//------------------------------//
// Fighter(I):A Snowy Ambush 
// Story: The Night Bard: The End of Dawn 
// by Iridescence T Wind 
//------------------------------//


"In all my years as a mage of Canterlot, never have I seen a Unicorn quite so brilliant, or insane, as Starswirl the mad. Truly it is an art of both fantastic and terrifying spellwork that allows him to cast his spells. Some say he enslaved the windigo's of old to his whim for ice, and demons for fire. Others say his raw power alone is what makes him special. Either way, I wouldn't want to end up within a hundred leagues of him if I could help it. Though many would kill for his spell book, No pony has gone as far into alteration then he has. Some say he can even change destiny."

-Overheard in the castle's mage quarters, approximately three years after Discord's imprisonment.

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Fluttershy was first to regain awareness of her surrounding, curiously enough the sun had long since fallen and nighttime had taken it's place, with a jolt she realized they had indeed spent much longer in this session then the others previously. As Applejack also regained her consciousness and moved away from the memory crystal, she had to comment about what had happen, "Poor dear... That can't of happened, right?" Surely her being kicked off of a tower by the very stallion who was sworn to protect it's populace had to of been fake, it was truly mind baffling otherwise.

"Ah don' know 'Shy..." the farmer replied, rubbing a hoof against her forehead, "It seemed pretty real to me, this gal has had one misfortune after another so far, and with the evidence currently drawn to light, 'ah don' think we should be showin' this to any of the princesses, certainly not Twi' and heavens forbid Rarity."

Fluttershy gasped, before asking in a rushed yet still quiet tone, "But, why shouldn't Twilight or the others see this?"

Applejack gave her a plain stare, "What do ya' think Celestia's number one pupil, ex or not would say about this? Nor do I think our... dramatic... friend would be able to keep her mouth shut after seeing the contents of here. There's enough depressin' stuff in there to make pinkie sad let alone what it will do others..."

Fluttershy frowned but nodded, it made sense she supposed, it was a rather grim showing of Equestrian history through this Sona's eyes, Twilight, while being the smartest of their friends would probably go off a tangent and call it fake. She was rather... What was the word... devoted? to her ex-mentor. Though a low rumble interrupted her thoughts. Looking up to the source, Applejack grinned sheepishly, "It's later than I thought I'd be stayin'. Would ya' mind if I spent the night?" 

Fluttershy smiled at the rather bad attempt at hiding hunger, though her own stomache made her smile shrink down to sheepish grin, "Of course I don't. Mind waiting here while I make some daffodil sandwichs and feed the animals?"

"ya' have to feed animals at this time of night?" 

"Only the nocturnal ones...." Fluttershy responded in turn. 

"Alrighty then 'Shy. I'll just wait here, unless you wan't some help."

"Oh, it isn't that much, I'll be back in a jiffy," 

With that said, it was only moments before Applejack watched Fluttershy flit from the room to go and take care of her animals, though her thoughts quickly turned back towards the memory crystal, "Hmm..." Applejack began, standing up and placing both hooves to either side of the slightly glowing object, "There is still one thing I don't get... How did Celestia and Luna not notice this corruption and terror their own mages were causing..."

Applejack pondered over it for several minutes before sitting back down in time for Fluttershy to return, a plateful of the sandwiches, and a pair of drinks balanced on each wing which she set out with a few words of thanks from the humble farmer. The next several minutes was all but silent as they filled their stomachs, banter occasionally breaking out between bites and sips of their drinks as they discussed the recent going ons in the town. Particularly of note was that strange music was starting to be heard in the everfee forest, though no one knew what it was. Some speculated that Zecora was doing something but when asked the Zebra didn't say, which only furthered their suspicions. 

"Hey 'Shy?" Applejack asked once they were done with the meal, having personally washed them only minutes before.

"Yes Applejack?"

"Do you think we can, ah, do another session on that crystal?" she asked.

Fluttersh thought over it, "maybe, I hear that some ponies back in the crystal kingdom used them to replay fond memories in replacement for dreams if they were feeling insomniac...Though for us we would have to..." she blushed hiding her face with her mane only moments after it had formed.

"Have to...?"Applejack left the sentence hanging, a bit confused, before coming to a conclusion, "Oh, you mean we'd have to be in the same bed and do that forehead tap thing again."

Fluttershy nodded, "That's if you want to that is..."

"There is no shame in sharing a bed between friends 'Shy." Applejack patted Fluttershy on the shoulder, "It isn't something exclusive between two special-some-ponies. Even Rarity knows that."

