//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 - An Honor to Serve, Part I // Story: A Paragon of Peace // by JacobFawkes //------------------------------// PART ONE “What’s Past is Prologue” - William Shakespeare An Honor to Serve, Part I The life of a stock is a life without hope. Their kingdom is cold, dark, and possesses very little in the way of resources. Because of this, the populace lives in constant fear of famine, plague, and attack; not only from enemy nations, of which there is a prodigious quantity, but from the many fell beasts which resided in the forests of the region. The weak and old die, and for the strong – survival is a ceaseless struggle. That is the way of the Stock. If that were not enough, the Stock have few great cities or settlements. Only a couple of monuments built by their own hoof, possessing mostly what they had taken through duress or adapted to their need. Growing up in such a harsh world demands that one virtue be learned quickly in order to survive. Obedience. Obedience to your family and clan to be sure, but also obedience to the Maesters, those select few chosen to interpret the will of the Dark One. But even more important than obedience to family or faith, is obedience and loyalty to the Queen, whom the Dark One himself had saw fit to bless them with. She was the mother of their country; perhaps not by blood, but in all that mattered. She would provide for them, protect them, and ensure that the will of their creator was fulfilled. All Her Majesty asked in return was dutiful, faithful service and unquestioned loyalty. It was this world that Nax was born into. Youngest son of the Thesik Clan, a clan of high regard that had given many fine soldiers to the kingdom. His father, Craster, had died leading a raid when Nax was very young and his eldest brother, Thane, was a dedicated and noble soldier in his own right. So it was no wonder or surprise that when he reached maturity, Nax wholeheartedly volunteered for service. After all, it was an honor to serve. *** “Oh you poor thing. It’s so good I…” *** Though basic training had been hard and brutal, Nax’s optimism had rewarded him with his choice of placement (or so he had been told at the time). In truth, Thane had finagled a way to have his baby brother transferred to his squad. In such a way, Nax was able to find his place in the army and it was here that he met his comrades in arms. The squad in question was a band of six troublemakers and rabble-rousers that their regiment officer had taken to calling the “Kitchen Club”; due to the fact that their antics often found them there as punishment. But each of the six had a unique trait and skill that made them easily the most respected and experienced company in the army, despite their flaws. Sergeant Thane, the commander, was a natural leader and skilled tactician. While Nax had to admit to himself that Thane was a bit of a hard-ass, he was without a doubt the most experienced of all of them, having been on several successful raids that had garnered him his well-deserved reputation. But he was also the most distant of the group, often shying away from the groups many discussions and antics (of which he had little skill). Despite his outwardly cold nature, no one could deny that he loved his company like brothers and often got them out of the trouble their shenanigans almost always brought them into. Then there were the twins, Oodo and Paarn, sons of Kayn, of the Ulmen Clan. Oodo was very much the follower - most certainly not the brightest and almost always agreeing and/or acting on whatever his brother told him. But he was not stupid, being incredibly skilled in the art of hoof-to-hoof combat. He was easily the best brawler in the regiment and could fight his way out of a problem just as easily as his brother could talk his way out. His brother Paarn , consequently, was known for his theatrics. His ability to weave stories and complex lies, along with his skill with voices and accents, had gotten the Kitchen Club both in and out of trouble many a time. Often that trouble was started by the "comedian" of the company, Faris, son of Milo, of the Eldith Clan. He had rightfully obtained a reputation amongst his fellow soldiers for possessing a vicious pranking streak, almost bordering on cruel, which usually got him into far more trouble than he was ever prepared to deal with. If it were not for Thane’s influence, Nax was sure that Faris would have been discharged long before the Battle of Canterlot. Thane put up with Faris's antics primarily because he was easily one of the smartest changelings in the army - and he knew it. Many of Thane’s best strategies had been birthed in the often scattered mind of Faris. Now if Faris was the brains, then Dural,son of Duryn, of the Yijek Clan was the soul. The squad's resident medic, Dural had come from a comparatively well-off family and also being the only soldier in a clan of Maesters, he was both well versed and well-read, and consequently possessed a spectacular way with words. He could use them masterfully and without mercy. He was incredibly philosophical and often very wise. But he was also known for driving many an officer mad with his often complicated drivel, which was usually his plan. Finally of course, there was Nax himself - the Rookie. Though he personally felt that he had no strong quality about him (at least nothing that made him stand out amongst such a unique team), Nax did possess an almost unnatural ability to inspire confidence and loyalty in others. His uncanny inborn ability to sense the mood of the company in an instant (A gift Maester Oryk had referred to as an empathiser in Nax's youth) and capability to keep his fellow soldier's under control had come in handy on many a mission. Thane had placed Nax in his company because of the rookie's optimism, his natural gift at raising troop morale, and the need to keep an eye on his younger brother. So Nax found himself quickly able to integrate into the dynamic of the Kitchen Club. The six soldiers became very close very quickly. In the two years since his assignment to the company, it had been given a many scouting and reconnaissance missions in the Dragon Confederacy, Griffonia, and countless Legionnaire city-states; each more successful