//------------------------------//
// Chapter Twelve 
// Story: War For Equestria 
// by Nighthawk154780 
//------------------------------//

Throughout his flight Nighthawk saw nothing but burning buildings and several soldiers down below, fighting for their lives. He looked up at the burning castle and tried pushing further before seeing a pegasus and a unicorn fly past him and loop around firing at him. He yelped and dodged below before freaking out and flipped around looking behind him seeing the two flip back towards him. “Come on…let’s um. Try this!” 
He went full reverse and jolted backward flying past them and pushed forward firing a blast of magic at the pegasus and teleported forward, reappearing above the unicorn slamming him into the ground. He swung around and landed near the unicorn to examine the armor and shook his head. “I don't get this.” He blinked and noticed the Equestrian royal crest. “What the?”
“Ensign!” General Firefly shouted and landed. A few more soldiers landed including one with a heavy minigun.
“Sir! What’s going on!”
“It happened so fast. It’s utter civil war!”
“You mean?”
Firefly nodded. “Our worst fear has come to be kid. And Equinox called it.”
Nighthawk shook his head. “You can’t be serious! Wh…what are your orders?”
“I’m putting together a unit to help evacuate every pony to the south of here. I could use an extra...”
Nighthawk was ready to ask about the academy and castle before a pony shouted. “Everyone down!” He started firing the minigun up into the air seeing an enemy flier dive towards them firing back. It got close before an explosion came and Sunny Blaze and Sunshine Breeze flew in landing next to them.
Firefly chuckled. “General, surprised to see you!”
“Don’t be too surprised! Ponyville is the next town over and I’m not letting these bastards have the luxury of wrecking it.”
Sunshine smiled seeing Nighthawk. “Where’s Comet!”
“Out North. Firefly, what about the academy?”
Sunny nodded. “We need to get to Celestia and Luna.”
Firefly raised his hoof. “General Bulk is handling the evac of both the princesses and the academy. But there isn’t much left of the area.”
Nighthawk’s heart dropped and he panicked. “N…no…”
“I’m sorry kid.”
“Th…that means. Starfrost.”
He lowered his visor and guard as Sunny blinked. “Ensign what are you doing!”
Firefly saw Nighthawk fly towards his home and the academy. “ENSIGN!”
Nighthawk put everything he got into his wings and pushed towards his home but froze and heard a familiar screech. He looked over and saw a trail of fire spin in a circle the squad kept getting burned by Penelope and suddenly Nighthawk shot down a Pegasus and appeared above a unicorn with his sword out stabbing him and attacked the rest of the squad. He panted and saw Penelope as she screeched and flew into his hooves and he hugged her tight. “Hey girl. I missed you.”
Penelope cooed and Nighthawk nodded. “Where’s Starfrost?”
She chirped and flapped her wings as Nighthawk smiled. “Get me to her!”
Penelope and Nighthawk flew off towards the house and he panicked more seeing the roof caved in. Upon landing, Nighthawk ran in, throwing his hat on. “Starfrost! Starfrost Freeze!” Nighthawk shouted looking upstairs. “Starfrost!” He heard Penelope screech and rubbed her head on a hoof. Nighthawk froze and ran over to her. “Starfrost!”
He freaked out trying to move the debris and he blinked seeing Starfrost laying on the ground. She had several cuts and scratches as well as a sword wound in her side. Tears began to fall as Nighthawk sat down sliding her over to him and held her hoof. “Starfrost…no…no no no. I’m so sorry. Please wake up…”
Penelope chirped and gave a loud roar in pain leaving the two alone. She tilted her head seeing a familiar pony approach him slowly and saw Nighthawk with his hat off hugging Starfrost. “Son?”
Nighthawk kept crying and opened his eyes. “D…dad?”
He turned over seeing Phoenix Blaze in his armor and wearing his own cowboy hat. “Nighthawk. I…I’m so sorry. I came as soon as I heard, but, it was all too late.”
“I…I broke my promise to her, I...”
“I know. I know. But I hope this will teach you why I made the reprimand. Nighthawk, I love you and she did too even if you were away she will always be by your side. She said that and meant it.”
Nighthawk broke down in tears and looked at Starfrost remembering telling her that statement but froze. “Wh…wait…what did you say?”
Phoenix tilted his head. “She will always be with you, son.”
Nighthawk blinked. “How did you know she said that?”
Phoenix backed up using his magic wrapping it around his handle and Nighthawk’s eyes widened and Penelope chirped, flapping her wings. “Y…you didn’t.”
“Son…”
“All…all this time you abused me…”
“Nighthawk!”
“You betrayed me!”
“Son, I had no choice!”
“No…” Nighthawk’s horn lit up glowing brighter and brighter.
“She attacked me first!”
Nighthawk had enough and fired a blast of magic at him in rage. “NO!”
Phoenix took the bulk of the blast getting launched into a destroyed house and blasted the rubble away. Penelope shot up into the sky screeching as Nighthawk blasted the rest of the house into rubble and lowered his visor drawing his blade.
Phoenix blinked and gave a small laugh. “You dare raise your blade to me?”
Nighthawk shook his head. “Don’t play dull. Don’t do that to me traitor!”
Phoenix froze, hearing his own son call him a traitor. “Nighthawk. You’re saying things you do not understand!”
“I understand enough to know that Equestria is my home. Friendship or not I won’t let my land fall to a new empire!”
Phoenix had enough and lowered his visor. “I never imagined the day I would have to kill my own son.” He drew his cavalry blade readying an attack stance. “Long live the empire!”
Nighthawk spun his blade and teleported above his father's head slamming his blade down but was blocked as the two began to fight to the death.