries fill the air. Noise rose from the legion as well, but in the form of the centurions shouting for quiet, for silent preparation. The legionaries made last minute adjustments to their equipment, shuffling in place as they prepared for the charge that they could all feel building. The glowing from the minotaur line suddenly became a great deal brighter, but before Elias could locate what was causing it, the sun dimmed. A glance up found a black wall of arrows descending from on high. The smoke from the trees had obscured their send-off, and no doubt all the noise hid the thwacking of bow strings. Still, there was plenty of time to call out the appropriate order, and the single word cut through all the background noise. “Shields!” Elias took a step back and dropped to one knee as the standards dipped down, their bearers hugging to his side as tightly as they could. The clatter of steel frames smacking together settled quickly, and was replaced with a sound not dissimilar to heavy rain on a thin rooftop. Cries of pain and confusion came from his right, and with his superior height over the crouching ponies, Elias noticed that the magical defenses of the Solar and Lunar guards hadn’t quiet gotten up in time. Dozens of arrows had slipped by the shield, and had found purchase on the lightly armored ponies. While some were able to shrug away arrows embedded in plate, others were not so lucky. They shrieked and writhed on the ground with arrows sticking out of their bodies like feathery lances. The rain came to a stop, and along the line of legionaries came the call to assume their previous position. Elias rose, sparing a look to see that his standard bearers were unharmed before seeing to his shield. As he plucked arrows from it and tossed them to the ground, another shout of alarm rose in the air with the minotaurs’ next collective bellow. Thundering down the hill came massive boulders, awash with white hot flame. As Elias’ mouth opened to give an order to counter the flaming projectiles, another voice cut through the air first. “Shield ponies, stop those rocks! Artillery Auxiliaries, douse them once they’ve stopped, then bring them back here! We’ll shoot those lousy cows with their own ammo!” Miniature half-bubble shields formed before each flaming stone approaching the legion, and they quickly dug into the dirt, slowing the rocks to a crawl, then a halt. The rows of ready legionaries then fell to the sides as auxiliaries pushed through, rushing forward with buckets and barrels of water in their grasp. They sprinted forward of the front shield line and tossed their loads onto the flaming boulders. As the sound of the successful fizzling out of the boulders entered one ear, Elias heard the sound of the other boulders crashing into the bubble spells the other guard forces were still maintaining. Looking their way, he found the borders fully stopped, but the spell shields were already beginning to flicker, no doubt strained. They weren’t meant to be maintained over wide areas for long periods of time. Only especially talented unicorns like Shining Armor could do some like that, and he was watching over Canterlot. Elias instinctively side stepped out of the way as a trio of auxiliaries pushed one of the boulders back through the line. As they moved past, he fell back into his position, and Scarlet saddled up to his side, keeping a slightly closer than before. Elisa looked down at the pegasus. “Are you alright Strategist?” Scarlet gulped, but nodded. “I think I’m going to pee now.” Elias snorted and shook his head. Artillery shrieked overhead again, again splashing into the minotaur line. This time, the bulls answered with another shower of arrows. The call for shields went up again, and Elias crouched down once more, bracing with the two standard ponies at his side. The arrows pattered on the wall of shields to the same null affect as the first time, but shrieks of pain again rose from the legion’s right. The spell shields flickered and faded away halfway through the volley, and without the spell, the arrows found ample targets. Ponies fell to the ground far too often, and the calls for healers rose in number. As the arrows tapered off, Elias was quicker to his feet, snarling at the already battered state of the army. “Strategist, get a runner, have Adiutor Snowball take a third of our healers to support the other guard forces for a while. I don’t want to hear about some wounded pony trampled to death in the fight because we didn’t get to them.” Scarlet saluted and flapped into the air, spiraling behind the line. Elias looked to the forest, looking for more glowing. He sent a mental note of thanks to whoever was watching when he found none. He had note that even his shield ponies were growing tired, and he didn’t want those boulders on fire in the center of any kind of formation. Luckily, the projectiles from the minotaurs came to a halt as the organized chant fell to the wayside, replaced by a loud, ever growing wave of bellowing and roaring. A few figures began pealing away from the forest line, and more quickly followed