//------------------------------// // The Defeat of Dead Horse // Story: Wrath of Dead Horse // by TerryCandleStick //------------------------------// The citizens of Ponyville were working sedulously to keep up with the guardsponies. Nopony knew when the attack was to occur, only that it was imminent. Finally, the first signs of the attack came from the sky. Spitfire pointed at yellow, sickly clouds. "The blightclouds are approaching! The Lich's army will not be far behind. Civilians into your homes, now! Pegasus guardsponies move that cloud block to intercept, and don't let up until the block is yellow and sick! Chariot Divisions prepare to launch when the swarms come! Unicorns prepare to block the blight. We have to hold the front line; we can't let Ponyville fall!" The cloud block hit the blightclouds and slowly started turning sickly, just as Celestia had said they would. But nopony had the chance to watch it happen. Dead Horse's army burst from the Everfree Forest. Undead Earth and Unicorn ponies trotted beside decaying Minotaurs and breathing Diamond Dogs, while over head griffons and Pegasus ponies flew posthumously. The only battle cries came from the dogs as they charged. But it was the sound of the advancing army, the sound of a stampede, that truly intimidated the Equestrian forces. The blight seemed to run in front of the undead army, only falling back as Equestria's Unicorns pushed it back. Then the undead crashed against the Earth Pony shields and armor. Over the Earth Ponies came magical bursts from their unicorn allies, bursts that shattered the undead they hit. As the skeletal and zombie ponies and Minotaurs crumbled, the Earth Ponies fell forward only a little, as there was an ocean of undead pushing to take their fallen comrades' place. "We've got undead magic incoming!" an Earth guardspony cried out after the guardspony beside him had his face marred with a red beam. Diamond Dog howls mingled with equine whinnies and shouts as the canines joined the fight, throwing spears and jumping across lines to duel with swords. The clang of metal on metal repeatedly pierced the steady sound of battle. In the sky, the chariot divisions dueled undead Griffons and Pegasus ponies. Chariots rolled, swirled, and looped as the sole unicorn onboard each one fired rapidly into the swarms. The pulling Pegasus ponies held nothing back, slamming into Griffon and Pegasus skeletons and zombies at full speed to make the holes their unicorns needed to attack. But despite their training, many chariots were overcome, often by the chariots becoming detached from their pullers and plummeting to the ground. As the Earth ponies began to buckle under the attack, the reserve chariots flew low overhead, sending beams and bursts into the dogs and undead. They crisscrossed their strafing runs, disorganizing the dogs that sought to dodge the deadly spells raining down on them. And though the undead were undaunted, enough were felled to allow the Earth-bound guardsponies to reorganize their defenses. The battle wore on into the night, and the moonlight was blotted out by the chariots and Pegasus ponies of Princess Luna's armies. The fighting continued without pause, and each day the undead gained a little ground. But the middle of the third day of the attack, the Chariot Divisions were routed. The loss of the sky would mean defeat on the ground, and one didn't need to be a military pony to understand that. But the citizens of Ponyville were not about to stand idly by and watch their town fall. All Spitfire heard before the tornadoes appeared was Bulk Biceps yell, "YEAH!" "Get down! Fall back!" she roared at the civilians, but her orders fell on deaf ears. The townsponies' tornado drew in the undead rush, and it gave the Chariot Divisions the chance they needed to launch their counterattack. As their bursts entered the tornadoes, clusters of bones burst out of it. The blightclouds had nearly turned the entire cloud block. Any attempt by the chariots to push back the blight in the clouds was violently attacked, as the undead defended the clouds jealously. And thus the victory brought by the civilians was short lived. The cloud block rushed forward with the winds, sending down yellow rain in sheets. The front line retreated, their only cover coming from the strafing chariots and barriers built by the townsponies. They rushed into the larger buildings of Ponyville and barricaded themselves in. The unicorns magic kept the blight from entering as the undead and dogs beat on the reinforced walls and ceilings. The yellow rain came down in torrents, though it was purified by the unicorn guardsponies' magic. As the armies of the two Princesses clashed with those of Dead Horse, the Lich did exactly as he was expected to do according to history: attack Canterlot. With him he brought his finest creatures. The Cerberus stormed through the city and crashed into the castle as a few undead dragons circled overhead, watching for any guardspony activity. Dead Horse himself entered the castle unopposed with four Manticores beside him. He searched the castle, but there was no resistance to be found. When he entered the throne room, he found the only barrier to his reign over Equestria. A purple alicorn standing beside the Diamond Dog ambassador, Bill. Bill bowed deeply. "I present to