The Tears of Gaia

by Redback Spino


20. Saviours from the Skies

Far below in the Forest of Cervidas, scattered fires burned. Yells and screams, and the fierce cries of battle echoed among the trees as hosts of Blightlings could be seen swarming among the trees, horns aglow with magical energy.

It was now nearly midnight, but there was no lull in the battle. Deerfolk formed lines of defense on the ground and on platforms high up on the trees. From their vantage points they saw the forest below crawling with dark shapes, some squat, some tall, but all with the same eerie yellow eyes. The Blight would surge forward in groups, some clambering up the high treetrunks, but most pressing along the ground. But they would be met every time by volleys of magical blasts, silver darts, crimson beams of light and blue fireballs. The Blight wavered, broke and fell back, but then charged again before too long. And with each surge forwards, like the approaching tides, they would gain a few more feet of ground, forcing the Deerfolk further back into their forests.

At the haven of Rhulond, Yarrow and his friends considered themselves lucky. The numbers of Deerfolk and Blightlings were roughly even, and so the battle had fallen to almost a standstill, with both forces taking up defensive positions. The Deerfolk had built barricades around the base of the mighty treetrunk, and Yarrow and his pony and griffon friends now huddled behind them, with a deer occasionally popping up to fire off a blast of magic at any Blightling who strayed out from their cover among the trees.

Rainbow Dash and Gordon flapped in from beyond the barricade, a grim smile of satisfaction on her face. "Well that took care of a few of them. If I fly fast enough those Blight chumps never spot me until it's too late!"

"Got any more stones?" Gordon asked the group behind the barricade.

A stag gathered up fragments of rubble and pebbles, passing them into bags the pair wore around their necks. Rainbow Dash had taken rather quickly to helping in the battle, flying above the Blight forces and raining rocks down on their heads. Not really anything large enough to kill, but more than enough to stun and distract.

"I hope yer not doin' anythin' too reckless out there Rainbow Dash," Applejack shouted from further down the barricade.

Rainbow smirked. "Aww, worrying about me are you? Relax AJ, me and Gordon are flying so high up they can barely see us. Now c'mon dude, let's get going!"

Gordon nodded, and the duo took to the air again, flying high into the canopy with their bags of ammunition.

"I must say," Yarrow said to Applejack. "Your friend Rainbow Dash has taken to war considerably..."

He was cut off as the malformed face of a Blightling peeked over the barricade, his yellow eyes shining with bloodlust. But before the monster could jump down among them, Yarrow had stood up, lifting the Blightling up on his antlers before tossing him bodily back in the direction he came, where he landed in a crumpled heap twenty feet away.

"...Considerably faster than I expected," he finished.

Applejack scuffed the dirt with her hooves before bucking a small boulder over the barricade with her hind legs. "Well this ain't the first time us ponies have gotten in a scrap. We've fought off Changelings and Moonbeasts and all kinds of monsters more times than I'd like to remember. Nothin' quite this... intense though!"

Juniper the stag hopped down from atop the wall as a black fireball sailed overhead to crash against the tree, where a few nearby deer stamped it out. "Well needless to say you ponies are doing a fine job for your first war... wait, where's Fluttershy?"

Applejack silently pointed over her shoulder to a small dead tree, which curled over on itself, forming a small sheltered hollow beneath it. And inside, Juniper and Yarrow could see a small yellow and pink form, huddled up and quivering.

"She ain't exactly the fightin' type, so there's not much she can do," Applejack explained. "Poor thing, this is way too intense for a delicate pony like her."

Yarrow looked with pity at the pegasus. "I'll go talk to her. Juniper, you're in charge until I get back."

The younger stag nodded and turned back to the battle as Yarrow trotted over to the curled tree trunk. Ducking under, he saw Fluttershy curled up underneath, her face buried in her forelegs. But her hooves could barely muffle the whimpers and squeaks of fear from the little pegasus.

"Fluttershy?"

