CHAPTER NINE
FRIENDS OLD AND NEW
The thestral war cry shrieked out across the ridge, shaking the leaves in the trees and rippling the dark banners that snapped in the breeze above the army of the goddess. The great bonfires set by the Celestians outlined their enemy’s terrifying skeletal forms, emphasising their spiked armour, the great axes and the wicked war scythes that they wielded to such deadly effect. A mass of burning eyes shone in the darkness, each warrior knowing their task, each knowing their fellow would do theirs.
Across from them, the Celestian army waited in silence while in the distance a fox barked, the lonely sound an eerie counterpoint to the blood chilling cry of the thestral. A heartbeat later, the great symphony of war began once again and the Legion surged forward, smashing into the Celestian lines with their entire force. In the night sky, the aerial warriors fought their own battle as flying creatures of all kinds: pegasi, griffins, hippogriffs, creatures few had ever known even existed let alone seen before, darted between the clouds, diving and weaving, raining down missiles onto the mass below.
Locked in the furious battle for the ridge, few cared about what was happening above their heads, nor had the time to look. The enemy was before them and a much more immediate and tangible threat than some possible flying beast you could do nothing about. These enemies you could see, you could hear, and you could fight. Axes swung, swords and spears thrust and stabbed; the cries and howls of war a never ending cacophony of terror and death that made communication nigh on impossible.
The beleaguered Celestian army held their ground. Dray’s lines surged and heaved with the enormous press of warriors coming at them with unbridled murderous ferocity. His warriors were doing well, but tiring quickly. The guard were holding their own as he expected, but his veteran divisions, already tired from the engagement at the river, were reaching their limit. Around him, everypony fought shoulder to shoulder, the dead piling up rapidly on both sides. Goddesses, they couldn’t take much more of this! A messenger charged up, pushing her way through the mass,
“Sir! Lieutenant Sands’ division requests reinforcements!”
A spear appeared over the shoulder of one of the guards ponies, glancing noisily off the Colonel’s helmet. Quickly, he pushed forward and rammed his sword into his thestral assailant’s face, the jarring impact as steel met bone barely even felt now. Gurgling, the beast fell back into the mass of its fellows.
“Damn it!” Dray spat angrily. He didn’t want to use the reserve yet, those young ponies didn’t deserve to be thrown back into the meat grinder of war, but if he didn’t do something quickly, if Sands’ division broke, none of them would be safe. He shook his mane and snarled back at the messenger,
“Go to Captain Pie and tell her to send in the reserve. She knows what to do.”
“Yes, Sir!” The messenger saluted and rushed off to deliver the Colonel’s orders.
“Goddesses” Dray murmured under his breath, “If ever we needed you, it’s now. I don’t know if you exist or not, but if you do…” He swung up, deflecting another blow and bucked his hooves up into the thestral’s jaw, “…get off your furry fat arses and lend a hoof!”
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“Colonel, the Celestians are buckling on the right of the line.”
This was it! The chance he’d wanted, the one he’d prayed for and the goddess had answered!
“BALE!” Fulminata shouted over the din, the younger officer quickly pushing in to await orders,
“Sir?”
The Colonel took a deep breath, “Signal our air units to concentrate on the Celestian right. Throw everything they’ve got at them, you understand?”
“Yes, Sir!”
“We keep the pressure up along the front, but if their right folds, you are not, I repeat you are NOT to pursue.” The older warriors yellow eyes flare brightly, “Do you understand Wing Leader?”
“Yes, Sir. Understood.”
Nodding, the Colonel returned to his command, his aide-de-camp watching him and waiting for any orders. He didn’t have to wait long as the grizzle veteran clopped him on the shoulder,
“Send a message to Commander Dunn. He is to bring in his division and support the push on the Celestian right.”
The aide nodded, barely keeping the knowing smile from his lips,
“Yes, Sir”
Fulminata could sense it. It wouldn’t be long now. The Celestians were tiring, their troops lacking in battle experience and stamina. He didn’t have the luxury of his artillery this time, and he had a distinct lack of air superiority with the absence of the dragons and wendigo, but in the darkness, the night of the princess, the thestral had the advantage. Dunn’s division had taken casualties from the first engagement of course, but their brute strength and aggression could still turn the tide of a battle and he needed that now.