than the last. And with each, Nax showed himself to be an exemplar soldier, performing all that was expected of him as a loyal soldier to his queen and country. Yet for all his success, Nax had never been given an opportunity to show his true mettle. In the Stockish Army, you weren't a true soldier of Stockland until you had bested an Equestrian in combat. In the Kitchen Club, only Thane had had that honor. And it seemed unlikely that Nax would ever get an opportunity to best one of his nation's mortal enemies. After all, Equestria and Stockland hadn't been in a true all-out war since before the Solar Princesses reign. That is until Her Majesty announced the invasion plan. *** “I’m sorry, but I can’t let you see him yet. The book said he needs to rest. Manticore venom can be very…” *** The plan was simple. Her Majesty would sneak into the heart of Equestria’s capital and would impersonate one of the royal family members. From within, she could weaken the defenses of the city, divide the Elements of Harmony, and allow the army to sweep in, taking the crown jewel of the Equestrian empire. It was foolproof. The weeks leading up to the invasion were filled with moments of unease. The armies had been divided into many small regiments, passing silently from place to place. Travelling by night in the barns and abandoned homes along the Equestrian countryside. It was only when all the regiments had converged, that the truth that the element of surprise had been lost was revealed. Some regiments had been less than stealthy in their movements and rumors of invaders had reached the ears of the enemy. But the Queen was not so easily halted and used the now heightened security of Canterlot as an opportunity. She managed to continue her work within the city as the army stayed hidden nearby – awaiting their opportunity to strike. The night before the invasion, Thane and the rest of the gang had regaled each other with many stories. There were stories of past missions and glorious ancestors to be sure, but mainly they told stories about Equestrians. Faris told a horrifying story he had heard of how Equestrians made rainbows by grinding up orphans. Oodo and Paarn told a story at the same time, somehow managing to confuse both the squad and each other; as neither could agree on the story's finer details. Dural told several stories and made many witty quips, but the line that got the biggest ruckus was the line of how Equestrians controlled the weather because they were not tough enough to let nature handle its own way. It was a great time, one of the happiest moments Nax could remember in a long time. But of all the stories told that night, It was Thane’s that was perhaps the most engaging, as he was the only one among their company that had actually had personal experience with Equestrians. “There I was, on what was supposed to be only a small scouting mission.” The young commander began. “We were supposed to look for possible ways to enter inconspicuously into the small settlement of Appleloosa. When my team got into the town however, we found ourselves in the middle of a land skirmish between Equestrian settlers and some of the native bison… over some misplaced apple trees.” The thought of something so petty causing a fight riled the gang up pretty quick and had begun to gather a rather sizable crowd around the fire. “But that was not even the worst part. The Elements of Harmony showed up as well.” That got a loud boo from some of the more hecklish members of the growing audience which now listened to the story with baited breath. “They were enticing the bison and the Equestrians into fighting with this weird song and dance routine that was absolutely painful to behold. Eventually it got so bad that both sides just started fighting each other…WITH THE APPLE PIES!!” That got an absolutely livid reaction from the now massive crowd which had grown to include nearly half the regiment. Their families were starving back home and Equestrians literally had enough food to fight with it. To Nax as well as many others in the regiment, Thane’s story only proved what most of the soldiers had been told in not only basic training but by the Maesters since birth about Equestrians. How Equestrians wasted their gifts and felt no emotion beyond superiority over the other races of the world, forcing others to worship their princesses as gods and attacking the stock whenever possible and without mercy. By the time Thane’s story was finished, Nax was sure that there would have been a riot on their hands had the regiment’s Maester not entered the scene and began to tell the story of the Dark One. He spoke of how the Dark One had created the stock to populate the world, and how the Dark One was betrayed by Chaos and driven into deep exile. He spoke of how after the Dark One’s fall, the Equestrians came from their kingdom in the north and drove the Fallen into the shadows. And of course, he spoke of how the Dark One would return again to overthrow the Equestrian heathens and their false goddesses and return the stock to their rightful place in the world. Honestly Nax did not pay much attention to the Maester’s story as stock were required by law to learn the story as fetchlings. However a Maester deserved the respect owed his wisdom and status, so each and every soldier was quiet and reverent to the wise ones words. When he finished the tale, he began beckoning the soldiers off to bed. But before they could go to sleep, another tradition needed to be performed. One that been born in the fires of the War of the Birthright. A song sundered in the shadows of ancient Uther's reign and King Ferzu's bloody first years. It was incredibly lucky that they had been able to smuggle the cave-pipes with them on the invasion. In truth, it was a simple psalm of an elder time. An ancient prayer of the army that was sung before every battle against the Stock's ancient foe. A hymn to the countless fallen heroes who had sung it before them. To those fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters lost long ago and to those who would never be seen by tomorrows end. A song that began simply enough, but the voices and humming of the soldiers rose through the valleys and hills above Canterlot as the song began properly - in the