Of Darkest Days: Pvt. Valen.
"Alright, when you get through, just remember to keep your shit to yourself, do not destroy anything, and if you see anybody attempting to defect, kill them." said the Rift technician. "Operation Returning Grace is about to kick off, you are going to be in the group that will help take the Purian forces down. Good luck."
I was twenty one, and on my way to join the war effort in Equestria. I had heard a rumor about why the command services had stepped up troop numbers for Returning Grace. And some extraordinary things, like pilots taking AA fire to defend lost pegasi during flights. Or soldiers waiting in front of houses to defend the inhabitants, or the one about a crazy shit soldier destroying a bridge on his own. The last one was the weirdest one. It seemed too far of a stretch to be real.
I looked over the crowd to see the Rift. The gaping hole in what ever it had punched through. I was terrified. Operation Returning Grace was our forces plan to smash the Purians along the western front. An all out assault on the enemy lines.
The rows of soldiers began to move through the Rift. I was soon at the mouth of the Rift. I jumped and went in.
I landed on my front, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. An entire military camp set up in an open field. That wasn't what caught my attention, it was the little horses that really confused me. Someone grabbed my shoulder and brought me to my feet.
"Well, welcome to the command center for our wonderful army." said the soldier who dragged me up. He turned my shoulder to check my patch.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a map of the camp. "Your company is here," he pointed, "I suggest going there right now, then you may take a walk about the camp." He handed me the map and walked off.
I was somewhat confused about what had transpired. I shook it off though and began to make my way toward where he had pointed.
After becoming lost several times, I finally arrived.
"Where you been?" asked my CO.
"I-I was trying to find this place." I stammered.
He laughed and shook his head. "Well, glad you could join us. Get settled in and THEN go exploring."
I nodded, "Yes sir."
"Great, first day and you already fuck up." I thought.
I walked to an empty bunk and started settling in.
One of my squad mates Mencina asked, "So, anybody know about this ArchAngel thing?"
"What do you mean?" said our CO, his name was Captain James C. Morrison.
"Well, who was he? And was it even real?"
James laughed, "Oh he was real. No one really even knew him. All I know is, he was a brave fucker."
I had only heard about him. I just didn't know.
James reached up to his ear and listened to the radio piece.
"Alright, we need to get to the briefing center, now." he ordered.
We ran to the briefing area and listened up.
Stone addressed the group, "Alright, Operation: Returning Grace is set to begin. Tonight, our air power will hopefully cripple enemy AA positions. And the next few days are when things are going to get a little rough. Second and fourth battalions will swing in from the west north west side of the Purian lines, First, Third, and Fifth will directly assault on the western line." he continued, "Our air support will be covering both fronts, now without any roads, we can't get any vehicle support. That means no trucks, tanks, APCs, and no IFVs. You will be supplied only with what you can carry with you. There will be only a few med-evacs available at a time, our field medics are going to be busy. We must win this war people. Should we fail, it means we have let Equestria down. We have let all our fallen brothers and sisters down. We have let ourselves down. Get ready, we are going in at 0500 hours." he walked away from the podium.
James gathered us up and headed back to the barracks to tell us how to go about what Stone hadn't.
"Alight, as you heard, this is the beginning of the end. I know we have only been here less then a day, but it doesn't matter, we have a job to do. We are going in with Third Battalion, we do not have any heavy support as Stone said." he looked around the group surrounding him, "Our job is to secure a destroyed bridge, the very same one that ArchAngel sacrificed himself for. So do not mess around, from what I know he made an impression on the natives here. If you find anything, do not touch it without my say so. We are looking for any remaining Purian forces still in the vicinity. Am I clear?" he asked.
"Yes sir!" the squad yelled in unison.
"Get some rest, you'll all need it." said James.
We all tried to catch a little shut eye, but I failed. I know I wasn't the only one. We were all a little scared.
With the morning came the usual yelling for us to get up.
Several groans and some very loud pops and cracks emanated from the rising men. We arose to the thudding rotors of strike helicopters coming back from the nights raid.
"Get your asses out of bed." said our captain in a very angry tone. "We have work to do."
We gathered our gear, got suited up and headed to the mess hall for breakfast. Eggs, toast and pasta waited for us. It wasn't a true military meal, but we were not allowed any meats here. Something did catch my eye though, at the end of the mess line, were cupcakes. Serving them was a pink pony.
