Fallen Sun

by shademaster24601

Tear Down the Wall

There's something very odd about baking. Take, for instance, a pie crust. One could have been baking for years, baked hundreds of pies over every variety, used only the freshest ingredients and the most reliable of tools, but, for some reason it just won't turn out. Maybe it won't hold together, maybe it turns out to thin, and you have no earthly clue what the cause is. Perhaps your measurements were the smallest fraction off, you didn't mix it right, or perhaps there's just something of with the air. It's hard work for a chaotic process and sometimes you just need to be a good cheer about it, but the work can be very therapeutic.

Pinkie Pie knew this very well, which is why she loved her day-job. To her, nothing said "today's going to be a good day" quite like filling out a successful order. Today was Strawberry Cream puffs. Mr. Cake occupied the twins upstairs, while Pinkie and Mrs. Cake worked their magic in the kitchen. Everything was going smoothly, the puffs were on the rack cooling while the strawberries for the filling chilled in the fridge. Pinkie assembled what she'd need to beat the cream and sugar for the filling, while Mrs. Cake set the chairs and got the knives set for when they'd cut the tops off the puffs. It was a simple, if not tedious process, but the mares enjoyed their girl-time.

Pinkie took a moment to smile at Mrs. Cake, then surprised her with a hug. It drew a giggle from the baker. "What's that for?"

Pinkie nuzzled her friend and mentor. "Have I told you lately how grateful I am?" She still held her, but pulled back to give a warm look. "For the place to live, for the job, and just...putting up with me in general."

Mrs Cake looked surprised for a moment, but then hugged Pinkie right back. "Oh, dear, it's no trouble. We love you. You make every day so wonderful, you're a tremendous help with the bakery and the twins." She held pinkie by the shoulders and looked into her eyes while fighting back tears. "Taking you in was the best decision we ever made. Heck, thinking about you and what you've meant to my life is part of the reason I was ready to be a mother." It was a mutual touch of the heart. Both mares hugged each other tight again, sharing happy tears.

They stood back up and Pinkie grabbed a paper-towel to dry her eyes. "I'm sorry for getting us so worked up in the middle of a job. I've just...been feeling a lot lately and needed to get that off my chest." A timer dinged, and they went back to the task at hoof.

Mrs. Cake retrieved the strawberries and started cutting the tops off the puffs. "Believe me, I know how you feel. I felt the same way when I first moved into Ponyville and set up shop. It got easier when I met Carrot, but it's hard being out on your own and the big feelings just start welling up." She gave Pinkie a loving look. "Just let me know if you ever need some mom-time to help you let it out."

Pinkie gave her a knowing smile. "I will. Thank you." She started mixing the cream and sugar, swaying in rhythm as she stirred.

Mrs. Cake focused on cutting the puffs, but couldn't help but be curious. "So what's on your mind, dear? What's got you all anxious?"

Pinkie didn't miss a beat, literally. Her eyes shut, she just let the motion sooth her. "Well...I've been thinking about a boy actually. You remember that stallion I brought in a while back? I ordered him a demo-cart?"

The baker surpassed a laugh. "I remember he was a really good tipper. We paid for the family portrait and got that wall repaired with the money he left."

The pink pony giggled. "Yeah, he is pretty generous with the bits." Her smile fell as she went on. "Anyway, he's been on my mind a lot lately. It's weird. I've only seen him a couple of times, and its not like those times have been exactly pleasant, but in that first meeting...well I might as well call it a date, he opened up to me in a way that he hadn't been able to in a long time." The cream was getting stiff. She brought the bowl over and helped cut the rest of the puffs. "Like, I'm an open book. I meet some pony new I can gab on and on and on and on about every little thing because I trust ponies. With him though, right away, I could tell he wasn't ready to trust ANYPONY, like he was just waiting for an ambush or something. At least, not until I got him to smile."

Mrs Cake smiled. "You do have that way with ponies."

Pinkie's smile, which seemed an everlasting beacon to brighten anypony's day, began to fade. "It's just...a lot. I mean, I think of what might have happened if it had been anypony else. Maybe he wouldn't have let his guard down and he'd have gone agro on all of Equestria right from the start. Then he wouldn't have been there to help Twilight with the vines and we'd be double doomed!"

The baker patted her charge on the shoulder while Pinkie caught her breath. "Who is this stallion, exactly?" Pinkie took one more deep breath and told Mrs. Cake the whole story. That Uriah was Celestia's son was a big enough bombshell on it's own, but add in the story of his banishment, return, and it proved to be enough to make her put the knife down. "Oh my."

"I know." Pinkie let her head fall to the counter. "I don't know what to do, Mrs. Cake. I know he's a good pony. I really really do, but he's just so set on the whole "revenge" thing..."

Mrs. Cake gave an understanding nod. "And now you feel that every moment you aren't with him, it's another moment he slips into those bad thoughts?" Pinkie gave a small nod in reply. Mrs. Cake went over to hold the befuddled pink pony. "Oh, sweetie, it'll be okay. You must like this boy an awful lot to put so much on your shoulders, but you need to understand." She gently lifted Pinkie's chin so they made eye contact. "You are not responsible for his happiness. If he really wants to get better and if he cares about you the same way you care about him, then he needs to meet you half-way."

