“We should move.”
Glorious Dawn looked up from his crouched position atop the rocky outcropping, glancing back at his soldiers, frowning. “We’ve been tasked with holding this position for the time being. Until new orders come, we’ll stay here.”
Roam stepped forward out of the ranks of the militia members, his blue tabard emblazoned with the Solar Crest clashing with his dusty orange coat and blond mane. “I’m aware of our orders, sir, but if you’d direct your attention away from the griffon squadron in front of us, you’ll notice that the western lines are already moving forward.”
Sighing, Dawn slid down from his perch and landed on all fours, his chainmail hauberk rattling as he stood tall before Roam. “I hadn’t noticed.”
Roam smirked wryly. “You were focused. See anything worth mentioning?”
Dawn gave Roam a nod, and turned to address his soldiers. “It’s starting. We’re advancing with the western front, pushing north. This is what we’ve been fighting for, what we’ve been dying for,” Roam paused, glancing at the haggard faces of his ponies, their damaged tabards, taking in their demeanor before continuing. “We’re facing a formation of forty griffons, defending the hill opposite. We’ll advance down into the valley and then push upward. They look to be well dug in, and I saw crossbows, so we’ll need to keep a close formation, unicorns at the fore with shields.”
His men straightened up, gathering close and muttering amongst themselves as they checked their gear and tightened the straps on their armor in final preparation. Dawn continued to speak. “I don’t need to tell you how important this is. This stretch of hills leads to the bluffs, and then the beach. This is the most heavily fortified positions that the griffons occupy, and their last beachhead. If we succeed, we’ll have effectively won the war. Without this beachhead, their remaining forces are cut off, unable to be supplied, and they will have no choice but to abandon their campaign against Equestria.”
Dawn paused as his men arranged themselves, preparations done, forming up as he’d ordered. Dawn looked to Roam, nodding to the earth pony. “Anything to add, lieutenant?”
Roam smiled at his unicorn commander. “I’m just ready to have this done.”
Dawn nodded, grabbing his helmet from a nearby rock and tossing his white mane out of his eyes as he secured it in place. “Excellent. For Equestria and Celestia!”
The soldiers, some seventy ponies, cheered, lifting their weapons in salute. “For Equestria and Celestia!”
Dawn turned away from his soldiers as the militia formed ranks, looking to the south expectantly. A few moments later, a pegasus wearing a red tabard flew overhead and dove down, landing in front of him. The cyan-coated pegasus mare with a two-toned red and yellow mane saluted to Dawn. “Captain Glorious Dawn, sir. Orders are to advance north and engage the enemy. Celestia is about to enact the spell to ground the fliers, so the Fourth and Sixth Cloudsdale Companies will be advancing on-foot to your east, bolstering the attack.”
“What of the First and Second Cloudsdale Companies?” asked Dawn, returning the salute.
“Held in reserve, sir.”
Dawn frowned. “Damn. I suppose there’s a good reason.”
“I’ll be liaising with you throughout the battle, sir, relaying orders. Lance Corporal Radiance, at your command,” the mare saluted.
“You’re fast on the ground, then? Usually when Celestia grounds the fliers with her spell, she uses earth pony runners.”
Radiance smirked, “I’m always fast, sir. I’ll manage. Anyway, the earth pony reserves are being called up to work as battlefield triage,” her voice lowered to a whisper, “because High Command is expecting a high number of casualties.”
Dawn’s ears flattened and he scowled, his jaw clenching as he cast a glance back at his soldiers. “Very well, then. Carry on, Lance Corporal. We’ll begin our advance at once.”
As Radiance flew back south, towards the secondary lines and High Command, Dawn reached down to his neck, withdrawing a small pendant, and tapped the blue gem set inside it. It began to sparkle, glowing faintly. Roam glanced at Dawn. “I hope Amber is all right. If the earth pony reserves are being called up, she might end up near the front lines.”
Dawn placed a hoof on his lieutenant’s shoulder reassuringly. “She’ll be acting as battlefield triage. They’re supposed to stay clear of the fighting, assisting the injured and pulling them clear. Amber will be fine.”
Roam nodded. “Thank you, sir.”
The two parted ways, and Dawn placed himself in the center of the leading formation, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with his fellow Unicorns. Their horns shimmered as one as they lifted heavy tower shields into place, both in front of and above their leading ranks, giving themselves and the ponies behind them come cover. Behind the lines of unicorns, Roam organized the earth ponies, all of whom gripped long spears.
“Ponies of the Seventh Canterlot Reserve…Advance!”
The formation of ponies maneuvered out from the cover of the hillside, pushing forward over the crest of the ridge and into the valley at a careful pace. Dawn watched from the slits between their raised shields as the griffons moved into a careful formation, skirmishing griffon warriors with crossbows advancing forward of their lines and snapping off shots at their advancing formation. Dawn shifted his shield, catching a crossbow bolt and deflecting it harmlessly away. A few resounding thuds rattled through the formation as the front ranks defended their fellows from the crossbow bolts.
“Here we go,” Dawn murmured as the gap between the two groups shrunk away.
Princess Celestia was inside her pavillion, sitting at the head of a massive floor map. She was dressed in silvery armor, worked with fine gold filigree in sunburst patterns. Her ethereal mane draped down her back, secured with two golden ringlets that kept the usually free-floating strands of her hair behind her. She staring down at the floor map as a unicorn mage animated it with a magic spell. The map was a glowing representation of the true terrain: rolling hills giving way to long, seaside bluffs and cliffs, and then a stretch of beach.
Blue lights, representing her captains, shimmered into being on the map as the captains in the field activated their magical location pendants, giving a stronger battlefield picture of the positioning of her troops. The unicorn mage focused, sweating, as a second mage joined him, adding another spell to his own. The blue lights began to shift to different colors, representing different units, as the High Captains began to discuss the unfolding strategy and point out which units were which. Finally, red points of light shimmered into being, representing the last-known locations of all the Griffon formations.
“The Fifth Manehattan Company is pushing forward too fast. Send a runner to tell them to halt and wait for the eastern advance to join them.”
“Sixth Canterlot Company is advancing steady.”
“Seventh Canterlot is moving as well. That’s the last of the western thrust. It’s officially begun.”
A pegasus commander moved into the tent. “Princess Celestia, Captains, all of my messengers are reporting ready status from the field. The Pegasus foot units are moving into position to join the front lines, and the reserves are standing ready.”
Princess Celestia gave the commander a curt nod. “Very well. I suppose it is time.”
Standing, Celestia spread her wings wide, her golden aura shimmering as she enacted a powerful spell. The air throughout the tent suddenly grew hot, almost feeling heavy. A few of the pegasus High Captains who had been hovering suddenly found themselves struggling to stay in the air, finally being forced to land as Celestia’s focus on the spell increased. The Princess grimaced slightly as she completed the spell, blanketing the area for miles around in a shroud of magic. She sat down again, maintaining the spell with little apparent exertion, and cracked her eyes open. “It is done. The gryphons are grounded, as are any flying creature. I hope it will be enough to give our brave ponies the edge in this battle.”
The High Commanders looked to Celestia expectantly. She nodded to them. “For Equestria.”
The call was echoed throughout the tent. “For Equestria and Celestia!”
The final push had begun.