Chrysalis held onto Nectar as tightly as she could, what she thought might be the last time, only for nothing to come. She opened her eyes and turned to see the Titan’s sword inches from her head, shaking as it was coated in a violet aura.
“CHRYSALIS, RUN!” Twilight shouted, straining as sparks flew from the cracks in her horn.
Chrysalis pushed her daughter out of the way just as Twilight’s magic dropped, leaping to the side to avoid the sword swing, herself. Unfortunately, she didn’t move fast enough and the blade cut into her backside. She screamed in pain as she tumbled along the ground. She stopped to check the injury, seeing blood seep from a cut along her back and wings.
“MY QUEEN, RUN!” Thorax shouted. Chrysalis looked up to see the Titan pursuing her. As she struggled through the pain to get to her hooves her changelings fired several blasts at the demon, the damage being as little as some dark spots on its armor.
Much to her surprise, Spike leapt onto the demon, the force of impact managing to stagger it. The dragon then clamped his jaws around the demon's head before grabbing two of its arms in his claws. He then inhaled deeply and breathed out a searing stream of flames, bathing its torso in heat. Unfortunately, the Titan's other two arms were free and it slammed its mace into his stomach. Winded, Spike’s flame was halted as he struggled to catch his breath, his grip also loosened. The Titan took advantage of this and used its axe to strike Spike in the shoulder, earning a shout of pain and some drawn blood, before kicking Spike onto his back. The Titan then stepped on his tail, receiving another shout of pain, before raising its sickle and preparing to cut off his head.
"SPIKE!" Rarity screamed.
Just then something struck the Titan in the face with enough force to knock it onto its behind. Everyone followed the attacks source, shocked to find an angry and determined Pinkie Pie shooting daggers at the Titan, her smoking party cannon in front of her.
"Keep your stinking claws off him you DAMN DIRTY DEMON!" she shouted before reaching into her mane and pulling out a cannonball, throwing it into her cannon and slamming the button on the side, launching the projectile at the Titan.
The Titan reacted quickly and used its sword to destroy the cannonball with a powerful swing, mid-air. It then hopped to its feet and hurled its mace, Pinkie barely managing to leap out of the way as it crashed into and destroyed the party cannon. It was then met with a barrage of magic blasts for the unicorn guards and changelings, managing to get it to stumble a bit when they concentrated them into one spot, but otherwise not doing much damage.
As it attempted to charge it was met with Rainbow's hooves bucking it in the face, her running start managing to make it stumble a few steps and giving Applejack a chance to get behind it and buck it in the leg, forcing it to take a knee.
"Forget magic, use melee combat!" Skyranger ordered as she charged forwards and struck the armored warrior across the helmet with her lance, jerking its head to the side. The pegasi guards and Rainbow Dash attacking from multiple angles, while not doing too much damage, distracted the demon who swung its weapons wildly in an attempt to hit them, giving the changelings time to charge as a unified whole, their bodies coated in green flames as they slammed into its chest. The attack was powerful enough to make a dent in its chest and knock it onto its back.
The Titan swung its sword as it tried to get up, but the changelings were able to jump back and take to the skies quickly enough to avoid injury.
"Damn it! What is that armor made of!?" Thorax asked.
"Who cares!? Hit it again!" one of the earth pony guards shouted as he and his comrades rushed forwards, intending to keep the creature from rising. The Titan responded by throwing its axe, instantly killing two and severely wounding another, the others barely managing to dodge. It then quickly got up, mostly ignoring the blasts from the unicorns. One of the pegasi guards charged in a rage.
"No, stop!" Skyranger called, but it was too late. The Titan read the obvious attack and grabbed the pegasus out of the air and, with its two free hands, proceeded to rip the pony in half with a sickening wet pop.
"DEAR CELESTIA, IT'S INVINCIBLE!" one of the guards cried in terror.
Twilight could only stare with wide eyes as the twitching halves of the body were carelessly tossed away.
This thing is a monster! Is this what we're up against!? I don't know if I could stop one of these things, even my horn wasn't cracked!
Just as she thought that, the Titan howled in pain. She saw Chrysalis behind the demon, drawing blood with her sword as she cut the creature behind one of its knees, having found a gap in the armor. The demon attempted to stomp on Chrysalis, who rolled out of the way as it turned towards her. It attempted to slash her with its sickle, only for her to expertly deflect it with her sword and sidestep a vertical slash from its sword.
