//------------------------------//
// In a Column of Fire 
// Story: Ballad for the Medicpony 
// by Spirit Guide 
//------------------------------//

Shining Armor bent low over the map, staring at it intensely. On his right knelt the dragon officer, Pauldron, and on his left sat Zeal, who had returned from her delivery. Behind the dune which the trio hunkered by, thousands of ponies, gryphon and dragons waited for a signal, a sign which would call them back to arms.

After several days of strategic military maneuvers and tactics, Shining had managed to lead the division to the desert west of the terrorists' mesa base without detection. They'd encountered small teams of enemy ponies but even after they'd been defeated, reinforcements did not hound them. It would seem that despite their drive to fight, the enemy lacked the level of coordination necessary for successful warfare.

"How long until Mandate's team blows the mesa?" Pauldron asked Shining Armor.

"I don't know. I expect they were sent out earlier this evening. They should finish the operation before midnight."

"That's not for hours, Your Highness," Zeal said. "We could be sitting here all night waiting for them, fighting off wave after wave of enemy ponies."

Shining sighed. "I wish it would happened already. I want to end this war and go home, watch over my kingdom, with my wife by my side..."

"We all have things were fighting for," Pauldron declared. "Though I will admit, most of the dragons prefer waiting this war out in their caves, sitting on their hordes. Fortunately, young dragons are spunky creatures, always looking for a fight."

"Too young," Zeal muttered. "Dragons may live for long periods of time, but most of the ones fighting are practically teenagers. They shouldn't be fighting in a war."

"None of us should," Shining said, rolling up the map and stowing it away. "But war has come and we must meet it, lest it swallow Equestria in blood and darkness."

Pauldron grunted. "Jolly."

"Sirs!"

A unicorn teleported before Shining Armor and the others, appearing without a trace of magic. It was one of the sentries posted between the corps and the mesa. "We've sighted Mandate's troops! They're about ten miles east of the mesa and fast approaching."

Pauldron pumped his fist. "Finally."

"How many are there?" Shining inquired.

"They number close tho forty thousand strong: ponies, gryphons and dragons. Infantry, rangers, mages, light weapons and the new airship from Canterlot."

"That'll leave a dent in the enemy's heads," Zeal said, grinning.

Shining nodded. "That is indeed good news. Zeal, tell the troops to get ready; we may need to charge at a moment's notice. For now, we just have to wait for the strike team to carry out their mission."

Whump.

A cobalt-blue dragon, another of the sentries, landed beside the military commanders. "Prince Shining Armor, the enemy is exiting the base!"

Everyone present stared at the sentry. "How many are there?" Shining questioned.

"I-I couldn't be sure, they were all so close together. I'd say at least several hundreds, maybe a few thousand. They've got their weaponized vehicles too, all rattling the ground, a couple dozen of those."

"That is a lot more bloodthirsty haters of civilization than I want to deal with," Pauldron hissed.

"Nevertheless, we can't be intimidated by them. We outnumber them forty to one." Shining donned his helmet. "Pauldron, get the bareback brigade up and Zeal, alert the rest of the troops. The time to execute the plan has come. Tonight, we end this war."

"But what about the bomb mission?" Zeal asked. "The terrorists will retreat to their base if it's still there."

Shining looked up at the mesa, behind which he could see the moon. After their own cliff-built base, the mesa was the next most secure fortress in the desert. If the enemy did return to seek refuge there, then the entire night's efforts would be for naught. It wasn't helping that he was getting a strange unexplained feeling. "We have no choice but to wait," he said, dreading the words as he spoke them.

Fortunately — and also unfortunately — the waiting was over.

BOOOOOM!

A column of fire exploded out of the mesa, blowing it apart and sending chunks of rock raining down on the desert. Shouts of pain and anger came from all around as the enemy was pelted by their own base. Already, Shining Armor's unit of the United Equestrian Army was stirring and the soldiers preparing to march onwards.

