//------------------------------// // Strings of Fate: Heart of the Maelstrom (ζ) // Story: Strings of Fate: Core Series // by Dissoriented //------------------------------// A small chandelier swung from the light breeze blowing in through the open window of the small Cattleonian tavern. The minotaur bartender was washing out mugs when Applejack and Rainbow Dash walked in. “Are ya sure this here’s the right place?” Applejack asked somewhat nervously. “Since when have I steered you wrong?” Dash confided with herself. Applejack rolled her eyes and walked further into the bar. Berry Punch was fighting her own war on grapes, and seemed to be winning. Applejack walked past her towards a wrecked pegasus hunched over a mug. “Vance?” AJ asked, slightly mortified at Vance’s disheveled appearance. “…” “Equestria needs you Vance. The New Lunar Republic needs you.” AJ continued. “Come on, Vance! Perk up!” Dash said, playfully punching Vance’s shoulder. Vance turned his head just enough to give Dash a death stare with one dull-golden eye. Dash promptly stepped back, her smirk gone. “Most of all, though, WE need you. Why, you were the best gosh darn leader I’d ever seen! You kept your goals straight, you gave everypony hope with just your presence, you…” AJ said, trying to convince Vance. Vance gave a heavy sigh and reached into the small pouch he had hanging from his neck and took several small coins of varying size out. “Aqui.” he said, sliding them over to the minotaur bartender, still wiping out the insides of a mug. “Hasta mañana, caballo.” the minotaur said. Without another word, Vance left the tavern and began walking down the sloped street the tavern was situated atop of. Applejack and Rainbow Dash persisted, determined to get Vance to listen to them. “C’mon, Vance. Hear us out.” AJ pleaded. “Don’t you wanna get back to the action? Taking on the Solar Empire, fighting for the good of all ponies?” Dash added ruthlessly. “For what? So I can be undermined by my overzealous comrades and sit helplessly as the Solar Empire uses a superweapon to destroy my only reason for living? Again? Pass.” Vance said hopelessly, drooping his head further. “Then perhaps We can convince you.” said a tall, cloaked figure emerging from a shadow-covered alleyway. Princess Luna. “Wow. You must really be desperate.” Vance said, not intimidated. “Thou art unmoved even in Our presence?” Luna asked. Applejack and Rainbow Dash had their front legs on the ground, bowing before the Princess. Vance was unmoved. “I’ve lost everything. There’s nothing left for me.” Vance said unemotionally, pushing past the Princess and continuing on his way. “Ah didn’t wanna have ta do this, but ya leave me no choice!” AJ said, a reluctant scowl covering her face. “Fluttershy’s still alive!” Vance stopped in his tracks. Strings of Fate: Heart of the Maelstrom “What?” Vance asked. “Twilight caught wind o’ what was goin’ on and took Fluttershy to Zecora’s hut. She’s been hidin’ there ever since so the Empire don’t find her.” AJ explained. “And how long have you known this?” Vance said with a hint of anger. “Twilight slipped us a tip a couple of weeks ago. Imps don’t like ponies crossing any of their borders, so getting into the forest won't be a cakewalk." Dash warned. "We can't do this without ya, Vance. Please..." AJ pleaded. A moment of silence passed. “Well then what the hay are we doing standing around here?” Vance said, the fire within him reignited for the first time in a long while, his eyes now shining brightly. “Welcome back, Vance.” AJ said with a victorious smirk. “Very well then. We mustn’t tarry. Make haste to Las Pegasus. 'Tis where We have established our center of operations. Given thine superb command capabilities during the Uprising, We shall give thee command over the 9th Legion. Good luck to thee, General Vance.” Luna declared before teleporting away. Vance took a deep breath of the Cattleonian air. He might not get to for some time. He was still having trouble accepting the Fluttershy was indeed alive, though. Maybe it was a lie to trick him into service? “Wait, how can I be sure Fluttershy’s really alive?” Vance demanded. “What, you want us to bring her to you?” Dash said, growing more impatient. “Actually, yes. That would be nice.” Vance replied. “We ain’t got time fer that malarkey! Let’s just mosey on back to Las Pegasus an’ we’ll git Fluttershy to ya, ‘kay?” Applejack said, puffing her chest out in determination. “Fair enough. Now, uhh... how are we supposed to get to Las Pegasus?" They had a long walk ahead of them. ~ The shrouded six shuffled into the room and began their processions. "Everything has been going quite spectacularly. Agent Eosphorus performed his duties most excellently, and then was silenced, severing the main connection between us and the Uprising." - Crius "Efforts to conceal our involvement have been going well, too. The Webwork has yet to chase any links back to us." - Themis "Consequently, we remain unable to take any action against them at this time." - Phoebe "Once the Solar Empire has won the war and our elected figureheads are established as their leaders, we'll have no issue publicly hunting them down. The public will assume they're terrorists or criminal organizations." - Selene "Telikí̱ níki̱ is at last in sight, my brothers and sisters. We have waited so long for this moment. Protogenoi preserve us." - Hyperion "Protogenoi preserve us." - Selene, Iapetus, Phoebe, Crius, Themis All but Iapetus quietly exited the room. "Using the Emperor's Prayer already, Hyperion? I swear you shall lead us all to ruin with your ambition..." - Iapetus Iapetus blew out the candle. ~ After solving their transportation issue, the three disembarked into the city of Las Pegasus. It was an odd fixture, given it was a tourist city in Equestria’s more rugged, industrial, and generally less populated southern portion, but nonetheless it was capable of surviving, drawing tourists from nearby Cattleonia and as far as some of the Griffon Confederate clans (depending on hostility towards Equestria). The war had completely shattered the tourist industry for a time, especially since a ferocious Imperial commander, Colonel Elegant Tear, had been burning a path right into the heart of the NLR’s lines and straight for Las Pegasus itself. Walking into the NLR’s main camp, Vance was surprised to see that he looked like most of the soldiers here, like they had been dragged through a couple miles of mud, and then poked with many, many pointy sticks. In turn, the soldiers cast odd glances at Vance. Some of joy, some of disgust, and some of confusion. Vance could just barely recall a few faces from the Uprising. "I take it a lot of these ponies remember the Uprising pretty vividly?" Vance asked. "It wasn't exactly what we'd call a bright time fer us. Some of us still have scars from the scrap in Canterlot." AJ said. "Wait, you were there?" Vance said in astonishment. "Had ta be. My family farm faced foreclosure. Ah couldn't just stand by an' watch without puttin' up a fight. Ah was with Meph when we heard what Lucius did. We just..." AJ choked up a bit. "We couldn't look at ourselves for a couple o' days after." The three walked through the camp to the main tent, where the regional commanders were located. "Ah, thou hast finally arrived. We were beginning to grow suspect." Princess Luna said. "A ride over here would have been nice." Vance said annoyed. "Oh, erm... yes, We suppose that would hath been preferable to walking." Luna said, blushing slightly. "No matter. We are transferring command of Rainbow's Raiders and the Sentinels over to the 9th Legion. Thine first assignment is to repulse the incursions made by this Colonel Elegant Tear and secure our position's safety." Vance sighed heavily as Applejack and Rainbow Dash led him to address the newly created 9th Legion. Vance stood silently before the assembled thralls, each of them wearing a countenance of hopelessness. Colonel Tear was cutting a swathe right through the NLR lines, and they've been handed over to some dirty old drunk terrorist to lead them. After noticing the silence, Applejack gave Vance a helpful push. "Uh, yer supposed to say some inspirin' word ta them." "What is there to say? We're already low on morale and now they're expecting us to hold the line against a ferociously zealous Imperial commander? I've beaten the odds before, but this is just... I-I don't see how..." Vance tried to finish in a way that would not further crush the hopes of his own thralls. "And that's where we come in! Rainbow's Raiders! Form up!" Dash called out. Almost instantaneously, several pegasi wearing blue vests landed in an orderly row. Vance could hear excited whispers from the crowd of thralls. Apparently, these pegasi were pretty famous in the NLR ranks. Not to be outdone, Applejack called out her own team. "Sentinels! Gather 'round, y'all!" Out from a tent came three earth ponies coated in technologically advanced copper armor. Their eyes glowed green and their faces had menacing masks over them. Aside from their tails, there wasn't a single open patch of skin to be seen. The crowd of thralls was silent this time, instead with their mouths agape, their eyes bulging. "Sweet Micia, where'd you get that armor?!" Vance asked, his