One. Seven
Total War
“FIRE!” Captain Kuyaki ordered, the MAC cannons thundering on the Equestrian base behind Broken Horn, two Hyperion missiles finishing up what the MAC rounds missed. With the Equestrians near the UNSC ground base destroyed the Kabato was free to move on towards the next target, which was the city of Manehattan, which was a name disturbingly close to Earth’s Manhattan.
The destroyer lowered closer to the ground and Excalibur alerted the Marines to prepare for landfall. Pelicans were loaded, Longswords were launched, and the Equestrians in the streets were panicking. Soldiers of the Royal Guard were waiting, though they too were likely afraid of humanity’s power.
The Kabato settled to a stop and two dozen Archer missiles were fired into Manehattan, tearing the city asunder and softening it for human invasion. Equestrian military positions were easily spotted and blasted as well.
The Pelicans left the bays and headed straight for the city, Unicorn soldiers in the streets firing powerful magic at the dropships. Statistically speaking some Pelicans would get hit, and some did, but the offensive spells had little more of an effect than scorching the paint of the dropships they hit.
The dropships touched down and Marines poured out, their boots hitting the concrete as they rushed for cover. The skies were already darkening from the black smoke of fires raging in the city.
“You move fast or you die! Keep alert Marines; their swords and spells CAN hurt the unwary!” the Marine Master Sergeant declared, keeping his BR55 rifle shouldered firmly as the assault got underway. Equestrians ahead in the street stood waiting with their swords. Unicorns kept them gripped in their magic, but the earthen kind had fingered gauntlets secured to their hooves to adequately hold onto the bladed weapons.
“Engage!” the Master Sergeant ordered, taking aim with his battle rifle and opening fire, his Marines doing the same. The Equestrians scrambled to charge the humans, most of their numbers cut down immediately.
Practiced discipline saw the pony soldiers fall and the Marines unscathed, the humans reloading and proceeding down the street. The Marines had been ordered to secure and occupy Manehattan, the first city in Equestria, which would send a clear and bold message to the Equestrian leadership.
The Kabato hovered overhead, policing the relatively clear skies and delivering strikes upon large Equestian ground positions. The dual-strike was devastating to the extremely under-equipped ponies, and the Marines were already starting to sweep through the streets.
“Sir, Dragons have been spotted on the move towards Manehattan” Excalibur piped up, his avatar appearing on the plinth next to Kuyaki’s chair. True to his word Adam began to see the faint outlines of the beasts in the distance.
“Keep the point-defense cannons and the Archers armed. Let’s make sure the only thing the Marines have to worry about are swords and arrows” the Captain declared.
The external speakers were on and the entire bridge crew heard the lead Dragon shout, his voice carrying for miles. “Mur untamaiu faar wol draov lan onfaker reat!!”
“What did he say, Excalibur?” Adam asked.
“One moment, sir. I’m checking with the books that Steelbeak gave us... ‘Our unrelenting force will drive the invaders back’ were his exact words” the AI answered happily.
“I’ll show them unrelenting force. Fire the Archers! Lock one on each Dragon!” Adam ordered, watching the missiles streak away from the Kabato and bank off to chase their targets. Of the seven Dragons that came only three were hit, their bodies blown open and remains falling to the streets below.
“Excalibur, you got control of the 70mm’s. Keep those Dragons entertained” Adam stated, watching the battles play out.
“Sir, the Griffons have entered the city from the North. They’ve cut off any kind of retreat from the Equestrians” the communications officer announced.
“Good. Let them know that this is an extermination. All Equestrian military personnel are to be killed on sight. Let the civilians live unless they attempt to attack.”
A thud reverberated through the walls of the bridge, the monitors shaking a bit from the force. More heavy thuds like footsteps sounded through the roof of the bridge and the personnel looked up.
“Excalibur, turn the cameras on.”
The AI silently did as told and the main feed came on, half the view blocked by blackness. It was as if some large bird had landed on the roof of the bridge. “What the fuck is this? Is that a talon?” Adam questioned, trying to make out individual aspects of the video feed he was given.
The claw moved and the camera was knocked back, the lens catching the glimpse of a pointed black tail moving away, right towards the viewport.
Craning his neck down Adam and the rest of the crew saw the black dragon, the High Lord Aldurmaax, clambering into position in front of the bridge viewport, hanging down from the roof of the room separate from most of the ship. The mighty dragon opened his maw and unleashed a jet of flame, scorching and melting the thick glass of the viewport. The heavy glass and plexi-glass mix bubbled like boiling water but didn’t give way.
Seeing his flame breath didn’t work Aldurmaax raised his free hand and slammed on the weakened glass palm-open, his claws digging in the softened glass and cracking what was still hardened. Another open slap on the window caved and buckled it, but still it did not give. Putting in one final effort Aldurmaax closed his fist and cocked his arm back, driving it straight through the glass and shattering a hole as big as a Warthog in the viewport.
Recognizing Captain Kuyaki Aldurmaax pulled his head back and opened his mouth, preparing to flood the contained room with fire. His maw wide and open Adam pulled his M6D and opened fire, seven .50 caliber rounds pocking the dragon’s mouth and tongue. His head jerked from the heavy rounds, interrupting his fire spell.