poignant, passionate, and practical grace of the stock's native tongue. To the outside ear, it would sound alien and even a little harsh, but the words - to those who spoke them - spoke of a higher purpose. A noble purpose granted by their god. Lay me down in the cold cold ground Where before many more have gone Lay me down in the cold cold ground Where before many more have gone When they come I will stand my ground Stand my ground I'll not be afraid Thoughts of home take away my fear Sweat and blood hide my veil of tears Once a year say a prayer for me Close your eyes and remember me Never more shall I see the sun For I fell to Equestrians Lay me down in the cold cold ground Where before many more have gone Lay me down in the cold cold ground Where before many more have gone Where before many more have gone As the song petered out to its end, the soldiers one-by-one left until only one was left, playing a single silver not on his cave-pipes. Only when he was completely alone did the note, and the song, at last come to an end. Nax silently sauntered off to his quarters when he was suddenly struck with both anticipation and fear. While he had heard the song sung many time (the elder soldiers were more than happy to sing if given the chance), never before had he participated in the song himself. He did not know if he had the strength or courage to face such a foe. Nax’s mind lapsed through such thoughts over and over until sheer anxiety finally drove him to sleep, the lyrics still ringing ceaseless through his ear. When they come I will stand my ground Stand my ground I'll not be afraid Thoughts of home take away my fear Sweat and blood hide my veil of tears *** “Oh…why won’t you eat anything? You won’t get any better unless…” *** However apprehension does not make the best sleeping draught and even with the song, Nax was soon up again. Truthfully as a dreamseerer, Nax had never been a good sleeper and knowing that his nerves would not let him rest any longer, Nax instead decided to take this opportunity to walk around the camp. Normally curfew would be rigidly enforced, but Nax knew that Colonel Strax was more lenient than others on the issue. As long as Nax stayed in camp, there would not be a problem. The walk, in truth, was fairly uneventful. He made several laps around the encampment before finally stopping to get a good long view of their target. He did not know how long he had stood there gawking at the sight, but he could have spent much longer. The city of Canterlot was a splendid sight. He had heard stories as a fetchling of its magnificence and splendor, but these stories paled in comparison to the sight he now beheld with his own eyes. Its high walls were an absolute marvel and the moon which shined brightly against the marble towers of the castle was perhaps the most splendid sight Nax had ever been graced with (though coming from the changeling kingdom, there had truthfully not been many sights to be graced with). He was sure that its beauty could have rivaled Old Canterlot itself. “It is quite the sight. Almost a shame that we have to convert it.” Nax turned to see Thane standing behind him. He had a haggard appearance about him, and yet maintained the calm and noble stature that was his signature. While the thought of such a magnificent place being converted did set him at unease, Nax outwardly hoped to lighten the situation in front of his brother and commanding officer. “Almost”, Nax stated with a false face of jest. Thane smiled at the quip before continuing, “You a little nervous about tomorrow?” “Yeah. It's just so different from what I imagined a real battle to be. It's seems so quiet. Peacful, even.” “It’s the deep breath before the plunge.” As Thane looked to his little brother’s face which was clearly restless, he tried to comfort him further. “Don’t worry. The more times you swim, the easier it becomes to swim.” “But I've rarely ever even a SEEN an Equestrian, let alone fought one! These are the ponies that grind up orphans and fight with food and worship their princesses as if they were gods. These are creatures that would kill us on the spot without a second thought.” Thane’s face, which was once warm and comforting, suddenly grew stoic. “Those stories Dural and the rest were telling are a lot of hokum. Equestrians don’t grind up orphans and most don’t worship Celestia as a god.” He continued, “It is true, they are selfish and wasteful. They don’t appreciate their gifts and talents and have a deep hatred for us. But, they are also ponies…just like us, albeit a bit uglier.” For just a moment, Thane's words confused Nax. If they were ponies just like we were, why did we fight them? As if he could read Nax’s mind, Thane retorted, “They are ponies like us, but they are also our sworn enemy. It is our duty…” Nax finished the statement for him, as it had been drilled into him since birth, “It is our duty to the Dark One. It is an honor to serve.” “Exactly.” As they finished their discussion, the sun began to rise behind them. The sun was to be the signal to get the regiments in formation. Upon looking behind him, Thane turned to his brother. “You better get going. Just stick close to me and the boys and don’t do anything too stupid. You’ll be fine. You're not a rookie anymore.” Nax obeyed his brother’s orders and got in formation. He surveyed around to his comrades to see how they were doing. Faris honestly looked somewhat bored while Oodo and Paarn were busy joking with each other about how many Equestrians they would catch and feed upon. In contrast to both Faris's ambivalence and the twins' levity, Dural seemed quiet and very reflective, a stark contrast from his normal demeanor. Nax knew them all well enough to know each was extremely nervous. Suddenly the dull roar of a horn blew across the mountain; the signal to move the regiments out. The roar of the horn was soon joined by the buzzing chorus of hundreds of stock lifting off the ground as their flight towards the city began. The closer the city got, the more nervous Nax became. As if to calm his nerves, Thane's voice just kept ringing through his mind as if on repeat, saying the same thing. They are ponies…just like us. They are ponies…just like us. They are ponies…just like us. They are just like us.