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// A Soldier's Duty 
// Story: Equestrian Doom 
// by tankmanbrony 
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Chapter 5: A soldier’s duty
The demons advanced down the pass thundering towards his position. Behind them walked twenty Hell Knights advanced behind them in two rows. Further back the Maggots and mps swarmed over the ground. 
“Lower spears brace for impact” Stahl shouted over the thunder of the advancing demons. “We must hold this pass against the demons.”
The front row of spears shuffled they could now make out the black eyes of the demons each one howling as they charged Powerful thrusts of their legs propelling them forward. He looked back at the archers half of his platoon was made up of archer but like the majority of his force most were diamond dogs. They notched their cross bows waiting for his command. His archers had also notched their arrow and were raising their bow to fire. The demons were closing the gap very quickly. These were the first they had encountered having fought the demons for two days straight now. He had lost two of his own and five of the diamond dogs and they still kept coming despite losing fifty of his Imps and Maggots. 
The Demons had halved the distance between them. He could see the horns the framed their mouths the slobber frothing from them.
“Fire” he shouted.
In a second he heard thirty six bolts and ten arrows fly from their bow strings. This was it he though time to prove his mettle in brutal combat with the greatest enemy Equestria had ever known, Gorrog’s army. He meant to prove to all of Equestria that the demons could be stopped. He saw several demons go down the rest barely noticed their lost comrades but seemed to charge a bit faster. 
“Stand your ground” yelled Runius. “Gems for whoever kills the most beasties”
His soldier shuffled nervous they slammed the butts of their spears into the ground several seconds before the demons made contact with formation. One leaped over the spears headed straight for him. It knocked the wind out of him. He felt its maw close on his helmet and toss him back several feet. He slammed his sword underneath its jaws and into the base of its skull. It convulse and started squirming until he felt something pierce its flesh and lift it off him.
“The beasties jump Stahl be more careful or they will get you next time” said Runius 
“Thanks” said Stahl. What would I give for a ballista he thought the new machines had entered production a few weeks ago and were emplaced in defense of the major cities especially Canterlot. They had been designed for what was coming next the Hell Knights. They had gotten into firing range but also they approach close enough to fire their fireballs. He had heard what those could do. The rest of the horde had surged forward to catch up with the Hell Knights. This whipped them into a frenzy each trying to get the first kills. He could see the Imps collectively conjuring their fireballs. Than he saw the Hell Knights do the same. That was when a white demon strode to the front of the horde. He spread his arms and twenty of those demon symbols formed on the ground and to our collective disbelief we saw twenty of the “beasties” as the Diamond Dogs called them appear. This was followed by a massive bombardment from the demons. Fireballs rained down on the diamond dogs. The demons roared charging once more. The Hell Knights joined them. The battle reached a feverish pitch blood covering him his forces retreating, the fireballs raining down on them like hail. Hell Knights started to close swatting aside ponies and diamond dogs like straw. 
“Sir, Sir Stahl wake up. 
He shuddered opening his eyes. His visions of death and slaughter replaced by his soldier shaking him awake. He looked around he was surround by ponies not demons. Many had fought with him at the pass also had nightmares yet theirs were never as serious as his. His were surprisingly vivid dreams he attributed to his position as an icon of the pony war effort and some sort of psychological warfare from the demons. He was starting to suspect that prolonged exposure to them caused affects similar to his in other ponies and after reading the records of Gorrog’s imprisonment and he had started to alter the castle itself by his very presence  gave him very good reason to believe it. He would have to look into this further.
“Thank you lieutenant Stalwart but I’ll be fine. Everyone you are dismissed have a restful leave.” Said Stahl 
He had started to leave the barracks; he was on leave after the battle so he had decided to use it when he heard a knock at the door. 
“Yes?” asked Stahl wondering who would disturb him. The door opened to reveal a purple alicorn. Behind her stood several soldiers all in full plate armor. It took him a moment to recognize her but when he did he shot out of his bed standing attention. This was Princess Twilight Sparkle and she was in the High Command. 
