Chapter 13-Heart of Darkness
Spitfire squinted as the orange light of Celestia's sun began to creep over the horizon. While it provided a welcomed respite amongst the pegasi in the task force at first, now it proved to be an annoyance. Navigation had been almost nonexistent throughout the night, cloud cover blotting out the stars and moon. They had been forced to rely on the batponies to try and pick out the few landmarks in the desert. More than once, the task force had gotten lost. But now the sun, with its stinging early light, gave Spitfire a new sense of direction.
With a flick of her tail, Spitfire gave a silent signal to the group, all banking left in unison. Once they faced just a few degrees southeast, she brought them back into a straight flight pattern. Despite the setbacks of the night, all seemed to be going well. Not a single changeling patrol had been spotted on either the ground or in the air. Heavy cloud cover throughout the night had broken up as well, providing the opportune weather for this operation. Everything was going well. Or at least she thought everything was, until the gruff voice of Rapidfire came from behind her.
"Oi boss, I think I'm seein' something."
"Very good Rapid," Fleetfoot responded with a hit of sarcasm. "That's called the ground."
"Nah, I'm definitely seein' something. I'd say about twenty-nah, twenty five contacts on hoof."
Spitfire took a glance downwards, scanning the dusty ground for what Rapidfire had seen. At last she saw them, near a small spring coming from a small cliff. The shadows his their forms well enough so they were undetectable from far away.
"What're we gonna do?" Rapidfire said in a lower voice. "Do we engage? We can't have 'em comprimisin' our situation."
"I don't think they've spotted us yet. If we can get to cloud cover-"Spitfire was cut off as a green burst of magic buckled her, the unexpected force sending her flying into Rapidfire. "Shit! Squadron, break and engage! Straight dives! Evasive maneuvers only when necessary! Pick your targets!"
The task force moved as one, plunging towards the changelings below. The bursts of magic increased as they grew closer, forcing the Equestrians to suck and roll. As they neared their targets, the incoming fire stopped completely, the changelings lying on the ground unmoving. Spitfire slowed to a stop, landing lightly on the sand.
"Hey boss, what's with this? We didn't even get near 'em."
"I don't know. Your guess is as good as mine."
As if that was a cue, nearly thirty ponies rose from the sand and cliff face. None of them wore the traditional golden armor of the Equestrian Guard, instead wearing slimmer, more fitting tan armor. Each had wrapped cloth around their faces, only adding to their mysterious presence. They carried shorter swords than the Equestrian guard, and many had a small crossbow-like contraption wrapped to the right hoof. Most strangely, there was a mix of earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns; not common since the formation of separate pegasi and unicorn branches within the Equestrian Guard.
Spitfire's group circled into a defensive formation, unsure what to make of the newcomers.
"Captain, what do we do?" Fleetfoot whispered nervously.
"Yeah boss, do we know this lot?" Rapidfire muttered.
Before she had a chance to respond, a relatively large-statured pegasus approached her. It unwrapped the cloth from its face, revealing a slightly amused gray stallion.
"Captain Spitfire, if I'm not mistaken," he said, with a distinct Shetland accent. "We heard you would be coming this way. Now-" The pony took a step towards Spitfire, and was immediately cut off by several spear points aimed at his chest.
"Hold it right there. I think that you'd best introduce yourself before you think of taking another step."
"Oh. My apologies. I am Captain Stormy Skies, or 'Storm' if you prefer. These lot," he said as he gestured with one hoof to the group around him, "are the First Royal Knight Commandos, or just the 'Knights'; because let's face it, that's so much easier to say. Now, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted, I happen to know exactly what your plan is. And we are here to assist you on your venture, under explicit orders from higher up. Any questions?"
"Several. What do you mean by higher up? What do you mean by 'Royal Knight Commandos' or whatever, because I've never heard of anything of the sort. And how could you know our plan when none of you were there to be briefed?"
"Classified, classified, and classified. Sorry, love." He said with almost amusement as his last sentence drew a glare from Spitfire.
"Classified my ass. Come here." Before he could say a word, Spitfire had pulled him near and held down one of his forelegs. She drew her sword and pressed firmly against it, cutting just deep enough to draw red blood. "Alright, he's clear. Give him a bandage and let's get going."
"Oi, you could have asked before you did that!" He shouted as she started to walk away, squadron in tow.
"Asshole," she muttered under her breath. Fleetfoot suppressed a laugh, looking back towards the bleeding captain.
"Damn captain, remind me never to piss you off!"
"Shut up Fleet." Despite her curt reply, Spitfire smiled slightly. It was nice to see her back to somewhat of her normal self, even though the mission still loomed before them. If all went well, they would be back behind the wall in a few days.
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The sky was painted a magnificent array of reds and oranges by the setting sun. The land seemed almost serene, if not for the faint forms of pegasi darting from cloud to cloud. Others ran along the sands, their speed significantly increased through magic. Ahead, the silhouette of their target began to rise on the horizon. Within minutes, Spitfire could pick out potential hazards to their operation.
