//------------------------------//
// Chapter 10: An Adventure Already?! (Part 8: Capitulated Resistance.) 
// Story: Life isn’t done with you 
// by Kibat Grenbuku 
//------------------------------//


"Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

--Psalm 82:3-4



Several shadows passed by in quick succession, but one lingered as the rest pressed on. It extended its head to the air and a few snorts and sniffs followed, forcing Thomas to hold his breath and hope the damned thing followed after the others real soon.

No luck, the beast had caught the scent of something that demanded its immediate attention, and soon enough, the shadow morphed into a pitch-black figure that contrasted sharply against the illuminated alley opening. It lingered from side to side, getting a whiff of stale mold, trash, and rotting wood, but it was undeterred as Thomas's scent prevailed. Its legs bumped against his cardboard box and just as it reached to pluck his cover away, a roar reverberated from the street beyond. The beast before him yelped, and beat a hasty retreat back into formation.

After waiting a moment more, Thomas jerked his box away as he gulped down a breath and slowly calmed his nerves. Fuck, that was close.

Canterlot was a stir, what had been a relatively calm occupation moments before had descended into blundering chaos as troops flooded the streets and skiffs swarmed the air. There was no doubt lingering, Tempest had arrived. Where? Impossible to determine under these circumstances, it was already difficult enough to scout around Canterlot as one of the only equines in the entire capital not imprisoned, so forget about lurking in the shadows when there was a beast around every corner.

No, there's no chance he's finding Tempest anywhere on the streets, the only hope of confirmation was where he first arrived, and that would mean...

Thomas reflected his eyes on the royal palace high above, wincing in pain as he nursed his throbbing left leg against his chest, staining his already crimson coat with his life juice as memories of his little escapade only an hour ago flooded through his mind.



Perched upon the balcony edge, Thomas reflected his gaze across the kingdom below, careful to only peek through the open railing for maximum concealment. Littered across the streets were the imprisoned citizens of Equestria strewn all about, hauling cargo, tending to the beast's whims, or simply rotting in their metal cells. Gloom and doom were plastered across every face, except for a scant few who were making quite the ruckus.

Centered within one of the lower plazas, an immense cage housing a couple dozen ponies was the source of the only voiced opposition within the entirety of the occupation, the source of the only equine noise in the city, aside from one melodic voice singing out.

The shouts, curses, taunts, and threats these ponies spewed at their captors, were not those of scared civilians, far from it. It only took Sunset a scant few seconds of listening before she was able to confirm Thomas's suspicion. The Royal Guards, at least a few contingents of them.

"That's them all right. Spent enough time growing up in the castle to know their verbiage. And I also know that during events like these, the Princess becomes very lax regarding security. I'm confident all of them were off duty when Tempest struck." Sunset shifted her gaze to the castle. "This means the armory should be fully stocked with their gear. If we can successfully escort them back here, we can retake the castle, establish a hoofhold in the city, and if we have enough forces, maybe we can even take back the Canterlot Archives; maybe I can find a way to free the Princesses there."

"Solid enough plan," Thomas nodded away, "but wouldn't the beasts have plundered the armory by now?"

Sunset offered only a shrug. "Maybe, maybe not. The castle's a maze to the unacquainted, especially since there are no interior directions. We'll just have to hope it remains untouched." Sunset returned her view to the caged guards. "Anyway, it's a safe bet the Captain of the Guard isn't with that rowdy bunch. The title alone is enough to enforce strict discipline amongst all guards without exception. We'll have to search further to find them."

"You know the castle's layout better than me; see if they're being held in the dungeon and make sure that armory is stocked. I'm going down and getting a better look around."

"Down there? By yourself? You can't stand against an army, they'll capture you in minutes."

"So be it. Better me than Flurry Heart."

"What about maintaining the element of surprise? Aren't we doing all this to stall Tempest? Not much stalling if you hoof yourself over immediately."

Thomas released a sigh as he combed his hair back with a hoof, "Ok look if you want me to be brutally honest here, I don't think we have a snowball's chance in hell of pulling much of anything off; not against an army big enough to take a city like this, because let me tell you, it looked a lot smaller way down by the river."

"But ultimately," Thomas continued, "if you may remember, my capture doesn't matter, so long as it means they stay away from the Crystal Empire. Now, we don't have much spare time, get going with the castle, I'll scour the streets."

Sunset's conflicted features promised further rebuking, but ultimately she abdicated with a shake of her head.

"Oh, hey wait, before you go, can yo-"

With a sparkle of her horn, she flashed away, no doubt deeper within the confines of the castle.

"-u teach me... how to... teleport...crap." Thomas shifted his gaze to the streets below, mouth running dry as he considered his options. Hesitantly settling on one, Thomas ever so slowly clambered onto the castle's rail, hooves a-rattling away upon perching. A nervous shiver cascaded down his spine as he reflected upon his bristled wings. "Oh man, oh man, oh man. This is stupid. Unbelievably stupid. Never even used the damn things." The crimson alicorn stole a look into the castle's interior before reflecting down below. "Yeah, no. That'll take forever. No time to waste."

Taking a few quick breaths, Thomas attempted to settle his nerves, but just as his pulse began to level out, a guttural growl reverberated from a rooftop nearby. Not a second later, a spear of sizzling magic streaked overhead, missing his skull by the skin of his teeth. Heart thrumming out of his chest once more, Thomas was left flailing off and over the edge, plunging wildly into the city's depths. For all its worth, the desperate flapping of his wings did little to stem the fall. It was only by the grace of God that Thomas did not ultimately end up a crimson smear on the cobblestone street as he soon found himself tangled in several clotheslines, swinging within a long arc narrowly avoiding street signs and balconies before finally being deposited through a glass window within a highrise building. A moment of respite was not allowed as more grunts and growls echoed beyond the broken frame.

Lacerated, bleeding, and panicked, Thomas retreated towards the stairs, hoping beyond hope that he could somehow evade the coming horde.



And evade, Thomas did. For well over an hour, he ducked between dirty alleys, saddled himself against the darkest corners, and squeezed through the tightest crevices to ensure his freedom, all the while keeping an eye out for friend and foe alike. All that time being hunted, and yet it was only now that the city stirred like an agitated bee hive. Yes, Tempest had most certainly stepped foot within the city and rounded up all forces as predicted. The trouble for Thomas now was the constant troop movement across his dead-end alley, with the occasional straggler catching a whiff of his wounds. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, it was only a matter of time before he'd be caught.

Judging by the growl from the dark shroud ahead, that time was now. Within a flash, a leathery claw snatched Thomas by the neck, eliciting strained gurgles from the pony. It brought the two face-to-face, huffing a puff of breath at Thomas as he feebly pounded at the thing's grasp. Alas, his one good leg wasn't enough.

