//------------------------------// // 11 Debrief and Downtime // Story: The Crusades End // by ColdChimera //------------------------------// Storm walked through the doors to the Crusaders' command centre, closely followed by Tail Wind and the three now formally welcomed Crusaders. Tail walked to one end of the table, Storm to his right and the other Crusaders crowding around the rest of the table. It had been a couple of days since the three Crusaders formal induction. "We never had a debrief, I let it slip because we were all celebrating your induction." Tail told the three Crusaders with a small smile. His face dropped into a more serious expression, "From now on we will debrief at the earliest opportunity. We will go over what happened. We will assess what we could have done differently, what went wrong and how." He looked around the table his gaze landing on Apple Bloom at the other end of the table. "Me, Storm and Sweetie started out down the right hoof passage. We met one Vampire which I destroyed quietly with my bladed shoes, We entered the first chamber which contained around thirty Vampires, Storm dispatched them all with a spell that created a small sun in the cavern for a few seconds. We met three more Vampires after that before meeting up with you two and taking that pair out who were about to scream the cave down." Apple Bloom reported, with nods of confirmation from Storm and Sweetie Belle. Storm shifted his gaze to Scoots who nodded and began their story. "Me and Tail took the left passage, we came to the first chamber and took out a pair of Vamps. We continued through another chamber taking out another three before we reached the last chamber where there were... five, two playing poker one reading and two sleeping. Me and Tail took out the three awake Vampires first using our metal feathers, Tail took the two gamblers and I took the reader. We used the blades on the leading edge of our Steel Wings to decapitate the two sleepers, after that we met up with you three." Scootaloo reported, Tail nodded his confirmation. "Any questions about the mission?" he asked a slight smirk on his face. 'I bet they ask about the Golems.' "The heck were those stone ponies that attacked us? They were waiting for us when we left that last chamber, in the weird shrine to Nightmare Moon" Scootaloo and Apple Bloom asked at the same time. "That's another question," Sweetie said quietly, "what was that shrine?" "Those stone Ponies were called Golems." Storm told the three young mares gathered around the table. "They are magical constructs. A Unicorn uses their magic to give energy to a statue and then they give it instructions. I can't give you a very accurate description of the process, as the trick to making them was lost to ponies long ago." Scootaloo raised her hoof, like they were back in Cheerilee's classroom. After a nod from Storm she asked "If the trick to making them was lost, how do the Vampires have them?" "One way is they could have stolen them and given them new orders, You saw they reformed after a while? That's the trick that was lost, we can make the statues, we can give them energy to move about, but we can't make them reform like that and the statues break because they aren't designed to move." Storm explained. "Another reason could be that they have one of the first Vampires with them and that Cave was going to be very important." Tail added. "After we entered the room at the far end of the shrine, we snuck up to the bed attempted to kill the master Vampire who turned out to be an illusion, we exited the room, fought the Golems retreated up the hall and were blocked by at least fifty thralls and a couple of Vampires, we fought them and Sweetie got hit. Storm took out the thralls left with magic then healed Sweetie, we retreated and returned back to base." "Now we're all caught up it's time to discuss any problems you three had so we can train more in those areas later, and then we'll discuss next steps." Storm told the assembled ponies looking over a hoof full of notes. "So I noticed you and Tail almost got detected Scootaloo, I'm upping the amount of time you spend in stealth training." Scootaloo nodded her acknowledgement. "Sweetie Belle I noticed you are still having troubles concentrating on more than one thing at once, specifically you can't use your blades away from your body while protecting yourself with hoof to hoof or another close range technique." "I was thinking about that, Perhaps if we increased my magic training to reduce the amount of energy I use while using the blades and add an exercise where I perform two or more tasks at the same time, say weight lifting while holding a stone steady in a levitation field, I could increase my ability to multitask without doing extra training sessions." Storm nodded thinking, he had been thinking something like that would be necessary in the future and he had some ideas of his own about it. "Those are some good ideas, we will also do more training with your swords to get you used to them, you can train against your two team-mates, at the same time." He said, looking to Sweetie's two team-mates, who nodded their agreement. "Good now, next steps, did any of you hear anything that could possibly be intelligence on the Vampire's plans?" "I saw a lack of intelligence, one of them left out a map with a couple of crosses here and here." Scootaloo said pointing to two places on the map to the west of Trottingham. "Okay, those look like they're new caves, we could ambush them at this one. Haven't they been in this one before Storm?" Tail asked, with a thoughtful frown on his face. "No I think they were one cave over." Storm said his voice dripping sarcasm. "It's the only cave in a mile radius," he deadpanned. "Alright, so they are extending out that way, why?" He asked nopony in particular, his frown deepening. "Does it matter? We can just set up somewhere in Trottingham and take them out when they arrive." Scootaloo asked looking to her commander. "It matters because they rarely go back to a cave we've cleared out. That and Vampires aren't stupid, they don't make mistakes like this. In fact the only time I've seen them make a mistake like this was the last