A tower stood high above the walls at each corner of the castle, serving undoubtedly as both an early war if system and anti-air defenses. Long walls covered three sides. These were dwarfed by a massive citadel on the right. It rose above the walls nearly five stories high, a mass of stone and iron. Along its battlements stood giant ballistae, poised to launch a barrage of bolts at any attackers.
"This is it!" Spitfire shouted, raising her right hoof above her head and tapping her helmet. Squadron commanders from the Wonderbolts, Knights, and Nightguard all flew over to her position. She motioned for the rest of the strike force to halt, before diving to rendezvous with the ground forces.
Once all of the forces on the ground and air had concealed themselves behind dunes or clouds, Spitfire met with her commanders.
"Alright, here's the plan. Stormy Skies, you will take a small ground force and infiltrate through the first floor of the citadel. You said your team was good at stealth work. Don't let me down. Second squadron will cover the towers on the right, and third squadron gets the left. Use your Nightguard to take out the sentries-this is a night operation, so they will be best for the stealth attacks.
If they become alerted to our presence, do not hesitate to take initiative. Take out their mages first. Keep the skies clear so we can have a clean extraction. Got it?"
"Organization is as follows: Storm, your pegasi will be with me, along with the First Nightguard team. If anything does go wrong, I might need them for air cover. Fleetfoot, you'll attach to second squadron and take command there. Rapidfire, attach to third squadron and inform Wave Chill you will be in command of said squadron for this operation."
"Get to your positions. We move at midnight."
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The outline of the castle was barely visible against the cloudy night sky. Luna's moon lay hidden by the low-lying clouds, restricting eyesight drastically. Spitfire looked through the cloud at the castle below. She could just barely pick out the distant forms of the Knights moving across the sands. With any luck, the initial force would be able to infiltrate the castle without any detection. That left her, along with the other Wonderbolts and their accompanying Nightguard, the task of outer security.
A flutter of wings to her left drew her attention. As if on cue, several Nightguard silently plunged towards the castle, before impaling patrolling changeling guards on their spears seconds later. Spitfire let out a slight sigh of relief as the Knights reached the wall of the keep unseen. She caught the soft yellow glow of magic on the wall, then watched as the team moved through the wall one by one. It was all up to them now.
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Stormy Skies could feel the Captain's gaze as he led the assault team to the castle. So far the walls had been clear of any activity. He glanced towards the ramparts, staying low to the desert sands. After several agonizing minutes, he was enveloped by the shadow of the citadel, the rest of the team following suit shortly after.
"Alright lads, let's get to work," he whispered. A yellow unicorn to his right nodded, before his horn illuminated lightly. The wall glowed, and Storm took a step at it, walking through the stone into the castle.
He was immediately greeted by the shocked stares of four changelings, cards floating in front of them. As the rest of the team stepped through behind him, the door across the room sealed shut. "Hello boys," Storm said as he cracked a small grin.
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Rainbow Dash grabbed the nail once more in her mouth, silently pulling on it. She had almost completely worked it out of its loose hold in the wall. She gave another tug, pushing off against the wall with her legs, weakly flapping her wings to stay aloft. The nail wiggled slightly, sending her at it once again with renewed vigor. She was almost there...
The sounds of the guard coming down the hall reached her ears. Pulling with all her might, Dash heard the sound of metal grating on stone, just before she crashed to the floor. The nail bounced at her hooves, stopping inches away. As the sound of hoof steps grew closer, she sprang into action, wrapping her torn bed sheets around her right hoof. Once it was wrapped right, she slipped the nail through the sheet, poking it out just above her hoof. Dash rushed over to the door as she heard the key slide into the lock. It swung open, revealing one of the more armored prison guards. Without a seconds hesitation, she lunged forward, ramming the rusty metal into the vision slit of the guard. It let out a shrill scream, then fell silent as Dash drove the nail further into its skull. She quickly unwrapped the cloth from her hoof and dropped it on the ground before running down the hall, leaving the body lying in the open door.
The halls seemed to wind like a maze. Every stone face looked the same, every torch lit room another dead end. The only time anything was different was when Rainbow Dash stumbled across a patrol. Minutes of terror accompanied each encounter as she hid before the guards noticed; occasionally just seconds before they were around the corner. At least none of them had discovered the fate of the hapless guard...
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Stormy Skies wiped the green ichor off his sword. Three of the four changelings were sprawled across the floor, precise blows cutting across the chinks in their armor. The fourth cowered in the far corner, looking nervously at its two guards.
"Well," Storm said, slowly walking over to the changeling, who shrunk even further into the corner. "You are a lucky one, aren't you?" He lowered himself down so he was eye to eye with his prisoner. "Now, I do believe you have some information that me and my boys could use. You can do this the easy way and tell me now, or I'll have to force it out. So, what's it going to be?"
The yellow unicorn peeked out of the door for what felt like the millionth time. He tried to ignore the muffled cries of agony coming from the locked closer door. Despite his spells, there was only so much he could do at this time.
But something still felt wrong. It's seemed like there was a disturbance in the air around him. It wasn't changelings. No, their presence was almost too easy to detect for a unicorn of his skill and experience. Something was up.
He felt the oddity growing stronger. It was almost as if it was coming from that back closet. There weren't screams coming anymore. Maybe Storm had killed off the changeling. Taking a step back, he noted a spike in the pressure around him, just a second before the room went white.