The double-pronged air kick from the side that followed sure did the trick though as the beast released Thomas and sailed perfectly into the nearby dumpster. Rising its dazed head from the trash, the beast only had time to squeak out a whimper as its assailant dive-bombed. Adorned on the pegasus's front hooves were small tuffs of cloud rippling with vibrant lightning. Upon contact, the beast began spasming erratically; arms flailing wildly, fur puffing up, and voice squeaking out. The scene ended as the trash can's lid was forcefully slammed shut.

Turning to Thomas, the pegasus adorned in guard armor regarded him with a salute of his wing. "Prince Thomas, Private Swift Stream... I gotta say, when that sun mare mentioned a stallion alicorn, I didn't believe it, but you standing before me..." The Private rigorously shook his head clear of the distraction. "No doubt the other things heard our commotion, so we need to move, now." Swift Stream turned to a trash-covered corner and peeled away the debris, revealing a manhole. Swift motioned to the opening, "Inside, hurry. The sewers are too small for them to follow. Word of advice, hold your breath."

Shuffling to the hole, Thomas reared his head from the smell and hesitated for the briefest of moments before hooking his hooves on the ladder rungs and began the descent.

Roars rang out from the street, prompting Swift to collect various trash and cover the exposed hole, but not before Thomas stuck his head back through. "Hey, wait, what about you?"

"Don't worry, I'll find an alternate entrance, they're littered everywhere. Take a left and follow the hanging lights, keep going until you find somepo-" More growls echoed closer, "Time's up, down you go!" Swift shoved the rest of the garbage onto Thomas's head before booking it up and over the alley walls, disappearing in one swift move.

Not hoping to push his luck, Thomas descended fully and had to struggle to hold his stomach in as the all-encompassing stench of sewer assaulted his nostrils. Careful to avoid serious infection, he kept his injured leg securely nursed to his side and began the arduous hobble deeper into the murky depths.

Filth covered every wall as rats and roaches scurried across the damp dirty floor. Mucus and fowl fluids dripped from every crevice and the stench? The stench flooded Thomas's lungs with every labored breath, evoking his stomach to flip with every step he took.

To think, a city as beautiful as Canterlot could hold such a decrepit underbelly... politicians and nobles weren't the only nasty things in the city it would appear. Thankfully, the darkness did well to hide the nastier visages present, but this respite was soon discarded as luminance flooded into view.

The hanging lights adorning the tunnels provided ample illumination during Thomas's trek, and it wasn't long before the voices of others were heard just beyond one corner. Peeking around the corner, five individuals are revealed within a larger chamber, two of which were armored and overlooking what appeared to be a map, while the other three toiled away barricading a door up.

"Hey!" Thomas shouted out, earning all eyes on him within an instant. The strained faces visibly relaxed upon seeing Thomas's equine form, and it didn't take long for confusion and shock to follow suit upon observing his figure further. "Please tell me you guys have somewhere that doesn't smell like a sewer for me to clean my wound."

Their surprised looks lasted a second longer before the assumed officer began barking orders. "It's the Alicorn Prince. Corporal, resume fortifications, I shall return shortly."

"Yes, Ma'am!" The guard saluted as the officer ushered herself forward.

Like before, The officer stood at attention upon reaching Thomas and delivered a crisp salute. "Your Highness, First Seargent Cinder Spark. We were informed of your potential presence in the AO; the Captain of the Guard, Rampart, wishes to speak with you. I shall teleport us to the FOB if you are ready, your Majesty." A simple nod was offered and with a glow of Cinder's horn, the two were whisked away.

Thomas was left disorientated upon flashing into existence, and it only took a few seconds of gathering his senses before the sounds of voices, infant cries, shouts, and various other audio assaulted his popped ears. More shouts and some gasps echoed out before complete silence dominated. Thomas's eyes finally readjusted, presenting to him what appeared to be a rotund rundown mineshaft, with rusting mine carts shoved into one corner and various piles of scrap metal in another. Layered across all rock walls were various crystals jutting about. Dozens upon dozens of eyes from mare to stallion to foal, all were fixated upon his form. Many were teary-eyed, wearing bags or had little light in them, but, the mere sight of one such as Thomas, revitalized their inner spark. Many droopy ears flopped back to life as they no doubt noticed the wing-horn combination. Soon whispers and shouts equally filled the dead air.

"Is that the Princess!?"
"Thank Celestia! We're saved!"
"Are the baddies gone, Mommy?"
"It's the Princess! Rescue's here!"
"That's no Princess, that's a stallion."
"Did we always have an alicorn prince before?"
"It's that alicorn that yellow mare was talking about, his name was...uh-"

"Thomas!"

A voice rang out, one Thomas was able to recognize amidst the present crowd. Craning his head over the ensemble of ponies, The waving hoof of Sunset catches his eye at the very rear.

"Stand aside, stand aside! Make room for His Highness!" plowing through, a contingent of armored guards speared the crowd in half with the foremost figure beckoning Thomas forward. Cinder took to covering Thomas's rear as he became enveloped in the living guard bubble. The group traversed through the herd with ease, concerns and shouts from the civilians aside, and Thomas soon found himself deposited before Sunset Shimmer along with who he could only assume was Captain Rampart; what with the chiseled features, toned muscles, and untarnished immaculate silver armor all the while adorning a stone-faced mask that screamed of impatience to nonsense.

One glance at Thomas's injured leg and Rampart was quick to call out, "Corpsquine!"

"Thomas, you're hurt! What happened?" Sunset asked upon viewing Thomas's state.

"Got cut on some glass earlier... stings like a mother... you guys have any anti-bacterial anything? Was in a nasty sewer a moment ago." A shuffle of footsteps to Thomas's side signaled the arrival of the medic whose horn began flaring up.

"Stand still and steady your breath, this should only take a minute." The medic relayed.

"Full sweeping scan, Private, we're not taking any chances." Finally, Rampart's eyes met Thomas's, both fully taking each other's appearance in. Like the others, Rampart couldn't help but focus on the wings and horn almost exclusively.

Thomas should have seen it coming as a crisp salute was delivered yet again unto him. "Captain of the Guard and supervising Regent of Her Majesty's Royal Kingdom of Equestria, Captain Rampart." Rampart released his salute before dipping low and bowing before the crimson alicorn, "At your service, your Highness." The Captain's action hushed the crowd and soon all other equines, aside from Sunset, joined in.

Thomas was left stunned and did little else other than pivot his head this way and that before finally offering an awkward cough. "...Uh, you... you may rise, please rise, enough." Rampart and the others did just so upon his command.