“At ease Captain.” She said the words sounding awkward. “I heard you led the defense that held the demons long enough for Ponyville to evacuate to safety. Also that you held long even after the second battalion arrived to relieve you.  For this you have my thanks but I need you to answer some questions for me.”
“I would gladly answer them” he said relieved that she didn’t want him to go on another mission. 
“Were there any new types of demons in their ranks?  Especially an officer type.”
“Yes it was white and slightly muscular. Smaller than a Hell Knight larger than Imp.  It did something and it summoned several of what our Diamond Dog friends call Beasties. He was able to end a wall of fire at us with his hands.”
“This information will be most useful thank you Captain. Also the soldiers of your unit will receive the highest honors for their sacrifice in defense of Equestria.”
“Let us hope their sacrifice was not in vain we only destroyed at the most five hundred demons out of Celestia knows how many.”
“They are not limitless captain everything has its limits even this Hell.”
“I hope you are right Princess.
He thought she would say something else but she just left saying something under his breath. He turned over and saw the” News from the Front” newspaper. It was issued to soldiers and detailed events currently happening in the war. A photo of his unit standing in the pass after the battle was on the cover. He flipped past that part and stopped on a section marked “Demon Army turns away from Canterlot”. He felt his breath catch in his throat. They could have been ramming into the walls of the city while he slept through it. He saw a drawing of Hell Knight on the next page it was supposed to be an impression of Gorrog. Next to it was a scale with a small bar at four feet ten inches marked “You” all the way at eleven feet was marked “Gorrog” the caption read if this or any other Hell Knight is spotted send word as soon as possible to your nearest officer DO NOT ENGAGE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. It also said in big red letters. 
“Yeah who would be stupid enough to try an attack that monster.” He said thinking of some foalhardy recruits charging him. He had seen regular Hell Knights swat aside his soldiers and even some of the more moderately sized diamond dogs. He turned the page again seeing an article marked “Twenty Demons stopped inside Canterlot by Commander Spike and Princess Twilight.” He looked up from the paper she stopped twenty six demons. He flipped to the article reading how it was a small war band headed by six Hell Knights.  Details are classified but several witnesses all say that the now Commander Spike grew several feet and fought five Hell Knights in hand to claw combat slaying three. He now commands the newest type of formation in the Equestrian Army the First Shock Battalion.
That tiny dragon beat several Hell Knights he though incredulous. Then again he now stood several feet above most ponies. He was going to be impressive o meet surely. But he had other pressing matters such as assuming command of his company and leading it into whatever battle the High Command needed him to do. He got up and exited his barracks and headed towards the training areas. He was descending the steps and stopped at the exit when he saw a Pegasi fly over the grounds streaking towards the Princess’s section of the castle. It left a rainbow trail behind what he knew had to be her. The commandant of Third Army Rainbow Dash. Why she was moving at such great speed was beyond him. However he would have to wait some time to find out.
Several hours later while he eating in the officers mess he heard the command of attention given. He turned to see none other than Princess Luna herself standing at the podium from which usually orders or status updates were made.
“A massive demon army has appeared numbering in the tens of thousands and it is now getting ready to siege Fillydelphia we are going to have to face it in combat soon how soon even I do not know.”
Uproar went through the mess some shouting how they had family in Fillydelphia others calling Luna a coward. It was all stopped when she slammed he hoof into the stage and shouting using her Royal Canterlot Voice “SILENCE!!!” the look of barely contained rage visible on her face. 
“I will not tolerate this sort of insubordination from my officers again. Am I understood?” the question quieted us down and we all replied “yes Princess” 
“All officers except those over Captain in rank are dismissed’ she returned.
I filed out of the mess with the other captains and lieutenants and went back to my quarters. I couldn’t help but wonder if they were right that we were being cowards as our fellow ponies died. The thoughts made sleep difficult but it came in the end.