There was a strange hum that interrupted their moment. They looked up to see a swirling black dot, which grew and developed a red aura. There was a sort of popping sound and a scroll fell right out of the spot and stuck in Pinkie's mane. The spot vanished as mysteriously as it appeared as Pinkie pulled the scroll from her curly pink locks. She examined it, dirty papyrus on a black, metal, roll, but what made her eyes widen with a twinkle of hope was the wax seal. A little black sun, outlined in red. "It's from him!"

Mrs. Cake tilted her head at the synchronicity of it. "Wow. Called out and answered." A warm smile settled in as she watched Pinkie excitedly open it. "Well, what does it say?"

Pinkie felt a small tear of relief roll down her cheek as she fidgeted in her chair to get the best light. "It says..."

My Dearest, Pinkie,

It has been quite some time since last I wrote a letter to any pony, so do forgive my penmanship. I wanted to come visit you in person, but plans have been progressing at a quicker pace than I had anticipated. That being said, I do want to assure you that I will be paying you a visit sooner or later. I've been craving more of those miraculous deserts and I have such stories to share with you now. I find myself in the midst of another wonderful adventure, like the ones I used to have. Five hundred years later and I still got it! I've built myself a nice little home and I've made so many wonderful friends. I hope I get to introduce you one day, they love to laugh too. We'll be going on an important outing tomorrow. More accurately, I'll probably be sending this tomorrow because I'm too tired to concentrate, so I'll probably be in the thick of it as you read. I've been obsessing over planning. We'll have some extra help which will make it easier than I originally accounted for, but it'll still be a tough nut to crack. I relish the challenge though. There's a certain thrill in outsmarting an opponent that makes overpowering them so much more satisfying. Plus I get to try out my super cool and scary new battle armor. I decided to write this letter as a means to relax myself and because, frankly, you've been on my mind a lot lately. Keep on smiling.

Forever yours,

Uriah

Pinkie held that letter like the most precious jewel. "He IS getting better! He DOES care about me!"

Mrs. Cake blushed. "He put the comma after dearest."

The pink pony kept beaming and tilted her head. "What's that mean?"

Mrs. Cake hushed a laugh and hugged her charge again. "I'll let you find out." She pulled back and checked the writing to be sure she heard correctly. "What was that part about "scary new battle armor?""

Pinkie just waved it off and hugged the scroll. "Oh, that's just his dramatic flair."

The baker thought she should question more, but she couldn't get over the dreamy look over Pinkie's face. "I just hope where he and his friends are going isn't too dangerous."

Pinkie safely tucked the scroll back in her mane and went back to making cream puffs. "Don't worry. Uriah's as strong as Applejack, brave as Rainbow Dash, and smart as Twilight. I'm sure wherever he's going is nothing he can't handle."

---

"Stalliongrad?!" Chrysalis stamped in the snow was her eyes bugged out of her head. "He wants us to lay siege to Stalliongrad?! Is he insane?!"

Trixie, looking quite snug in a purple fur coat and hat, just gave a deadpan stare in response. "Do you have to yell?"

The changeling queen paced back and forth in front of the blue unicorn and the lines of troops behind her. "We've only just integrated our armies, and he expects us to take down the most heavily fortified military city in Equestrian history? Have you ever seen this place?"

Trixie rolled her eyes. "No, the last time I tried to book a show here I couldn't pass the check list. Something about frivolity of a smoke and mirrors nonsense show interrupting the efficiency of the republic."

"Exactly," Chrysalis pointed at her for emphasis. "These ponies are crazy. They're obsessed with their security and military might. They'd probably have themselves recognized as their own nation if they weren't contracted to the E.U.P. The whole place is surrounded by an enormous iron wall and located in the eye of a perpetual blizzard! No pony gets in or out without being heavily screened by the state, up to the stone-cold Baron himself. To even attempt an infiltration is a fool's errand. It's a monolith that will not fall."

"Which is why it must." The voice was familiar, but much deeper than they were used too. They turned to see Uriah calmly breaking from the ranks of his goblin horde, dressed in his full armor. He was completely covered in a gothic suit of black-iron. The only part of his usual white that was visible were the undersides of his wings, the backs of which were also coated in black plates. They were segmented so he could still fly, but he clearly couldn't close them like that. The mask was the most eye catching part. Ornate and lined with runes, it formed to his face perfectly. There was an opening to see through, but his eyes were hidden, only shadow and two red orbs of light could be seen. "Tell me the truth. Is it too much?"

Trixie eyed him up and down. "Not bad, not bad. The cape in the back seems like you're overdoing it."

"Because of the wings?" He interrupted.

She nodded. "Because of the wings. I love that voice thing you're doing and the crown on top of the mask looks nice. It's like you've got three horns."

"And it's functional." He added with an excited lilt in his voice. "It's like an amplifier that helps build up magic energy. It's gonna cut the charge time on the bigger spells in half."