"Gotta say, today's been full of surprises so far." Rampart reflected over to Sunset, "Didn't expect to run into you now of all times." His eyes returned to Thomas, "Didn't know we'd be getting new additions to the royal family, and now I hear liberation will be delivered in a few short hours?"

"If all goes according to plan. Speaking of which," Thomas turned to Sunset. "I didn't think we'd be finding the Underground Railroad so soon. Where'd you find these guys? I thought all of Canterlot was subjugated."

"We were caught with our pants down, I admit that-" Rampart answered in her stead, "-and amid the ensuing chaos the majority of my forces were swept up within the panicking crowd. What remained retreated to the castle, but the enemy force had already secured the front gates. Contingency plan Beta was enacted and we ushered as many as we could to the sewers below, where the beasts couldn't follow.

"For the past few days, we've been held up down here, scavenging around for food and medical supplies for the citizens, locking down all entrances big enough for those things, and scouting the crystal mines for an exit at the base of the mountain. With so few of my forces to spare, progress has been exceptionally lagging, and with most without any gear, we've been vulnerable to most prodding assaults. We've lost quite a few to capture in the days since our capitulation. Then out of nowhere, Miss Shimmer here decides now of all times for a little reunion while we are all quite literally down in the dumps."

"You know me, RP, can't leave an old friend hanging." She delivered a soft punch to the Captain's shoulder, which elicited the faintest of smiles from the stallion.

Another armored figure stepped in between the two and asserted himself into the conversation. "Things had been going relatively steady for the last few hours, but now those things are a jumbled mess topside. Our recon team reports enemy forces are scrambling across the city in a hurry. At first, we thought they finally found a secure way down here, but so far they've been amassing troops, supplies, and ships along the docks. Sunset was in the midst of explaining when you arrived, so if you may resume, Miss Shimmer?"

"Of course, Lieutenant. As I was saying before, the Storm King has seized a magical staff capable of draining the Princesses of their magic and harnessing it for himself. The ritual for the staff requires four magical contact points, i.e. the four princesses themselves or four of any beings equal in power. The King fetched his commander, Tempest, onto Princess Twilight for an easy target, but so far we've managed to escape her grasp, enough so that Tempest has become desperate, desperate enough to go after another easy mark, the only mark left; Flurry Heart."

The Lieutenant couldn't help but flinch at the implication and Rampart's eyes grew a shade darker.

"Vile wretch! The audacity!" Yet another voice joins the fold as an armored pegasus adorned in iron armor with a Roman-styled pith helmet lands amidst the group. "Hail unto thee, Prince and Savior! Worry not for we shall endeavor to keep treacherous hooves away from young Princess Heart! Just point out this Tempest and I shall quell her!"

The Captain held up a hoof before further remarks could be made. "That's enough, Drill Seargent Magnus. So, she plans to stage an assault upon the Crystal Empire to seize the only other alicorn as far as she knows." His gaze turned scrutinizing upon Thomas. "And I assume your presence here isn't a coincidence."

"He's the irresistible bait. With the Storm King coming today, Tempest has little time to make up for her failure, she has one chance to fix it, so she's going all out for it. The plan is to let her leave with her army and leave a token force behind. We use this chance to free as many prisoners as possible, arm ourselves up, fortify the castle, or whatever makes the best defensible position, nab a scrying potion, and ring the dinner bell. Hopefully, she'll bite and come crawling back to us. After that, well," Sunset shrugs her shoulders, "it'd be only a matter of time holding out for Twilight and the others to get here and end this."

"However, no plan survives contact with the enemy," Thomas continued, "We can hope all we want, but we must be prepared and ready in case help doesn't come at all; so while we hold out for as long as we can, Sunset, you will be focused on escorting the Princesses out of the castle."

"That's assuming we can retake the Canterlot Archi-"

"Forget the archives," Thomas interrupted, "It'll take too long to research a cure. We'll just move the statues themselves, hide 'em away, deny the yeti his prizes."

"We've already tried," The Lieutenant piped up, "we managed to sneak into the castle's throne room the night of the first day. Magic, might, didn't matter, they're sealed in place with a rune, there's no moving them."

"Maybe so, but you had a look at Tempest's notes, Sunset. Any way you can think of removing the rune?"

Sunset placed a hoof to her chin as her eyes scanned the ceiling above, "...Mmh... I can think of a few spells at my disposal that may hinder the rune's magic, the keyword being 'may'. If I had her notes with me now, I'd know for certain. Whatever the case, the spells will take time to work their magic so you'll have to buy me as much time as possible."

The horn from the medic finally dimmed. "Well, aside from some bruising, we're looking at a clean bill of health."

This statement earned a confused look from Thomas. "Uh, what? You sure your horn is working right? I was leaking droplets all across the streets; and with nothing to cover the wound, I for sure caught some nasty shit while in the sewer."

The medic took to Thomas's side and grabbed hold of the injured leg before foisting it into Thomas's face. Sure enough, the many lacerations previously adorned were all but replaced with intact crimson fur and skin. No signs of trauma lingered. "Alicorn healing factor is my guess. Never seen the Princesses injured, nor have there ever been reports of any injuries, not that I know of at least. Like I said, aside from some bruising, clean health. Captain?"

"You are relieved, Private." The Private saluted before returning to his post.

Thomas wasn't quick to test his leg out, but after a moment of hesitation, he applied pressure and found himself able to be supported without any difficulty. No putting me down this time, Farmer Brown. "*Sigh*... Alright, so we have a basic outline of a plan; free the prisoners, fortify the castle, wait for reinforcements, now we need to flesh it out. Deployment of forces, fallback positions, escape rou-"

"No need." Rampart interjects, "Canterlot forces are well drilled in all Canterlot Castle security contingencies. Once we secure it, leave the defensive layout to me. The interior design of the castle should be perplexing enough to maintain a stalwart fortification."

"Right, of course... I suppose I should leave command to the trained expert."

"It's for the best, my Prince." The Lieutenant finishes.

"You do know I'm not...ugh, whatever... well, what about them?" Thomas reflects his gaze on the gathered crowd of civilians. Multiple pairs of eyes are reflected back, each in varying states of despair, fear, and surprisingly, hope.

"We have a few teams surveying the crystal caves below for an exit. Without any maps or directions, it's been slow going. We have yet to encounter any of the beasts but with so few guards to spare, we can't afford to take any risks of ambush, and so slow and steady remains paramount." Rampart hefts a hoof to his chin, "Hmm, there was a mare down here that had been permitted to examine the mines and its geological properties by order of the Princess. ...Maud Pie I believe her name is. I don't know how, but in the short time she has spent down here, she managed to open up twenty-two new tunnels. It's a long shot, but if she was captured, she could help speed up our progress substantially. I'll mark her down as a VIP target in the coming operation."