face like the soldiers'. "Some Prenchy sent 'em to Princess Luna, and She had 'em commissioned to help us fight the Empire. I proudly say we ain't had one casualty with 'em!" Applejack boasted. "Oh yea? Well who's got the longer service record and more medals? That's right, this team! Raiders, sound off!" "Silver Streak! Raspberry! Fleetfoot! Thunderlane! Zero! Stuka! Junkers! Spitfire! Hawker!" cheered the pegasi in order, drawing cheers from the thralls. "Well if'n y'all are done showboatin', we've gotta go get ready fer a war!" Applejack said while leaving, her Sentinels following her. "Oh! Before I go, Vance, that Prenchy I mentioned? She sent ya somethin'. I left it in yer tent, along with the letter she sent ya. See ya on the front!" Vance went to his tent to find an elongated package resting on his desk, coupled with a rolled up parchment. Dear Vance, Things are beginning to quiet down here. Most of the Oligarchs have either fled the country or have been put into the ground, and now we're working to rebuild our beloved Prance. I understand that the situation has become quite dire for you as well. I wish I could come to your aid, but pressing matters here require my attention. I promise to send aid once I can spare it, but until then, I've sent you several gifts. As we pushed further into Oligarch territory, I began reading the books you accidentally left with us. We took some of the principles in them and applied them to a new, advanced set of armor for earth ponies we found in an Oligarch facility, dubbed Sentinel armor. The inspiration Micia and Lemaign have provided have also served to strengthen our resolve. And as a personal token of my appreciation, I commissioned our smiths to forge for you a saber with some exotic capabilities. As you'll note, the blade's edge is composed of several varieties of gemstones and has gemstone dust ground into the blade itself, both of which have been specially treated to resist and possibly deflect magic. Perhaps you'll find this to be of use, given the advantage unicorns have is now negated. I wish you good luck in your battles, and may you serve as a beacon of hope for your ponies as you still do for mine. Avec l'amoure, Vie "Stay safe out there, Vie..." Vance said with a touch of regret that they were both unable to help each other. Vance gave his new sword a thorough look-over, noting small sparkles of powdered gems ground into the blade, culminating in the tip, which was composed of diamond. There were several garnishing gems added to the handle, presumably for show, but knowing Vie's pragmatism, they probably served an ulterior purpose. He gave it a few swings, getting a feel for the weight and focal point. "I am blessed to have such loyal friends." Just then, a courier knocked on one of the wood posts at his tent's entrance. “Letter for you, sir. It came with a couple large crates.” said the courier. “Well that was fast! Thank you.” he replied. Vance opened the letter, curious as to who else had vested interest in sending him gifts. Hope these help. - All'ottava Inside the crates were a large multitude of crossbows, vast quantities of bolts, and maintenance gear. “Huh.” was Vance’s answer. “Well these’ll sure come in handy.” With all his deliveries taken care of, Vance made his way to the back-most trench, casually hopping in next to some thralls, their hooves all coated in mud from the week's heavy rains. They escorted him up to the front. As Vance approached the battle, the sounds of clashing metal and the thunder of artillery, both coming and going, became more prominent. The number of wounded, dead, and shell shocked also increased, making Vance a tad nervous about this Colonel Elegant Tear. His vision was also becoming obscured by the dust and smoke in the air. Finally, one of the thralls escorting him said they were now at the front, and they quickly snaked down a trench to reinforce a failing line. Vance poked his head out of the trench to see the Sentinels and a multitude of thralls were ferociously battling the advancing Imperials. Vance could see many conscripts clad in the Imperial gold had already perished, along with a number of thralls, but the two sides kept bitterly trading blows, the NLR line never faltering, and the Solar Empire continuing to throw a seemingly inexhaustible number of meat to grind them down. Beyond the battle, a raging wall of fire had been steadily advancing for the past several days. Colonel Elegant Tear. "'Bout time ya made it here, sir!" Applejack said as she threw a conscript to the ground and sent him to the next life. "What's the situation, Captain?" he asked, lifting himself out onto the field. "Line's been holdin' for a while now, but we ain't gonna stand much chance when Colonel Elegant gits here." "I take it she's the ominous wall of fire?" AJ nodded as she used her back hooves to take out a conscript that managed to get past the others and flank her. Just then a small wooden palisade exploded in a flash of light, revealing Colonel Elegant, clad in magnificent golden armor, and flanked by two armored unicorns, apparently her personal guards and likely the ponies responsible for burning their way to the front. Vance and even the seasoned Applejack were momentarily stunned by the intimidating entrance. Vance tried to swallow his nervousness. *gulp* "Well, we found Colonel Elegant." Vance said with a misleading calmness. With the mention of her name, Colonel Elegant snapped towards the source, her eyes fixating immediately on Applejack, the more threatening-looking of the two. With a snort of dust being cast from her nose, Applejack steeled herself and alerted the rest of the Sentinels to rally to her. Before they even arrived, she charged forward, dead set on the Colonel, who met her challenge. Vance, admittedly a bit hesitant to get in the fight just yet, held back as the remaining Sentinels engaged Colonel Elegant's guards, making surprisingly short work of them. "Y'all git back ta holdin' the line! Vance an' I got this!" AJ called to her troops and partly worrying Vance. Vance approached Colonel Elegant, presently struggling with Applejack, their strength fairly well matched, despite AJ's natural and technological advantages. Vance surveyed the two before being jumped by three conscripts, who were all terminated in a minute's time thanks to Vance's training having become instinct. Remembering he could hold his own in a fight, he lept towards the Colonel, giving AJ a brief moment of respite before Vance was given an uppercut that sent him flying back several meters. AJ looked on in minor despair before getting back to holding the Colonel off. Vance saw Dash zooming by ahead of him, frustrating a few Imperial pegasi before several other Raiders finished them off. "Hey Dash!" Vance shouted. "We could use some help down here!" Dash gave a salute and turned to her Raiders for a bit while Vance picked himself up, thinking of how they could get an advantage over the Colonel, when he remembered what he left behind. "Crap! Forgot my sword! Hold on for a bit!" Vance exclaimed as he hastily flew back to retrieve his weapon. "Did he just ditch us in the middle of a fight?" AJ asked herself. When she turned back, the Colonel struck with her rear hooves at Applejack's chest, denting the armor and sending her flying back a few meters and into a trench. Dash saw that AJ was in a precarious state and bolted over, tackling the Colonel before she could start an annoying monologue. Dash and Elegant wrestled for a time while Applejack regained her bearings and the Raiders and Sentinels held off the Imperial vanguard. Despite her prowess, Dash was unable to overtake Elegant, and found herself under the Colonel, who fully intended to finish Dash off. When the Colonel tried to stamp out Dash's life, Dash darted her head to the side. The same situation repeated itself several times in rapid succession, each time making the Colonel more and more aggravated. *growls* "Why... won't... you... just... die!?" the Colonel exclaimed. Dash gave her a smarmy grin and used her wings to push herself to freedom, causing the Colonel to give chase into the sky, now fully enraged. Colonel Elegant, try as she might, couldn't keep up with Dash, and her anger prevented her from rationalizing a strategy, so Dash did what she did best in these situations and began toying with her prey, much to the displeasure of the rest of the Raiders, who really wished she could get back to the fight. "Hey Cap! You mind finishing up and getting back to the fight?" Silver Streak called from atop several conscript corpses. *sigh* "In a min-WAGH!!" Seeing Dash had made herself vulnerable, Colonel Elegant took this fleeting opportunity and, in a burst of speed that would have impressed even Dash, speared Captain Dash and crashed them into a dilapidated outpost, stunning the Colonel and knocking Dash out cold. Colonel Elegant staggered to her hooves and dizzily made her way to the unconscious body of Dash, pinning both her wings down first, just to be sure. "Another... NLR Captain, eh? Your head will... look nice on my fireplace." Colonel Elegant mustered. The Colonel raised her right hoof, intent on striking Dash hard enough to induce a hemorrhage, her eyes dilated with vicious anticipation. She