She tensed slightly at the sound of her name, but raised her head to look at the stag. Yarrow felt his heart clench as he saw the obvious signs of tears in her eyes. "Y-yarrow," she whimpered. "I-I'm scared... I d-don't know what t-to do..."

Yarrow sat down beside her, a comforting hoof around her shoulders. "I know Fluttershy. Applejack tells me you've never been in a fight quite this intense?"

Fluttershy nodded mutely. "Th-this is all too m-much for me! I don't know h-how much more I can take!"

He nodded. "I understand, Fluttershy. But we need you out there."

"What g-good can I do?" Fluttershy cried. "I'm no good at fighting! I've never f-fought anypony in my life!"

"But your friends said that you've all been in fights and battles before," he replied.

Fluttershy shook her head. "Maybe, b-but I've never actually fought. As s-soon as I get into something like that, I j-just... I just freeze, curl up and hope for it to be over as s-soon as possible. My friends are the ones who d-do all the fighting..."

As a fresh flood of tears sprung from her eyes, she held Yarrow closer and buried her face in his fur. Stroking her head with his forehoof, the stag replied. "But every contribution helps, Fluttershy. The Fainum intend to see Cervidas go up in flames, us Deerfolk along with it. We need all the help we can get, you included."

"H-how?" Fluttershy asked, holding Yarrow even tighter as a blast of magic crashed against the outside of the tree, causing the whole thing to shake.

"Well..." Yarrow pondered this a moment, looking furtively outside. "You said that you work with animals, correct? Feeding them, caring for them, healing them?"

"Y-yes, but how...?"

"Well, every army needs medics. It's obvious you'll never be the kind of pony who can take lives, so how about saving them instead?" he suggested.

Fluttershy did not look convinced. "Oh... I-I mean, I'd love to help make people better, but... I don't know if I can go out there..."
Before she could continue, there came a sharp bang from outside the tree. Both of them peeked out, and saw that one of the barricades had taken heavy fire from the Blightlings, blasting several deerfolk to the ground. Juniper struggled to his hooves, a sliver of tree-bark impaled straight through his left hind leg.

"Oh my, Juniper!" Fluttershy needed no second bidding. Regardless of the situation, she was not a pony to stand idly by as another creature suffered. Rushing past Yarrow, she flapped to the fallen deer's side. "We need to get you somewhere safe. Can you stand?"

Juniper grunted with pain. "Rrrgh... not easily, I'm afraid."

"Here, let me help." Fluttershy offered herself up as a support to the stag, as he pulled himself upright again. The two limped slowly behind another barricade, this one considerably more intact, where the pegasus got to examining his wound. "Oh you poor thing. It's not too bad, but we need to get this wound cleaned right away. Somepony get me some water and bandages!"

Even as he rejoined the battle, covering one of the barricades with a dozen other deer, Yarrow cast glances back at Fluttershy every chance he got, a smile growing on his lips as he watched the pegasus removing the sliver from Juniper's leg, before cleaning out the wound and bandaging it with strips of linen and a bottle of water brought to her from inside the haven. She paid little heed to the war going on around her, her face stern with concentration as he ensured that Juniper was as comfortable as possible. As the stag thanked her profusely and slowly made his way back to reinforce his barricade, realisation hit the pegasus like a freight train.
Her pupils became a small as pinpricks and her chest rose and fell as her breathing became rapid and deep. Yarrow hurried over to her to see if she needed anything. "Fluttershy, are you okay?"

"I..." she stammered. "I j-just ran out there! I didn't c-care about what was g-going on, I just headed straight for Juniper. How d-did I do that?"

Yarrow smiled. "Amazing. A healer through and through, Fluttershy, that's what you are. I saw you, you cared nothing about what was going on around you, you just concentrated on tending to his injuries. I've never seen anybody concentrate like that!"

Fluttershy smiled slightly. "I... I guess I did. I just can't stand to see anypony in pain."

The stag gestured around him. "Well, this is a pitched battle we're in the middle of, so there are bound to be injuries aplenty. So, do you think you could take on the responsibility of saving the lives of any deerfolk who need it?"