raid we went in as three Crusaders." "Ah'm not sure ah follow." Apple Bloom asked. "The last raid we went on as three Crusaders was a trap that turned one of us into a Vampire." Storm answered. "We have to locate the main cave, the one where the oldest Vampire of this clan, Moon Shadow, resides if we destroy him they will all die, and those that don't will be much weaker, after that it's just a clean up operation. The only problem is we only find out about their caves due to sudden spikes in disappearances or intel we find in the caves." Tail informed them. "I've received reports a while ago that showed Samael moving into Moon Shadows territory from the North. Perhaps we can use that to our advantage." Storm told the commander. "Maybe we could allow him to push up until he reaches Shadow, we know Sam won't beat him so we just prevent Shadow from retreating and then take him out while he's weakened." "That would work if we had an army to prevent him from retreating." Tail reminded him. "We don't need an army, when we can make it look like we have one. If we attack multiple targets at the same time then we will look like we have a much larger force. Nopony holds their ground against a large force of ponies who's soul goal is top wipe you out, so he'll move up towards Samael, they fight, Sameal loses and we take Shadow while he's weak." Storm outlined swinging his head from side to side while he detailed the last section. "What about if Samael actually does manage to destroy Moon Shadow?" Sweetie asked. "Then we take him out while he's weak.either way so long as the first part works we are almost garanteed to destroy two of the last original Vampires." "The only fault I can find in your tactic is that we would have to split up to attack so many targets." "We can split and take two targets simultaneously then move on to another target before regrouping. You three have trained the same as us and will continue to train until you match or surpass our skill and me and you can take a cave by ourselves easily." "I wouldn't say easily but I guess if we keep those three together and we take another then yes it could work." Tail conceded. "However, we all deserve some down time, so you three can go back to Ponyville with your sisters and take a break while we sort out the specifics. When we're done you'll be called back and then we'll carry on our training for a short time before we set this plan in motion." Tail told all assembled, he looked away from the map. "Any questions before I dismiss you three?" "No." Scootaloo and Apple Bloom answered together. "Dismissed then, get your bags packed and tell your sisters to do the same, you all leave at noon tomorrow." The Crusaders saluted their superiors and turning on their heels they left. One however, did not. "Something you need Sweetie?" Storm asked after a second, noticing she was looking at him. "Yes, I want to know why you haven't taught me the spell you used in the cave to destroy all those Vampires." "The Sun bomb?" Sweetie nodded her confirmation. Storm sighed, walking around the table to stand in front of her. "Lets take a walk." He said indicating for her to go ahead of him. Sweetie nodded and walked out of the command centre. A few seconds later Storm joined her and they set off around the training fields. "So why haven't you taught me that spell? There are plenty of others you've taught me that I can't quite cast yet." The white Unicorn asked not taking her eyes off the older Unicorn beside her. "Fine, I haven't taught you a spell like that because casting them doesn't take much energy at all. They are so easy to cast that even a foal can cast them in their sleep." "So your worried that I'll what? Kill everyone in my sleep?" "Yes, I know you have a high degree of control, more than most Unicorns but you will not be able to control these spells. I am a Pyromancer --" "A fire mage? I thought they were myths." Sweetie asked confusedly, stopping and looking at him. "They are anything but, I became one when I joined the Crusaders. Pyromancers have an affinity for fire, I'm fireproof while I'm concise and I find that fire spells are easier to cast than any other. I can control natural fire like other Unicorns but I can also produce it unlike most." "What do you mean 'produce it'?" Sweetie asked, resuming her trot at his side. "To set something on fire a Unicorn normally focuses heat onto an object, I can just will fire into existence." They were walking around the practice field heading for the recruit barracks. "So like I was saying as a Pyromancer I have a much greater natural control of fire and fire based spells, you are not and so they would be harder for you to control." "Well why can't I become a Pyromancer like you?" "Because it takes years to become even an eighth as powerful as I am, and I am by no means the strongest. Fire magic is the most destructive and the most dangerous. Not just because of the potential for physical damage but for mental damage too. The more powerful a spell is the more of yourself you have to put into it, that's one of the rules of magic. Fire burns and destroys everything replacing whatever it touches with itself. Fire magic is the same anypony can cast little spells to heat up food or drink or light a fire, but only a Pyromage can cast high power fire spells without becoming an abomination." They were taking a route through the various buildings that dotted the edges of the training field. Sweetie stopped again. "What's an abomination? apart from another name for the Vampires." "In this case it's the term used when a fire spell completely takes over someponies life-force. They become a being of fire that wants nothing but to watch the world burn. It's one of the reasons Pyromancy's banned in Equestria. You would have to learn the way I did, from the race that spawned Pryromancy. Dragons. Before you ask, Pyromancy is part of a dragons blood, to become a Pyromancer you have to study and hone your mind for years, then you have to take into yourself the blood of one that controls fire without thought." "You mean that you've...?" "Drank a dragons blood? Yes, the dragons blood is the ultimate test of any Pyromancer, a dragons blood is liquid