suit. Individual steps began a thunder, providing the bass to the war cries. Elias sneered, feeling almost giddy as the bulls came closer. The front runners were naked, carried no shielding whatsoever. Easy prey for his army armed to the teeth with ranged weaponry. “Spell Auxiliaries hold fire!” he called. “Legionaries form a wall and prepare pila! Three steps forward!” Ice Blossom and Gray Granite called out next. “One!” they shouted together. “ONE!” the legion answered, locking shields and inching forward. A whirl of steel heralded an arc of artillery, flying toward the trees, smashing into the growing tide of bodies. Elias’ bad eye twitched as he grinned in sadistic satisfaction. “Stack them high!” he shouted. “If they want no mercy, we’ll give it to them!” “Two!” came the call from Ice Blossom and Gray Granite. “TWO!” the legion again answered, taking the second step forward. Elias pulled and unmarked pilum from his shield and picked out one of the minotaur front runners, a medium sized bull that still towered over the ponies. His horns were long, but his hair, what little of it there was, was still black and shining with youth. He sprinted far ahead of the general charging line, and that meant he would reach the formation far too early. Ordering his ponies to fling their javelins at the lone bull would be wasteful… As he reared his arm back, Elias called out; “Hold your fire!” His javelin leapt away, and the bull ran straight into it, his chest acting as a smooth sheathe for the pilum. The bull let out a weak bellow, staggering forward for a step more before collapsing to the side, clutching at the long javelin embedded deep in his heart. “Three!” “THREE!” the legion responded with a degree of finality. Shields met the dirt and each other, locking together. The first line of ponies ducked down behind the shields. The group primarily consisted of earth ponies, and they dug in hard, making sure that the shields wouldn’t budge while the second line moved forward. They all popped onto their hind legs, leaning on the shield wall as they readied their javelins. The third line packed in behind them, twitching as they waited their turn to hop onto the shield wall. Artillery shrieked away again, those this time the sound was off. One boulder barely passed over the heads of the legionaries, rolling and smashing into the closest minotaurs. A few heads turned toward the rear as a cry rang through the air. “Short round! Catapult 1’s right strut broke!” Elias signaled his recognition of the words with a wave, keeping his eyes focused forward. His centurions knew the appropriate calls for throwing range, but he wanted to be sure the first volley wasn’t wasted. A loud collective war cry echoed to his right, and Elias looked that way, taking note that the other two guard forces were beginning to charge forward. The human shook his head in disgust, and felt a bit uneasy at the distance between the minotaur line and the pony line. If the other forces charged too far forward, the legion’s flank would be exposed, allowing an easy breakthrough. Then all the shield wall training would be for nothing. Luckily, the ponies kept their charge at a trot, letting the minotaurs exhaust themselves. Combat spells lashed out, with a rainbow of colors splashing out across the battlefield. The air felt hot, cold, and everything in between as fireballs exploded and ice sheets made the ground slick. Minotaurs were vaporized and obliterated by the dozen at long range, but they kept charging without care. Elias’ eyes shifted back in front of him, and he mentally chastised himself. The bulls were close, within maximum throwing distance, yet no calls went out. He grinned and drew another pilum, raising it high. “Hold! Let them get close.” His fingers curled and uncurled, the roar deafening in his ears. A smell began to hit him, one of sweat, and a touch of alcohol. The sound of clashing steel echoed to his right, and his voice roared in perfect coordination with his centurions. “Fire!” A thousand javelins leaped forward, flying with perfect accuracy in a deadly wall. The fingers of death found easy purchase in the bare minotaurs charging into them. The result was the charge faltering as if it had run face first into a river. Most of the bulls collapsed as pila tore into key areas, dragging them to the ground screaming in pain or dead. Those that miraculously survived unscathed or with light wounds were few and far between, and staggered between their fallen fellows, glancing back with obvious confusion and even panic. “Hold!” Elias called, even as his scouts dipped down from on high, led by one heavily armored blue stallion. The pegasi moved lightning fast, slamming down into any isolated survivors, breaking bones marking the bulls with deep wing blade cuts before spiraling back into the air, far out of reach of reprisal. Night Flash slammed down between two bulls, and his seemed to disappear beneath his flared wings. Then the stallion spun in a tight circle, the blades cutting cleanly through the legs of the bulls. Both fell, and Night Flash exited his twirling