"Good for you!" Chrysalis cut in with sarcastic venom. "Would you care to explain what's going on?"

"I think I was very clear when left," He didn't raise his voice, but the expressionless mask and haunting glow of his eyes made Chrysalis back down. "We're going to topple Stalliongrad. Just like Appleloosa, we're going to pull down the monolith right from under itself." He eyed the blizzard on the horizon. "The frontier town was just a warning, something to spook them. This...this'll send a message."

Chrysalis stood back up, a more understanding look on her brow. "A show of strength then? If Stalliongrad can't hold up to you, what hope does Celestia have?"

"Precisely." He turned his attention to the amassed horde. "Goblins! Changelings! Tonight we wage war! The forces of Stalliongrad are not to be taken lightly. It was a monument to Equestrian military five hundred years ago and its only gotten stronger since. Once we engage, they will not back down unless you make them back down." In an odd moment that quieted Uriah's fire, one of the Brutes at the front raised his hand. "Yes, you have a question?"

The brute tapped his fingers, unsure of himself. "Hurt...ponies?" He shrank back, in anticipation of wrath for insolence.

Uriah was taken aback by the cringing and took off his helmet, revealing guilt-ridden eyes. "Oh, buddy, no no no." He flew over to the brute and started to tenderly caress his shoulder. "It's okay, big guy. I'm not mad, that was a good question. I'm very proud of you." The brute became teary and hugged his king like a child would hug a teddy-bear. "That's right, bring it in. Shh shh shh."

Chrysalis raised an eye brow and tilted her head at the sight. "What...what am I looking at?"

Uriah quickly turned his head to snap at her. "It's called compassion, you rancid harpy! If you tried it once in your sorry life you might have gotten somewhere." It was her turn to recoil as he went back to consoling the brute. "Ok, pal, I'm gonna go back to my speech now, okay?" The brute released him, nodded, then stepped back into line. "I know you're all probably concerned, no goblin wants to hurt anypony and I absolutely love that about you, but sometimes we need to get tough in order to do what's best for those we care about. No one's going to die and if you can take them without fighting, that's prime, but they fight you, you knock them out square." He put the helmet back on and resumed the scary voice. "Now, where's our contact?"

"Right here." A small voice came from further into the horde. A quick succession of pardon-mes and some shifting of positions brought a single changeling drone stumbling to the front. "Ready to report, oh Goblin King."

The armored alicorn gave a nod of approval. "Is the infiltration team ready?"

The changeling queen shook her head in disbelief and marched up to the two of them. "Now, wait just a blasted minuet, what are you doing giving commands to my changelings without informing me first?"

Uriah rolled his eyes. "Because you aren't involved with that part. You'll be joining me and the air team in destabilizing the blizzard."

Chrysalis puffed out her chest. "And you're just telling me this now? I'm not some hapless pawn to march to your drum."

Uriah matched her stance. "No, your someone I'm counting on as at least a somewhat capable fighter. All this questioning of my judgement is starting to grate. I've done quite a lot helping you and yours find a place in Goblin Town and plenty of love to keep you all at your peak."

"And as much as I hate saying it, I'm grateful," She hissed. "But if our alliance is going to work, you have to be willing to work with me instead of around me. All you said before we came out here was let's go conquer Stalliongrad and you were off."

Uriah didn't flinch. "I told you before, I'm a planner. I also work quick. Looping you in wouldn't have mattered, because by the time I announced where we were going..."

A sudden, sheepish look came over the queen's face. "It was already in motion. So the infiltration team isn't going in..."

"They're already there." Uriah walked past her to look at the dark shape of the blizzard. "It took me two hours to re-write the plan and sunrise the next day, while you were being escorted to your hive, I set to work with the original eight changelings you brought with you. A quick tunnel to Stalliongrad, a swift abduction of eight interchangeable guard ponies, setting the replacements in key locations with specific tasks to accomplish, and three days to work with."

Chrysalis actual gave him a smile. "Okay, I'll say it, I'm sorry." She sidled up to him. "So, how do we approach from here?"

Uriah let his wing rest over her shoulder. "As an unrelenting force. The Brutes will lead the march through the blizzard, taking the fight to the wall. You and I shall take to the storm ourselves. The blizzard vortex is powered by teams of pegasai, we take them, the storm goes with them, allowing the rest of the goblins to charge in full force."

There was a little bit of a throat clearing and the two monarchs looked down to an impatient Trixie. "Where exactly do I fit in to all this?"

Uriah tilted his head. "Aww, look at you and your hat. You look so fuzzy, I just want to hug you forever."

Trixie smiled and rolled her eyes. "Later. Come on, you got me all pumped up with the battle talk, how shall the Great and Powerful Trixie fell the walls of Stalliongrad?"

Uriah pointed at Trixie and turned to Chrysalis. "See, now that's a positive attitude." He gestured to the magician. "Ok, Trix, Chrysie, huddle up, here's how this'll go down.

