The camp was disbanded after breakfast, and we were back to marching west, make a bee line it for the mountain that loomed ever closer, and now dominated the horizon with its massive walls of stone.
Canterlot mountain was a truly terrifying beast. It looked like a spear plunging up from the depths of Tartarus. A thick, dark and foreboding forest encompassed the entire base of the mountain, only breaking for a small road that went straight to the heavily defended temple that was about half way up the side of the cliffs.
Even from outside the forest, miles away, I, and everypony else, could see clearly its imposing size. I had seen some earth pony buildings, and not one of them looked anything like the fortress temple hanging from the dark gray mountain. not even the pegasi had such grand fortresses, only the empire had the money and power to build such things. However, here stood testament that lowly earth ponies did the same.
I looked long and warily at the pathetic fifteen pound cannons we had, then back to the massive walls of the temple.
"Great."I thought."I bet a twenty five pounder couldn't get through that!"
I knew, however, that the lack of real artillery wound not stop General Burning Sky. I had read once a report about a attack on a Zebra city, where he simply charged with ladders and climbed the walls. It was risky, but it worked, and he had captured the city in half the time and with almost half the casualties projected.
We had come to a long standing stop as the General conversed with the Colonel on how to proceed. Even from the rear of the column, I could tell they didn't see eye-to-eye. Both of their voices were raised, though neither was yelling, just disagreeing with vigor.
"Hey,"I heard one of the stallions in front of me say."Did you get a chance to read the news paper before we left Manehatten?"he asked a mare standing next to him.
"No, why?"she asked.
"Well, Carthnayge was attacked, damn pagasi sacked the whole city. Got out with thousands of gold coins."he said.
My thoughts halted. Carthnayge was one of the most powerful and wealthy cities in the empire. If the pagasi could get to Carthnayge and win, they could easily take out smaller cities in the region, and that was only on province away from Roam, my home city. I pushed those thoughts from my head as he continued.
"They attacked with a whole Gryphon army to, and now they say that the whole province might be lost."he added."And with the Zebra in the south acting up, they say the empire is facing a total rebellion."
I turned my attention away from the two who where now talking about a different topic."No way."I thought."The Empire is at its peak, its never been stronger."With resent conquests in Equestria and Gryphonia, the Empire had reached a new height in economic wealth and military strength. How could hundreds of years of building suddenly be at risk?"No!"I thought."The Emperor will figure it out, and with the gods on our side, what have we to fear?"
As I looked forward once more, I noted that the Colonel was shaking her head in understanding. She didn't look happy, but she would never dare question the orders of a General, much less this General.
"Column, advance!"she yelled, and everypony began marching into the increasingly thick forest. It wasn't long after that that we began to slowly, yet notably, start heading up a gradual incline. Soon the path sharply shot upward, and stairs appeared in the side of the cliff.
It was the most vertical clime I had ever been on, and dew to the short withe of the steps, we could only move two at a time, so it took twice as long to get to were the mountain side finally plateaued, and became level. However, there was no time to rest, and we were back to marching the second the cannons were up. I'm just glad I didn't have to heft those heave worthless peaces of meddle around.
However, by thirteen hundred hours, we finally reached our destination. The walls had looked massive from the ground, but they weren't. Instead, they where colossal. They must have stood sixty hooves tall, there was a trench dug around its base with a draw bridge that was in the up position when we arrived. And there were about two or more hundred earth ponies on the wall, muskets primed and aimed, so we made sure to stand out of range.
"Alright, get to work building ladders!"the General shouted, and with the tools available, ponies began to cut down trees.
I took in slow and steady breaths as I stood in the long line of solders ready to surge forward at the Generals order. We had just finished preparing ladders not a hour ago, and the sun was getting low on the horizon, but we were clearly getting ready for a attack regardless of the difficulty of night time battles
I stood in the center of my squad, Maximus to my left Swift Steel to my right, right in the front row of the army. This meant I would be the second pony over the wall from our ladder, following right behind Maximus, as he was randomly selected to be a ladder pony, which gave him the most dangerous job in siege warfare. I didn't know why my squad was at the front. The gods had selected us to stop the two false sister goddesses from raising, if we died out here, then who would carry through with that part of the mission. However, I didn't say anything to the General, he was perfectly aware of the situation.
The forest around us was quiet, as if the birds knew what was about to happen, and had fled. The wind too had died down to a whisper, and as I continued to think about it, I realized that the sun hadn't moved in half an hour. I stayed staring at the none moving heavenly body for a few minutes, its base just touched a far off mountain. However, it didn't go anywhere after that, it simply stopped, leaving the glare just in our eyes.
