“They took the bait?” a purple unicorn asked weakly as she steered from under her covers. She was lying on a big and elegant bed and stared weakly at the dark-blue middle-aged unicorn stallion who stood near the room's window, his gaze outside.
The stallion nodded, but didn't move his gaze away from the scene where his fellow unicorns are retreating back towards their empire, being chased down by pegasi ponies. “It would appear that you are right yet again, my princess. While some are trying to save the town, most of them are chasing after our army.” He slowly removed his gaze from the War Planes and turned to the ill-looking Twilight Sparkle. “Your most recent feat has made them unable to think properly. If they were, then they would have obviously noticed the lack of numbers on our side.”
The mare grinned weakly at the stallion. “That's what they get for staying above the ground for far too long, commander.” She lied her head down on her pillow and stared at the ceiling of the room. “Send the word, commander, that phase two of the plan will be executed in exactly ten minutes after you arrive.”
Starfall bowed and walked towards the door of the room. With telekinesis, he opened the door, but turned his head back at his princess. “If I am allowed to ask, your highness, how are you feeling?”
Twilight groaned weakly as she threw a hoof in the air. “Pretty much drained still... A simple levitation spell is far too difficult for me to achieve at this condition...” She shook her head in annoyance. “It has been days, commander. And it's really starting to drive me insane.” She then stared at the stallion with frustration.
Starfall bowed, showing his understanding. “I understand how frustrating it is, my princess. Believe me, I truly do.” He lifted his head back up and stared at the mare. “Perhaps you need somepony to accompany you, to at least help you ease your frustration?”
Twilight groaned and stared at the ceiling. “Nopony could be more capable of doing such a thing, commander... Other than Macintosh...”
“Then perhaps it's time for you to look for another pony.” He was a bit taken back when the mare shot him a glare. “Ah—I mean no disrespect, your highness, but I am simply voicing out the obvious.”
Twilight glared icily at him for a few seconds before sighing. “I suppose you are right, commander,” she then stared at him weakly, “but I don't know any pony capable of...” she trailed off with a faint blush on both her cheeks.
Starfall bowed, “let me handle that problem, your highness.” Starfall then left the room, but left the door open. He stopped after taking a few steps from the door. He turned around, and eyed the two armored unicorns who were standing tall at each side of the door frame. He then locked his gaze on the more muscular stallion. “Your name, private.”
“Force Field, sir!” the dark-green unicorn stallion replied.
“At ease, private,” Starfall spoke before moving his gaze on the door, and then turned to the other stallion. “You are to make sure that nopony will disturb the princess.”
“Sir, yes sir!” replied the other stallion.
Starfall then turned back to the muscular stallion, who was now leaning on the door frame and fixing his armor. “And you,” the stallion stood still in attention, “you are to please the princess.”
The stallion blinked in confusion. “I beg your pardon, sir?”
Starfall turned around and started walking towards the stairs. “I believe you have heard me clearly, private. Do as you're ordered.”
Starfall walked down on the stairs, and after he was out of sight, the muscular dark-green stallion tilted his head to the side. “Uh...yes...sir...?” He turned to his companion, who was grinning mischievously at him. “What?” he glared at him.
“Don't let the princess skin you alive, Field,” he stifled a laugh. The muscular stallion blushed while glaring daggers at him.
The stallion sighed in defeat as he turned to the door. “My wife is sooo going to kill me for this...” he whispered, making the other stallion snort.
---
Starfall exited the large double door of the castle, and walked out to the front gates, where Shining Armor was staring at the direction of the War Planes. Upon his arrival, Armor turned and saluted. Starfall returned the gesture.
“Starfall sir, should I put up the force field?” Shining Armor asked.
Starfall shook his head. “There is no need to waste your effort on that.”
Armor was surprised a bit, but tried his best not to show it. “Ah, but sir, the pegasi are closing in.” He turned back to the direction of the War Planes. “If they're to reach us here—”
“That won't happen, commander,” Starfall cuts him off as he summoned mana energy to his horn.
Shining Armor turned back to him with confusion on his face. He was about to ask why, but he held his tongue after he noticed his surroundings changed instantly. The cool outside air was now replaced by hot cavern air. He looked around and he found the two of them inside a cave of some sort, where the place was fairly lit by glowing gems on the walls and torches. He remembered Starfall's talent of swiftly moving to lower levels of areas with his magic. A seemingly advanced teleportation spell, refined to perfection with his natural talent.
What took his breath and attention was that they were on a highly elevated ground, and below he saw unicorns were running around and making final preparations on each of their metallic ape-like machine that stood three meters taller than an average stallion.
“Wh-what are those?” Shining managed to ask, still trying to figure out what those metal machines where. They look like giant apes, for it stood on two leg-like metallic limbs. On the center was a transparent thin glass that was opened up, and he saw a few of the unicorns were inside, doing something with the gems they were holding. On each side from the center of the machine where hand-like limbs, and on the back was a large powerfully-glowing gem that was firmly attached, and probably to power up the breath-taking machines.
“For our glorious empire to rule over this land,” Starfall spoke proudly yet icily as he stood beside Shining Armor. “Behold your sister's greatest invention,” his horn flared brightly, catching the attention of the unicorns down below.
The unicorns then went inside each of the countless of metallic ape-like machines. With telekinesis, they slid the thin glass down, encasing them inside the machine. Inside, they lit up the gems which were attached to the metallic surface around them. Soon, thin mana streams crawled out from their horns and connected with all the small shining gems inside. The unicorns grunted after feeling themselves as if being pulled and pushed at the same time. Their heads ached from the synchronization process of their minds to the machine they're driving.
Outside, each machine started to move, hissing mechanically. A new metallic limb extended from the back of each machine. It coiled up, and bent on a shoulder-like part of the machine. For Shining, it looked like a miniaturized mana cannon, from the looks of the cylinder-like limb with it's mouth faintly glowing. A few tried to lift their new mechanical feet, and stomped it back on the ground.
Blinking, Shining Armor gasped after finding himself in front of all the machines. Beside him was Starfall, who took a few steps forward.
“Unicorns of Unicornia!” Starfall shouted, his voice echoed all around the enclosed cavern. The unicorns inside the machines — even those who were thrilled like foals — calmed themselves and put their attention at the officer. “Today, we will mark this day as one of the greatest days we unicorns will ever accomplish in history of ponydom! Because this day, we will bring those winged freaks back to the ground!”
Cheers echoed loudly and wildly as Starfall turned back and faced the cavern's vertical wall. Gesturing with his head, Shining Armor managed to get the idea. Shining turned around, and stared at the wall, and he noticed a vertical unnatural dent on the surface of the wall. One side started being surrounded by a field of mana. Turning, he saw Starfall was flaring his horn. He got the idea, and flared his own horn as he aimed his magic focus on the other side of the door of the cavern.
Soon, with two powerful unicorns, they pushed the earthy door open, and the cavern was instantly washed by the outside light and the sound of thunder and hooves getting closer.
Shining Armor had noticed instantly that they are under the drawbridge of their kingdom. Whatever happened to the water, he'd need to find that out later, for his unicorn friends are rushing towards them. He flared his horn and fired a beam of mana at the pegasus ponies up ahead.
“For Unicornia!” the unicorns shouted from inside the cavern.
The gems on the back of each machines glowed brightly, and soon, it sent off a powerful flame-like mana energy, bursting the machines forward. Starfall swiftly ran out of the way while Shining stumbled and almost collided with one of the machines, but he managed to got away from the path.