Honor Above All Else
Chapter 40
By Honored Service
Another amazing picture drawn by the faithful reader HeimoBauss!
Onward to fighting and things.
The morning sun slowly began its rise over the rural area of the plains where we had decided to make our camp. I was the first to rise and stretch out, my joints popping and cracking as I stood up. My gear, and companions, were pilled up around the long burnt out fire.
"Wake up little warriors." I called out to the sleeping ponies, griffon, and shadow. There was minimal movement as the group continued to sleep.
"Okay, y'all want to play that game; I got you." I smiled and crept low to the ground. Moving to my stomach I began to slowly crawl my way towards the sleeping Sergeant Stand Bold. He would be my victim in this prank. I slowly inched my way forward, creeping closer and closer. "Sleep longer than me will you." I smiled as I rose to my combat boots and walked closer, rolling on the sides of my boots to lessen the noise.
Sergeant Stand Bold laid unsuspecting of the hell that was about to occur. I lifted my arms in a terrifying pose and filled my lungs with air to unleash my mightiest roar I could muster. Before I could, Quick Flurry rolled over and cracked his eyes open at me. I locked eyes with him, my eyes pleading with him to remain silent as I was still frozen in my striking pose. A smile began to spread across his face, growing into a wicked grin.
"No." I mouthed at him. His smile grew wider. Using his one good wing, Flurry searched the ground for a small pebble the size of a pea. He bounced it a couple of times before launching it at the sleeping Sergeant, hitting him right on the flank. On reflex, his back leg shot out and nailed me right in..... On the plus side, the scream following my sex change did wake everyone in the camp. Or maybe it had been Quick Flurry's laughing.
Once I was back on my feet, kind of, I began grabbing my gear. "Ready up everyone. We got some ground to cover today. Who knows what's going on in Canterlot, and ill be damned if I'm going to miss any action." There were a series of agreements the ponies began to collect the gear, Gilda and Covert helped to pack everything up. I began strapping on the armor around my dirty combat uniform and then throwing the pistols into their holsters. Next the knife and two magically enchanted swords went on. The M16 was left attached to its three point sling hanging off my chest resting within easy reach. Finally I secured the Element of Protection on my back in between the two blades. Once everything was strapped in place, I waited for the others. Gear was packed, weapons were secured and the group began to look lethal with the newly found Elements of Sanctuary.
"So Honored," Battle Plan spoke up as the last pack was adjusted, "how are we getting back, what's the plan. Magical transport gem? Summoning a ride?"
"Even better," I grinned and threw my backpack onto my back, "we ruck."
Day Terror traveled through the air and reformed herself back in the safety of the castle gardens back in Canterlot. Day Terror began to plot. With the human and those ponies armed with the magical weapons, Nightmare knew that victory now would be very hard to achieve. It would take a miracle to defeat that warrior human now that he was beyond any sort of reason. But what would get him to crack, what would cause him to lose his control and make an opening for attack like he had back in the first battle of Canterlot.
"That's it!" Day Terror grabbed a passing shadow and held it in front of her. "That's how I kill him. When his precious ponies are threatened, he becomes crazed! That's when he makes mistakes, that's when he can be killed." The shadow simply stared back at the evil ranting alicorn. "But when the ponies are threatened that's also when he's at his strongest... It's a risk, but that's the only way." Day Terror dropped the shadow and walked towards the large glass window opening out into the court yard. Shadows shuffled by in their weird trance. Large daunting shadow warriors lumbered towards the gates.
"Shadows! Listen to me, your master! I am the Nightmare, I am your creator! Tonight we assault the ponies, we take them by force in an epic battle that will claim Canterlot and secure our many victories ahead!" The shadows stared at the alicorn before continuing there awkward shuffling. Day Terror turned around to make the final preparations for her attack. She looked down at her unarmored side where the human had cut off her armor. Something would have to be done about that. Day Terror walked away towards her chambers to begin her final preparations for the attack on the Royal Guard position across the vast empty land of no-pony's-land.