"What the hell?" I thought to myself.
The pony seemed to be very happy considering what time it was. She was talking to another cook when I reached the end of the line.
She looked up at me, "Hello! Would you like a cupcake?" she asked.
Her energy caught me by surprise. She was almost unreal in the manner she went about her work.
I grabbed one and say down with my squad, "Am I the only one seeing this?" I asked.
James shook his head, "We now have ponies aiding our cause." he said, "Mainly just doing things like cooking, working in logistics, hospitals, stuff like that."
I nodded in understanding.
"Still weird?" I asked.
"Yep." replied James.
I looked at my watch, 0417 hours. This was it. Almost time to hit the Purians.
After a quiet breakfast we got our weapons and made sure they weren't going to fail us.
James lined us up to give us instructions, "Alright, today is a big one. It is the beginning of Operation: Returning Grace. I want only the best from you all. Mencina, Valen, you two are on tail, I'll be on point with Novikov. Sean, you and Tyler will bring up the flanks. We will have a medic with us shortly. He is a veteran of this conflict and I want you to respect him. He might just save your asses in the field. Are we clear?"
"Yes sir." we said in unison.
We bumped the muzzles of our weapons together and moved into our battle lines. The rest of Third Battalion stood around us as we got the rest of the crews together. Mencina tapped my shoulder and pointed toward the horizon.
Tracer rounds and smoke filled the sky. The remaining strike groups were finishing the nights work. I couldn't imagine flying in that hell.
Captain James turned to us and made sure everyone knew their jobs. It was time to move.
The squads rushed forward some with roars loud enough to be heard over the thundering running. Some ran in silence. Their minds set in the heat of combat.
We slammed into the tree-line before any shots were fired.
I hit the ground and looked at the wall of trees. The bases of the row of trunks lit up like fireworks. The bullets flew overhead and some buried themselves in the ground. Several sliced into the pack strapped to my shoulders. I put my hand on my helmet and waited for James to say anything.
"Hold your ground! Hold here!" he roared over the thunder of gun fire.
Several squads rushed past us, the muzzles of their rifles flashing, roaring to life.
James waved his arm for us to move forward.
"Where the hell is our medic?" yelled Tyler.
"I don't know! Just don't worry about that right now!" James replied.
A crackle came over the radio, "All teams move forward! The Purians are falling back!"
We ran over the grassy fields and into the dense foliage of the Everfree forest. The trees gave us ample cover, but cut our sight to near useless.
"Keep your head on a swivel." whispered James.
We nodded in confirmation. We crept through the choking undergrowth of the forest until we came to a small clearing.
"Keep your sights on." ordered James.
Without a sound we raised the barrels on our rifles as we entered the clearing.
"Sound off your sectors."
One by one the squad gave and all clear.
We gathered in a circle as James pulled a map from his side pocket. "Alright, here we are. And here's the bridge," he pointed, "Looks like we're around a quarter of a click out. We should be there in twenty minutes if we don't have any resistance."
He began to fold the map again when Novikov asked, "One question captain, where is the medic you mentioned?"
James looked at the ground for a second, "I don't know."
He reached up to his ear piece, "Command, this is 7-64, how copy?" he listened for a minute and began, "Command, we were promised a medic and we haven't had any word on his arrival, can you give an ETA?"
His eyes closed as he waited for the cast to end. He pounded the ground with his fist. "Damn it!" he snarled, "He was moved to a hospital to keep up with expected casualties."
"So what? We don't have a medic?" asked Mencina.
James shook his head and stood up.
"Let's move, that bridge needs to be secured." he ordered, voice laden with anger.
We moved forward once again into the heavy forest cover.
The walking was quiet and focused. Everyone's nerves were on edge, we were on our own, medi-evac was a long shot even with a medic. Nobody wanted to get killed out here.
"There it is. Keep your fucking heads down, we don't know what's around here." hissed James.
The wreckage loomed over head as we moved to the burned bridge. The concrete, rebar, and wooden pieces lay in ruin. Ashes coated the surrounding ground lightly floating around our boots.
"Shit." said Sean, "This really the place where, you know, he did it?"
"Yes. Now just don't touch anything." James said.
We neared the base of the bridge.
"Well, here we are captain." said Novikov. "Where are they?"
"Where are who? And keep you goddamn voice down." ordered James.