"Oh, my..." Fluttershy scuffed the dirt nervously. "That's quite a big reponsibility... But alright, I'll do it."

"Thank you, dear Fluttershy," Yarrow said, smiling at the pegasus. Fluttershy smiled bashfully back, and for the briefest of moments, both of them forgot about the war going on around them.

"Oh, I er, probably should, you know... get to work then," Fluttershy stammered.

Yarrow coughed hastily. "Uh yes, and so should I... Back to the ramparts and all that, yes..."

With one last glance at eachother, Yarrow headed back towards the barricades, while Fluttershy hurried back towards Applejack, and Rainbow Dash and Gordon, who had returned to restock on rocks, her bandages and water held under her wing as she tended to a nearby deer with a scorched shoulder.

The firefight continued for almost an hour, with the Blight inching slightly closer towards the base of Rhulond, using the trees as cover. Packs of flying Blightlings had taken to the air, swooping down in squadrons at the high platforms in the massive tree, only for most of them to be shot out of the air by all manner of magic missiles shot by Deerfolk that lined the edges of the platforms, blasting away at them with their antlers. A few Blightlings managed to land on the platforms, and a few melees were breaking out in the streets high above, but otherwise Rhulond was holding out well enough.

Rainbow and Gordon had given up their aerial assaults, not wanting to risk clashes with the airborne Blightlings, and now stood behind the barricade with Applejack and the Deerfolk, pelting rocks and rubble at any Blightlings who got too close. Fluttershy, meanwhile, was fully engrossed in her new role as battlefield medic, rushing to the aid of anybody who needed it with cool water and bandages. She had even come across a small garden of healing herbs growing at the base of the tree, and now provided soothing balms and painkillers as well (But not before leaving a hastily scribbled note to whomever owned the herb garden, promising to replace the herbs she had picked)

However the tide of the battle turned in the Deerfolk's favour as none other than the White Hart himself appeared among them, as he came to support each of the four havens surrounding Ostaure. Bringing with him twoscore other deerfolk, including a few Tirn soldiers, Rhulond's defense was bolstered to the point where the Blightlings were forced to stay in cover, lest they be met with a volley of magical fire the moment they peek their heads out. While a dozen or so deer now lay slain on either side of the barricade, they were far outnumbered by the number of dead Blightlings that littered the forest floor.

"Your majesty," Oakwood shouted to the White Hart. "How goes the battle in the rest of Cervidas?"

The White Hart sat down behind the barricade. "Not that good. Harlond has nearly fallen, and Annulond and Forlond are hard pressed. Many of the villages beyond the Havenring are now in flames."

"Somehow I'm not surprised," Oakwood replied with a nod. "It seems these Fainum are without end. You slay one, and three more take its place!"

"It does look grim, your Majesty," Yarrow agreed. "Even with our guests aiding us, particularly our new battlefield healer Fluttershy, we are in trouble unless we can get some help."

"But where could we get help? With the Fainum armies surrounding our forest, nobody would dare to come near to aid us," The White Hart replied, before hastily popping up to fire a silver dart of energy from his antlers at a Blightling who was rushing towards the barricade. The creature teetered on, carried forwards by its momentum for a few seconds, before keeling over dead.

"No, my beloved Deerfolk, it appears we are on our own now."


Nearly a hundred miles away, the griffons of Fjaereir went about their daily lives, oblivious of the war going on in the lands south-east of their beloved town.

After the big sendoff of the griffons sent to seek out Rarity, Twilight, Pinkie and Starswirls friends, there had been another great celebration, that had carried on long into the night. Dancing, feasting, drinking, games and all manner of crazy fun was had, in honour of Rarity's victory over Gellert, as well as their burying of the hatchet that had stood between any sort of alliance between the griffons and their pony guests.

But by the next morning, the town had returned to life, albeit rather dazed and tired, with a bit of a headache from the previous night's events.