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With every step she grew weaker. It was almost as if something was weighing her down. Minutes fell like hours-almost to the point where she lost all sense of time. She was lost in the labyrinthine halls of Solar Flare's castle. Dash collapsed, unable to carry on any further. Hunger gnawed at her stomach, and weariness clouded her mind. She would die in here. Once a patrol found her, too weak to run, it would all be over.
But what about Soarin? She couldn't leave him all alone. She had to fight. She had to live. She had to see him again. Dash struggled to her hooves, standing on resolve alone. Just as she took a step, the wall in front of her exploded and everything went black.
Everything was a blur. White light trickled in from holes in a grey mass. She heard the beating of her heart. Her head pounded with pain. She felt a trickle of blood run down her face. As her eyesight returned, Dash saw the pile of rubble before her, light poking through small holes. Almost frantically, she began to dig. This was her way out. When all seemed lost, fate had made a way out.
The distant sound of hoof steps caught her ear. She hadn't thought about the explosion bringing guards. Just as she began to dig faster, another blast knocked her back to the ground. Disoriented, she heard the guards coming closer. Dash ran, limping down the halls fueled only by adrenaline. She ran into the first room she saw and slammed the door shut.
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A massive explosion broke the silence of the night. A large chunk of the lower wall tore open in a ball of fire as smoke clouded the sky.
"WHAT THE FUCK WAS THA-" Spitfire started to shout, just as she was cut off by another blast. Within seconds the sky became alive with green arcs of lightning and small blasts of magic as the Changelings fired randomly into the night sky.
"LET'S GO! MOVE IT!" She shouted as she waved her team to the edge of the cloud. Fleetfoot's unit was already off, and Rapidfire's was almost in the air. Spitfire flipped off the cloud, twisting once to orient herself. The rest of her troops were off, and like a wave of steel, the Wonderbolts and Nightguard descended from the night sky. As one, they plunged through the oncoming fire and into the madness below.
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Agonizing minutes went by as the sounds of the guards rushing to the crater faded away. She used the break to catch her breath and regroup herself mentally. If guards had went in there, there was no way she was going to be able to get out that way undetected. And in her state, she doubted flying was much of an option. However, other places might have been left unguarded-
Her thoughts we cut off by a sudden rattle. Someone from outside was trying to open the door. Panic raced through her mind as she looked for an escape. Finding none, she picked up the first thing she could find-a small metal can of what seemed to be paint. The door shook as whoever was outside tried to jar it open. Dash hid behind the shelves, hoping to hide long enough to be able to ambush the intruder. The door eventually gave way, the silhouette of her intruder smashing through and falling on the ground. She sprang into action, smashing the can alongside the head of her foe. The can left her hooves, and she leapt onto the now-stunned intruder, raising her hoof to strike. Just before her first strike landed, she stopped. The intruder was no changeling-it was a unicorn. She still held her position, ready to attack if need be.
"Who the hell are you?" Dash whispered, trying to hide the quivering in her voice.
"I'm with the Royal Knights. We're here to get you out."
"The who?" Dash closed the door with her hind leg, making sure to keep her target pinned under her.
"We're with the Wonderbolts. And we are here to bring you back. Now, if you'll excuse me," he started as he moved to get up. "Once he was on his feet and had readjusted his helmet, the unicorn unsheathed his sword.
"Hey, what in Celestia's name are you doing?" Rainbow Dash stepped back until she hit the wall.
"I'm sorry ma'am, its protocol. We need to make sure you're you."
"Stay the hell away from me!"
"Look," he said calmly while pricking his foreleg with the tip of his sword, “I’m not a changeling. See?" He extended his foreleg while casting a dim light with his magic. "It's just a small prick in the leg. Nothing more."
Rainbow Dash warily held out her leg, keeping tense in case this was a trick. She winced slightly as the tip of the sword poked through her skin, drawing a drop of blood.
"See? Wasn't so bad was it?" He stepped closer, pulling out a small bandage from his compact saddlebag and placing it on the cut. "Now that I know you're you, we can get moving. Let me check outside first. Wouldn't want to stumble into an Iron Guard, would we?" The room lit up a faint yellow as he cast a window spell on the wall beside the door. Everything seemed to be clear from what Dash could see. "Alright, let's move." The room went dark for a second, then lit up again as a portal opened up on the wall. The Knight stepped through slowly, then disappeared from her view. Dash uneasily stepped her hoof into the portal. At once, she felt a tingling in her hoof, and withdrew it. Taking a few deep breaths, she stepped through completely, reappearing on the other side of the wall.
There was a dull crack, and a sudden pain overwhelmed Rainbow Dash's senses. She fell to the ground, smashing face first against the cold stone. As her vision started to waver, she saw the dead eyes of the unicorn, surprise still in his face. Then all was black.
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Wingstream ran towards the sound of the blast, strapping on the last bit of his armor as he went down the torch lit halls. Years of training blocked out the hint of disbelief in his mind. From outside, he could hear the distinct zaps of changeling bolts and the thuds of magic bursts. He followed the flow of soldiers towards where he assumed the breach was. His assumptions were proven wrong as he stepped outside into the stone courtyard of the citadel. Above him, pegasi and changelings dueled for supremacy, the losers spiraling down to the ground below. Wingstream ducked as an Equestrian flew low, striking indiscriminately at the soldiers on the ground. Several arced into the air, green blood trailing behind them.
