//------------------------------//
// Part Two 
// Story: Never Forgotten. 
// by Xeroed_In 
//------------------------------//

Part II:
They emerged from the secret passage at a little past midnight, silently shuffling through the piles of loose leaves across the Stone Gardens. The march had been tense and on edge, every rustle of fauna in the nearby bush jarring everyponies nerves. 

The secret passage that Shining Armour and Twilight had discovered in their childhood had been an hour and a half trek through a curving tube of flora, the tallest branches bent into semi-circles over the path, enclosing it from the top. The few moon rays that made their way through were slats in the darkness, split seconds of illumination. 

In their childhood, there had been a few patches of stone showing through the tall grass, evidence that this had once been a walkable path, but that was gone now, the grass holding dominion over all. 
Such memories this path held. 

Shining Armour and Twilight had found this path completely by accident one summer's afternoon and subsequently gotten lost in it's winding depth. Twilight had been scared to death, on the verge of tears, but Shining Armour was their to comfort her, make sure she was safe.
He still hoped his sister was safe.

Back in his present, his legions had been compacted into three abreast lines to the make the journey through the passage. It was uncomfortable, and as they entered the much larger space of the Canterlot Stone Gardens, everypony spread out, seeking their own personal space and room to adjust the minimal armor plating they wore. 

Shining Armour placed a hoof in the air and twirled it once, twice, thrice clockwise, the signal to armor up. The signal was repeated by his lieutenants and passed from legion to legion in silence, everypony began to help each other ready themselves for battle. Shining Armour himself made ready, he strapped on the armor that would protect his back, chest and underbelly area. Bracers next, one on every leg, he secured them in place with a satisfying click.
He paused a moment at the helmet, watching his reflection in the cheek-plate. 
All or nothing. 
Today, they would take back Equestria.

Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, he slid the helmet onto his head, feeling the clacker of the steel plates unfold down his neck. The curving and gilded crest of the Royal Canterlot Army flashed upon his brow, a symbol of strength to his soldiers, a symbol of defiance to the Changeling oppressors.

He turned to find his soldiers waiting ready, swords at their flanks or on their backs within easy reach of their jaws. His 500 strong PegaCorps stood at the ready off to the side, wings flapping in anticipation, pikes held in their arms. Shining Armour nodded in appreciation of his soldiers dedication and then saluted his loyal army, hoof to heart then hoof to air. His army returned the salute, faces set like stone, and Shining Armour felt tears begin to well in his eyes, but he quickly pushed them down.

Shining Armour turned his back on his army and looked at the wall separating them from the Castle. The door was only some 20 metres away to his right, but he paused, and signaled again, wiping his right hoof across his brow and then chopping down. A pegasus called Eagle Eye stepped forward and waited patiently as Shining Armour, Fleet Foot and two other unicorns formed the corners of a square around him. As one they used their magic to throw Eagle into the air where he hovered for a few seconds at the lip of the wall. Sure he could have flown up but it was quicker this way. After a few moments of silent observation Eagle turned back down and waved his arms above his head, X to V. Nothing in sight.
Good.

Shining Armour turned back to his army and nodded. Like one big organism, the soldiers turned and moved into position at the nearby door. Shining Armour stepped over and opened it a crack, peeking through the tiny gap to survey the majority of the Canterlot courtyard, the streets snaking off to his right.
No pony in sight. 

After the Changelings had finally taken the Castle, they had closed all entrances to Canterlot, presumably to keep the residents inside as hostages, food or playthings. Shining Armour pushed the door fully open, wincing as it creaked on the last foot, and stepped into the courtyard. Moonlit shadows writhed and played of the cobblestone around them, wrapped themselves over the fountain in the middle, it's water long since dried up and the basin half filled with loose necrotic leaves. The statue that adorned the once majestic piece of environment was that of Princess Celestia, rearing up on two legs to reach for the stars, a look of melancholy upon her face.

Canterlot had fallen into disarray during the changeling invasion, reflected by the fact that the statue of Celestia was missing her wings, horn and there was a strong smell of urine coming from the base. Shining Armour couldn't help but feel as if he had let the Princess down, not being able to repel the Changelings on their first strike. But it had come without warning and in the dead of the night, much like they were doing now, and laid waste to the city, many of the nearby houses all but blackened ruins, ash filling their interiors.

A soft clattering behind him signaled that his soldiers had made their way through and were busy getting into formation. Somepony placed a hoof on his shoulder in reassurance and he turned to look at Feather Quill, standing just to the side and behind him.
"Are we ready Captain?"
Shining Armour nodded in reply and was about to say something but that was when he, Fleet, Feather and the majority of his army heard the screams coming from Canterlot Castle, floating down the straight highway that led to the massive front gates.

