//------------------------------//
// Chapter 42: A Victory For No One 
// Story: Darkness of Ages - Book 1: Greyhield 
// by YoungQuillMaster 
//------------------------------//

  “Sir, the enemy is coming in from the north!” The stallion shouted to his commander. The sheriff turned and nodded, motioning for the others to take the line. Braeburn quickly charged up the town bell house, attempting to get a better angle. As he reached the top, he saw it, the mass of dark warriors riding in from the north, with two well renowned figures leading them. Appleloosa had several defenses set up just for this type of day. Ever since the reports of the war starting the frontier ponies had been preparing for the battle to come, which included digging a two meter and a half deep ditch with a palisade wall right after it. Several makeshift watch towers had also been set up along the perimeter, where archers, and the new hoof canon ponies, waited, ready to send death down upon their approaching enemies.

Braeburn turned around, looking down at the empty streets of the town. All the mares and young ponies had been corralled indoors, while the stallions, or simply put anypony who was willing and able to fight, stood near the wall, ready for the battle that was sure to come. The Equestrian Army had been able to send supplies, which included an entire battalion of the Royal Guard to assist them in defensive measures, along with a whole wagon full of the newest weapons that they had. Braeburn brought his telescope up to his eye and looked over the incoming soldiers. He attempted to count them, but with all their moving about, he couldn’t get a grasp on how large they were.

“Braeburn, Ah need yeh to get me a report on the enemy! How many do we have inbounded?” The sheriff shouted up to Braeburn. Braeburn tried to count once more, but lost track as the incoming force continued towards them.

“Ah can’t raghtly say, Sheriff. They’re just movin’ about so much Ah can’t get a sure fix on em’.” Braeburn replied, much to the sheriff’s exasperation. 

“Well, just come on down from thar then. Ifin yeh can’t tell me how many there are there’s no use havin’ yeh up thar.” The Sheriff ordered. Braeburn nodded, and quickly descended the stairs, reaching the ground level in record time. “So, y’all ready for them lizards?” The sheriff asked the soldiers surrounding him.

“Eeyup!” The unanimous answer came back. Braeburn hurried over to the group as the sheriff continued talking to the group.

“Good, ‘cause they’re a comin’ this way, an’ are in a raght unhappy mood. They’re wantin’ a fight, itchin’ for one. So what we gonna do about they’re lil’ itch?” The sheriff questioned.

“We’re a gonna give em’ what they’re a wantin’!” The group shouted back with great enthusiasm. The sheriff nodded, pleased with the response. Braeburn smiled, things were looking up for Appleloosa, they might just succeed where most every other town had failed.

“Raght, now, get to your posts; we’ll be a faghtin’ befer the day is out!” Sheriff Silverstar ordered. The stallions all cheered and galloped off to they’re stations. Braeburn walked up to the sheriff, still beaming.

“That was a great speech, Sheriff.” Braeburn complimented. “Yah sure yah aint a fancy speachin’ type?” Braeburn asked; his smile still wide as ever. The sheriff shrugged in response, not really caring to answer. As they walked, the ground began to rumble, and the streets were suddenly filled with buffalo.

“Sheriff Silverstar, we have arrived as requested.” Chief Thunder Hooves proclaimed. The sheriff nodded with a smile. 

“We need y’all to charge at the enemy. You’re better at close combat in situations like thisin’.” Silverstar stated. “How many fighter y’all got with yeh?” He asked, looking over the group of war paint covered buffalo behind the chief.

“I have brought all of my braves, numbering two hundred seventy.” Thunder Hooves replied. “This day will be a glorious battle for our two peoples.” The sheriff nodded slowly.

“Sir, the reptilous have stopped they’re approach!” A guard shouted as he galloped up to the group. “They’re forming ranks as we speak. Soon enough they’ll be upon us.” The guard then noticed the buffalo beside the sheriff. “Thank you for coming, Chief Thunder Hooves, you’re assistance is much appreciated. If you will, take your troops to the front, and when the reptilous charge, go out to meet them. Just remember, these are warriors that are trained never to take prisoners.” The chief nodded in response, turning to the buffalo closest to him.

“Take the braves to the front, I’ll join you soon.” Thunder Hooves ordered. The buffalo nodded and charged off, the other braves following close behind. “I have heard that these particular beasts ride on the back of many races. Is this true?” The guard nodded sadly. “Then by the end of this day we will have them as stools.” The chief then turned and charged off after his braves.

“With any luck, we’ll do just that.” The guard said solemnly before galloping off to the wall. The sheriff turned to Braeburn, giving a sigh and a shake of his head before turning to follow the guard. Braeburn looked about the empty streets, remembering how this town had only been built so recently, and already felt so familiar. If he had anything to say about it, he’d die before the reptilous would gain control of the town.