"The Purians" said Novikov, "Where are they?" he laughed.
"Novikov! Get your fucking head down, now!" yelled James.
"From what?" Novikov mocked as he climbed onto a concrete slab. "We're alone!"
"Novikov!" barked James.
"Captain, there isn't anyone he-" he began, a sniper shot ripped into his neck. His lifeless body collapsed onto the slab. A red stream flowed down the concrete onto the ground.
"Shit! Get down, sniper!" yelled James. "Did anyone see where that came from?"
"No sir." Sean said.
"Keep your heads down! Understand?" barked James.
We nodded.
"Mencina, hold still." I whispered.
He was starting to break. His eyes darted around, sweat flowed like a river down his forehead, his breathing erratic. He was going to run. I grabbed his shoulder, "Just wait." I told him. "We're fucked man." he said, voice shaking with fear.
James looked over, "Mencina, hold your position. That's an order soldier."
Too late. Mencina shoved me off him and took off toward the forest. He didn't make it. A shot rang out, Mencina dropped a pink mist sprung up where he stood.
"Valen, don't you dare move." James growled.
I nodded and yelled, "What now?"
He looked around for a minute. "Smoke grenade, on my mark. Rush to closer cover. Find the sniper and knock him him out. Sean, Tyler, covering fire on smoke. Everybody understand?"
We all gave thumbs up.
I readied the smoke and looked at James for the go. He nodded.
"Smoke out!" I yelled and tossed the small canister. A cloud of thick white smoke erupted and we rushed forward. A shot rang out, but only to miss whatever its target was.
I slammed into a wooden piece of a pillar. James lay behind another slab.
Sean and Tyler's bullets snapped past us into the trees. A glint gave the snipers position away. All four of us opened fire where the shine was spotted. A limp body fell from a tree, crashing down into a pile of concrete.
Tyler walked over and put a round into the corpses head. He spit and returned to the group. James gently elbowed his arm. "It's over." he said.
James reached up and radioed that we had secured the bridge. "Alright people, our orders are to return to command and receive individual assignments. We'll be split for a while."
We returned to command and went to briefing.
Sean and Tyler were sent to Canterlot on leave. James was put on reserve to re-organize our squad. I was sent to guard a cottage on the edge of the Everfree forest. It belonged to a pegasus named Fluttershy. I didn't know her, so at first it was a weird assignment. I had to accept it though.
I shook hands with my squad mates and departed for the cottage.
I arrived and found it was a fairly nice place.
I set up in the front and took a minute to rest. I was only going to be here for a day, then to Ponyville for two days of R&R. I set my rifle against the wall and sat down and waited for the call for me to leave.
I figure it was around four hours before anything happened. I had been told that some animals occasionally visited the cottage. They posed no threat, sometimes they even stayed by the soldiers.
I heard a stick break and decided to check it out. I left my rifle propped against the wall, and decided to check out the noise.
.....
I turned the corner and stood shocked, face to face with a Purian scout. His eyes as shocked as I was. I smacked the barrel of his rifle as he pulled the trigger. The bullet buried itself in the dirt beside me. He brought his knee into my side, in retaliation I pulled my side arm and used the bottom of the grip to pistol whip him. I felt his skull give way under the crushing blow, his head hit the side of the cottage leaving a blooded smear on the wall. He fell limp to the ground, as a final measure, I put a round in his head. The heat of the moment died, the adrenaline left my veins. I took a few steps back and dropped my pistol. My hands shook as I stared at the body. My legs felt like they were bolted to the ground.
"What the fuck was that?" I asked aloud. Silence was the only answer.
I staggered to the cottage and collapsed on the doorstep. I rolled onto my side and vomited in disgust. I sat there for at least half an hour before I found strength to stand.
My hands finally steadied and I decided to clean the vomit and blood off the house. When I finally had everything cleaned up, I rolled the body into the tree line. I looked at the horizon, the sun had begun to set.
I got the call and walked, or shambled to Ponyville, where I was put into an inn.
Morning came and the past days events had finally been reasoned with. I wasn't proud of what I had done. It was different from taking shots at a person, then it wasn't personal, but going toe to toe was an awful feeling. I did find consolation in knowing it was for the betterment of the war.
The next two days were spent mainly laying in the bed that the inn owner let me use. I never found out who owned the inn. But she was very friendly.