"Report soldier." Shining Armor stood behind the observation post made out of multiple market stalls. The two guards stationed inside the makeshift barricade kept their eyes focused and trained on the road, but responded with nervous shaky voices.
"Sir... its strange." The one guard levitated a simple pair of binoculars to the ground while speaking to the captain of the guard. "They are all gone. Just gone. All sightings of the shadow creatures has stopped. They have all relocated their positions to inside the perimeters of the castle walls."
Shining Armor picked up the binoculars and focused them on the castle. The walls that had previously been covered in roaming shadow sentries was bare. The shadows that shuffled around the castle grounds were nowhere to be seen. If it wasn't for the dark green and black flames the licked their way up the side of castle turrets and ramparts, it would seem that there were no enemies anywhere in Canterlot. "Okay, keep an eye on this. Update me on anything else that changes."
Shinning Armor began walking back through the ranks of standing by guards towards his command tent. This made no sense to the Captain. Why would the shadows just disappear. As far as he was aware Honored Service was still missing from the fight and Luna was still gone to Ponyville to rally the Elements of Harmony. The only explanation for the enemy to simply vanish from the fortified locations was...
"Regrouping." The words trickled out of Shinning Armor's mouth like venom. He turned back towards the forward position of his forces and began running at full speed. Guards ducked and jumped left and right as the purple armor clad unicorn ran towards the front lines. He skidded to a halt at a barricade erected directly across from the massive and impenetrable gates of the castle. The Captain of the Guard climbed up the barrier and stood facing the gates as the sun slowly began to sink low to the horizon, giving a breath taking view of the castle against a blood red sky.
"Guards!" Shinning Armor's voice rang out across the lines using a magical spell. "Ready yourselves everypony! This is it! The shadows are regrouping, the attack-"
CRACK BANG BOOOOOM
The explosion rocked the entire city of Canterlot as the front gates to the castle were ripped from the wall as easily as a foal's play toys and sent flying across no-pony's-land. Fire reached out from the new opening and created a hellish landscape the reeked of sulfur and burning soil. The smoke finally began to lift and the guards stood trembling at their posts from the massive concussion that had followed the initial blast.
Shinning wished the smoke hadn't cleared. Because standing in the middle of the destroyed gates was Day Terror. Smoke and flames curling around the evil alicorn in the most demonic way possible. The flames licked up the sides of the newly crafted armor that covered the flaming alicorn. The armor covering the legs was sleek and simple, gold colored that moved easily with the princess turned evil as she strode across the burning land. Large wicked looking spikes dotted the leg armor on the foreleg pieces that glinted in the light cast by the fire. Day Terror's chest and sides were covered in similar gold armor that was covered in swirls of black glistening material that seemed to move and sway around the armor's surface with every step she took. The armor was cut and layered in all the right places that made it move easily with Day Terror's sleek body shape.
If it wasn't so deathly looking, Shinning Armor would admit that it looked almost sexy.
The fiery mane that Day Terror had waved its way out through the armor that covered her neck. Small spikes were seen shinning in the dying light of the sun along her neck armor pieces. The final armor covered half of Day Terror's face. The left side of her face was covered in shinning golden armor with a red slit eye piece that cover her eye with glowing red iris. Day Terror's smile was wide as she ran a tongue over the two fangs protruding from her mouth. She was staring directly at Shinning Armor who was still standing on the barricade.
Shinning Armor stood tall and proud knowing that he needed to set the example for his guards. He looked brave, giving off a radiance of confidence and strength as his purple and gold trimmed armor reflected of the fire running along the grounds of no-pony's-land, but on the inside Shinning was terrified. Day Terror would over power the unicorn instantly if they meet in close combat. Shinning Armor would have to keep range between himself and the alicorn or death would come swiftly.
He hoped.
"Please hurry Princess Luna. or Honored. Anypony please." Shinning Armor whispered as he summoned his trusty sword, shield and spear next to him in a light purple aurora field.
Then the shadows entered the battlefield from behind the castle walls. Rank after rank of the demonic creatures streamed out from behind the protection of the tall walls and began to form up behind the alicorn. Regular shadows, Shadow Warriors, and Shadow Champions formed up and began marching towards the pony positions across the large stretch of no-pony's-land.
