//------------------------------// // Chapter Thirty Two - Goddess of War // Story: Ice Fall // by Bluespectre //------------------------------//     CHAPTER THIRTY TWO   GODDESS OF WAR   “I can honestly say I never thought we’d have any bloody luck, and you know, I can freely admit…I may have been wrong.”   Dray shook his head, “If that’s the case, Heather, then i’m damned glad you are.”   The two officers stood at the edge of the blackened forest, looking out at what had been a battlefield only weeks earlier. Now, it was a quiet, peaceful place. No birds sang here, no foxes barked, no pheasants called, just silence except for the bubbling of the meandering river that was barely more than a knee deep stream. They’d walked for days, but this time they’d taken a chance and walked during the daytime to make up time and improve morale. Harrier and her pegasi had flown high altitude reconnaissance and reported back that there was little to no Legion activity in this area. Dray had been reluctant to believe it at first, even though Harrier was the best there was, but it was still there at the back of his mind…don’t trust anypony, only trust yourself, don’t feel…act. Dray prayed the Legion had moved away and, incredibly, they had. In fact, the whole area looked so peaceful he wouldn’t have been surprising to find a family enjoying a picnic by the river, other than for the freezing weather of course. The nights were becoming noticeably colder by the day, and no doubt snow would soon arrive to carpet the land. What was particularly strange however, was how ‘clean’ the area looked, as if every single scrap of evidence there had ever been a battle here had been meticulously removed, the area cleansed of everything. There were no bodies, no weapons, no discarded gear…nothing.   Dray didn’t like it. Every battlefield had a sense about it, a ‘feeling’ of sorts, and this place still held that for him. The Legion may have cleared the bodies away, but the land remembered, the ground soaked with the blood of the fallen, the smaller items and personal trinkets trodden into the mud; they’d still be there, waiting for somepony to find a thousand years from now - a ghostly relic of a time long forgotten. The Colonel shook his mane. He would never forget, and he’d do everything he could to make sure nopony else would. Something needed to be done to remember those who’d fallen, but then, that was a thought for another day. If he survived all of this, if any of them did, Equestria would never forget.   Wild nudged him, “Are you sure this is it? There’s nothing here.” She removed her canteen and took a mouthful of water, “Even Harrier said the area’s clear.”   “Aye,” Dray replied calmly, “clear of everything…even the dead.”   “Do you suppose they buried them?” Wild asked.   Dray shrugged, “I don’t know. Those thestrals have some sort of strange honour code, but I’m buggered if I can work them out.”   He didn’t want to either. Those things had to be stopped, they had to be turned back, and, Goddesses willing, thrown into the pit from whence they came.   Wild stretched her neck and yawned, “Did you ever see those things on the border?”   “Thestrals?” Dray asked, “No. I don’t know where they come from, but they’re not native to Equestria so far as I can tell.”   “Ever asked one?”   Dray shook his head, “Can’t say I’ve have had the chance. They’ve usually been too busy trying to kill me or me them. From what I could tell, their pony allies know about as much as I do about them too.” He sighed, “Of course, they could be lying.”   “I can’t believe Equestrians would fight for that monster Nightmare Moon.” The Major said quietly, “It goes against everything I was ever taught as a filly.”   “She’s still Princess Luna, Heather.” The Colonel snorted, “You’ve never heard about the story of the children of the sun and the children of the night?”   “Dray…” Wild rolled her eyes, “That’s a foals bedtime story, meant more to terrify them into being quiet than anything else. Dad used to tell me it when I was getting out of hoof and I’d end up hiding under the sheets shaking like a bloody leaf.”   “I think there’s some truth to it.” Dray said rubbing the sleep from his eyes, “Those who are born under the sign of the moon are the natural followers of the princess of the night. The opposite goes for Celestia.”   “But it’s all superstition!” Wild said in exasperation, “Like reading tea leaves. You’ll be telling me it’s got something to do with your hoof size next, or which way the leaves fall and all that rubbish.”   “You thought the Crystal Empire was a fairy story, didn’t you.” Dray replied calmly, watching her with his steady gaze, “Then down from the night sky comes…”   “-I know!” Wild snapped, “Good grief, there’s at least physical evidence that the Empire existed. It doesn’t mean all the stories about it are true.”   Dray raised an eyebrow meaningfully, “How do you explain the grey ghosts then?”   The red mare clucked her tongue, “Hey, you’re the ex-border guard, not me. I’m a warm weather gal.”   “I think they were a group who were ‘born under the moon’.” The Colonel said tossing his mane, “Not that it really matters, they made their choice and they’ll have to live with the consequences.”   “Hmph,” Wild sniffed, “I’m more bothered about our circumstances than their consequences. Anyway, I guess today’s the day we find out what your mysterious friend was talking about.”   “Or tonight” Dray added, “If nothing comes of this, then…” he shook his head, “I don’t know, Heather. Let’s just see.”   Nearby, Bracken and Chalk were trudging along with the rest of the soldiers. They’d been assigned to a tall stallion called Whisper, or at least that’s what he called himself. He was there, ostensibly, to work with them to find ‘something’. Bracken wondered if it was more a case of keeping an eye on their two new ‘guests’ to make sure they didn’t do anything that would endanger the rest of them. Regardless, the best part of all of this though was that nopony seemed to know what the bloody hell it was they were actually looking for! He groaned and pulled the cloak tighter around his neck. At least he wasn’t freezing to death now. Despite their griffin cloaks and extra gear, hot food had made all the difference. Another interesting new feature had been socks - long brown things that fitted just above your hooves, up your leg and tied under your shoulder or haunch. They seemed a pretty good idea really, and Bracken was glad the army lot had brought spares. Keeping the bloody things up though could be a bit of a problem, but it was well worth the effort. Chalky was raving about them too, and talked endlessly about getting a set for Gretel. Somehow, he doubted the frisky white unicorn wanted her to wear them for practical reasons. Bloody pervert. Speaking of which, he came bounding over, full of his trademark enthusiasm,   “Hey, Brack, you okay? You’re very quiet.”   “Huh?” Bracken shrugged, “Just thinking, Chalky, about nothing really.”   “Yeah?” Chalk looked around him in concern, “You haven’t noticed where we are?”   “Of course I have!” Bracken replied sourly, “I was here too you know.”   “I know that!” Chalk said anxiously, “It’s just…haven’t you noticed anything? Theres no bodies, no skeletons, no weapons…no nothing.”   “They’ll have been buried,” Bracken reasoned, “You don’t want rotting corpses bloating in the sun, dude. They’ll attract maggots and…” “-All right! I get it! Celestia’s rump, Brack, I need to be able to sleep at night you know.” Chalk frowned at his friend pointedly.   Bracken shrugged. Chalky had a point, but he’d seen it before, like when the plague hit the village and wiped out about a fifth of the population: mass cremation, a quick service and it was back to business as usual. Lovely little world, wasn’t it? He thought to himself sarcastically.   The white stallion up front in the golden armour pulled up short,   “Shut up…I hear something.”   Whisper made the sound of some sort of forest bird, and the rest of the ponies stopped and lay flat, with only several, the scouts, remaining mobile and on the lookout for danger. One of them rushed up to Whisper,   “What is it?”   “Listen,” Whisper said cryptically, “it’s on the wind, a song like…” he scratched his horn, “I don’t know, its hard to say, but theres a low level magical field building up near here. It could be what we’re after.”   The other pony nodded, “I’ll go tell the Colonel.”   “Pssst” Bracken waved at Chalk with his hoof. The white unicorn shuffled over. “You itching too?” he asked.   Chalk nodded, “A little. What do you think it is?”   Bracken raised an eyebrow, “Hopefully whatever they’re looking for. I’m getting sick of this skulking about bollocks. I don’t know about you, but I want to get out of here and back to Spurs Anvil.”   “Spurs Anvil?!” Chalk hissed, “What the hell do you want to go back there f-…oh…”   Bracken nodded, “I’ve been thinking about it,” he said quietly, “home’s out for the minute, your suicide trip up north will kill us, and as much as its an absolute cesspit, it’s your best bet for finding your pirate piece.”   “Will you stop calling her my ‘pirate piece’?” Chalk whispered angrily, “It’s really starting to piss me off!” He narrowed his eyes and huffed, hanging his head as he let out a resigned sigh, “You’re right though Brack…Damn it, I just…you know.”   Bracken laid a hoof on his friends shoulder, “Hey, I could have said something but I didn’t. Let’s get this bollocks over with and then we’ll go and see Dray. I’ve had enough of…”   “Shhh!” It was Whisper, “Belt up and follow me. Keep close.”   The three of them continued on into the forest, the rest of the small army around them moving as one entity, as quiet as an army of ghosts.   *******************   Dray felt as if his eyes could burst into flame. He’d been staring so intently into the dappled light of the forest, he was starting to get a headache. Probably eyestrain, he thought, taking a swig of water from his canteen; the light here was hard on your vision and created shadows that had you jumping at phantoms. Still, this was it, the destination they’d be striving to reach, and tonight was the night of the full moon. It was still daylight, although it wouldn’t be for long. He hated this time of year, the long dark nights and the short days. It always gave him a sense of despondency, as if he were merely waiting for the world to begin again. Today however, there was something strange in the air, a peculiar sense of anticipation, of ‘waiting’ that had his unicorns having conniptions. Being an earth pony, he had no magic as such, but he could still feel ‘something’. Wild could too,   “We’re here, aren’t we.” She said breathlessly as though even the mere mention could dispel the excitement of the moment.   “Aye.” Dray nodded, “I believe we are.”   “So what now,” Wild whispered, “did your mysterious cloaked figure tell you what to do next?”   “Nope.” Dray shook his head, “Your guess is as good as mine at this point.” He looked around, “Spread out the…”   The ground shook.   “COLONEL!” A soldier suddenly shouted back to his officer throwing caution completely to the wind. The white guards pony was stood up and pointing towards…   “My Goddesses…” Dray breathed, “What in Equestria is that?!”   Everypony was staring in the same direction. Not far away an immense silver ball of light had appeared out of nowhere, like an alien parody of the sun brought to earth. Silently, it rapidly began expanding outwards, engulfing the trees and sending birds screeching up into the sky. The unicorns around him began shrieking and yelling in pain, clutching at their heads until, as suddenly as it had appeared, the enormous magical orb winked out of existence. There was a pause as the ponies began to pull themselves to their hooves. Quickly, the Colonel hurried to his Lieutenant,   “Send some of your fastest ponies up to see what’s going on, Lieutenant. No unicorns, just earth ponies, understood?”   The white stallion nodded, “Yes, Sir.”   Dray turned back to Major Wild, “I don’t know what that was Heather, but I have a horrible feeling I’m not going to like it.”   “Not a fan of magic, eh?” she said sardonically.   “Not of the unknown.” Dray replied grimly, “When it’s affecting our unicorns like that, it doesn’t bode well.”   She sniffed, “I know what you…bollocks! GET DOWN!”   Wild’s warning came just in time. Dray threw himself to the ground as the blast blew through the trees like a hurricane around them. The hot wind was unlike anything he’d ever experienced before in his life. It was almost ‘solid’, a sheer force of will, of unfathomable energy, charged with a depth of feeling that made his fur stand on end. But it was the cry that followed it, the scream of pain, loss and unadulterated grief that sounded like Equestria was in torment which froze his heart. Wild scooted up next to him, pushing her muzzle into his neck - he’d never seen her like this before. The Major was…frightened. Goddess damn it, for that matter, so was he! Dray looked about him, checking his sword was free in its scabbard. It was as he’d feared, the ponies were all terrified beyond anything he’d ever witnessed, even at River Valley. That scream, that horrible cry of suffering - it rolled through him, resonating with his own feelings, dragging out the memories of his wife, his foals…Dray’s heart howled out in sympathy with the world around them…Dear Goddesses…he was so empty…so alone…   Wild was shaking, her hoof reaching out for him. Dray, his own emotional state crumbling down around him, moved to her, taking her in his forelegs and held her. The two ponies, their eyes closed, lay together on the forest floor lost in their own private worlds of hopelessness and loss while the storm raged about them.   Nearby, Bracken huddled in a ball beside Chalk who was screeching like a scalded cat. He couldn’t do anything, and he didn’t want to do anything either! He just wanted to go home. He didn’t want this! He’d only ever wanted a quiet life, a life of peace and a simple, boring existence. But then he’d tasted adventure…and he’d met her…that beautiful mare with the pink mane. Why had he left her…why? He could have fought those cloaked rats off, he was a trained soldier, he could have done it! He could have been with her now! His head felt like it would burst, the wind roaring in his ears. By the Goddess, why wouldn’t this stop?! It was too much!   Chalk Dust hung onto his head in agony. His horn burned furiously like it was a white hot brand melting into his skull. He’d come across magical build up before, but that was like the warmth of a summers day compared to standing in the middle of a bloody furnace! This was unbearable! He rolled on the ground and gasped. The emotional energy that accompanied the intense magical field was unbelievably strong, stirring up all the memories of his past, and not the good ones either. The bullying, the destruction at the school, the death of the minotaurs by the ship’s gangplank, the pixies…Dear Goddesses, the pixies! They’d tried to eat him alive…it was like his uncle all over again; that monster…the sauce! He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block it all out but nothing was working. Chalk did something he didn’t do very often: he prayed. If there was a hell, then surely this was it! He was going to die wasn’t he? This was it, the end of the world had finally come and his short life was going to end right here in some Goddess forsaken forest. Chalk closed his eyes even tighter, his muzzle pressed into the ground. He uttered a word, a name…   “Gretel.”   