As the sun's rays bathed the ruins of Ponyville, Shining found himself squinting against the increasing brightness. The gradient illumination served as a constant reminder of his responsibility to prevent their location from being bombarded during the night. The mental strain he experienced now paralleled the challenges he faced when maintaining the shield during his wedding years ago. However, he took solace in the fact that he was no longer being mentally drained by the wicked Changeling Queen. The reality of her possible demise still astounded him. There was a time when he questioned the audacious infiltration work of Thorax, and the consequences had been severe. His once thriving kingdom now lay in ruins, his own child had been taken, and his people were oppressed under the ruthless reign of a tyrant, only to be replaced by the merciless Tyrant of the Sun.
Shining's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a paintbrush being cleaned in a cup of water. He had forgotten that Spearhead was even there. Shining didn't move from his position on top of a slab of marble that once held a statue of his sister in Solarist attire. It was a symbolic victory that Spearhead was determined to capture on canvas. Shining sighed and broke his silence after six hours. "How is it coming along? I thought painting at night would be challenging."
Spearhead cleared his throat, maintaining his cheerful demeanor. "Nah, Shining. I can use a lantern since you're blocking any potential shots, but it's strange how they haven't fired a single round tonight."
"Good, the less stress for me, the better. They won't waste shells as long as the shield is up, but the moment we lower it, we'll be bombarded," Shining remarked, feeling a throbbing pain in his head. Thankfully, his shift would be over soon.
"Gotta say, Cap, this might be one of my best paintings yet. I've captured the distant view of Canterlot and the mountains in the background. You standing so stoic on top of the marble slab, with the statue beside you... I had to adjust the angle of the statue to include Twilight's face. I hope you don't mind," Spearhead said.
"I don't mind. I'll have to face her eventually. I don't know if I can confront her directly, but if it means reuniting with my daughter, I'll fight to bring her back," Shining replied.
"She'll be fine, Shining. She's not a helpless foal; you and Cadence have taught her well," Spearhead reassured.
"I hope you're right, Spearhead. Otherwise, you'll be the one buying the next round of Apple Cider," Shining said, smiling.
"Hah, you're on."
More members of the Harmonic Army began to wake from their restful slumber, and Spearhead would occasionally glance at Shining before continuing his work on the painting. It wasn't long before he heard the familiar sound of hoofsteps approaching from behind, followed by a cheerful "Morning, Shiny!" It was his mother, Twilight Velvet, and Shining visibly relaxed his posture. Spearhead let out a grumble.
Twilight Velvet walked over to admire Spearhead's painting with a gasp. "You've improved so much over the years, Spearhead. I can't wait to see the finished piece properly, hopefully before we reach Canterlot."
Spearhead nodded, while Night Light joined them on the platform and acknowledged his son with a nod. Shining didn't say anything in response; the dark bags under his eyes stood out against his white coat. Night Light ignited his horn as Shining transferred the Shield's conjuring to him.
"You go and get something to eat and some sleep, Shiny. Cadence also wants to talk to you. I'll make sure your mother doesn't talk Spearhead's ears off," Night Light said.
Shining managed a weak smile before making his way back towards the Castle of Friendship, as he walked through the desolate town and encampment, the journey proved uneventful. The weight of immense stress was evident, with the bags under his eyes failing to conceal it meant few stopped to greet him. Nevertheless, Flash Magnus approached him offering a tin mug filled with the delightful aroma of coffee. "Morning, Commander," Magnus greeted. Shining yawned and accepted the mug. "You don't have to call me Commander, Flash. Shining is good enough. How's the training going?"
"They're not the worst bunch I've seen, but some lack discipline, as expected. But I'll make sure to drill it into them," Flash nodded, taking a sip from his own tin mug.
Shining chuckled softly, his smile weak. "You should meet Spitfire someday. You two would be a force to be reckoned with in training." He gestured towards the Castle and began walking in that direction, with Magnus following suit.
"She's got pegasi to train in that cloud fortress of hers. I'm honestly surprised the Solarists allowed them to break away."
"I'm not. That place is like a miniature Canterlot in the sky. The resources required to reclaim it would be enormous, and even then, I doubt the proud ponies of Cloudsdale would relinquish their home without a fight."
"Hah, I wish it had been that way over a thousand years ago. It would have made battling dragons much easier," Flash sighed.
"I sometimes forget that you're technically as old as Celestia, considering how long you've been alive. But I do have one question: Where are the other pillars?"
“After Daybreaker seized power, Starswirl vanished without a trace. His location has remained unknown ever since. Rockhoof sought refuge in Hippogriffia and currently holds the rank of Rear Admiral in their navy, surprisingly.” Flash Magnus would take a sip of his coffee as they reached the Castle, “Meadowbrook and Mistmane have joined up to run a triage hospital located outside Baltimare, where they provide care for both Solarists and Rebels. As for Somnambula, she has returned to her homeland and is actively involved in a civil war.”
