Soarin looked out the window for what felt like the millionth time that night. Sleep had escaped him after he awoke in the night; the few times he had managed to doze off resulted in dark dreams haunted by crimson eyes. It was impossible for the gaze of Solar Flare to reach this far into Equestria, considering the diligence of Princess Luna as she watched the night. No, it was nothing more than fleeting memories that returned to plague him in the safety of Canterlot.
At least the sunrise was beautiful. He watched for several minutes, simply enjoying the soft purples and bright oranges of the morning sky. It felt strange to think about how just a few days ago, the same sunrise was marred by the battlements of the wall, and the heaviness in his heart. But Dash has returned, and he was no longer serving as the dam that held back the tide of changelings. That job had now fallen on the shoulders of the Equestrian Guard. He only hoped that they should not have to carry such a responsibility for much longer.
He felt Dash stir against his chest, and turned his attention to her. The soft sunlight streamed into the room, making her mane seem to glow vibrantly. Soaring carefully moved several loose strands out of her face while shading her from the sunlight with his wing. At that moment, she seemed so peaceful. He couldn't help but notice just how beautiful she was, with the light serving to accent her appearance all the more. He would never say that to her of course; she'd probably mock him for being so sappy. Soarin smiled slightly as he kissed her forehead gently. She'd deny it, but Dash was a hopeless romantic.
She shifted again, and mumbled incoherently, her eyes fluttering open for only a second before slamming shut again.
"You awake there, Dashie?" Soarin whispered, a hint of bemusement in his voice.
"No. Don't talk to me." Dash muttered. She opened one eye, looking up at him with nothing more than exhaustion before she buried her face against his chest.
"Fine. I guess I'll just have to ignore you all day then. What a bummer."
"Shut up and hold me, you fat oaf."
Soarin laughed lightly as he pulled her closer, softly rubbing her back with one hoof. "Fat? I'm all muscle. How'd you think I made it in the 'Bolts unless I was fit and sexy, hmm?"
Dash looked up, both eyes open this time as she rested her chin on his chest. "Bribery?"
"You've been talking to Fleet again, haven't you? She said the same thing."
"Great minds think alike. Guess I'm already Wonderbolt material."
Soarin laughed again, flicking her ear with a wing. "If you two are considered 'great minds,' we're doomed. I better start writing my will now."
"Oh, you're so funny. Look at how hard I'm laughing." Dash glared at him, but was unable to hide the teasing glint in her eyes. She maintained a straight face for almost a minute, before her resolve broke and she was forced to look away to hide her snickering.
"Ooh, you got me there. I don't think I can resist that deadly glare. Like, if looks could kill, in sure that would've done me in. I was so terrified."
"Yeah, well you better be. I'll kick your butt right out that window, then have this massive bed all to myself."
"Oh, you wound me, Dashie. To think, I'm on the equivalent of bed space. It crushes my heart." Soarin put his hooves over his heart in mock pain as flopped back onto his pillow and played dead.
"Oh yeah?" Dash pulled herself up, giving Soarin a quick kiss. "There. All better."
Soarin smiled and pulled her back into another kiss, lingering for a moment before breaking away. "Now it is." He leaned into another kiss, then another, each one growing in passion and intensity. Soarin sat up, pulling her into his lap, never breaking contact with her. There was no fear of the outside world, there was no threats. There was only Dash-
"Wake up lovebirds-OH SHIT!"
Dash jumped away with a surprised squeak, falling off the side of the bed at the sound of Fleetfoot's voice. Soarin felt heat rush to his face as he slowly looked towards the door, wincing as he saw Fleetfoot standing in the wide open doorway with her eyes screwed shut and an embarrassed blush on her face.
"Uh...Spitfire wants to see ya Soar...like, now..."
Soarin cleared his throat, looking at the ground awkwardly. "Yeah, tell her I'll be there." He stared at nothing for a moment of awkward silence, waiting for Fleetfoot to leave. He frowned as he looked up, to see her still standing there, albeit with her eyes open this time. "Uh...are you waiting for something? I'm not going to tip you."
"Oh! I've been assigned as liaison-slash-bodyguard to Rainbow Dash! Cool, right?"
