//------------------------------// // 9 Greenskins! // Story: The War in Equestria. // by BluesyTreble //------------------------------// The majestic night Luna raised was soft and calming, unlike herself. Stars lay scattered all over her beautiful night, glittering and winking. The trees of the Everfree Forest swayed and rustled in the gentle breeze. The silence was broken by a rhythmic thumping. Torches flickered, their light revealing axes, hammers, maces and spears in gigantic quivers held by grim-faced emerald-skinned creatures who marched, their numbers so large the ground quaked under their stomping feet. The bulky creatures carried a giant flag of deep red and black, marching without a word. Leaving countless four-toes footprints, they marched the path leading out of the forest. And towards Ponyville. "Oh dear!" Fluttershy locked and bolted her door, blowed her candles and oil-lamps out and continued peeping out of her window at the massive columns of Orcs marching past, they marched twenty abreast, trampling on her crops to keep their formation. She shivered in fear, unsure of what to do. Her animals kept silent too, staring at their timid friend sitting on her rump looking out the window. Ponyville was sleeping, save for the handful of guards patrolling the streets. The ground started to gently quake. "Battle Born! Do you feel the ground beneath us shaking?" A nervous white Unicorn asked, darting his grey-maned head toward the Earth pony beside him. "I do, what's going on?" As if in answer, a long spear shot through the air to lodge in the dirt and gravel paved ground. "Whose is that?!" Battle Born called, trying to sound brave. A roar split the chill air, followed by many others, joining in a savage and brutal chorus that nearly deafened the guards and woke Ponyville up. Lights flickered on, different colored faces peeking out for a look before locking and bolting their doors at the sight of the Orcish Army charging into Ponyville. The guards gathered into a schiltrom formation, knowing they were vastly outnumbered, charged, rushing blindly toward their doom. The guards were only a volunteer force, made up of action craving adolescents and old veterans from the Royal Canterlot Army. "SPIKE!" Twilight, witnessing the Orcs slaughter the poorly trained guards called for her dragon assistant. Spike hopped down the stairs, waddling toward the window. "Yes Twilight?" "Spike! Take a note! Quick!" The purple dragon produced a piece of rolled-up parchment with a quill within its rolls. "My dearest Princess Celestia, Please send help! Ponyville is being besieged even as we speak by Orcs from the Everfree Forest, lives are being lost, so time is of the essence." Spike's quill quivered and shook as he wrote hastily to keep up with Twilight. "Got it?" Twilight asked, her eyes fastened onto the sight of the disorganised melee that had now fought its way into the town square. "Yes Twilight!" "Send it! Quick!" The dragon drew in his breath, his little chest expanding dramatically, and blew, bright green flames enveloping the letter. The smoke floated quickly out the window. Within a minute, small groups of Royal Equestrian Army stallions-at-arms and Unicorn magi arrived in their twenties, the stallions-at-arms rushing into the melee while the magi hung back, casting destruction spells at the green-skinned brutes who threw themselves at the pony lines, threatening to rout the lines and swarm the town in a tide of pillage, massacre, and rape. "Applejack! Geddup sis!" Big Mac gave the bed a kick, waking up his blond-maned sister who jumped out of bed. "What's that fer, Big Mac!" The mare got up and stared irritably at her big brother. "'Ah heard there be a big battle in the middle of the town square! It seems them Orcs are attackin' Ponyville!" Big Mac practically shouted at Applejack, waking up Ralf. Big Mac repeated his sentence at the drowsy archer, who perked up instantly and snatched up his bow, pulling his mail on. After slipping on his surcoat he picked up his bag of arrows and shoved past Applejack and Big Mac, running toward the town square, not wanting the Rape of Soissons which occurred just last year to happen to Ponyville. Ralf was part of the archer units which failed to defend the garrison, and narrowly escaped the massacre the French infamously commited. Terence was sitting at a fire, cooking some apple stew. The archer dragged him along, repeating what Big Mac had told him and Applejack. Terence pulled away to don his helmet. He grabbed his sword and buckler before following Ralf. "Go, Terence! Hold the line!" Instructed Ralf, pausing to string his great yew bow. The man-at-arms nodded and continued towards the town square. Ralf now wished his unit of archers were with him.