The four ponies sat in the throne room of the Keep with Galahad and Gellert, and King Gideon slumped in his throne, his chin resting wearily upon his mace. Sadly, even with all the frivolity and celebration and pageantry of the last few days, Gideon still remained catatonic and motionless in his throne.

Pinkie Pie sighed, lying on her back. "Man I wish those messenger griffons would just come back with some good news already. I can't stand waiting like this for so long!"

"Pinkie, it's only been one night," Twilight reasoned. "Even at top speed, I don't think any griffons would have gotten that far by now."

"She's right," Galahad added. "Give it time, they'll be back with news soon enough."

Gellert stood up. "In the mean time, I've been meaning to ask, Twilight, have to come up with any ideas about what you will do with that jewel of yours once you and your friends return to Equestria?"

Twilight started slightly. With all that had been going on, she had almost forgotten about the Tears! Rifling through her saddlebag a moment, she pulled out the ornate lacquered box, holding it in her forehoof. "I guess I haven't been thinking much about it..."

"I suppose our little request is still out of the question?" Gellert asked.

Twilight nodded. "I'm afraid so, Gellert."

"Why?" Pinkie Pie asked, rolling back onto her front. "Don't you trust the griffons yet?"

"It's not that Pinkie," Twilight replied. "Of course I trust you guys, that's what the whole challenge was about. I just don't know if anyone can be trusted with the Tears. It's kinda hard to describe, but it... does things, to your head."

Rarity nodded. "I know what you mean, Twilight. I still remember how odd I felt when I saw it for the first time."

"What was it like, if I may ask?" Galahad asked.

"It's rather hard to describe," Rarity replied. "But I suppose it was like some sort of strange pressure, as if some huge weight suddenly appeared on my shoulders. And I'm not sure why, but when I looked at them, I felt rather... sad."

"I got that as well!" Pinkie added. "I dunno why, but when I looked at it in its little box, I almost wanted to cry. And I couldn't make myself stop looking at it."

Galahad whistled in awe. "Wow. Sounds like a rather powerful artefact."

"Well according to the Princesses, it is forged from the accumulated magic of gods," Starswirl replied. "I would be surprised if it didn't have adverse effects on ponies' minds."

As Starswirl finished, the doors to the throne room swung open, and in marched a guard, who pulled his brass goggles up off of his eyes before bowing low. "My lords! A griffon flyer has returned with news!"

As he spoke, Gerta entered the throne room, followed by a small crowd of curious onlookers, all eager to be first to hear the news.

"What news do you have?" Galahad asked. "Have the ponies been found?"

Still panting from her long and swift flight, Gerta bowed low, pausing to catch her breath, "Forgive my...bedraggled appearance, my lords. I... I flew here as fast as I could when I saw it. I was... flying over Froud Valley when I saw light in the distance. I flew close to it and saw that it was the Deerfolk's homeland, the Forest of Cervidas. It was burning!"

A gasp rippled through the crowd at the news. Galahad wore a face of concern and worry, but Gellert's face suddenly became dark and sullen. "If Cervidas burns, what concern is it of ours?"

"Well, my lords, I flew a bit closer to see what was going on inside the forest, and it was a warzone! The yellow-eyed monsters, hundreds of them, maybe even thousands! They were swarming through the trees, in battle with the Deerfolk. And that's when I saw them; three young mares, that perfectly matched the description of the three ponies we were tasked to find!"

"You found them?!" Twilight leapt to her hooves, a look of disbelief on her face.

Gerta nodded. "And that's not all I saw. My lords, I saw a young griffon with them. And he was the spitting image of the lost young prince!"

Another murmur went through the crowd, louder and more curious this time. A few griffons in attendance also noticed a change in Gideon as Gerta related her tale. Maybe it was a trick of the light, but his eyes seemed to glimmer with life once more. His head even lifted up off of his sceptre as well, ever so slightly, but enough to be noticeable.

"Are you sure about this?" Galahad asked sternly. "Think very carefully about whom you saw."

"My eyes don't lie, my lord," Gerta replied. "There was no mistaking it, it was Gordon, my lords! Gordon is alive!"

