Yesterday was a victory. The warriors managed to repel the waves of Remnant forces. However, today is a new day, and new challenges await them.
The ponies had waken up. Light hoof chatter was heard in the camp. Several ponies gathered around the campfire with warm breakfasts in their hands.
“What do you think’s gonna happen?” One of the soldiers spoke up
“I don’t know, but it can’t be good. The senate has to send help for us!”
“You actually think the senate is going to respond?”
“Their country’s life is in danger, why wouldn’t they send support?”
“Maybe, because they’re pompous idiots who only care for themselves?”
Leonidas joined them, but the soldiers suddenly went quiet.
“What is the topic?” Asked Leonidas
“None, my king... Just... catching up?” The soldier gave him a little smile, letting him know that everything is okay.
“Eat your breakfasts, and wake the rest of the soldiers. Long day ahead of us...”
A few moments passed, and the whole camp was awakened. Putting on their armor, sharpening their spears and honing their swords.
The ponies took up their position at the mouth of the gates, when their scout saw something in the distance.
“Leonidas! Look!” The scout pointed at the distance, where a large object could be seen
“Battle formations, sir?”
“No, I will check it out. Alone.”
“If you say so sir.”
Leonidas went ahead, to investigate. When he arrived, he was greeted in the most unusual way anypony could ever be greeted in.
A large carrier approached Leonidas, carried by a dozen of slave ponies, all tired out of their mind. On the carrier was a dark alicorn, who had no mane. His face was “decorated” with various rings. The carrier approached Leonidas and lowered the dark alicorn.
Leonidas looked at the dark alicorn with confusion and asked:
“King Xerxes, am I right?”
“Leonidas, king of Ponyville, I come before you with a humble heart.” The dark alicorn answered.
“Your heart was not so humble yesterday when you sent a horde of your men at my army!”
“You resisted, therefore you had it coming”
“Before I get bored out of my mind and leave, what is your purpose here?!”
That comment aggravated Xerxes. You could see it in his face. Years of pain and struggle, only to be found by more. Leonidas did not back down and he had to find a way to make him.
“Listen up carefully Leonidas, for I shall say this only once. I.... Am kind. And I am offering you this. Surrender Ponyville to the Remnant army and I will grant you everything you ever wished for! You like war? You will become the supreme warlord of Remainder, the country that will rise out of the ashes from Equestria! You want money? You will be the richest pony in all of the world!”
Leonidas looked in awe.. He was offered everything, and he would be crazy to refuse such an offer.
“You do know it would take a crazy pony to refuse this?”
“And, what do you say, Leonidas?”
“No.....”
“What did you say...?!”
“I said... NO.... I’d rather burn in the gates of tartarus then give up Equestria. This is my home. It will always be my home, and there is no way I am going to betray her!”
“You are brave, but you WILL be crushed by our armies!”
Saying that, both sides departed. Leonidas knew that trouble was ahead. He went back to camp to tell his soldiers what happened.
“Alright, listen up everypony! Trouble is ahead. It was king Xerxes. You could say I angered him, and we will see some troops soon, so battle formations everypony. And try not to die!”
Night has fallen, and the god-king observed the soldiers from the cliffs overlooking the mouth. The soldiers heard marching and it was time to form up.
In the distance you could see blackness. Spawns from Discord himself, twisted to serve the purpose of battle, and nothing else. Spawned in the pits of tartarus and marching towards the warriors. And they, were the IMMORTALS.
The warriors are anxious. Arcadians told them they were the “demons” that committed that heinous act in the village. And now, it was their time to pay. Arcadians are waiting in ambush on the right flank, just in case the immortals got too close.
At the back of the army, loud screams could be heard. A giant monster, tied together by chains, guarded by 3 unicorns. The monster seemed to be a minotaur, but twisted beyond imagination. It’s face scarred, it’s torso full of cuts from previous battles and his hands disfigured, and turned into weapons of mass murder. The monster screamed, thirsty for pony blood.
Xerxes spread his wings, dark magic started flowing from his horn, embracing the immortals. He screamed: LET THE FUN BEGIN! The God-King had gotten greedy and sent his personal guard to assault the spartans.
The immortals galloped toward the spartans, clashing with their shields. Spartans quickly retaliated, pushing them back, while some of the Spartans got stabbed. and were left behind to tend their wounds.
The rest moved up, killing immortals as they went. Some Spartans got wounded which was devastating for their morale. They broke off their Phalanx and went loose. Immortals went down one, by one, but the Spartans were still suffering casualties so they called in the cavalry.
“Arcadians, now!” Leonidas shouted
Arcadians popped out of the bushes like lightning, severing immortals. They killed like brutes, not professionals. Amateurs, doing their part.
Immortals got impatient and they got the “go-ahead” from Xerxes to release the monster. The unicorns broke off the chains. The monster went loose, and killed an Immortal to pick up his weapon.
Leonidas who was already engaged in combat noticed the large monster coming after him. He quickly reacted, dropping his spear and taking his sword out. The monster swung his sword and Leonidas covered with his shield. The impact was so strong that the sword punctured the shield, leaving a huge hole in it. Leonidas dropped off his shield, and swung his sword, leaving a cut on the monster’s arm. Next he put all his energy into this swing, stabbing it into his chest. The monster grinned at Leonidas, grabbed his sword and pushed it further into his chest. Leonidas fell on the ground, exhausted. The beast took a final swing but Leonidas managed to pick up his sword and block it. The beast’s sword ended up scraping Leonids’ left eye, giving him a cut. Leonidas grabbed the monster’s sword and cut off it’s arms. The beast fell down, bleeding and eventually reducing into ash. The immortals, losing morale, fled from the battlefield or stayed, only to be killed.
We conquered today. We lost a few, we killed many.
Xerxes looks down upon his fallen army. He may be a God-King but a very pony-like chill is going through his spine.