"Captain," Flash Magnus began, "again I plead, let me scope the caves out; with my speed, I'll find an exit before the turn of an hour!"

Rampart fixed him with a glare and a shake of his head. "Negative, Drill Seargent, we need a full team to properly traverse and mark the tunnels. With your speed, all it takes is one wrong move, one wrong turn and you will sever the only connection back to the FOB and before you know it, you will be hopelessly lost amidst the numerous mined-out veins.

"And that's not to mention how cramped and cluttered the caves are. For all your agility and speed, it won't matter in a close-quarters ambush. So again, I say negative. You are one of the only few with true combat experience, we cannot afford to waste it. Right now I need your eyes and ears topside with the rest of the lookout."

Magnus heaves a sigh before saluting. "Aye, Captain." With a flap, Magnus soars into the air before looping through an open doorway, shutting it close as he zooms past it.

"Exactly how many are under your command, RP?" Sunset inquires.

At the mention of his guards, Rampart heaves a heavy sigh before settling himself upon a nearby stool. "Everything happened so fast in the beginning, we never managed to get a proper headcount. Lost many personnel since then, remaining active members have us numbered thirty-seven strong as of yesterday."

"Thirty-seven?" Thomas spouts. "Christ, that ain't gonna make a dent against an army of hundreds. If we want to stand any chance, we'll have to liberate all guards in the city, no question about it, it's top priority."

"Agreed. My flyers have been diligent in maintaining overwatch on the prisoners." Gesturing to a map detailing Canterlot's layout, Rampart pinpoints a courtyard just off the center of the central city plaza. "Luckily for us, the beasts have chosen to collect most prisoners within this enclosure with a scant few sprinkled throughout the branching streets. Security has been relatively lax, what with the arrogant beasts so sure of victory. With a quick and precise strike, all of Canterlot could be liberated in one move.

"We'll have to utilize all available forces, we cannot afford to hold anything back. It will take time to free every individual and we will need to split a third of our forces to escort all civilians to the caverns below, which means we cannot use these mineshafts as a fall-back point. Those airships utilize explosive barrels, I'm not sure if the beasts are monster enough to use them in the city, but I can tell you the sewers and caves will not withstand their volatile force. Once we enter the castle, there is no turning back."

"Didn't plan on doing so, Captain. What defensive armaments do we have against the airships?"

Captain Rampart shifts his hoof over to the castle. "We have several ballista stations positioned across the castle's exterior, one in each corner fortification, one on each side of the middle layer's balconies, and two stationed right here near the front gate. Ten total, concealed with invisibility runes. We do have a few javelin tubes, but they are terribly obsolete in terms of aerial combat."

"You can also overcharge your mana strikes and pop the balloons with relative ease." Sunset offered.

"And leave our few unicorn reserves drained amid the battle?" The Lieutenant questioned, to which Sunset offered only a shrug. "Sounds like a last-ditch measure to me, Captain."

"Agreed. To further complement our combat efficiency, we have an elite squadron of Wonderbolts under lock and key. We could arm them with the javelin tubes, providing us with another counter."

"The airships are armed with tesla cannons. They'll need to perform diving maneuvers to strike efficiently." Thomas added.

"What about the grenadiers?" Sunset adds. "Those petranades will tear our forces apart real quick."

"Our unicorns will have to be acting support for the frontline. None of us are Shining Armor powerful, but our magic shields should be enough to negate-"

"Captain!" A voice cried out from above and Magnus made his appearance once more. "Sir! The enemy has mobilized, bearing north-northwest, fielding well over ninety percent of the occupational force! Recon reports minimal enemy combatants remaining!"

"Looks like we're on the clock now, Sir."

"Agreed, Lieutenant. Gather our forces and make way for marker five-C and await further orders." Rampart turned to the gathered crowd, cleared his throat, and stomped the ground with a sharp clap. "Attention all civilians, favorable circumstances have been brought to light before us and we are earnestly acting upon them. This military operation requires all available hooves, this is non-negotiable. Due to his stellar assistance in this trying time, I see fit to enact a temporary charge onto the individual known as Fancy Pants. Sir, I entrust to you the safety of every individual present, I expect you to uphold this responsibility with the utmost care. Your orders are to retreat to the crystal caverns. Do not, I say again, do not stray any further than what is marked along the path. Upon reaching the end, hold position, the Lieutenant will arrive shortly with the freed prisoners as well as a small force and a survey team, whereupon pathfinding operations shall resume. Understood?"

"Fret not, honorable Captain, I shall see to it everypony follows your instructions to the letter." Fancy Pants assures. "Good luck to you lads and ladies."

Rampart fixes the stallion with a nod. "And to you as well."

As Fancy Pants begins directing the civilians to the mines below, Rampart orients himself to an adjacent doorway and beckons Thomas and Sunset to follow. "When Canterlot fell, it was chaos. Panic in the streets and disarray plagued our military command. Come nightfall, however, an eerie peace settled upon the city, and we took our chance to strike back.

"Alas, as you know, our mission to secure the Princesses proved futile, and by dawn, we had lost well over half of our combat force. It was a complete disaster." Stopping before a padded door, Rampart fished out a set of keys before finding the correct one and with a 'click', the door was ushered open. The small chamber was empty save for one wooden chest which Rampart set about unlocking it. "But," Rampart continued as he dug through the chest's contents, and soon enough presented an object to the duo. "at least we didn't come out of it empty hooved."

"What is it?" Sunset questions as she takes the trinket in her hooves. Its triangular-shaped base bared a single crimson gem that radiated power. Adorning the top was a depiction of a dark alicorn with red-tinted eyes.

"It's called the Alicorn Amulet. Its power enhances the wearer for an untold duration and only the user can remove it, but be warned, it is said to corrupt the user the more power is used with it." Rampart ushers the two out and locks the door once more. "Once I noticed the Princesses had been singled out, I personally retrieved it during our failed operation. I wanted as few alicorn-related objects in their filthy claws as possible. Ever since that night it has remained hidden here, from all eyes but my own, until now.

"As much as it pains me to say it, I cannot fully trust my forces with this item's existence. Canterlot was subjugated under a traitorous unicorn, this whole invasion has been culminating for months no doubt, plenty of time for infiltration into the royal guard. Which is the reason why I'm hoofing it to you two now. We'll need every advantage for the coming struggle, and if we use this amulet sparingly and carefully, we stand a much better chance of holding out."