felt a presence take hold of her outstretched wings, pulling them closer together, and then a sharp sting as Vance severed them from her body, permanently grounding her. "Ha! And you thought I was gone!" Vance taunted the Colonel. Elegant stood still for a while, consciously comatose as Vance pulled Dash's unconscious body away from potential harm. Elegant's eye began twitching. Her wings... gone. No more flight. Her honor... She slumped to the ground, blacking out from a mix of shock, disbelief, and pain. Vance peered out onto the battlefield, despite the choking fog of dust and ash, and saw that the sun had begun poking through and the Solar Empire was starting to be driven back in a rout. They never expected to be bested by the NLR's raw recruits, and now that their line of command was severed and their inspiration depleted, they began to panic. Vance shouted out to hammer the retreating conscripts with arrows and explosives, which was hastily carried down the line in both directions and used to maximum effect. Vance took a deep breath. *violent coughing* "Ah crap!" *cough* "Too much dust!" *clears his throat* "Ah, victory." The 9th Legion spent the next several hours mopping up Imperial stragglers, taking prisoners, rebuilding fortifications, and counting casualties. ~ "We had a deal which you've already broken! Get me to the Everfree Forest or you can forget my continued assistance!" Vance shouted at Applejack, who was trying to delay getting Vance to see what had happened to Fluttershy. "Y'all know how hard it'll be ta get in there? Help us break open a path to Ponyville an' this'll be so much easier!" "You're asking me to wait weeks what you promised me yesterday!" "Halt! Surely, we art able to reach a consensus that is beneficial to all parties, correct?" Princess Luna interjected as she entered the tent the argument was being held in. Vance and Applejack were both leaning on the war map, facing each other with unblinking stares, neither of them intent on backing down any time soon. "Princess Luna, I requisition a strike force to get me into the Everfree Forest." Vance said, not breaking his stare. "We ain't got the resources ta risk this!" AJ rebuked. "You promised..." Vance said through his teeth. "If thou hast promised, thou must maketh sure to fulfill thine promise! We art not so depraved as to forsake our oaths, even in these troubling times." Luna spoke. Vance and Applejack continued their staredown for a bit longer, before AJ finally ceded and withdrew. "Ah don't like this one bit, but ah guess ah ain't got no choice." AJ lamented. After another couple days' preparation and several painful hours of meticulous planning, Vance had assembled a small team of subordinates to help him infiltrate the Everfree Forest. They quickly hopped from cover point to cover point, and even managed to take out a few patrolling conscripts. Vance stopped at the entrance to the forest, dragging his hoof across the dirt patch sparsely populated with grass. It was the trail he and Fluttershy used to walk. His team urged him to keep moving. "Sir, please! We can't stay exposed like this for long!" Silver Streak pleaded with him. "..." Vance paused as he lifted his head up. "Give an old warrior a few moments of peace, will you?" The team hurried to a more visually secure position, while Vance casually walked deeper into the forest. After several minutes of hacking their way through the thick underbrush, Vance noticed the changing conditions. "Hey, anypony else notice it's getting hotter?" Vance said, noticing steam clouds emanating from the ground in certain spots. Vance got no answer as they all pushed forward until the steam gave way to water. Applejack placed a hoof on Vance. "Take yer time. We'll be on guard." she confided in him before his team let him continue alone. Vance had quietly progressed, silently praying to himself that this wasn't some cruel lie meant to exploit him for the NLR's purposes. He heard the sound of water splashing lightly, and he crept up behind some reeds to get a concealed view. He had no idea why he was doing it, but it felt appropriate for the situation. He saw a huddled mass of pink and yellow in the spring water, lifting water and letting it run down her legs and hair. She guided her hair into a mass in front of her, then energetically pulled her head back, flinging her hair and a flailing tail of water along with it. Vance could've sworn it happened in slow motion and there were sparkles in the image, but perhaps it was just the steam messing with his head. "Ahem..." Vance faked. In true Fluttershy fashion, she was startled at Vance's announcement and plunged her head in the water, quickly resurfacing due to the heat. She submerged her head partly and, from the safety of her hair, rotated herself to see where the noise had come from. "V... Vance?" she asked from her glistening defensive ball. "I, uh... I heard you were alive out here. I... didn't know that for a while." "Really? I didn't know you made it back from Canterlot. I... I thought..." she said, starting to tear up. Vance couldn't help but feel similar. They both remained at their spots, quietly stifling tears for a few minutes. "So how've you been?" *sniffle* "Keeping safe, right?" Vance asked, unable to bear lifting his head just yet. "Say, why are you here instead of a refugee camp?" he wondered aloud. Fluttershy cringed again, looking like she was fearing Vance's judgment. "I'm sorry, Vance. I-I didn't know how to tell you, so I-" "Momma, what's going on?" called out a young pegasus filly emerging from the brush. "Um... who's this?" Vance asked, a bit afraid of the answer. The little filly entered the water and curled up in Fluttershy's embrace. Fluttershy's face started beaming with joy. "Vance, this is Artemis." *pause* "She's um... ours." Vance stood there in shock for a bit, having to restart his brain twice to finally process what Fluttershy said. Fluttershy occupied herself by cooing to Artemis. "You mean we... We're..." "Artsy, go get your brother. I've got something important to tell you both." Fluttershy told Artemis. Vance waited until Artemis had scampered off back into the brush. "So... We're parents..." Vance said. "Mmhm." *nod* "Twins, I take it?" *nod* "War's been far away, right? Nothing I've read says there's anything of strategic value here." "Nope. We're safe." "I missed you." There was a brief pause. Vance motioned to enter the water. Seeing no objection from Fluttershy, he proceeded closer to her. Finally, he set himself next to her, though leaving two inches of space between them. He was unsure if Fluttershy still felt for him. Shortly after, Artemis returned with a small colt. A... unicorn colt? No... an alicorn colt?! What? WHAT?! "Wait, I thought you said they were twins?" Vance asked, confused. "They are. I'm not sure why Apollo is an alicorn, but isn't it wonderful? Come here, my little ponies!" Fluttershy said as the two foals paddled over to their mother. "Artemis, Apollo, this is Vance. He's an old friend of mine. He couldn't meet you sooner because he was busy doing dangerous stuff in the Outside to protect us!" "No way! Nopony can survive that long in the Outside!" Artemis said. Apollo then muttered something Vance couldn't hear, which sparked a small verbal fight between the two foals. "Had a lot of time to work on stories, have you?" Vance said to Fluttershy. "Oh, I couldn't bear to tell them what's happening out there, but they know it's too dangerous for us to leave." Vance looked down at the two bickering ponies. His children. Apollo's unicorn traits worried Vance, as the prevalence of enough unicorn genes meant either Fluttershy had lied about her parents (and therefore her entire childhood), or Vance had a previously unknown lineage heavily laden with unicorn genetics. Finally, Vance couldn't hold back the questions gnawing at him. "Could you send them off for a bit? I'd like to discuss something with you in private." Vance requested. "Run along you two. And stay safe!" Fluttershy called to the foals as they ventured off. Vance turned so his whole body faced Fluttershy. He took a second to banish any hesitation from his mind. "Do you... still love me?" Vance asked. Fluttershy cringed a bit and a small tear gathered at the base of her eye. Vance feared she did not. "Yes..." she said. *sniffle* "I've missed you so much. It's been so hard *sniffle* taking care of the twins with just me and Zecora." Fluttershy suddenly lunged at Vance, holding him close to her and letting her tears flow, invoking the same response from Vance, who embraced her. "I never thought I'd see you again. When Twilight told me what happened at Canterlot, I feared you... you..." "I managed to make it out, but when I did, those Archaía scum destroyed your cottage. I thought you were there and I... I died there. I ran. I tried to drown my pain and I spent a long time feeling nothing but regret." Vance pulled Fluttershy back a bit so both their tear-stung eyes were gazing into each other. "Promise we keep better watch over each other from now on?" Vance asked. "Mmhm." *slowly nods once* Vance pulled her in for a well-earned slow kiss. Apollo and Artemis were more than a bit baffled by what their mother was doing with this strange stallion as they