After the Counter Assault of Vanhoover the Celestial Royal Guard followed Sombra’s retreating forces to Galloping Gorge. Sombras men regrouped at the top of what is now known as Hill 576. The hill in itself is 576 feet tall, mostly barren except for various patches of trees. At the top Sombras men had been reinforcing the hill ever since they made their retreat. Trees were cut to make makeshift barricades and light trenches were created to hide troop movements. This was as close to a bunker as it would ever get.
At the bottom of the hill, just inside the tree line, Celestia’s guard sat in wait. Many hid behind trees or laid flat on the ground. Well, it wasn’t a calm morning. Sombra’s men had been bombarding the army with magic attacks and arrow barrages. This pinned down the Royal army from attacking further up the hill.
A massive magic attack hit just inside the tree line to Celestia's right flank. The massive explosion launched dirt, debris, and screaming ponies in all directions. Those where weren’t killed laid bleeding from burns and cuts to their bodies.
Celestia, who laid on the ground between Kris and Dusty, looked at the chaos on the right flank.
“We can’t stay here!” she looked forward, “We’re getting torn in half!”
Another large explosion went off just in front of them, causing them to put their faces into the dirt while rocks and debris lightly sprinkled their backs.
“Reminds me of D-Day!” Kris screamed while taking his face out of the dirt.
“We have to retreat!” Dusty suggested.
“We can’t let Sombra take back Vanhoover!” retaliated Celestia.
While the three continued to watch the battlefield, Dash came running up from behind before throwing herself to the ground and crawling up next to Dusty.
“Any news Lieutenant?” Celestia asked while looking at Dash.
“They have the hill fortified like a fortress!” she reported.
Shining Armor, Pinkie and Maud soon joined the team. Laying themselves out on the ground.
“We have to do something!” Shining screamed.
A massive explosion to the left flank forced everyone to bury their faces in the ground yet again.
“Dashie!” Pinkie screamed, her face still buried in the dirt, “Any ideas!?”
“If I had one we’d be doing it Pinks!” Dash replied out of frustration while lightly lifting her head.
Kris looked around at the scared army. Those he could see wore faces of terror. Many were praying to whatever god they had in Equestria while others watched the hill nervously. Terror filled the front line. No pony wanted to fight back... they wanted to run.
“Fuck it,” he mumbled. Kris stood up from his hiding spot and walked out of the tree line, all while he ignored the protests coming from Celestia and the team. He turned and faced the tree line while he started to pace back and forth. “COME ON YOU SPINELESS JELLYFISH!” he screamed at the top of his lungs.
“He’s insane!” Celestia yelled.
“ARE YOU JUST GOING TO SIT AND WALLOW IN THE MUD LIKE PIGS!? OR ARE YOU GOING JUST LAY DOWN AND LET SOMBRA WIN!?! I’LL TAKE THIS ROCK MYSELF IF I HAVE TO!!!”
Celestia’s troops started to look at each other nervously before looking back at Kris, who seemed totally unfazed by the destruction all around him.
“If this is insane,” replied Dusty, “Than I don’t ever want to be sane,” he said before standing up. He reached behind his back and pulled his bayonet from its sheath and attached it to the muzzle of his M1 with a light click. He walked up and stood next to Kris who had stopped pacing. “What can I say…” he looked at Kris, “I’m stuck with you.”
Back in the tree line Dash lowered her head and closed her eyes, “Dammit…” she mumbled before opening her eyes and looking up. Fallowing Dusty's lead she too stood up and joined the young sergeant. “I can’t let you go and get yourself nearly killed… again.”
Kris chuckled lightly before looking back at the front line with a serious face. He remembered a line when he was storming the Normandy Beach, “TWO TYPES OF MEN ARE STAYING ON THIS HILL! THE DEAD AND THOSE WHO ARE GOING TO DIE! NOW COME ON… AND GET MOVIIIIIIIIING!”
Dash joined in, “ARE YOU GOING TO LET SOMBRA JUST WALK ALL OVER US!?”
“COME ON YOU FUCKS!” Dusty screamed, “WE HAVE A WAR TO WIN!”
Back in the tree line both Pinkie and Maud looked at each and nodded in unison before looking at Shining who also nodded. All three of them stood up and promptly joined the three in the open field. Leaving Celestia behind with her jaw hanging firmly planted on the ground.
“We’re with your sergeant,” Pinkie said confidently.
“What do you suggest?” Shining asked.