"They did it!" Zeal cried out. Pauldron grinned, flames curling out of his mouth like a fiery mustache.

"Then it's time we joined. Pauldron, order the colonels to get their men up and moving; the enemy approaches and we shall meet them head on. Zeal, notify whoever's leading Mandate's troops to attack at once; any terrorist that comes their way, take them out like a flood. We'll crush the enemy between the might of a united Equestria!"

The sentries cheered at the Prince's command but even as Zeal and Pauldron went their separate ways, Shining Armor felt a twinge of discomfort, the kind of twinge he felt whenever he thought of the ponies closest to him and of trouble they may be facing. He looked up at the ruined mesa, wondering for all the world how his LSBFF was doing.

Twily, stay safe.


*


The detonation of the UEA's reverse-engineered bomb sent the upper floors of the mesa fortress shooting upwards, cracking thems and knocking about anypony standing on them. Twilight spread her wings to keep her balance, casting a shield spell around herself as she searched for her comrades.

"Raffle! Hinny!"

Even as the giant shifting stone walls flew around her, the Princess of Friendship struggled to move about, hoping to save the others from being crushed under the collapsing mesa. Twilight had watched as the unicorn terrorist was punched through a window by a hunk of rock, taking the maniac out of her life. The enemy pegasus had leapt through the hole, desperate to escape the base's destruction.

"Guys, where are you?!"

"Over there, Twilight!"

Twilight looked past the collapsing ceiling and caught sight of the earth pony and hippogriff. Raffle was struggling to find footing, lacking wings to balance him out. Hinny was having a hard time too, her larger size making avoiding the falling rubble difficult.

"Hold on!" Twilight teleported over to Hinny and Raffle and cast a sphere of protection around the three of them. A chunk of debris smashed into the sphere, shattering into dust and causing a ripple to spread along the magical protection's surface.

"I don't know how much longer I can hold this!" Twilight groaned, a drop of sweat sliding down her face.

"Can you cushion us if we roll this thing out of the mesa?" Raffle asked.

"I-I think so."

Hinny didn't wait a moment longer. She pushed herself against the side of the sphere, changing the weight division and causing the entire thing to tilt. Being the center of the sphere, Twilight merely floated in its middle, but Hinny and Raffle found themselves spinning round and round as the sphere bounced through the breaking hallways of the collapsing mesa.

"Faster, faster, faster," Raffle muttered in between bumps. "There's bound to be a second explosion, what with all their extra ammunition storage."

"I hope I can block the blow," Twilight said. "Maintaining the shield is already taxing. I don't know if I'll be able to take another explosion."

"Look, there!" Hinny pointed to a section of the wall, weak from the explosion. "We can bust out through there."

"Alright then. Brace yourselves, guys. We're going to—"

BOOOOM

A second explosion shattered any remaining bits of the mesa and rocked the trio of Equestrians. The blast threw Twilight and company clear of the crumbling fortress but it also badly battered the Princess's shield, causing the magical sphere to dissipate.

Panting, Twilight raised herself with her front legs. Behind them, the mesa no longer stood, the area where it once was filled with giant chunks of rock. To both the west and east, Twilight could hear the enemy's emphatic shouting and the low rumbling of their vehicles.

"They've split up," she gasped, looking back and forth between both directions. "It looks like they've spotted Shining Armor's troops as well as the rest of the Army and are going out to meet them."

"This is it," Raffle said with relief. "As the Prince and the Commander lead our forces together, the enemy will be crushed between the two like a gemstone in a dragon's maw."

"Dragon..." Hinny looked back at the stump of the mesa. "We don't even know if Altar or Ploy made it out of there, wounded or otherwise."

"I'm confident they'll have made it into the tunnels and escaped the brunt of the blast," Raffle replied, putting a hoof on the hippogriff's shoulder. "But for now, we have to get back to our side, either to Prince Shining Armor or Commander Mandate."