The ponies on the wall didn't seem vary active, as they rarely moved. Their faces were stony, and expressionless, and I was beginning to think something was wrong with them. None looked afraid, none looked worried, none ever left the wall since we showed up, they didn't seem supersized, and that was just wrong somehow. Perhaps they were extremely well trained, and battle hardened, which would be very bad for us. Or, perhaps it was just my nerves getting the better of me.
I glanced back at the sun."What's going on?"I thought.
"Alright, we've waited long enough."I heard the General, who was just three ponies to my left standing next to the Sarge, say."Advance!"he called, and the army started forward.
We pushed forward slowly at first, the earth ponies on the wall raised their muskets and lined up a shot. They held their fire, as we were still out of range, but that would soon change. We began running as soon as we knew we were in their range, however, they held their fire, clearly waiting for us to get closer so they could hit us with accuracy.
Sure enough, once we were just thirty hooves from the wall, their muskets all went off. I looked down the line in both direction, hoping that none of my friend got hit. None did, in fact, no pony was even heart. I couldn't under stand as the ladders were all slowly lifted, and aimed for the wall, that's when I got it.
As the ladders came down on the wall, they began to pass right through it, and with a light shimmer, the whole wall disappeared and the ladders slammed into the dirt, bridging the pit that was at the bottom of the false wall. However, the main problem now was the incredible amount of earth ponies on the far side of the pit at point blank range with their muskets level with our chests.
"BANG"
Their muskets barked as one, and most of the front row of solders fell. As soon as this happened, dozens of ponies behind began to panic, and about half the survivors began to run back down the mountain.
"Back in formation!"the General screamed at the top of his lungs."Firing line now!"he order.
At the Generals orders, most of the ponies who where retreating turned around and started back, and those like me still in line instantly fire our own volley, and then began to reload, but the enemy was already half way there.
"Forget reloading!"the General cried as he pulled a long, elegant officers sword from his belt."Charge!"he finished, screaming the order as he surged forward, even before anypony else had time to process what he said. However, he was soon followed, and a wall of bayonets plowed into the unprepared enemy before they knew what happened.
I was across the pit and on the far bank before I knew it, I had run across the ladder which had thankfully thick rungs. I killed a earth pony before he had time to react, spearing him through with my bayonet, then kicking his lifeless body into the pit I just crossed.
However, the earth ponies recovered fast, and I was soon fighting three of them. I blocked the first one's mace as he swung for my head, but that let the second one hit me in the back with a axe. I shouted in pain at the crushing wait of the heave axe head, but my uniform, blessed by the gods, saved me form death.
I swung my musket around and slammed it into his face, only for the third one and the first to hit me with their maces. I backed away, giving myself more room, and watched as they tried to get around me. However, another unicorn came out of nowhere and ran one through with his stander issue sword. As the other two were then distracted, I stepped forward an got another one, stabbing him in the barrel, then slashing down, spilling his intestines on the ground, he soon followed them.
The unknown unicorn was pulled into a different part of the battle, and I was left fighting the last one by myself, but by himself, he was easy to defeat. I lunged forward, aiming for his chest with my bayonet, only for him to slam the mace into my musket and knock the bayonet off its end, he then swung high and aimed for my head, I blocked with my musket and pushed him back just long enough for me to draw my sword.
He recovered and swung his mace for my head once more, but with a flick of my magic my sword cut his mace in half. He stumbled forward, suddenly off balance, and I quickly cut his neck, severing his jugular, and spilling blood all over the ground.
I turned back to the fighting and saw the superior numbers of earth ponies being defeated by superior unicorn training, and the battle was quickly turning in our favor.
After a short while we began pushing the earth ponies back into the surprisingly small compound, were the open field fight turned into a urban battle. The temple was clearly lived in, houses were divided by thin streets that mazed there way through the small town.
It was quick and bloody work getting through the town, but soon we stood before the goal. A large temple looking build stood in the very center of the village, and once the last of the defenders was dead, the army regrouped around the door to the large black stone building. What was left was not impressive, only about two hundred solders made it this far, but the General walked up the the thick doors with confidence.
He stopped before the door, raised his left fore hoof, and pounded on the door before yelling."Come out, we have you surrounded!"he stood still, waiting to see what they would say in response. It vaguely occurred to me that they mite not even be able to understand him, but their response answered that question.
"Fool unicorn, your gods don't have the strength to defeat the sun and the moon!"came a reply. However, it was not a earth pony accent, it was a pegasi accent. The general seemed to note this to, as his features darkened, and he frowned deeply.
"Alright, listen up. If you come out now, you will not be hurt!"he promised. Silence rained for a short time.
"Never! We know what you want, and you can't have it!"with those their final words, the general motioned with his hoof, and the gunners rolled the two cannons forward.