In the silence that followed, there was a sound. A minute, almost inaudible mutter from the King. His beak cracked open, repeating again, but loud enough for all to hear, "...G-Gordon's alive?"

And then, after a brief second that felt almost like an eternity, his eyes sparked to life again, and his heavy beak curled into an overjoyed smile. Then he spoke, in voice that had not been heard for ages. A voice that made the ponies' ears flatten against their heads. A voice that would put Princess Luna to shame.

"GORDON'S ALIVE?!!"

He was no longer the feeble, catatonic king who sat slumped and barely conscious on his throne. Standing up out of his throne, his mace gripped firmly in his enormous claw, the accumulated dust of months of inactivity falling from his fur and feathers, and from his ornate jacket, revealing its bright blood-red and golden colours.

Without so much as a word, the entire crowd in the throne room fell down into a low bow before Gideon. Truly, their king had returned.

"I have been in a dark world for so long," Gideon rumbled. "Too long, waiting for the tragic news of my son's fate. But no longer."

"It is wonderful to have you back in the land of the living, your majesty," Galahad said as he got up. "And even more wonderful to hear the news of your son's discovery."

"Wonderful?" Gideon echoed. "Wonderful?! This is spectacular news! He has been found, alive and well, and in the midst of a mighty battle no less! Gellert!!"

"What are your commands, your Majesty?" Gellert said, leaping to attention.

"I understand that, despite your defeat at the hands of our unicorn friend here," he gestured to Rarity, who bowed respectfully. "you still hold command of our army, correct?"

"I do, sire," Gellert said, smiling at Rarity. "She was kind enough to return command to me. Though, if it pleases you, miss Rarity, I would still consider you an honorary commander."

Rarity smiled back. "Why, mister Gellert, I consider it an honour. Though, I don't really know anything about commanding armies."

"Well," Gideon replied, "I believe in learning on the job. Gellert, Rarity, rally the troops! Kit everybird out with the finest weapons we have in the armoury and muster them at the gates. My son is in peril, as are our pony allies. And though we may not be close friends with the Deerfolk, these Blightlings threaten the freedom of every creature in these lands. So prepare the army, we fly for Cervidas!"

"Yessir!" Gellert saluted, turning on his back paw to face the crowd of onlookers. "You heard your king! All soldiers report to the armoury and arm yourselves! In one hour, we fly!"

There came a general roar of agreement, and the castle began to buzz with activity as griffons milled all about the place. As the throne room emptied, Gellert made to leave, but was stopped by a hoof on his shoulder.

"What about us?" Twilight asked. "None of us can fly."

"You're coming to the battle as well?" Gellert asked, eyebrow raised. "You heard the messenger, Cervidas is under invasion."

"With all due respect," Rarity said. "Our friends are out there as well."

Pinkie and Starswirl came to their side, the four of them standing in row before the griffon commander. "Just try and stop us."

Gellert saw the fire in the eyes of the four ponies before him, and smiled. "I'll arrange for some air-chariots for the four of you, as well as weapons and armour."

Twilight shook her head. "No weapons, thank you. My magic can take care of that well enough."

Rarity and Starswirl nodded in agreement. "But what about the pink one? Won't she need anything to defend herself?"

Twilight smirked. "Clearly you don't know Pinkie Pie very well."

Gellert looked uncertainly at Pinkie, who merely grinned her innocent grin back at him. He shrugged. "Very well. Still, you'll be needing armour, so head off to the armoury with the others. Then just follow them down the gatehouse, we'll have chariots waiting for you."

"Now go!" Gideon shouted, as he headed out the door to the side of the throne room. "You have one hour to prepare, and then we fly! Galahad, help me get into my armour!"

"Right away, your majesty!" Galahad replied, rushing to his aid. But before he disappeared, he gave another glance and a smile to the ponies. "It's wonderful to have him back."

Let one thing be said about the griffons of Fjaereir. They certainly are punctual.