---

Cold. It was constantly, bitterly, and shockingly cold. Day in and day out, the ponies of Stalliongrad faced an environment that seemed to come out of a dark, depressing, unforgiving fairy tale. It made them all the stronger for it. They bore the weight of their work through the harsh climate with such pride, they called themselves the Children of Windigos. Miners dug for the ore that crafted armor, weapons, and the Iron Wall itself, while farmers harvested turnips for rations. Heavy lifting and uniformity made surviving easy, leaving more time to focus on training and defense. It was a hard life, but it was theirs and it was very rare that anypony would want to leave it.

Sunrise Bouquet was one such exception. She sat calmly, filling out paper work at a small desk across from her husband, Permafrost. Every so often, her wings would itch, she'd look up at him, he'd look up at her, they'd smile, and then continue writing. The waiting room was grey and very quiet, leaving a lot of time for thought, which worried her. Sunrise sighed, wondering if she was making the right decision, but then her foal kicked in her belly, and a resolute nod urged he onward.

Permafrost dotted his last i and set the quill down. The grey coated unicorn crushed his short light blue hair and let out a sigh of relief. "That's the last form. All that's left is to wait for approval." He glanced over and saw the worry in his wife's eyes. "Don't worry. I'm sure the Baron will let us go. I've more than earned some good-faith for my service."

"I know." She brushed back one of her golden curls. " I just...I don't want to get it wrong you know?" Permafrost reached over and held her hoof.

A loud creek of the door cut their moment short. An older mare in a buttoned up shirt with a hard gaze stepped out. "Citizens Permafrost and Sunrise Bouquet, the Baron will see you now. Please have your papers ready." Sunrise hurried and signed the last two lines before handing her forms off to her husband's magic. As the two walked in, the old mare gave Sunrise a judging look. It was always considered taboo to be out of uniform, but, in her condition, her's didn't fit anymore.

Stallion grad was very particular about comings and goings. There was an extensive screening process to get in and out of the city, all in an effort to protect Stalliongrad from any outside threat and to prevent any vital information leaking out. Citizens needed to be prepared to bare their souls to the state in order to get in and out, and every last page of the detailed paperwork needed to be approved by the Baron Frostbite himself. If, for whatever reason, his discretion deemed your buisness outside of the best interest of Stalliongrad, you were stuck. Businesses closed, family members perished alone, all on the Baron's call. This knowledge weighed heavy on Sunrise's heart.

The hall was long, dark, and the Stalliongrad anthem could be heard playing faintly, but growing louder as they approached their destination. Permafrost stood at attention when he reached the door and Sunrise did the same when he opened the door for her. There wasn't a lot of lavishness one would expect from nobility, but still there were impressive displays. There was a fire-place with a shelf adorned with various medals and pictures of the Baron with ally dignitaries. A large painting of the previous Baron, or the current Baron, no pony was ever quite sure because of the near identical family resemblance, hung on the opposite wall. The antique record-player, which played the anthem, rested comfortably on a table by the large window, overlooking the frozen expanse between the iron wall and the blizzard. In front of that, sitting at his large desk, stamping forms, was the Baron Frostbite himself.

He was a gruff, pale blue unicorn with a snow white mane. He wore a decorated black uniform with a red trim. He kept his cold grey eyes on his paper work. "Entrance denied." A hard stamp punctuated. He swapped to the next form and scanned it. "Exit...approved." He glanced up at the two ponies. "Please don't stand in doorway." The two quickly shut the door and shuffled to the front of his desk, still at attention. The Baron allowed himself a quick chuckle at their nervousness. "So, you two are the family wanting to be leaving Stalliongrad?"

"Three," Sunrise quickly corrected, but silenced herself immediately.

Baron Frostbite eyed her, only then noticing her stomach. "Dah, congratulations. How far?"

She kept herself composed. "About five months. It's part of why we want to leave."

"And where will you be leaving to?" He set his hooves together and used them to rest his chin.

Sunrise felt his cold eyes on her. "My parents in Ponyville will be putting us up at their place. They have a job lined up for Permafrost at the local apple farm."

"I will be asking Permafrost what he will be doing." Came the flat reply. The two quickly went pale, but to their surprise, the Baron started to laugh. "Hehehe, so serious you two." He got up from his chair. "Come, come, comrades, there's is no need to be concerned. I've been reading good things about the two of you." He walked them over to the window. "What troubles you?"

The pair exchanged looks and Permafrost answered. "Baron, please understand, we love Stalliongrad. We met in this city, fell in love in this city,"

"But you may not be wanting to raise foal in this city?" He gazed out at the ice and snow with a knowing look. "It is not so forgiving a region. Build plenty of snow ponies perhaps, but not much else. Not many other children to play with."

"It's safe." Sunrise piped up, her eyes shut as she held back tears. "Its safe here and I want that for my family. I lived between Ponyville and Canterlot growing up and it is nice, but I just can't take the danger! It seems like every other week something else is going wrong. Changelings, monsters, animal stampedes, parasprite swarms, and Discord literally moved in! I want my baby to have the chance to grow up in the sunshine, make friends their age, let them see how magical life can be, but if it gets too much, if I feel like they're in danger..."