"Alright,"the General grinned wildly."if that's the way you want it."
It was a short a quiet wait, as the gunners load the two cannons, apparently they stopped to listen to what the General had to say. However, their task was soon completed, and they signaled the General they were ready. At that, the General signaled for all the troops to form up around the door, but we stayed at a distance.
"Last chance!"he called, but put no real attempt to sway them in it.
"Come on in, Unicorn!"the same Pegasi shouted.
Without even waiting for the Pegasi to finish, the General shouted."Fire!"
As soon as he yelled, the two gunners touched the slowly burning fuses to the small holes in the top of the cannon, and a second later, the cannons roared loudly, spewing fire and iron out the end, which soon slammed into the great doors of the temple, shattering them to splinters. I suddenly regretted making fun of them.
"Aim!"the general yelled to the line of Unicorns holding muskets.
I raised my musket in sink with the other two hundred Unicorns and held tightly on the trigger, waiting for the Generals order to fire. It came very shortly, just as the smoke began to clear, earth ponies surged through the downed door, and charged our firing line.
"Fire!"the General shouted at the top of his lungs.
As soon as he shouted, the wall of muskets sang their chorus of death, and the wall of bayonets was replaced momentarily by a wall of gun smoke. The smoke soon cleared, reveling the broken bodies of the earth pony defenders. However, they were not all dead, and a second wave soon followed the first.
No time was given for the order to be called, so the soldiers of the firing line responded as their training dictated. Without even realizing what I had done, I found myself bracing just as the enemy slammed into the wall of bayonets.
Blood suddenly covered me as a stallion impaled himself on my bayonet. I quickly recovered, and pushed him from the end of the weapon before stabbing at another stallion that was behind him. I missed his neck, but hit him in the shoulder. His cry of pain was short lived as another pony stabbed him through the chest.
Not bothering to see who killed him, I pulled my bayonet free and looked around. The battle was already over, the last of the earth ponies being put down just as I finished retrieving my weapon from the corps.
Looking up, however, I could see, deeper inside the building was a wall of defenders, and they looked very angry. They, however, did not mover down the long hall. Instead, they held the far end, protecting a door of wood. Even without doing any calculation, I could tell they were out of musket rang. The General, however, had a idea.
"Get those cannons loaded!"he ordered the gunners, and they started to load the guns immediately."Everypony reload."he shouted toward those with muskets. I had already started to reload, as had many others. It took the gunners only a minute to finish, and by then, anypony with a musket was also done. The gunners then moved into position. The wall of earth ponies suddenly looked very worried."Fire!"the General commanded.
"Bang"
The two small guns sang as the end of the hall was suddenly reduced to splinters and body parts.
"Advance!"the General called out, and we slowly started down the hall in a column.
We marched slowly, looking out for traps, or more enemies, but seen none. The General lead us without so much as a small hesitation, right through the now demolished wooden doors. That's when we found the rest of the enemy.
As soon as we stepped through the destroyed gate, hundreds of earth ponies flooded from the adjacent room. They carried no muskets, only maces and some swords. However, there was no time to fire on them, as the charged into our front lines, and blood began flowing.
As soon as I engaged one, I immediately noticed the difference. The stallion I attacked skillfully blocked my bayonet with his sword, swiftly disarming me, and driving me back. I used everything I could to put distance between us long enough to draw my own sword, but he made that very hard. Finally though, I managed to draw the Griffonic blade, now bringing the fight to him.
With a series of quick slashes, I attacked him, but he dodge or blocked all of them. I could see all around me the same thing. Highly trained soldiers of the Empire barely staying in the fight against barbaric earth ponies. Suddenly I felt sweat rolling down my forehead.
Focusing my attention on the earth pony before me, I started with a swift slash at his neck, but he blocked swiftly, giving himself room to chop at my left foreleg. I stumbled back to save myself, just evading the crippling blow, then brought my sword up at his face. He jumped back, but still got his cheek split open.
I grinned as he landed, and wobbled slightly, losing his balance. Quickly taking advantage of his momentary imbalance, I struck out at his side. He didn't have time to correct himself, and my sword easily pierced him, cutting him open. He fell to the floor dead a second later.
Looking up from his body, I was shocked to see most of the remaining soldiers dead. The last of the earth ponies were dead, but only about twenty soldiers were left. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
The General, from the other side of the room, threw a body to the floor, then started down the hall."Fifteen of you stay there, make sure we are not followed, the rest of you are with me."he ordered.
I knew me and my squad were going with him, and so I started down the hall at a slow trot, soon catching up with him. The others soon joined us, along with two guards and the Colonel.
It was quiet for a minute, but we soon found our destination, and stopped right in front of two massive doors."This is it,"the General stated."This is where their Heresy lays."