//------------------------------// // Hurt // Story: The Final Push // by PropMaster //------------------------------// With a coughing gasp, Glorious Dawn’s eyes snapped open as a sulfuric scent invaded his nostrils, choking him slightly. He scrunched them closed again almost immediately as a dull throbbing pain shuddered along his haunch, groaning slightly. “Welcome back to the land of the livin’, Captain,” a soft voice said. Glorious Dawn peeked one eye open cautiously, still coughing slightly. Amber sat in front of him, one hoof clenched around a vial of smelling salts. Glorious Dawn closed his eye, grunting slightly as he shifted his position slightly, but a pair of strong hooves held him in place. “Don’t you move now, Captain. Amber just finished closing up your haunch.” Glorious Dawn relaxed as Red Roam’s familiar voice rang in his ears, and after a moment Dawn managed to croak, “All right.” “You’re very lucky, Captain. We pushed in here as quick as we could after somepony sent up the signaling flare, just in time to see that you were in the middle of a pitched battle. The Fourth Company arrived about the same time that we did and routed the griffons with their charge. Scattered them back to the beach,” Amber said, tucking away the vial of smelling salts and moving around to inspect the bandages on Glorious Dawn’s haunch and leg. Glorious Dawn nodded, wincing as his head throbbed slightly in response to the movement. “What’s our status?” he breathed. “Not good. We’re down to thirty ponies. The Royal Guard unit took a lot of casualties, they’re reporting at being down to about half strength after they pulled that stunt that saved our hides. Seventy or so of ‘em still up and kickin’.” Glorious Dawn exhaled slowly, feeling a shiver run down his spine. “Thirty?” “Yep.” Glorious Dawn lay still for a moment, before shifting and sitting up, grunting as his haunch throbbed in protest. Amber and Red Roam reached for him, but he pushed them away, opening his eyes to survey the area. Torches had been brought in and lit the area, revealing the carnage of the nearby battlefield. Pony and griffon corpses lay where they had fallen, surrounded by the detritus of the battlefield. The ground had been churned to mud and raw earth where the fighting had been the thickest. The Royal Guards were working to carefully pull their dead away from the piles of bodies, lining them up in peaceful repose. The ponies of the Fourth Company worked around them as well, working to clear out the fallen of their own unit as well as those of the Seventh Reserve Company. Glorious Dawn closed his eyes, shutting out the imagery, for a moment, then focused on Amber. “How many could you save?” “Over two dozen ponies are being shipped back to the rear,” Amber said, gesturing to a line of stretchers and attending medical ponies. Glorious Dawn nodded solemnly. Red Roam cleared his throat and spoke up. “Sir, there’s more.” Glorious Dawn chuckled grimly, and gestured for Red Roam to continue.  Red Roam glanced back towards the Fourth Company and Royal Guards for a moment, before he spoke. “Major Stonewall was killed leading the charge to our aid, and the Fourth lost the majority of their command staff. Legate Five Star has appointed you as acting commander of the Fourth Company, and ordered the Seventh and Fourth to be integrated immediately, and to act alongside his company of Royal Guards.” Glorious Dawn’s ears folded back, shock writ large across his muzzle. “The Major is… He... I don’t know how I deserve such an honor.” “Captain, beggin’ your pardon, but you aren’t fit enough to fight. You’ve suffered a pretty bad wound,” Amber stated gently. Red Roam glanced at Amber, then turned his gaze to Glorious Dawn. “You could go with her, sir. You’ve got every right to get pulled out of this mess now, and nobody would ever question your dedication. You saved a lot of ponies today, Captain.” Glorious Dawn’s gaze shifted between the two concerned faces of Red Roam and Amber, and sighed. “I must speak with Legate Five Star, and I’ll let him know that I’m unable to continue.” “Pardon me, Captain, but you aren’t going anywhere,” stated a rough voice from behind him. The three ponies stiffened slightly as Legate Five Star trotted over to them, glancing at the group. “We need you here, Captain Dawn.” Amber grit her teeth and murmured, “Legate, with all due respect, he’s suffered a grevious injury in the line of duty, and he needs more careful attention. I may have sealed up his hide and stopped the bleeding, but if he doesn’t get his leg looked at, it could leave him—” “No,” stated