Near the edge of large fortress city of Manehattan, there is a group of Whitegold Militia waiting patiently by the large steel gates. The ponies were doing their usual business, such as drinking, playing games, and talking.
The ones that were talking are discussing the task that they were assigned with. Just hours ago, this group of militia were just resting in the barracks, when suddenly orders came and were told to wait by the gate.
Their conversation led to the topic of what the mission was. They know that is has something to with going outside, otherwise why else would they be waiting at the gate. They all assume that some merchant guy just want protection as goes out and do his business.
As the group of militia continue wait, a carriage was heading towards them. This wasn't a ordinary carriage, this one was painted in bright purple coloring and had pieces of gold and diamond sticking outside.
If this type of carriage was to ever leave the safety and protection of the city, you're just basically asking the bandits come and attack you.
However, it wasn't the fancy look transport that got all the ponies attention. Rather it was the two armored stallions that were covering both sides of the carriage.
The ponies on streets eyed these two stallions with awes on their faces. The Praetorponies are the elite warriors that serves as personal body guards for certain important ponies. They are quite the sight to see, trotting around, wearing their gold plated armors with chain mail under them.
When got near to the gate with the group of militia ponies, the ponies there gawked at them and lined up, to present themselves.
The pony pulling the carriage halted, the door on the side opened, revealing a tan brown unicorn with pale yellow hair and a white streak. Fifteen years ago this this stallion was known to be a great travel writer. But, ever since the war started, traveling became dangerous and now Trenderhoof switch profession and became a merchant.
The tall thin stallion got out of his carriage and waited for one of militia to come up to him. A second later a yellow earth pony trotted up the brown unicorn.
“Greeting Mr. Trenderhoof.” He greeted him. “I am Captain Sunwell and these are my troops.” He pointed his hoof back at the other militia ponies.
“Greeting to you too, good captain.” Trenderhoof responded respectively. “How are your wife and kids?”
“Oh they're doing good, thanks for asking.”
While the two converse with each other, one of his subordinate was quite surprise of the scene that is transpiring right in front of him. From the first he started this job, Private Coal always have to deal with some snobby upper class pony.
To actually see one being all friendly is really rare, the only other pony he knows that shows kindness to the lower class is General Fancy Pants.
After their talk, Captain Sunwell trotted back to the group. “Listen up guys, Trenderhoof is meeting someone outside these walls. And as such we will tag along for his protection.” Everypony nodded in response.
“Alright then, Open the gate!” He shouted to the guards on top.
A few seconds later the steel gate started to rise up, allowing the group entry. All the militia guards surrounded the carriage and they all moved out at the same time. When they passed through, the gate immediately closed right behind them.
The group trotted along the dirt road, following the direction Trenderhoof gave to the driver. As they were traveling the militia guards talked among themselves, to pass the time. Some even tried to talk to the two Praetorponies, but only got either short answers or silence.
Despite their none talkative attitude they became the subject of talk amongst the ponies. They tell each other about what they know about the Praetorponies and how awesome they are. Private Coal however, doesn't share his comrade's view.
To him these so called elite guards are just ponies with better perks. Sure they are well trained, but do they ever put it to good use, no they don't. The Praetorponies mostly reside in the rich parts of Manehattan.
Because of this, those elite guards rarely face the danger the normal militia ponies have to deal with everyday. They are mostly place in the slums of the city, places litter with crime of every kind. Each day is they worried whether of not they will live to see the next day.
Watching how these guys live in luxury while he and the rest of the lower class all lived in poverty. This created a deep hatred for the upper class ponies. However, as a soldier he learned to bottle up his emotion and never allow it to affect his duty.
The group of guards continued their journey through hostile land. Even though they are still in Whitegold territory, outside the city's walls there are numerous bandits, mercenaries, and diamond dogs that will not hesitate to attack travelers.
Suddenly a spear was tossed and impaled deep into the ground before them, the group halted upon seeing the sharp weapon. Hearing the noise of rustling leaves, the ponies found themselves surrounded by bandits.