watched from a thicket of reeds. "Sorry to do this to you, but I need to go for now." Vance lamented. "Don't go, Vance. Stay here with me and the kids. Let the war burn itself out, we have all we need right here!" Fluttershy pleaded. "I'm sorry, love. I made a promise and I need to see it through. I've got a team waiting on me, and the longer I stay here, the more I put you at risk. I promise that I'll come back soon, hopefully without an escort. Stay safe for me... please." Vance held Fluttershy tight one more time, and then took his leave, now determined as tartarus to end this forsaken war and keep his mare and foals safe. ~ Following the defeat of Colonel Elegant, the war began grinding into a bloody stalemate, rather than seeing the NLR slowly get chewed up by an inexorable march south by the Empire's forces. Vance had become infamous for his innate ability to ‘command without commanding,’ rather taking to the front lines himself with the Sentinels and issuing orders as he saw fit through radio. His natural talent was to inspire his forces to do what was needed for victory. As for the rest of the war, the Winter Maiden held a firm grip on Shire, despite being cut off from Imperial supply lines by Trotton's hit-and-run tactics. Trotton continued to harass Imperial holdings in northwestern Equestria and kept a firm hoof on his magnolium plantations in the Glade. He refused to weaponize the volatile flowers, but still kept any other side from utilizing them for cannons or other heavy explosives, forcing them to hunt for the elusive black powder. Queen Cadence, unable to declare war on either of her aunts’ regimes, declared neutrality and closed the Crystal Empire’s borders. Several tribes of the Griffon Confederacy took this opportunity to try and claim some Imperial territory in the northernmost reaches, with varying levels of success. Manehatten was tested several times by the 5th Legion, but never broke. The 6th Legion, their numbers severely depleted after several protracted battles, set to hit-and-run tactics and sabotage, hoping to force the garrison at Fillydelphia to surrender. The 7th Legion was busy running an insurgency in Baltimare. The 8th Legion was nearly obliterated slowing down Colonel Elegant. All others were held back after being battered in the initial weeks of the war to nurse back to health, defending their lines as best they could. "How goes the war effort?" asked Imperial General Victus from his post in Canterlot. "Excellently, sir." "I want an honest answer here." the General demanded. "Terribly, sir. The NLR has managed to win several stunning victories and they’ve redoubled their efforts. Seeing that, Confederate raiders have gotten bolder, and our failures against the Secessionists are turning into an unproductive drain on our resources." “And what of our SpecOps?” “They’re stretched beyond their limit. We can hardly train enough replacements to cope with the casualties they’re mounting.” The grizzled veteran looked towards the smoke pillars coming from Fillydelphia. They weren't just from the factories. He gave a tired sigh. "There's not enough coffee in Equestria to get me through this... Thank you, Captain. That will be all." With a salute and a turn, Captain Oculus left the despairing commander to his woes to report to his true superiors. ~ Vance and the NLR brass were hunched over a map of Equestria, once again arguing over what course of action they should take. They had managed to gain some ground to the north as well as cut some of their railways, depriving the Solar Empire of transporting supplies across the country to defend against the Secessionists. General Trotton had proven to be quite the thorn in the Empire's side. "That's why we need to take him out!" Vance argued. "In case you hadn't noticed, General, Canterlot is over here!" said General Bright Eyes, forcefully prodding the map. "We can deal with Trotton once we've secured the throne and Princess Luna is in her rightful place." "Vance, have you any idea how hard it's going to be for us to attack, let alone capture, Cloudsdale? Trotton made it into a flying fortress! We’ve got enough problems with the Winter Maiden holding Shire in a vice grip and the Imperial Navy threatening our supply lines as it is." General Steel Wings pointed out. "Perhaps Vance has a point, here. Eliminating Trotton will give us the edge in air superiority and a wider theatre of operation." General Rorschach said. "Come on, Klex. You know that'd stretch our lines too thin for us to properly defend them." argued Bright Eyes. "Then we go all in. Cloudsdale, then Canterlot. We end this now." Vance said, his eyes glued on Cloudsdale's position. "Utter madness..." Bright Eyes bemoaned. "You got a better idea, Bright?" Rorschach asked. "How about you, Steel?" No answer. Vance might just get what he wants after all. ~ The 2nd Legion, its numbers restored to operational levels, marched towards the Secessionist capitol alongside the 9th. Despite the 2nd being primarily comprised of earth ponies, this had little effect on Vance. An Imperial garrison had been holding strong in the earthbound village just underneath Cloudsdale, specializing in archery to deter any Secessionist assault from forcing them out. “Ah take it we’re gonna hit ‘em both at the same time?” Applejack asked. “The 2nd will hit the garrison, drawing the attention of the Secessionists away from our infiltration teams long enough to knock out some of their fortifications.” Vance explained. “Wait, so y’all are gonna leave us down here while ya go up there an overthrow Trotton?” AJ continued nervously. “You’ve got the 2nd at your side. Weren’t they your old Legion? Rally them and take the village!” AJ gave a heavy sigh in her heavy armor. To survive the Secessionist air raids, the Imperials dug in deep, as in underground deep. Vance was aware the 2nd Legion wouldn’t be walking away from this unscathed, but all he needed them to do was draw attention. ~ Vance, Rainbow’s Raiders, and several other NLR pegasi teams watched hidden in several small clouds as the Secessionist guards abandoned their usual posts to watch the puny blips hundreds of meters below them smash into each other. They had made it a habit, as this certainly wasn’t the first conflict the Solar Empire had. The NLR, Confederate raids, and even 1 resistance group had all made attempts on the fortifications, all meeting failure. Vance waited a few moments until he thought they wouldn’t be detected. “Okay… Alpha through Theta, move up!” Vance quietly shouted. The eight teams darted over against the cloud walls surrounding the city. Aesthetics, really, but also good cover. Vance poked his head through and saw some civilian activity, but no Secessionists. Each team set off for its particular job, and soon the vast city of Cloudsdale was suddenly under attack – the first time in the war. The Secessionists, who were unaccustomed to playing defense, became confused, dispersing themselves in odd numbers across the city or completely ignoring the threat. Vance and Zeta easily made it to the courthouse grounds, following the bouts of chaos Beta was spreading. Once the small retinue of guards was cut down, an NLR pegasus from Beta stumbled backwards over a cloud railing leading into Cloudsdale’s capitol building. It was clear he didn’t survive, given that after him walked out a calm General Trotton, wielding an ornate saber of his own. “I see you have brought war to my bastion of peace, General Vance. Well you can rest assured that my men and I will sooner die than allow some unworthy tyrant to impose dominion over this fair city! Pursue me if you are so bold.” Trotton taunted in his Glade accent. “Dash, secure the grounds. I’ll handle Trotton.” Vance ordered. Dash saluted as Vance lifted himself past the stairs and into the courthouse’s entrance hall. He could hear hoofsteps clanking to his left. “I admire your resilience, but you’re doomed to fail.” Trotton called from halfway up the stairs of one of the courthouse’s turrets. “Tyranny always falters in the end!” Vance summoned all the energy he could, and with a quick burst of speed tackled Trotton with enough force to send them both reeling over the balcony. Trotton was a slippery one, though, and soon the freefall became a hooffight. Vance found, much to his dismay, his equal in hoof-to-hoof combat. The two generals from afar looked like a drunken pair of flies glued to each other, erratically attempting to fly despite the inevitability of the crash they would have. Luckily, they had both slowed down enough to keep themselves from careening right through the cloud flooring of the city. The impact was still great enough to make them both dissoriented for a bit. “I’ve got to stop doing that…” Vance said, exhausted. Vance was expecting Trotton to be too dazed to fight back, but to his surprise, he found Trotton was still conscious enough to swordfight. Vance was quick to step up, but for the first several strikes found himself on the defensive, skipping backwards to give himself distance and with Trotton equaling his speed forward. Vance finally was able to get his composure, but found that Trotton seemed to have been formally trained in swordfighting. After getting his flank handed to him, Vance gave up and