I was sent back into combat, side by side with my squad. We all seemed a little on edge though. I couldn't quite place me finger on it, but trigger fingers seemed a bit more itchy, voices were colder, and eyes seemed meaner.
The fighting grew more intense. After only a week of fighting, the front was in sight of the Citadel, as the Purians called it. We called it the Tinderbox, it was a fortress built from mainly wood with a little concrete support.
The Purians had stepped up the defense. LMG nests started popping up with more frequency. Our casualties grew more and more.
We got to the front line. It was hell. Fire, bullets, yelling and the cold presence of death hung over the battlefield. Felled trees provided cover. Foxholes dug into the stained ground were the only safety for those trying to advance. James ordered us to get up to the front. Fast. We ran into the fires of a burning forest. A heart cut from a living thing. Now the area burned with a rage only found in combat.
The smoke choked out any chance of easy breathing.
I fired at the Citadel. The windows cut into the Citadel lit up as the Purians made their final stand.
We moved forward to assault the front of the Citadel.
A wonderful thing happened in this time. We gained the support of the local ponies. The unicorns gave us magic to help our minor wounded, the pegasi dropped flares marking strike helicopter runs, the earth ponies took the fight to the Purians. Going hoof to toe.
After two days of continuous shooting, we were on the Citadels doorstep. The walls had been burned. Blood ran like water. We did gain a medic however, a light blue unicorn named Colgate. The name I could never get over though. Surprisingly she was a dentist before the war. Along with a new fighter. An earth pony named to Applejack. She used her skills at kicking things to attack Purian troops. I watched her kick the door in on the Citadel. Time for some CQB. Shit hit the bricks. The Purians used hit and run tactics.
A static call came over the radio, "This is Zero 7-1, my tail rotor is damaged. I won't make it back, stay off the roof!"
I looked at James. He had a very confused face. His eyes shot open when he realized, "Get down!" he screamed. At that moment the building shook as the helicopter slammed onto the Citadel. We hit the floor in the commotion.
After a few moments.
"Sound off." James called.
"I'm good." said Sean.
"Good on my end." reported Tyler.
"Good." I said.
"I'm okay." said Colgate.
"Ah'm okay." said Applejack.
James waved his hand for us to go forward.
We rose to go forward. The hallway began to fill with a choking smoke. A door came up on the right of the hall, "Door." said James. "Go."
Applejack lined up the buck as we all stacked up. James gave the signal and Applejack kicked the door off its hinges. We stormed the room. Several dead Purians littered the floor. A shot through each of their heads.
James stepped over the dead. "Shit, what the hell?"
Sean stayed outside the door to give a watching eye.
Tyler doubled over, vomiting on the floor, "Oh god." he gasped.
I hit him on the back, "Okay?" I asked.
He nodded, spitting whatever was left in his mouth out.
We walked out of the room to continue the assault.
James raised his fist. The signal to stop, "Wait, can anyone hear that?"
We stopped to listen. A creaking noise quietly resounded through the hall.
"Get down!" James yelled.
We dropped to the floor as a crash exploded in our ears.
"The hell was that?" asked Sean.
James pointed to a half open door at the end of the corridor.
We crawled to the door and stacked up once again. The door was ripped from it's damaged hinges. Our rifles pointed outward like spears in a phalanx. The room was empty. But outside wall was crushed. We walked over to see what had caused the damage.
"Oh god." whispered James.
The crashed helicopter had slid off the roof. It lay in a burning pile on the side of the Citadel. We looked up, where it had crashed along the wall was smashed.
A wave of silence cell upon us in that moment. As brief as it was, it was still unsettling. We continued on going room to room. Finding few defending Purians, and bodies through each turn.
LMG positions stood empty, the operators long gone. A light spray of red on some. Others still dripped with it.
From each corridor to each doorway, we drew closer to our objective, cutting the heart out of the beast. This was the final part of the war. And I was here to witness the Purian head of command surrender.
We heard a single shot ring out from the room.
We stacked up on the huge French doors that led to the command room. We nodded and applejack smashed the lock, the doors flew open as a second shot went off.
"Colgate, stay here." ordered James.
She nodded as we stormed the room.
Two bodies were the only occupants. One lay sprawled on the ground, the other slumped over in a chair, pistol in hand. A steady trickle of blood flowed from a fresh wound under his chin.
