The morning dawn silence was suddenly broken as another Changeling raid began in the city of the Crystal Empire. But as the chaos and insanity ensued, suddenly, four cloaked figures charged the group of over two dozen Changelings. The Changelings were shocked at the surprise attack and as the figures slaughtered the Changelings without mercy, the Changelings beat a very hasty retreat from the place.
The Crystal Empire was saved by the four, brave ponies.
Twilight walked cautiously towards the figures as they all sat down in the town’s cobblestone road. All of them were covered in the green blood of the Changelings and as she approached them, the one with the scythe and sickles looked towards her and said, “Princess Twilight... I hope we haven't disturbed you in anyway..."
She was about to say something when a group of armed guards came towards the four, armed with only spears. One guard that led the group was-
"Flash Sentry." Twilight whispered to herself in surprise as the pony stood before the Warrior ponies and said in a demanding tone, “Who are you?"
The Warrior ponies looked at each other as the one with the hammer said, “Hold your tongue, militia pony. You have no right to speak to us that way..."
"By the power invested in me by the Princess Cadence, I have every right to demand your names, not to mention what business you have here." Flash said as he leveled his spear.
The Warrior with the scythe and sickles put his weapons in their sheathes on his back as he came forward to the guard ponies. She heard metal scraping the cobble as he approached and he said, “Fine, then. Come and make us."
Flash came forward, followed by the five other guards and Twilight watched in shock as the events unfolded very fast before her eyes.
The Warrior took the first guards spear before yanking it away to deliver a blow into the guard’s stomach with the spears' butt. The next came forward and he rocked the guard with a punch to his face, his body flying a foot away. The Warrior twisted around to kick the legs out from a guard before he punched the guard’s stomach and he kicked a fast approaching guard to his face, sending him sprawling. The last guard tried to stab the Warrior but he twisted away to throw a spear at the guard, using it to disarm the guard and then stepping forward to deliver a hammer strike.
But then, Flash Sentry dashed forward and he aimed his spear towards the Warriors chest and she almost shouted when the warrior slapped the spear away, grabbed Flash Sentry by his throat, then began to repeatedly punch his face.
The punches continued for a moment before she stepped forward and said, “Enough!"
The Warrior stopped immediately and let go of Flash, who crumpled to the ground in a heap.
"Umm... Brother... You have to look at this..." Suddenly said the one with the sword and shield as he held up a scroll that had green blood on it.
The other Warriors circled around and she heard talking as the other said, “We need to move now!"
"Where are you going?" She asked as the four Warriors’ began to run from the town.
"The Changelings are headed for Canterlot! We're going to try and stop them there while you gather everyone from here and get them to Canterlot! Hurry!" Said the Warrior leader as they soon were lost amongst the houses.
And with that, she did as told and ran for the castle with haste.
Steeltrix watched from his perch in his tree as his gaze traveled up and down the road and through the surrounding area. Somewhere nearby was IronBlood, also guarding the area from a tree, and Steeltrix knew the princesses were inside the cottage. He had arrived at the cottage around midnight and instead of entering, he had climbed up a nearby tree and took shelter in its branches. When he had awaked, he began to watch for trouble from the road, soon seeing his brother taking up a position nearby.
As Steeltrix looked around, suddenly, he head shouts from nearby and his head whipped around as he watched as a caravan slowly came down the road. But hen, movement from the other end of the road caught his eye and he turned to see a group of a half-dozen Shadow warriors come marching down the road.
"Ah cripes..." He muttered to himself as the caravan came to a stop before the cottage.
The Shadow warriors soon found the caravan and as Steeltrix unsheathed his sickle blades, the Shadow Warrior leader asked the caravan, “What are you doing on this road?"
"We're on our way to the city of Canterlot with fine cloth and some metalwork for its markets. What's the meaning of this?" Asked a caravan guard.
"Haven't you heard? The Princesses have run off and the King wants them back. So our orders are to search for them, even and every caravan that comes along every road." Said the Shadow warrior as they began to search the caravan.