Wing Leader Bale reappeared, “Orders delivered, Colonel, and Dunn’s division are coming up through the forest.” He cleared his throat, giving his superior an inscrutable look, “I thought they were defending the artillery?”
The Colonel grinned, thin wisps of smoke curling up from between his sharp teeth. The tide was turning. He could feel it now, they were close, so, so close. He raised an eyebrow, gazing up at the stars above,
“I changed my mind.”
An almost imperceptible shift in the flow of the battle gave him heart. His warriors could sense it too; they were taking ground, moving past the defences, forcing the Celestians back more and more.
“Great goddess” Bale murmured, his voice almost lost in the roaring sound around them, “We’re winning.”
“Yes…” The Colonel breathed, hefting his axe, “We are.”
*******************
“If you’ve got another rabbit in that hat of yours, Dray, now’s the time” Wild took the blow on her sword, twisting it away with a grunt, “We can’t hold out much longer like this!”
Dray gritted his teeth. She was right. The fatigue and stress of battle, fighting in nearly complete darkness against creatures that looked like they’d jumped straight out of the pages of a horror story was all pushing them towards breaking point. There was no more reserve, no chance to catch the breath. The thestrals were out for blood and there was little more he could do now than keep fighting and hope the enemy would eventually begin to tire. He shook his mane. He knew the Legion, and knew too that there was little chance of them simply pulling back now. As much as it pained him, there was realistically only one thing he could do…
“Major Wild…”
The red mare backed up beside her officer, “Colonel?”
Dray closed his eyes. In the months since the war had begun, in all the battles, it seemed all they’d ever done was fall back. Backwards, ever backwards, giving up more and more of their precious ground, ground soaked with the blood of his brothers and sisters, ground that these merciless invaders had stolen inch by agonising inch. Goddesses damn them all! Wasn’t there something, anything that could give them hope? He took a breath, looking Wild in the eye,
“Sound the retr…”
The first explosion hit them like the open door of a furnace, the hot wind rolling out along with a bright green flash that left a vivid afterimage in his vision. The thump of the magical detonation made their ears ring, drowning out the howls of the warriors who were being blasted into fragments only yards away.
Another blast, another and another, a string of explosions, each as devastating as the last was rolling inexorably along just behind the thestral line, blowing pieces of the armoured creatures down amongst the combatants like some unholy rain.
Dray ducked as a large piece of quivering flesh flew over his head to land only a few inches behind him. He blinked, looked up, and stood in open mouthed amazement at the image of something…something huge, something that shouldn’t, couldn’t, be there, and yet there it was, gliding effortlessly away into the night. For a second he stared up at the impossible sight, its sails billowed out in the evening breeze and timbers creaking as it banked away. He’d heard of them, but never seen one in all his years,
“Sky galleon…” he muttered.
“SIR! What do we do now?” Wild’s face appeared in front of him, breaking the spell and bringing him back to face the horrors of reality. The Colonel looked about at the ponies around him, at their tired and worn faces. Even the wounded were in the fight now. The Legion however had been hit, and hit hard. Whatever, or whoever their mysterious allies were, they had given them the chance they needed, but there was no realistic chance for a counterattack now. Now, they could only stand their ground in a battle of attrition or fall back. A pony beside him faltered, his hind legs buckling from sheer exhaustion. Without complaint, the young stallion looked at him for a moment, nodded, and pushed determinedly back into the line. Dray’s mind was made up,
“We fall back.”
The Major was incensed, “WHAT?!”
“We’re exhausted Major.” The Colonel said, roughly wiping his muzzle, “The ponies are dead on their hooves and if we stay here we will lose. The Legion are wounded, but they’ll just keep coming until we’re ground down. I’ve seen it before. We have to take this opportunity, while they’re confused, to save the army and wait until we can fight on our terms, rested and ready.”
Wild gritted her teeth, “Damn it, Dray, I know! I just don’t like…” She neighed, “Your orders?”