"WHAT?!" Dash's voice called out from behind the bed. She poked her head up over the edge, a mix of confusion and excitement in her voice. "Whatdya mean, a bodyguard?"
"Well, to summarize all the formal bullshit that Spitfire said to justify this to her superiors, you're still possibly in danger. I really don't think so, but she does, so I'm here. I mean, I volunteered Soarin right off the bat, but he was needed since he's the big boss pony. And since I offered suggestions first, I was 'voluntold' to do it. But you're cool with it, right?"
"Soarin! I get a Wonderbolt. As. A. Bodyguard!" Dash exclaimed, half squealing in excitement as she fell back into the floor.
"Oh, so it takes a guard to get you excited, but dating one is just whatever?" Soarin grinned, looking over the edge of the bed.
"It's not like that and you know it, mister." Dash popped back up, turning her focus to Fleetfoot. "So what does that all entail? Do I like have to go certain places, or do only certain things?"
"Oh, there is one place you gotta go, but I don't think it's too bad." Fleetfoot grinned at Soarin, who flashed a silent knowing smile.
"What? What's that look for? Soar? Where is this place?"
"Don't worry Dashie. You'll see." Soarin kissed the top of her head before he rolled off the bed. "Fleet, don't make it too early. I want to be sure everyone is there before she is, and I can’t do it myself since Spitfire’s probably gonna be rambling all day.”
Fleetfoot nodded vigorously, grinning slightly. "Tell her to make it short, or the Tabasco-toothpaste bandit will strike again."
"That was you?! How'd you manage to pull that off alive?"
"A magician never reveals her secrets. Now come on, Rainbow! We don't wanna miss Canterlot in all its mediocre glory!" She stepped outside the door, closing it softly
Soarin waited for the door to close before walking back over to Dash, who had climbed back into the bed. "So, I'll see you after the meeting. Try to keep that airhead on a leash for me, okay?"
"I'll do my best." Rainbow Dash laughed halfheartedly, then flicked Soarin's mane with her wingtip. "Go do...whatever it is you do at these meetings. I'll be waiting for ya." She leaned forward and kissed him lightly, before hopping off the bed and walking towards the door. "Don't take too long though, or else your butt's sleeping on the floor tonight!"
"Yeah, I'm sure you wouldn't mind. Bed space over me, as usual."
Dash laughed as she stood in the doorframe, looking back to him. "You know me....love ya, Soar."
"Love you too, Dash. Have fun." He smiled slightly as he listened to the sound of her hoofsteps fade, but his smile disappeared once she was gone. He sighed as he walked across the room and opened the door to the closet. The last thing he wanted to be doing was spending a day with Guard Commanders who hadn’t been in the field in years. But there was no avoiding his responsibility, so he pulled out one of the uniforms from the closet and threw it on the bed with a sigh. At least he had the benefit of a reserved room to keep him from having to return to the compound where the rest of the Wonderbolts were staying. Of course, the small convenience was nullified by the impending meeting. Perhaps he would be able to shed light onto the threat of Solar Flare, and end this war soon. But try as he might, he felt it hard to believe his optimistic thoughts. At least he could live with the knowledge that Dash would have a good day, provided everything would go according to plan…
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Rainbow Dash looked around her as the pair walked around the streets of Canterlot. It seemed almost surreal how virtually nothing had changed since the war started. Ponies still bustled about in the streets, chatting happily with vendors and enjoying the restaurants by the streets.
"What's on your mind, Rainbow?"
Dash cast a quick glance at Fleetfoot, letting out a small sigh. "Nothing. Just weird being back is all."
"I know what you mean. I've been on deployments before, but still this is completely different. None of the times before were quite so bad...but at least we're back, right?"
"It doesn't exactly feel like we're back to the way it was. Everypony here can go about life like nothing's changed. But for me? I know what it's like out there. You guys do to. It's hard to readjust to the civilian life."
"Oh trust me, I know. But don't dwell on the past is all." Fleetfoot paused for a moment, appearing deep in thought before perking up. "Okay, you know what? Soarin said to wait, but I'm tired of being stuck with little Ms. Raincloud, so we're going early. He'll catch up sooner or later. Follow me!" She immediately took off through the crowd, forcing Dash to sprint after her. Wherever Fleetfoot was taking her, the Wonderbolt surely seemed excited…
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Soarin silently followed a pair of golden-armored ponies down what seemed like a labyrinth of hallways and stairwells, the only noise coming from the slight rattle of armor and jingle of the few medals of his dress uniform. He had hoped to have a day off to spend with Dash, but this was still war. War makes no separation between innocent and guilty, nor does it abide by the wishes of any one pony.