Taking the amulet into his hooves, Thomas could feel the amulet's primal energy rippling throughout his very being, slipping its dark tendrils into every crevice, probing deep into his core. With a shout of surprise, something deep in Thomas probed back, sending a rush of energy throughout Thomas's spine and forelimbs before cascading into the amulet itself. The amulet flashed crimson before falling dead in his hooves. The series of events unfolded within a split second, leaving only the bristling of Thomas's fur along his spine and the shout as the only evidence in the aftermath.

"Thomas? You alright?" Sunset inquired as she and Rampart crowded upon him.

Thomas took one last look at the amulet before applying it around the base of his neck. "Something really weird just happened. Something magical. It's gone now, but still, it was really weird."

"Like I said, be careful. We have no records of its origin, but I assume it's dark seeing as how it corrupts its users." Rampart's horn begins to emit a green glow. "All right, we've spent enough time here, let's get this operation moving." With a flash, the trio teleports away.



"Just you wait you fuzzballs, you've made a terrible mistake coming here, and once the Princesses are free, I'll be smiling as you lot grovel in the dirt for mercy!"

"They've left you behind! Open these cages now and I promise only to blacken one of your eyes."

"Hey, you, big guy! Why don't you do yourself a favor and stick your staff straight up your flank! It'll be better than the coming tail whooping I assure you!"

Three days. For three days the caged guards had been slinging insults and curses at their captors without relenting no matter how many beasts growled and roared in their faces. For three days, they had been a tireless nuisance out of pure spite, enough so that most of the leftover beasts had nothing but the alpha to quell their growing frustration. One beast, in particular, had seemingly reached its peak if the bulging veins, tightening grip, and twitching eye were anything to go for.

"Psst! Hey buddy!" The beast knew it should ignore the irritating equines, but at this point, it was looking for an out, and if that meant going ballistic on the ponies, so be it. It turned to its heckler before being bonked in the head by a small rock. "Is that your twin? Cause you both certainly share the same intelligence! And boy howdy it's like staring in a mirror! Ha!" That did it; with a single twitch, a guttural roar was emitted as the beast hurled its spear and shield into the air before barreling straight into the cage's bars, one claw fully extended hoping to nap any prisoners within.

Said prisoners huddled on the far side of the cage well out of the creature's reach. "Ladies and gentlestallions, we've got a bite."

The frothing creature continued to reach within but with no progress to be seen, it resorted to the set of keys on its hip. It fumbled for a bit before finally selecting the right one, and just as it began to turn the key, two other beasts closed in on its sides, hooked their arms against its own, and dragged the creature away.

A pegasus prisoner streaked for the key, found purchase with her wing and turned. A click rang out, and with a kick, the cage's door was opened for the first time since the city's fall. She and the other pegasi did not hesitate to take flight, but just as she exited the doorframe she was painfully plucked at the wings by a sentry. With a sharp twist, the mare was hurled straight into the others, sending all crashing back into the far side. The other guards attempted a rush, but all were repelled as the beast unleashed its spear upon them. With a snort, it slammed shut the door, locking all once more.

"Welp," one of the prisoners commented, "there goes three days of progress." The mare couldn't help but unleash a scream of frustration before wildly banging against the bars which elicited more curses and shouts from the others.

Several beasts gathered around the spectacle and the sentry couldn't help but snicker at the pony's pathetic display. The others joined in a moment later.

Then suddenly, without warning, a clap of thunder roared overhead and the sentry ceased laughing as it and the others were filled with hundreds of volts. It didn't stop there, one clap after another after another, until finally the beasts fell with smoke filling the air.

"Attack!" the command rang out which was immediately followed by several charging figures into the confused beasts' ranks. Mayhem erupted as ponies, most without armor, assaulted the beasts head-on, tangling their foe in CQC while several pegasi utilized small storm clouds as makeshift lightning artillery against rushing enemy reinforcements while the unicorns provided support, stripping the enemy of their arsenal or pummeling them with magic missiles.

Even with a successful surprise assault, the pony strike force was heavily outnumbered, barely holding the upper hand due to the disorganized ranks of the beasts.

Swooping in from the sky, Flash Magnus snatched the cage's key from the fallen sentry and released the prisoners with a buck against the door, flinging it open. "Company fall in! We're taking the fight to the enemy and retrieving the rest of the regiment; gather what equipment you can and let us liberate Canterlot, let us save the Princesses, let us brave the storm!"



The rush Thomas felt as he and the guards surged toward the fumbling beasts from every direction all at once was nothing short of exhilarating. With precision, the earth ponies targeted the back of the creature's legs, bringing the beasts to their knees just as their gear was swept away via unicorn magic. Deposited into friendly arms, the crackle of spear fire filled the air. The first few minutes of the surprise attack was a turkey shoot what with the ill-prepared storm sentries putting little resistance as they panicked.

The sight of the fleeing beasts spurred a few guards to overextend as they gave chase, hooping and hollering in glee as they fired upon the beast's flanks even as the Captain roared away with commands. The guards were not given a chance to ponder their mistake as petranades from nowhere pummeled the small detachment without mercy. Quick as a flash, their frantic faces were captured perfectly upon their obsidian confines as they were sealed indefinitely.

Silence descended as the ambush concluded, and as all were fixated upon the freshly petrified ponies, the severity of the situation was made painfully aware. Within every window, around every corner, across every street, atop every roof, and perched upon every balcony, dozens up dozens, perhaps even hundreds of beedy blue eyes reared themselves upon the evening's disturbance. Forefront to the pony liberators was a bell tower, of which a beast was straddled at the very tip. With a leap, it plunged straight into the street, cracking the foundation without issue as it rose back onto its feet. It was by far the biggest of any of the beasts Thomas had come to scuffle against; easily several feet taller, far bulkier, and adorned in gold etchings across armor and fur alike, the Alpha wasted no time as it heaved a mighty breath and bellowed out a screech, shattering glass across several blocks in the process. At once, the beasts poured into the streets and straight toward the ponies, coalescing into a horde of roars and grunts seemingly from all sides.

"Frontline form up!" Rampart ordered, directing the designated group to the opening of the main street. Flashing into existence were magical barriers providing cover as the guards saddled up against their sides. "Focus fire on the grunts! The Alpha is mine. Magnus, Cinder, you're with me!" Brushing by, Rampart hollers over his shoulder as he and Cinder round a corner, "Thomas, you and Sunset get to freeing the others!"

"You heard the Captain, better get to it, we'll be back in a flash! Here, catch!" Before zipping away, Magnus flung the keys through the air, straight for Thomas's open hooves, but was beaten to the punch; quite literally, as a beast's fist crashed against his cranium, flinging the alicorn away as it snatched the keys and stored them upon its hip.