Exactly one hour later, the entire host of griffon soldiers perched along the walls of the city, bedecked in their dark armour and goggles, wielding a variety of swords, spears, maces and their special crystal-infused muskets. More griffons were gathered behind the walls, a total of around five or six hundred soldiers. Down on the ground were also two large wooden chariots, harnessed to pairs of particularly strong-looking griffons. Twilight and Starswirl sat in one, while Pinkie Pie and Rarity took the other.

And at the head, perched at the highest point on the roof of the gatehouse, were Gellert and King Gideon. Gellert stood in his ornate armour, a golden trim offsetting the dull gunmetal grey of the plates, with a long white cape flowing from his shoulders. The grandeur of his armour was only trumped by Gideon's who stood in armour of a glorious golden colour, offset by patches of shiny black enamel. He had also traded his crown in for a golden helm which he held under one arm. And in his claw, as always, was his strange mace with its single hooked spike. Raising a claw, the entire army fell silent in an instant.

"Now, as some of you may remember, I have a habit of going into a long-winded speech before we fly off into battle," Gideon said in his booming voice, eliciting chuckles from many of the soldiers. "But time is of the essence, so all I will say is this: It is good to be back!"

The host cheered, waving their weapons in the air. Even the ponies joined in, caught up in the energy of the moment.

"Now, without further ado, let us fly! TO CERVIDAS, AND VICTORY!!"

The cheer this time rattle the timbers of the entire town. Sweeping his golden helm onto his head, Gideon took to the air, his mace held out pointing the way. Gellert followed, and behind him the entire army of Fjaereir, taking to the skies in squadrons until the air was filled with them and their battle cries. And among them, the airborne chariots carrying the four ponies.


Oakwood lay dead, slumped over the barricade, his once mighty body now slashed and bleeding. Blightlings swarmed towards the ramparts in droves, many driven back or cut down by the magic of the deer, but they pressed on, many reaching the barricade, where they fought tooth and claw with the haggard and exhausted deer who stood before them. They had been fighting all through the night, and as the late morning sun hung in the sky above the battle, energy and ammunition were running low.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash stood behind the barricade, continuing their barrage of rubble and boulders, sending them flying up over the defences with mighty kicks of their back legs, to crash down on the swarms of monsters on the other sides. Gordon stood with Yarrow and Marigold, beating back any Blightlings to tried to climb the ramparts, along with the White Hart, who knocked them back by the dozen with each sweep of his mighty antlers. Fluttershy, meanwhile, hung back with the other medics and healers in their little group, on one of the lower platforms of Rhulond, relatively safe from the attacking hordes of Blightlings aside from the occasional blast of magic or debris that would land near them.

As Fluttershy wrapped a bandage around the leg of an old doe, she watched anxiously as the barricades down below were assailed. Time and again they would drive the Blight back, and time and again they would amass and swarm back at the defences, each time gaining a bit more ground. And all the while, rocks and blasts of magical black energy whooshed and screeched at the barricade.

"Oh gosh, how long can they hold out?" Fluttershy wondered aloud.

"Until every last of the Fainum, or every last one of us, lies dead," replied one of the deer beside her. "When it comes to defending our homeland, friend Fluttershy, us deer aren't the retreating type."

Fluttershy gulped. "Well... h-hopefully it won't have to come to that."

The stag shrugged. "Harlond has already fallen to the Fainum, and the rest of the havens aren't far behind... I hate to be the pessimist, but unless we receive some sort of aid any time soon, by the end of today Cervidas may have fallen."

"Now don't say that!"

The deer started as Fluttershy stood up, her fearful facade giving way to an expression of determination. "As long as we're alive, isn't there always hope? I might not be fighting with the others down there, but I'm not going to say that it's over until it's over! I'll help heal and care for the Deerfolk for as long as I have to. if there is one thing I've learnt from my friends for as long as I've known them, it's that we can overcome anything if we work together!"