Adam expended the magazine and reloaded, stepping beyond the command console towards the mighty beast and continuing to fire. Aldurmaax closed his mouth and the remaining bullets pinged off his hide and helmet, the dragon taking to the skies and circling around, opening his mouth and unleashing fire as he dove for the open wound on the bridge.
“EXCALIBUR! BLAST SHIELDS!” Kuyaki commanded, the heavy steel sliding into place just as Aldurmaax’s fire tested its heat-resistance.
“Replace forward view with camera feed” the Captain said, holstering his sidearm as he took his seat again. A video feed was projected onto the closed blast shield, allowing them all to see once more.
“Goddamn psycho came straight for the bridge. He’s quite ferocious, it seems” Adam exclaimed, putting one leg over the other. He saw Aldurmaax flying off with his compatriots.
“Open fire with the 70mm’s, Excalibur. Do your best to put them all down.”
The chorus of heavy gunfire was dulled by the thick hull, sounding like big drums being beat by a hundred tribesmen. The AI kept an eye on all angles of the ship to make sure no other Dragons snuck up on them like Aldurmaax did.
Checking up on the ground status Adam was pleased to learn that the Marines and Griffons were pinching the Equestrians hard between them, and that civilian casualties had been extremely low. The ground-pounders almost had the situation under control down there, and now it was just up to the Kabato to clear the skies.
Missiles and 70mm bullets clogged the skies and harassed the Dragons who had become occupied with attempting to avoid these attacks. It didn’t take long for three more to fall, leaving just Aldurmaax and one other Dragon, both of which quickly retreated.
“Good work, Excalibur. Make sure the Marines and Griffons on the ground get the city on lockdown and spare any reinforcements they need. We’re going to hold on to Manehattan until Equestrian military presence is null and void down there” Kuyaki stated.
“Yes, sir.”
-=-=-=-=-
“Tell me about the dragon leader, High Lord Aldurmaax” Adam asked Steelbeak as they sat on the bridge of the Kabato, the two drinking a special blend of Griffon coffee. Adam thought it’d be perfect for UNSC soldiers to stay awake since it was almost like a pure shot of energy in your bloodstream.
“He holds the highest title a dragon can hold in their hierarchy. And he’s a zealous believer in the dragon religion” the Griffon Chancellor explained. “He leads the dragons with courage and honor, and enforces the idea that all dragons should be willing to sacrifice their souls to their God, De’mah Tokam.”
“Who exactly is their God?” Adam inquired, folding his arms over his chest.
“Only the dragons know. All the other races have gleaned is that their God, a being known as De’mah Tokam, descended from the heavens thousands upon thousands of years ago and led the dragons to victory during a cripplingly deadly war against the Equestrians, and eventually us. In the end, though, the Equestrians were victorious, and after that the Dragons became fiercely loyal to the ponies” Steelbeak answered.
“Fascinating. Looks like the Dragons take sides with those who best them in war. So their God, De’mah, was an actual living being?”
“Most Gods of the races of this planet were. The Equestrian Princesses are Goddesses, still breathing and leading their subjects. They’re worshipped heavily by most of ponykind. The God of the Griffons was actually the first of our kind. She was a fierce lioness, if the books are to be believed. Many a bird wanted to bed her, but she wouldn’t allow any. Finally one stole her heart, and out came the first Griffon.”
“Only on Equus would I find a story of interspecies romance believable” Kuyaki chuckled.
“HAH! Indeed!” Steelbeak exclaimed, taking a drink of his coffee. “So! How goes our campaign against the Equestrians?”
Adam nodded and leaned back. “Now, Manehattan is under our control. We’re bowling over the Equestrians, but the dragons are picking up the slack. We can absolutely crush ground forces, but I have to take the Kabato to every battle to make sure the dragons don’t smash my men to pieces. Aldurmaax was even so bold, or foolhardy, to directly attack my ship. He melted the front viewport open for God’s sake!” the Captain explained.
“I noticed that. We can forge glass that can withstand the intense heat of a dragon’s fire breath if you’d like” Steelbeak commented.
“Good. We’re gonna need it. So now that Manehattan’s under our control we need to move on the next Equestrian city. Excalibur, what’s the next closest pony city?” Adam inquired.
“Cloudsdale, sir. A floating city of clouds.”
“What the-- Fine, put us on a course for it.”
-=-=-=-=-
Aldurmaax braked himself as he approached high Canterlot Tower, flapping his wings to slow his speed. The massive dragon perched himself on the balcony outside Princess Celestia’s room, craning his neck to look in. The Goddess of the sun had awoken at the racket Aldurmaax had made, and was slowly walking over to the open door.
“What is it?” Celestia asked.
“Manehattan has fallen, and the humans are assuredly making a move on the next city in their path. Several of my wing-kin have fallen on this day, but I damaged the human ship” the High Lord explained.
Celestia sighed and sat down on her haunches, pondering her situation and options. “Well, there’s not much we can do except continue to stand against humanity’s onslaught.”
“And should they make it all the way to Canterlot?” Aldurmaax suggested.
“We will continue to stand. Shining Armor and the Dawnguard can keep my family safe, and the rest of the army will stand valiantly.”
“My dragons will continue to stand with honor and courage. Even should we fail in the end, we will have stood with bravery against the inexorable destruction. Divine help us, though” Aldurmaax declared, looking to the sky. De’mah may be long gone, but Aldurmaax firmly believed he would help them someday.
One way, or another, he would help them.