"Shit." said Sean, "These the guys we were after?"
James nodded. "God damn it."
We stood there for a few seconds deciding our next move.
"Woah, hold up y'all, ya' hear that?" said Applejack.
We stopped to listen.
A faint ticking noise began to resonate through the silence. I walked to the body slouched in the chair and began to examine the corpse. I found a small pen-like device. I looked it over to try and figure out the small device.
A dead mans trigger.
"Fuck! Everyone out! Bomb!" I screamed. We bolted for the doors, I heard a small beep as I reached the frame.
The blast shook the entire Citadel, I was thrown into the hinges of the door.
My ears rang, my eyes couldn't focus, I couldn't feel anything. Colgate and Tyler ran to my side, Colgate's horn glowing furiously as she began to heal my wounds. Her eyes lit up with fear. James and Sean joined the group. Their mouths moved with a furious pace, but I heard nothing but a persistent ring.
The world began to fade into black. I felt hands grab at my shoulders trying to keep me awake. Sounds slowly trickled into my head, little more than murmurs. I blacked out.
My eyes snapped open, only to find a white room. Medical equipment throughout the area. I turned my head to collect my bearings.
Bandages wrapped my entire torso and most of my left leg, my right was immobilized. A wrap squeezed my head. I could smell the medicine spread over my wounds. It was cold and numb.
A door opened on the far side of the room.
A pony wearing a white set of scrubs walked in.
"Oh, your awake. Good." she commented.
She strolled over to the side of my bed.
"Quite a mess you got into, huh?" she asked.
"Where am I?" I asked, my throat dry and scratchy.
"You are in a hospital. Been asleep for almost a week now." she replied.
"Where's James? And Tyler, a-and Sean, or Applejack or Colgate?" I asked.
Your men are back at the command center, getting ready for re-deployment probably." she said.
"Wait? Re-deployment?" I asked hastily, "We won. D-didn't we?"
"The Purians haven't giving up quite yet. Didn't you wonder how the Citadel fell so fast?" she asked, "They simply gave it up, split into two groups, one defending a structure on the Equestria- Hiveland border. The other attacked along the north-west flank. They are trying to take back some destroyed bridge."
I blinked in disbelief, " No fucking way." I thought.
"Are you my doctor?" I wondered.
"No, I'm just a nurse, you're doctor will be here in a minute." she smiled.
I nodded. The pony turned and left the room.
The room fell silent for around ten minutes.
Two ponies entered the room, one light yellow colored with a pink mane, the other a brown color with white stripes.
They spoke quietly to each other before approaching the bed.
"Umm, hi."said the pink maned one. "I-I'm your doctor. My name's Fluttershy."
"And I am Zecora. Now my child, rest and let my potions do their work." the other spoke, a heavy accent lay in her voice.
Zecora handed me a vile with a green-blue substance within it. I looked the container over and back at Zecora.
She nodded.
I pulled the lid off the vile giving the potion one last look over.
"Over the teeth, past the gums, get ready stomach, here it comes." I muttered under my breath. I tipped the glass back and let the fluid run down my throat. It was minty and cold.
I shuddered as it reached my stomach.
A chill ran down my spine. I coughed in report.
"What was that?" I stammered.
"Just something I whipped up. Sorry if it gave you a hiccup." smiled Zecora.
I coughed a little more, but another feeling began to slowly creep over my side.
"So, how bad was it when I came in?" I asked.
Fluttershy looked down for a second before answering.
"When you arrived, you had third degree burns on your leg and side, shrapnel covered your right side. The smell of burning skin made everypony sick. You would have died if it wasn't for Colgate. You did die, several times in fact. Your friends had tan for miles with you on a stretcher. I-I didn't think you would make it." she paused for a moment to gather her breath. "I-I didn't want to see you go."
"Why don't you stop dear, do not fret, for he is still here." said Zecora softly.
Fluttershy nodded.
"Have you met many soldiers?" I asked.
Fluttershy looked up, tears began to well up in her eyes.
"I-I-I knew one, but I don't really w-want to talk about it. I'm sorry."
"Oh, no I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked." I quickly apologized.
"It's fine." she replied quietly.
They finished the check up and left the room. I was alone again. A cold silence hung in the air.
"Who did she know?" I thought to myself.
They came and went several more times during the day, the visits were quiet for the most part. I did find out though, I would be on med leave for at least three weeks. Shit.