With that said and done, Applejack all but drug Fluttershy and the crystal to bed. While they settled themselves in for the night and activated the still warm crystal again with their heads, queuing the next section of memories to be played for them. Little did they know; they were in for a long night.


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Here she was, three months had passed and now Sona was huddled up in the icy white heart of a swirling snowstorm, in the cruel month where ponies, sheep, and even Minotaurs alike were found frozen hard and the winds howled and shrieked through the Foal Mountains night and day, blowing snows in blinding clouds across the steep paths. It was now the sixth year since Discord's imprisonment though Sonata cared not one bit. All she cared about was that it was another cold season, her first since Hoofington burned-- and she was growing rather tired of it. 

A strong muscular hand patted her on her thick heavily clad shoulder. She patted it in reply. Steel Gaze, one of the two minotaurs with them, had the most perceptive eyes of all five of the freedom fighters. His touch meant that he'd spotted a patrol through the curtain of frigid snow. Sona watched him reach the other way to pass on another warning. The five Freedom fighters, bundled up in layers upon layers of stolen and looted cloth until they looked like fat and shuffling rag monsters from a foals storybook, kicked their way of the warmth of their snow bank, fumbled to draw blades with either hand, mouth, or in sona's case, magic, and waddled down into the cleft.

Wind struck hard and fast as they came down into the narrow space between the rocks, howling billowing snow around and past them. Will Gold struggled to stay on his two feet as the wind tugged at the large hammer he bore on one shoulder. He'd crafted it from the remains of a mage's golem that he had took down with a falling tree shortly before the leaves began to fall. The fighters dug their holes and flopped down to a ready kneel, and waited as the snows streamed around and past them. As they settled into stillness, it cloaked them in concealing whiteness, making mere lumps and billows of snow in the storm as twelve earth ponies clad in patrol leathers came into view.

The first patrol pony's voice was carried over the wind as they drew within hearing range, "Ah Blast Wizards and mages..."

"You know better than to say that. Nor will I have any of that, in case you forgotten whom we are under the employ of Lord Sparkle." A second guardsman replied, his posture at ease as they trotted through the withering snowstorm.

A third guard replied, "Remember what happened the last time he caught someone badmouthing wizards?" a collective shudder, though not from the cold, ran through the group.

"I know, I know. But my hooves don't, they want to be back at the keep where the fire-" the first one began again but was cut off by the second one, presumably the captain of this small patrol.

"We all want to be back at the fires mate, though perhaps warming yourself with the slaughter of bandits will do ye' some good. That is, if your keen enough to spot any in this Celestia blasted storm."

"Perhaps..." Sunset spoke, letting her words carry around to them through the wind, "Celesta has other plans."

This drew out a deep chuckle from Duty, and as the guards heard the message it was already too late. From behind Steel Gaze and Will Gold both let out a ferocious roar scarring the ponies in the back, a pair of crossbow ponies to discharge their shots into the air and charged. This as a result lead to the others fanning out forward, right into the hooves of Sunset, Duty, and Sona. They rose from the snow like a vengeful group of ghosts, swords and scythe drawn to slash at the patrol ponies. In only a moment both crossbow wielding ponies and the three of their sword wielders were down, twitching, bleeding, and sobbing into the snow leaving the odds significantly improve as their five versus the six remaining. With a roar that would make a wolf proud, Will rammed his hammer down on another while his brother clubbed another pony into a fatal concussion. 

By now the remaining had drawn their swords and begun to draw in a circle parrying both Duty and Sunset as Sona worked one versus one against a third. The final one was a Pegasus who had to fight both minotaurs in the never ceasing blinding wind. With a badly aimed stab Sona tried to gore her opponent but failed as the guard parried and delivered a return blow nearly piercing her own defenses. Her swordsmanship was only two months in comparison to the years usually taken by each guardsman so she instead began to try to stall her opponent while the others cleared away the remaining members of the patrol. Driving the guard onwards as he saw a chance to bring down one of his ambushers.

A moment later and Will's hammer appeared and smashed the guard into a tree, leaving him headfirst inside the trunk and limp. Nodding her thanks she rejoined the two minotaurs in an attempt to catch the Pegasus. Not meters away the remaining earth bound guard was growing desperate against his duel between sunset's scythe and Duty's broadsword. When he looked back and saw the ground filled with ten of their dead and not one of the 'bandits' own, he panicked, running for the hills as the Pegasus was caught by Steel gaze in mid dive bomb and knocked into the ground. 