To the shock of both her and her husband, the Baron placed a reassuring hoof on her shoulder. "Stalliongrad will be waiting for you." He led them back to the desk. "You two are perfect citizens. A perfect example to show those elites in Celestia's territory what real leadership can do. Exit approved!"

Sunrise was grateful, but still wore a shoe of doubt. "But if we do decide to come back, my child will have been born outside the walls. I know it's harder for non-citizens to get back in..."

The baron waved it off. "HeT, HeT, HeT, do not be worrying. As far as I am being concerned, you are citizens of Stalliongrad, your foal is citizen of Stalliongrad. We'll send third re-entry form. Just send copy of their birth-certificate when you apply, dah?"

The two were overjoyed, they shared an embrace and thanked the Baron profusely. As the pair gathered their paperwork, Permafrost took a moment to examine the painting, but found his eyes wandering to a small window just off to the side. He approached, curiously wondering about a feint yellow glow. When he reached it, he looked out to see the top of the wall stretch around the city. Following the path, his eyes widened when he saw the source of the glow. "Baron, are you expecting any shipments coming through the storm?"

Frostbite was reading more paperwork. "Not for another week..." His brow furrowed and he looked over. "Why?"

Permafrost pointed. "The watch tower, some pony is lighting the beacon."

The Baron quickly got up and rushed over to confirm. He stamped the floor. "Comrade Permafrost, with me. Sunrise, wait here. If you hear anything, lock these doors."

The two unicorns hurried out of the office and out the building. They ran across the top of the massive wall toward the watchtower, giving off a pulsing light from a crystal on the top. The Baron led as they burst through the doors, finding one guard watching the mechanism. Permafrost looked around, knowing there were meant to be more soldiers posted. "What's going on, where are the others?"

The guard didn't answer. Frostbite marched over with an angry scowl. "Identify yourself, now! I did not authorize this beacon, now tell me what is going..." He used his magic to force the guard to turn. A flash of green fire revealed a changeling, that hissed at the Baron. "Zalupa konskaya!"

The changeling lunged past the Baron, only for Permafrost to tackle it. It squirmed free and lowered itself as the two unicorns surrounded it. It launched straight up and crawled across the ceiling as Permafrost blasted at it with bolts of magic. Frostbite, with his own brand of magic, gathered a cloud of frozen air, that whipped around and at the Changeling, freezing anything it touched. The changeling dodged the best it could, but soon came crashing down through a wooden desk. Permafrost pinned it as the Baron held the cloud close to its face, a wisp of cold freezing its horn for good measure. "Tell us what you're doing here! Where are the other guards?!"

The Changeling hissed at them. "Re-routed. Every observation detail was altered and changed to the opposite end of the city. It's too late." There was a crack of thunder in the distance. The two unicorns followed the sound to the observation deck beneath the beacon. Off in the distance, inside the blizzard, flashes of red and green appeared. As the lights and sound progressed, the winds began to slow. What followed next, shook them. Shapes in the wind marching toward the city. Pairs of red eyes that lined up for a mile. The brutes marched two by two, separating and spreading out as they breached the storm wall. One reached down and pulled a chunk of stone out of the ground with both hands, then threw boulder at the wall. The crash of the projectile rang out like a gong and was soon followed by more. The changeling smiled. "They're here."

Permafrost wiped his cloud over the changeling and froze it in a block of ice. "Sound the alarm! Get every soldier at this side now! Stallion grad is under attack!"

---

Chrysalis was actually starting to sweat through the cold. The pegasai were hard to pin down, their uniforms blending into the color of the storm. It was a considerable effort to focus on aiming while also trying to warm herself with her magic. The last hing she needed was for her wings to freeze after landing a shot. She called out to Uriah. "This would be easier if we just let them drop!"

Uriah weaved about the winds like a dark shadow. An ominous shape would loom along the cloud wall and he'd pounce on a pegasus. Either a swift kick or a concussive blast and down they'd go, only to vanish in a red light mid-fall. Uriah called back over the roar of the wind. "This is the worst possible time to be back-talking me and, for the last time, no! Knock them out, then teleport them to the horde for capture. If you can't teleport them, do it manually, but they ALL LIVE. He bellowed that last part with authority and anger. Changelings buzzed around him in the ensuing dogfight. "Once the storm breaks, we touch down and join the ground troops!"

Chrysalis flew up alongside him. "Why toy with them, why not just swoop in from the top?"

Uriah shook his head. "Too enclosed. We start a fight inside those walls, casualties on both ends will be through the roof and I'm not having that. We just hammer away out here, draw their fighters out into the open. When Trixie gives the signal, then we can rush in for the finish."

The changeling queen tilted her head. "Are you sure your magician friend can handle it? Her tricks are flashy, but she'll need something more of substance if she runs into Stalliongrad fighters."

He looked up to the left and winged two pegasai in one split shot. "That's why we need to make as much noise out here as we can, keep them looking outside instead of in." Another blast above them. He caught the falling mare on his back. "I think that does it, the blizzard's going to drop."