Thomas barely managed to clear away his daze before diving to the side as his foe attempted to poke and prod him with its spear. Dodging to the left or rolling to the right, Thomas continued to evade as the beast proved unrelenting. Eventually enough, Thomas found himself backed into a corner. The beast, thinking Thomas an easy capture, forgoes the spear and opts instead to wrangle him with its own claws. A critical mistake it would find out a moment later.

Ducking underneath the beast's outstretched arms, Thomas slid between the creature's legs, nabbed the keys secured to its waste, and delivered a fierce buck against the beast's flank, sending it crashing through the walls of a damaged house.

Sensing rushing footsteps to his right, Thomas successfully ducked away from the latest creature's first strike but was too slow to dodge its uppercut aimed at his jaw. With a crack, Thomas was sent tumbling across the floor; the taste of metal adorned his tongue, and a chiseled tooth was soon spat out. His assailant primed another strike, but a series of magical beams rattled the creature, leaving it a smoking wreck as it collapsed to the ground unconscious.

"Thomas!" Sunset called out as she reached the downed alicorn. She primed and fired an overcharged beam at an incoming beast, sending it flying across the plaza, before she hooked her hoof to Thomas's and hefted him back onto his feet. "You alright?"

Another goblet of blood was spat out before Thomas fixed her with a nod. "I've got the keys, cover me will ya?"

"I've got your back," Sunset assured just as a swiping claw came bearing down on the duo. Jumping back in surprise, she responded with a magical right hook straight into its gut, knocking the air right out, before grabbing hold of a leg and sending the creature spiraling into a nearby brick wall. With a huff, Sunset wiped a bead of sweat away. "Hurry up, will you?"

Thomas did not need to be told twice as he set about releasing one prisoner after another with them fighting or fleeing alike afterward, the former half coming as a bit of a surprise as a cream-colored earth pony and her reluctant turquoise unicorn friend charged into the fray.

Inserting a key into yet another lock, a snort from the occupant caused Thomas to give them a quick glance, momentarily pausing at the sight before him. "Woah, you're a big one ain't you?" From behind, a trio of growls sounded off. Thomas took to quickly freeing the prisoner and upon seeing their posture and stance, he understood their intention.

Finishing his work, Thomas cleared away as the beast of a pony within bucked the cage door clear off its hinges, striking the middle beast head-on and knocking it cold outright. Stepping from out of the shadows, the enraged workhorse offered only one word in exchange. "Eeyup." The other storm creatures could only squeak in fright as the crimson duo set upon them in a quick fashion.

Once finished, Thomas turned to continue spreading freedom like a true American, but a red hoof on his shoulder caused him to pause. "Wait, thank you kindly for the rescue, but ah need your help. My sister and 'er friends are locked up over yonder." Following the stallion's hoof, Thomas is directed down a street flooded with enemy troops with no allies anywhere near. Squinting for a better view, Thomas could barely make out one cage holding a trio of little pony children, each shivering in fear and wailing at the sight and sounds of combat.

"Sunset!" Thomas calls over his shoulder. Upon receiving a nod from the mare, he continues, "Cover our flank, things are about to get cramped!" Turning back to Big Mac, he urges him forward with a flick of the head. "C'mon let's go!"

"Eeyup!" Big Mac bellows out before full out charging straight for the gathered group of beasts leaving Thomas to choke on his dust. The beasts are too slow and too cluttered to make space for the pain train and are thus plowed and trampled before Big Mac's might. The few unharmed are soon personally acquainted with the hardened soles of Big Mac's hooves as he delivers one quaking buck after another.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Thomas sets about freeing the Cutie Mark Crusaders, offering quiet hushes and assurances all the while. "Shh, shh, shh, it's ok guys, we're gonna get you outta here, just bear with me for a sec-"

"Big Mac!" One of the little kids cries out, reaching out her arms through the bars as fresh tears start filling her eyes. Thomas turns to face where she cries out to, only to witness the stallion being peppered from all directions as the beasts lay on him with their spears. The magic beams do little against his tough hide, but their concussive force leaves him disoriented, enough so that several beasts close in and deliver powerful strikes with their shields. The stallion is brought to his knees but the beasts do not relent as they continue to beat him thoroughly.

With only a gasp from one of the children as a warning, Thomas found himself suffocating in a headlock as the beast attempted to thrash him away from the cage, where Thomas held for dear life. With one powerful yank, Thomas and the beast were sent fumbling onto the floor as he lost his grip. The clang of the keys caused Thomas to jerk his head up just in time to witness them fall down a nearby storm drain. "No!" He cried out, earning the attention of more creatures. Before he knew it, Thomas was the epicenter of a dogpile as the beasts scrambled to secure each limb and chain him up and no doubt throw him into the nearest cell, but Thomas was having none of it.

With a pulse of magic, Thomas summoned the amulet's power, its rippling energy cascading out and engulfing those around him in his telekinetic grip, and with a surge, he mentally thrust outward, hurling everything in every direction at accelerating speed. Houses crumbled from impact, walls shattered, and beasts cried out in pain.

Now free from assailants, Thomas turned his attention to his big friend, and with a flick of his horn, a wave of energy swept up the remaining foes and sent them flinging across the street.

Powerful magic the amulet was, but very taxing as well as Thomas was left panting, leaving a lull in the battle for the briefest of moments. It was during this moment of respite that a melody was heard through the air.

"~I am here and I see your pain.~"

Adrenaline still flooded Thomas's veins and so it wasn't long before he recovered enough to get moving again. He strained to hear any more of the singing but the sounds of battle were too great. Shaking his head clear, he strode over to the big stallion. Big bruises and several cuts were afflicted along his burly coat and a nasty mark was found purchase upon his left eye, but the stallion was no worse for wear. "Still breathing, big guy?"

A few coughs afflicted Big Mac, but he offered a nod afterward.

Returning to the children, Thomas gave the door a once over before rising onto his rear legs and hooking his hooves around the bars. With a red flash, The amulet once more activated, its power coursing through Thomas's muscles as he strained against the cage's strength. The screech of metal filled the air as bit by bit the bars collapsed and were crushed under the alicorn's grip. With one final heave, the door was torn right off its hinges and was tossed aside. The child with the bowtie didn't hesitate to rush into the stallion's arms, spilling more tears all the while.

Once again, the singing voice filtered into Thomas's ears.

"~Through the storms, through the clouds, the rain.~"

Surveying around in the hopes of finding its origin, The view of enemy reinforcements is all that fills Thomas's vision... until... there!

Within one of the cages farther down the street, an individual, a pegasus with eye-covering bangs and a giant pink bow sang her heart out as a battle raged on before her.

"~I'm telling you you cannot escape.~"

The child in Mac's arms, whether looking for the sound of the singing or not, takes notice of the coming forces and lets loose a scream of fear.