Shinning Armor continued to stand tall on his barricade only because he was rooted to that spot in fear.
"Left. Left. Lo-le-lo-le-lo-right." I called off the cadence in a sing song fashion as we continued to march our way through the dark forest of the Everfree. We were making startling good time as we passed through the hills and woods behind us with no problems at all. No random encounters with bad guys. No delays. No seemingly spontaneous problems. It truly was a miracle.
"Okay listen Honored," Gilda spoke up from in font of me, "if you keep saying that stuff, but listen here, most of us have four legs and we move opposites at the same time. so this whole to move your left foot isn't working because the right one is moving too."
A chorus of laughter exploded from all of my traveling companions. It seems that they all shared the same idea about my never ending talking.
"Okay. Okay. Sheesh." I readjusted the rifle in my hands and stepped around a large fallen branch that had sunk its way into the soggy forest floor. My combat boots sunk in a little ways and pulled out with a slimy 'pop'.
"What do you want to do once this is all over Quick?" Battle Plan asked to the spastic one winged pegasus who jumped into the air and delivered a quick triple slash with his dagger to low hanging vines.
"Oh me? I would like to settle down with a nice mare into a cozy little home somewhere on the outskirts of a town and relax. take a load of these hooves. Maybe start a family and work as a weather planner. I loved being on a weather patrol, but since this little escapade," he gestured to his stub of a wing, "I'll settle with planning the weather instead of moving it. Still got my talent to know weather."
We were all silenced at the plan that the normally random pegasus who just broke complete character and sounded... well normal for the first time in a long time.
"That sounds lovely Quick." Battle Plan said while still staring in disbelief at his friend.
"What about you ya' big nerd?" Quick Flurry asked while leaping into the air and landing gracefully on Battle's back.
"Well really I want to do stuff I never did before this stuff." He kind of shrugged his shoulders and waved his new bow around.
"Like sleep with mares, get drunk, and party?" I said sarcastically from the back of the group.
"Yes." Battle Plan blushed and looked down.
More laughter exploded from the everypony. Even Gilda joined in on the laughter at the expense of the socially challenged unicorn.
The dense treetops slowly began to get thinner and the blood red sky finally was seen through cracks and opening in the branches. We picked up our pace and sprinted through the last stretch of forest while Gilda and Stand Bold flew quickly through the tree cover and ahead of us. They were heading directly towards Ponyville, which if Battle Plan's mapping skills were still just as good, then the town should only be an hour or two away. The two flyers could cover that distance in thirty minutes and there, Stand Bold would get back into Fast Skies and pick us up in the airship. From there, we head to Canterlot where Princess Luna would be waiting patently with the Elements of Harmony and we would end this war once and for all.
We exited the wood line just as Stand Bold and Gilda disappeared from our sight line. Hopefully they would return soon enough with the airship and we would begin the short travel up to Canterlot and link up with the guard forces stationed in the city and retake the castle.
The city of Canterlot was painted against a blood red sky in the distance. I was staring at it when a flash marked the side of the castle. A moment later an echoed 'boom' sounded out throughout the valley, rolling across the hills and plains.
"What was that?" Hammer Strike said, his massive hammer's blue gem glowed faintly in the dying light.
"Sounds like trouble." I said grimly while checking the magazine in my rifle. I made sure that all the magazines in my vest pouches were full and secured. "Lets hope that the new additions to the airship are ready. We're going into something hot."
"Let's go girls." Princess Luna shifted on her hooves while waiting next to the carriage that was standing ready to transport the Elements of Harmony to the secure camp at Canterlot. There the girls would be ready to move under heavy guard to go and assist with the takedown of Nightmare and his new identity of Day Terror.
"Girls this is really somewhat important! We need to go now." Luna was trying her best to remain calm and collective with the situation presented, but her temper was slowly rising. She was here, waiting on Rarity to get the rest of her 'travel necessities' while her home and guards were defending Canterlot without their leader. With the new weapon that Honored had given her, she would be a lot of help on the battlefield. And having one of the deities of the land fighting alongside her guards wielding an alien weapon of death would surly increase moral among the young guards.