At last the guards stopped outside an iron door, the one on his right pulling it open to reveal a black curtain. Soaring let out a slight sigh, then brushed past the fabric.
Gathered inside the room was nearly a dozen ponies of varying stature and background, all standing around a table with a map stretched across it. In the far left corner were two commanders from the Lunar Guard, lurking in the shadows even when in the presence of friends. Immediately to their right was a pair from the Crystal Empire, the jagged spikes running along their armor shimmering as bright as their coats. In the middle stood a unicorn general of the Equestrian Royal Guard, flanked on the right by Spitfire. Against the wall was a representative from what he assumed was Saddle Arabia, given the cloth wrapping covering the mouth and mane of the pony. At the far right was two pegasi wearing light brown armor, their faces covered by helmets that hid all but their eyes from view. The others he could place, but these two were different...
Before he could begin to try and identify them, the Equestrian Guard general spoke up. "Greetings, Flight Lieutenant Soarin of the Wonderbolts. I would introduce the others assembled here, but time is short, and we cannot linger. So, if you would all gather around the table, we have much to discuss." Each approached the table, watching as a dark purple light stretched across the border between the Equine River and the deserts bordering Changeling territory. "As of now, Equestrian forces have managed to halt the advance of the enemy. Initial outposts were lost in the desert, but that is for the greater good. Now we know the capabilities..."
Soarin bit his tongue as the Equestrian continued. He had seen many ponies fall to defend those forts that this general had just deemed "expendable". All the lives that were lost because they had to judge the abilities of Solar Flare? Surely that wasn't the only reason. Perhaps this general was just searching for a way to justify the initial losses faced against Solar Flare's army. Or perhaps he didn't even know of Solar Flare. He didn't seem like the kind of pony that exposed himself to combat. Soarin locked eyes with Spitfire, who also seemed visibly upset. If nothing else, at least he wasn't alone in his judgement.
"...Now, there has been new developments across the front. Recently, Gatepost Cadence has failed to deliver their twice-daily status and contact reports. Their silence is unnerving; however, as it has only been a day, I am willing to let this pass. Perhaps they engaged the enemy, or are otherwise occupied. Gateposts Luna and Celestia still remain calm. Whatever Queen Chrysalis had planned; we cannot be for sure."
"Uh, sir," Soarin started, stepping up slightly. "Our enemy is not the Queen of the Changelings. I have served on the front lines, and have made personal contact with the one who commands their armies."
"Not the Queen? Then do pray tell, as I know of none other who could control that hive."
"The lesser changelings refer to him as Kharax, which I assume is from their old dialect. But his true identity is Solar Flare. I am not sure how, but he is an extremely powerful unicorn who managed to take control over their throne. They listen to him blindly; in battle they would throw themselves at our spears just to allow another to climb over to fight. These aren't the changelings that assaulted Canterlot several years ago. This is a well-organized and ruthless army that does not stop until it achieves victory."
The table was silent for a moment, before the room exploded into shouting; half accusing Soarin of lying and sabotage, while the other tried to defend the possibility of the existence of a rogue pony leading an army against Canterlot. All Soarin could do is share a frown with Spitfire across the room and wait for some semblance of order to be restored to the room.
"Flight Lieutenant Soarin, the war council appreciates your input on the organization and morale of the enemy. However, in light of certain possibilities, we must consult what we know, not a theory. We know the Changelings have been led by the Queen in the past, and even breached Canterlot's defenses. We have never heard of this "Solar Flare," so while we will consider it an option, we cannot at this time afford to make it the focal point of our mission. Deception is a part of the Changeling way of war; it would not surprise me if they were attempting to draw focus from the Queen."
Soarin started to protest, but instead shut his mouth, snapping to attention. "Yes sir. That concludes my report. Request permission to be dismissed until further notice."
"Yes, Flight Commander. We will have a letter sent when you are needed."