Thomas shoves Big Mac back onto his hooves, snatches the children up in his telekinesis, and sets them upon his back. "Go! Get to safety!" The stallion offers a nod and quickly beats a retreat.

Grabbing one of the many spears lying on the floor, Thomas begins a barrage of fire, forcing the beasts into cover and retaliating with their own fire in return. They lay many strikes upon Thomas but the amulet absorbed the energy and reconfigured it into a makeshift magic shield encompassing the front of Thomas which flared with every shot.

As more beasts poured into the street, they soon reorganized themselves into a phalanx formation and steadily crept forward, maintaining fire and cover equally.

The consistent barrage against Thomas's shield proves too great as it collapses, leaving Thomas rattled until he manages to find cover. Frustrated at the turning events, Thomas poured as much magic as possible into the spear, going beyond an overcharge and straight into a meltdown. Satisfied, he hurled the spear with the last of his energy, right into the beast's ranks. They scrambled away but the following implosion and subsequent shockwave left all in a catatonic state.

Thomas's breath was little more than wheezes, but push forward he did in the vain hope that no more beasts would come his way. Reaching the cage, the pegasus was untouched by the scuffle, and once enough strength returned, the door was pried away as before.

"My hero, you have my thanks."

A rumble filled the air as a flash illuminated the sky. Above, one of the few airships left behind was ablaze. It rained beasts upon the city as they lept from the wreck which was in a steep decline, headed straight for the duo.

"Oh shit, run!" Fresh adrenaline pumped through Thomas as he and the pegasus made a mad scramble back to friendly lines. Songbird attempted flight, but three days spent in cramped quarters and with little food or water, left her wings sore and weak. Seeing her struggle, Thomas summoned his magic, took hold of the pegasus, and sent her gliding away just as the ship crashed into the street. Packed full of black powder barrels, the resulting explosion sucked all air out of Thomas's lungs, and the last thing he remembered as he twirled through the air was the scorching heat that engulfed his senses.



Tempest ignored the sounds of battle, ignored the ear-cracking boom of the explosion, ignored the looks the beasts under her command were sending her, she ignored it all. So what if some Canterlot stragglers decided now was the perfect time to rise from the depths and revolt? So what if they retake the city? So what if the Storm King arrives to that? Sure, he'll be fuming, but once he has the powers of the alicorns, Tempest doubted he'd waste time on the little details. No, he'd be focused on the results, and that's exactly what Tempest was aiming for, she still had the rest of the day to fulfill her promise, that is all that matters.

Scrying potion in claw, a beast presented it before its commander, but just like the others, she ignored it.

She didn't have the time to waste hunting down a few rogues and making everything all pretty and neat for his royal pain-in-the-flank. She needed to be resolute in her commitments, she needed to do what must be done, and she needed the little princess... but... could she really go through with it? It's not like the staff would harm her in any way, maybe leave her drained and fatigued but that's the worst-case scenario. She studied the artifact extensively, and read all the notes available before going through... but... what if... what if she didn't research enough...

Yet another beast brought a scrying spell before her, and with a snarl, she sent it scurrying away.

Going through with this, she'd be crossing a line, and if anything were to happen to the foal, no amount of begging, no amount of remorse would ever fix what she'd break. Faust, what is she doing? Not even the Storm King directly did anything with the children he conquered, and here she was ready to foalnap and siphon magic out of the little princess, all for this tyrant king. And once he has all the magic he could ever want... what use would he have for one such as Tempest? What reason would he have to waste time fixing up one dinky little unicorn horn...

...Why did she ever put any trust in his word?

Within the corner of her eye, the blue gleam of a scrying potion pierces her retina.

With a raging flair of magic, she slams beast and potion against the ship's deck, breaking both bone and bottle alike. Released from its confines, the spell transfigures into a scrying mirror, receiving the visual of the Alpha. Upon finally making contact with its commander, the beast releases a torrent of grunts and growls, all of which fall upon incomprehensible ears. "What are you... I don't speak your language, beast! Stop wasting my time and show me! Show me what you so insistently called me for!"

With a roar of frustration, the Alpha pivots to the side, allowing a view of the raging battle. Battered bodies littered the plaza, beast and pony alike, with at least one house set ablaze all the while rubble lay strewn about. Liberated civilians made a mad scramble through the action as several guards intercepted the beasts hot in their pursuit. All of that was ignored as the spell was fixated on one individual. Charging through the chaos, one familiar unicorn mare blasted away one beast after another as she neared the plaza's center.

"What!? How is she there!? How did she..." The words died in her throat as Sunset neared a crimson body and began tugging at it. Reaching for one of his limbs, she struggled to load her passenger onto her back. The alicorn's eyes twitched to life and racking coughs afflicted his lungs as his addled mind took a moment to survey the surroundings. His eyes eventually landed on Tempest's, eliciting a mutter out of him which seized Sunset's attention as she too turned her focus upon her. There the three stood, staring each other down until the spell flickered and collapsed.



Tempest's image ceased as the spell diffused into the wind. "Welp, if she didn't know before, she sure knows now."

Thomas grunted with each shift of her motion as she traversed the battlefield. "Argh... good... just as we planned... ugh... a little sooner than I'd like but... we'll make do." Thomas turned away from the fight and focused on his rescuer. "The pegasus... she make it out alright?"

"You flung her all the way down the street last I saw, I think it's safe to assume she got out unscathed."

Thomas heaved a small sigh of relief before more coughs afflicted his lungs. "Good... good...and... and you? You doing ok?"

Sunset lets out a snicker at his question. "Me? I should be the one asking about you. You just survived a point-blank explosion, how are you feeling?"

Thomas could only offer a shrug. "Pretty sure every bone in my body is broken... I mean it should be but... well with my healing factor, I supposed it doesn't matter much. Not like I'd feel anything with all my adrenaline, not for a while anyway. Again, how are you doing?"

Sunset took the moment to wipe sweat from her forehead. "Even after leaving a token force behind, there's still too many beasts. My magic reserves are all but drained, but a moment of rest should do us some go-"

*KABOOOM*

Blasted clear off her hooves Sunset and Thomas found themselves launched into the remains of a water fountain. Ears ringing from the cacophony and lungs empty of air once more, Thomas was left splayed on his back, whereupon he viewed the only remaining airship clearing past a smoke column, its front tesla cannon brimming with energy, ready to deliver another strike.