"WHY DO YOU TREMBLE!?" she shouted at the other soldiers as she threw a sickle at its face, managing to land it between the helmet's eye holes, causing it to scream in pain and step back. "SEE HOW IT BLEEDS!?" she shouted again, holding up her sword to show off the blood she had drawn mere moments ago. "IF IT BLEEDS, WE CAN KILL IT! NOW FIGHT!"
With that, the fear overtaking the group began to wane as they found their courage once more. The Titan pulled the sickle from its face before bellowing a war cry and trying to hit Chrysalis with a powerful overhead strike. She easily sidestepped it, but the sheer force behind the attack caused her to stumble, making her unable to dodge the following uppercut from its fist, which sent her crashing into one of the buildings.
"MY QUEEN!" Thorax called.
"Gah! K-KEEP FIGHTING!" she ordered as she struggled to stand up.
The changelings and pegasi charged, but a massive swing from the Titan's sword stopped them. Though none of them were hit, the force of the wind alone was enough to send them back, knocking some of them out of the air.
"BUY ME TIME!" Rainbow shouted before shooting straight up into the air.
The Titan howled in pain again as Nectar shoved her sword upwards through the demon's back, managing to find a gap in its heavy armor, before rolling between its legs as it tried to reach around and grab her. She then magically grabbed four of her sickles and threw them, managing to get the demon in each of its four wrists, before grabbing her last two and stabbing them into its heels, taking to the air and firing a blast of magic at its face before it could retaliate.
"My word, she's magnificent," Rarity complimented, stunned by the changeling princess' skill in battle.
Applejack shouted as she jumped up and slammed her hooves into the same dent the changelings had made before, making the demon stumble backwards, before leaping off its chest and bucking it in the helmet. The Titan tried to grab her as she fell only to be cut off as Skyranger and her pegasi guards attacked the creature from every angle, causing it to stumble every which way.
Just then a massive prismatic explosion came from above, clearing a path through the aerial warzone.
"EVERYPONY TAKE COVER!" Applejack shouted as she dove away from the demon. Everyone else had just enough time to dive away as well before a Sonic Rainboom powered Rainbow Dash slammed into the Titan like a meteor, unleashing a shockwave that sent everyone else tumbling and kicked up dust and debris into the air.
For a few moments everything was silent until Rainbow Dash emerged from the crater, grinning smugly as she hovered in the air.
"Hah! How you like that you tin can!? You ain't got nothing on-!" she boasted only, to her and everyone else's horror, to be cut off as the Titan shot up and grabbed her in all four of its hands. It's armor was a complete wreck, a massive almost caved-in dent in its chest, the rest of its armor warped and barely held together, but it was still very much alive, and very pissed.
"RAINBOW!" Twilight shouted in horror, as the demon began to squeeze the poor pegasus, causing her to scream in pain.
Just then something slammed into the Titan's face with enough force to cause it to drop Rainbow. Everyone's jaws dropped when they saw what, or rather who, it was.
"DON'T," she she shouted as she punched the demon with a hook. "HURT," she continued with an uppercut. "MY," followed by a two hooved overhead slam. "FRIEEEEEENDS!" she screamed with a buck to the face.
The crowd was too stunned to move, seeing the normally meek and gentle Fluttershy with an absolutely livid expression on her face as she continued to pummel the demon with strength and speed that shouldn't have been possible for her. "I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HAT-!" she bellowed until the Titan, apparently deciding it had had enough, smacked the pegasus to the side, causing her to slam into a nearby building before falling to the ground, limp and unconscious.
"Fluttershy!" Rarity called, straining to get to her hooves as the Titan stomped towards her friend, obviously intending to finish her off.
Spike then leapt into action, jumping onto the demon's back and punching it in the head as is struggled to shake him off.
"THE ARMOR! RIP IT OFF!" Chrysalis shouted.
Spike took a moment to process her command before grabbing the Titan's armor from the back and pulling as hard as he could, using his wings for extra force, before finally managing to yank the demon's armor off, exposing its shoulders, parts of its torso, and its neck. Chrysalis grabbed her sword with her magic and charged forwards, attacking the demon viciously and focusing her attacks near the exposed parts, drawing blood from its green skin. The demon was doing all it could just to defend against her onslaught, not noticing Nectar hovering behind it. The Titan howled in pain as she pulled the sword still lodged inside it up its back, opening up a massive wound, before quickly and cleanly decapitating it.
