The maelstrom had been relentless. It had left almost all of the rebel's resources destroyed and scores of ponies dead. The ones that made it out differed little than those who had perished, they were broken and in full flight. Scattering in the wind like leaves in Autumn, only a handful remaining in the Crystal City.
It always amazes me what one night can change everything, Steel Defiance thought to himself as he sat in the cold grey corner of the near derelict Strong Stallion Inn. His options were painfully limited, he had very few loyal ponies left and even fewer rifles.
The Equestrians had left the corpses of the Crystal Pony rebels practically untouched, to rot under the cold, grey Northern sky. Many of the Rebel's saw a de facto state funeral as an opportunity to bolster morale and reinforce the rebels public support, Steel Defiance had chosen to allow an official burial ceremony, but he found it was more as a sign of respect to their fallen comrades rather than any show of power.
He sipped at the cracked tankard filled with a sour cider, it's cheap taste being the only thing that had sustained him in the time after the raids. When he finally mustered the energy to pick himself up and leave the tavern he was greeted by the sight of Emerald Impact, staggering in looking a sorry state.
"Sir, we got him," Emerald said, running his hoof through his mane in an attempt to keep it from draping over his eyes, blocking his vision entirely.
Steel Defiance straightened his back and rose his head to meet the gaze of a scrawny young Crystal Pony. His grey mane, matted with blood and his face covered in bruises.
"Are you aware why you're here?" Steel Defiance asked in a soft tone, sounding as if he believed that raising his voice would shatter the bones of the already weak young pony.
He responded with a weak nod, knowing the fate that awaited him. He stared at Steel Defiance with a look of despair. Slowly he reached his hoof into his pocket and drew out a small parcel that was already stamped and ready for delivery. "Please, give this to my mother, tell her I went well, and have one regret, selling out the cause."
"Very well son, anything else," Steel Defiance asked taking the package into his hooves.
"Permission to go down as a revolutionary rather than some Equestrian traitor," Shattered Dawn could tell that his matter-of-fact method of speaking was only a veil to cover his true fear.
"Permission granted...Lance Corporal," Steel uttered, knowing that at least referring to him by his previous rank could bring the young stallion some comfort.
They ran, all through the night, they ran. Not resting until they saw the sunlight once more. The sewers had been cruel on the small group of survivors. Aside from White Blizzard and Shattered Dawn the group only had four other members, they were all the remnants of the same section.
Their commander was Iron Bulwark, the very model of what a revolutionary should be, he had a greying yellow mane and a muscular grey body. He wore an ammunition bandolier and flat cap. The other members were Crimson Hazard clad in a faded coat and armed with an assortment of homemade explosives, he was someone Shattered Dawn could almost immediately tell to be a rebel down to the core, there were also the twins, a young mare named Ruby Skies and a colt-faced stallion called Emerald Shore.
The first thing to run out during their time underground was food, having only brought what they all had on them at the time of the raid they were woefully underprepared. However bad the hunger grew, the constant smell of smoke wafting into the sewer tunnels from above ground came to be unbearable, leading to incessant complaints from Crimson Hazard.
When the group chanced upon what turned out to be an exit to the Crystal Empire's vast countryside, the sense of relief was visible amongst the small cell of fighters. They had surfaced from a sewage outflow pipe, to be greeted by a breathtaking view of the Crystal Empire's natural beauty.
At first sight of the almost picturesque lake Crimson Hazard sprinted to get to the fresh water. After fully submerging in the cool caress of the lake's crystal clear water. Shattered Dawn couldn't help but laugh at the site of the of the young rebel.
"For buck's sake, get a move on Crimson," yelled Iron Bulwark to the rejoicing stallion, "remember the commander of all rebel forces, our boss in case you forgot, has saddled up along with us for the ride."
"Don't worry commander, it's quite alright. In our current situation proper conduct may not be entirely necessary," White Blizzard said chuckling.
"Yes sir," Iron Bulwark responded, before taking out his field glasses and peering into the far horizon, scanning for nothing in particular, "I reckon it would be smart for a few of the boys to conduct a reconnaissance mission of the immediate area. You never know when the Equestrians could come back for more."