"To the skies!" He took off, leading some of the changelings into the fight.
A harsh shriek rose in the air, just before a line of spears punched through the mass of airborne changelings. A small group of Nightguard flew through the hole in the line, before breaking apart and engaging new foes one on one. Wingstream looked around at his forces, trying to make sense of the chaos. Several changelings were cut down by a Nightguard, just edited the same pony was hacked apart by a larger group. A pegasus appeared to flee, leading several of his soldiers away before they were struck from the rear by the Equestrian's comrades. Another pegasus, welding two swords, dove and repeatedly twisted just above head level, churning through those on the ground. The situation was collapsing fast. These soldiers were proving to be nothing more than meat. Growling, he abandoned his position of command, chasing after the nearest Equestrian, a mare covered in the bright green mood of her foes. He matched the arctic blue pegasus turn for turn, pumping his wings with all his might. Slowly he began to catch up. Right as he was almost in striking distance, his for suddenly turned to face him, dual swords at the ready.
"Shit." He immediately recognized her as the one he had seen earlier. Green blood splattered across her face and armor. But what was most intimidating about the mare was her burning glare locked with his, purple eyes staring into him.
He hesitated a moment too long, and she sprang into action, swinging at a high angle with both blades. Wingstream blocked the first just in time, the second bouncing off his helmet. She followed through with a stab using her left sword, keeping her right in a blocking posture. Wingstream flew to the right, bringing his empty hoof down on hers. Her hoof guard jarred off, the sword plunging to the ground with it. He was immediately put back on defense, several quick strikes nearly catching his neck. As he smacked another swing downward, the mare recovered with remarkable speed and brought it back up, catching Wingstream under his eye. He recoiled from the sudden strike, placing one armored hoof on the wound while keeping his sword out and ready.
The mare cracked a confident grin, flying higher before rapidly diving towards Wingstream. He kept watch on her position, planning his next move. Right as she thrust her sword towards him, Wingstream dodged right, bringing the flat of his blade against her muzzle. The Equestrian's flight pattern went from a solid charge to a tumble as she reeled from the force of the strike. He pursued her as she tried to recover from her dive; but she had charged too fast and too low. The mare slammed into the ground, her sword shattering on the stone.
Wingstream landed several feet away, taking his time as she tried to struggle to her hooves. He sauntered over as she shakily stood up, kicking her weaker stomach armor and knocking her on her back. He placed a hoof on her chest, then raised his sword for the final blow.
But he paused as their eyes locked. He saw the fear behind them, the pleading for mercy. Images flashed through his mind, memories of what had happened.
The fear in a guardpony's eyes as Wingstream led his army against their poorly-equipped fort.
Luna, promising him safety, a home, if he would just lay down his arms.
Rainbow Dash, pleading with him with the same expression as he struck the lever, sending her into agony.
He had hurt her. She had screamed in pain as he watched. Vivid memories of the flashing blue arcs, the smell of burnt hair mixing with the smoke and steam filled his mind. He had hurt her.
Wingstream stepped back, the Equestrian sliding away. He saw the confusion in her face, and still the fear. He locked eyes with her once more. He knew she could see the pain in his eyes, the guild of all he had done. "Run."
She pushed off the ground, taking to the air once more. Wingstream's legs wobbled, and he steadied himself on a fallen comrade. He looked at the courtyard, fallen changelings covering the stone surface. Beside them, fewer Nightguard and Equestrians lay dead. Luna was right. This was a waste. Solar Flare had brought nothing but destruction on both kingdoms.
Solar Flare. The name of his liege brought a bitter taste. He would lead both empires to ruin if allowed to continue. Wingstream looked at the moon, just peeking through a hole in the cloud cover. This had to end tonight. He sheathed his sword, and ran to the citadel. This ended tonight. But he still had one thing to do.
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Rainbow Dash struggled against her bonds as the slab rose into position once again. The only one before her was the malicious-looking changeling that had followed Solar Flare around as he interrogated her. Muffled sounds of explosions came from outside, shaking dust from the ceiling.
"Well, little Rainbow, looks like we're all alone. Solar Flare isn't here. Wingstream isn't here. Just you and me..." The changeling drifted off as he drug one hoof across several hooked implements. "Now, it's such a shame I have to get rid of that pretty face of yours. But we can't have your comrades coming and saving you, now can we?" He sprang towards her, stopping inches from her face. "Oh, you're scared. Why, because you won't get out to see your precious stallion?" He burst into a fit of mocking laughter, which only increased as Rainbow Dash tried to struggle against her bonds. As the laughter died down, an evil smile spread across his scarred face. "You know...we changelings feed on the love of others. But, it doesn't mean we can't have our own...sources." He brought his face closer to hers, enjoying the panic in her eyes and her fruitless struggling. "I'm sure you wouldn't mind, would you?" He placed a hoof on her cheek, slowly dragging it down her face and along her chest. He drew his face closer to hers, savoring her panic.