As the massive enemy fell to the ground the group finally breathed a sigh of relief. Their respite was short lived as they heard thundering footsteps approaching.
No. Oh please, no, Twilight thought before turning to look behind her and seeing seven more Titans stomping towards them.
"We're doomed," Rarity said simply, slumping to the ground and not even attempting to move.
"GET UP! GET UP, NOW!" Chrysalis shouted, getting to her hooves and holding her blade in her magical grasp.
"Are you insane? We can't possibly go up against-" Skyranger began to say before the Queen cut her off.
"Commander Thorax," she said in a quieter, yet no less determined, voice.
"My Queen?"
"... Take care of my daughter."
"W-What?"
"Mother?" Nectar asked, her eyes widening with fear.
Chrysalis bellowed a war cry and galloped toward the Titans, who saw the move as a challenge and ran to meet her.
"MOTHER, NO!" Nectar cried as she attempted to go after her, only for something to slam into the ground between the Queen and her enemies, causing everything to stop. It only took a quick glance of the red scarf around the being's neck to identify him.
"Gilgamesh!" Twilight cried out in joy.
The warrior dashed forwards, meeting the forwardmost Titan and hitting it into the air with a strike of his flail before smacking it back down with his axe. He then grabbed the creature and slammed it into the ground over and over again, carrying it over his head like a metronome as he did. After doing this several times he picked it up and stabbed it through the chest with his spear before hurling it up into the air and and rapidly stabbing it with his weapons, keeping it afloat with the sheer force of his blows, before firing a beam from his eyes the completely disintegrating it.
"ULTRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" he shouted as he posed, his voice reverberating through the streets. Everyone else just stared in shock, not making a sound, until he stared down the other Titans, his eyes glowing red. "Who's next?" The armored demons took that as their cue to run and sprinted as fast as they could away from the warrior. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”
He then turned to face the group, noticing Chrysalis who collapsed to the ground in relief. “Oh, thank our ancestors,” she sighed.
Gilgamesh raised his hand and casted a curing spell on her, turning the wound on her back into a scar. “Sorry, can’t do anything about your wings.”
“They’ll grow back. Not for about a week, though.”
“Mother!” Nectar shouted, galloping over and hugging her. “Don’t do that again, please,” she pleaded, crying on her shoulder.
“I’m sorry, sweetums, but you know you’re more important than I am,” she apologized while hugging her back.
“You all ok?” he asked, turning towards the rest of the group.
“I’ve been better,” Rainbow Dash groaned as she got up, gripping her chest in pain.
“Could somepony check on poor Fluttershy, please?” Rarity asked, too exhausted to do so herself.
Applejack replied by walking over to her pegasus friend and jostling her awake. “Fluttershy, you ok there, sugarcube?”
“Ugh… what happened?” she asked, her eyes fluttering awake.
“You tell me, sugarcube. Ah’ve never seen ya so angry like that. You were knocking that demon around harder than Big Mac durrin’ Applebuck Season.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. It’s just… I saw everypony fighting so hard and getting hurt. I-I was so scared, but… I felt mad that I couldn’t do anything to help. And wh-when it grabbed Rainbow Dash, I just… saw red.”
“I hate to break this up, but we have to move,” Skyranger began, gathering everyone’s attention. “If those things are searching the city, then any group that’s holed up is doomed. We need to get any survivors into the palace for safety.”
“But how are we supposed to get there with all the demons?” Rainbow asked.
“We punch through, just like we planned, and pick up any survivors along the way,” Nectar answered.
“But you said you couldn’t do that without Spike being huge,” Pinkie reminded.
“True, but I think I found someone else more suited to the task,” Twilight smirked. “What do you say, Gilgamesh?”
“You have to ask?” he smirked back.
“Not to put a damper on things, but not all of us are in the shape to run, darling,” Rarity commented, motioning to her hind leg.
“I can carry anyone that needs help,” Spike offered, gently picking up Rarity before getting on all fours and placing her on his back. Applejack then carried Fluttershy and set her on his back as well.
“So, we’ve got a plan?” Twilight asked.
“We’ve got a plan,” Nectar replied. “I’ll have Drone 47 bring your parents and the other ponies here and then we can get going.” She then closed her eyes and concentrated.
“I think somepony else should know what we’re up to as well,” Chrysalis added, before closing her eyes as well.
