//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: Redeeming peace // Story: The swordsman in white, and the red mage // by Joseph_Tanner //------------------------------// After hiding the corpses, and retrieving the necessary supplies, the three returned to their hideout, soon did Crimson Iris arrive. “Sorry for the delay, ran into a few more of them, so there’s only 20 left,” She explained. “Good job, have you hidden the bodies?” Altamir wondered. “Right away,” She replied. “Excellent, is everyone here again?” Iris briefly looked around, then replied with a nod. “Good, now we wait for the night, then, we will kill them all,” Altamir explained his plan. “Only 6 of us against 20 of them? I like the plan,” A colt replied from aside. “Are you sure it’s a good idea?” Asked another mare. “If we kill all of them before they send word about our attacks, yes,” Altamir assured her. “Are you sure we can do it?” Iris asked. “I’m certain, and by tomorrow, Fillydelphia shall be free again,” Altamir replied. “How would you have us act?” Iris asked. “If you can kill a patrol at once with no witness, go for it, but hide the body. If you see one guard during the day, trick them to follow you to secluded areas and kill them,” He explained. “What of you?” A colt asked. “If they see me, they either try to kill me, or capture me before sending word of one of the results,” “How long will it take?” “Only longer with each second spend on questions, and not acts,” He threw back, and the group of six left for the day, only to reunite at dusk. “How did it go?” Altamir wondered. “We killed 10, leaving 10,” Iris informed him. “They must have noticed the absence of 25, so we must end them tonight, leaving none of them alive,” Altamir explained. “For now, ease, rest and prepare,” The group laid their heads to rest, and slept a few hours, before returning to the streets. “About time,” A guard exclaimed, and swung his halberd at Iris. “My words are exact,” She replied and blocked the attack. When the guard looked up, he saw Altamir behind her, and took a knife in between the eyes. “Nice,” She noted. “9 left, don’t hold back,” He replied, and reclaimed his knife.   “There they are!” One of the guards yelled from a patrol group. “Go! Send word the Human is here!” He continued, and one of them took off running. “Kill them I get the messenger!” Altamir yelled in response, and slipped away after the lone guard. Now, you may think that the Saddle Arabian guard, and equine, and basically just a horse taller than a pony would be too fast for him, but keep in mind, Altamir is no average man, and chased him as far as the guard could run, when he collapsed of exhaustion. “Spare me! Please! I won’t te-” “Now you won’t,” Altamir replied, cleaning his blade. He too was tired after the chase, so he just walked quicker on his way back. When he arrived he saw no guard left alive, only one of the rebels being injured. “Alas, victory is ours,” Iris welcomed him. “Nobody escaped?” “None alive, as you requested,” “Great job, now to the town hall, gather the citizens, and bring them there,” She nodded, and the group split up again, and hours later all of Fillydelphia was at the town hall. “Here they are!” Iris yelled to inform Altamir, who stood on the roof of said building. “Citizens, I’m proud to announce, that your town is cleansed of invaders, and is free once again!” He yelled, and took down the invading flag, and showed it to a Unicorn aside him. “Light it,” He instructed, and the mare did as requested. He held the flaming flag into the air, and let go of it. As soon as it landed the crowd broke out cheering. Altamir lept off, landing on the ground easily. “You have these brave souls to thank, now, to liberate the rest of Equestria, I have a favor to ask you all… I need at least one Pony from each household to come, and fight by my side in the next town,” He exclaimed, and soon around 50 colts stepped forward. “I’m coming with you!” “So am I!” “Me too!” They began to say. “What about us?” Iris wondered. “You need to stay, and organize the defense until the Griffons arrive, they will come to help,” He explained. “But…” “This place needs you all better than I do,” He assured her. “It must be true, good luck out there,” She replied. “Before you leave…” Exclaimed a colt, then walked closer. “You should have this map, so you know where and how many towns there are. On the back is written the population of the towns, you should decide the next with the least, though, since the least population, the least guards,” He explained. “This will be of most use, thank you,” Altamir replied. “You may also wish to have this,” Another colt said, and gave him a sword. “I already have one,” He replied. “Trust me, you would want this,” “Be so,” Altamir replied, and sheathed the blade, giving his previous one to Iris. “Now, we must go,” The volunteers said farewells to their families, and followed him into the dawn. [Meanwhile in Griffonstone, 262 Days left] At last, Kyloth and the group arrived safe to Griffonstone, where at first the guards greeted them aggressively, until they recognized Galaxia and Cosmos. “Galaxia? Cosmos? My, what are you doing here?” Galdir wondered. “We will talk about it in time, for now, please, have a few doctors treat Galaxia,” Cosmos replied respectfully, aware of being in a foreign nation. “Ares, show Queen Galaxia to the doctors,” He asked a certain guard, who did as requested. “Now, how are your friends?” “This is Moonlight Comet, she’s a researcher, as for the Dragon, he’s Kyloth, a new ally to us,” He explained. “So, why are you here again?” Galdir brought up his first question. “Equestria has been overrun, and had fallen into Saddle Arabian control…” Cosmos explained. “Kyloth, Moonlight, go , get some rest,” He continued. “Grave news, and what of Altamir and Itrix?” “They insisted they stay and fight,” “Then they shall do great progress…” Gladir assured Cosmos. “He told us you would be willing to come to our aid,” “And I am,” He replied. “Pallas!” He yelled, and soon a General appeared. “Have you called?” “General Pallas, this is King Cosmos of Equestria, they need our help, go, assemble the troops, all of them,” Galdir exclaimed. “By your command,” The General replied, and flew off. “Now rest, Cosmos, soon we will take the fight to them,” Galdir tried to