"Very well commander, take Shattered Dawn with you and seek out the nearest town, but be weary, Equestrians will be out in force tonight," White Blizzard said before kneeling down and refilling his own water canteen, before taking emptying half of the canteen.
Once Iron Bulwark had brought Shattered Dawn up to speed the pair set out on their patrol. It took them only a few minutes to find the road again. They began to head towards the nearest village. A relatively small hamlet that went by the name of Appleholt. It was evidently populated by Equestrian settlers due to it's high level of unicorns and pegasi however this was the only sign of civilization for miles in each direction.
"Right lad, leave the rifles here along with anything else that might give us away. I want no buck ups, are we understood?" Iron Bulwark said to Shattered Dawn in an authoritative manner as they came on the approach to the village.
"Yes sir," Shattered Dawn responded as he began to relinquish his equipment, concealing it in the foliage of a nearby ditch, he was only halfway through placing his rifle behind a berry bush before his hoof hit something too soft to be rock but also much too soft to be dirt.
Looking down he almost instantly recoiled. Half buried there lay another face staring way back at him. However this face was much different to his. It had now gone to a putrid grey-green colour, with old crusted, blood clinging in circles under the eyes. The face had a calm expression on it, looking peacefully asleep despite the grievous wounds and scars covering the face.
"S-sir, I think you need to see this," Shattered Dawn stuttered finally breaking his trance with the half buried carcass, drawing his gaze to his commanding officer.
However Iron Bulwark had sunken to his knees. Around him lay the broken and half buried corpses of stallion, mare and foal, all discarded into the ditch with equal disregard. However Iron Bulwark loomed over one pony in particular, a small filly with a yellow mane and a grey coat. Iron Bulwark's large grey eyes were locked with her vacant maroon gaze which stared lazily into the horizon.
Iron Bulwark was muttering so quietly that the breeze gently caressing the leaves almost drowned him out entirely, however Shattered Dawn could make out one sentence through the bleak late autumn winds, "She always did have her mother's eyes."
The sky had gone to a dull grey. The soil beneath their feet had been turned to mud almost immediately when the downpour began. The three stallions had discreetly left the funeral procession just before it had arrived at the cemetery. The trio climbed to the top of one of the many hills just outside the slums.
Atop the hill there was a small open burrow, with a hastily made wooden carving above it. With and the date from sixteen years ago, right up until today, "This is the place."
Emerald Impact handed Steel the pistol as the small stallion knelt down in front of the pit, "It's been an honour sir, I'm sorry."
"It's okay lad, at least you go with more honour than any of those Equestrian dogs could muster," Emerald Impact said desperately trying to reassure the young crystal pony.
The entire world seemed to go silent as Steel pulled the weighty revolver to the stallions head, as Steel finger was about to pull back he was cut off by Emerald Impact, "Wait Steel, what is your name lad."
"S-sunheart," stuttered the stallion as he averted his gaze away from the barrel of the revolver to Emerald Impact, "Just one last thing, the commander who I told, some swollen-headed pegasi , send her to tartarus to roast with me."
With that Emerald Impact let out a soft chuckle, "very well lad, goodbye."
Steel Defiance had to synchronise the shot with the funeral procession gun salute, as even the slightest hint of gunfire in the hills would surely apprise all nearby Equestrians.
Steel levelled the firearm, taking aim at Sundance as the first volley rang out.
The second volley came as Steel drew in a breath, steadying his hand and peering down the revolver's iron sights.
As the third volley rang out, it's chorus was joined by the small song of Steel's revolver.
The shot rang out through the lonely hills, reverberating all the way down to the slums below. Then more shots began to ring out from the Crystal pony's cemetery inside the Crystal City itself as the procession fired their final salute to their deceased comrades.
Sunheart's corpse fell with a soft thud into the grave, Steel Defiance handed the revolver back to Emerald Impact, "Cover up the body, bury the evidence then round up the boys in the Strong Stallion. Tell them that it stops here, no more games."
"Yes Sir," Steel Defiance's words had a sharp edge despite the fact that his voice was wracked with remorse, "Can I just say sir, what are we planning."
"Sunheart's revenge," muttered Steel Defiance.