you Princess Twilight Sparkle, of Friendship. She wishes to negotiate with you, Emperor Quill." The Lich studied Twilight for a few minutes before speaking. "Why should I not simply kill you?" he asked in a slow, deliberate tone. His horn glowed dimly, threatening to send a deadly spell should she answer poorly. Twilight swallowed hard, hoping that her calculations were not incorrect. "I have information that you might consider invaluable, Emperor Quill." He turned his head as he watched her. "Oh? And you so readily address me as Emperor." His horn fizzled out. "What do you believe I would find so invaluable?" "The location of Princess Celestia.” Twilight announced confidently with her head held high. "And the Elements of Harmony." His eyes glowed fiercely. “And what do you ask in exchange for this information?” he growled. Twilight struggled to hide her reemerging worry. "Only that I may establish my own kingdom of Friendship, based in Ponyville. I recognize, of course, that I will be required to accept you as Emperor." "And why should I trust you?" the Lich asked. "I remember seeing you aside Celestia, Luna, and Discord." Twilight dropped her head and sighed sadly. "For so long, I have been able to depend on Princess Celestia. She has been the most powerful being in Equestria, able to protect the land against any evil. But that battle demonstrated something I did not want to accept, and I struggled with the truth for a long time. There are beings far more powerful than she is. The degree to which you overpowered us all is a perfect example. The very best that Equestria had to offer wasn't enough to defeat you. I must do what is best for Equestria, and a prolonged war is the opposite of that. And in addition, we must be protected from all those powerful beings that would try to destroy this kingdom. That is why I propose this. I love the citizens of Equestria. That is why you can trust me." Dead Horse smiled, satisfied. "I prefer voluntary subjection to my rule. It shows that the defeat is total. So I will grant you this. But first, you will take me to the sister Princesses. Once they are slain, then you will be allowed to create your Kingdom of Friendship." They immediately leapt upon the dragon and flew to the Everfree Forest. Beneath them the Cerberus ran, never tiring. Finally they landed, and Twilight pointed out the Elements. On the ground, tucked away and barely visible, was an ornate chest. Dead Horse's eyes glowed with joy upon seeing it. "Ah, the chest of the Elements of Harmony. It is as I remember it." A noise drew his attention, and Princess Celestia and Princess Luna emerged. They gasped at the sight of Twilight and the Lich. Luna shook her head in disbelief. "Princess Twilight... tell me I am mistaken." "I'm so sorry, Princess Luna. But this is for the best," Twilight said and backed away sadly. "Kill them!" Dead Horse roared. The Cerberus, dragons, and manticores lunged upon the sisters, and the alicorns in turn created a powerful shield to protect themselves. Dragon fire engulfed it and the three heads of the Cerberus bashed it violently. Dead Horse surged his magic into the shield, but the combined magic of both Princesses held out. The only thing that distracted him was the glow coming from behind him. He turned to see the main six in their Rainbow Forms and protected by a sphere of their own. "The Elements of Harmony are gone, Quill, returned to the Tree of Harmony!" Twilight announced victoriously. "You may have grown powerful, but nothing is stronger than the power of friendship!" The rainbow beam surged forward. The undead exploded into dust before they ever had a chance to turn away from the sister Princesses. The beam then jumped to the hooves of Noble Quill where it began to form its vortex. As the undead pony was lifted up, he roared and his horn glowed with malicious power. Suddenly his body burst into dust and his fury-filled roar echoed throughout the forest. His flawed emerald shattered and releasing a mist of a sickly purple color. His soul was loose. Rarity's pristine emerald rose in the middle of the vortex, and his soul was funneled into it. The rainbow beam wrapped itself around the gem and then vanished. But the emerald was several feet in the air, and no pony was near enough to catch it as it began to fall. But in the last second, a leaf turned into a large plush pillow under the emerald and received it. The rest of the plant grew into Discord. "Hah! I win after all!" All the ponies sighed. Noble Quill had been defeated. The chest Dead Horse had suspected to hold the elements was actual for his new gem. Inside was a thick, soft padding with an emerald shaped indention. The soul-gem was set in it and the chest was locked tight. It was taken to the castle of friendship in Ponyville as Celestia Luna returned to Canterlot to arrange a meeting through the ambassadors. A few days later, Twilight and her friends accompanied Princesses Celestia, Luna, and Cadence, along with their guards to Tartarus. When the convoy arrived, a small gathering of Minotaurs and Griffons was there to receive them. On a leash was a new Cerberus. The princesses cast numerous spells on the large hound, ones more powerful that those cast before. The chest containing Noble Quill's Soul Gem was placed in Tartarus, never to be opened again.