Spike looked over the town, the scene seeming all so familiar. He had seen the town like this from the side of the town, and now, he knew how those buffalo had seen the town that day. Galintrent rode up beside Spike.

“The soldiers are ready. We can ride as soon as you order it.” The colonel said confidently. Spike nodded, still looking over the town below. It looked so calm, none of the townsponies out and about. Spike sighed; this war wouldn’t leave anyone as a victor, no matter how it ended.

“Let us not delay this any longer,” Spike said in a low tone, “Send the order.” Galintrent nodded, raising his sword to the sky before swinging it forward while snapping Luna’s reigns. Spike snapped Celestia’s reigns as his soldiers began to speed past towards the town. As they did, the buffalo that had formed outside of the town began to charge. Spike lowered into his saddle, tucking his lance under his arm as he gained speed.





The buffalo ran hard and fast, the line of reptilous approaching quickly, with lances lowered. Chief Thunder Hooves let out a war cry as he ducked to the side of a lance and smashed into the diamond do g that the reptilous had been riding, causing both rider and steed to fall over to the side, rolling across the ground in a cloud of dust.  Thunder Hooves jumped over anther lance, colliding directly with the reptilous, sending him to the ground with the clanging clatter of metal. The Chief slid to a stop, huffing furiously as he slammed his hooves into the reptilous’ head, sending red splattering everywhere from the helmet.

The Chief whirled about and slammed his head into the side of another steed as his braves charged past, taking on other enemies as they did. As the chief fought off one reptilous, he suddenly felt something scrape across his back. The chief turned and saw a reptilous warrior with a great sword turning his steed around to charge the chief. Thunder Hooves dug at the ground, and then charged the fiend, slamming his head into the head of the Saddle Arabian that met him, sending the horse flying away, along with its rider. The reptilous rose up to its full height, only to watch as the chief charged him and found its weight completely gone as the chief sent him flying across the battlefield.





“They’re getting closer!” A soldier exclaimed. “The buffalo are detaining them, but they aren’t completely stopped.” 

“Give them a taste of cannon fire!” The commanding officer ordered; the sound of cannons and hoof cannons going off as arrows filled the sky responding to the order. The line of reptilous swayed as the onslaught struck them. As the cannons continued firing, a line of reptilous charged out ahead of the rest of the group. The reptilous held their shields us high as they charged in, undaunted by the projectiles that rained down upon them as their advance continued.

“Spell casters! Give them Tartarus!” The officer roared. The unicorns quickly began raining down spells upon the reptilous, setting off miniature explosions on the shields of the reptilous as they ran on. The ground jumped over the ditch and then, in a surprising turn of events, lowered their shields, revealing their war hammers, which they swung in an inverse arc, smashing the palisade walls forward facing spikes in such a way that they flung backwards, crashing against the wall, sending it down to the ground, allowing the line of reptilous full access to the next area. But as they charged up onto the fallen wall, discarding their hammers in favor for their swords, a hail of arrows shout out from the area beyond, catching the reptilous line off guard, skewering them before they made it across.

The archers fell back, allowing the hoof cannon users to take the forward position while they provided support from behind. The reptilous cavalry didn’t relent, however, as they charged on, bypassing the buffalo, heading straight for the wall. The cannoniers continued to fire as the mass of enemy soldiers came ever closer.

“Set up shields!” The order rang out. Quickly, ponies from behind the lines of cannoniers came forward, planting large shields with only enough space between them to put the barrel of the cannons through. Suddenly, a multicolored, magical shield rose before the town as the unicorn guards casted their spells.





Spike smacked his foot into Celestia’s side, and in response, Celestia shot a bolt of magic into the shield, causing it to waver as they reached it.

“Take off and take them out from the air!” Spike ordered before jumping out of the saddle, discarding his lance and shield in favor of his great sword as he landed square on a shield, sending it into the ground. Spike heaved his sword and brought it about, smashing a pony to the side as he did. He then lifted it again and brought it down on another pony as the rest of his reptilous began to join him. A pillar of golden energy shot up from the ground as Celestia rained down her attacks upon the unfortunate ponies below.

Spike slammed his foot into a pony’s face before twirling about and taking the pony behind him to the grave. Suddenly, Luna shot out overhead, and Galintrent soon found his way to the ground as the princess of the night swooped to the side and shot a beam of indigo energy across the pony line.

“Goo to have you, Galintrent,” Spike said in a chuckle as he swung his sword to the left, throwing a pony to the side, “Did you get caught up in traffic?” He joked.

“You could say that.” The colonel replied as he drew his dual swords. “What do we have?” He asked, taking a pony out with a few good swings.