Soarin snapped a salute, then exited the room, ears twitching as he heard the faintest of whispers behind him. As much as he would love to go and yell about the dangers of Solar Flare, it was not his place. He had delivered the information he knew; unfortunately, only Dash, Princess Luna, and he knew about it. Not even Spitfire would've been able to support him. He let out a heavy sigh, and followed the guard back towards the exit of the castle. He could only hope that somepony would try and take into consideration what he said.
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"So, where are we going?" Dash asked as she peered out the window of the small air carriage, looking out over the street as it gained altitude. She turned to Fleetfoot, who reclined in her seat with a wry smile.
"Oh, you'll see soon enough. It's literally like a five-minute flight in these things. I knew you couldn't fly so I had to get one, otherwise it'd be a lot shorter."
"Hey, I can fly. All he said was just not very fast."
"Dash, your slowest speed is 'fast'. So no, you're not flying. Plus, this is so nice and relaxing. Gives us time to chill."
"Yeah, I guess that's good. I could always use a nap." Dash grinned as Fleetfoot cast a lighthearted glare her way.
"Oh, thanks. Talk about a blow to my pride. I considered myself the life of the party. It's amazing how pranks spice up the mood of the barracks."
"So I've heard. Back before...all this, he told me a little about how you guys are off the field." Dash laughed to herself, eliciting a concerned reaction from Fleetfoot. "I'm not gonna repeat what he said about you and Surprise."
"Oh, don't worry. I have a general idea. He just better hope he doesn't end up alone..." Fleetfoot rubbed her hooves together deviously and laughed with a mischievous grin. Her evil impression was suddenly stopped as she was jolted forward when the carriage stopped, smacking her head on the opposite wall with a thud.
Dash burst out in laughter, leaning back against the seat as Fleetfoot rubbed her head and muttered curses under her breath. "Hey Fleet, I guess we're there!"
"Yeah, no shit. You're just like Soar. Always mocking my pain, when I'm so innocent and helpless."
"Suuuure." Dash pulled open the carriage door and stepped outside, stopping in her tracks. Standing in front of her was the entrance to Celestia's throne room. "Hey Fleet, is this where we are meant to be?"
"Yeah!" Fleetfoot passed in front of her, half-trotting towards the door. "C'mon!”
“Uh, you do know that I’ve been-” Dash was cut off as Fleetfoot yanked her towards the door.
“I said come on!” Fleetfoot ignored Dash’s stammered protests and half-dragged her to the throne room, nodding to the guards outside. “I didn’t do all this work for nothing!”
“All what work? What are you talking about?!”
“You’ll see. Geez, your patience disappears almost as fast as you fly.” The doors opened with a loud groan, silencing Dash before she could begin to retort. Fleetfoot half-shoved her into the throne room, then stepped back as the doors closed. “Have fun!”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Rainbow Dash shook her head as no response came from the other side of the door, and turned around. Immediately she dropped into a bow as she saw Princess Celestia standing before her, wings outstretched. “Oh my gosh, Princess Celestia! I’m sorry about that-”
“Do not worry, Rainbow Dash, Element of Loyalty,” Celestia replied in a regal voice, though a trace of humor was present. “I assure you I have heard much worse in the presence of my soldiers.” The princess paused for a minute, carefully looking Rainbow Dash over before continuing. “I am glad to see you have arrived safely. I know what has taken place, and I promise you that this strife shall pass. However, now is not the time for somber discussion and dark conversation. This is to be a time of light and life; and so it shall be. I believe there are some ponies who would very much like to see you.”
“‘Some ponies?’ What are you talking about…” Dash trailed off as Celestia lifter her wings and stepped back. Where her wings once covered stood five mares, each with a wide grin on their face. “Guys…?” She took a step forward, faint tears of joy welling up in her eyes. She took one step more, then was instantly tackled by a pink blur.
“DASHIE, YOU”RE BACK!” Pinkie Pie held her in a tight embrace, rocking her back and forth as she half-squealed-half-shouted in excitement.
Dash patted her back lightly with a hoof, speaking softly as she was overcome by pure emotion. “Yeah, I’m back. Just…watch the wings please…”
Pinkie held on for a minute more before letting go, then bouncing in place excitedly as Rarity approached. The white unicorn stopped in front of Dash, her face unusually expressing legitimate gladness before she too hugged Rainbow Dash tightly. “We were so worried about you, dear. You can’t just run off without warning like that.” There was a slight hint of a scolding tone in her voice, but Dash could tell it was well meant and clearly Rarity expressing her relief.