Rainbow Dash pulled her head away from him, then jerked forward, smashing her forehead into his face with a resounding crack. He recoiled, holding his broken nose with one hoof.
"You bitch! You think you're so clever? Well how clever are you now?" He bolted over and flipped the lever by the table, sending familiar arcs of pain across her body. Then his horn lit up, the blue bolts of electricity turning a green hue. Her body jerked violently as the amplified lightning shot through her. Blood trickled from the back of her head as she repeatedly slammed against the wood slab. Her throat contracted, leaving her unable to breathe. Smoke began to drift off her body as her vision began to go black. Everything faded into a blur as pure agony enveloped her mind.
Then it was over. She could feel every inch of her body screaming in pain, but there was no more of the intense agony. Rainbow Dash took in deep breaths, barely aware of her surroundings. She could taste the salty tang of her own blood in her mouth. Warmth ran down her back as her head continued to bleed. "Well, we've learned our lesson, haven't we?" Once again she heard the changeling's voice, but this time it seemed more distant, even though she felt his breath on her cheek. "Now, you're not going to put up any more fuss, are y-"
He was cut off by a sharp crunch, and Rainbow Dash was dimly aware of a spray of warm ichor on her face. She forced open an eye, to see the changeling inches away, the tip of a sword punched through his mouth. It slid back as the changeling's body dropped with a soft thud. Standing before her, tear stains running down his troubled face, stood Wingstream.
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Spitfire ducked and weaved the through the onslaught, those few pegasi Knights that had remained behind following in close pursuit. She caught a glimpse of the others running from their hidden locations towards the gaping wound in the citadel. With luck, they would be able to reach any survivors before the changelings got there.
'If there are any survivors,' she thought, barely dodging an arc of electricity.
The incoming fire lessened significantly as they drew closer to the breach. Out of the corner of her eye, Spitfire caught sight of Fleetfoot's group tearing through the changeling defenders. Glancing further back, she saw Silver Lining's team cut down the remainder of the right tower's garrison. Looking back at her target, she saw movement as changelings scurried over the rubble to form some sort of fighting position.
"Wedge formation! Push through their lines and secure a foothold! We need to find the prisoners!"
The rest of the pegasi formed up behind her without a word, couching their spears. They struck the disorganized changelings, embedding their spears in their foes before drawing swords and swiftly dispatching all those who remained. The pegasi covered the doorways until the ground troops reached Spitfire's location.
"Alright, split up into teams of four or five. I want a unicorn with each group, maintaining contact with each other by any means necessary. I want those unicorns not attached to an Earth pony team back along the sand dunes, covering our air support and taking out anyone who might come through here. Knights, your pegasi will keep here secure for extraction. I will be moving in with a ground team." She paused for a second, glancing at each of the soldiers around her. At last, her gaze settled on a stocky stallion who seemed to have an air of authority around him. "You. You're in charge here. If we are not out in fifteen minutes maximum, pull back the rest of the troops."
She turned back to the broken hallways stretched out before her. Motioning for the nearest ponies to follow her, she took a step into the castle.
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A heavy silence filled the air as Dash recovered. So many things were going through her mind at once. Why was he saving her? Was this a trap?! Would he just kill her?
She was so deep in thought that she didn't notice him unlocking her bonds. She fell to the floor once the last one came off, unable to hold herself up. Dash felt a gentle hoof grab around her and slowly pull her to her hooves. She stood weakly, staring at Wingstream uncertainly.
"Rainbow Dash, I know you have all the reason not to trust me. But I just want to say I'm sorry for what I did. I had no other choice. You probably hate me. But this is my chance to make things right." He bowed his head and prepared for retribution, but all he felt was her hoof on his shoulder.
"All...all is forgiven, Wing," she choked out through the lingering pain. "You're...You’re making things right."
"Thank you, Dash." He turned his head, picking up a noise she couldn't make out. "We need to go. Here, put this on." He said as he handed her a black hood. "With any luck, they'll think I'm moving to a secure area. Just stay with me, and we'll get out of this."
Dash slipped the coarse fabric over her head, going back into near darkness. She felt a rope go loosely around her neck, and then they were moving, Wingstream guiding her with light pulls on the rope. At last he stopped, faint rays of moonlight peeking through the hood. There was a slight tug as the rope around her neck was pulled off, followed by the hood.
She was outside. For what had seemed like an eternity, she was able to see the stars from somewhere other than behind bars. Green light illuminated the sky, giving the scene almost a surreal experience. It was almost all too much to take in. She was free.
"Rainbow." She turned around to face Wingstream. He had saved her. But yet, there was a pain in his expression.
"Rainbow," he repeated, as if collecting himself. "I just want to say that I am truly sorry. I did things...such awful things, and I can't ever take that back. I am so-" Wingstream was cut off by a tight embrace from Rainbow Dash. He froze, before returning the hug, tears in his eyes.
"I forgive you, Wing. I forgive you." Dash stepped back, giving him a weak smile.
"Thank you." Wingstream wiped a tear away with his wing, before looking across the sands. "You should head to those dunes directly ahead. Go around them, then meet up with your rescuers."