“Lieutenant Dash, Captain Pinkie, I want you to take the left flank,” he ordered the two who nodded in response, “Dusty, Captain Maud, take the right,” he ordered while looking at the two. They also nodded before he looked at Shining, “Captain you’re with me! We’re going right up the middle.”
“Let’s do this! Come on Pinks!” Dash said confidently while taking off to the left flank.
“Let’s go!” Dusty said confidently before running off to the right flank with Maud in tow.
Both Shining and Kris turned around and looked up the hill, “TO THE LAST RIG, TO THE LAST BULLET, TO THE LAST MAN… WE FIGHT!!!” Kris screamed at the top of his lungs.
Shining leaned back and looked over his shoulder, “FOR THE PRINCESS… AND EQUESTRIA!!!” he screamed while pointing his spear forward.
Putting on their best battle cries everyone in the team screamed at the top of their lungs while they ran at full force up the embankment. At the front, leading the charge up the hill, Kris ran at full speed. The flashes of his past battles appeared every time he closed his eyes. Time slowed and reality faded for the young man, the only thing he could think of was himself and the hill he had to conquer! He didn’t even notice the massive army charging in behind him.
Sombras men fired arrow after arrow and magic attack after magic attack in an attempt to stop the advance. Many arrows connected with armor, glanced off shields, or buried themselves in heads, arms, and torsos. Magic attacks exploded all around launching ponies in all directions. They frantically tried everything they could!
But the Guard kept advancing.
The closer Kris advanced, the Dark Army could see the whites of his eyes. A pang of fear shot through the defenders. That stallion… that man… was determined. Time slowed for everyone once Kris made it within ten feet of the wall. Kris slowly raised his Thompson and shouldered and aimed at the soldier in front of him. The eyes of the dark soldier went wide behind his helmet while he looked down the barrel of the gun.
The soldier soon fell to the ground riddles with bullet holes.
Kris vaulted the makeshift wood barrier and stood in the open hole. He turned to his left and promptly emptied part of the clip into three unfortunate stallions that were still trying to process what was happening. No one around Kris knew what was happening in the surrounding chaos. Next, Kris let go with his left hand and sprayed from the hip to his right side while holding the gun with his right hand. Shining jumped in behind Kris and bashed an attacking soldier with his shield.
To their right Maud jumped over the barrier and promptly smashed both fists into the chests of two separate soldiers, collapsing both their rib cages, killing them rather painfully. While she stood up Dusty cold cocked a stallion across the jaw with the butt of his rifle. He then turned to his left and pushed his rifle forward over the top of Maud while she started to stand up. In unison Dusty shoved the bayonet in the stomach of the attacking stallion while Maud’s fist connected with the helmet of another behind him. She then went after another attacking soldier while Dusty pulled the trigger of his rifle. The back of the soldier’s abdomen exploded and the subsequent blast of the rifle forced the stallion off the bayonet.
On the left flank Pinkie forced open a hole while Dash charged in and clashed shields with another dark soldier. Using all her strength she pushed back, forcing the stallion to stumble back. Taking the opening she shoved her spear into the abdomen of the stumbling soldier, bringing him to an end. For the surrounded six soldiers it felt like an eternity.
In reality it was only a few seconds.
Close behind the massive sound of shields clashing filled the air. Just like Vanhoover swords clanged, shields bashed, and ponies screamed. Gunfire was the only thing that was louder than the angry screams and grunts of ponies.
During the fight Kris leaned back to back with Shining while he reloaded his weapon.
“You’ve sure proven your worth Sergeant!” Shining yelled over his shoulder.
Kris cocked the gun, “You too captain!” he yelled back.
Shining took a knee and hid behind his shield while Kris spun around and sprayed his Thompson over Shining's head, killing the line of four charging troopers. He turned around and pointed the gun at another charging swordspony. The attacker ultimately stopped at the sight of the gun. Kris pulled the trigger.
Click.
He turned the gun and looked at the action. It was jammed. Kris panicked and immediately he grabbed the charging handle and started to pull on it with all his strength. The pony in front of him smiled mischievously. While Kris fiddled with the gun the swordspony raised his sword and charged, while letting out a massive battle cry.
Continuing to struggled with the weapon, Kris pulled harder and harder on the handle while looking between the charging stallion and the gun. He truly believed he was about to die. Once the stallion was within ten feet Kris let out one last grunt as he pulled the handle back, fulling cocking the gun and chambering another round. He lifted gun to his shoulder and prepared to fire. Before the stallion dropped the sword on Kris' head, he watched the right side of the stallions head exploded in a flurry of blood, brains and metal shavings. The stallion landed on the ground with a thud, a massive bleeding bullet hole in the side of his head ended his his reign of terror.