Over the next two, me and Fluttershy began to talk more and more, the length increasing every time. The talks were on really anything, from politics to the cities in Equestria.
She walked in one day, something about her seemed different, depressed even.
"Do you still want to know about who I knew?" she asked, "I just need to talk to someone."
I sat up and listened.
"I knew ArchAngel." she began. My eyes shot open with surprise.
"Before he left to, you know, he went to Canterlot to receive the Royal Blessing. Celestia asked me and my friends to go and help him however we could." she paused to take a shaky breath. "When he arrived, he was wearing his set of armor, he walked with such pride. A true soldier. We gave him what he needed. For Twilight, it was a spell, Pinkie gave a cupcake, Applejack gave him advice, Rainbow Dash made a fog field to give him cover, Rarity gave him a new glove." she closed her eyes for a second and wiped her eyes, "And I asked him to come back. I knew he wouldn't, but, he-he," she buried her face in the bed sheets, "He meant something, he meant that this awful mess was almost over." she broke into a full sob. "He lied to me. He said he would be okay."
She fell into a mess, we sat for ten minutes, the only sound was Fluttershy's crying. The sunlight cut through the window casting a warm glow.
When she finally stopped crying and stood up. It was time for her to go home for the day.
"I'm sorry to have done this, I mean umm, you know," she started.
"It's okay. You alright?" I asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.
She nodded and smiled a little. We said goodbye and she left.
I looked at the calendar, four days until combat.
The next morning, my wounds had healed entirely, through a mixture of magic and Zecora's potions, it had taken years off the healing process.
I stood on my feet. They were as steady as the day I had come in. For the most part of that day. The next few days were spent getting back into fighting shape. The physical tests weren't difficult.
I put my new set of armor on and said my goodbyes. There was a war to fight.
I was dropped off at the command center. My squad waited for me.
James walked over to me smiling through the fresh grime of war. "Well well well, look at what we have here. Good to see you kid."
James and Sean walked over and bumped rifles with me.
Applejack and Colgate trotted over to me smiling when they saw I was alright.
I knelt by Colgate and hugged her tightly, "Thank you. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you." I said quietly.
She laughed a little, "I'm just glad you're okay."
I stood up and stood at attention toward James.
"Sir, Pvt. Valen reporting for duty sir!" I saluted.
"At ease soldier." he grinned. "Allow me to explain the situation."
I nodded as he began.
"Alright first off, the Purians? Not done. They basically gave up the Citadel, and instead are trying to take the bridge we secured. Aaaand, haven't you been wondering where they are making concrete? Well, that has been solved as well. They have a mine on the Equestrian- Hiveland border, that is our final objective. They have changed tactics, and command." he continued, "We don't know how, but their numbers have somewhat increased. We are going back into combat tomorrow."
I nodded and we went to the barracks to catch some sleep.
The morning came like thunder. It was time to go. We jumped inside our transport and headed for the front lines. We sat in silence for the flight. We landed and ran toward the sounds of gunfire, and bombs.
We broke through the tree-line to find the world burning like the fires of hell. Fallen trees gave soldiers cover while bullets, fire, and explosions shook the ground.
"What do they have, cannons?" asked James.
"Yup." said a commander walking over to join us. "That mine they have is giving them way too much."
"I can tell." said James.
We were led to a Temporary Control Point for instructions. Afterward we left for the front to relieve a squad that hadn't been off duty for weeks. We arrived to find a small group ravaged by fighting. They shambled off the field to get an evac back to the command center.
We quickly established a position for a while. The Purian cannons bombarded the area day in and day out. Strike helicopters flew in to hit the cannons, smoke shrouded the ridge where the Purians lay in wait. Flashes of light gave it an ominous look to the area.
"Holy shit." muttered Sean.
We got the order to press forward.
We leapt from our cover and charged, rifles blazing, tracers flying through the air like angry bees into the unknown.
The cannon shells rained down onto the soldiers, leaving smoking craters in the burnt soil. The radio blaring the desperate calls of captains calling for aid, or the wounded crying out for medics.
Sulfuric smoke blinded and choked us as we reached the first cannons. We sweeper through the first group when James got a call over the radio. We were being redeployed to the bridge.
James ordered us to fall back to the TCP and catch a transport to the bridge.