Her words were interrupted, however, by a sickening roar of an explosion in the fray below. Fluttershy peeked down and her blood ran cold. As the smoke cleared, she saw a gaping hole had been blasted through the barricade, wide enough for the Blightlings to begin swarming in five at a time. The Deerfolk, Rainbow, Applejack and Gordon fell back to the base of the tree, pelting the oncoming horde with rubble and magical missiles, but to no avail. Before long, the barricade was overrun, and Deer were falling slain left and right.

"Well, we gave it our best shot," the stag beside her said. "Might as well go down fighting. Who's with me?"

The other medics and healers cheered, several rushing down to join the fighters down below, while the others launched volleys of magical fire from the platform. Fluttershy reluctantly picked up a thick knotted branch that had fallen beside her, hefting it up like a club. I won't abandon my friends, she thought. I won't, I won't, I won't. if this is how it ends, then at least It'll end with my friends by my side.

But even as she took to the air, preparing to swoop down into the fray, there was a thunderous crack like thunder, and a flash of green light from high above the canopy of trees. What looked like bolts of green lightning screeched down, smashing into the horde of Blightlings, sending their scorched bodies flying hither and yon.

"NOW, MY HAWKS! DIIIIIIIIIIIIVE!"

Griffons.

Dozens, scores, hundreds of griffons, swooping down among the treetrunks towards the Blightling army. More bolts of green energy flashed from their muskets, cleaving great holes in their forces, while others swooped lower, swinging all manner of blades, spears and bludgeons. And at the forefront of this attack was the largest griffon Fluttershy had ever seen. Clad all in gold, swinging an enormous mace about the same size as her head, guffawing like a madman as he landed among the Blightlings, his mace ringing against armour and bone like some victory bell.

"The Griffons!"

"The Griffons are with us! It's a miracle!!"

"They fight with us! Come, soldiers of Cervidas, let's not be shown up by a swarm of birds!"

"You're right! Gurth Gothrimlye!!"

The Deerfolk fought with newfound fervour, their defences bolstered by their griffon saviours. Step by step, inch by inch, the Blight were driven back from Rhulond, and as the battle raged on word spread as griffons landed at all of the four havens to help the Deerfolk.

But Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Applejack paid little attention to the turning of the battle, as they saw two airborne chariots, pulled by mighty armoured griffons, bearing four passengers. Four very, very familiar passengers.

"Hiya girls! Sorry we're late" Pinkie Pie screamed above the commotion of the fight. As a winged blightling flapped alongside her, hissing menacingly, Pinkie Pie simply ducked its swipes and scratches, before reaching into her saddlebag and pulling out her jar of sprinkles, somehow still intact after all this time.

Popping the lid, she flicked the contents of the jar into the blightling's face. As it screeched and flailed, desperately trying to get the offending sprinkles out of its eyes, it failed to notice the large tree it was heading towards until it was too late.

"Like I say, you never know when sprinkles might come in handy!" she shouted with glee.

Rainbow could only gawp, slack-jawed, as the chariots landed on the platform and the four ponies disembarked. Each one wore iron greaves on their legs, along with plate-metal barding hanging from their shoulders, with a large round helmet atop their heads. All in all, they were an impressive sight.

For a moment, time stood still for the ponies. The battle noise faded to a low rumble as they stood, looking at eachother, for what felt like the first time in an eternity.

"... Girls?" Fluttershy squeaked. "Is it... Is it really you?"

Twilight levitated her helmet off and smiled. "It is Fluttershy. We're back."

The ponies could find no words to say. Tears sprung to their eyes as the shock of the moment wore off, giving way to realisation and a sudden flow of relief. The seven ponies rushed together into a tight embrace, hugging eachother as they had never hugged before.

"I don't believe it!" Rainbow said, once her voice finally returned. "How is this... I mean where did you... Where have you girls been?!"

Before anypony could answer, a fireball of black flame slammed into the side of the tree just above them. The seven ponies recoiled as the reality of their surroundings came back to them.

"We can share stories later, my friends!" Starswirl shouted. "For now, let's go help!"

Rarity nodded, donning her helmet, which she had personalised with a single loose feather she had picked up at Fjaereir. "You're quite right. After all, I have an army to command!"