“Disengage. All divisions to fall back facing their front and to keep formation. Let the enemy have this damned ridge,” Dray’s eyes narrowed, “we’ve bled enough for one day.”
*********************
“Woohoo!” The white stallion cried out, “That was amazing! Did you see that?”
“Incredibly, yes, I did see that”, Stock grumbled, “I also saw most of our trade goods going over the side.”
Chalk frowned, “Trade goods?”
The mint green mare from earlier trotted over, “Aye. We fought good and hard for that lot, and now its all gone, and for what?” She locked her striking purple eyes onto Chalk Dust’s, “Celestians, Legion, we shouldn’t be taking sides”.
“But…” Chalk stammered, “You’re ponies too, Equestrian’s like me. Nightmare Moon’s army are…”
“-It’s not our war” the mare cut in, “It’s your war, yours and those bloody ‘Celestians’ or whatever you call yourselves.”
Sinking onto his haunches, Chalk hung his head in confusion. Whether it was as a result of his fatigue and injuries or he was simply misreading the situation, he couldn’t say,
“So…” He began, “What…who are you?”
The green mare glowered at him, “We’re…”
“-Free traders” A sleek red leg reached out, laying a hoof on the mare’s shoulder. Gretel, enigmatic Captain of this strange assortment of ponies, stepped up, “I like to think of us more as ummm….” She waved a hoof looking for the word, “entrepreneurs,”
“You’re…pirates?” Chalk blurted, quickly receiving hard stares in response.
“Well, I wouldn’t go so far as to say ‘Pirates’, my pale friend,” Gretel smiled, “let’s just say we’re ‘forward thinking wealth redistribution specialists’” She leaned forward, her voice lowering ever so slightly, “So we don’t need to think too hard about this any more now do we?”
Chalk’s eyes went wide as the Captain loomed over him, “Uh, no Cap’n!” he squeaked.
Gretel gave him a wink, “Good lad”
A voice called out from the deck, “Coming up on our destination, Cap’n” it was Haggis, the helmspony.
Gretel smiled, “Excellent.”
“Destination?”
“Oh yes. Somepony owes us money, and I intend to collect what’s ours.” The Captain checked her sword and adjusted her hat, “Everypony on this crew earns their keep, Mister Chalk. Since Doc’s patched you up, I take it you’ll be joining us?”
Chalk swallowed. The funny tasting potion and salves had worked miracle, and it was a long walk back home through Legion infested lines...at night. Besides, Gretel was strangely appealing, in her own way. He smiled,
“Of course, Cap’n.” He tried to strike a stallionly pose, “You look like you could do with a unicorn on the crew.”
The mint green mare sniffed, “That’s all we need!”
“Belay that, Cyclone,” Gretel said, waving a hoof dismissively, “you of all ponies should know I won’t have any of ‘that’ on board my ship!”
“Aye, aye, Cap’n”
The mare, Cyclone, walked away, glancing over her shoulder and giving Chalk a strange look; one that promised a quick trip over the side if he stepped even a hair out of line. She didn’t like him, that was blatantly clear, and even some of the other crewponies had been…’evasive’ around him. ‘Still’, he thought to himself positively, it was probably because he was the new colt on the team and the Captain seemed, at least a little, to find him ‘interesting’. Hopefully, she would continue to do so, or else…it was a long way down.
“Take us down, Mister Haggis.”
Gretel leaned over the railing calling down to the peculiar helmspony. ‘Mister Haggis’ was a piebald stallion with a short silver mane, an equally short tail and the most peculiar eyes Chalk had ever seen. Whenever the helmspony caught him stealing a glance, he would stare back with those large pink and blue orbs and grin expansively. Chalk shuddered. He knew it was rude to stare, and goddesses knew he drew more than enough attention because of his own colouring but…those eyes!
The ship began to descend slowly, and surprisingly gracefully considering how dark it was, until the vessel alighted with barely a whisper upon a thickly grassed clearing surrounded by dense trees. Quickly, the gangplank was run out and the ponies organised into teams; the main one to stay with the ship on watch and the other two to go with the Captain. Crossbows were passed around, included hatchets and swords. No armour though, only black cloaks; they would be travelling light and fast. Before he could stop to ask what was going on, they were off, disappearing into the darkness of the woodland and heading towards what looked like lamplights in the distance.