When the helicopter touched down we could see why we were called back. Soldiers lay dead, dying, or scrambling for cover. The smell of burnt powder lay heavy in the air. The cold eyes of death looked over us. But we had a job to do.
We set up and readied to hold the line. We soon figured out that command had actually done something right. They set up ammo shacks called Shit Shacks. When you ran low, you had permission to run to one and get new ammo. We ended up needing them more than I thought. We finally pushed the Purians back enough for us to wander around the wreckage. Again. Our squad was told to stay in the area to keep it secure until the fighting was over.
After around three hours after the order came through I became curious and walked around the bridge.
"Stay in sight!" called James.
"Yes sir!" I called back.
I found a boulder on the edge of the clearing, I decided to check it out. I carefully checked the back of the stone, and found something.
A rifle, an XM-116 with the action blown out. It didn't seem like it should be there.
"Hey Captain, can you come check something out sir?" I asked over the radio. He walked over and stooped to get a better look at the rifle.
"Not something the Purians would have." he said. "Valen, check around the area, see if you can find anything else. Wasn't any fighting over here as far as I know."
I saluted and clicked my flashlight to illuminate my path.
After several minutes of scanning the brush I walked into the edge of the forest. Within a few minutes I caught a glint of metal in the beam of light. I walked to the shining piece of metal. A pair of dog tags, a white glove set carefully against a tree.
"Shit." I thought.
"Captain, I found something, you need to get up here ASAP." I said into the radio.
When he reached me, he stopped when he saw the glove.
"Oh god, don't touch it." he ordered.
"What?" I asked.
"This was ArchAngels gear." he said, "I'm calling this in."
He reached to his ear piece and called in the find.
In fifteen minutes a transport helicopter flew overhead.
"Oh god, it's Stone." whispered Sean.
Stone stepped off the helicopter and walked to James, he waved me over to his side and told me to bring the items.
I ran to the boulder and gathered the rifle, tags, and glove and ran back to Stone. He covered his mouth with his hand when he saw the things. He slowly nodded after inspection. A soldier took the gear and loaded it onto the transport. Stone shook James's hand and I gave him a salute. With that he left.
James turned to me and said, "That means a lot to a lot of people. Good job son."
I saluted and went back to camp.
The night came easy. The morning came as any other, just walking around the bridge wreckage. Waiting for an enemy that will never come.
It continued day in and day out for another month. The call came in during the day.
James gathered us in a group. "Alright, we have officially knocked out the last of the Purian forces. We're done here." James said, his voice heavy with relief.
Transports flew the majority of our forces to the mine. Our banners flew gallantly over our heads. The last Purian prisoners loaded into transports and flew out.
We looked over head to see a rainbow colored circle exploding in the sky, a rainbow dart shooting from the center. In a few seconds a sonic blast shook the troops.
Cheers and roars emanated from the soldiers.
Celestia and Luna presided over us.
"Fair soldiers, we gather here to solidify your valiant victory over your Purian enemies," boomed Luna, "and to remember those lost in this terrible conflict."
"We all knew someone lost during the raging flames of war, but we owe your thanks to all of you." said Celestia. "Any soldier can fight, but it takes heart to win, it takes courage to make a difference. Each of you made a difference. I am proud to say, you are the bravest men I will ever know."
The ceremony ended several hours later. We departed back to the places most hit by the Purians to await further orders.
Stone came over the radio, "Men, I have one last thing to ask of you, we are to take all emplacements made by the Purians and we are officially leaving Equestria. Thank you all for your brave service." The transmission ended. All waves fell silent, all of Equestria heard.
"You heard him, let's move." ordered James.
We worked in silence, everyone shocked by the order.
We picked up every piece of cement, and metal. Every shell casing was removed.
It was over. The fighting had died. The battlefields lay barren, scars to be healed by time.
Where the war had burned most furiously smoldered, empty and became a somber reminder of what occurred there.
A single tombstone was the only real reminder of the valor true soldiers possessed. A granite slab stood tall. A white gauntlet lay at its base. Inscribed on the stone where the words, "Sis semper memor non sum oblates archangelus" or "May you always be remembered, never forgotten, ArchAngel." His rifle propped up beside it, a ward placed over it, so it may never succumb to weathering or damage.
I visited the grave on my final day on Equestrian soil. To pay my respect to the man who marked the beginning of the end of the greatest threat known to this place.