"Terribly sorry aout the delay, your highness." Rarity cooed as she levitated yet another bag from the never ending supply of them from her home. "But if i am going to a-" she visibly shuddered "-battlefield, than i shall be prepare to fight the dirtiest stains on my garments."
"Its fine." Luna said through gritted teeth. Twilight gave a bashful smile and looked away from the Princess with a hardly audible sorry. "Now let's get moving before we miss anyth-"
CRACK BANG BOOM
Everypony gathered around the large carriage looked up to the city of Canterlot where the loud sound had originated from. "Oh dear."
"Princess was that Honored?" Applejack asked stepping up and into the awaiting carriage. Before Luna could answer, she watched as a large airship rose from a field on the outskirts of Ponyville and headed off towards the opposite direction of Canterlot. Honored had explained his plan. He was getting picked up very soon.
"No Applejack. I'm afraid that explosion wasn't caused by our strange friend."
"Then who did?" Rainbow Dash looked back towards the city where a new dim light was lingering faintly over the city.
"I... I dont know." Luna was growing incredibly impatient waiting. She needed to be up there. She needed to help.
"Hold your ground! Don't give an inch!" Shinning Armor screamed over the terrible howling that was originating from the mouths of hundreds of shadows across the barren strip of land in front of them. If the noise the shadows were making was supposed to scare his guards...well actually it was working. He could see the look of fear and terror in the eyes of a lot his guards standing around him.
None of them could have ever imagined that they were about to partake in a fight as colossal as this one.
"Where are you human?" Shinning Armor was beginning to wonder if the human would even be able to make it in time before his lines fell. Shinning Armor was a realist when it came to strategy planning. There was no luck. He knew that these lines would fail. It was just how long could they hold out till one side fell and then they were flanked by shadows and over run. With that much power coming at them, Shinning was going to guess about thirty minutes; and that was with luck.
The first shadow began its charge straight at them.
"And there she is." I smiled and pointed as Fast Skies began her approach towards the group. I snagged a red crystal from a pouch on my back belt and cracked it on the ground. It glowed intensely for a few seconds before dying out, showing our spot to the incoming airship. It was hauling some serious ass right now. Stand Bold was pushing the magical engines to their limit tonight.
The ship came to a gliding stop above us a few minutes later. Simple rope seats attached to long cables swung down from the belly of the cargo hold to meet us. All of us ground bound creatures climbed into a seat, easier for me and Covert than for the ponies, and were hoisted swiftly up into the dim lit cargo bay of out ship.
"Take us to Canterlot Mr. Bold." I said while moving down the hallway towards a room I had marked 'secure'.
"Right away Lt." Stand Bold saluted and dashed off towards the bridge, with Gilda at his side. I guess she was going to be the copilot on this trip.
I walked into the room and flicked the light on. Quick Flurry, Battle Plan, Hammer Strike, Fresh Greens, and Covert filed in after me. That stopped and stared at the room we were in.
"So what are these?" Battle Plan asked. He approached a long cylinder that was resting against the wall. He tapped it with his hoof and a door hissed open, showing a seat with a belts and harnesses crisscrossing it. "No. Absolutely not."
"You didn't even give me a chance to explain." I said defensively. I had a lot of help from some of the engineers and unicorns making these drop pods. Yes I directly stole the idea from ODST but we weren't Orbital Drop Shock Troopers. I called these pods, HADS or High Altitude Drop System. You strap in, tight, and gravity (combined with a little bit of magic propulsion spells) did the rest. There were six tubes, with six pods. Each one marked with a name for the six Elements of Sanctuary. This was how we would make our appearance to the world in Canterlot. We would literally drop in and kick ass.
"How do you know these things will work? Have you even tested it?" Battle Plan continued to shake his head at the idea of plummeting to the ground in a steel coffin. But hey, you only go to Equestria once, why not shake up the way things are done.
"Well regardless of what you think," I said grinning like the fool I was, "we're going into Canterlot. And unfortunately for you, it is going to be in a pod. Those shadows wont know what hit them."