Screams of pure agony that drifted over the rooftops, chased by the pleading cries of a few, not to kill, not to kill. He would make everypony was safe. 
He hoped that his sister was safe.
"We march," whispered Shining Armour, aghast, "and God help that Changeling bitch."

Queen Chrysalis was having a grand old time, standing on the marble steps at the entrance to the Grand Hall of Canterlot and surveying her Changeling horde while they ran rampant through the dark streets. To be honest, Chrysalis was surprised at how many ponies had been foolish enough to stay, to think that they could survive. It had taken almost two years to amass a changeling army, relocate them to just outside Canterlot's perimeter and then storm the city, but it was damn well worth it. With glinting eyes she watched small swarms of her Changelings zip through the streets, banging on doors and windows and terrifying the cowering families inside. Those that dared to stay outside or fight back were pulled to the ground and mauled. 

Chrysalis giggled maniacally as one such poor, brave soul ran from his cover behind a trash-bin and lurched out onto the street, aiming hopelessly for an open door across the road. She laughed out loud as a swarm of her beautiful Changelings surged forward and fell upon the doomed pony who yelling out as he was swamped by a mass of chitinous plating and heavy hooves. Blood spurted and he screamed as ragged jaws began to rend his flesh and his writhing became more intense in the grip of agony.

"Now, now my pets," she yelled above the sound of chewing, "don't fill yourself before dinner!"
Ever since they had taken the Castle, they had also discovered the largest source of food that they had possibly ever known. Changelings used to feed off the harmonic feedback from intense love, but Chrysalis had already made the mistake of allowing love to run rampart and that had been her downfall. It was just as easy to eat ponies. More flavor as well. 

All throughout the moonlit streets Chrysalis could see the cowering, quivering shapes of ponies through the windows, many of which were smashed open. 
She couldn't help laughing, because everyday her army was growing, everyday becoming stronger and soon she would have the power to have complete control over all of Equestria. She had smaller armies stationed all over the country but none were doing as well as her personal army was. Perhaps she would go help the legion that was forwarding the attack on Cloudsdale next.

The moonlight from Les Luna, the Moon, sparkled off the many pools of blood that covered the streets, sending a crimson ray raking over the streets. A blood filled world. Perfect.
Chrysalis was about to turn inside, call for a servant to tend to the constant itch under her carapace when a brighter, more....wrong blink of light caught her eye, advancing from up the main highway that led to the steps. She narrowed her eyes to increase her vision and when she recognized the silhouette that was purposefully striding down the streets towards her, her eyes widened in shock and disbelief.
"No..." she whispered, "No, I broke you...Impossible!"

They marched up the street in perfect formation, a pounding battle-beat from an unseen drum driving all doubts away and filling the spaces with unwavering courage. Shining Armour strode at their head, tall and imposing in his white coat overlaid in gold and steel tang armor, backed by an army 1600 strong also adorned in complex battle armor, bristling with pikes, lances, sabres, longswords and looking for all the world like the living embodiments of pissed off bad-assery. 
No wonder he saw Chrysalis visibly shrink away. 
Her reaction was no surprise either. Drawing up to her full height which was at least two feet taller than Shining Armour, she loosed a witch-like cackle and screamed at the cloud filled skies.
"Changelings! To me!"

Like a black tide, the doors to the Grand Hall burst open and a huge, gibbering, screeching mass of unruly Changelings flooded out. They swarmed towards the Royal Army without formation, without plan, without fear and as stoic as they were, some of Shining's soldiers gulped and shuffled nervously. As the lethal mass drew closer, choosing to run across the ground instead of taking to the air, Shining Armour drew his sabre with a flickering blue corona and raised it high. above his head, his army did the same in an orchestra of sliding metal. 

"Soldiers! Today we face the greatest threat we have ever encountered! Today, we crush that threat! Strike for your families!
The assembled ponies clashed their weapons to their breastplates, "URA!" and the Changelings drew closer.
"Strike for your friends!"
"URA!" and the Changelings drew closer, so close that Shining Armour could pick out the hate that flooded their insectile green eyes. He took a deep breath and delivered his battle cry.
"STRIKE FOR ALL EQUESTRIA!!!"
And all hell was unleashed.

In a single sweeping move, his 500 PegaCorps swept down from the heavy clouds above them, rank by rank by rank, and loosed their barrage of spears on the front of the charging Changeling force. What could be considered as the front few rows of the Changelings were instantly decimated, the heavy spears punching through throats, heads and carapaces with minimal effort.
Those hit tumbled head over hooves onto the ground and tripped the next few ranks behind them, making a wall of dusk-grey corpses and sending the remainder into disarray.