calm Cosmos. “You have my gratitude, Galdir. Now I see how Altamir and you are friends,” He noted. “Leaders have to help each other, do they not?” “Indeed they do,” “Now I want you to stay, and be by Galaxia’s side, she seems to need you badly,” Galdir continued. “It would be wrong for me not to be part of the liberation…” Cosmos objected. “She needs you better, you must be there when it happens,” “So you noticed?” “How could I have missed?” “Fine, I’ll stay,” Cosmos replied. “Take care of my home while I’m away, will you?” “It’s the least,” “They know you’ll be in command while I’m away, now, time is short,” Galdir explained, then took flight. [In Canterlot, however] “Speak! Where did you send him!” Yelled Ishtar to Itrix. “Go, find him, I won’t tell!” She replied. Ishtar hit her in the stomach a few times, then asked again. “Speak up!” “Never!” He hit her several more times. “Don’t waste my time!” “I will not tell!” She replied. Hopefully I can buy Galdir and Altamir enough time…  “Away with you then!” He replied, and she was carried away into her cell again, only to starve for a few days. “Maybe now your tongue is giving,” “Don’t you ever dream of it,” She replied. “Here we go again, then,” Ishtar replied, rather tired of her resiliance. [Back to Altamir…] “How long left for Manehattan?” Asked a colt. “A few hours of walking…” He replied. “Then what’s that ahead?” Asked another one. “We’re in luck, go, surround the exits, and kill those who try to run,” He instructed them. “Are you sure going in alone?” “Just watch,” Altamir replied, and with his new sword, walked in. The group remained outside as told to, and soon after they heard screams coming from the town, some were cheering for Altamir, some were fear of death, some of agony from the invaders, none the less, the group stood still for an hour or two, when suddenly the sound of struggles grew closer and closer, until they saw a Dragon leave the city limits to create distance between him and Altamir. “Die!” It yelled, and began to breathe fire, which Altamir dodged, and rushed toward him. “That you will!” He replied. The Dragon charged at Altamir, and in the end, swallowed him whole. The group stood there shocked after what they saw, and started to back away before the Dragon would get at them too, when suddenly the Dragon stopped. Just mere seconds passed, when the Dragon’s throat was cut from the inside out, making his blood spray everywhere. The Dragon was still alive, when Altamir pried himself out, covered in blood. “So much for being The White Swordsman…” He noted. “Go, check the bodies, hide them, loot them, whatever you want, then gather the citizens to the town square,” He exclaimed. The group stood now even more so shocked, having witnessed the mere power of just one Human, but quickly shook themselves back into reality, and set out to do as told to. Few more hours pass, and the whole city Manehattan gathered for the same ceremony which took place in Fillydelphia, and the so called mayor approached. “You all have saved us! How can we thank you in return?” She wondered. “Don’t, give me as many fighters as you can, so we can move on to-” He took a look at the map “Ponyville,” At least 450 Ponies soon joined his now growing army, and marched off to Ponyville, and just when the town was in sight, he heard a familiar voice. “Where do you think you’re going?!” He turned around, and saw the Griffons who arrived. “Galdir? You? Here? What gives?” “Are you seriously asking that? Was it not your idea to send Cosmos and Galaxia over?” “Well, I didn’t expect you to be so early,” Altamir replied with a grin. “AT EASE! FALL IN LINE!” Galdir yelled to his troops, who landed aside the marching Ponies, and joined the formations. “Where are you headed?” “Ponyville, then the remaining cities… And at last, Canterlot.” “Don’t you think taking back Canterlot would scare the others away?” Galdir offered. “Hey, I’m not a thinker, okay? You take that part if you want,” Altamir replied. [In the following 142 days they took back Ponyville, and marched on to Canterlot, but the odds were even, and just made no advances for a while, until one day Extos and the rest of the Humans joined the fight on the right side,] “At last, we meet once again, sister,” Altamir greeted Extos. “Alas, death and life meet once again indeed,” She replied, then also greeted Galdir. “What’s the plan?” Said Griffon wondered. “Simple, Mortis, a few more of my men, and I go in, kill Ishtar,” She replied.. “What about Itrix?!” Altamir wondered. “Mortis?” Galdir asked. “It’s my actual name, now, what of Itrix still?” *Sigh* “Fine, we will see if we can find her too….” Extos replied. “Hey, if it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be here today,” Mortis reminded his sister. “Now that I think of it, it is clever, the fewer of you go, the harder it is to be noticed, good luck,” Galdir exclaimed. The minor group of the two and 5 more of them snuck in under the cloak of darkness, and quickly made their way to the entrance, where the 5 were sent to get Itrix out, while the other two headed for Ishtar’s quarters, killing anyone who stood in their way. They stopped at the door, however, when Extos withdrew a pistol and gave it to her brother. “You might need this,” He listened to her advise, and put said firearm away. “Ready?” She nodded in response, and the two bursted the door down, only to be greeted by Ishtar surrounded by many guards. “Right on time,” Ishtar greeted them. Extos waited no time, and began cutting down the guards, until she was thrown out the window. “Extos!” Altamir yelled, looking out the window, unable to find his sibling. “You bastard!” He exclaimed, and in the blink of an eye cut down the rest of the guards. The two fought for hours, until Mortis made a fatal mistake, which resulted in him taking a sword through the chest, which shattered his spine, causing him to fall on his back. “Ha! I told you you’re no match to me! Face it! This is the end…” Ishtar exclaimed. “It is… You know what comes at the end?” Mortis asked, struggling with the pain. “What?” Ishtar asked. “Fireworks…” Mortis replied, quickly drew his pistol, and his Ishtar in the heart. *Laughter* Too bad for me, heh, good luck, Itrix, and good bye Cosmos, Galaxia… He thought to himself, before everything went black. [The End] .