Chalk tried his best to stay alongside Gretel, but in the darkness it was hard to keep track of who was who with them all wearing the black cloaks. It was fully dark now, the stars above no longer any unnatural conjuring of Nightmare Moon, or was it? Chalk shook the thought from his mind. Inside, his emotions and thoughts were a jumbled mess of surprise, fright and elation; all of it coming together and blending into a calm acceptance that his course in life had brought him to this, if rather strange, point. He was alive, at least for now, and if nothing else it was one hell of a starting point. Maybe later he’d have a chance to try and digest what had happened today. Today…was it really only one day since he’d been stood in the line at River Valley?
The pony before him stopped suddenly. Back peddling rapidly, it was all Chalk could do to avoid slamming into him…or her. A snigger beside him made him hang his head. Thank the goddesses they couldn’t see him blush in this light, his ears and cheeks felt like they were burning.
“Stock” Gretel whispered, “That the one?”
“Aye, three guards from what I saw last time. Looks to be about the same now.”
“Right” The cloaked figure turned, “Chalky, you can lift things with that magic of yours, right?”
“Y..yes, I can,” Chalk stammered, “but…”
Gretel clucked her tongue, “Can you or can’t you? Simple question.”
“Yes, Cap’n”
She nodded, “Good, then you’re with me.”
The larger party of cloaked ponies melted away into the night, leaving the Captain, Chalk and one other, slowly creeping up to a lone tent set apart from the others. As with the rest, it was purple, all but invisible in the darkness if it wasn’t for the few lanterns dotted around. As they neared, a shadow played across the side of the canvas wall, the flickering form of a minotaur with its huge sharp horns atop the beast's head, wavering in the low yellow lamplight. Chalk swallowed; why was it always bloody minotaurs?!
Painfully slowly, the three crawled on the bellies, nearing their goal. To Chalk their breathing sounded deafeningly loud, even the grass beneath them whispering noisily as they moved. How could that thing not hear them? Goddesses, they were making so much noise! He could his heart hammering in his chest, certain that huge thing would hear them and at any second, any moment, turn its beady eyes on them and…
Thump.
The minotaur stopped, wavered, and fell forward like a felled tree. Nearby came the muffled sound of two more thumps, and then silence.
“Come on!” Gretel hissed, hurrying forward to the side of the tent. In a trice, she produced a short knife, gripped it in her mouth and rammed it into the canvas, slitting it up just enough for her to slip inside. Chalk followed, nudged from behind by the third pony. Inside, Gretel threw her hood back,
“Look for a small chest, wood with bronze metal fastenings, quickly!”
The three of them moved rapidly through the tent. It was surprisingly spacious, albeit musty, with stocks of small casks of ‘something’, numerous boxes, baskets and who knew what else. A sharp clop on the side of his head brought Chalk out of his wonderment and he went to work, searching for the elusive chest.
The third pony found it first, “Cap’n, I’ve got it”
The not so small box sat atop another larger one, a substantial padlock fixing the lid and…
“Damn it! There’s a bloody chain holding it down.” Gretel hissed, “Bosun, keep a lookout while I fix this.”
Gretel reached back into a small pouch on her belt and deftly removed a rolled up set of long thin pins. Taking one in her mouth, she began probing into the depths of the lock. Chalk watched in amazement, until a pair of purple eyes suddenly loomed into his vision. He squeaked in surprise, taking a step back. The Bosun held her hoof up to his mouth, her brows pulled down in annoyance,
“Shut up, will you!” she hissed, “Someponies coming”
The two of them ducked back, taking position either side of the doorway as the hoof steps approached. In the back of the tent, the Captain continued to work, trusting the two of them to deal with whoever, or whatever, was coming their way. A lantern’s light suddenly illuminated the room, the newcomer ducking slightly as they entered. Unwittingly, the black shape passed right by them in a sort of daze, heading for the pile of small casks. It was if they weren’t even there. Chalk lifted his cudgel but the Bosun was quicker, slamming the heavy wooden lump onto the back of the unsuspecting pony’s head. The black stallion fell to the floor with a leaden thump, his large grey eyes and blue mane catching the light as Chalk caught the fellow’s lantern before it fell.