This was the result Shining Armour had been hoping for and with a tremendous and awe inspiring roar that was backed by his legions behind him, he charged forward with his sword outstretched like a lance. He leapt over the wall of corpses and immediately punched the blade through a hissing Changeling's eye and impaled it's head up to the hilt, the body shuddered once and then was still. He used his magic to remove the corpse and then stood stock-still as the rest of his army came leaping over the corpse wall and ripped into the Changeling force with gusto, each and everypony filled with adrenaline, like a howling pony tsunami that engulfed the confused and surprised Changeling's close enough to be instantaneously mushed.

Shining Armour danced through the crowd in a pure white, gold, grey, blue and lighter blue blur that shredded any Changeling that dared to come near. He was in the zone, as it were, and nothing could bring him out of his adrenaline fueled killing spree. The beat of the battle-beat and the thump, thump, thump of his own heart pounded in his head. His vision was red, but surprisingly clear as if waking from a sleep, locked in a battle rage of epic proportions.

Harpooning forward he caught an unfortunate Changeling as it reared back to maul one of his lieutenants, caught it in the stomach with the tip of his already blood soaked blade. With a vicious jerk he ripped the steel out through it's side and spilled the Changeling's guts onto the ground in a steaming toxic-green pile. A sharp hisssss off to his left caused him to spin in time to parry a glancing blow from the Changelings rock hard hooves as they swung savagely at his face. The vile creature pushed forward with it's rear hooves and locked his sword against his chest, then snapped at his face, saliva slinging into the air a bare millimeter from his nose. 

Shining Armour responded by lashing out with a headbutt that broke the Changeling's front fangs and much of it's lower jaw, as it recoiled in pain he swung the now free sabre over and behind his flank and decapitated the creature, feeling the hard jolt as his sheared through it's spine, the rush of bloodlust as vivid green blood sprayed into his face. More Changelings rushed at him but he cut them down with vicious and easy strokes that was like felling grass.

Suddenly, a blow caught him in the flank and a well placed hoof collapsed his legs and he fell to the blood soaked, but still hard ground with a grunt that was more annoyance than pain. He rolled in time to catch the slavering jaws as they descended towards his face and held them at bay. He didn't bother with his instinct to catch the creature with magic, it was too hard to hold living creatures in a solid grip during the furious activity of war. He was just debating how best to take care of the creature that scrabbled atop of him when....SHLUK!

A lance blasted through the Changeling's dusk-black cranium and basically obliterated it's head in a spray of dark bone and vivid blood and brain matter. A hoof entered Shining Armour's vision and helped him to his feet with a heave. He looked into the concerned face of Fleet Foot who retrieved his lance with a jerk of his umber magic. Shining Armour snorted his thanks and watched as Fleet nodded and dodged back into the carnage around them.

Everywhere, everypony was locked in combat with a Changeling or two, or three, the fearsome clang of metal and carapace reverberating in the atmosphere, jarring to Shining's ears. he wished he could help everypony, make sure that they were all safe.
He hoped that his sister was safe.

Lightning flared and illuminated the macabre silhouette of Queen Chrysalis in the distance, having not moved from marble steps since the first strike. His eyes narrowed, and his brow furrowed in unkempt anger as he watched and another of his soldiers was cut down in a scything burst of green iridescent magic, with barely a cry and a burst of sadistic laughter from the silhouette.
Shining Armour focused his anger and started towards his enemy, first at a stroll, then a trot and then a full tilt gallop across the seething battlefield, cutting down any Changeling that dared to stand in his way. 
He roared.

Chrysalis heard the roar before she saw the white and blue blur that was Shining Armour.
"CHRYSALIS!!!!!" a throaty roar of extreme anger pierced her ears and she looked up to see the Royal Captain himself burst through a hastily attempted wall made by her Changeling soldiers. Such dedication.
"CHRYSALIS!!!!!" he yelled again as he dashed across the expanse of green grass at the base and took the steps, two at a time, all the while coming ever closer to her, soaking blade at the ready. He bounded up the steps at her and then jumped at the last few, soaring into the air and bearing down upon her like a vengeful bladed missile.

Time slowed to a crawl and Chrysalis braced herself against the marble ground as Shining Armour launched himself towards her, mouth set in a primal scream of fury, blade twirling up and back so the tip stared right at her, tip to eye, daring her to react. 
And react she did, braced as she was with each hoof forming the corners of a rectangle, she pulsed magic into her warped and twisted horn and released the wavering emerald energy in a blast that could almost level a small house.
All Shining Armour saw was the flash.

He lay there on the ground, smoking and bruised, half-conscious, half wishing he wasn't. Shining Armour lay on the ground and waited for the sweet embrace of death to enfold it's hooves over him. And all the while, Queen Chrysalis, the tyrannical ruler of Canterlot for 4 years, the undisputed and only ruler of the Changeling horde, stood above his still form, turned her head to the lightning soaked sky and laughed and laughed and laughed.