fire that can burn for three years without fuel or oxygen, if a Pyromancer hasn't learned to control fire properly without it consuming them the fire will burn them from the inside out. There is still a danger that the pony that becomes a Pyromancer will use their power to destroy but if they pass the test it's of their own free will." "How long ago did you take the test?" Sweetie asked a little nervously. Storm stopped for a second in thought, then lent down and started to convulse like he was going to throw up. He kept it up for half a minute before straightening and turning back to face his young friend. Sweetie gasped. Storms face was different, his hair brushed into it's usual style was waving like it was made of fire, his eyes had changed from their usual turquoise to orange like the sunset. Heat poured off of his body like water from Nieghagra Falls. His mouth was the biggest change, instead of the regular flat pony teeth there was a pit of purple fire, with small tongues of the inferno shaped to form sharp fangs. "Depends, on what you mean. When was the first time or how long ago was the last time?" he asked. "I took the test first when I was about twenty and the last time was last year." He doubled over again and when he stood back up he was back to his normal self. "That is why I won't teach you those spells, because even Pyromancers can lose control of them." Sweetie was stunned, she stood still for a few minutes trying, and failing, to compute what she had seen. Storm looked away. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?" the young Unicorn asked. "I knew you wouldn't understand. Actually I know you still don't, but you are more likely to now." He answered. "I understand why you won't -- can't teach me the spells, but this Pyromancy stuff will take a while." She told him. "I know, I will teach you like we have been it really isn't that important all it means is that I can use spells that you can't." "Story of my life." Storm chuckled at that, rubbing her head. "Alright, was that everything?" He asked. They were stood outside the Crusaders barracks, Sweetie glanced at the door then returned her gaze to Meteor Storm and nodded. "Okay then, I'll see you later Sweetie." "Bye Storm." The next morning dawned with the Crusaders busily packing their bags in the manner of everyone who packs last minute, throwing everything into one bag and making it fit. After a few minutes searching for one of Rarity's brushes and a horseshoe for Apple Bloom they were ready to go. The three young Crusaders stood shoulder to shoulder at attention, facing their leaders and comrades. "Your leave starts today, unless there is a problem you will return here in three weeks to continue your training. If there is a problem we will come and find you in Ponyville. Good bye Crusaders. Dismissed." Tail Wind dismissed the young Crusaders. They saluted before turning to leave with their sisters. "Alright, Apple Bloom you lead. Sweetie you take the rear. Applejack and Rarity your in the middle. I'll fly a circling pattern overhead. we move until we drop got it?" Scootaloo ordered. After receiving nods from all present she took of and began flying circles overhead. The others got into formation and set out on a march across the frozen tundra that they had called home for the past year and a half. They passed through the band of night without incident, the Crusaders relaxed afterwards, there were other things out there that would happily attack ponies but none were more dangerous than Vampires, if the Crusaders could destroy the Vampires then what hope did anything else have. They walked and talked about various everyday topics like what they would do when they got to Ponyville and what they missed most. Scootaloo stayed quite through the last section. They boarded the train to Ponyville at the station and the three Crusaders took turns sleeping, just in case. "Hey Applejack, who's working the farm with both of us here? Ah doubt our brother can handle the whole thing on his own." Apple Bloom asked about a third of the way into the train ride. It was her turn to stay awake and stand guard while Sweetie and Scootaloo slept and relaxed. "Ah told Granny and Mac to hire Caramel, since I would be up in the Crystal Empire for a while learning how they do things." The older Apple replied. "Ah can't believe that it didn't occur to me until now that I didn't know who was working the farm." "Don't worry about it sis, you've had a lot on your mind this last year and a half." "Ah guess." Was the reply from the yellow mare. "Either of you heard anything about my father?" Scoots asked nothing moving but her mouth from her position on the seat across from Sweetie. "I heard he was a upset that you left, he took a job on the weather patrol. Rainbow Dash is always looking for extra hooves so she can go off practicing some more." Rarity answered. Scootaloo smiled a little and went to sleep. Two of their three weeks passed quickly. Scootaloo stayed with her father, they'd had a teary reunion he apologizing continuously for everything he had ever done, she cried tears of happiness that he had stopped drinking and was finally recovering. Sweetie Belle helped her sister complete her orders in the Boutique and spending time with their parents. Apple Bloom had spent her days working the fields alongside her sister and brother smiling the whole time. All three Crusaders were happy to be home and safe with their families and friends, they weren't even bothered by Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon when they decided to try insulting them. Silver Spoon discovered first hand how strong Scootaloo had gotten when she made a snide comment about the Pegasus' mother, and Scootaloo had punched her squarely in the nose. On the Friday of the second week the Apple family had just got up from the table after the usual dinner of various apple products, when there was a knock at the door. "I'll get it!" Apple Bloom called to her family, crossing the hall from the kitchen to the door. She opened it to reveal two very familiar faces. "Apple Bloom we have a problem, we need to find the others." Storm told the yellow Earth pony. "We know where Moon Shadow is."