grappled Trotton, throwing the mustachioed General's sword up in the air and knocking him to the ground. Vance didn't feel too proud of his victory, but it was either that or a humiliating death and the NLR's defeat in the war. Vance pointed his saber right at the mustache. “Any final words, General?” “I only regret that my colts will fall for the wiles of your propaganda machines. Go on and finish it. You’ve won your troops.” Trotton said, looking away with disgust. Vance took a moment to think. Trotton’s pegasi were fiercely loyal only to Trotton, and Trotton himself was only concerned with the safety of those under his command. To execute him would be a waste. Dare Vance risk it? He was already stacking himself up against the odds, and if Trotton betrayed him, it would doom the NLR. “Tell you what, Trotton. I’ll cut you a deal. I’ll spare your life, and in return you join us in our fight against the Solar Empire.” Vance offered. “And if I refuse?” Trotton retorted. “Then Cloudsdale suffers without its strongest leader. Despite your misconceptions, the NLR doesn’t seek an autocracy, and we don’t want to fight you. We have a common enemy in the Solar Empire.” Vance argued. “You sure seemed like it was a priority to knock me out of the competition.” Trotton fired back. “Every soldier wasted in battle between us is one that could’ve been brought to bear against the Imperials. Had I delayed this, it would have been worse.” Vance continued. “I want what’s best for my troops as well.” Trotton got to his hooves with a large grin on his mustachioed face. “Long have I waited for a commander worth my allegiance. You’ve earned yourself an armada, General Vance.” Trotton said, brohoofing Vance to seal the compact. Rainbow Dash and several NLR pegasi were quickly on the scene. “We got you now, traitor!” Dash said, bearing her teeth. “Easy, Rainbow. Trotton and I have worked out a deal. Call off the assault. The Secessionists now fight alongside the Republic.” Vance commanded. “What? But what if… he’s just using you to strike when you least expect it?!” Dash said, pointing her hoof accusingly at Trotton’s muzzle. “It was your own commander who made the offer, whelp.” Trotton said, brushing Dash’s hoof aside. “But I… but…” Dash said, trying to get her head around the idea that Trotton was now a friend. “Now, Rainbow. Go call this off before more pegasi have to die needlessly.” Vance said as seriously as he could. Dash took a moment to readjust her mind, and then went to carry out her orders. ~ Applejack had managed to make life very unpleasant for the Imperial troops stationed in the tunnels underlying the village. There were definitely perks to having nigh-impenetrable armor in very small spaces. As she emerged from yet another tunnel, now laden with enemy corpses, another Sentinel came to greet her. “Good hunting, ma’am?” Sugarbeet asked while saluting her. “One less tunnel them Imps can cower in, Sugar!” she heartily replied. “What’s our next target?” “Punch through to the other side an knock down all their fancy shmancy guard towers. Watch my flank, will ya?” AJ asked, glad to have Sugarbeet guarding her side. Sugarbeet made sure to watch her flank and, because he was feeling generous, guard her side as well. Thank Luna for these helmets. “I think I can see the first tower, ma’am.” Sugarbeet stated, when something from above caught his eye. “Uhh… ma’am? Why is every pegasus in Cloudsdale falling on us?” AJ started to shrug off his observation when she too saw a ridiculously large amount of pegasi, all of them aiming for the village they were sieging. AJ first thought Vance had failed and now the Secessionists were getting sick of the Imps and NLR, until a streak of rainbow whizzed by her head. A Secessionist pegasus landed softly next to them to tell them of the new alliance, and the whole garrison was taken less than a half-hour later. Vance and Trotton were getting a nice view from above, reclining in some clouds. “Job well done, General.” Trotton said. “Canterlot, here we come…” ~ After the conquest of Cloudsdale, it became evident that, barring a miracle, an NLR victory would only be a matter of time. The Solar Empire was being compressed from all sides, their recruitment lands tapped, their morale crushed, and their command collapsing. The Archaía had seen this happen before, and by now it was merely a cyclical process they had to endure before they could find their loophole and break it. But nonetheless, they began making preparations for their departure. “What did I tell you, Hyperion? We granted him too much freedom! Next cycle we take a more authoritarian approach.” – Phoebe “If anyone’s to be singled out for this blame, it’s to be Selene. Wasn’t Hermes her legacy?” – Themis “Don’t go tossing around the blame like you can root out this problem so easily! Just because Hermes is of my own lineage doesn’t mean you suffer any less blame! Any of you!” – Selene “Silence! I understand we are all irate about this failure, but now we have new avenues to approach. Technology has come a long way since we were of fresh blood.” – Hyperion “No, no more! I’ve had it with you, Hyperion! You’ve led us to ruin for long enough!” – Crius Hyperion’s eyes dilated and his ears drowned out this insubordination. His eyes turned to black and a whirlwind began forming around him, sparking with magical energies. Crius’ ranting slowly dwindled down and his posture became less aggressive as he realized he was about to be brought back into line again. “NOT AGAIN, CRIUS. YOU WILL LEARN YOUR PLACE, NO MATTER HOW MANY TIME IT MUST BE TAUGHT.” – Hyperion The other three averted their eyes. They had seen what Crius goes through enough times. Iapetus, meanwhile, had his own plans in motion. ~ As the 2nd, 3rd, 7th, and 9th Legions began to navigate the treacherous catacombs within the mountains that also housed Equestria’ political support structure, Vance made a quick stop at Zecora’s hut to see Fluttershy. He jogged through the spring, the sunlight at just the right angle to permeate through the tiny open patches in the thick foliage. Seeing no sign of her, he knocked on the house carved out of a giant tree. Fluttershy’s bright sea green eye poked through the window, and then the door swung open as she tackled him, getting as much physical contact with him while she could. Vance had to spend the next few minutes coaxing her off as she listed the reasons she missed and worried about him. Apollo and Artemis peeked out from the upper floor, their curiosity insatiable. Finally, Vance managed to stop Fluttershy’s onslaught. “I… I just can’t stand to think of what could happen to you while you’re out there. I don’t want to be alone again…” Fluttershy said as a stray tear began to slide down her cheek. Vance gave a weak smile and wiped the tear away before pulling her in for a hug. “Just promise me you’ll come back alive…” Fluttershy said, sniffling. “By Acobi I promise to return.” Vance reassured her. “I have to go now. Promise you’ll be strong for me?” Fluttershy nodded wearily, though not officially saying yes. Vance took one long look into her eyes, burning the image into his mind. Half-hesitantly, Vance took flight to assist the Legions in worming their way through the catacombs. ~ “Art thou sure this will work?” Luna asked. “Well, it’s either we give it a shot, or let the Imps use a giant sun laser against us.” Vance said impatiently. “Lemaign willing, we can overwhelm them with a rapid assault. The shock value of having their superweapon disabled will buy us some time to get a foothold. Let’s not throw it away.” “Very well. Assuming thine proposed tactic goes well, then what?” Luna continued. “This isn’t going to be like last time I attacked Canterlot. The train stations are a no-go and they’re not accepting refugees without the right papers. It was hard enough slipping in our spies, so we’re just going to have to break the door down. Now Canterlot, being built into a freaking cliff, has the singular tactical issue of being BUILT INTO A FREAKING CLIFF.” Vance griped. “We need to pull as many Imps away from the only easily accessible land-based entrance as possible, combine that simultaneously with our experimental tactic, and hope that causes enough of a distraction for us to get a foothold inside the city. Once we’re in, we’ve got a chance to put an end to all this.” ~ It was nearing midday, and the Republic’s forces couldn’t stay hidden burrowed in the nearby caverns for much longer without risking detection. There was still no sign of Trotton’s armada, which was a necessary component to begin the assault. The two leaders retreated to the war room to wait patiently, hoping they had not been abandoned by the mustachioed pegasus General. Luna was consulting with a unicorn assassin, shrouded in black wrapping and a pair of purple glasses. “Recluse is already embedded. Thine job is to eliminate her unit and extract her, Wolf. Dost thou understand?” Luna asked. Without a word, the ninja pony saluted the princess and in a flash of her blue and cyan tail had disappeared. A moment later, an emissary from Trotton had arrived. “General Vance, Princess Luna. General Trotton and the armada will be here within the hour. What are your orders?” the emissary requested. “Tell Trotton