His voice was lost in the drama around him as the wind pulled at his mane and tail. All the ponies could feel it now, hear the sorrow, the cry of emptiness burning through them as if they were all linked on some spiritual level.   Dray’s ears were flattened against the wind noise and the finer particles of debris that flew around them. Major Wild was pressing hard into him, tears leaking from her eyes. He could understand. This was no natural wind, nor anything he’d ever seen the likes of before in his life. This was on a level that even he as an earth pony could sense. He took a breath, covering his friend’s head with his, waiting for the storm to pass. Seconds crawled past, but then, as quickly as it had begun, the storm simply…stopped.   Wild opened her eyes, not daring to move,   “Is…is it over?”   Dray stood and shook himself free of all the twigs, grass, and other assorted debris that covered him,   “Aye, Heather, I think so. Come on, let’s see if anypony’s hurt.”   He reached down and helped her up. In doing so, he noticed that everypony else was beginning to rise to their hooves as well, checking themselves over for injuries. Mercifully, it appeared there hadn’t been anything more serious than a few minor bumps and scratches.   “I’m taking a leap of guesswork here and assuming that this wasn’t mentioned by your mystery pony?” The Major quipped, spitting out a blade of grass.   Dray shook his head and grinned despite himself, “No, but you may want to get those twigs out of your mane…” he motioned towards the group of scouts who were trotting towards them, “We’ve got company.”   Major Wild furrowed her brow, staring at Dray who was grinning from ear to ear. What was…   “Oh…oh dear goddesses…”   Wild stumbled over her own hooves, her eyes going wide in shock. For a moment, for the merest heartbeat, she wondered if she were dreaming. But no…walking towards them from out of the forest’s depths was indeed what the Colonel’s mysterious figure had rather enigmatically called…‘hope’.   The two guardsponies appeared first, flanking the tall, magnificent creature whom many had believed lost forever. She was their oasis where they could slake their thirst in a desert of despair, their light in the darkness and the salvation they sought from the darkness of Nightmare Moon. Golden burnished armour glinting in the dappled sunlight, her pure white wings ruffling from the slight breeze and her rainbow mane flowing out behind her like the promise of love for an empty heart, their Goddess appeared as if from a dream.   The white alicorn strode up to Dray, her striking large purple eyes staring straight into his soul. He swallowed and bowed, the rest of the ponies around him following suit. He could feel his heart swelling, his life returning to him. She was here…truly here! Perhaps for the first time since he’d lost his beloved family, he felt that there was something to look forward to, some brighter future for all of them. He’d never been much of a royalist, but now, the way she was looking at him compared to when he’d first met her…she’d changed. This was not the same naïve princess who’d hurried off to spank her naughty sister. No. This time, here, now, their princess of the sun radiated something he’d never thought he’d experience from such a creature:   Vengeance.   Celestia planted her halberd’s haft into the ground and looked about her. Taking a deep breath, she spoke,   “Stand. All of you.”   Dray push himself to his hooves, his face lowered. She was…   “Look at me.” She commanded.   Closing his eyes for a moment, Dray collected himself and looked up at the magnificent alicorn. He nearly gasped aloud in surprise. Those eyes! He’d only seen eyes like that on a pony after a battle - the haunted look of pain, horror, sadness, but also the sense of determination and will to fight on until the battle was won. Dray’s heart cried out for her. What had happened to her, to make her like this, this…goddess of war?   “I know your face,” The Princess said. “Dray. Correct?”   “Yes, Your Majesty.”   The white alicorn looked about her at the expectant faces, their tired and worn expressions. They were all expecting so much - a miracle even, and yet…there were no such things were there? Not for her. She leaned her head back and drew in the forest air, the air of…home. And home where he should have been now, with her. Celestia shook her mane, sending the ethereal colours rippling out and drawing the eyes of the expectant ponies. Later…later she would think on this. Right now, here, her people were awaiting her,   “Colonel Dray,” Celestia began, “Report.”   ***********************   “I can’t see! Goddesses damn it, who is that? I can’t bloody well…” Chalk pushed and heaved, trying to see past the press of ponies, “Hey, who is it? What’s going on?”   Bracken bopped him on the side of the head, “Shut up will you! Bloody hell, Chalky, it’s the Princess, she’s back!”   “Who? Luna?”   “No, you berk, Celestia.” Bracken rolled his eyes, “You really pick your times well don’t you.”   “I couldn’t help it!” Chalk snapped back, “I had to go. You can’t keep it in or you’ll…”   “Chalky!” Bracken snapped, “The Princess is here, Celestia! And you’re talking about taking a crap in bush!”   “You started it!” Chalk retaliated, “Anyway, I can’t see a bloody thing with this lot in the way. It could be a pink hippopotamus for all I know.”   Suddenly everypony went silent, including the two of them. A voice, commanding a strong, flowed around them like the warmth of the sun itself,   “My people,” Celestia began, “I have returned to you today with a heavy heart. Nightmare Moon holds sway upon the land and the forces of darkness ravage our homes, killing our people: our brothers, our sisters, our mothers, our fathers…” she paused, “Many of you have seen horrors beyond anything I would ever have imagined could have come to pass in this once beautiful land. Death itself has been visited upon us by the Legion and their allies, bringing a level of suffering and pain that are simply unimaginable. You have faced these, you have fought them, more so even than I.” She shook out her wings, “You have come here looking for hope, for salvation from the evil of Nightmare Moon. I say to you now, as I stand here before you all, that I am no better than any pony here today. Before we met our foe at River Valley, I was prideful, foolish…and I was punished for that foolishness. Yet many of our people paid a far higher price than I.” Silence fell in the clearing as Celestia looked around them, “I was wrong, but I am not so prideful as to not be able to admit that I can make mistakes.” She stomped a hoof, raising her head and her voice, “But now, my children, now, I see the dire times we are living in with a clarity that I lacked before. I can see in your hearts your will and your determination to be free, to take back what was ours. What is ours.”   A general rumbling spread out amongst the assembled ponies.   “Equestria is my home, but it is also your home, your land. It is the land of your father, your mother and of your children - children who should be born and raised into a world without war, without fear…only hope…and love”   Celestia began to pace, her mane rippling in some unseen wind as the golden glow of magic began to envelop her. With a loud crack, her wings snapped open and she floated up into the air above them, held in a sphere of purest sunlight,   “I promise you, all of you, that I will fight by your side and bring the light back to your lives. I will bring the sun back where once there was only the chill of night. It will be hard, and I will have to ask more of you than I have ever asked before, but as your Princess I make this vow - I would die before I allow the evil creature Nightmare Moon to rule my home unchallenged. I will fight, I will fight and I will win!” her voice suddenly dropped, a cold note entering it as she bared her teeth, “Too much has happened here, too much cruelty, too much suffering. For us to defeat our enemy, we must understand them, we must think like them, and visit upon them the death and ruin that they have wrought upon our homes ten times more than they could ever have imagined in their worst nightmares! For us to be victorious, for us to make Equestria free once more, we must cleanse this land. We must wipe the forces of Nightmare Moon away with the sword and the axe. We must burn them with our magic as bright as the burning midday sun!” Her voice rang out - strong, defiant…powerful, “There will be no mercy for those who have plundered and scoured our land. The blood of our brothers and sisters that stains this ground must be paid for in the blood of our enemies. From now on, from now until our land is free once more, you must seal your hearts away and have only one focus in your minds: destroy your enemy. Smite them with all your strength, kill them without remorse, without mercy…” she smiled wryly, “Victory is victory…at any cost.” Suddenly her voice boomed out, its effect instantaneous amongst the stallions and mares who were all staring at her,   “DEATH TO THE LEGION! DEATH TO NIGHTMARE MOON!”   As one the ponies reared, their hearts full to overflowing with love for their Goddess and the intensity of their devotion to her. A single voice, a single voice with many mouths, bellowed a defiant cry to the princess of the night,   “DEATH TO THE LEGION! DEATH TO NIGHTMARE MOON!”   The war cry of the Celestian army bore the Princess up upon a powerful wave of raw energy as she bathed them in the warm embrace of the sun’s love. It was as it should be, as it always should have been. Her people could never understand the void within her. They could, and should, only ever see her as the princess of the sun. On the outside, Celestia smiled for her people, but inside, inside she could only feel a cold emptiness, an emptiness that now, could only be filled by war.   Dray stared up at the sun princess, the living Goddess of Equestria and felt a tear roll down his cheek. Until now, until this very moment, he had no idea just how empty his heart had been until it had been filled by her light. He glanced at Wild beside him, her large jade eyes shining in the Princess’s glow. She looked back at him and smiled, a smile of such joy, such sheer bliss, he knew that he would give anything and everything to protect this most precious of places, and the smiles of all ponies in Equestria.   It was time for the end to become the new beginning.