Legate Five Star evenly, “that’s not going to happen. You might not understand this, but we’re balanced on a razor’s edge here. I have three decimated groups of ponies who are pulling their dead friends and comrades-in-arms out of this killing field, and they’re one solid enemy charge from breaking. Their spirits are shaken.” “All the more reason to pull back and—” Red Roam began, but Legate Five Star cut him off. “We can’t pull back. I’ll put it bluntly: if we don’t have the ponies we need for the final leg of this fight… if we can’t complete our mission, then we’re going to lose. The attack on these palisades was far more costly than we anticipated, even with the cover of night on our side. Most of our forces are down to about half-strength, and the reserves are scrambling behind our lines dealing with the remnants of a few dozen griffon companies that managed to break through our lines. We’re cut off from the rear.” Amber gasped, her gaze snapping to the ponies lying on stretchers. “What about all these wounded? Many are in critical condition, they need to be seen by the doctors and nurses back at the medical tents!” “The only way they’re going to get out of this Tartarus-forsaken place is if we win,” murmured Five Star, and he pointed to Glorious Dawn. “That’s why we need you.” “Sir, I’m unfit, I don’t think I can stand,” said Glorious Dawn. “You’ll have to manage. We can’t afford to lose your presence. Even if you’ve got to limp, I need you here. The word’s spread how you took on a Griffon Warmaster in a one-on-one fight and ran him through with your blade. These ponies think you’re a hero, and that’s exactly what they need right now. A hero. Hope,” Legate Five Star said gently, placing a hoof on Glorious Dawn’s shoulder. Glorious Dawn’s gaze shifted down, his ears drooping briefly, before he straightened up. “I understand.” “Good. I’ll muster my company and we’ll rest for a few hours. Hopefully a runner can make it through the mess behind us and we can get some word from command. If not, though, we have to assume the same plan is still in effect. Celestia guides us, and it is her orders we’re carrying out. Gather your ponies and get them organized, then we all can try to regain some energy and get ready for the last sortie. We’re going to hit those beaches like Nightmare-forsaken Moon and remind the griffons why nopony messes with Equestria.” “Yes, Legate.” Legate Five Star stalked away, returning to his troops. Glorious Dawn sighed, and then looked to Amber. “Amber, I’ll need some more painkiller. Not a lot, just enough to get me on my hooves. Do you have anything I can use to make a brace for my leg?” Amber bit her lip, looking like she was about to object, but Red Roam touched her gently on the side. She glanced at him and they shared a quiet look before she nodded, exhaling slowly before speaking. “Yes. I’ve got a little extra medicine that should keep your pain low, but it’ll still hurt to move, and I’ve got some material for a splint. It won’t look pretty, and you won’t be able to move very fast, but it should be enough to let you walk on that leg.” Amber began rummaging through her bags, retrieving what she needed, and Glorious Dawn looked to Red Roam. “Gather the Fourth and Seventh Companies. I’ll address them in a few minutes. See what remains of Major Stonewall’s command and get them to help you organize the two groups properly. I need them integrated and ready to fight alongside each other as soon as possible.” Red Roam smirked and saluted. “Captain.” As Red Roam trotted away and began gathering the ponies together, Amber worked on securing the splint around Glorious Dawn’s injured leg after offering him a small vial of clear liquid. “Drink half, save the rest for when you need it.” Glorious Dawn uncorked the vial and carefully poured half the mixture into his mouth, swallowing the bitter brew quickly before any taste could register and tucking away the vial in his saddlebag. He grunted, wincing as Amber tightened the splint carefully around his leg, and stumbled onto his hooves. His left leg felt weak, but held his weight barely. He felt the pain dull a bit as the mild painkiller did it’s work, and he took a cautious step forward. Amber kept one hoof on his side, steadying him as he walked a few ginger steps, keeping most of his weight off of his injured leg. He smiled, looking back at Amber. “Good work.” Amber smiled weakly. “I wish I could do more.” “You did the best you could. That’s all we can hope to do,” Glorious Dawn murmured, before gesturing towards the wounded ponies, “and they need you more than I do, now.” Amber