//------------------------------//
// The Storm 
// Story: The Battle of Stalliongrad 
// by Hope 
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Chapter 2. The Storm

The attack had come without warning. Our outer patrols were neutralized in unison, not a single warning was sent.

We were under attack from every side, it was impossible! The Lunar Army could not possibly have enough soldiers to keep us on the offensive, I simply had to figure out what was going on, what trick they were pulling.

With Shining shielding me from the top of my tower, I took flight in a circuit around the walls. Magical blasts bounced harmlessly off the glistening bubble around me, Shining Armor had no parallel when it came to protective magic. 

I quickly determined that there were three main forces, two blocking the main gate and one scattered behind the city to keep up distracting fire. The powerful blasts I had assumed to be the work of teams of unicorns however, were all of the same color.

A single unicorn was teleporting around the entire city, blasting our walls and keeping us from fighting back. The sheer amount of power that must have been used to keep this assault up was stunning. 

Once back on my tower, Shining calls up a small portal to let sound reach my commanders.

“There is a single source to all of our incoming blasts, we need to locate and neutralize it. Send out strike team Proxima.” I bark at the small portal, several replies confirm my orders have been received and will be carried out.

The portal closes and I turn to look out on the battle.

Something isn’t right. Even if we had fallen for the attack, we had ample soldiers to mount an offensive and wipe the Lunar Army off the map. What were they planning?

“This is usually where you come up with some joke, a snide quip to ease the tension.” I turn to Shining, smirking at his lack of humor.

He has no smile for me today. “I believe we should abandon Stalliongrad.” He says.

I would think he is joking, but the pit in my stomach tells me I’m not that lucky today.

“Excuse me, Colonel?” I ask incredulously. I haven’t referred to his rank in a long time. Usually I use rank as a sign of how far above a pony I am. For once it is a sign of how much weight his word carries.

“I do not think this is a battle we can win.” He says gravely.

I gape at the white and blue unicorn.

“What aren’t you telling me?” I finally ask, a furious edge to my voice.

“My sister, the traitor, Twilight Sparkle is among the attacking force."

My heart skips a beat. My first thought is of the glory that would come from capturing or killing Sparkle. The second is of the sheer danger she presents. Now the strategy makes sense. Lure us out with an undersized force, then overpower and destroy us before we can retreat.

“You are relieved of your duty. Find me Sunspot.” I command. He does not move.

“Are you ignoring a direct order?” I ask, fire in my voice.

“I am capable of doing my duty, General. I will not abandon my post. But I will stand by my recommendation that we retreat.” He said with the bravery I picked him for.

“We will not retreat.” I counter. “If your sister wants a fight, we will give it to her. If you falter for even a moment in your duty, I will insure it is your last mistake.”

He nods, and I turn back to the battlefield.

I am the General of the Solar Army. I am a force to be reckoned with. And today, my Empress delivered the ultimate challenge to me. I get to fight the most powerful unicorn in equestria.

I determine quickly that Luna must be nearby, and I pull in my troops in a defensive formation within the city, setting traps and blasting all flying figures out of the sky before they can pose a threat. Keeping the Lunar Army in the streets, we begin firebombing our own city. 

Hundreds of the invaders die and Luna herself begins to show up, grabbing the injured and teleporting away. Twilight remains hidden.

Shining keeps his steady mask of resolve even as my tower is hit directly and I carry him to the North tower, where we resume command as though nothing had happened.

The glory of battle overwhelms me as I begin pushing back, halting and then finally reversing the advance we had so easily given to the smaller force.

The dead mount on both sides but the Lunatics have only a third of our number, possibly less by the time they reached the walls.

Then my troops stopped.

I didn’t understand, what could possibly have stopped them all in their tracks, but then I see them following a figure. Not in pursuit but in adoration. A foals trick boosted to fool an army.

I manage to get a team to counter the effect of the want it, need it spell just before the enemy has time to use it to their advantage, and the fighting resumes.

I begin to wonder where Flare is, why our Empress would not help us in our time of need.

Thoughts of retreat fade as we push the last of the enemy from our walls, and I fly down to stand above the gate and serve as a symbol for my soldiers, Shining teleporting next to me with a shimmering pop.

Then I see her for the first time.

Twilight Sparkle. Enemy of the Empire, pupil to the Empress herself, Element of magic and General in the Lunar Army.

She is a child. A foal. She can’t be more than fifteen, and yet she walks through a hail of projectiles and magical blasts as though a light drizzle.

“Cease!” I command, and both sides stop firing.

“Have you come to parlay? Surrender? We will show mercy to those who surrender in battle.” My magically amplified voice echoes through the battlefield. 

Impressively not a single one of them drops their weapon. A good thing, since I am lying.

General Sparkle continues her advance until she is only a few pony lengths away. Shining Armor’s shield stays strong both over him and myself.

“Brother, drop your shield.” The purple mare commands.

Her brother does not comply.

“You think my personal guard, a colonel in the solar army, would let his General die?” I sneer.
“Obviously you know nothing of what we do to traitors.”

She looks to me and I realize for the first time that her eyes are pure white. The effect is awe inspiring, I feel as though I am in the presence of Solar Flare herself.

“He simply knows that if he drops his shield, he will die as well.” The General says in a cracking voice. 

“Goodbye, BBBFF.” I almost don’t hear the whisper before she and her soldiers are gone, teleported away leaving my army victorious. 

Then I realize that her soldiers had been trickling away the entire battle, evacuating until there were few enough to teleport away without a second unicorn.

Shining armor looks to me solemnly. “May Celestia have mercy on your soul.” He says coldly as he lowers his shield.

I was wrong. fearing death is not a cold feeling. It is hot. It burns away every thought and leaves you scrambling at the dirt for anything to save yourself. I flew frantically, but it was not fast enough. I was the epicenter of the largest blast of magical energy ever used in battle since before Luna’s exile. 

I felt nothing but fire.