Chalk’s mouth hung open in surprise, “B…Brack…?”
The Bosun was already pulling the black stallion into the back of the tent as she looked up irritably at the surprised looking unicorn,
“Don’t just stand there, you lubber! Give me a hoof, would you?”
Chalk’s voice cracked as he tried to speak, “But, he…he’s my friend! It’s Bracken!”
A quiet cry of jubilation followed the click of a lock falling open from behind them, Gretel’s face poking around the corner sporting a large grin,
“Got it! Come on, Chalky, I…” Her eyes narrowed, “What’s going on? Who’s he?”
The Bosun rolled her eyes as Chalky held the fallen pony’s head, tears filling his eyes,
“It’s Bracken…my friend, he’s…”
The Bosun threw back her hood, the mint green coat and blue mane a shock of colour in such a drab place, “He’s not dead you idiot” She snarled, “Leave him, we have to go!”
“No!” Chalk snapped, “I won’t! He’s a prisoner like we were!”
“Doesn’t look much like a prisoner to me” Cyclone hissed back, “Stay with him then if you like him that much”
A hoof slammed down between them, the red mare glaring at the two angrily, “Cyclone, we need him to lift that chest. Chalky, you get that thing and I’ll take your friend, deal?”
“Y…yes, Gretel”
Cyclone stepped forward, her eyes flashing dangerously, “Damn it, Cap’n, you can’t be serious! That pony’s a…”
“Belay that, Bosun!” Gretel snapped, “You want to argue, then do it later. Let’s move!”
Chalk balked at the glowering purple eyes that bore into him. The Bosun shook her head but obeyed her Captain regardless, helping lift the fallen Bracken onto the red mare’s strong back. Trotting over to the chest, Chalk concentrated his magic. Almost immediately, sweat began to break out on his forehead….damn it, it was so heavy! Gradually and painfully slowly, he poured more of his energy into the stream of ethereal blue power until the box began to lift up and drifted across to hang suspended before him.
“Bloody hell!” Gretel whispered, “Can’t you turn down the brightness on that? It’s like a blasted lighthouse!”
Chalk blinked, keeping his focus on the chest, “No.”
Cyclone re-appeared from the other side of the tent, “Cap’n, we have to move, I can hear voices coming this way.”
Gretel snorted, “Buck it! Let’s move!”
Slipping out the way they came in, the three, now four, hurried as fast as they could back towards the woods and the safety of the ship. Bracken, mercifully unconscious, bounced helplessly up and down on the Captains back while Cyclone ran alongside watching around them with her big purple eyes. Chalk barely noticed. With the expenditure of magic so soon after the battle, the fight at the ship, and now this…he was sure he was nearing burn out. He’d heard of unicorns who’d pushed themselves too far, going to the brink and beyond, taking that one step too far. And then, then it was all over. No more magic. He squeezed his eyes shut, hoping it was just rumours and old mares tales, stories to frighten foals into not overexerting themselves. But right then…
A crossbow bolt hissed past his ear, embedding itself in the ground with a dull thud. Chalk shook his mane. He couldn’t stop now, he couldn’t deviate from his course, he had to get this back to the ship! Gretel, the mare who’d helped him, the one who had offered him safety when all around him was going to hell; he would do this, see it through, for her. There was a shriek behind them, a thud, and then Cyclone re-appeared, addressing the Captain breathily, “Got him, but there’s more coming Cap’n. Saw the others too, they’re nearly at the ship.”
“Good work, Bosun” Gretel gasped, labouring under the weight of the unconscious stallion, “Not far to go now, crew.”
It wasn’t. Focussed so intently on the chest, Chalk nearly walked right into the hull of the ship, his magic wavering and then finally winking out. The strain had been too much, the effort overwhelming. With a soft sigh his legs gave out and he toppled over into the outstretched hooves of the Bosun. Looking up, his unfocused vision took in the deep purple eyes, the way her blue mane fell over her forehead and around her ears. She was actually…quite cute…