"Mmm. And what about Stygian?" Shining asked, ascending the steps toward the door, with two crystal royal guards saluting as one of them opened the double doors for them.
"Stygian, the last I heard, left for New Mareland. He didn't provide any specific details only that he had to help someone over there," Flash replied as they entered the building. Shining's mind began to ponder the possibilities. There was a chance that Stygian was helping 'her,' but he couldn't be certain. They walked the rest of the way to the map room with little more to say while Shining downed the rest of his coffee.
Another pair of crystal guards saluted and opened the doors for them. Inside, sitting or leaning against the map table were Cadence, Starlight, Trixie, and Flash Sentry. Crystal braziers were positioned around the room, providing additional light to the otherwise dark interior. Shining felt a sense of warmth as Cadence smiled at him, surpassing even the comfort offered by the coffee. He walked over to stand by her side, while Magnus took a seat between Trixie and Sentry.
Starlight cleared her throat and addressed Shining, "Good morning, Shining. I wanted to update you on the details. We're finally ready to make our initial attempt to infiltrate the city's defenses." Shining nodded, indicating his attentiveness, and Starlight continued, "We will be utilizing the remaining members of the Crystal Mountaineers. Under the cover of darkness, they will scale the cliff sides below Canterlot, until they reach a point approximately 40 feet below the castle's lower fortifications. There, we have discovered an old sewage drain that we can use to gain access to the city's infrastructure." Shining raised an eyebrow, revealing his doubts, but he remained silent, allowing Starlight to finish her explanation. "However, there is a grate blocking the drain, which must be removed in order for us to proceed. Normally, this would be impossible due to the noise it would generate and the risk of alerting the guards. But we have Cadence."
Cadence nodded while still embracing her husband, exuding confidence as she spoke about the plan. "I will teleport through the grate and begin working on removing it to allow our mountaineers to enter. Once inside, we can establish a base of operations utilizing teleportation as our method of access. After all, who would question teleportations occurring within the lower levels of the Castle? The only concern is whether the drain connects directly into the Castle or if it is patrolled by the Imperial Guard."
Shining offered a small smile, but his face still displayed concern. "It's undoubtedly risky, but every move we have made thus far has involved calculated risks. Have any other ideas been brought to the table?" Tempest shook her head in response. "This is the plan we currently have. By infiltrating from beneath the city, we can strategically target and detonate key structures."
Shining nodded wearily. "It's a start, but it won't matter if we can't disable their shield protecting the city and secure the bridge crossing to gain entry into Canterlot."
"We're still working on that part. The Gatekeepers seem impenetrable, unless..." Trixie paused for a moment, contemplating her next words. "Unless?" Shining inquired, leaning forward in the crystal chair. Trixie sat up straight, her eyes focused. "Starlight, do you think there might still be Changeling operatives in Canterlot?"
"Even if there are, Trixie, we have no way of knowing who they are, how to communicate with them without exposing ourselves, or if they would even be willing to negotiate without jeopardizing their cover by attacking us," Starlight responded. Shining's exhaustion began to consume him, causing him to tune out of the conversation. However, Cadence nudged him, bringing him back to reality. She turned to address the others. "I'm going to help my husband to bed. I'll be back in a few moments."
Cadence kept her front-leg wrapped around Shining as they walked through the halls, his legs feeling weak and unsteady. He nearly stumbled into a crystal brazier near the entrance to their quarters. "Take it easy, my knight. We're almost there," Cadence said with a smile, although he could sense the underlying concern. Shining wanted to say something, but exhaustion overwhelmed his thoughts, so he simply nodded. They entered their room, and Cadence gently helped him onto the large alicorn-sized bed. He laid back, gazing up at the ceiling, and let out a deep sigh. "T-thank you." She moved around to the other side of the bed, snuggling up against him. "Shining... I don't think you can handle this for another week, even with your parents' help," she said, her voice filled with deep concern. Shining nodded in agreement. "Well... I know you can. You managed to shield the entire Crystal City, and you're not the one with a shield cutie mark. After you're finished setting up beneath Canterlot, you can switch with me, dear?" Cadence placed a gentle kiss on his neck. "That sounds like a plan."
The gentle warmth of the bedding and the softness of the bed enveloped Shining, coaxing him into a deep slumber. Cadence delicately withdrew her hoof from his side, her movements graceful as she effortlessly rose from the bed with the assistance of her wings. Casting a tender glance at her exhausted husband, she smiled fondly before quietly closing the door behind her. Returning to the map room, she adjusted the position of the crystal brazier, ensuring it was slightly further away from the door.