LTV 1.5 The Rainboom of Fire
“Very well, your Highness.” Crimson bowed respectfully, and turned around to leave. Just before he reached the exit, he looked back to see his colt one final time. “Do not worry, Crimson,” Princess Sola reassured him, “He is safe with me.” So, without further words, he walked out and down the stone steps. The guards repositioned themselves after Crimson had passed. He took a look around the massive cave and tried to remember which tunnels he took just minutes before. Eventually remembering where he came from, he traced his way back up to the secret entrance.
Reaching the underside of the trap-door, Crimson knocked on it until the unicorn guards slid the rug out of the way and unlocked the door. He pushed the trap-door open and stepped out, thanking the guards. While they closed it again, Crimson asked if Commander Stormhoof and his patrol had come through yet. The male unicorn then responded, “Indeed they have, comrade. They are awaiting your arrival just outside the house.”
Crimson nodded and strode away to the front door. The mare acknowledged his departure when he left. Emerging from the house, he saw four platoons of thirty ponies. Standing boldly in front of them was Commander Stormhoof. He was a royal blue color and wore a red mask. Crimson trotted to Stormhoof hastily and greeted him, “Good afternoon comrade, you got mobilized quickly.” “Indeed, Stormhoof’s soldiers are always prepared to deploy. Now Crimson, fill us in.” stated Stormhoof.
Crimson siphoned magic from his horn into his diaphragm and spoke in the traditional royal Canterlot voice, “Comrades, the battlefield we are about to march into is currently under control by Captain Trotski and his small raiding party, which I have come from. The Soviet force was larger than ours, but they were armed to capture, not kill. We expect them to return soon. They have discovered our breach in their city walls, and they want it. If we lose today, our only connection to the outside world will be severed.” Pausing for dramatic effect, Crimson then turned to Stormhoof and nodded in conclusion.
“Very well Crimson, if that is all; we will have you lead us to Trotski’s party.” Stormhoof ordered. And with that, together, Crimson and Stormhoof took the lead of the platoons. Stormhoof then ordered his unicorns to keep a constant scan on the area for any enemies. Remembering which alley-ways he and Heartsong took, Crimson led them in the direction of the ambush site. As they neared the breach, a unicorn called out to Stormhoof, “Sir, they’re already engaged in combat!” Stormhoof cursed himself for not being fast enough. He then turned to his company and ordered, “All pegasi, take to the sky, unicorns you will follow behind the earthbound. Charge!” The company took off in a full gallop and watched as the pegasi gracefully flew over and past them.
Trotski heard Stormhoof’s call and looked off the ground where he lay, and over his shoulder. What a relief it was to see over thirty pegasi wearing the robes of the Resistance, flying over the roof tops. He silently thanked Crimson as he saw the rest of the Stormhoof’s charge pouring out of the alleys. It was quite the sight for the sore eyes of Trotski’s party. They were attacked just minutes after Crimson had left, and have been fighting since. Hours had passed and Trotski’s party was wearing down.
Stormhoof’s pegasi dove from the skies and smashed down hard with their arm-blades on the unaware Soviets. Guarded by the earth ponies, the unicorns fired wave after wave of magical bolts of all different elements with the combined force of the air-strikes, charge, and magic, the Soviets began to drop like flies. Then suddenly, everything stopped. An invisible barrier put a sudden end to their charge and stopped any magical bolts fired at it. In the confusion of it all, Crimson quickly located four Soviet unicorns on the roof tops on each side of the barrier. He pointed them out to the pegasi and ordered them to take care of it.
Unable to do anything until the unicorn mages were taken out, Stormhoof’s company merely watched as the Soviets continued to strike down Trotski’s party. A single earth pony emerged from the shadows behind Trotski, lying on the ground wounded. Crimson cried out to his only friend in attempt to warn him, but was too late. The Soviet reared up on her hind legs and stabbed down on his throat, ultimately ending his life.
Not a moment later, the pegasi finished off the last enemy unicorn, and the barrier dissipated. Crimson felt something, burning hot, growing inside of him. It was a mix of sorrow, disappointment, and hate. His sight suddenly went red, and he was no longer in control of his actions. Galloping as fast as he unnaturally could, he brought his horn down and charged through the ranks of Soviet forces to Trotski’s limp body. The unicorn who had slain him was nowhere to be seen.
Whatever he felt growing inside him continued to grow larger and larger until he physically saw his body start to emanate red flames. Crimson continued to grow his flame-orb, yelling out in angry mourning. As the sphere of fire continued to spread out, the remaining unicorns from Trotski’s party and the unicorns of Stormhoof’s company began to siphon their energy into Crimson, hoping to keep his energy up so that he didn’t overdo it. For every unicorn that joined to help Crimson, he felt their energy reviving him, but he couldn’t stop the storm. And as it grew larger, it required more strength from him. From the combined energy of the differently colored unicorns, the flames took on a full rainbow of color exploding outward. This fire-storm spread from Crimson in a spherical shape, disintegrating the Soviets into ashes when it passed over them. Luckily enough, Crimson’s allies merely watched as the flames passed by them harmlessly.
The Soviets began to retreat from the encroaching inferno, but were too late when suddenly the storm detonated outward, turning them into nothing but clouds of ashes. All of the unicorns who had offered energy to Crimson cut off their siphoning and collapsed, exhausted nearly to death. Crimson’s sight went from red to black, unable to stand or breathe; he collapsed on top of Trotski’s corpse. He shed a single tear for his fallen comrade, then shut his eyes, forever.