The bandits wield variety of weapons, from swords to clubs, the ponies were all eager to attack the small group. Then one stallion came out of the group of bandits and made his demands.
“Alright lads listen up, I don't want any bloodshed, so how about you all dropped your weapons!” The bandit leader said.
The militia ponies were worried, they were about to respond when all of the sudden, one of the bandits got shot. Apparently one of the Praetorponies shot and killed a bandit with his magic.
“So it's gonna be like that huh!” The bandit leader yelled angrily. “Get em boys!”
All of the surrounding bandits charges at the group. While the elite praetorponies were holding on their own, the militia were having trouble. Occasionally the militia pony would be ganged up by two or three bandits.
Private Coal was fighting against two stallions, one armed with a sabre, the second with a spear. The young private held his own, but was knocked down by the pony with the spear.
Before he could finish Coal off, the stallion was suddenly crushed by a shield. The bandit with the sabre was caught off guard and was swiftly bashed by the same shield.
Looking up, Coal spotted the pegasus praetorponies carrying a bloody shield. He gave the private a glance before leaving him.
The private got and saw that the battle over, bodies of the bandits cover the dirt ground, including their leader. Looking at his comrades, he saw that no one died, injured, but not dead.
Instead of celebrating like what the other ponies were doing, he angrily trotted towards his savior. Trotting right in front of the stallion, he was going to give him a piece of his mind.
“What the hell was that?” He angrily said.
“You're welcome.” The pegasus praetorpony responded harshly, seeing that the pony was ungrateful for his rescue.
“Don't give me that crap.” Coal replied quickly. “I wouldn't be that situation if your partner didn't shot that guy.”
“And what do you suggest, surrender ourselves.”
“We could have talked things through.”
“Please, Private the bandits weren't interested in talking. Didn't you see it in their eyes, those bastards were going to kill us.”
Coal wanted to argue back, but stopped. He knew that the guy was right, that those bandits would have surely killed them. With nothing to say the private stepped aside and allow the stallion through.
As the praetorpony pass the private, he grumbled something to him. “Next time, you can save you own sorry ass.”
While low, the private heard every word of it and glared at the pony. He then joined with the rest of the group and continued to their destination.
An hour passed and the group found themselves in large barren spot. No trees or plants, just a lot of rocks and dirt. They waited there for a while, most not sure why they are waiting.
Trenderhoof said that he is meeting someone in this exact place.
Everypony waited for a minute, then that was when they arrived. Diamond dogs, all armored up and wielding weapons. From looking at these mutts, you can tell that they were a more organize force, compared to their wild brothers. Their armor were well polished and clean, and their blades shine from the sun's rays.
One of the dog, a large bipedal canine with armor and red cape, walked up to the group. He raised both hands up, showing that he wasn't holding any weapons.
“Greeting ponies.” The alpha dog greeted them. “Trenderhoof said that he is to meet me here.”
Upon saying that name, the brown stallion got out of the carriage and eyed the dog. “Hello SilverFang, did you finally made up your mind?”
The dog's yellow eyes moved towards the unicorn. “Yes, but before I signed the contract I would like to discuss it further in my hut.”
“Very well then,” Trenderhoof step out of the carriage. “Captain I trust that your troops can stay here and guard my ride.”
“Yes, Trenderhoof my boys can handle it.” Capt Sunwell replied.
The stallion nodded and followed the dog to his hut, his two elite guards were right behind him.
With them gone, this left the militia ponies and the diamond dog troops by themselves. Private Coal was getting a bad feeling about all this.
He remembered hearing stories of these vicious beast, heard tales of them brutally butchering ponies and devouring them. Now to actually see them this close, they were even more threatening in person then in the description.
The Private looked at one of the dogs, this one was just standing with his fellow colleagues. Then suddenly the sound of dog howl alerted everyone. The ponies wondered that was and the dogs were preparing themselves.
