Twilight's army wasn't enough.
Even with all the soldiers she could get from Canterlot, at least those who could still fight, they were still only a few hundred strong. Royal guards from other areas had to be called just to reach a near thousand; her brother Shining even gave her half the army of the Crystal empire. He could've sent more and even himself, but Twilight convinced him to stay in their city to prepare for the possibility that they will be attacked.
Rows and rows of guards and soldiers were visible among the entire outer perimeter. Rookies and cadets were to take position around safe houses that would be used to hide and secure the civilians. Veterans took position in the battlements and gate tower, armed with ballistas and catapults that were primed for tomorrow's siege. Scorpions and cannons were placed at almost every corner of the city, even accessorizing the zeppelins that kept an eye from above. The night guard were to sleep the night off so they could join the Wonderbolts in the morning, while the crystal guard occupied the gate from inside Canterlot.
Twilight was working herself to the bone, gathering every soldier and warning every civilian. She sent letters to Celestia and Luna about the situation, but she has received no sign of notification. The school of friendship had to be cancelled tomorrow so the students could be safe, staying in the safety of their homeland or preparing to hide in safehouses. She sent letters to the leaders of the other creatures regarding her situation, but insisted that they stay away from the coming battle. This conflict was towards herself and Canterlot, and she did not want to drag others into this.
She spent so much time preparing forces and arranging defenses that she skipped dinner and missed the time she was supposed to lower the sun. Her eyes grew heavy and her stomach growled, but she continued on with hope within her. She was so focused on her work of a battle strategy that she didn't hear Spike enter her chambers with a daffodil sandwich.
He laid the sandwich at her desk and told her to get some sleep. She didn't want to sleep, but her mind was starting to lose itself. Her eyes kept closing and her yawns kept appearing. She looked at the time and realized she was two hours late to raise the moon.
Eventually, she cracked. She left her quill in the ink well and went for the amulet. The sun still blazed in the sky as she went to her porch, shining on the preparing defenses. With the amulet's change from sun to moon, the solar body finally fell from the sky, allowing the people of Equestria to finally get a peaceful sleep, something Twilight hoped she herself would get tonight.
Once the night rose, Twilight still felt as though there was something off in the sky. disregarding her suspicions, she went to her bed, laying straight into the covers, her head resting on a cool, soft pillow. Her tiredness overcame her worries and she drifted into a much needed slumber. Unfortunately, the dream realm itself was apparently unavailable, so her mind took a different approach.
Twilight stumbled into another vision, which felt as real as the last. Her vision was still dark as the void, but she felt lighter than the feather of a phoenix. Her mind rose out of her tower as the strings that grappled her soul to her body unraveled. She wanted to swim back down but she felt no limbs to move. She was a leaf that detached from her branch, and now she was guided by the winds that carried her conscious. Her soul traveled for what felt like miles in a few seconds, entering somewhere she most likely wouldn't recognize.
Her astral journey came to a sudden stop as her vision went from black to misty. As her sight cleared, Twilight could see what was obviously a study. Two circular columns of bookshelves stood at both sides of the room, encompassed by walls of brick and stone with windowless porches. Paintings of mysterious figures and events displayed themselves around the building, with what seemed to be gold and quartz replicas of mysterious objects upon marble plinths. Multiple candles were lit to illuminate the room, but the heads of every flame all leaned to one direction, the front wall. There, standing in front of a window wall, were three figures Twilight recognized.
Arson was accompanied by Ash, both of whom were bowing before a ginormous wall of darkness. Its bodily form was that of a large black flame, seemingly glowing with a black aura and drawing in all other light. Within the fiery void resided the same figure as her previous nightmare, his four red eyes shining like fresh blood on a battlefield. His presence drew in the fire the candles emitted like a magnet, but also excreted a sense of warmth like the pride from a victory.
"I hope my spies have proven themselves useful for both of you." The demonic deity uttered in a formal tone.
"More than useful my lord." asserted Ash. He sounded deeper and more mature than before."We have just received a detailed structure of Canterlot's forces, along with their precautions for the coming battle."
"Catapults and ballistas at the front wall surrounded by royal guards, with crystal guards preparing from inside," stated Arson, completely accurate in his briefing. "The zeppelins are equipped with scorpion turrets and cannons, same for the walls of the city. The Wonderbolts and night guard are keeping to the sky for aerial support. A cockamamie resistance against our endeavors. Their strength in quantity, we surpass in quality. We are quintessential troopers made in your perfect image, and they'll soon recognize that indefinitely."
Their lord raised a curious eyebrow at Arson before going back to the matter. "And what of the other creatures?" He questioned. "I imagine they wouldn't leave her highness to survive without their help."
"Apparently not," Ash answered. "The yak and dragon leaders have already chosen to assist her, despite her letters to stay away. The other creatures are debating if they should heed her wishes, which I am certain they will not."
"More lambs to the slaughter," Arson remarked with a sadistic hiss. "Their demise shall exist as an unequivocal demonstration of our capability for decimation."
The dark figure seemed curious in Arson's statement. "And how is the armory, Arson?"
"Through the rich profusion of Stygian stone you benevolently contributed upon us, our armaments shall endow us inevitable victory. The Stygian artillery, partnered behind millennium of evolution and seething violence, Guarantees imminent victory. By midday tomorrow, Terra's epidermis shall be cleansed of Equestria and her monarch."
Their god raised an eyebrow . . . or at least one of his upper eyes. "I have heard many things about you, my loyal subject, that you became praetor through your fiery rage and remarkable battle strategy. Is that true?"
Arson somehow smiled more. "Indeed, my liege. I exist solely to resurrect our society from the malicious umbra."