to hold position outside Canterlot’s airspace until we’ve eliminated their Sun Laser. The sign will be obvious.” Vance replied. The emissary immediately set out to relay the order. It was all coming together. ~ The tension was almost unbearable. Even with one of the grandest armies the world had ever seen, there was still incredible risk. The Solar Empire still had armies, enough that if the NLR Legions were to be pinned between them, casualties would be absolute, and the closest Imperial forces are only a day away by rail. NLR scouts watched nervously as their Imperial counterparts paced back and forth upon the city’s walls, the wartime palisades and magical barriers appearing quite daunting from afar. Suddenly, they spotted the majority of the guards fleeing with much intent away from the main entrance. The NLR scouts turned their attention to where the regiments were running to, and they saw little blips forming against the blue sky. “Generals! The armada’s here!” shouted a scout. Vance, Klex, and the rest of Command got as close as they needed to see the pegasus kept his promise. “Excellent! Princess, it’s time. Let’s blot out the sun!” Vance declared, eerily causing a cheer amongst some of the thralls. As the Princess began to drag the moon halfway across the sky in merely a few minutes, Vance darted about, ensuring the Legions were prepared for the initial push. He had previously designated the Sentinels to lead the charge on the ground, given their famous reputation of never dying. “Are the Sentinels ready?” Vance asked. “Ready as we’ll ever be, sir.” Applejack said confidently. “Good. Before I give the order, we’re going to try to take out that Pyth-forsaken superweapon of theirs. I need you to keep our forces focused when that time comes. If our plan works, it’ll be one hay of a show.” Vance said. “Dash! Are the Raiders ready?” “Raider teams 1 and 2 ready and waiting, sir!” Dash exclaimed. “Raider team 1, you’re going to assist out Secessionist friends for the time being. If a more pressing concern arises, I’ll contact you to reassign your priorities. Raider team 2, you’ll be joining the initial push to gain a foothold past the walls. You’ll be acting mainly as bomber support, so equip accordingly.” Vance gave direct orders to anypony he deemed necessary, then returned to the other Generals as the moon’s shadow began to creep across the sky. The entirety of the NLR Legions fell quiet as they realized what was going on. General Rorschach of the 2nd Legion prodded Vance. “Perhaps a moralizing speech from our commando turned commander?” Klex offered. “That didn’t really work when Captain Applejack tried it…” “The thralls as getting nervous with that moon blocking the sun. Don’t wait for somepony else to calm them, take the initiative!” “Well why don’t you go up there if you’ve got such words of wisdom?” “I’m a psychologist! I don’t moralize stallions, I break them down!” “Agh, fine! But don’t say I didn’t warn you…” Vance slowly made his way to the pedestal from which the scouts kept an eye on Canterlot’s wall. Unfortunately, looking out onto a sea of fidgeting thralls didn’t make it easier for him. He stammered out a few consonants, when he suddenly found himself surrounded by the Sentinels. “My… my fellow stallions and mares. No, my brothers and sisters. It’s taken much for us to get here. A lot of sacrifice, a… a lot of… of…” Vance became at a loss for words, when the Raiders took to the limited airspace in the cavern and began hovering above him. “We have had to endure hardship after hardship, and it will take decades to heal the scars this war has caused, but we are true Equestrians! We’ve survived and even averted the end of the world when the threat loomed, and we can dang well do it again!” “And you don’t need to do it alone, Frère!” called a familiar voice. Vance and the whole NLR force turned towards the voice to find none other than Vie accompanied by Major Renéigh Bastille and a good number of battle-ready Prench earth pony and unicorn soldiers, each sporting a black vest and beret and equipped with a crossbow. Pretty much every NLR jaw was on the floor at that point. Vie sauntered authoritatively along with her entourage to back up the Sentinels. Everypony stood around silently for a moment, until Vance resumed. “Holy crap that was epic.” he said to Vie. “Merci, but I believe you were finishing your speech, non?” “Crap…” *clears throat* “Today, we will make our stand against one of the greatest threats Equestria has ever faced. I won’t lie; this is going to be a long shot. Many of us will most likely not survive, and those that do won’t get out without some bruises, but this is a day when heroes are made! And no hero gets his title doing what’s easy. The Solar Empire wants our land? Our nation? Our lives? Then if they want it so bad, let them pay for every inch in blood! Death before dishonor! Let’s take our country back!” The NLR armies were eager for battle. The eclipse was starting to freak them out and they were sick of this war. Vance liked to think it was his speech alone that got them riled up. Vance took his position at the horn that would sound the start of the siege. An entire eternity was packed into the first minute the moon was placed in front of the sun, and the horn was blown. The full might of the NLR and Secessionists was now bearing down on Canterlot. Judgment Day. ~ Day 1. The train station was captured in two successive blitzes. Vance had held himself and the Prench sharpshooters at the train station to ensure it remained in their hands. One train with Imperial reinforcements had already arrived, and they managed to break through to their lines, despite large casualties. An all-out assault by the Nightingales on the artillery batteries strategically held in the cliff face resulted in their capture and/or destruction, as the Imperials didn’t enjoy the thought of those guns possibly being brought against their city. Word of all sorts of unexpected parties converging on Canterlot began to flow in as Imperial radios were captured. Resistance cells, ponies from foreign lands, a scarf-wearing archer, mercenaries from Foalenze, Cattleonians, and ponies clad entirely in black with green eyes. The radios were constantly humming with reports, requests, and regrets. Several meters of ground were gained and a street was claimed. The Sentinels need to be everywhere. Rainbow’s Raiders lost another ace flier. By evening, Vance had worn a small groove in the train station. “Relax, Frère. We’ve been secretly studying Imperial tactics for the past several months.” Vie reassured Vance. “Ha! They’re like a crude hammer; poorly crafted and slow to act!” Renéigh laughed as he peered through his binoculars. “And just look at Trottingham. When the hammer strikes, there’s not much left.” Vance lamented. Vie went over to console Vance, placing her hooves on his shoulders. “Don’t ache over what’s lost. You’ll give vindication once you’re victorious.” “They say a single missionary was the cause of the shelling. Whole town ended up revolting, and then boom. Nothing left.” “Focus, General. Trottingham is lost, but Canterlot can be won. Mourn the dead when the day is won.” Vance took in a deep breath to try and calm himself a bit. “Get some sleep. There’s another day tomorrow.” Vie commanded. Vance got no rest that night. ~ Day 2. Most of the market and housing districts were now under NLR control. Imperial forces called back from their garrisons formed a second front close to the staging point, straining Republic reinforcements. Vance set Rainbow’s Raiders on disrupting Imperial communications and the capture of a V.I.P. Finally, his old nature couldn’t sit around and watch any longer. “That’s it, we’re going in ourselves!” Vance declared to the Prench. To the other NLR generals and the Prench sharpshooters, the idea of a ranking officer wading into the thicket of combat was unthinkable. To Vie, this was expected (and a little bit desired). Vance blew a half-hour arguing with the NLR officers, insisting Vance be around to take the fall should this siege turn sour. All the while Vie was prepping the sharpshooters to dive head first into Tartarus. When a good chunk of NLR supplies very near the train station suddenly exploded, Vance used the ensuing confusion to slip away with the Prench and a portable radio. “So what’s the plan, Aigle?” Bastille asked. “We cut through the Imperial lines, infiltrate the palace, and eliminate whoever’s really in charge of this massacre. What’s with the fancy new nickname?” Vance asked as they started walking towards the pillars of smoke. “Your marque de cutie. It is an eagle, or ‘aigle’ in Prench. Our soldiers took to calling you that. It’s become a part of our military’s culture. Remember that, Vance. Your memory will live on no matter what happens in Equestria.” Vie said. “You worried we won’t survive this?” “I’m worried YOU won’t survive this. This is your fight, and you’ve been fighting it since the train. I think you’ve earned a rest.” “You haven’t been fighting them this whole time? What have you been up to?” Vance asked with an underscore of anger. “I do what I do best. I help.” Vance was quieted for a while after that. The team crossed the present line between the two factions, and it