Next was Fluttershy. She walked up quietly to Rainbow Dash, pulling the cyan mare into an unusually strong embrace. “Please, don’t ever scare us like that again…we sent so many letters…” Rainbow Dash could tell the pegasus was on the verge of tears, and rubbed the back of her childhood friend lightly.
Twilight was right behind her, the purple alicorn wrapping her wings around Dash supportively. “It’s good to see you back, Rainbow Dash. I saw Soarin; but I can’t imagine…I’m so glad you’re safe.”
“It’s good to see you too, ya egghead,” Dash relied, joyful tears now streaming down her face. “I think I can get a first-read on a new Daring Do now, right?”
“Of course Dash. Of course.”
As Twilight stepped aside to join the others, Dash looked at the only pony that remained. Applejack stood unmoving, her hat covering her face. Rainbow Dash walked over slowly, tipping the edge of the hat up. Applejack was crying freely, choking back a sob as tears rolled down her face. “Ah…Ah’m…”
Dash squeezed her in a tight hug, laughing lightly as the orange earth pony returned the embrace. “I missed you too, you big dork.” They held each other for a minute more, the worry of losing their best friend drained away and replaced by relief and pure joy. She eventually broke away, sniffling slightly as a large smile crossed her face. “Dang, it’s good to see you guys again. I can’t believe you came all the way here just for me.”
“Of course!” Rarity exclaimed, mildly offended. “Certainly you don’t think we wouldn’t drop everything to be with our friend who had returned from an uncertain fate. That would be simply barbaric!”
Dash smiled as the other ponies muttered in agreement. “Damn…you guys are…” She shook her head and looked at the ground, at a sudden loss of words. “…y’all are the best friends anypony could ever hope to have. I can’t think of any other way to say it…And no Twi, I don’t need a thesaurus for this.” The group of friends laughed, and began to make up for the time they lost.
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The sun had nearly set by the time she had returned to Canterlot. The worry that Rainbow Dash had felt about her return to her friends was proven to be completely unfounded. They had understood her sensitivity to what had happened, and focused solely on making sure she was comfortable and at ease. It wasn’t exactly like “old times,” but Dash had to admit it was pretty close. Pinkie returned to her antics throughout the day, at one point drawing the guards posted outside into the room due to the sudden setoff of a portable party cannon. Rarity provided all the news on what had happened in Ponyville during Dash’s absence, albeit with a slight bias towards certain upper-class ponies who managed to irk the unicorn in one way or another. Twilight backed up Rarity’s stories with a more neutral claim, and also informed Dash of the more upcoming Daring Do events and book release schedule. Fluttershy remained quiet, content to watch the fun but also took the time to make sure that Rainbow Dash was actually okay and not injured. Applejack recovered her demeanor swiftly, quickly making competition plans for the pair of them upon her return to Ponyville, along with plenty of trash-talking and boasting; both of which Dash returned in kind. It seemed that for once, life had returned to the way it used to be.
Soarin smiled as he looked down at her. She would never know how Fleetfoot and him arranged this as soon as word was received that the unit was returning home. He knew that despite their love for each other, there was still going to be a weight dragging her down. He was part of it; the hell she had when through was partly because of him. She needed a reminder of home, back when life was normal. Soarin smiled as he remembered her return to the room, a large smile across her face. He hadn’t seen her that happy in a long time. To him it almost felt like an eternity.
And he needed the morale boost as well, following his meeting. Spitfire had informed him hours later that all the council had done was to reinforce the wall garrisons more. The inaction was frustrating to him. He knew their foe, and Spitfire assured him that she vouched for him. But their decision was final, and no longer of any concern to him. He was here, with Dash, and that all that mattered.
Just before he drifted off to sleep, Soarin swore he saw a flash of light again. Turning his head as much as he could without disturbing Dash, he looked out into the darkness of the night. He stared into the blackness for several minutes, his efforts to spot a source or even evidence going unrewarded. Perhaps he was just imagining things, and the last night was just a storm. After all, the wall would surely keep anything out, even the armies of Solar Flare. They were safe. Nothing would be able to reach them here.
