It was the middle of September when Lemon Hearts' dark unicorns finally saw Stalliongrad on the horizon. They were tired, they had not ate much of anything except grass and it looked like that is all they would have to eat for the foreseeable future. General Eternal Darkness addressed his troops. He said, "Alright guys, we need to surround this city. We need to cut off all supply lines. Once we do this, no more supplies will get in there and eventually they will starve."
They finally got within a quarter of a mile of the city and spread out forming a large circle of soldiers around the city walls. The city's mayor, Gray Eyes, was standing up on a balcony overlooking the areas outside of the city and became terrified of what he saw. He saw what was probably in excess of a couple thousand dark unicorn soldiers. He ran down to the armory and notified the few dark unicorn soldiers they have that the city had been surrounded. They all sighed in disgust realizing that if the soldiers didn't come in and kill them, that hunger and starvation would.
Gray Eyes growled, "Is that all you can do is sigh in disgust? Yes we are outnumbered but couldn't you make stronger armor? You guys have powerful energy. If you make strong enough armor, you could wipe them out."
Dark Storm, the captain of the city's guard replied, "Are you kidding. There are only 150 of us, there are well in excess of 2,000 of them. It would be a suicide mission."
Gray Eyes rolled his eyes and replied, "Well I better go tell the residents of our city that we are going to have to cut back on what we eat significantly. Good thing a huge caravan of supplies arrived here just yesterday."
Gray Eyes stood on the balcony of the old citadel in the city. All the townsponies saw this and knew that he needed to address them over matters that are very important. After everypony was gathered he began, "Citizens of Stalliongrad, I have some very bad news."
One of the townsponies asked, "What is that?"
Gray Eyes continued, "Our city has been surrounded by what appears to be over 2,000 dark unicorns from Saddle Arabia. They have cut off all supply lines to us so we need to cut back significantly on what we eat."
A pony out in the crowd shouted, "But we just got a ton of new supplies yesterday!"
Gray Eyes glared at the resident and continued, "Look, I don't know how long we will be surrounded and we just can't continue to consume our resources at a normal rate hoping that by some miraculous force they will either just leave or other forces will come and take them out."
One of the Pegasus ponies in the crowd suggested, "Mr. Mayor, one of us pegasus ponies could always fly out of here, go to Marescow and notify the forces stationed there and they could come and aid in taking these enemies out."
The mayor replied, "You know, that might just work. I have heard that Queen Luna had to relocate the capitol there. If that is the case she could come to our rescue."
Thunderwings, the pegasus pony with the most endurance of all the pegasi in the city interrupted, "Tonight I could always fly out of here, get to Marescow and notify Luna. She along with some of her dark Alicorns and changelings could come and liberate us."
Gray Eyes replied, "Do you even know your way to Marescow? It is tough enough to navigate through the landscape in this area during the day, much less at night."
Tunderwings said, "Well I do know a lot about astronomy and assuming we have clear skies tonight, I can use the stars as a guide to what direction I would need to go. Besides, I have flown to Marescow from here many, many times."
The mayor shrugged his shoulders and decided that what the pegasus pony wanted to do would probably be in their best interests. In Marescow Luna was sitting on her throne when one of her guards came running to her and said, "Your Majesty, I have some good news."
Luna replied, "Oh, and what is this good news?"
The guard replied, "I was doing some patrols of the region and when I was down around Braylin I saw Equestrian forces eradicate Saddle Arabian forces that were advancing from the south. I kept my distance but I saw that they had ships in the harbor so I am thinking that they will be setting sail southwards soon. I don't know if they are just going to liberate the cities further down the coast or if they are going to launch an invasion of Saddle Arabia."
Luna smiled and replied, "I knew that Colgate would send forces over!"
Her guard asked, "Your Majesty, have you heard anything from the guards who patrol the inner regions of the country. I am sure those cities are probably under threat as well."