quickly became evident that, despite their relatively small numbers, the sharpshooters could easily handle a larger force of conscripts without trouble. Vance had the team skirt around the edges of the city. They rarely came head-on to enemy infantry, though they had the chance to take pot shots on occasion. It seemed like everything would go smoothly. “Periochí̱ safí̱s. Zi̱tó̱ntas nées parangelíes.” “Oh sweet Micia…” Vance quietly cursed as a chill ran down his back. He quickly motioned to all those accompanying him to quiet down. Vie immediately recognized the old foe, and motioned for her comrades to hide, which they did quickly and quietly. For several minutes everypony waited silently in the shadows, the radio chatter of the indecipherable code language the black ops were using inviting cold beads of sweat from Vance and Vie’s skin. Vance peeked out from the corner he was hiding in and saw at least three balaclavas with green goggles. He pulled his head back in just as one snapped their attention towards where Vance had been looking from. Vance tried to keep his breathing controlled, ‘tried’ being the keyword. The curious black ops, having nothing to do for the moment, decided to investigate. A black ops without an objective is a dangerous pony. As it walked through the small alcove toward the area where Vance’s team was hiding, the Nightingale patiently waiting in the rafters whistled as he fell onto the startled black ops. Several more Nightingales responded to the whistle and set upon the remaining opponents, cutting them down before they knew what was happening. Vance and company all poked their heads out, interested as to whom they owed their safety. “Vulpes!” Vance exclaimed with relief as he motioned to give his ally a hug. “General, what’re you doing out here?” Vulpes replied, allowing Vance to hug him. “A commanding officer should be kept safe.” Vie and the Prench forces unveiled themselves, giving Vulpes pause for thought. “I got it covered, Vulpes. What are the Nightingales doing all the way out here? Last I heard, you had taken the artillery batteries posted in the mountains.” “We let the regulars take control of that. The Nightingales may be allies of the NLR, but we’re not under your command.” “Fair enough. Keep up your work, Vulpes. This battle’s almost over.” Vance said as his team began to press on. “I wish…” Vulpes muttered. ~ As time ticked on, the sun moved forward, while the moon was ever-present. Vance had received word that Raider team 1 was moving in to capture Colonel Twilight Sparkle and disable Imperial communications. Vance’s team had at last made it to the definitive line the Solar Empire brass declared to be the point of their last stand, should it come down to it. With the aid of a Resistance cell, they managed to slip underneath it and well behind it without complication, but still stuck to the outer rim of the city to avoid as much attention as possible. As Vance’s squad passed the front of the half-collapsed Canterlot Opera House, a crossbow bolt landed in front of him. The whole group casted their eyes up, only to see a battered Octavia with a bloodied smirk on her face. “I’ve been practicing, Vance!” she called. *laughs* “Can we come in?” Vance asked. “Sure! Crescendo, unbar the door. They’re welcome.” She said back into the building. After the sounds of several heavy wooden objects and one dropped trombone, the massive ornate wooden doors, remarkably unscarred by the siege, creaked open. The NLR entered to find a solid, although tested, Resistance cell. Octavia slid down a ladder to greet her old friend. The doors slammed shut. The Prench soldiers nervously clung to their weapons. “Octavia! *hug* You look… wrecked! Is this a Resistance cell?” Vance asked. “Practically. We’ve no formal training, but when we heard the commotion, I convinced several of my colleagues to join me in my stand.” “Mad gambit is more like it.” said a disgruntled musician. “You can always walk out the door, Crescendo. Otherwise I expect you to do your duty, understood?” Octavia snapped. *sigh* “Yes, ma’am.” “We’ve beaten back a few minor incursions. If they really wanted us gone, we’d be dead. Fortunately, they’ve got their hooves full with you lot.” She said back to Vance. “Which leads me to ask, why come this way? It’s an awful long detour to visit me.” “We believe there to be an alternative entrance to the Palace. We are going to slip in through this weakness and decapitate the Solar Empire.” Vie interjected. “Ah, thank you miss…” Octavia started. “Mon nom est Vie. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Octavia.” “Ooh, Prench? Vance, I had no idea you were so well-traveled!” Octavia said, her interest piqued. “Oh, the stories we could tell you…” Vance said as he walked over to Vie. “The Confederate capitol, the Scythian Wilds, the Sea of Wyrms …” Vie started. “Saddle Arabia, the Archipelago of Antioch, the Jastreb Castle of Dyrrachium…” Vance continued. “Oh my…” Octavia said with stars in her eyes. “We can look at travel brochures later; we have a war to win!” Bastille said, irritated at this hold up. Octavia directed her fellows to go behind NLR lines and wait for the fighting to subside, while she grabbed a few quivers of bolts and joined the sharpshooters. Initially they were skeptical about an Equestrian musician being good enough to stand with them, but after she wiped out a squad of conscripts single-hoofedly and without being seen, they didn’t complain. When she wasn’t thinning Imperial numbers, she was imploring Vie to regale her time traveling with Vance. Initially they entertained her curiosity, but as the lingering shadow of the Palace crept closer to them, the stories were silenced. The team stuck to the shadows, evading detection when possible, as they entered the area the NLR had begun to bombard with the captured Imperial artillery batteries. It was close to dusk. "Vance!" shouted a pony, cloaked in white cloth. Vance took a good long look, and could scarcely believe who was here in Canterlot, even as said pony approached him with great intent. Several similarly dressed figures were standing amongst the rubble of a building. "Ajnabi? That you?" Vance said, pleasantly surprised. Ajnabi pulled out a dagger and held it to Vance's throat. The sharpshooters lined up their targets. Vance motioned for them to lower their weapons. After several seconds, they hesitantly complied. "What is happening here? I came here in a group of thirty emissaries, and when I arrive, I am confronted by soldiers. I mention your name and they begin to slaughter us! Do you know how many of us are left? Eleven! I demand explanation for this betrayal!" Ajnabi said with a familiar fire in his eyes. "I am afraid you have come to Equestria in a most troubling time, Ajnabi. There's a civil war raging, and you had the misfortune of meeting my enemy, the Solar Empire. I'm sorry to have brought this on you." Vance apologized, not even concerned about the blade at his neck. After several tense moments, Ajnabi sheathed his dagger. His face was still coated with anger. "As am I…" Ajnabi said. "So who is this stallion, Vance?" Renéigh asked. "I am Abd al-Ajnabi, emissary from the Caliphate of Saddle Arabia. And who are you?" "I am Major Renéigh Bastille of the Prench military, here to support Vance for services rendered during our own civil war." "It is as if the world has been set ablaze with warfare..." Ajnabi commented. "And you still haven't learned how to identify me by a shorthoof name, Vance." “Well considering you’re the foreigner here, ‘Ajnabi’ makes sense.” Ajnabi snorted with annoyance. He returned to his fellow Arabians and spoke with them in their language, then they all joined Vance’s group. “You’re going to avenge my fallen brothers, correct?” Ajnabi asked. Octavia loaded a bolt. The creak of the string reverberated by the complying sharpshooters. “You want in?” Vance asked. Ajnabi smiled. “We should find cover for the night.” Vance said, realizing how exhausted he was. “I doubt we want to camp in the Palace gardens, General…” Renéigh stated, noting they were in the Palace gardens. “Ugggghhhh… Onwards, then…” Vance complained. ~ Midnight. The 3rd day of siege. The Palace. There was no sense of grandeur. The ballroom was stale and dead. It hadn’t been used for weeks, by the looks of it. Everything was so… dead. There was no sign of any animals as they glanced out the windows back towards the gardens. No guards, no bureaucrats, not even a janitor. “Oh, this is so a trap.” Vie remarked coolly. Everypony alongside her heard what she said, and they silently complied. They all soldiered on, deeper into the Palace, until they finally reached the door of what used to be the Throne room. Vance placed his hoof on it and ran it down. “What have I done…” he whispered to himself. “More than you’ll ever know, Hermes.” Iapetus called to him from the main hallway, flanked by black ops. Vance’s team looked down the two other hallways intersecting with their location, and black ops were crawling out from behind the support pillars. They were easily outnumbered here. “Bonjour, les gars. Me oublier?” Vie said tauntingly. The black ops took a step back. “Who the hay are you?” Vance asked to the tall, cloaked figure standing amidst the