"But both of them are far away. There's at least half a dozen kilometers between us and either of the units, and there's the enemy in between all of that." Twilight sighed, feeling her eyes water at the thought of being unable to return home. The unicorn terrorist's words had indeed left a lingering impression on her, despite the fact that the evil mouth that said them was gone. "Do you really think we can get back?"

Raffle sat down beside the alicorn. "Listen, Twilight, I've been fighting battles for most of my life. You've seen one, you've seen em all. When I heard that creep talk, I felt like my whole world shattered and this war that's costing us so much is a waste of time, assets and lives. But all the fights I've been through have told me one thing: never give up, never surrender, never stop the fight until you're all home safely. And that's what we're going to do."

Twilight blinked away the small tears that were forming. "But... but it's all so hope—"

"Uh uh uh, don't say that word," Raffle insisted, putting a hoof to the princess's muzzle. "We don't need any of that running through our heads."

"And we don't have to hear it either!" Hinny popped up between the two ponies, front claws bared to the sky. "We'll break through the terror troops and gallop into our friends' waiting hooves!"

The alicorn and the earth pony stared at the hippogriff, each struggling for a response. "That... is crazy," Raffle finally spluttered. "How in Equestria will we manage to break through the hundreds of enemy ponies out there?"

"By working together."

Twilight surprised the remaining members of the strike force with her answer. "We may have only met because of this war and it hasn't been very much, but I consider you my friends in full. It's friendship that's gotten us through all our famous ventures and saved the country time and time again."

"I thought it was the Elements of Harmony that did that," Hinny remarked.

"The Elements only worked because of our friendship; without it, they would be little more than gem-inlaid accessories." Talking about the Elements and the Bearers, her friends, gave Twilight a burst of hope and confidence. "With my friends by my side, friendship has won the day for us in the past and I'm sure, if we work together now, it will save us tonight."

Raffle heard the princess out and nodded. "She's right. I've witnesses the Elements at work and, more importantly, the ponies behind them. I may not be the most chummy of ponies, but perhaps I can give friendship a try. For our sakes."

"Don't think it'll work if you don't really mean it," Hinny joked, "though I've already taken a step and feel ready to put my trust in a friendship. You've got me by your side, Twilight."

"And I as well."

Twilight looked up at her companions, feeling their accord ring in the air as though their smiles generated the magic itself. At that point, she was positive they could make it out together. "Then let's be off, for home!"

Reassured and revitalized, the three Equestrians fled the destroyed mesa, turning to the east in hopes of reuniting with the main body of the army as well as Twilight's friends. They scampered over the dunes, through the darkness, hoping to go unnoticed by the enemy who were undoubtedly all around them. As the minutes ticked by and the sound of all-out warfare grew louder, the trio became more excited and more careful.

Upon cresting a particularly tall dune, the highest point for miles, Raffle called for a rest. The three friends slumped down on the gritty summit, taking in deep breaths of night air. Hinny raised her head and peered about the place. "I think I can see the battle taking place," she said, pointing further east. "Look, you can see lights flashing."

"Those lights can be both unicorn magic and enemy fire," Raffle remarked, passing his binoculars to Twilight. "I'm becoming less and less sure of joining the fight from this side of things. That's not to say I don't think we can; I'm merely suggesting a detour for our safety."

"He's right," Twilight agreed. "No sense in being taken down just because we couldn't go around."

"But we could strew so much chaos through the enemy ranks if we just come at them from behind," Hinny argued. "It would be a missed opportunity."

"Hinny, please," Raffle insisted, using an underused pleading tone. "We must return to the Commander and report, and we can't do that if we're missing in action."

"We're already missing in action, but point taken. Fine, we'll go the long way around."

Twilight looked north of the battlefield and caught sight of a crescent of dunes ringing the north side of the battlefield, stretching into the darkness until she couldn't see it. "Over there! If we follow that line of dunes, it could take us all the way behind our own forces, thrust right into safe hooves." She hugged herself, the mere though of it giving her a warm feeling.