One of the mutts threw his spear and hit one of ponies. This surprise attack was noticed by everypony and they went in defensive stance. The dogs charged at them from all sides.
While highly trained, the militia were no match against the ferocity of diamond dog, especially ones in a large group.
They tried their best, but soon they taken down.. Half got really injured, the other half died. Private Coal once again found himself pinned down by an enemy. Looking up the dog raised his dagger above the pony. Just before he could bring it down, a shield came out of nowhere and struck the large canine.
The beast fell off his prey, leaving Coal free from his killer. Quickly grabbing his weapon with his mouth, the private stabbed the blade into the down dog. Twisting his weapon, the dog made one final yelp before he died.
After slaying the dog, Coal at the shield that knocked his would be killer off him. Recognizing it as the same shield that pegasus praetorpony used.
Turning his head around, Coal spotted the stallion getting ganged up by five diamond dogs. He fending them off pretty well, but he'll need weapon, otherwise he's done for.
Picking up the shield, the young stallion swung it in their direction. The twirling shield the back of a dog's head, the sound of bone breaking can be heard for those who were near. The shield then bounced off the head and was caught in midair by the pegasus stallion.
He then brought the shield down hard, onto the head of a dog. The praetorpony then swing the shield around, smacking two dogs and blocking one dog's attack. The pony then bash with his shield and finished him off with a stomp of his hoof.
One dog tried to attack him from behind, but was impaled by a spear. Turning around the stallion saw that Private Coal was the one who through the spear. With only one dog left, the stallion did a quick bash, knocking him to the ground. He then beheaded the mutt by using the sharp edge of the shield on his neck.
The battle was over, the ponies have won. Despite how things were going from the beginning the arrival of the Praetorponies totally changed everything. The militia suffered some losses, but it was expected in a battle.
When everything quieted down, everypony noticed the blood covered Trenderhoof, sombrely trotted to Captain Sunwell. He apologizes for the dogs deception, and regretted the lost life it caused. The Captain assured him that he didn't know that these mutts wouldn't betray them.
Apparently the meeting was about getting these dogs to sign an agreement about guarding a new trade route for the house. Things didn't go as plan and this lead to the bloodshed.
Trenderhoof ordered all wounded ponies into his carriage, he would like to trot along with everyone else.
Nopony argued and soon the fancy carriage was loaded with injured ponies. Private Coal was still anger by the brown stallion for causing all this, but knew that he felt terrible about, so he won't make him feel any worse.
By the time they arrived back to Manehattan the sun was already starting to set. Once they were inside, the carriage was taken to the nearby hospital, the militia went back to the barracks, and Trenderhoof and his two guards went back to their district.
Just before the pegasus praetorpony was about to leave, he was stopped by the young private.
“What do you want?” The elite guard question, not wanting to deal with this guy anymore.
“I just wanted to say thanks.” He answered. “I know you have saved me twice today and I treated like crap, so I'm sorry for my attitude.”
The praetorpony stared at the private for a bit, until he spoke. “Well you were in trouble I decided to help you.” The stallion then trot around the private continue his trot.
“You know I wrong about you.” Coal said to him, getting the pegasus to stop in his track. “At first I though you were one those rich snobs that doesn't care about the little guy and that you elite guards are only in it for the perks.”
“Well private you aren't exactly wrong.” The stallion then turn to face the private. “Most ponies are like that, wealthy ponies living in luxury while ponies like you live in the poor slums. Then you got the ponies who only became praetorponies so that they can abuse their new authority. However, that is going to change when I am in charge of things.”
“What do you mean?” Coal asked.
“When I take control of the Praetorponies, I'll reshape them into the proper elite force that they were meant to be.”
“That seems impossible.”
“Give it time private, in a few years the Praetorponies will truly be the elite guards the house wanted.” The pegasus then resume his trot back to his home.
“Wait I never got your name!”Coal shouted.
“It's Sentry, Flash Sentry.”