"Well you do actually have me there." Battle Plan said, "this certainly would be the biggest surprise that they would have ever seen."
I was about to say a smart ass remark about how of course it would be, but then the ships intercom cut in. "Now hear this... I always wanted to say that... we will be in drop position in exactly, 8 minutes. That is the one shot we get before having to loop back around."
"Get ready." I smiled and began helping the others get strapped and secured in their pods before having the doors slide shut and hiss into locking position.
Sergeant Stand bold came rushing around the corner just as Battle Plan was sealed into his coffi- I mean drop pod. "Okay Lt, I got Gilda all trained up on how to fly this beast, and I'm sure that Fresh Greens here can help if needed."
"Great. Good work Bold." I padded him on the back as he climbed into his seat inside his designated pod. "I'll see you on the deck."
"Better believe it human." He said with a grin as the door closed around him.
I stepped into my pod and began crossing the straps around my chest. Fresh Greens was still just standing in the door way watching me.
"You're utterly and without a doubt the most insane creature i've ever had the fortune of meeting." He said, just staring at me as I tugged on each strap again to ensure that they were all secure.
"I know." I smiled. "But a real insane person doesn't believe that they are insane. Now before i seal this pod I should leave with some advice or something for the upcoming battle."
"Yes please." Fresh Green was still looking a little pale when i reminded him off the upcoming fight.
"Just remember the secret to staying alive on the battlefield is being smooth." The door slid shut before I could finish my advice. "Oh well," I said to myself in the confines of my pod. "he'll be fine."
"How do you use this thing?" Gilda's rough voice crackled over the intercom installed in the pods. "Stupid instructions. It's on? Okay thanks dork."
"Dont call me a dork." Fresh Green's voice was soft on the speaker.
"Whatever. Um the timer up here says
I gripped the handles on my seat as i waited for the sensation of fallin
The black arrow flew past Shinning Armor's helmet by inches. He lifted his shield in time to stop the second arrow as it bounced harmlessly of its front. "When did they start using bows?!" The shadows were growing closer and closer as they charged towards the guard's lines.
Time seemed to freeze for Shinning as the shadows in the lead of the assault leapt into the air and crashed down onto the guards. The loud crash that followed the long line of attacks. Swords crashed into dark swords formed from shadow's arms. Shields blocked hits, spears halted dives as metal pierced into flesh and spilled black blood and pony blood alike. The guards held their line. And the battle raged.
Shinning Armor dropped his shield into the head of a normal shadow with a satisfying crunch, while drawing his blade and driving through the neck of another shadow trying to climb up his barricade. Shinning Armor stood his ground and hacked and slashed his way through any enemy that tried to climb and take him down. He had to be the example to his troops.
"Keep holding back!" Shinning screamed over the noise of battle. It was maybe heard by the surrounding five or six guards.
Another blade lashed out and nearly looped off Shinning's ear. He ducked left and brought the sword into an uppercut drawing a long, thick gush of black blood from the offending shadow. During the intense combat, Shinning Armor almost didn't see the shadow of the airship gliding far above the battlefield.
"Ah, and here comes the calvary." Day Terror's eyes narrowed as she watched the gliding airship as it flew high over the barren land that was now covered in the intense action of combat. Day Terror knew what was in that ship, but why would the human sit up there while the ponies below are being attacked and killed by her shadows. Whats your game human? Dont you want to save the little ponies."
I felt the first jolt as the locks came lose from the pod. "Next would be the holding baaaaaaaarrrrrssssss!" I screamed as the iron rods holding the pod in the tube slide away. Down, down, down I plummeted towards the ground below. Hopefully that we were being dropped more on the shadow side of the battlefront and not the pony one. i would hate to be bellow this when it hits. Even with the heavy triple strength chute and the magical reverse pull gems mounted on the bottom of the pod, it would still hit the ground with enough force to leave a massive impact. I was starting to think i should have had another shock spring mounted into the seat. To late now.