The sound of a faint gunshot reached Kris’ ears.
He looked to his right and scanned everything he could lay his eyes on. Soon, he focused on a lone cloud. On it, he made out the silhouette of a kneeling body fiddling with a single weapon.
“I’m gonna kill him,” he said while nodding lightly, “I’m gonna kill him,” he said again while looking to the side.
***
400 yards away on a lone cloud a single sniper worked the bolt on his 1903 Springfield Sniper Rifle. He shouldered the gun and placed the cross-hairs on the head of another dark stallion and pulled the trigger. The stallions head sprayed blood as the 30-06 caliber bullet ripped through his helmeted head. After another work of the bolt he rested the cross hairs on the stallion that was about to attack Dash from behind and pulled the trigger. In his sights Dash spun around and looked at the corpse. After a second of utter confusion looked to the sky and gave a thumbs up to her guardian angel. He smiled lightly.
Two more shots rang out; two more bodies fell to the ground… never to move again.
He quickly grabbed five more rounds from his belt and loaded them into the gun before closing the bolt and shouldering the weapon yet again. While he scanned the battlefield for a new target his scoped passed a stallion in dark red and black armor that liked to point a little too much.
The gunman smirked, “Bastard,” he whispered to himself.
***
Down on the battlefield a lone commander barking orders fell dead. A phantom gunshot to the head ended everything. In that moment it was as though the entirety of Sombras men focused on their dead leader. Fear immediately took hold. Someone… no… something had killed the stallion.
And it was after them… after all of them.
They ran. As fast and as hard as they could. Celestia, the all-powerful ruler of Equestria and the goddess of the sun… had convinced the angle of death himself to watch over her and her army. The dark army once again dropped their shields and spears and ran down the back side of the hill and full speed back to the frozen north.
Sombra was not going to be pleased with the news.
As the Royal Guard watched the last of the army make its retreat they celebrated.
“YEAAAAAAAAAH!!!”
Both Kris and Dusty smiled widely and high-fived multiple troopers. Pinkie grabbed her sister in one hand and Dusty in the other and smiled happily while Dash grabbed Kris and hugged him. After a couple of seconds her eyes went wide and she let go of him and promtly turned to the right to try and hid her raging blush while rubbing her left arm.
“Ahem… nice job sergeant,” she complimented nervously.
Kris chuckled at her antics while Celestia walked up.
“Sergeant?” she asked. Both Kris and Dash looked at her, “Congratulations on the victory,” she said with a half-smile.
“Thank you princess.”
“BUT THAT WAS THE MOST RECKLESS AND IDIOTIC THING I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY ETERNAL LIFE!!!” she screamed in his face before clearing her throat lightly and taking on her previous normal demeanor. Kris winced slightly but keep his cool after being screamed at by other commanding officers. The entirety of the guard stopped their celebration watched in awe of the arguing princess and the young sergeant.
He cleared his throat before speaking, “THAN WHY IS MY MAN TAKING POT SHOTS WITHOUT MY PERMISSION!?!” he screamed in her face before clearing his throat again and calming down.
Before the argument could escalate any further a lone Pegasus landed nearby and ran up to the princess. Everyone looked at the young stallion clad in the famous blue Wonderbolt armor.
“Your… maj... asty!” he said between heaving breaths, “I… have… Important news!” he said urgently.
“Calm down private,” she suggested, “Deep breaths.”
The stallion took multiple deep breaths before having calmed down enough to speak, “We have a situation! It’s been confirmed that Sombra is making a massive push toward Manehattan!”
Celestia's eyes went wide, “What type of numbers are expecting?” she frantically asked.
“Legions!” replied the stallion, “More than five! That’s all we know!”
“Major Spear, First Lieutenant Shield, First Lieutenant Sword, front and CENTER!!!” Celestia screamed at the top of her lungs.
The sound of three different clangs of armor on the silent hill were the only sounds as the leaders ran through the standing army. After a few seconds all three of them stood at attention in front of Celestia. The three stallions were bruised and battered, their once clean armor was scratched and dented, but otherwise the stallions were unharmed.
“Yes your majesty!” they said all in unison.
“You boys think you can take it from here?” she politely asked.
“Of course your majesty,” Spear answered before looking to his friends with a confident half smirk.