"Best plan we got for our goal," Raffle stated. "But we'd better hurry; the enemy could pop out at us from practically anywhere."

Even from beneath.

A cry came from the bottom of the peculiarly-high sand dune Twilight and her friends were sitting on; a rough "Equestrians in our midst!" that wasn't the only thing that shook the trio. The entire dune began to rumble, the center of the peak steadily rising, mammals and waves of sand rolling off. From a hidden compartment within the dune, a strange contraption emerged, reminiscent of the mounted cannons of the enemy vehicles, complete with a pony sitting astride it.

"What is that thing?" Twilight gasped, too shocked by the sudden appearance of the machine to pay attention to the quickly-approaching terrorists.

"Who cares?" Hinny replied, drawing a huge scimitar from the sheath on her back. "We've got opponents right in front of us!"

"No, wait!" But the hippogriff didn't hear Twilight's call, instead charging towards the four terrorists running towards them. With a wave of her giant weapon, Hinny knocked aside the lot of them, quickly turning to the rest of the oncoming enemy mercenaries.

"Ha HA!" she bellowed, disarming and disabling terrorists left and right in a flurry of feathers. "Come on! Is that the best you can do?"

At her words, Raffle turned his eyes to the contraption stationed above them and watched as it turned its giant barrel towards the battlefield. With a wild shout from the pony mounting it, the machine began to rattle loudly and a series of loud bangs issued from the open ends, launching dozens of glittering projectiles into the battle.

"Sweet Celestia."

Twilight, too, caught sight of the new weapon and bore witness to its destructive power. Fear pounded within her as the huge cannon swiftly turned towards them, its barrel aimed right at their hippogriff companion.

"HINNY! LOOK OUT!"

Hinny looked up from her now-unconscious target just in time to see the giant weapon turn downwards, aiming its immense barrel at her. With a frightened squawk she leapt aside, right before a hail of bullets peppered the place where she'd stood, 

"Go, go, run!" the hippogriff shouted. "I'll distract them!"

"But Hinny—" Twilight tried to object.

"GO!"

Raffle didn't need to be told twice; he was already nudging and pushing Twilight along, although the alicorn was clearly more concerned about their hippogriff friend. Once a bullet whizzed over her head however, she was a lot more compliant and joined Raffle in fleeing the area as fast as possible. An enemy earth pony attempted to pursue, but Hinny would have none of it.

"OH, HELL, NO YOU DON'T!" She grabbed the terrorist by the scruff of his neck and tossed him into a knot of troopers. "Everypony pays attention to MEEEHEEEHEE!"

Hinny flew up to the giant cannon, landing on the edge of the barrel, right in front of the gunner. The pony was quite surprised to find the large hippogriff so close to him and froze. Hinny grabbed the shocked terrorist and ejected him from the seat, letting loose with an animalistic roar.

"Quick," Raffle gasped as he and Twilight galloped away. "We have to get as far away as possible while they're still distracted."

"But we're going the wrong way!" Twilight blurted, struggling to speak while galloping. "The whole plan his falling apart, we'll never get back home like this!"

"Don't give up, Twilight! We can do this. If we keep running—"

Slash

"URGH!"

Raffle pitched forward, blood spraying from a long cut reaching from his shoulder three-quarters of the way down his left front leg. The pony holding the sword responsible grinned around the hilt, the red liquid spilled on the blade dripping down the weapon and staining his teeth.

"Raffle!" Twilight turned and hurried over to the earth pony's side, taking out his attacker with a quick magic bolt. "How bad is it?"

"Uhh.... it won't kill me." Raffle tried to stand, but collapsed almost at once.

"We've got to get you out of here." Twilight levitated Raffle onto her back, glad for the extra power the alicorn magic gave her body. She ran around the dunes, doing her best to keep turning northeast, but the enemy kept cutting her off and forcing her back. With Raffle on her back, she couldn't use her wings and break free of the ground's pull, and Raffle knew it.

"Twilight."