Just as he predicted, the thick cloud wall began to dissipate. With one last roar and crack of thunder, the blizzard of Stalliongrad returned to thin air. In a synchronized display, Uriah and Chrysalis flew in a pattern that beckoned the rest of the squadron to follow. The flew over the battlefield as the rest of the horde charged past the now cleared barrier. The grunts were the fastest, some running toward the wall on their own, some in teams carrying massive ladders to scale the wall with. Uriah touched down and ran alongside two of the grunts. One of them pointed a black iron club to the top of the wall. "Incoming!"

A series of ropes shot out along the ledge, all in a row, reaching down to the base. Unicorn troops in dark grey uniform coats slide down and immediately charged by the dozen. Bolts of magic rained down on the horde from rated units still on the wall. Uriah and the grunts either dodged or blocked with whatever black iron they could react with. The goblin king smiled beneath his helmet. "Here I thought this would be too easy. Charge!" His call rang out and the pace of his army doubled in response. Like two runaway trains, the Stalliongrad elite and the Goblin Horde collided in cataclysmic fashion. The goblins had the advantage in size, strength, and utility. They were cunning fighters, using a combination of smoke-bombs and bolas to strategically force the pony soldiers into clusters for easy capture with black iron nets. The Stalliongrad army, however, were powerful magic users. They blinked around the battle field, being extremely difficult to pin down. In a swift motion, one was able to distract three goblins with an afterimage, blind them with clumps of snow pulled from the ground, and then knock them out with a concussive burst. All the while they brawled, more boulders exploded against the iron wall, creating a disorienting ring from all involved.

Baron Frostbite watched from within a cluster of ranged troops. He had never seen such an imposing threat as the goblins, but at the same time, he could tell they were holding back. They fought like animals, but with a hesitation as if they didn't want to break anypony. "What are you?" A hard clang interrupted his thought as a ladder touched down on the ledge in front of him. A team of grunts started climbing up, eyes aglow and grinning wickedly. The baron just raised an eyebrow as his soldiers rain bolts of magic down on them. The grunts hunkered down and shielded themselves with plates of black iron as they pushed upward. Frostbite huffed, and conjured an ice cloud. It swept down the ladder, freezing it, and the grunts began to slip down it. With a silent determination, Frostbite jumped and slid down the ladder after them. When he touched down, he expanded the cloud and waved it over the surrounding goblins, trapping them in ice. "Pathetic." The grizzled unicorn scanned the battlefield. There was an incredibly warm feeling in his chest, seeing his valiant troops do everything they could to protect their home. His half-smile, however, quickly turned into a vicious scowl at the sight of a stallion in the center of the battlefield, knocking around guards like they were rag dolls. The Baron charged with a ferocious war-cry.

Uriah found himself in what he called "the eye." To protect himself from the anxiety of being surrounded, his training included a form of combat-meditation. His breathing slowed, the din of war faded to silence, and the world around him vanished into darkness. His hooked staff danced around him, knocking away angry unicorns as quickly as they came. The black iron crook proved to be as ingenious tool as he could have hoped. Two grabs with the crook drained magic from the target, then a swift blow from the back-side caused a feed-back issue that paralyzed them on the spot. Guards were coming at him and dropping left and right. He broke his zen for a moment to admire his progress. "Wow, this is surprisingly easy. I know alicorns are supposed to be transcendent by nature, but I hoped there would at least be something interesting..." His thought was cut short when a pale blue beam knocked his staff from his grip and froze it to the ground. "Yep, there it is!" He turned just in time to be bucked square in the torso. He slid back a few inches, but remained unfazed. "I take it you're the leader?"

Frostbite eyed his enemy up and down. "An alicorn? Why do you attack your own?"

Uriah cracked his neck. "Be honest. If I had just strolled up and asked you to surrender and abandon your city, would you?"

"No." It was a short growl of a reply. Frostbite stamped the ground and prepared to charge.

Uriah allowed himself a wicked chuckle as he mirrored his opponent. "I didn't think so." The two ran at each other with full force and locked horns. Uriah had an immediate physical advantage, but Frostbite made up for it in craftiness. He slid under the armored alicorn and swept his legs out from under him. Then he used his magic to summon enormous ice spikes that Uriah had to roll to avoid. Uriah countered with several bolts of red magic, one of which bounced across the spikes. When Frostbite dodged the others, it ricocheted and hit him in the side of the head. His ears rung and his vision blurred. The dark shape for the alicorn approached slowly, but seemed to split into several others. When the barons vision cleared, there were now four of the same enemy standing before him. "You forgot I brought changelings to this fight, didn't you?"

The old unicorn used his magic to throw a cone of freezing winds at them and they scattered. They ran circles at him in an attempt to disorient him. He fired wildly, but any time he focused on one, another ran at him to strike him. They knocked him around a bit before he started to catch on. Three of them were dodging his bolts, but only one was blocking with his black iron armor. Frostbite summoned whatever strength he could and expelled a blast of ice magic. It hit fast and, when the mist cleared, three of them were frozen, while one protected himself with a red magic barrier. "Running out of tricks?"