"To feed his own pride more likely," Ash said in a judgmental whisper. Arson heard his murmur and gazed at him with a smoking mane and a look that could kill.
"I feed the glory of the Shield-Piercer," Arson argued in defense. "The superiority of our militia is the superiority of our god."
"Yes," Their god agreed, "And you show superiority among others through your wide vocabulary."
Arson lowered his head to him again. "An indirect showcase of my brilliance in strategy among the feeble creatures residing in this land."
"And the very speech you are speaking to me in now.
Arson's cheeky smile changed to a fearful shock so fast it actually made Twilight flinch. He looked up at the god with a face of pure fear and regret. "I-I-I did n-not mean to . . ."
"Do you believe yourself more superior than me?"
Arson's pride and cockiness was completely replaced with fear. His mane no longer flowed and fell dead at his neck. He bowed so low and hard that his forehead broke the floor, all while crying out, "Please, please forgive me my lord! It was a force of habit, nothing behind it! It will not happen again, I swear!"
The god made a quiet shush as the dark fire sprouted what seemed to be an open hand. "Sshhhh, no need to yell for forgiveness. Just make sure to remember those that stand on equal ground with you, like Ash here." Ash couldn't help but crack a smile at Arson, most likely reveling in Arson's broken ego. "Don't forget your limits either, Arson. We cannot get our objective from a corpse. As long as Twilight lives, we have the opportunity to break her will and surrender the celestial bodies."
"And her friends?" Arson questioned, bringing his head back up.
"Her friends and subjects will be kept hostage, only slaughtered if necessary. More hostages means more leverage. More desire to surrender for her people's safety."
"And are you sure you trust Arson with that limitation?" Ash needed answered. "I don't mean to insult your zealot but he is not the most sparing of conquerors."
Arson seemed like he was about to defend himself before the god left his remark. "Actually, I was hoping that you would lead this attack."
"What?" Arson yelled before flinching at his own tone, causing his deity to face his upper eyes to him. "Um, my sincerest apologies, but why is he leading this attack? I may not be the most merciful soldier on the field, but I would gladly take rope and chain over sword and spear should you command it."
"And that unquestionable commitment is precisely the reason why. I know how much you seek victory to restore honor. I want to see how determined Ash is."
Ash gave a quick bow while Arson kept processing his removal from the oncoming war. "Th-this is still such short notice, your grace. My army is already battle hardened, but . . ."
"Then let them stay hardened. Remove any who will not listen to him or this order. The rest will join Ash's legion as they assault Canterlot. Besides, you cannot leave your hidden city undefended."
"There is still the matter of the aerial enemies," Ash complained. "Our aim is precise and our range is far, but faster flyers will start to pick us off while we are distracted by the enemies on the ground. Should we have to face the other creatures, our mission will be much more difficult."
"I have already called in some favors from my fellow gods just for this war. Rest assured, the air will no longer be a safe space for them."
About a second later came a screech from outside, gaining the attention of Twilight and the praetors. soaring from the windowless porch, a figure zoomed past the praetors and turned back around, resting on the rails of the second story. It looked like a mare pegasus, but her large wings weren't on her back, instead replacing her front legs. her back legs weren't normal either, resembling that of an eagle's. An orange and yellow feather fell to the floor from her bird tail while her mane of the same colors seemed to still be horse hair. Her light blue mane and feathers ruffled as her purple irises stared at them through black corneas, cooing like a curious dove.
Arson looked at them with wonderment while Ash looked at them with caution. "Remarkable," Arson praised. "I have heard of harpies before, but seeing one in person is a majestic beauty upon the eyes."
Ash seemed confused by Arson's statement. "Aren't harpies malicious wind spirits that symbolize storms?" Ash questioned Arson before changing attention to the deity. "They are also creatures that belong to your father and uncle, how did you manage to recruit them?"
"Like I said, I have called in some favors," he answered. One at a time, his eyes turned to the harpy's direction, "Meet Celaeno, one of the leaders."
Celaeno then leaned forwards and glided towards the two ares, landing mere feet away. Her feathers folded and she seemed to puff out her chest. "It is a pleasure to work with you," she pronounced in a seemingly italian accent, "Monsters of the skies paired with the most dangerous war horses, a deliciously terrifying combination."
"How about you two ready your armies? You can discuss your strategy plan on the way."
Ash and Celaeno walked to the door, past Twilight's projection like she was never there. Strange thing she noticed was Ash's eyes, yellow instead of green. They walked out of the room and closed the wooden doors behind them, leaving Twilight's spirit with a god and a cultist.
Arson walked over to the porch, gazing at what must have been their army down below. His mane started to flicker as he whispered through bared teeth, "Ash gets to fight alongside harpies and i'm stuck listening to normal birds."
"Problem?"
Arson's mane stopped flowing as he cautiously turned to the black flame. "Of course not sir. I shall remove all problematic soldiers and listen to your Agents' information."
"Very well. You are dismissed Arson."
Arson gave one last bow before he left. "Yes, lord Mars. This will be a war no one will forget." Arson then walked over to the door himself, only opening one door to leave.
"Yes, it will. Won't it, Princess Twilight?"
Twilight then woke from her slumber, her head on her pillow and her heart drowning in dread. Did he see her there? was he talking to himself? Twilight had to focus her mind. what she did know was that the Ares had aerial support, the other creatures were disregarding her warnings, and there were spies within her own kingdom. Twilight looked outside at the night sky, "I have to do something," she told herself.
"Yes. Everything that happens depends on you." Twilight looked behind her in horror at the sudden voice of Mars and saw . . . nothing.