"Wait, you're not coming?!"
"No. I have my own fight to finish. But before you go, I..." Wingstream paused, seemingly hesitant. "I need you to know that...well...just be careful, okay? Get back safe."
"O-okay," Rainbow Dash stammered. She knew he was going to say something else. And she was almost certain of what it was.
A nearby explosion brought her out of her thought, and she limped towards the concealment of the dunes. As she faded from sight, Wingstream donned his helmet and ran back into the citadel. It was time to end this.
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Spitfire jammed her blade into the changeling's chest, twisting her foreleg slightly before yanking it out of her foe. She glanced over the fallen bodies as her group paused for a minute to catch their breath. The citadel seemed to be a labyrinth of halls. She'd already lost count of times they had stumbled across changeling patrols, each adrenaline-filled encounter leaving a fresh set of wounds for her unicorn to heal. She could tell the constant use of magic was beginning to wear on him, but he was all that was guiding them through the castle.
At last, she was rewarded by a promising sight: stairs. Cautiously, the group descended deeper into the citadel. The light grew dimmer, until the unicorn was forced to cast an illumination spell so they could see. Turning the corner out if the stairwell, Spitfire let out a sigh of relief as she caught sight of her objective. The citadel's dungeon lay before her, unguarded. Her team split up, checking each cell for any Equestrian or their allies. Most of the cells were empty, with no signs they had ever been occupied. As Spitfire walked past another vacant cell, a familiar sight caught her eye.
"Surprise? Is that you?"
"Spitfire?" The pegasus peeked her head up, her normally bright colors dulled by grime. "Spitfire! How'd you get in here?!"
"I come to rescue your ass, and I don't even get a hello?" A grin slowly spread across her face as she turned to her team. "Hey, someone get this door open!"
Surprise held her posture as the door was forced apart and her bonds taken off. She stepped outside her cell and took flight, stretching her wings while the team searched the rest of the cells. Spitfire was still elated at the rescuer of her friend when the unicorn walked up.
"Ma'am, I've received word from the surface. They believe they have found the objective."
"Wait, they were supposed to stay up there. What are they doing outside the rally point?"
"Well, from what I understand, the target came to them. She escaped."
"Did they-"
"She's already cleared."
"Thank Celestia. Alright, let's get a move on! Surprise, can you run?"
"Of course! I'm free!"
"Saddle up! Inform the surface team we're on our way. It's time to get the hell outta here!
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Wingstream ran through the castle, dodging the changelings and Iron Guards sprinting towards the fight. He picked up speed as their numbers dissipated, going deeper into the castle. He turned a corner, and seeing the doors unguarded, burst into Solar Flare's throne room.
"Solar Flare!
The faint rhythmic pounding of armored footsteps reached Wingstream. Solar Flare strode out from behind the throne, fully armored.
"Wingstream. What is the meaning of this?"
"Milord, the castle is under attack by the Equestrians. There's a massive hole in the wall and they have breached the defenses."
"I am very aware. But yet, you are here. Come, let us drive them into oblivion." Solar Flare started towards the door, but stopped midstep. He cocked his head slightly, staring deep into Wingstream's eyes. "What is it, Lieutenant? Something troubles you, and it's not the attack."
"Flare," Wingstream panted, pausing for a minute to regaining his composure. "This is our chance. We can end this war, stop the killing. We can return home. They're here now. All we have to do is order our troops to stop, and talk with their commander. This violence can-"
"What?" Flare hissed. "You wish to parley with the ones who left us behind? After all that we went through, now you want to end?"
"I want to go home, Flare. We can return to Equestria. Princess Luna has reassured me that we will be allowed to enter after we pay penance for what we have done. We can go back to what we had before."
An uneasy pause hung in the air, the silence broken only by the muffled sounds of magical discharges from the battle outside. Solar Flare stood with his head bowed, all other expression hidden by his armor. At last, he looked back at Wingstream, head cocked slightly.
"You've been in contact with the Princess of the Night? With our foe? Why Wingstream, I never took you for a traitor."
The blood left Wingstream's face as the first trickle of fear began to creep into the back of his mind. "I'm not a traitor. I...I just got tired of it. We were supposed to be the good guys. But now we're torturing innocent ponies, attacking civilians. Is this really what we are trying to do?"
"So naturally you go and discuss with the enemy?! And to think, I thought it was that worthless blue pegasus we have in the dungeon that was allowing Luna to get through. I never thought you, my friend, would betray me this way."
"I want to help us Flare! Can't you see? This is our way out! Away from the war, from the hate, from the pain! We can go back!"
"Go back to what? Distrust and watching eyes? Betrayal and abandonment?! Watching those who we cared about disappear? No, there is no going back."
"I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE FLARE! The Princess made me see where we went wrong! I have found a way to escape all the hate that this path has led us on. Please, come with me. We can redeem ourselves and return to what is right!"
"WHAT IS RIGHT?! You mean serving for years just to watch your calls for help be ignored? To see your hope drain away with your blood?"
"Does that fault make us any better? Look at what we've done. Just look at it! All those lives lost, because of us!"
"They deserve it. They lied to us. Used us. All I got were empty hopes and broken promises."