“FIRE!” Shining Armor ordered. At his command the battalion of unicorns unleashed everything they could upon the low flying Looming Shadow that one of the pegasi guards had lured near the ground. Their aim was true, blasting a hole through its head. Shining and Cadance used their combined power to grab it and drop it onto the front lines, the changelings immediately getting to work fortifying it with the rest of the rubble and corpses that they were using as ramparts, sticking it together with their goo, while the earth pony guards did their best to fight off anything in their way.
Shining panted as he looked up and saw more pegasi and thestral guards distracting the Looming Shadows above, keeping them from descending upon the battlefield below, and while more changelings blasted them with magic to drive them off or lit their bodies aflame and punched through their thick hides as groups, taking care to make sure that the defeated demons wouldn’t fall on the soldiers below.
Damn it. How many of them are there? And where’s Celestia and Luna? We’re running out of options, here.
“Prince Shining Armor!” Shining and Cadance turned to see one of the higher ranking changelings land next to him and salute. “Colonel Flitter with a report, sir!”
“Speak.”
“Queen Chrysalis and Princess Nectar have found all of the Elements of Harmony. Some are injured, but nothing life-threatening.”
“‘Princess Nectar?’” Cadance asked, curiously.
“I’ll tell you later. Thank you. Anything else?” Shining quickly dismissed, turning back to Flitter.
“Yes, sir. The warrior Gilgamesh is also with them. They are headed this way and are attempting to gain momentum and punch a hole through the enemy lines to make it to the palace as well as pick up any survivors they can find along the way. They will be approaching from the southeast, and at this rate will be here within minutes.”
“How many?”
“Fifteen civilians, including the Elements. Thirty-four soldiers, both pony and changeling, and including the warrior, though they will likely pick up more along the way. Your orders?”
“Keep defending the palace, and have all scouting parties looking for survivors turn back, I need as many fighters here as possible to help get the civilians and the injured into the palace when they arrive.”
“Sir!” the changeling saluted back before preparing to take to the sky.
“Wait!” Cadance called. “What about Celestia and Luna?”
“I’m sorry your majesty, but reports of Princess Luna are few, and noling has reported seeing Princess Celestia for quite some time now.”
Cadance’s face fell.
“Thank you soldier, you’re dismissed,” Shining ordered. Flitter nodded and flew off.
“Shiny-”
“We have to focus now, Cady. We’ll go look for them as soon as we can,” he tried to assure her, though he himself was no less worried.
They couldn’t be… Be… Could they?
Shining shook the thoughts from his head to focus on the task at hoof. If they didn’t survive this battle, it wouldn’t matter what happened to the Princesses. He had to simply have faith.
Lieutenant Starshine blasted another Bloodsucker with his magic before ducking under the axe of a Demolisher. He and his platoon had been under assault since the first barrier went down, and now his allies had fallen to just seven as they desperately tried to stay alive.
I guess this is it. I only hope that we can win in the end. But even still, I’m not going down without a… What in the name of Celestia is that?
A moment later the Demolisher in front of him was missing its head, blasted off by a beam of heat. Another second later the Bloodsuckers and Acid Maggots had been struck by a series of lightning bolts, convulsing before popping in gory displays.
What in the name of-!?
“ONE SIDE, COMIN’ THROUGH!” a voice bellowed. Starshine turned just in time to see Gilgamesh barrell past him and his soldiers, annihilating the nearby Furies and Demolisher’s almost as an afterthought, before continuing on at a greater speed than the unicorn thought possible.
“Lieutenant Starshine!”
Starshine turned to see an approaching group, Queen Chrysalis leading the charge next to another that looked like a younger version of herself. The Elements of Harmony were also also with her, and even an adolescent dragon was with the group, carrying a few ponies on his back. But one pegasus mare in particular caught his attention.
“Major Skyranger?”
“No time to explain, sir! Gilgamesh is clearing us a path to the palace! Hurry up!” she shouted just before they passed.
Starshine didn’t have time to think, knowing they’d lose the group if they hesitated. “All of you, double time, now!” he shouted to his soldiers as they fell in line with the rest of the group, taking up the rear.
A Looming Shadow came down in front of them before turning towards them, opening its mouth to swallow them, only for Gilgamesh to jump inside. A moment later it was diced to pieces before he jumped out of the filleted body and kept running ahead, as if nothing had been in his way in the first place. As he continued forwards Gilgamesh effortlessly destroyed every opponent in his way with swings of his weapons or magical attacks, managing to kill them within moments, even the heavily armored Titans, and with enough precision to avoid striking ponies and changelings that were right next to them, who quickly recovered from their shock and joined the group.