Shinning Armor and the rest of the guards froze mid swing while the shadows simultaneously halted their advances and attacks and looked up to the sky. High above the frozen battle, six black dots appeared far above them. They slowly got bigger and bigger as they hurtled towards the earth. "That can only be... The Elements! Honored is coming! Fight on!"
The guards pushed forward, breaking the momentary lull in the battle and began to slash their way against the shadows, momentarily forcing all the shadows back.
Shining Armor said a silent prayer to who ever had gave in and sent Honored at the perfect time in the battle. Hopefully Princess Luna would be joining soon and then... well then payback would begin.
"NO!" Damn him to Tartarus!" Day Terror leapt into the battle and ran towards the middle of the fight. Thats were the falling objects would hit. She had to get there and throw up some kind of magical shield to stop the falling bombs. Day Terror assumed that Honored was dropping bombs to try and decimate the shadow forces before the battle could even be won. "Well to bad this will stop you human."
Day Terror fired a shield spell to stop explosions at their source. A glowing green bubble lit up the battlefield brighter than the fire did. The sun was almost completely set, casting long shadows across the ground and bringing a dim light to the horrors of battle. But to the alicorn's surprise, the six falling bombs sprouted large white parachutes. They slowed the decent but still plummeted right towards the green bubble on the ground.
Six bright blue flashes lit up the sky as the bottom of each black object exploded into the bright light. Day Terror only watched as the six bombs passed right through the barrier and crashed into the ground sending great plumes of dirt and dust into the air. Shadows all around were crushed instantly and even one Shadow Warrior was squashed like a ant under a boot as the black cylinder hit it. The objects stayed stuck in the ground as Day Terror watched the shadows aproach the first downed thing.
"Ha you failed human." Pride, happiness, and everything else swelled up in Day Terror as she watched the shadows prepare to dismantle the bombs. The ponies will get a taste of their clever humans creation themselves.
BOOM
One side of the nearest cylinder exploded outward, sending the door crashing through three shadows, smashing them into the ground. The shadows stared at the large door that had crushed the other shadows and then looked up to the darkness of the interior of the object.
BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG
Small flashes of green fire leapt out of the tube and began striking down shadows with pinpoint accuracy as their heads snapped back and they dropped to the ground in heaps of shadow flesh and blood. Day Terror watched as slowly the pistol of the infamous human crept out of the shadows, followed by one arm covered with strange square patterned cloth and dull golden armor. After the arm came the chest. Dusty, scratched, and dulled armor covered the chest of the human as he stepped out of the metal coffin. Different pouches and bags covered the humans body. While still wielding the pistol, the human reached behind him and unslung that rifle that Day Terror had come to fear. The human made eye contact with the alicorn and gave a dark smile. Through the smoke and the swirling dust in the air, the other five Elements of Sanctuary formed up on the human in a semi-circle.
Covert stood to the human's left, wielding a long curved blade that sliced through the air silently, cleaving a shadow in half with ease and dropping the halves to the ground with no sound at all. Quick Flurry sliced through the air with his wicked dagger multiple times in the fraction of a second, slicing through the shadow in front of him. It stood still before falling into pieces at his hooves. Battle Plan drew his bowstring back and three magical glowing arrows appeared resting in its notch. With a quick flick of the string, the three arrows sprung forth and nailed a three shadows perfectly in their heads. They dropped to the ground with ease. Battle Hammer swung his mighty hammer up into the air and brought it down onto a shadow. It was crushed instantly but the resulting concussion from the hammer striking through the shadow and hitting the ground blasted all the nearby shadows to the ground. One shadow attempted to crawl towards Day Terror, but a bright pink crossbow bolt, loosed from Sergeant Stand Bold's magical crossbow buried itself in the shadow's skull. The pink bolt glowed brightly before exploding and obliterating the shadow it pierced and the shadows within five feet of it.
Day Terror looked at the human as he slowly dropped his pistol into its holster and slung his rifle. With deliberate slowness Honored drew the large blade that was strapped along his back. The blade glistened off the green and black flames that continued to burn throughout the battleground before red fire leapt along the blade and glowed with a shinning light.
"Yo Nightmare," Honored called out across the sounds of chaos of the battle, "I'm here to fuck you up!"