"Think of all the promises we've broken! We were soldiers of Equestria! We swore to protect the land, to protect its ponies, to defend the Princesses! Where has all that gone? Where did we become this; the murderers of thousands? Those Guardponies didn't deserve death! Those civilians didn't deserve endless barrages and starvation! Those foals didn't deserve to be orphans! What did the Regal Sisters do to make you strike out against the rest of Equestria?!"
"They abandoned me," Solar Flare hissed through the grille of his faceplate. "They abandoned you. Every single pony I have with me was left to die in countless battles. You think I betrayed them? They betrayed me! And now they will be judged for their crime."
"You want this? A life of warfare and revenge? You can have it! But I'm through! I don't want this life! I won't become you! I don't want your dream!" Wingstream turned to the door, and instantly they slammed shut, surrounded by a red aura.
"Wingstream." Solar Flare said at a near whisper, just loud enough to be audible. "You really think you can just leave? There is no turning back. Now give up this fight and let it die. This is your only chance."
"I'm done with your plans Flare." Wingstream flew up slightly and drew his sword, holding it in a guard position. "I won't live a lie anymore."
"Very well. You've had your warning." Solar Flare's horn lit up, and a sword flew from behind the throne. He reached up, flicking out the clip hidden in his hoofguard and catching the sword in one fluid motion. "Goodbye Lieutenant."
------------------------------------------
Spitfire let out a sigh of relief as soft rays of moonlight shone down the hall. At last, it was time to pull out and head back to the safety of the wall, with both Surprise and Rainbow Dash. As she burst out into the rubble, she immediately froze.
All the pegasi were dead. Bodies and pieces of bodies lay strew about the room. As she walked through the carnage, she saw the remains of the attackers. Several unicorns in heavy metal armor lay in a circle, magical blasts scorching their armor. Each had a sword or spear embedded in a joint or opening, the owner dead at the Iron Guard's hooves.
"Damn," she muttered. She had failed to think about the Iron Guard. Her thoughtlessness had sent many of the vanguard and the search squads to their death. "Alright, let's keep moving. Leave the dead where they lie. We don't have the strength to bring them back."
The sound of heavy steps brought her attention to the hall they had just came from. A soft blue light flickered in the distance, steadily growing bigger. She stopped, slightly cocking her head in confusion as it continued to grow closer. Sudden realization crossed her mind, and she dove to the floor a second before a ball of pure magic shot over her head. “Motherfuck! We got contact!” More shots followed, exploding on the mounds of rubble or blasting craters into the walls. The rest of her team had already dove to the ground, hiding behind whatever they could.
“Get in contact with the backup team! Tell them we got hostiles down the left hall! Fire for effect! Take those bastards down!” A slight red glow illuminated a mound of stone, and seconds later colorful bolts of magic arced down the hallway. After several minutes, Spitfire poked her head out from behind her cover. There was no return fire coming from the hall. She let out a sigh of relief, and immediately regretted it.
From the smoke filled darkness, a trio of Iron Guard strode, scorch marks scarring their armor. Flecks of bright green told of the fate of the lesser soldiers who were undoubtedly used as cover. They stood in the entrance to the crater, then all hell broke loose. Arcs of magic shot from their horns, exploding amidst the small group of Earthpoines. Return fire came from Spitfire’s lone unicorn, along with the reserves along the sand dunes. The room quickly filled with smoke and dust, until all that was visible was the illumination of magic on the grey haze.
“WE GOTTA MOVE!” Spitfire shouted over the din. “TEAM, FORM UP ON ME! STINK IN COVER AND MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE SOUND OF MY VOICE!” Slowly, each pony began to trickle in to her position, meeting up with each other halfway then moving in pairs. Remarkably, her group suffered no losses from the initial barrage. The reserves must have done a hell of a job distracting.
“Alright, we move on three. Stick close, keep your heads down. We meet up with the reserve units, then give the signal for extraction. Ready? GO!” As one, the team rushed through the magical duel, dodging explosions and arcs of magic. Stone rained down on them as they neared the exit, the damaged walls no longer being able to hold up the weight of the castle. “MOVE IT! MOVE YOUR ASSES!” She was barely audible, muted by the sound of collapsing rock. Just as the last of her team stepped through the hole in the outer wall, it fell, sealing the enemy behind them. He unicorn shot a slow, lingering ball of magic into the sky. Spitfire turned to see the air cover disengage, while the reserve unicorns let loose a barrage of fire to cover their retreat. They held their speed until the last of them was behind the dunes, in relative safety. She pulled one of the unicorns aside, lowering her voice slightly.
“Where is the primary objective? We were told she was brought here.”
“More like she found us. But we brought her back to the base of the dune. Got the doc looking her over. She seemed pretty bad.”
“Damn. Ok, let’s get moving. The pegasus squadrons are already heading home. We should leave before they retaliate.”
“Roger that. I’ll send the signal for withdrawal.” He charged his horn, before launching another shot into the air, this one dark green. On cue, the unicorns stepped off the ridge, following the few Earthpoines that remained from the assault. Spitfire smiled as the sky began to turn first purple, then red. It seemed that Celestia was still watching over them as the bloodied band made their way eastward, towards home.
