//------------------------------// // Chapter 6: The Gleaming Fort Now Burns // Story: The Unicorn Wars: War of the Gods // by Constellation //------------------------------// "Hey, do you see anything?"asked Fire Ball from behind me. Fire Ball, Swift Steel and myself were currently hiding under a thorn bush, as a small group of pagasi flew in a search pattern above us. We had been here for half a hour, and Fire Ball was starting to get restless, and angry, and he kept asking that same question. "Shhh,"I hist for what felt like the millionth time."no, there is nothing to see."I spoke through my teeth, trying to be as quiet as possible. There was silence for a minute. "Ouch."Fire Ball said, alarmingly loud. I looked to the sky, but the pegesi didn't seem to have heard him."I just got another of those thorns."he grumbled. "Then sit still."Swift Steel told him. Time drug on. The Pegesi were thorough, searching every inch of the forest from the air. I had to admit that their attention to detail was impressive, but flawed. They never landed and that meant they couldn't properly probe the under brush. Thankfully, they flew over us, and searched on, missing our position entirely, and not giving it a second look. I watched as they slowly passed, and then began to move further away. In a mater of minutes, they flue out of sight. "Their gone."I said, relieved that we could finally get out of the thorn bushes. As quickly and quietly as possible, we all slid out from under the bush, and stood at our full height. As soon as we where up, we began to move toward a patch of trees, thicker then the rest of the forest, not far from where we were. As it was far thicker then the ones we were currently under, the pegesi had checked it quiet well. It was a good thing we didn't have enough time to hide there, which had been our plan. It most certainly wasn't our first chose to hide in thorns. "OK,"I stated as we finally got under the trees."we need to get to the pass, then to Fort Sun Guard." "Yeah, last I heard though is that the Earth Ponies took Foal Mountain Pass."Swift Steel said. "Yeah, I heard about that to."I said as I gave some thought to it. "Wait, I've seen maps, why can't we just go around through the low lands, east of Foal Mountain?"Fire Ball asked. "Because, that whole peace of real estate is owned by the Earth Ponies. The Empire lost three divisions in there."Swift Steel answered. "Oh,"was all that Fire Ball said. For a few seconds no pony spoke, we just sat in silence, all trying to come up with a plan. "I know,"Fire Ball started."We hit them head on, go straight for the center." "You want us to attack a pass, held by a unknown number of Earth Ponies, and Pegasi?"Swift Steel asked, amazed that anypony could even consider proposing such a thing. "We should move, we can make a plan when we're there."I said. "Hey, what about sleep."Fire Ball asked. We were all dead tiered. "The enemy is scouring the whole mountain side for us, and you want to sleep?"Swift Steel asked in the same voice as before. ""Lets go."I said. With that, we set off toward the Pass we all know to be just thirteen or fourteen miles away. The night continued to get colder with each step, but, with nopony to hinder us, aside from a few patrols that were mostly earth ponies, and were easily avoided, we made it there in just over four hours. I sat at the edge of the forest now, the thick trees and dense under brush hiding me well from the Earth ponies that stood on a low wall that blocked the opening to the Pass we wished to use. The barrier was made of wood, and only stood about nine feet off the ground. And at the time, seemed to be patrolled by six ponies. I looked from the small wooden wall, to the steep mountain that split only here. For as far as I could see in both directions, nothing but a two thousand foot high wall of rock stood in our way. The only way through was right before use, and it didn't seem very heavily garrisoned. Slowly I licked my lips, the only option I could see was attacking the pass. "Hey, look, there doesn't seem to be that many of them, maybe we could take 'em."I said, looking to my two friends. If the whole squad had been here, we would have attacked by now, it was the only option. Our powder had long since dried, so we had the advantage of muskets, as I hadn't seen a singly guard with one yet. However, we were all tiered, and using magic would be a huge drain on us. "Great, I love this plan, how should we go--Hey, what's that."Swift Steel asked as he pointed at a shadow that was stalking along the bottom of the enemy barricade. It made its way slowly along the outside of the wall, watching the guards patrols, and getting into a position by a large bolder on the eastern side of the small fort like structure, apparently making ready to attack. As we watched, I was surprised to see it suddenly jump up, and fire a flaming ball right into the eastern most guard. Not a second later, four more joined it, taking out all but one of the guards. I was almost too stunned to move. "kita lagi kena serangan!"The last guard shouted, just before he was struck down by the first shadow figure. At what I just saw, I stood up and looked from my friends to the short wall, which soon erupted into a blazing inferno, as who ever attacked it blew the door down and then rushed in. I turned my head back to my friends."Well,"I started."lets go!" As soon as I said that, all three of us jumped from the tree line, and rushed forward. We crossed the short distance in mere seconds, and immediately entered through the now chard and shattered door, and saw the chaos that was going on inside. Five Unicorns fought off about twenty Earth Ponies. Two stood back, keeping most of the enemy away with deadly fire spells, while the other three engaged with any that got by. It was good plan, but it wasn't working. The two magic casters where nearly drained, and the three sword wielding Unicorns were fighting three to one. Once all was registered, I charged forward, Swift Steel and Fire Ball right behind me. We stopped just short of the fight, and unloaded our muskets into the earth ponies. I saw at least two fall. I charged on, and as soon as I was within rang, I let out a stream of fame that killed two more Earth Ponies, and made another back away. Fire Ball did the same killing