Sweet Celestia! I knew he wasn’t showing his full power when he destroyed that Melusine demon, but I didn’t think he had this much power! And I get the feeling he’s still got a lot more.
As the warrior continued to blast ahead, taking out any enemies in their path, more groups began to join them, both guards and civilians. Starshine noticed that all of these groups had changelings leading them, and surmised that the Queen in front of her must be using the hive mind to direct them here. Up ahead he saw the road was covered by collapsed buildings.
“Damn it! Skyranger, fly up and find another-!”
Before he could finished Gilgamesh bellowed as a sphere of intense wind the size of a building formed around him, smashing into the buildings and rubble in front of him, creating a massive hole as he went.
Holy hay.
“KEEP RUNNING! HE’LL CLEAR OUT ANYTHING IN OUR WAY, JUST FOCUS ON NOT STOPPING!” Queen Chrysalis shouted back, her words bringing new vigor into the line behind her.
As they continued to gallop along, passing the maimed corpses of the enemies Gilgamesh slew in front of them, many noticed the horrible squawking noises coming from behind.
“SPEEDING DEATH!” somepony shouted, catching the attention of everyone to see dozens, if not hundreds of the avian demons chasing after them, causing many of the civilians to scream and try to gallop faster.
“Changelings!” Nectar shouted as she took to the air, turning herself around so she was firing backwards, picking off the enemies with her magic. The other changelings, those who still had wings at least, followed her example and rained down their magic on the approaching enemies. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough, and they were still gaining.
Damn it! We may have to leave some soldiers behind to-
His thoughts were cut off as a large shadow shot over him. A moment later, missiles rained down upon the demons, their escaping party being followed by trail of explosions as the enemy was torn apart, courtesy of Gilgamesh who hovered in the air.
Is there anything he can’t do?
Just as he thought that, a Looming Shadow seeped low and swallowed the warrior, flying upwards a moment later. Everyone gasped, fearing the warrior had finally been defeated in their time of need, only for the beast to suddenly split in two and Gilgamesh to jump out. Just then, another Looming Shadow came to try the same, only to be cut in half by a blade of wind. Dozens of the massive creatures rushed from all sides.
"CHRYSALIS! HAVE ALL YOUR CHANGELINGS MAKE SURE NOPONY'S IN OUR WAY!" he shouted.
“WHAT? WHY!?” she called back.
“DO IT!” he ordered before unleashing a veritable storm of wind blades, decapitating the giant flying insects while Chrysalis sent the command through the hive mind. Before she could even tell him she was done giving out commands he threw the corpses of the demons ahead of them, using wind to blast himself in front of the crowd. He then levitated the corpses together in front of him, shoving all his weapons into different bodies, creating a fleshy battering ram as he continued to sprint forwards. The loud thuds coming from ahead proved that it was working as he powered ahead, more groups of soldiers and civilians joining from the alleyways as he passed.
“WE’RE ALMOST AT THE PALACE!” Skyranger called.
“ONCE YOU GET THERE, I’M GOING TO CHECK THE CITY!” Gilgamesh called back.
“WHAT!?” Twilight shouted.
“I HAVEN’T SEEN CELESTIA OR LUNA! THEY MIGHT NEED HELP, SO I’M GONNA GO FIND THEM!”
“...OK! WE CAN HOLD THEM OFF!”
Gilgamesh nodded before powering forwards even faster.
“Sir, they’re almost here,” Colonel Flitter said.
Shining Armor nodded back. “EVERYPONY, GET READY!” he shouted. He had ordered the soldiers to make a gap in their corpse-and-rubble wall defenses and defended it fervently so that they could get the soldiers inside to help fight, while there were several medics on standby inside the palace proper, ready to treat the injured.
Suddenly, a massive wall of flesh burst out from a collapsed building, with several demons stuck on it like bugs. The mass of bodies leapt into the air, revealing Gilgamesh under it, who fired a shower of lasers from his eyes, destroying all the demons within a few yards of the wall of corpses, managing to miss any of their own soldiers fighting nearby. He then threw down the Looming Shadow bodies, having them land in positions where they could easily use them to reinforce the wall, before firing a massive beam of searing heat from his eyes, incinerating the enemies for several yards in every direction, and then shooting off back into the city on a burst of wind.
“Where’s he going?” Cadance asked.