------------------------------------------
Wingstream flew across the throne room, smashing into the wall beside the door. Blood trickled from his forehead, along several cuts on his face. Shakily, he pulled himself up, glaring at Solar Flare with defiance still burning in his eyes. "Look at all the pain you've inflicted. You turned countless ponies against themselves. Hundreds, if not thousands, have died for your sick ideas. We've resorted to torturing innocent ponies."
"I thought we were the good guys. I wanted to stop what I thought was corruption. So tell me, when did you turn this way? How long will you hold on to this twisted dream? You've got to find a way to escape all this hate that you've created. I followed you blindly; but I've learned the harsh reality of our actions. You want to kill and destroy for pure conquest. And that is not what I was fighting for."
"You think that you can just walk right into Equestria? You're mine. Ever since the first shot fell, I knew none of us could ever go back. There's no hope for you. Just give up this fight and let it die!"
Wingstream lunged at Solar Flare once again, swinging with a wide overhead blow. As Solar Flare raised his sword to block, Wingstream twisted, delivering a kick just under Flare's jaw. He continued through, bringing his sword down on the back of Flare's leg. His efforts were rewarded by a bright spurt of blood as the wounded leg buckled under the heavy armor.
A red aura encompassed the leg, and Solar Flare turned with almost supernatural speed, raining down a flurry of blows on Wingstream. Red light glowed from his eye slits as each blow came down harder on Wingstream's weakening defense. The pegasus waited until another blow fell, then kicked off Solar Flare's chest plate, knocking him off balance. Wingstream then took to the assault, striking behind the neck with the hilt of his sword. He didn't wait for the result, instead taking to the air. Once a safe distance away, he turned, just as Solar Flare rose from the ground.
"Tell me, why was I always craving violence? Why did I go against my former allies with a sense of enthusiasm? I want to know what you did to me Solar Flare!" He waited for a response, but was only given a hateful stare. "Don't try to hide in silence! Tell me why! Tell me why you did this!"
An arc of red lightning shot out from Solar Flare's horn. Wingstream tried to move out of the way, but the shot still clipped his wing, sending him plummeting into the stone floor. He picked himself up just in time to block Solar Flare's first blow.
"Wingstream!" He shouted, striking in rapid succession. "Give up your fight!" His eyes flashed red, and he moved even faster. Wingstream's attempts at blocking the blows grew more frantic, as Solar Flare only seemed to move faster despite the armor. Wingstream blocked a high blow, then another, as Flare hammered on his defenses. He slowly began going to the floor, unable to hold up against the onslaught. Suddenly, just as another strike fell, he felt a sharp pain just below his chest plate. His guard dropped slightly, and Solar Flare leaped at his chance. The first hit tore through his armor, leaving a gash along his side. The second clove through Wingstream's helmet, slashing down along his cheek. Another struck along his chest, then another. Wingstream collapsed, gasping for breath and soaked in blood.
Solar Flare stood above his fallen captain, watching him struggle to stay alive. His sword clattered on the ground beside Wingstream's face.
"I'm done with this," he hissed, before turning towards the door.
Wingstream held his wounds weakly as his life drained away. He looked at the sword, struggling to reach out to grab it. With a small click, it locked into his hoofguard. Mustering all the strength he could, Wingstream pushed himself forward, slashing down on Flare's neck armor with all the strength he could muster. He heard the sound of tearing metal as he lost control and slammed into the floor.
Wingstream picked himself up weakly, turning towards his foe. Blood streamed from a tear in Solar Flare's armor along his neck and shoulder. Flare looked at the wound with what seemed like just a side glance, before turning back to the weakened pegasus. Within seconds he had covered the ground between them, sword arcing low. Wingstream blocked the first strike; but the force behind it sent his sword flying from his grasp. The second blow slashed across Wingstream's foreleg; followed up by an uppercut along his chest. Another glanced off his helmet, stunning Wingstream. He felt magic grasp his throat, choking him as he was lifted to Solar Flare's eye level.
For a minute he was held there, eyes locked with the red light coming from Solar Flare's eye slits. He held his look of defiance until Solar Flare at last spoke.
"Die," he hissed, before driving his sword through the weaker armor along Wingstream's stomach. Wingstream coughed once, blood trickling from his mouth. He fell to the ground as the magic hold was released. As the pounding steps of Solar Flare drew away, he drug himself towards the stained-glass window. Mustering all his strength, he lunged upward, shattering the glass and shakily flying over the body-strewn courtyard, towards the rising sun.
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You son of a- Oh wait, I survived....
GREAT CHAPTER!
Yeah!!!
5214036 Thanks mate. That was such a fun scene to write. And honestly, I had that planned for so long. *insert evil laugh here*
5215468 Thanks! I love feedback, and I'm glad to see you enjoyed the chapter!
Stay Awesome
RDD
5255513 lol um when your next chapter Cus this is getting awesome
5425059 Next chapter will be up in 30 minutes tops. I'm so sorry for the delay-I've been around family all day, and haven't had a safe time to post. (All but one don't know I'm in this fandom. I'd rather not have them know as well)
Again, sorry, but it'll be up shortly.
Stay Awesome
RDD