Sunset struggled to climb to her feet, but what energy she had left was drained, forcing her to flop back to the ground, breathless and dazed. Several beasts, Alpha among them, emerged from the dust shroud coating the air and crept forward upon the duo. Both of their horns flared to life only to sputter out in sparks; Sunset desperately dug at her neck, taking hold of a hidden pendant, and called upon its power but it was too late to respond. Above, the cannon rippled to life, energy cascading throughout its coil frame before settling into the duction tubes and with a shrill wail, the cannon let rip its charge. The bolt of electricity arced through the air faster than the brain could comprehend and struck true at its intended targets, but not before another duo had entered the frame.

Cealed in his doom, Thomas kept his eyes closed just before the cannon delivered its blow, but the sound of spell casting along with the muffled boom from the discharge of the cannon had left Thomas perplexed as to his continued existence. Upon opening his eyes, the turquoise dome of magic surrounding him was the first thing he took note of, followed by the equally flabbergasted look of Sunset, before finally laying eyes on their savior. The lilac unicorn held a hoof to her head as she winced in pain.

"Ok," She spoke out, "that hurt more than I thought it would." She turned to the two and offered a small smile. "At least you two are ok." Her relief is short-lived as another lance from the cannon left her screaming out in pain. The beasts that had been advancing halted from the dome and opted instead to pummel it with spear strikes and petranades.

"Trixie!" The mare called out to her companion, a mare adorned in a cape and wizard hat.

"I'm on it, Starlight! Feast your eyes on the great and powerful smoke screen!" From out of a satchel, several silver orbs ejected into the surrounding air and street. In unison, they each popped and dispersed a cloud of heavy smoke, disrupting further assault on their position.

Hoisting Sunset and Thomas within her magic, Trixie and Starlight joined with the rest of the chaos of the rushing crowd as the sound of a general retreat was issued from Rampart. The frontline fully collapsed as both sides turned tail and withdrew to safer positions.

The airship dared to continue the skirmish but the arrival of the now-freed Wonderbolt team deterred it from committing. It instead lingered within friendly air, providing overwatch as the beasts regrouped.

A stampede rampaged through the streets as everypony scrambled toward the castle. Up ahead a fork in the path lay, whereupon the Lieutenant from before was perched upon a makeshift barricade, his voice magically amplified for all to hear. "All combat-ready personnel are to make way for the castle immediately! Volunteers for Her Majesty's Army are urgently requested, otherwise, make way to the lower levels for evacuation, follow the markers!" Despite the Lieutenant's words, only a trickle of ponies made their way to the castle, among countless others vying for the lower levels. Starlight and Trixie did not hesitate to keep to the left following the call of duty.



Awaiting at the castle's front gate were Rampart and his contingent who were directing newcomers. "Report to the armory to be issued your gear then make way for the cafeteria, on the double! Food and aid will be provided, double rations for all liberated individuals!" Upon seeing the smoking bodies of Sunset and Thomas, his eyes bulged and he took off in a sprint towards them. "Corpsquine!"

Starlight came to a halt and gently lowered both ponies to the ground before backing up as the Captain and a few medics assessed the duo's state. After a quick checkup, a few more guards arrived and escorted the two mares into the castle.

"Water... please," Sunset begged before being hoofed Rampart's personal canteen. She proceeded to chug the water down, splashing her face in the process and leaving her mane drenched before forking it over to Thomas who did more or less.

No words were exchanged as they were allowed a moment of respite, not until the medic's horns finished their scans. "The mare has a torn fetlock adorning her left forelimb. She's suffering from exhaustion, mana fatigue, a mild concussion, and a ruptured eardrum."

The other medic continued his scans on Thomas before relenting with a frustrated sigh. "I...I don't know. Either something is interfering with my scan, or his healing factor is repairing his body at an accelerated rate that my magic can't account for."

Shifting his eyes to the amulet adorning the alicorn's neck, sure enough, Rampart is witness to it aglow with mana, leaving the faintest of red sheens covering his figure, perfectly camouflaged against the crimson coat. "Get them to the infirmary, let the Doctor do his work, then let them rest for a bit." Casting his eyes to the north, the silhouettes of the invasion fleet flood the horizon. "They're gonna need every second of it soon enough."

"No... no." Sunset protested as the medics attempted to move her onto the stretcher. "I'm ok...I'll be ok... I have to free... the Princesses."

"You're in no condition to help them, Sunset, and I will not waste valuable assets foalsitting you while you try."

"Trust me... RP." She fixed him with a determined look. "Trust me... I'll be fine, I promise." Knocked cold from exhaustion, Thomas's body was escorted away via stretcher, giving Sunset pause as she witnessed him and his escort disappear beyond the gates. Fishing out the pendant fastened to her neck, she gave it a gentle rub. "Thomas isn't the only one with a little ace up his sleeve. I have to free the Princesses, I have to try, time is of the essence." Sunset stumbled to her feet even as they screamed for rest. "Don't stop me." She brushed past Rampart, leaving him and the others just as a pegasus guard descended from the heavens.

"Private Swift Stream, how goes the scavenging run?"

"Bountiful, Sir. We won't be running out of shields or spears for some time. However, I regret to inform you that very few of the petranades were recovered. It appears the beasts snatched most of them up before withdrawing."

"Yes," Rampart nodded, "I figured as much would happen. And the herd?"

"There are still some stragglers lagging, but all of the elderly and foals have been relocated to the mines without issue. The Lieutenant reports VIP target, Maud Pie, has been exceptional in excavating an exit with her bare hooves alone, and by her own estimate, they expect to breach the exterior within the hour. He also wishes to inform you that due to this exceeding progress, he will be sending a small reserve of reinforcements upon completion."

"Negative. Canterlot will be swarmed once more when the fleet arrives. We can't risk exposing the civilians. Inform the Lieutenant to stick to the plan, no deviating. Report back once finished for some R&R."

With a salute, the Private took to the air, leaving Rampart alone as he gazed upon his city. Several smoke columns blotted Her Majesty's sun, varying damage adorned every structure in view, and a few infernos blazed unopposed through a few streets. Down in the center plaza where the battle took place, the petrified forms of numerous fellow guards were left behind, their stony faces full of fear and shock.

Regret filled Rampart's heart. Once again, the Equestrian Royal Guard failed to put in substantial resistance to an all-conquering enemy. Once again, the Princesses were subdued with little difficulty. Once again, the fate of all rested within the hooves of six heroines.

Rampart's gaze shifted into a stern glare. Thanks to Sunset and Thomas, Rampart was able to organize a successful revolt and provide a chance for redemption, a chance to bring honor and integrity back into the name of the Royal Guard. The prospect of successfully repelling the invasion force was none at best, but by Celestia were they going to go down fighting with their all. Once the Element Bearers saved the day, as they always do, a lengthy discussion about military reformation would need to be had with Princess Luna. It was time for ponies to stop being pushovers, or else all would fall to worse enemies yet to come.