"And you're running out of breath." Uriah taunted with a menacing glow in his eyes. "I commend your power and bravery, not many unicorns can masterfully wield the elements as you, but your age is starting to show. As for tricks..."

---

They were prepared for the alarm bell to ring. They drilled this scenario over and over, but there was some strange feeling now that it was actually happening. The soldiers of Stalliongrad readied themselves at their posts, waiting for orders. One of their own name through, shouting those orders, as they made their way to the barracks at the center of the city. He burst into the room, out of breath. "Every pony out, now!"

The soldiers all stood at attention, looks of confusion shooting between them and the one closest to the door spoke out. "What's happening? Why hasn't the baron broadcast his orders?"

"The intercom's been cut! No pony can get any communication right now, but I've seen the front lines! You here that?" He addressed a persistent gonging that accompanied the alarm. "They're trying to breach the wall on the east side. Baron wants every capable fighter out there now to push them back!" They all nodded and fell line line as they rushed out the door past him. "Go! Go! Go!" when all but two had left, he turned to them with a grin. "What a bunch of goons."

The two remaining guards snickered and dropped the illusion. The ordering guard adidas well, as his fellow changelings greeted him. "This has been the best infiltration we've ever done."

Her counterpart nodded. "Are the others coming?"

Their leader shook his head. "Just us three. We had a fourth at the eastern lookout, but the baron froze him solid after he sent the signal to King Uriah and Queen Chrysalis. We'll have to pick him up after we've capture the city. The other four are scattered in the army, doing what they can to herd them out of the city and sabotage them. Is they way cleared?"

"All clear," The trio started making their way through the abandoned building, heading down toward the basement. Hidden in the back room, behind several barrels of turnips they had to move, was the hole they used to enter. One made a high chirping call down the hole and a swarm of changelings started to make their way up from the depths. It was a frightening sight, a sea of black shells and fangs pouring into the basement, then flooding out the exits into Stalliongrad. A tuft of purple broke through, and panicking blue unicorn reached out, trying to catch her breath. The trio helped her out of the swarm onto a clear patch of floor. "Sorry about that. We probably should have warned you how tightly packed it can get when we move as a unit."

Trixie was sweating bullets, desperately pulling off her coat and hat. "You could have warned me how hot it was going to be! I'm wearing layered fur for pony's sake, I almost passed out!"

The leader shrugged. "It's a defense mechanism. Our wings flutter at high speeds that raise the heat inside the collective. They must have done it on reflex with an outsider in the middle of it."

Trixie glared. "The Great and Powerful Trixie is leading this little operation, so a little respect is appreciated. King Uriah would be extremely cross with the lot of you if anything happened to me because you all were being careless."

One of them brought a rag for her to towel off with. "So sorry, ma'am. How should we proceed?"

Trixie held herself up as best she could. "Right. It's very simple. Providing you've done your part and cleared the fighters out of the city, our job now is to round up any and all civilians. We do it quickly and we do it safely. Uriah was very specific that now one be harmed."

The trio nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

Trixie smiled. Her new authority was starting to grow on her. "Great. You guys handle that and, once you've finished I'll send Uriah the all-clear signal and Stalliongrad will officially be conquered. Yay, team!"

A cheer erupted from the swarm. "Yay, team!" A chorus of laughter and buzzing filled the air as they set to their work. Out of the barracks, into the streets, and into the homes, the dark swarm flooded every inch of Stalliongrad. There were shrieks, a few bolts of magic fired in defense, but it was hopeless. In bags or bound in black iron chains, the ponies of Stalliongrad involuntarily crowd surfed all the way back down the entry hole. Trixie did her best to smile at a job well done, but the whole thing seemed to play out like a horror movie. She felt particularly bad for the the young ones, terrified and separated from their parents, but she swallowed her guilt, assured that Uriah would do everything to fix things once they were safe in Goblin Town.

When the last pony had been secured, Trixie had two changelings carry her up to a nearby roof. "Take a seat, boys. It's time for the showstopper." She gave a confident flip of her mane and aimed for the sky. Her magic sparked and crackled, then shot off like a rocket. The ensuing light show was a true sight to behold. Bursts of light and color decorated the once dim and cloudy sky.

---

Uriah had pinned Frostbite to the ground, slapping a black iron band around the unicorn's horn. The baron still struggled to fight against the king, but the armored hoof on his chest proved too much for his tired muscles to budge. "You put up a good fight, but it's over. Look around you." Uriah picked up the old unicorn in his magic and slowly spun him around to show him the battlefield. Try as he might to stay strong, the color left the Baron's face as he saw the Stalliongrad army slowly but surely succumbing to the invading force. The goblins, in their growing numbers and great strength, either restrained their enemies with numerous nets and chains, or simply knocked them unconscious. One brute, in a show of strength, knocked out three unicorns with a back-swing of his fist when they tried to flank him. Uriah straightened Frostbite out so they met eye to eye. "Surrender now. You've done enough to be more than proud of."

Frostbite spat on his iron mask. "Proud? Always. Surrender? Never. We are Stalliongrad! We will not break!"