Just then, the group of survivors galloped through the hole they had been protecting, the soldiers falling into proper roles, as his own attention was grabbed by one pony in particular.
“Twily!” he cried, running up the mare and hugging her tightly as she responded with the same. Cadance joined in moments later. “Oh, thank Celestia you’re alright! I was so worried!”
“Me too!” Cadance added.
“Oh, I’m so glad you two are ok as well! When I saw both your barriers drop, I didn’t know what to think!” Twilight responded.
“Son! Cadance!” Night Light called as he and Twilight Velvet joined the hug.
“Um, sir? I hate to interrupt,” a guardspony said. Shining turned to look at the pony who was pointing at, much to his own surprise, an adolescent looking dragon. Many of the guardsponies held their weapons at him.
“Uh, hi Shining Armor,” he replied, nervously waving his hand.
“S-Spike?” Shining asked, getting a nod in response. “But you… How-? Never mind, stand down, all of you, that’s Spike!” he ordered. Many of the soldiers looked to their leader in shock, a few actually recognizing the dragon from his earlier years at the palace, before lowering their weapons.
“I hate to break up this reunion, but we have work to do,” Chrysalis butted in.
Shining Armor let go of his family and nodded. “Do you know how many you brought?”
“We picked up quite a few. Roughly five thousand soldiers total, and seven thousand civilians. If it wasn’t for Gilgamesh we never would’ve been able to get so many without suffering casualties.”
“Where is he going now? We could really use him here.”
“To find the Princesses. We haven’t had any reports of either of them for a while, so he took it upon himself to see if they need help.”
“I see.”
Another five thousand soldiers. A nice buffer that could help us overtake the forces, or at least help out. I’m concerned about so many civilians, though. He turned his gaze to the ponies and changelings still streaming in. Damn it. Chrysalis said the enemies numbered only a few thousand, but it feels so much worse! We’ve been trained to fight other ponies, to fight griffins, minotaurs, even dragons but this is so different than that! The Bloodsuckers aren’t a problem, but earth ponies and pegasi are almost useless against the Acid Maggots. The Speed Demons are hard to deal with due to their agility, but they go down easy with a well placed hit. About three well trained guards could take down a Fury, but those Demolishers require at least ten. And just one of those Titans could easily take out an entire platoon by themselves, not to mention that without the Princesses or Gilgamesh we have little defense against the Looming Shadows aside from some extra careful coordination between pegasi and unicorns. Damn it, we’re just not trained for this!
“Alright, have all those with any injuries that would impede their fighting ability go inside with the civilians so the medics can tend to their wounds, and then have them come back here if they’re able. The rest should begin to refortify the defenses and then prepare for battle. Chrysalis, I’m afraid without Gilgamesh, Celestia, or Luna you and your changelings will have to focus on the Looming Shadows.”
“You’re right, but unfortunately, I’m a bit grounded at the moment,” she explained, flaring her cut wings.
“I’ll do it,” Nectar said as she stepped forwards. “Mother, you can handle the ground units, and Commander Thorax and I can handle the aerial forces.”
“Um, I’m sorry, who are you?” Cadance asked, confused.
“Princess Nectar, your majesty,” she answered with a salute. “Queen Chrysalis’ daughter.”
“‘D-Daughter?’ You have a-?”
“Yes, yes; I’m sure it’s very surprising, now let’s move along,” Chrysalis interrupted. “Yes, that sounds best. Be careful, dear.”
“Oh course, mother.”
“Hold on, I’ll help too,” Cadance said. “I might not have the fighting experience of you two, but I’m still an alicorn. My power should be able to give the strength you need.”
“Then I’ll go, too!” Twilight jumped in.
“I think you should head inside,” Nectar replied.
“What? Why!?” she complained.
“Your horn is cracked, and your spellcasting ability is stunted. It would be better if you rested and got some medical attention.”
“She’s right, dear,” Twilight Velvet added.
“B-But-!”
“Go inside, now!” Chrysalis shouted.
“How dare you!” Night Light began, only to be cut off.
“Mother! Don’t yell at her!” Nectar retorted, surprising the Queen.
“Twily, they’re right. Head inside, rest up, and if things get bad we can call you out later,” Shining Armor said.
“B-But, I just want to help,” Twilight begged.
“I know, but there’s no need to get yourself hurt right now if it can be avoided.”