in a pounce, plunging his wingblades into the beast’s heart. Then he was in the air with the other scouts, taking to the skies as another thick mass of warriors came near. This time, a few undisciplined javelins leapt free before any call was given, but seeing as they all met their marks, Elias didn’t mind too much. He cocked back his arm and gave the call as he threw. “Fire!” The second group of minotaurs met the fate of the first, and the scouts were again quick to dive in. No stragglers made it to within fifty feet of the shield wall, and again the scouts whirled into the air as another mass approached, so far casualty-less. Elias intended to keep it that way. He drew a pilum with a flag, waving it in the air to draw Night Flash’s eyes. The pegasus responded quickly, flapping to within earshot. “Keep the scouts up!” Elias shouted. Rear auxiliaries will take care of stragglers.” Night Flash nodded and flapped higher, while Star Orchid turned and shouted his order to the rear. The scouts flapped higher into the sky, while some turned, winging their way behind the line. Night Flash stayed with those above the battlefield, watching as the third order was given. “Fire!” Minotaurs again fell by the dozen, tripping up their fellows. The second line of ponies, their initial ammunition exhausted, fell back from the shields, giving their hind legs a rest while the third line hopped up, pila in their hooves, ready and waiting. Arrows whistled by their heads, plunging into the minotaur stragglers. ***** “Can you hit him?” Stone Horn whispered. The bull at his side snorted dismissively as minotaurs died in droves to the silver and red-clad ponies and their strange tactics. While impressive, Stone Horn thought it cowardly. The human fought in hiding, not letting the fighting come close. Just the kind of behavior he expected from a murderous dog. “Of course I can hit him, I’m the best there is,” the bull boasted. “Now, am I trying to kill him, or are you looking for an easy capture?” Stone Horn frowned down the hill, watching as the human waved his spear and shouted, clearly directing the ranged attacks of his ponies. Though his pride screamed for him to claim the human’s head for his own… “Kill him,” Stone Horn said with a sigh. “I will simply have to fight the rest of the battle harder to earn my glory. Perhaps I can kill all of his best warriors. That blue pegasus seems like a decent fight.” The bull grunted and drew back his bow string. He muttered words and his horn charged with magic, all of which flowed into the arrowhead. “Not that it’s my place Warchief,” the bull grunted. “But I think you made the right decision. When will your warriors join the fight?” Stone Horn pulled his calling horn from his belt with one hand and drew his axe with the other. “Fire once we leave.” ***** A horn call came from the top of the hill, and the second half of the massed charge faltered just out of throwing range. As Elias watched the treeline, he instinctively loosened up, searching for what the horn meant. Then he jerked back, pain lancing through his shoulder. A collective gasp, and a sense of panic and fear suddenly filled the air. Glancing at the newly aching shoulder, Elias found an arrow buried to the fletching. He blinked and frowned, then looked over his shoulder to find the head sticking out the other end. The tip glowed a fiery red, no doubt some magic that let it tear through his armor like it was nothing. Elias’ lip curled as he looked past his wounded arm to the horrified looks of his legionaries. Eyes were focused on him when they should have been focused elsewhere. His sword arm raised, pilum in fist, pointing at the growing mass of minotaurs. “The enemy is to your front, prepare to receive him! Fourth row, ready spears!” Smiles flickered across faces, and a cheer went up in his area. The order was repeated down the line, and the second row withdrew behind the fourth, readying their own spears and shields. They would act as stopgaps for any breaches that occurred, and with the ponies instinctively working to get ready, Elias called over his shoulder. “Healer to the front!” He crouched down and glanced at Thunderstorm. “Break the head off.” The gray pegasus moved forward without question and braced Elias’ back with one hoof, while he used his teeth to grip the shaft of the arrow. Elias braced the fletching with his hand, making sure it wouldn’t be yanked, then looked back and nodded with grit teeth. Kind Heart pushed through the legionaries and let out a shout gasp. “Don’t-!” Thunderstorm broke the shaft with a sharp twist of his head. Elias grunted at the throbbing in his shoulder but ignored it as best he could as he pulled the shaft back through his shoulder. The shaft caught on the mail under his armor, and he had to wriggled it about to pull it fully free, but once he had, he tossed it to the side, then fell still as Kind Heart began dressing his shoulder. She shot him a glare as she drew bandages from her saddlebags. “I would have preferred to remove that the right way.” Elias scoffed, looking to the battlefield as a thick