With a forceful swing, Uriah faced him toward the city. "Watch closely." On cue, the light show began. Big, loud, and way more extravagant than it needed to be. Just like Trixie. "See that? Very pretty and it means you are now fighting for a ghost town." There was silence and Frostbite went limp. "Now, how about we all calm down, have a nice cup of hot cider, and talk about things like gentlecolts?" In that moment, Uriah let his guard down.

Frostbite spun around in blind fury and bucked the armored alicorn in the chin, sending him rolling. With a savage cry, the baron charged and started unleashing on Uriah as he tried to stand. Punches, kicks, shoulder checks, the Goblin King took every blow. A crowd of goblins circled around them, but they didn't move to stop the old unicorn. They knew. When the hits started to slow, and the grizzled unicorn hung over in exhaustion and pointless fury. "As long as those walls stand...I will stand."

Uriah didn't say a word. He simply looked beyond the old stallion at the looming shape of the iron wall. There was a silence and a gust of wind blew his mane. A small hum began to sound, and grew louder as Uriah's horn began to glow. His magic sparked between his horn and the two pseudo-horns of his crown. The sound built up to an ear-piercing level, and suddenly stopped. In a crack of doom that rang out across the horizon, a massive bolt shot out and crashed against the wall. Three segments of the colossal wall were blown back from the explosion of dark red-smoke. A horrible metallic moan echoed as they fell upon the city, crushing several of the abandoned buildings. A the dust rose, the Baron collapsed, the last of his hope fading. Uriah grabbed the destroyed unicorn's tail in his magic, then dragged him along as he and his army started to leave the battlefield. "Well, that settles that then."

---

Pinkie unconsciously kicked her back legs as she wrote. Every so often she would stop, puzzle over what to write next and roll her pen in her mouth, then went right back to it. She'd been thinking about Uriah's letter all day and couldn't wait to reply to it. She lied down on her bed, an old cook book in front of her to rest the parchment on, and gummy curled up on her back. She couldn't get more cozy if she tried. After a few last little editions, she held up her work to check it over.

Dear Uriah,

I'm so happy you decided to write me! I've been thinking about you ever since you disappeared after helping save Ponyville from the vines. Everypony's doing great by the way. Twilight's still a little sore, but she seems to be back to her old self again. Applejack's been down in the dumps though. Apparently her cousin Braeburn and all of Appaloosa just up and disappeared. I tried cheering her up with her favorite cake, but she didn't seem like she was in the mood for company. She didn't even want to have an iron pony competition with Rainbow Dash and she loves those! Still it was a pretty great day. I got to make cream puffs for a big birthday party. There were games, a clown, and cotton candy. I think you would have had a great time. Maybe, when you come visit again, I can take you to an amusement park. Did they have roller coasters five hundred years ago? I have GOT to get you on a roller coaster. Until then, I hope you're safe, happy, and having lots of super awesome fun with all your new friends.

Your best best friend in the whole wide world,

Pinkie Pie

P.S.

Yes, there will be cupcakes.

Pinkie gently rolled up the parchment and sealed it with a sticker featuring her cutiemark. She hugged it to her chest, but then her eyes shot open with a sudden realization. "How am I gonna send it?"

Author's Note:

I know it's patting myself on the back, but I'd just love to see fan-art of this one day. Sometimes I just sit back and think about some of the character dynamics I implemented and how it'd be hilarious to see some of them illustrated.

Like Uriah being serious, powerful, and grim in one instance like overloading the vines or the wyvern.

And then you have the more silly moments.
Uriah: *holds Trixie*
Trixie: *is held*

Comments

[yonalkaru]

even though there were a few spelling mistakes the chapter is really good, keep up the good work and also im shipping Pinkie and Uriah.

[shademaster24601]

10939664
Ah, nerp, I thought I got 'em all. Where'd I goof?

[yonalkaru]

10939734

Pinkie kicked her unconsciously kicked her back legs as she wrote. Every so often she would stop, puzzle over what to write next and roll her men in her mouth, then went right back to it. She'd been thinking about Uriah's letter all day and couldn't wait to reply to it. She lied down on her bed, an old cook book in front of her to rest the parchment on, and gummy curled up on her back. She couldn't get more cozy if she tried. After a few last little editions, she held up her work to check it over.

There are two misspellings in this section.

[shademaster24601]

10939764
fixed and thank you.

[OrpheusDefense]

Now all I can think about is Mark Hamill as Uriah's voice.

[shademaster24601]

10941051
I had to do a double take to make sure I didn't actually use the line anywhere. Are you telling me I actually put out Mark Hamill villain vibes. Oh my god, thank you!

Though, I will say, if you haven't seen the new Masters of the Universe series on Netflix, Hamill also played their Skeletor. THAT makes me think of Uriah.

One day I'll have a definitive voice in mind for him. Sometimes I'll lay awake at night, think of him doing a musical number with the goblins, and I can picture the late, great, Mr Vincent Price.

Edit: Crap I really did use the line, just in the prior chapter. Curse my hubris!