“THE DEMONS ARE COMING BACK! THEIR FORCES ARE GATHERING!” one of the guards shouted. Thankfully the entire group of survivors had made it inside and the soldiers were closing up the ramparts of demons corpses.
“Twily, please, for me?” Shining Armor pleaded.
“...Ok.”
“Thank you,” he said with a hug.
“Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, you should all head inside, as well. You’ve all been injured and should get checked,” Thorax said.
“What? Why me!?” Rainbow asked angrily.
“Don’t try and pretend that Titan didn’t hurt you, I know I heard some bones crack. Get inside with the rest, we’ll call you out if we need you.”
Rainbow tried to argue but the Commander shot her down with a glare. “...Fine.”
“Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Spike, are you willing to help us fight?” he asked.
“Aye aye, skipper!” Pinkie replied, pulling out a warhammer from seemingly nowhere.
“Ah reckon Ah might as well do mah part,” Applejack added with a tip of her hat.
“You bet! We’re gonna end this!” Spike agreed.
“Wait, why are you asking Spike!? He’s still just a kid!” Twilight asked, not happy with the suggestion.
“His scales stood up to a blow from a Titan’s axe, his strength was almost equal to it, and his fire breath could easily destroy lesser enemies. It would be foolish to put him on the sidelines.”
“Twilight, let me do this,” Spike pleaded. “I’ll make it back. I promise.”
“THE DEMONS WILL BE UPON US IN MINUTES!” a guardspony shouted.
“... Be safe,” Twilight begged with a hug before running towards the palace, tears welling up in her eyes. Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and her parents followed close behind.
“ALL FORCES, PREPARE FOR BATTLE!” Shining shouted. “PEGASI, FOLLOW THE COMMANDS OF PRINCESS NECTAR! EARTH PONIES, PHALANX POSITIONS! UNICORNS, HALF SET UP BEHIND THEM AND PREPARE FOR BARRIER SPELLS, THE REST I WANT BACK FOR LONG-RANGED BLASTS! GO!”
As the ponies on the ground took their positions Princess Nectar and Princess Cadance took to the skies, along with two thirds of the changelings. The rest split in half, taking either the front lines with Chrysalis, ahead of even the phalanx, or back with him and the long-ranged spellcasters. Spike had also taken the front, standing right next to Chrysalis, who seemed to be giving him advice.
Their versatility is amazing. I hate to say this, but without them I’m not sure we would even have a chance.
The first to come over were the Looming Shadows, which the aerial forces immediately engaged. Seconds later came the Speeding Deaths, whose light and agile bodies helped them leap over the ramparts.
The pegasi were unable to do more than distract the giant beasts, attacking their eyes with their blades, giving chances for Thorax to coordinate his forces who managed to break through their armor by collectively ramming them from above with their bodies aflame, instantly killing them. Nectar and Cadance then used their own levitation spells to toss the massive bodies away for more ground defense and even managing to take a few down themselves with concentrated spell blasts.
On the ground the Speeding Deaths were met with stiff resistance as they charged into hailstorms of spells fired at the tops of the ramparts. Those who managed to get past were met by the superior combat ability of the changelings, who slew them without taking so much as an injury, much less a casualty. Only a scant few were making it past the agile insect equines, and were easily put down by the earth pony phalanx.
For several minutes this was all that was happening, which put Shining Armor on edge.
This is too easy. Are the other demons really having that much trouble getting past our defensive barriers?
Just as he thought that one of corpses broke apart, revealing the Acid Maggots who had gathered to use their corrosive fluids to melt a hole through the fortification of bodies. This gave room for Furies, Demolishers, and Titans to storm past while Bloodsuckers joined the Speeding Deaths by climbing over the ramparts from all sides.
It was a distraction! The Looming Shadows were to keep our aerial forces occupied while the Speeding Deaths did the same for our ground troops! These are actual military tactics!
“HOLD THE LINE! WE CAN’T LET THEM INTO THE PALACE!” Shining Armor shouted.
As much as they tried, the demons were beginning to overwhelm them, the more powerful warriors, like Demolishers and Titans, breaking the ranks of the phalanx and barrier unicorns, allowing the smaller forces to both get past and surround them. Even still, they did not let up, fighting valiantly against the enemy. The aerial forces began to provide support, firing spells from above, while Cadance and Nectar began to drop the bodies of the slain Looming Shadows on top of the enemy forces, crushing them under the weight. Meanwhile, Spike and Chrysalis were becoming the heroes on the ground, the dragon’s brute strength in conjunction with the Queen’s agility and battle experience managing to take down the more heavily armored units. Even still they were beginning to get pushed back.