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The sunrise was spectacular. Soarin watched as the clouds melded together in prefect shades of yellows, oranges, and blues, each one complementing the other. It seemed almost surreal that such beauty could exist in the world. It seemed as if it was a painting.
He turned back to look into the room, where Dash was still sleeping. Every morning he swore that she was more beautiful than the last. Everything about her was perfect. At last life would return to normal, and once her wings were healed, he hoped to see her in the Wonderbolt academy. She'd earned a spot already, although the official application process would still have to take place. But she was strong, and he had no doubts in her ability.
Soarin looked back over the balcony, and stepped back in shock. The sky had tuned blood red, and was seemingly covered in roiling waves of energy. He spun around, to an empty room save for the armored unicorn facing away from him. He took a step back as it turned to face him, it's eyes glowing red. Solar Flare grinned, locking eyes with Soarin.
"Hello Soarin. I'm home."
Soarin was jolted awake as the room shook violently. Dust fell from the cracks of the stone walls as the sound of stone grinding on stone filled the air. He wrapped his wings around Dash as she clung on to him and yelled inaudibly, the cacophony from outside blotting out all other sound.
As suddenly as it began, the noise and shaking stopped. Soarin tentatively let go of Dash and got off the bed, peeking out the window. Everything seemed normal from what he could see. Not a single building appeared damaged, and there was no sound of emergency units or cries for help.
"What the hell was that?" Dash walked up beside him, looking around at the city.
"I don't know, but this doesn't feel right..." He paused for a moment, before turning away and walking towards the door. "Dash, I want you to go to Celestia's Palace, as soon as you can. I need to get to Spitfire. You stay safe, and don't leave once you're there, you understand?"
Rainbow Dash wanted to argue, but there was something in his voice. This wasn't the soft, easygoing Soarin that gave suggestions. This was Soarin as a soldier, and he was giving her an order. Something was wrong. Dash ran up to him and kissed his cheek quickly. "Soar, stay safe for me. I'll see you at the Palace." She kissed him again, then ran down the hall, towards the exit. All she could do is hope that whatever was happening would be resolved quickly.
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By the time Soarin had donned his armor and reached the temporary Wonderbolts headquarters, most of the flight team was already in their armor, with weapons at the ready. Spitfire was already drawing up plans with several other commanders from different units in the corner of the room, while the rest of the Wonderbolts checked and double-checked their equipment.
"Captain, I apologize for my tardiness," he said as he approached the group. "What's the situation?"
"Don't worry about being late, Soar. I understand. But in the meantime, we have an issue on hand. The cliffs around Canterlot aren't there anymore. We don't know what happened, but it's like the ground has risen up, and now there's a fuckhuge ramp leading all around the castle. We've mobilized the reserves already, and defense units are being prepared. But no pony had ever seen anything like this."
"...'I'm home'..." Soarin muttered under his breath, looking at the ground. But there was no way that was possible. Certainly the wall would have been able to pass warning on to rear units. Even if there was a breach, the distance would be too great to cover in a short amount of time, especially if one wanted to move unnoticed...
Soarin's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a steady, rhythmic beat. It was faint at first, just barely audible over the sound of the Wonderbolts. But as each pony in turn began to hear it, the room grew silent as the sound grew louder and increased in speed. Soaring followed Spitfire out the door, immediately taking to the skies.
Spitfire had been right. There was a large earthen ramp leading up to the walls of Canterlot, running nearly five miles to the valley floor below. But there was still no clear cause for the rhythmic pounding that now filled the air. Sudden fear creeped into the corners of his mind as he saw the air around the ramp begin to shimmer, the dispel. Rank after rank of changeling soldiers marched towards the walls of Canterlot, black armor shining in the sunlight. Each moved in perfect unison, creating a wave that rippled in tune with the sound in the air. Then, as they reached the start of the earth ramp, the entire army halted. Every sound instantly stopped, the air now filled in an eerie silence. He watched in shock as a lone armored unicorn strode out ahead of the army, standing almost arrogantly in the open space between the walls and the Changeling Army. Soarin turned to Spitfire, his voice barely above a whisper.
"He is here."