“Not much as of yet, the ponies seem to be fighting back pretty well though.” Suddenly, the cracking retort of a hoof cannon sent Spike to the ground with a hole in his shoulder. Spike roared in pain, the electrical pulses of pain coursing through his body as blood began to pour out from the wound. Galintrent took a bow and quiver from a dead pony and quickly fired a shot off, only to have an aura appear around it, sending the arrow back at him. Galintrent quickly grabbed the arrow and planted it in the ground before turning to the unicorn that charged up to him. Galintrent threw the bow to the side, grabbing the pony by the throat, only to quickly drop him as a hoof cannon sent a charge through his arm. Spike sat up, grabbing the pony by the throat before squeezing harder and harder as the corners of his vision went red.





Braeburn took out with hoof cannon, firing it at the reptilous as they poured over the fallen wall. Suddenly and arrow struck him in the shoulder, sending him to the ground. Braeburn struggled desperately back to his hooves, reloading his hoof cannon before aiming and taking another shot, sending another reptilous to Tartarus. Braeburn suddenly found himself being thrown against the far wall of the building he was in. Braeburn looked up towards the massive reptilous, garbed in black metal, his sword stained red by the blood of ponies. Braeburn wrapped a leg around one of the nearby hoof cannon, bringing it about to point at the reptilous. Instead of ducking, running, or otherwise avoiding the weapon, the reptilous sliced the barrel in two with one strong swing, reducing the weapon to a small piece of the barrel and the stock. Braeburn, in desperation dropped the weapon, grabbing a sword in his mouth, only to have the reptilous smack the blade out of the pony’s mouth.

Braeburn rolled to the side as the reptilous slammed his sword down on the ground where the pony had been but a second before. Braeburn, grabbed the broken hoof cannon, pointing the thing at the reptilous, and pulled the trigger, a loud retort issuing forth as the flint on the hammer sent sparks flying across the paper cartridge, the charge exploding, sending the metal orb straight into the reptilous’ shoulder, causing him to drop his sword on the ground. The beast warrior turned to the pony, bloodlust in its eyes as it bore down on the stallion. Braeburn quickly shoved another charge into the shortened barrel of the weapons, pulling the trigger once more, sending the charge straight through the reptilous’ skull. Braeburn quickly stood up, shoving another charge into the barrel and moving over to the window, firing the round down upon the enemies below. Braeburn then noticed how far the reptilous had gone in to the streets of the town. Braeburn quickly grabbed the horn from his bag and sent the signal out.

Suddenly the streets came to life as cannons roared, sending the reptilous to the ground in a hail of fire while arrows zipped to and from, lodging themselves in the approaching enemies. Braeburn smiled as the plan seemed to work as the streets were soon filled with the corpses of the invaders, but as he watched, the reptilous began to enter the houses where the soldiers had been stationed. Braeburn grabbed a sword and threw his saddlebags on, which contained his new, shortened hoof cannon and several charges for said weapon.





Spike stood up, his sword held in one hand. He broke into a run, rushing through the streets as the houses on either side began to smoke from the cannons being fired from within. Spike slammed in a door, quickly swinging his sword, chopping the head of the pony by the window off; sending the detached head flying through the window and out into the street, while the body gave on final twitch before slumping over. Spike looked farther into the house and saw two other soldiers gapping at him. Spike walked over to them, lifting his sword up before swinging it down at them. The two soldiers dodge away, bringing out their weapons. Spike pinned the one against the wall with his foot before slamming his sword into the ground where the other had been standing but a second before. With a roar, Spike withdrew his foot and sent his claws into the pony’s chest before turning around to face the other pony, his claws still dripping in the blood of the other pony. The pony quivered in fear, seeing his comrade so quickly ended before his eyes. The pony looked at the body, and then to Spike, and back again as Spike walked slowly over to the shaking wreck of a pony. Spike lifted his weapon, swinging it down with all his strength, but in that instant, the pony regained his composure and stopped the attack with his own sword held in his magical grasp.

“You monster!” The pony roared, pushing Spike’s sword back with all of his strength. Spike roared in the pony’s face, all of his reason gone, now replaced with rage, pure and simple. Spike pushed back with all of his strength, sending the pony farther and farther down as the dragon’s strength overpowered the pony’s magic. Spike then grabbed the pony’s sword with his other hand, pulling the blade out of the magical aura. Spike then lifted his blade once more, bringing it screeching down towards the pony, which made no effort to dodge, instead crumpled to the ground, paralyzed to his death from the shock of the strength of the dragon. Spike roared once again before rushing out of the house and straight to the next.





Streams of blood rolled down the empty streets, the battle over, corpses still lying on the ground as they had upon death. Spike stood above the slaughter as the remnants of the pony forces fled, their numbers severely reduced, but he was in no position to pursue. True, he had had more soldiers at the beginning of the battle, but now, he had been reduced to a barebones force, only barely being able to drive the ponies out. If this battle was a sign of what was to come, every soldier in Greyhield’s force would have to step up their game or else they would lose all their holdings.