//------------------------------//
// 01 - The Rising Action of War 
// Story: Demise 
// by Ninety-Nine 
//------------------------------//

" My lord, the ponies ranks are rapidly advancing towards the castle. "

The frantic young Minotaur solider was in a sweaty pulp, indicating that he endured long distances to reach the throne room. One could only tell the chaotic positions the enemy was enduring. However, on the throne covered in marble and stone sat the deciding factor among the apocalypse that endangered his people.

" Our men have taken their stances. We believe we may have a chance if their souls remain still. But, if she shows up, all of Tartarus will be fired upon this great city. " he continued.

" Do you still want to do this? Can't you negotiate to calm the storm between both factions? The people of New Labyrinth will be put at great risks...Families lost, homes destroyed. Is it all worth it? "

The monarch's face embraced the great pain of sorrow towards these remarks. The facial expressions made the solider have his regrets of spitting out what was on his mind. But, then again any remark made towards a person within that much power could make anyone tremble. 

" There is nothing left to discuss. They seek their our definition of justice? I've asked their superiors to define their meaning of justice. Let's just say it was very different from us Minotaurs. Now, they threaten my people with death because of a vision that this powerful wizard had come upon. We are the corrupted ones? Oh, in time..."

The soilder now humbled at what he has heard, lowered his head to the glistening floor of the castle, discombobulated, yet not. He had heard all that needed to be spoken. He raised his head after the brief processing of emotions, and accepted what his King had believed in.

" So, there are no other questions about this matter, I suppose. "

"Then, let us get started. "

The King of New Labyrinth rised from his stressful position, and made his egress towards the door. He gently pushed his hands on the wood leading to the balcony that viewed over abode. In the distance, rows and columns of the Royal Canterlot guards by the hundreds all emerged beside his city steps. The tension in the air was as thicker than molasses, not even the strongest blade would be able to penetrate it with ease.

"ARCHERS! COMMENCE YOUR POSITIONS!" the king's voice boomed. "SOLDIERS! BEGIN YOUR APPROACH. "

The warriors almost equaled to the amount that the ponies were amassed obeyed the commands, and slowly marched towards the enemy front lines. As the former began to start, the king's eyes began to clench. All the boiling emotions that have been getting warm since the day of reckoning, finally about to reach it's long awaited climax. The be-all-end-all, the Final Chapter, the Last Journal Entry, whatever it was to be named by. Any name wouldn't begin to reach the level of hype all amounting towards this one faithful night.

Archers...FIRE!!!

Arrows by the multiple dozens began firing towards the ponies' direction. Simultaneously, with a bright shining blue light all of their shields assembled as one. Side by side, picking off the arrows like flower stems. Once the first wave had calmed, the Archers began to reload their bows and await command for launch.

The King was determined to thin their ranks as he continued to give the order, over and over. The result was the same each time, as the shields showed equal fury like a mare's scorn. 

" NOW! "

With their shields hovering above their heads, they quickly shifted their attention to the band of sword wielding hybrids charging towards them.

It seemed like everything they did was in sync and the first line had no centered their shields in front of their bodies and began charging forward. The feat that this was only the front line taking on what is at the moment five times their amount was mind boggling. The two factions clashed head on and the recoil was favoring the ponies. The shields of the front line were trudging themselves against the brute strength of the Minotaurs. To make matters worse, the difficulty of killing the guards were drastically increased as the helmets on their head provided extra protection. The bold swords of the Minotaurs couldn't figure out how to get around this obstacle.

Now with everything in the pony's favor, they began to cut down the ranks of their own enemy - One by one.

The spears ripped through the flesh of the tall, horned beasts and their numbers began to fall. At crucial moments, some of the Minotaur soldiers were able to find openings in the guards armor. As the red liquid was drawn from each side, and metal was left to rot in this bloodbath, something needed to give.

The Royal guards began to unsheathe their bows and arrows and rained a sharp rain down at the Minotaur lines. The sum of lives lost on the King's side were beginning to stack against him. Desperately, he ordered another rain of fire from his own archers towards the enemy's own archers trying to even the odds.

Guess he didn't learn the first time.

The sense of Déjà vu was incredibly explicit, as the already once seen barrage of shields appeared once again to cut off the whizzing arrows.