fearsome enemy. “Iapetus, member of the Archaía Áloga, and puller of the strings of fate. Your rise to greatness was no accident, though we certainly didn’t intend to lose control of you. And once again, Hyperion lifts us up, only to allow rats to gnaw at our heels until we are brought back down to the mud.” “Speak sense, murderer.” Vance demanded. “No more guilty than you, Hermes. Strange how of all your half-siblings, you’re the only one who can claim to have destroyed Equestria. All others have merely been instruments of paranoia, serving to divide the other nations and species. You however, have turned into quite the liability. It’ll take decades to clean up what you’ve done.” “What are you talking about? My only family is safely out of your reach, and I fully intend to take back what you stole from me.” “Oh, how fruitless this vine is! Counterproductive to the cultural evolution and unable to see his own genetics! Didn’t it ever occur to you how everything came so naturally? How you went from a poorly trained soldier to a commando capable of going hoof-to-hoof with our protégés here so easily? It was a gift from your mother and from us.” “I… don’t understand…” *sigh* “Of course you don’t. You’ve been so busy running you never stopped to look back! You were a carefully bred project. We had hoped you to be a unicorn, but regrettably, both Selene and her requisitioned gamete had traces of pegasus, and much to our misfortune and the delight of Oceanus, seem to have found it funny to ruin years of careful examination.” “I don’t believe you.” “We conditioned you that way.” “No matter, where is this ‘Hyperion,’ then? As you can imagine, I have a few words and a sword I’d like to share with him.” “I will divulge the location of Hyperion on the condition I be given free leave. I agree that Hyperion must be stopped, as this is hardly the first war caused by his lack of finesse.” “You’re surrounded by black ops, and you’re asking to be let go?” “Your cellist has had a bolt pointed at my neck the entire time.” Vance motioned to Octavia, who after a bit of silent arguing agreed to point her weapon away. “Tell us where Hyperion is and you’re free.” Vance agreed. “Thank you. At least you gained a sense of rationality, unlike your mother. My colleagues are in the Grand Library. I presume you have some means of combating the most ancient sages in Equestria?” “Oh, I’ve got a trick or two up my metaphorical sleeve…” “Now go. The slate can finally be wiped clean. Perhaps next time things will go better…” “Goodbye, Iapetus.” “This is not goodbye. Stamatí̱ste tous.” Iapetus teleported away to where Kalós was waiting for him. Meanwhile, Vie drew her stiletto as a cruel smile snaked across her face. This was going to be fun. “Prêt à jouer, les garçons?” she taunted. “Vance, go and do what you must. We will hold them here.” Ajnabi said. “Avenge my brothers!” “I better get 1st cellist in whatever orchestra I want after this…” Octavia said, drawing a bead. “La victoire ou la mort!” Bastille screamed as the bolts let fly. As Vance disappeared into the massive door, Vie and the Arabian warriors dove into the black ops without hesitation. The sharpshooters excluding Octavia all set aside their crossbows and joined the fray with stilettos, made popular by Vie’s dedicated use of hers. Vie was casually wading through the violent flood, spewing out magic attacks without remorse as her stiletto sampled every available pony blood type. Bastille’s rapier snapped from so many enemies. The Arabians, despite their frail build, could match the black ops in agility and stand on their own. The fighting was close, fierce, and bloody. Several Arabians and sharpshooters were killed. Finally, the surviving black ops began to flee. “Eínai pára polý. Ypochó̱ri̱si̱! Krínos den boreí na pethánei!” “Retournez à vos mères, bande de lâches!” Bastille shouted after them. Vie looked on, her expression blank. “It’s time, Major.” Renéigh turned back to look at his great leader, the same mare he once hurried out of the country in hopes of saving her. Later, she came back to return the favor, and gave him back his country. He removed the components loaded into his bags and handed them to Vie. “Take care, your majesty.” “I’m not a queen, Renéigh.” “No. You’re so much more than that.” Vie blushed, then galloped off. It was time to ensure the threat was stopped here. Renéigh watched her go, utterly helpless for what was coming. “Where is she going?” Ajnabi asked. “To spare us all.” ~ Vance wasted no time in clearing out. He slinked around the Palace, getting lost only twice, until he finally made it to the Grand Library. A whole tower, dedicated to the storage of ancient tomes and knowledge of years forgotten. Vance unintentionally yawned rather loudly, and then clamped his mouth shut. He lazily drifted around the room, his eyes and ears drooping with fatigue. “Ah, the Messenger arrives at last.” Hyperion called from the shadows of the library. “Who are you?” Vance asked. “Those that were and who will be again.” “The Titans of antiquity.” “The guiding light for all ponydom.” “The old gods.” “Why all this secrecy?” Vance asked. “Our shadow war is a safeguard. Each time we were close to usurping Celestia, she discovered our plans and exterminated our agents as far as she could dig. Given the chance, she would not hold back from destroying us, those who remember when she was but a filly. Her rule was a failure.” “She may have lost her way at times, but Equestria had never been more prosperous when she ruled.” Vance retorted. “Celestia could not do what was required to gain the loyalty of the proles. Those feeble-minded pawns would not know need nor want under us.” “What can you give that she couldn’t?” Vance pondered. “We can destroy the social barriers between all ponies!” “Luxury is an effective sedative.” “Remove all taboos, and Equestrians will blindly follow the source.” “We must simply remove the pillars of society: history and tradition. Petty concepts like marriage and fidelity will not be missed when they are swept away.” “A drugged populace will not care who holds their reins, so long as they get their laudanum.” Vance drew his saber. “For years, I have searched for a justification for all the damage I’ve done, all the lives I’ve ruined. I once thought it was all for the favor of a pegasus, but I see now Micia had something in the works all along. Celestia, give me strength.” “Pathetic foal. We’ve entertained your presence long enough. Now it’s time to end this. After obliterating every molecule of your mistake of a life, everypony out there resisting our imminent victory will be mashed to a pulp. This whole war will be a testimony to the price of rebellion.” Hyperion threatened. Hyperion shot a fireball at Vance. Vance braced himself for the possibility of death, and then opened his eyes after the flames breezed around him, parted by his sword. “Ha! It actually works! Nifty!” Vance said, examining his weapon. “A fluke.” Hyperion declared. A bolt of lightning from Selene. Absorbed. Themis tried to levitate Vance, but the sword negated it. The sages tried a variety of tricks, to no avail. “What is this? I don’t even…” Selene whispered before being interrupted. “A delay. No matter what souvenir he stumbled upon, it can’t possibly stand against all of us. Let’s finish this now and get on with Phase 4.” Vance held his saber as steadily as he could against the combined assault of four incredibly powerful unicorns. The energy proved to be too much for the poor sword, and the crystalline tip exploded in a shockwave of magical energy, lodging several chips of magic-infused gemstone into Vance's left eye. While Vance struggled to cope with the excruciating burning his eye was now getting from the inside out, the Archaía collapsed, their energy exhausted. Vie rushed over to him, and tried to tell him what she was about to do. Vance could barely make out her words through the haze and the blood pounding in his head. “Vance! The bomb’s all ready to go, but I’ve got to ensure the Archaía don’t make it out! I’m detonating it manually!” Vie said. “Vie? What bomb? What…” “No time to argue, Frère! For Espoir’s sake, this ends now!” And just like that, Vie magically flung Vance out of the tower. The resulting blast dissoriented him for a while, throwing him into a neighboring roof with bone-crushing force. He felt his wings crack, and then he passed out. ========== Bonus points to: Keystroke: for being my pre-reader and for providing the physical characteristics of General Trotton Silver Streak: for being my pre-reader Author’s notes: Hello, everypony! Dissoriented here with a few post-script items to add: The 6th in the Strings of Fate series, this marks the final battle over Canterlot to determine who will rule Equestria for the foreseeable future. Soon, I’ll tie up as many loose ends as I can/want and figure out where to go from there. Your battle-scarred, faceless writer, Dissoriented Disclaimer: “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic” and its derivatives are the intellectual property of Hasbro©. I do not, nor claim to, have the rights to any and all intellectual property this story uses and is partly based on. Anypony who attempts to defy this shall be sent to the gosh darn moon.