Damn. I hate to do this, but…
“CALL IN ALL THE WOUNDED SOLDIERS STILL ABLE TO FIGHT! WE NEED AS MANY FORCES AS WE CAN GET!”
It took a few moments but more ponies and changelings began to exit the palace and into the fray, providing some pushback against the advancing forces. It was becoming a brutal affair, but at the very least there was no longer any movement, both forces in a stalemate. Then, after several minutes of fighting, the demons were beginning to lose ground. The reason was that the smaller units were being killed left and right, and though the stronger demons were able to take many enemies at once, they soon found themselves being overwhelmed by the number of ponies and changelings who now only had them to fight against.
A horn blew out and the demons began to retreat back the way they came, fighting their way out of the equine ranks.
“EVERYPONY FORM UP! THEY’LL BE BACK!” Shining Armor ordered. Just as soon as he gave that command a Titan’s axe came flying at him. Though he dodged a fatal blow, it manage to cut into his shoulder.
“Prince Shining Armor!” one of the guards called as several more approached him.
Shining examined his wound. It wasn’t fatal, but his right foreleg was going to be useless until he could get it properly healed. Many of the soldiers looked to him, expecting orders, and even Cadance was flying down to meet him.
He sighed internally. I can’t believe I’m doing this.
“ALL EQUESTRIAN SOLDIERS! UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, I’M GIVING COMMAND TO QUEEN CHRYSALIS! FOLLOW HER ORDERS!”
Everyone looked at him in shock, including the Queen herself. He gave her a short nod before ordering two guards to help him into the palace.
Damn pony. Can’t do his own job right, so he forces everything onto me, Chrysalis thought.
“YOU HEARD HIM! ALL OF YOU FORM UP LIKE BEFORE! FORGET SETTING UP THE RAMPARTS AGAIN, THEY’LL JUST KEEP US FROM SEEING WHAT THE ENEMY IS UP TO!” she ordered, using her magically enhanced royal voice.
The soldiers immediately began to take their positions.
“HELP! SOMEPONY HELP ME!” came a voice from outside. Everyone turned to see Prince Blueblood coming out from one of the alleys of a nearby building. “PLEASE, I CAN’T TAKE CARE OF HER MYSELF!” he cried, using both his forelegs and his magic to pull a mattress with-
“PRINCESS CELESTIA!” Twilight cried.
As soon as she did, all the retreating demons turned as the unconscious Princess and her descendant.
“Oh no,” Twilight muttered.
“Oh no,” Shining Armor muttered.
“Oh shit,” Chrysalis muttered.
Despite not being organized, the demons immediately turned to charge at the Prince and Princess.
“NO! NO! STAY BACK!” Blueblood shouted, desperately trying to pull his ancestor to the palace.
“SHINING ARMOR! CADANCE! USE YOUR BARRIER!” Chrysalis ordered.
The two realized which barrier she was talking about.
“BUT YOUR CHANGELINGS!” Cadance warned. “IT MIGHT-!”
“DO IT! ALL FORCES, PROTECT CELESTIA! CHARGE!” she bellowed and galloped forwards, causing the rest of the army to follow.
Seeing little choice, Cadance and Shining Armor touched horns, sharing the magic between them as both of their bodies began to glow. After a few seconds it erupted into a pink bubble that, thankfully, did not affect the changelings but did push back the demons. However, unlike with the last invasion where it encompassed the entire city and sent the enemy army flying, it expanded barely a few miles past Celestia and Blueblood’s position, the demons pressing against it. By the time Chrysalis and her forces had reached the two royals, it had already begun to crack.
“GRAB HER AND GO!” she ordered, she and several unicorns and changelings picking the alicorn up and turning right back around to carry her. Not seconds later, the barrier cracked and the demons began to charge. Despite being a few miles away, the agile Speeding Deaths would be on them in less than a minute, with the other demons soon afterwards.
Just then, something slammed into the ground between the two forces with enough force to send both tumbling away from it for several yards. A few moments later, something else slammed into the same crater with equal force, before another thunderous bang caused something to fly out of the smoke with enough power to slam into and break apart the demons it hit. A few seconds later that something stood up, an angry and beaten looking Infernus. Not long after the smoke in the crater dispersed, revealing another figure with his back turned to the Equestrian forces.
“Gilgamesh?” Twilight asked aloud.