Luna replied, "No, I have not and it kind of worries me. If I have yet to hear anything from those cities in a couple of days I will send some dark Alicorns and changelings out to take a look at things."
Back in Stalliongrad the sun had been set for a couple of hours when Thunderwings had one last discussion with Gray Eyes. Gray Eyes said, "Thunderwings, just be careful when leaving the city. I know you know your way there but if you are seen by the Saddle Arabian forces they will shoot you down and likely kill you."
Thunderwings replied, "Don't worry about me Mr. Mayor, I can fly quite fast. It should take me around a day to get to Marescow if I only stop for a brief moment of rest."
Gray Eyes said, "Well you better get going. You be careful!"
Thunderwings took to the sky and soared over the dark unicorns completely unnoticed. Once he got a mile out of town he felt he could slow his flying a bit. He thought to himself, "Well that was easy, now all I have to do is tell Luna and everything will be fine."
Thunderwings decided to fly non-stop all the way to Marescow. He was approaching the city square when he saw Luna talking with some of the townsponies. He shouted, "Princess Luna, I really need to talk to you."
He landed down by the princess and she glared at him and asked, "Look, I don't know who you are and can't you see that I am busy?"
Thunderwings replied, "I see you are talking with some of the city's residents but I have news regarding Stalliongrad that you must know about."
Luna told the ponies she was talking to that she would have to finish their discussion later and asked the pegasus who he was and what was going on with Stalliongrad.
Thunderwings started, "My name is Thunderwings and I am a pegasus from Stalliongrad. Stalliongrad is currently surrounded by what appears to be over 2,000 dark unicorn soldiers from Saddle Arabia. The mayor, Gray Eyes, was wondering if maybe you could help us wipe them out."
Luna asked, "Doesn't Stalliongrad have a decent number of forces stationed there?"
Thunderwings replied, "No. All we have there is 150 dark unicorns."
Luna said, "Well you are obviously dead tired. Tell you what, I will go there myself, transform into Nightmare Moon and destroy them. Then I have plans to make a trip south."
Before Thunderwings could say anything Luna sped off to the southeast. She hoped that she could get there soon enough that she could wipe out the enemy forces and then have enough time to meet the Equestrian army before launching an invasion on Saddle Arabia.
Luna flew at a great speed non-stop from Marescow to Stalliongrad. Given that she is an Alicorn, one that has been around for a very long time, she had more endurance than almost everypony with the exception of Brevity Thrash, who is a Creator Goddess.
Around noon she sees Stalliongrad in her sights and is not thrilled with the army of dark unicorns she sees surrounding the ancient city. She said to herself, "Well the time has come Luna, let's wipe these idiots out."
Luna began to stretch herself vertically. As she did this the sky began to be shrouded in dark clouds and powerful winds began to blow. Luna was encircled in a dark energy that quickly transformed her into Nightmare Moon. As soon as her transformation was complete she began firing at her enemies. The loud booming echoes of her voice could be heard across the landscape as she was shouting, "Death to the dark unicorns, victory is mine!"
While initially the dark clouds and wind scared the ponies in Stalliongrad when they heard the echoes of Nightmare Moon's voice, they began to cheer realizing that Luna had come to save them from certain death. The mayor said to himself, "Thank you Luna, we owe you our very lives."
The dark unicorns were running around in a panic as Nightmare Moon was firing powerful bolts of energy at them, killing them as she struck them. General Eternal Darkness started shouting at them, "Fire back at her you pathetic cowards. Bring her down or it won't be her who kills you, it will be me!"
Finally the dark unicorns began to fire back at Nightmare Moon yet she was able to easily dodge their energy bolts not only because of her agility, they were also very errant and off target. Fifteen minutes after arriving, Nightmare Moon had wiped out every dark unicorn except one, General Eternal Darkness. She saw him crawling away from the remains of his soldiers when she swooped down, grabbed him with her magic, flew into the city and threw him onto the ground in the city square, injuring him further.