"What."

Rarity giggled at the look of total shock and bemusement on Rainbow Dash and Applejack's faces. "Oh, my dears, I have quite the story for you when we have a moment."

"Well, lead on Commander Rarity!" Pinkie shouted, taking up another loose branch rather like Fluttershy's improvised club.
The seven stood, together once more, on the ledge overlooking the battle, a glint in their eyes and a fire in their hearts. "Indeed. Come on ponies! Let us show these Blightling monsters how we do things back in Ponyville!"


The battle carried on long into the evening. By the time the Blight forces had gotten over the shock of the sudden attack of the griffons from above, it was too late. Almost a third of their forces were slain, injured beyond continuing to fight or otherwise incapacitated, and the defences around the havens that had once fallen were repaired threefold over. The White Hart was everywhere at once, teleporting from haven to haven, rallying his soldiers and providing some extra fighting power wherever he was needed. Gideon, Gellert and Gordon found eachother on the battlefield, where they worked together as an efficient, vicious machine of war, swooping low in an arrowhead formation, leaving bruises, broken bones and cloven skulls left and right. And the seven ponies fought side by side, with blasts of magic, thrown rocks and debris, or just plain kicks with their strong legs. Blightlings were flung left and right by their impenetrable defence.

Around sunset, there came a mighty cheer from the Deerfolk and griffons alike, as the Blightlings were finally pushed beyond the boundaries of the Havenring, and began to fall back to the edge of the forest.

At Rhulond, the ponies whooped and cheered as they watched the last few remaining Blightlings fleeing back into the trees. When the battle at last ended, they turned to eachother, bombarding one another with endless questions.

"Where have you been?"

"Where did you get that awesome armour?!"

"Who are all these griffons?"

"So what's this I hear about 'Commander Rarity'?"

"Didn't you get kidnapped?"

"Did you see me with those sprinkles?"

"How did you end up with these deer?"

"Now ladies, please!" Starswirl shouted, raising his forehooves up. "There will be plenty of time for all that later. Now that we have a lull in the battle, might I suggest finding somewhere a little more comfortable to rest for a bit?"

Applejack nodded. "He's got a point. I'm plum tuckered out. We've been fightin' since yesterday almost nonstop. C'mon, we got a place back at the capital where we can relax."

"Uh, could you girls wait a moment?" Fluttershy spoke up, gesturing to the grim aftermath of the battle that lay around the tree. "If it's alright with you, I just need to talk to somepony before we go."

The others nodded, and Fluttershy hastily flew down to the cleanup effort, where deer and griffons were repairing barricades, sweeping up debris, and gathering the bodies of the dead.

"C'mon, best leave her to it. She's kinda gone native, Fluttershy has," Applejack said.

Twilight nodded as she watched Fluttershy. "Well, the Deerfolk are known for being rather in touch with nature and all that. I guess she's found her niche or something."

"And that's not all she's found, it would appear," Starswirl added, pointing down to the pegasus, who had headed straight for Yarrow, where the two shared a tender hug.

Rarity cooed. "Oh how darling!"

"Fluttershy and Yarrow?" Applejack muttered. "Well I guess now we know what they were doin' out in the wood together."

"C'mon everypony," Rainbow said, ushering them away to another part of the platform. "Let's leave the lovebirds alone."

Before long, Fluttershy returned, her face considerably flushed.

"So Fluttershy," Rainbow said teasingly. "Is there something you'd like to share with us?"

The pegasus squeaked, hiding her face under her mane. The ponies laughed, Pinkie tousling Fluttershy's head affectionately. "It's alright Fluttershy, I think you and that stag make a cute couple!"

Twilight smiled. "I can't wait to hear all about it myself. But like Applejack said, let's find somewhere to sit down first. Lead on, Applejack!"

And so, for the first time since that fateful day that Tharos was shot out of the air and they awoke to find themselves separated and lost, the seven ponies began the fairly long walk back to Ostaure.

Together again.

End of Book 2