//------------------------------// // The Heroes of the Past // Story: The Bronze guard // by Monkofnimic //------------------------------// Historical event of the First Battle of portae inferi BC (Before. Celestia.) 031 Under the Rule of the Creator Faust the Great “The 32nd battalion of the Bronze Guard was the only battalion that was active and ready to face the onslaught of the ferocious monster of the Griffin Empire. Before the battle of portae inferi the leader, Commander Iron Shield of the 32nd give a chilling speech to his fellow guards of 200,000 strong. Lucky enough his speech was recorded by a young lieutenant so that it might be passed down to generation to generation. Now will look on how the Commander Iron shield rallies his troops of the 32nd”. “The night sky was cover with falling stars that was shot down upon the equines and fallen corpses of our brothers of the skies toward the broken dark earth. We saw how our stallions retreats with their tails between their legs as they run away from the monster of the North. I look to my left and my right; I see my equines tremble with fear on how our friend, our brother, and sister were being slaughter by the demons. You can see it in their eyes that they were not born for this, that it was a mistake to take part in this Great War, this war to be seen as a nation. Some begin to talk of desertion and crying against their gods for putting them there in the first place, but one stallion who was still with silence look at the enemy with determination and pride. He then began to move in front of the ranks and look at his fellow kind. He was quite, looking at us with sorrow and sympathy. Then he began to smile, what he does next will hunt my dream for the rest my life and maybe the next as well. ~~~~~~＊~~~~~~~ “MY BROTHERS, SISTERS, MOTHERS, SONS, AND FATHERS, STAND TALL!!!” We stop talking and complete follow his voice of command. “My name is Iron Shield Commander of this 32nd Bronze Guard. I see that many of you are scared and frighten of our enemies. It like we are looking at monster that came out of Tartarus itself. They were born and rise to be killers, they revolutionize killing as a sport. They hunt, fight, and kill without remorse on which they kill. Yet here we are looking at them face first at our enemy knowing that they are born for this moment. Where are nothing like them we are not bred for war, or train our skill in the art of killing. Yet here we are facing them knowing or fate, knowing that we pick up the spear to face these beasts of the North. Now I see some of your calm down knowing that I smack some sense back why we are fighting, BULLY I say.” Some of us began to chuckle at his remark. “See you laugh where death waits for you and me. Some of you are angry that our Goddess put us in front of the gate of Tartarus, and begging of mercy is not being answer. That you my live for another day, or see your love one, or give you the strength to make through this damnation of war. I pray to my Goddess as well, but not for mercy or the strength to survive this war. I and you should not ask this thing from our Goddess. What you should do is give thanks to your Goddess that she put you here. We are here because she knows we are ready to face these honorable warriors of the North. She gave us this challenge to see if we have the right to be here in this world. To see if we can hold our ground against our enemy who dare to point their spears at us.” We look toward him feeling slightly calm from his word of motivation. “I see some of you are still scared, but some of you I can see the fire in your eyes to prove we have a right to live in this world. Then let us go, head first into hell itself and lets us greet the great demons with our spears and shields”. We all cheered to his cry of fearlessness toward the enemy. “So I ask, if you will not fight for the equines to your left out to your right then fight for you love one, and let them have another day not worrying that war will reach their hoof steps, and let them have another wonderful night of peace. If your still have doubts in your mind then stay here and live another day and let them conquer our land and destroy our homes”. This catches our attention, how can we be scared at time like this when our families at home are in danger from the horrors of war. “If these still does not motivate you to move forward then, follow me, watch as I take the enemies alone! Watch as fireballs curve with fear and arrows bounce off me. Watch as I defeat them, and watch as I take them out single handle by myself. I instinct that you come with me, and watch me as I drive my spear into the enemy and drive them back to where they came!!”. We all look at him as if he went mad. He then put on his helmet and pick up our colors of our nation. “Has he gone mad?” He begins to laugh like one, and look at us with a fatherly smile. “Neigh if have not gone mad, BUT I HAVE ACCEPTED MY FAITH, MY QUESTIONS IS DO YOU!!!” We look at him for a cold hard minute. Then suddenly the ground begins to shake then we hear the roar of the 200,000 hoof soldier of the 32nd Bronze guard answering the call of their fearless leader. He then look with us with pride and look down to scorch earth and mouth something that we could not hear, but to this day I believe he thank us that we were willing to fight with this stallion all the way to the gate of tartarus. “Forward advance!!”, before we began following the order he said one last thing to us, “If I go forward, follow me! If I fall back Kill me where I stand, but if I die on this day... AVENGE ME... AVENGE ME!!!” The last horn for battle was called and we started move forward toward our enemy. We were all smiling that day knowing that we will be remembered in history as fools who charge toward their death. CHARGE!!! ~~~~＊~~~~ For the next 5 days the 32nd have been fighting against the well train Griffin for land for hopes to keep the other opponent out of their homeland. They push on towards the Capital of the Griffin Empire hoping that this could bring more time for a true standing army can be built and have a stronger defense against the griffins. They succeeded in the operation, but sadly Commander Iron shield died on the 4 day of battle. He was surrounded by 8 bowmen and each of their arrows has taste the flesh of the Commander. His last word were, “~sigh~ I guess I’m not arrow proof. Bully.” He died on a beautiful day; there were no cloud in the beautiful spring afternoon that could be seen that day. It is said that he died with a smile on his face. Out of the 200,000 that went to hold off the Griffin only 15,000 came back the rest were either killed or capture. The POW's were sent to gulags to manufacture weapons of war for the Griffins. Very few actually survived their time over there. Yet there dying detection help give time for the ponies of Equestria to build a strong military force to hold off the griffon invaders. They also put a dent on the Griffon armies as well. They took over 400,000 Griffons with them before they were defeated by the worthy opponents. Thanks to the efforts of the Bronze Guard the government of Equestria and the Griffins Empire sign a peace agreement which Equestria is now seen as a Sovereign Nation. For the next 1,500 years the nation will not face war against any other nation thank to the efforts of the Bronze Guards. As there dying dedication will bring fear to other nations. Knowing that they won't go down without a fight. They will always be known as the heroes of Equestria.