The princess ducked behind a rockslide as a number of enemy troopers ran by, her breath coming out in ragged gasps. "Wh-what is it, Raffle?"

"Leave me."

The suggestion only made Twilight redouble her efforts. She leapt out of their hiding place and downed the passing terrorists with a fan laser burst. "Don't say that. Don't you dare say that. Don't even think it."

"There's no other way," Raffle insisted as Twilight ran, huffing and puffing around and over the dunes while taking out the enemy. "You've got to get back to the troops, to your friends."

"No.... No!"

An ambush of armed terrorists were smacked down with a violent explosion of magic. Twilight gritted her teeth, panting heavily. "We can't... not after all this... so far.... so close..." Tears welled up in her eyes, even as she felt the warm, wet hoof touch her shoulder.

"I'm not incapacitated. I can still take care of myself. If anything, I'll be able to buy you some time."

Twilight slumped, sliding Raffle onto the sand beside her. She cared not for the blood the earth pony was dripping onto her coat. After losing most of her team, she couldn't bear to part with the last one still with her, especially willingly. "When I agreed to this mission, I was aware I'd be sent into enemy territory, surrounded by ponies who would rather see us dead. I thought I was ready for it, for war and its horrors, but after tonight.. after tonight, a-and the morgue and..."

Tears spilled down the purple alicorn's face, mixing with the blood on the sand. Concealed beneath the eroded rock, Twilight relaxed and let her emotions flow free, no longer caring for the madness surrounding herself and her remaining comrade. The pains of war had finally become too much, the harsh reality knocking down her last wards to remain composed. But then, in the middle of her breakdown, she felt a warm touch against her wet cheek.

"Hush now, Sparkle. Cry your fears away. Fortify yourself; there is yet for you to do."

Twilight gave a broken laugh. "Words of wisdom from a war veteran. I never imagined I'd be getting such from a pony like yourself."

Raffle gave her a weak smile. "Then it's fate. Magical, friendship, Equestria-blessed fate. Our country is worth fighting for, Twilight Sparkle, and certainly worth dying for it. While no one truly wants to die, they know they would rather go this way than falling into a volcano or being eaten by plants."

"I almost went that last way," Twilight recalled, grinning in spite of herself.

"But you didn't give up then, did you?"

"No. My friends came and saved me."

"And I'm sure they'll do it time and time again. But that means you have to go."

Twilight took a deep breath and wiped away her tears. Raffle was right; she had to go on, to continue the fight. She didn't like it and felt somewhat selfish putting herself above others, but her new rank demanded it of her. With a sigh only Raffle would hear, she stood up and spread her wings, giving the wounded veteran one last look.

"Don't give me that," Raffle said, waving one hoof at Twilight while stemming the blood from his wound with his the other. "Get going."

"Stay alive, Raffle," Twilight begged. "Find the others and keep them alive."

The earth pony nodded. "To the best of my abilities."

As his last words registered in her mind, Twilight took off, sailing high over the scurrying terrorists as they searched and ran towards either of the UEA forces bearing down on them. Twilight touched down on a high ledge overlooking much of the San Palomino, in particular the area where the battles were about to take place.

From the east and Equestria came Mandate's corps, a huge line of equine, avian and draconic power, barely shadowed by the airship flying above them. To the west came Shining's troops, a swift wave of military strength ready to wipe out any enemy in its path. Caught between the two distant forces were the terrorists, barely visible being spread out so thinly on the desert floor. In her heart, Twilight felt victory pounding its way to the end of the war. There was no chance for the enemy once friendship reigned over the land.

That's enough sideline viewing for me, Twilight said to herself. It's time I got back to my friends.

Twilight spread her wings and prepared to dive, but when she tensed her legs beneath her for a spring, a burning force propelled her into the air faster and sooner than she'd intended. Waves of pain racked her body as she arced high over the desert, and then began to descend, gravity guiding her body down to the merciless cliffs far below. The sudden rush of feelings were overpowering all her senses and barely left space for thinking as Twilight slipped into darkness.