“Thank you,” Celestia praised with a slight nod. She looked at her now gathered team, “Girls-“
“Ahem!” interrupted Kris.
“And boys… move out! We’re headed for Manehattan!”
Dash, Shining, and the Pie sisters started to walk behind Celestia as they headed to the bottom of Hill 576. Kris shouldered his gun while Dusty removed his bayonet before they started walking. Kris took a step, only to have a hand fall on his shoulder. He turned around and looked at Major Spear.
“How can I help you Major?” he asked.
Spear stuck his hand out, “We want to thank you sergeant… for everything.”
Kris took the Majors hand, “We’re just doing or job Major,” he said while shaking the unicorns hand.
“I don’t think running up a hill head long into the enemy was the way to go at it,” Spear joked while the two let go of each-others hands.
“I stormed a beach that was so heavily defended the waters ran red with blood. It’s my job to run head long into to the enemy,” Kris answered truthfully.
“Well… thank you anyway sergeant.”
“You’re welcome major.”
After many thank you’s and handshakes, Kris and Dusty finally made it to the bottom of Hill 576 and boarded the military train stationed nearby and headed straight for Canterlot before finally heading off to Manehattan. Everyone except Celestia promptly fell asleep in the nearest chair or couch.
They deserved it.
***
In the Crystal Empire the sound of Sombra's pacing filled the tense air while one of his generals and his lieutenant stood nearby, helmet-less. Both the stallion general and lieutenant mare were shaking in their metallic armor. Anyone could tell they were scared even if they did have a decent poker-face running. Now, most ponies were generally nervous around Sombra, but he was always –somewhat- cool headed. But right here, right now…
Sombra was furious.
He stopped his pacing and looked at his general with fire in his eyes.
The young crystal pony general stiffed up so hard that it would take a wrecking ball to brake him. He closed his eyes and attempted to control his quivering lip.
“Tell me general,” Sombra said darkly while walking closer to the stallion, “Why did an entire army… retreat like little fillies?”
The general gulped, “I-I do not know my liege,” the stallion replied nervously, “We had Vanhoover!”
“That does not explain why we lost it,” Sombra replied with eerie calmness.
“They came like shadows my lord,” the mare interjected, “we didn’t even know they were there until they were right on top of us!”
“And how did you not know general?” Sombra asked, “I thought that whorse and her pathetic army were under watch?”
“They were my liege! But… reports say that Celestia, along with a small team of guards and her top lieutenants went from home to home and slit the throats of sleeping soldiers!”
Sombra let out an annoyed huff. This was something he had never seen from that whorse! Not once did she ever execute a plan like this. She always led the charge herself and always went in head first. Much like her defense of Vanhoover, she should have lost thousands of ponies!
“My lord?” the mare asked, knocking Sombra out of his thoughts, “It would appear that we… have a situation.”
“...Go on.”
“Uh… many of the Vanhoover defenders… talked about these,” she rolled her hand in thought, “fur-less ponies. They wore no armor but a simple green helmet and carried these… magic weapons that roared like dragons and killed anypony that it was unfortunate enough to get in the way,” she paused, “It seems that Celestia somehow pulled these… things from somewhere.”
“Where?” Sombra asked.
“We do not know my lord,” the mare replied while placing her hand behind her back.
“Rah!” Sombra huffed angrily while turning around, his red cap floating in the air momentarily, “Anything else?” he asked over his shoulder.
“Uhm… there is the… Angel of Death my lord.” He turned around and faced the mare with a look of confusion, “During the strong hold Commander Stonewall was killed by an unknown force. No pony saw anyone near him. He just well… fell dead… from nothing.”
Sombra looked between the two while he crossed his arms. His eyes narrow slightly while the rest of his face was stern. To the two leaders, the next few second felt like an eternity. The dark king’s eyes landed on the young stallion.
“You have failed me for the last time general,” Sombra said ominously.
“I’m sorry my-”
Crack!
“EEP!” the mare screamed while curling up in a ball on one hoof.
Sombras horn stopped glowing while he looked down at the body of the dead stallion, his neck clearly broken. Somba slowly glanced up at the mare. She quickly regained her composer and snapped to attention.
“Do not fail me… General.”
“Of course not my lord, thank you my lord!”
Sombra placed his hands behind his back and held them together before turning around and walking back to his throne, “You leave for Manehattan tomorrow! Do not fail me," he said grimly.
“Of course not my lord!” replied the mare before running out of the throne room.