"There's no need for this! We have only so much time to spend on getting these goods delivered or else it comes out of our pay!" Said the caravan leader.
"That's not my problem, is it?" The Shadow Warriors began to ransack the caravan goods, throwing down crates of tools and fabrics onto the ground as they continued the search.
But one of the caravan guards, having only a spear, must've had enough of this and he stepped forward and shoved away a Shadow Warrior as he said, “Listen, our job is to see this to Canterlot in One piece! You will not jeopardize this caravan’s job!"
The whole place got quiet as the Shadow Warriors leader gave the caravan guard a cold, hard stare. His hoof went to his sword as the Warrior said, "You sure you want to do that..."
Then, Steeltrix heard something from the cottage and as panic almost began to take hold on him, one of the Shadow Warriors looked towards the cottage and cocked his head. Steeltrix quickly realized that if he didn't do something, the princesses would be discovered and most likely be taken back to their father.
So, as the Shadow Warrior began to walk towards the cottage, Steeltrix whistled towards IronBlood and soon heard IronBlood's reply. He crouched on his branch as he took a sickle in his hoof and drew back his arm.
"Sir... Do you remember this cottage being... Inhabited?" Said the Warrior as he kept coming forward.
All of a sudden, Celestia walked from the cottage with her armor on and weapon in hoof as she walked towards the garden. She stopped when she saw the Shadow Warrior and just as he said, “Princess Celestia?" Steeltrix launched his sickle at the Warrior as he sprang from the tree branch and onto the nearest Warrior.
Even as the sickle sliced into the Warriors neck, Steeltrix's climbing claws sank into another Warrior as he landed on him. IronBlood jumped from his perch and as his sword sank into a Warrior's side, his shield smashed into the other Warrior next to him.
The last Shadow Warrior tried to run but Steeltrix hurled a sickle that caught the Warrior in the back of his skull, blood spraying out as the blade sunk into his brain.
As the caravan and the Princess stood in mute silence, Steeltrix retrieved his sickles as IronBlood said, “Go on now. We'll help pick up the supplies and even compensate for damage if necessary."
That seemed to bring the caravan guard out of their silence and one said, “No need to compensate. But I must ask, what's your name?"
Steeltrix looked at his brother before he looked at the guard and said, “I am Steeltrix. That is my brother, IronBlood. We are the sons of General Irontrix."
"General Irontrix? I must ask, what are you doing here, living in your father’s cottage? Would it not have been better to join the Shadow Warriors?" Asked the guard.
Celestia watched as Steeltrix and IronBlood cast their gaze downward before IronBlood said, “It’s... Not that simple...”
Then, apparently satisfied with their answer, the caravan gathered their goods and continued on their way down the road but as one passed Celestia, he stopped and inclined his head as he said, “Your highness." before continuing on down the road.
Celestia, deciding that it is better to not do anything today, walked back into the cottage as Steeltrix and IronBlood helped bury the bodies inside the woods.
When the sun had fallen down and made the sky night, Celestia and Luna both went to bed as they blew out the candles around them. As Celestia began to take her armor off, she heard the door open and she poked her head out of the doorway to see both Steeltrix and IronBlood come staggering in, slightly covered in mud and out of breath.
"Ah... Man it hurts... I think I'm really regretting that dirt hitting my helmet... Think I got some dirt in it." Muttered Steeltrix as he partially took his helmet off and wiped the area around his right eye.
"Yeah. But mine has also been hurting so I understand how you feel." IronBlood did the same but for his left eye.
"What did you do to the bodies?" She asked them suddenly.
They both looked at her in surprise as Steeltrix answered her, “We gave them the Rights of Death. We're not ones to do anything less."
As she studied them, she asked them, “Why do you keep your faces behind a helmet? Most are meant to only protect your head."
Steeltrix and IronBlood exchanged glances before Steeltrix sighed and said, “It’s a bit of a long story and it's not exactly a good time for me to tell the tale."
She shrugged as she said, “I’m only curious at why." She slowly walked away from the door as she took off the last of her armor and put it next to her halberd before she finally slipped into her bed and slept the night away.