nodded, turning away and heading for the injured ponies. “Runner!” the cry went up from the South. Glorious Dawn turned to the south, watching the palisade gate as a few sentries atop the wall waved an oncoming runner in. A few minutes later, a red-tabarded pegasus pony staggered in. Her light blue coat and two-toned mane was instantly recognizable, but her usual rapid pace had been replaced by an unsteady gait. Glorious Dawn took a few steps forward, calling out. “Radiance?” The pegasus mare’s head raised up from a droop and she stopped, panting, her legs shaking. Glorious Dawn approached at a slow walk, grimacing as his leg throbbed dully. Radiance moved towards him, managing a few more steps before collapsing to her knees. Glorious Dawn heard a whimper as she fell, and he raised his voice, urgency breaking through his usual calm, “Healers!” He reached Radiance first, dropping down to his knees awkwardly as the pegasus mare shivered, gasping breaths escaping her. He searched for any sign of injury, and his eyes locked on her red tabard. The whole of it was stained a darker crimson, and two feathered bolts protruded from her side, almost fully buried in her body. Radiance whimpered slightly and raised her head, her shivering pupils meeting Glorious Dawn’s wide eyes. “O-Orders from command… s-sir.” “Don’t speak, Radiance. Healers!” he shouted again. Amber seemed to appear beside him, another medical pony accompanying her. She surveyed Radiance and blanched at the crossbow bolts in her hide. “Oh Celestia. Lay her down, I need to stabilize her.” “No!” barked Radiance suddenly, strength flowing out with the command, and her head drooped with the exertion. “N-No. I need… need to…” “Lance Corporal, please, let Amber see to you!” “Y-You idiot, it’s t-too damn… too damn late for me,” Radiance gasped, sinking to her haunches with a whine, tears staining her blue cheeks, “They… got something vital. I feel broken up inside. M-maybe if… if I hadn’t kept running, maybe… but not anymore.” Amber grabbed bandages as Radiance spoke, pressing them to her wound and applying pressure, trying to stop the bleeding. Amber saw the discoloration beneath Radiance’s coat, the spreading stain of internal bleeding, and bit her lip. She looked to Glorious Dawn. “If we’re cut off… I can’t fix something like this… we’d need surgeons, apothecaries…” she said softly. Radiance smirked bitterly, her lower lip trembling. “See? Dead p-pony walking.” “Radiance…” murmured Glorious Dawn, placing a hoof on her shoulder. “Don’t… don’t go sappy on m-me, sir. I did m-my job. I think... I’m the only r-runner fast enough to break through the... mess back there.” “I can give you something for the pain,” said Amber gently. Radiance mustered a smile. “That sounds awesome.” Amber retrieved a vial of milky white liquid and uncapped it. Radiance opened her mouth and tilted it up slightly, unable to raise her hooves anymore, and Amber poured the brew down her throat. Radiance swallowed, coughing slightly, and nodded. “T-thanks.” Glorious Dawn waited as Radiance’s wings flagged and drooped, hanging limply by her sides, and her trembling body relaxed. She started to slide onto her side, but shifted her weight to lean against Glorious Dawn, her head resting against his chest. “Yeah, that’s the stuff…” she murmured. “You… you have orders for us, Radiance?” asked Glorious Dawn. “Oh. Yeah… yeah, I do,” she said haltingly, her voice growing slightly softer. “C-command says that… you need to d-do everything you can to complete the Legate’s mission. The whole w-western front… is cut off, and there isn’t any relief coming until we… we win.” Glorious Dawn found himself supporting the pegasus as she shivered, her breath coming in small gasps for a moment, and her head raised up to look at Glorious Dawn. “Whoa… when’d y’... get so close?” she giggled drunkenly, “Well, back… back off, mister… ‘m a married mare…” Glorious Dawn shivered, holding Radiance close. “Tell me about your husband, then.” “Mm… he’s a pretty pony… heh… got a cute filly, too…” Radiance’s eyes screwed up and her trembling smirk suddenly crumbled apart. “Celestia, oh Celestia, Captain! M-my baby girl… my beautiful Rainbow… what’ll…?” “Shh… it’s okay. She’ll be okay, Radiance,” said Glorious Dawn, stroking her red and yellow mane gently. Radiance didn’t reply, her legs reaching up to cling desperately to Glorious Dawn, her strength redoubling for a moment, before she shuddered and went limp, a small whistling gasp escaping her lips. Glorious Dawn lifted his head up, clenching his jaw tightly, and stared up into the dark sky.