another and driving back three more. While Swift Steel simply drew his sword and ran past the other two casting spells, and right into the fray. As fast as I could, I was right next to him, my own Gryphonic sword slashing down an enemy before he even saw me. With a quick roll I dodged to the right as another Earth pony swung down at my head, leaping to my hooves I took a wiled swing at his neck, but he blocked, then pulled back as fire flew at his face. Just before he could take a swing at my neck I couldn't have dodged. I looked back briefly, and saw that Fire Ball was with the other casters, and had been the one who saved me. I blocked another slashing arch he tried to deliver while I was distracted. I proceeded to ducked when a second earth pony decided to join us, and swung to remove my head. I quickly backed up, and jumped to the right to avoid a downward slash he attempted at me, then I lunged forward, and with a swift smooth cut, he instead found himself collapsing to the ground, his head coming off and rolling away. My second opponent was fast, he came in and took a swing at my fore hooves. I blocked it just in time, then struck out with my right hoof, knocking him in the middle of his nose. With a sharp yelp he staggered back, then jumped at me, swinging for my horn. I ducked quickly, then rolled under him. I turned as fast as I could on my back, and plunged my sword up through his chest. He collapsed down on top of me, but with a quick shove he rolled off, and I was back on my hooves. I looked to my right as I heard a loud battle cry, and saw four Earth Ponies charging me. I took a step back, then dropped my sword and fired off a small stream of flame, which killed one, and forced the others back. I could feel a pressure building in my fore head, and pain began to travel down my spine. I was reaching my magical limit fast. As the three survivors began to circle around me, I ended the spell, and picked my sword back up, bringing it up just in time to block a war axe blow from the right. As quickly as I could, I jumped back as the other two pressed in, trying to surround me. Then, suddenly appearing at my side was a Unicorn. He held in his magical grasp a standard issue steel sword, and I could just see his Sargent stripes in the dark. "Sarge!"I shouted. However, before anything else could be said, I was forced to block an upper cut from a short iron blade, then roll to the side as a second attack came at me in the form of a lung. Sargent Steel Hoof however took advantage of the two now off balance attackers, and after blocking a swiftly aimed counter attack from one of the Earth Ponies, he cut down both of them, dodged the last ones strike, then stabbed him through the chest. "Well, get a move on!"Sarge yelled at me as he charged five Earth Ponies that had been charging us, screaming at the top of his longs. The earth ponies in question stopped, and raised their swords in a defensive manure. Not that is would help them. The first two fell before him as soon as he was in range, blasted apart by his magic. It was amazing to watch a fully trained solder of the Empire fight against so meany enemies at once. after only a few seconds, the last of the Earth Ponies fell, he quickly moved on, taking out another Earth Pony that had got to close. I ran forward after the Sargent, my sights set on a earth pony that was standing by himself. I came at him with a downward power attack, hoping to knock the sword he held out of his mouth, but he dodged to my right, and in one flowing motion cut up into my side, right into my stomach. I staggered away from him, coughing, and held my side. I looked down, expecting it to rent open, and spilling blood and intestines. Instead, my uniform shone a bright golden color and my side was only bused. I looked back up and saw a bewildered expression on my opponents face. He quickly recovered, and began advancing on me, slowly. I shook my head, and gritted my teeth, it didn't matter right now what happened, I was to busy. I brought my sword up as he brought his down, aiming once again for my mid section. I knocked his sword aside, and lunged for his throat, but he reeled up on his back hooves, just out of my reach, then tried to kick me in the head as he came back down. I easily side stepped the blow. He roared as he charged me again, taking a wiled swing at my head. I ducked, and jumped to his exposed left side, then swung out with my sword, cutting him vertically across his shoulder. He cried out in pain, his sword falling from his mouth as he stumbles back. He stopped only ten hooves away, and pulled a small axe from his side. After pulling his axe, he lunged toward me, but staggered as he put wait on his left fore hoof, and grunted in pain. I wasted no time, and quickly ran forward, he raised his axe, but I knocked it from his grasp and sent it flying. He took one final, desperate step back, before I stabbed him in the chest, piercing his heart. I stared into his eyes as the life drained from them, shock and pain in equal amounts displayed on his face as he died. I watched as his body fell from my blade, and hit the ground. I was breathing heavily, and my side suddenly reminded me of the pain I was in, sending shock waves of pain through my body every time my skin touched my uniform. My head was spinning, and my horn was burning. My magic had been taxed to its limit. I looked up from the body, now bleeding out at my hooves, and pulled my sword from him. I looked the makeshift fort over. The last of the earth pony defenders having been killed just after I killed the one before me. I wiped my sword off, and sheathed it, I would have to clean it later. I looked at all the assembled ponies. Among them I saw the Sargent, Corporal Iron Hide, Ice Heart, Maximus and General Burning Sky. "Sir."I saluted the General, Fire Ball and Swift Steel quickly doing the same thing. "At ease."the general waved us off, then turned to Sargent Steel Hoof."Sargent, how long until we reach this Fort..."he trailed off, looking into the distance. I followed his gaze, and found myself looking at a massive pillar of smoke, poring up from right where Fort Sun Guard would be. "That's the fort!"Maximus yelled. "Damn it!"the general shouted."Alright, lets get a move on!"he called as he took off at a fast march heading North.