Almost as quickly as the skies had become shrouded in darkness, the skies brightened back up and Nightmare Moon transformed herself back into Luna. Luna landed in the city square in front of Eternal Darkness and a whole city of grateful ponies. When she landed Gray Eyes ran to her, hugged her and said, "Thank you your Majesty, you saved us! We owe you our lives."
Luna smiled and replied, "Nonsense, you do not owe me your lives! What would make you think that?"
Gray Eyes replied, "Well we are all so happy that you came and saved us from certain death." He paused for a minute and continued, "Who is the dark unicorn soldier you brought to us. He looks like an officer as he is quite decorated."
Luna glared at Eternal Darkness and asked, "Who are you and are you part of Lemon Hearts' forces?"
The injured dark unicorn replied, "I am General Eternal Darkness and yes I am a part of Queen Lemon Hearts' military."
Luna planted her hoof on the general and said, "That is what I thought." She then raised her hoof up, kicked him in the head and then continued, "So defeated one, what are your precious queen's plans. What all invasions did she plan on for the Equine Empire and did she plan any military actions elsewhere in the world?"
Eternal Darkness said, "I'm not saying anything to a pony who is so arrogant as to kick me in the head."
Luna's horn began to glow and she pointed it down at the general and sneered, "Oh, so you're one of those types huh? Tell me or you will suffer dearly and don't count on me putting you out of your misery, so if I were you I would reveal everything."
Eternal Darkness had a lump in his throat as he said, "Ok, I will tell you." He paused for a minute and continued, "Well besides my forces coming up here and attempting to take Stalliongrad she also sent an army of dark Alicorns and changelings to sail up the coast, seizing each city as they go up the coast. She ordered them to kill everypony there and destroy the cities. She said once they take care of Braylin that they are to head to Marescow and kill you." He then laughed, "So if I were you I would be back guarding your capitol!"
Luna laughed back, "Oh I don't have to worry about that. Forces from Equestria sailed across the Alicorn Ocean and ambushed your queen's forces. In the end it was a massacre. The dark Alicorns and changelings of your nation are all dead! So general, what about Lyra? What do you know about her plans?"
Eternal Darkness replied, "Given that I am only a dark unicorn officer, Lyra and Lemon Hearts did not share that information with me. They only shared it with the dark Alicorns and changelings."
The general laid there trembling as Luna was staring into his eyes. Her scowl changed to a look of indifference as she could tell that he was telling the truth. She said, "Well at least you aren't lying about this. Now I have one more thing I need to do before I am finished with you."
Before the general could say anything Luna shouted to the citizens of Stalliongrad, "Stand back everypony, I don't want to see any of you get hurt."
Eternal Darkness could see Luna's horn glowing again and he shouted, "No your Majesty, please let me live. I promise to help you in any way I can!"
Before he could say anything else Luna fired a powerful bolt of energy at him. He began to scream in agony as the energy was burning him. Finally he fell silent and Luna stopped firing her energy. She walked over to him and kicked him in the head. She got no response from him. She smiled at the stunned city's residents and said, "You have nothing to worry about anymore. All the enemy forces which surrounded your city are dead."
The whole city began to cheer loudly and chanted, "LUNA, LUNA, LUNA!"
Luna blushed and continued, "From information I have received the forces that sailed up the west coast laying siege to each city were eradicated by Equestrian forces in Braylin."
A colt in the crowd asked, "Queen Luna, does that mean that our country is free?"
Luna smiled and replied, "Yes little one, it is free. Now I must go and join these forces from Equestria as they are sailing south as we speak. I have a feeling that an offensive against Saddle Arabia is about to ensue."
The colt said, "You be careful your Majesty!"
Luna nodded and sped off towards what was left of Maredrid. She dreaded what she would wind up seeing but knew that is where she would meet up with the Equestrian forces that liberated the west coast.