What was going wrong? All this hope of overcoming the odds, becoming the underdogs, was it all too overwhelming? Had they not prepared for this accordingly? Organization is usually a big fundamental in a battle. So, was the King that foolish?


Of course not.

The land below the enemy soldiers began to shake, rumble if you would. The tremors caught the ponies off guard and sent them in disarray, what was going on?

Cracks from beneath the floor began to surface, those cracks soon begun to grow larger in size. Not only that, but began multiplying. By coincidence, they started to form all around the pony ranks that had trotted themselves into the city. Was it really by a coincidence? 

The awkward silence immediately turned into a deafening rage as Minotaur soldiers had leaped from the splits beneath the floor and charged at the perplexed ponies wondering which direction to strike. The commander for the pony squadron began yelling commands of what his soldiers to do. They began to form around the rapidly quick warriors and faced their shields in their respective directions. When the battle axes clashed within the shields, the ponies came to realize they were being overwhelmed, crushed into a confined area. NOW, it was the Minotaur's turn.

The young warrior beside the King was still trying to figure out what was going on.

" My lord, h-how did you do that? " he wondered.

" Do you not know your land's history boy? " the King scolded.

The man felt very disappointed in himself after receiving a rough response, lowering his head in shame.

" This city goes by the name New Labyrinth. It was originally built over the original labyrinth that is told in legends today. It was certain that Old Labyrinth would still have it's trips and traps from past times. All I did was use it to my advantage. "

The solider raised his head in, but still in a clustered state.

" Y-you mean...you knew those men were going to die? You actually sacrificed them for this pl- "

" IT. WAS. NECESSARY. " The king bellowed.

" In order for us to see the survival of our race, we need to consider facts. Sacrificing some men in order to save the lives of thousands is the one and ONLY option. Boy, if you were in my position, I know for damn certain you would do the same. "

The young man had now been silenced at this small lecture, not knowing if their was a reply even if he had the stones to say anything.

" What is your name, son? "

With a tear, slowly running down his left eye, he managed to speak in a tone clear enough for the King to respond in.

" Iron Will. "

The king had now inhaled the blood-filled air, then continued to exhale.

" Iron Will. Who is your family? "

Iron Will rubbed the faint drop of liquid off his cheek and now faced his King in the eye with confident intentions and his heart now beating a at appropriate beat.

" My family is the citizens of New Labyrinth. "

" You better believe it. "

On the battlefield, the odds were beginning to even. The surprise attack launched by the Minotaurs had thrown the ponies plans into astray. Desperately, trying to hold their ground, unleashing most of their arsenal, exposing their weaknesses.

The battle went on exceeding the points of what most beings would expect. Eventually, the entire front line of the ponies guard had been diminished. The rest of their soldiers had yet to entire the blood stained city. At this point, it seemed that the battle would now be even, but it seemed far from the actual concept.

The soldiers from the outside were completely fresh, in parallel to them were a bunch of tired gladitors whose " Never Say Die " attitude kept them alive. But, at what cost? The King had now been awaiting for the enemy to advance, but they didn't budge. Was it because they were paranoid that the King had another trick up his sleeve? Maybe.

Time went past, and not either side looked like they were going to approach one another. By this time, the Minotaurs were slowly recuperating, and tending to their mental health. Something had to give.

All of a sudden, the unthinkable became just that, unthinkable.

One of the soldiers had raised his hand in a form of command. Afterwards, the WHOLE army of royal guards began to bow in the direction of the Minotaur king. It is possible that give had given up?

Materializing from the sky, a bright yellow light, shining like the sun appeared.

As it came closer, the object's identity was clear as diamond.All of Labyrinth watched in disbelief and terror, knowing that if what they were observing was the real deal, bless their war-driven souls.

" W-we can't win this! "

" It's OVER! "

" The rumors were true! "

Those were the voices of the men who had fought the ponies so gallantly, earlier. What was the sudden change in personality? The King's face though. It told the entire story.

" They told me...but I didn't listen. It was implied all along... " 

ALL HAIL, GODDESS OF THE SUN, PRINCESS CELESTIA!!

" Mother of Celestia....is this really your daughter? In the flesh? "

That was the voice of the King who taught he had it all figured it. The hope that existed when he walked out of his castle doors had now vanished. The hole that once was filled with hope was now filled with desolation.

This was a mismatch from the start.




What's a King to a God(dess)?