Seeing the fleeing guardsman Sona ran after the guard through the snow as fast as she could, the way that the freedom fighters had shown her, rocking comically from side to side like an intoxicated mule to keep from slipping in the light drifts. As slow as she was the guard was even slower, his hooves slipping in the potholes that marked the trail here, and he danced and stamped for footing, nearly falling head over tail repeatedly until he saw Sona approaching and leaned around to hack at the outlaw. Sona ducked back, letting the blade sing past and charged the stallion, sending her sword like an arrow into the Stallions neck. But still he didn't go down as she drew it out and she was barely able to parry as he slashed again, howling in muffled despair as the pain in his neck grew. Another stab sent the guard knocked over and spasming leaving Sona to shudder  as the stallion spasmed under her steel, and then flopped back into the snow, limp. A month ago she had discovered she had no love of killing... and it hadn't grown easier since. 

Yet it was slay or be slain in battle, Sona sprang away from the fallen guard with both her swords in grip and the guards own blade in her telekinetic field, glancing to and fro around for any reinforcements or hidden scouts until sunset came and got her. This was when 'outlaws' who'd grown tired of their fellows sometime made a mistake, under the cloak of a storming snow, and bring down someone who was not an guard of Equestria. 

Sona expected no such treachery from her friends . . . but only Discord knew the hearts of ponies. This band of freedom fighters made no war with common folk. Not wanting to bring down the wrath of mages on farmers and simple artisans whose crops and supplies sometimes served as warm beds and whose frozen and forgotten rooted plants which could save a freezing pony from starvation. The freedom fighters avoided their neighbors in the mountains. Even so, they had learned not to trust them due to more then one 'outlaw' having been taken down by over trusting a village too much only to be turned in for a mere fifty silver bits and the cold lesson to not trust anyone overmuch.  

Duty trotted up to her, blade put away in it's sheath and smiled like a colt on hearths warming eve, a cloud of vapor exiting his nose before he took in a breath to speak, "All dead; Son, ten guards and two archers . . . and a few of them were carrying full packs of food!"

Sonata grunted reply, starting to move towards the rest of their group, "No Unicorns?"

Duty chuckled and laid a strong hoof on Sona's shoulder. He left bloody marks,-- the gore of some guard he stepped in now lying cold in the snows. "Patience," he stated quite calmly, "If it's mages and wizards you want to slay, Kill enough patrols and by all means. The magical buckers will come." 

Sona gave an noncommitted grunt and went to aide with the looting though around them, the whistle of wind began to die. Curses came from all around; the Freedom Fighters knew they would have to work fast indeed if it turned cold and clear, for even the weaker mages posted at the keeps out here would be able to find them when the weather was cleared.

By the favor of some deity unknown, another hour of storm picked up moments later giving them enough time to head back to their cave fort with the spoils of their battle in tow, the snow quickly covering their tracks for them. They knew every slope in these mountains, and it was like remembering how to drive a cart to figure out where to go. With a subtle knock on disguised wood they heard, "Password?" from the other side to which sunset punched the door and stated with a bitter mocked anger, "It's bloody freezing out here Green Hoof, open the door."

"Close enough." the voice snarked in reply and a series of boards were pulled aside from their wall mounted locks and it swung open, allowing them to proceed inside the warmer confines of the wooden fort. After a few moments when everyone was inside and the door was reshut they began to sort out the various piles of loot around the large fire that heated the fort, occasionally as they warmed up near the fire, they would begin to take off a lot of their thick clothes until they no longer resembled giant ragged sheep but instead just heavily furred, only maintaining a quarter of the clothing they once had on.

"How's the other group anyway Green?" Sona inquired, there were three groups in total, a scout group the one she was referring to, which consisted of two Pegasus ponies, the raiding group, which was theirs and the home group which was Green and an elderly colt who would only let himself be referred as, 'Uncle Wiseword'. 

Green made a dismissive gesture, "They have yet to report back, The storm is probably making it a bit tough for them to get any intel from the populace. Give 'em an hour or two." 

"Hey Sona," Sunset acquired from across the campfire, "Mind playing a song to liven up this gloomy place before we try another practice run at your swordplay?"

"No problem about the song Sunset," she replied though her sore muscles from the trip made her reply, "Though do we have to do that? We just got back from a raid..."

"You know you have to Sona," Sunset chided, "For that you get double when the songs over."

Sona sighed in defeat earning a group round of chuckles and laughs in which Duty replied, "Strict as ever, eh Sunny?" 

The Pegasus blushed and turned to glare at Duty, "How many times have I told you not to call me that!"

Duty just laughed as she began to attack him with a discarded coat, "Did anypony ever tell you your cute when your angry?" he dodged a coat that went airborne as she threw it at him.

"Oh it is so on now," Sunny replied, moving forward with her wings to tackle Duty into a wrestling match while the group laughed, as they brawled Sona dutifully set up her piano and began to play.