gray and brown line pulled away from the trees. “That was the right way.” He grunted as she yanked the bandages tight. “I’ve probably removed more arrows from my body than you’ve seen in one.” Kind Heart lit her horn and applied a spell over the binding, ensuring that it wouldn’t come loose. “Regardless, it’s not healthy. The next time an arrow hits you, let the healer remove it. It’s our job.” Elias rolled his eyes and looked to the arrowhead, which was still glowing from its place in the dirt. “I’ll try not to make it a habit, but this armor is supposed to be able to take a few arrows. What is that?” Kind Heart glanced down at the arrowhead for a moment, then went back to eyeing his wound, making sure that her spell had taken with a few experimental prods of her hoof. “The glow suggests an enchantment, but more than that I can’t say. You’ll need a specialist to tell you more; they don’t teach enchantment identification in magic kindergarten you know.” “I wouldn’t,” Elias replied, getting to his feet. He rolled his shoulder and winced as sharp jolts of pain raced into his chest, but ultimately, the limb still functioned. Kind Heart’s horn began to glow, but he nudged her lightly, causing her to pause. “No pain relief spells. Save them for later.” Kind Heart scoffed. “Please, a little one won’t do much to drain my magic reserves…” She fell silent as she met Elias’ gaze. The human slowly shook his head. “Trust me, someone else is going to need every speck of magic very soon. I’m fine for now.” The healer looked more than a little off put, but she managed a nod. “A-alright then. If that’s all?” Elias nodded toward the rear, then stopped paying her mind, focusing on the situation that had been unfolding in his momentary absence. The bareback bulls were bellowing and taunting the silent legionaries, beating their chests and making an awful racket out of throwing range. The occasional artillery shot splashed into them, killing a few, but much of it flew farther afield, targeting the slowly creeping line of armored minotaurs that was approaching along the entire battle line. He saw the play in that moment, it wasn’t overly dissimilar to his own. Use ranged equipment to inflict minor wounds and to put the first drain on healers and magic users. The first wave was light, designed to shock the front line, and then withdraw once the armored bulls, who were steadily approaching, closed the gap unharrassed. The plan was only partially working for the minotaurs, however. Both the Lunar and Solar guards kept their best spell casters toward the rear, and spells lashed out at the oncoming gray line, carving healthy gashes in it. Already he could see a second line forming at the treeline, ready to reinforce the first. Minotaurs with bows also crept up with this group, and they began sending a scattering of fire at the ponies. Shields rose, blocking the stray shots, his legionaries still able to defend themselves since they hadn’t yet been engaged in melee. The barebacked bulls let out a bellow, indicating their thought to correct that. They rushed forward, their legs carrying them in range within seconds. “Fire!” Pila leapt out to the same success as before, but this time the bulls were less spread out. Those that went down were trampled, but the charge didn’t falter, barely even slowed. A second volley was called, and this time Elias could clearly hear the javelins meeting meat. “Third line back, fourth up!” Elias called. “Spears at the ready and brace!” His legionaries shifted position with ease, and the ponies braced, while the rear lines readied their blades for any bulls eager enough to jump the formation. In the air, arrows attempted to pluck his scouts from the sky, and at first, the pegasi were deft enough to dodge every shot. It was only a matter of time, however, and eventually an arrow found a home. The scout let out an alarmed squawk, and he began to drop as one of his wings failed. Luckily he had been circling closer to friendly lines, and his remaining wing slowed his fall and directed it toward the rear, letting him smash to the ground right in front of the healers. Elias drew his flagged pilum again and waved it hard, again grabbing Night Flash’s attention. The pegasus dipped in flight, moving back toward the line. “Have the scouts move back and fly higher!” Elias shouted. “If they fall, I want them falling on us!” Night Flash nodded and gave a flap to climb again, only for an arrow to appear as if from nowhere. It plunged into the pegasus’ neck, and he let out a strained cry, his flaps uneven. He fell to into the legion formation like a stone, and then Elias saw nothing but red. His howl of rage echoed across the battlefield, and it was chased by calls of panic as he shoved through the shield wall, meeting the minotaur charge with his own. A pilum leapt forward from his fingers, ripping through a bull’s throat, but before the beast could fall, Elias was there, his gladius opening the beast’s guts to the air. His scutum shoved the creature to the ground, and then he was over the beast, attacking the next like a wild beast.