Ghosts from the Future

by Pix

Chapter 14 - Rallying the Troops

Chapter 14 – Rallying the Troops

Everything was in uproar when Cadance returned to the Crystal Palace. It was very late at night now, but royal guards were swarming all over the place regardless. As she reached the throne room, it didn’t take too long to find out why.

“Shining? What’s going on?”

Her husband looked relieved to see her, and gave her a quick nuzzle before his face darkened. “There’s a Shard army at the base of the mountains. We’re preparing for a battle.”

“Wh… What?”

“I know it sounds crazy, but we sent out scouts to confirm and they’re really there. We’re fortunate Fleetfoot happened to be flying through the mountains and spotted them.” He gestured to a sky blue pegasus with a frosty white mane who was standing beside him.

Cadance recognised her as a member of the Wonderbolts, and a recent medal winner at the Equestria Games. She gave her a quick nod, as a gesture of gratitude, before turning back to her husband. “Are the guard all mobilised?” They started walking through the palace as they continued to speak.

“Every one of them. We’re planning to march into the fields north of the empire as soon as we can.”

“To keep the fighting away from the city,” Cadance said, nodding in agreement.

“Yes. Fortunately the Shards have not yet started to approach, but we’re not going to assume they won’t charge at some point.”

“We shouldn’t underestimate them,” Fleetfoot interjected. “I think they’re smarter than everypony thought.”

“You may be right,” Shining muttered grimly.

The three of them had reached the entrance hall of the palace now, and walked out into the courtyard where the majority of the guard were gathering and forming into troops. As they did so, there was a flurry of wings and Twilight clattered to the ground in front of Cadance.

“How was Celestia?” she asked rapidly, skipping any formalities.

“Oh, um…” Cadance glanced around to see who was in earshot. Shining was by her side of course, but there were no guards nearby and Fleetfoot did not appear to be listening. She lowered her voice as a precaution anyway. “Not great, as you might expect. She’s more devastated than you could imagine. I’m sure she still cares for our ponies, but I think she’s lost the motivation to be the princess everypony wants her to be. We may need to give her time.”

“We don’t have time. To be honest, if we want to avoid too many casualties, I think we need her here now. This is really some army, I can’t believe we were caught out by them even after we had forewarning.”

“Skip the regrets Twilight, what’s done is done. As for Celestia, this dire news should hopefully be enough to motivate her. We could send somepony after her, but I’m not sure they’d get to her quickly enough.”

“I’ll send a letter.”

Cadance shook her head. “That’s the other problem. She disappeared after I talked to her, and I have no idea where she went.”

“Okay, then I’ll send it through Spike. His magic will find her.” Even as Twilight was speaking, a piece of parchment and a quill were moving around in the air above her, under the control of her levitation. Cadance absently wondered if Twilight carried emergency stationery on her at all times.

Shining gave his wife a quick peck. “I’m going to start leading the guard north. I’m intending to take command, at least temporarily. This would be a bit of a baptism of fire for Captain Softhoof.”

Cadance gave him another kiss as response, before letting him depart with Fleetfoot following him. She turned back to Twilight, trying to clear her mind of the combination of worry and anger that was threatening to overwhelm her. This was the time for her to stand firm. To give her ponies strength.

“We should take Black Fractal on ourselves if she appears, which she no doubt will. We can’t let her get near any of my little ponies.”

“I agree,” Twilight replied, still concentrating on the letter she was composing. It seemed she was close to completing it. “Right. That’ll have to do.” She lit her horn and the paper vanished with a pop.

As the two of them took to the air, Cadance attempted to lighten the mood. “Spike will be ever so grumpy at you waking him up like this.”

Twilight laughed. “Yes, I don’t think he even knows this hour exists! I expect I’ll be returning to an angry dragon when I next get back to the library. There is no way he would be awake at this time if he could help it.”

---

There was no way Spike would be awake at this time if he could help it. Unfortunately the three excitable fillies in the treehouse with him were making it impossible to get any sleep.

He hadn’t even wanted to come to this sleepover that the crusaders were having. Or, well, he might have thought it was a fun idea if he had been asked. But instead he had been dragged here from the library against his will, and all because Apple Bloom had apparently only got permission from Big Mac when she had said that Spike would be with them.

Spike wasn’t sure what Big Mac was expecting of him. Was he supposed to be here to scare away any potential intruders? He certainly wasn’t able to keep the enthusiastic crusaders under control, if that was his job. They had ignored any of his suggestions that it was time to get some shuteye, and were still chatting away about… something. Spike had stopped listening hours ago.

In lieu of anything better to do, since sleep was proving elusive, Spike decided to start listening again.

“I’m telling you, next time Rainbow Dash and the others go off somewhere we should go with them! That way we’ll get adventurer cutie marks for sure!”

“Ah’m not sure that’s a good idea. An’ Ah don’t think they’d let us anyway.”

“Come on Bloom, you’re the one who said you wanted to get a cutie mark in adventuring.”

“No Ah didn’t, Ah jus’ said Ah didn’t want to be stuck here all mah life. That doesn’t mean we have to go on adventures.”

“But it would be fun though,” Sweetie Belle chimed in. “I’ve always wanted to see what Rarity does when she goes away.”

“Ah guess.”

Their conversation was interrupted by a rumbling sound, which Spike eventually realised was coming from his stomach. He sat up in surprise and immediately belched out a piece of parchment which fell to the ground in the middle of the crusaders’ clubhouse, drawing the attention of the three fillies.

“Really Twilight?” muttered Spike to himself. “You couldn’t wait until morning to check on me?”

He continued to grumble as he waddled over to the paper, still wrapped up in his blanket. Oddly, the letter was not addressed to him, and he was just beginning to wonder if Twilight had sent it by mistake when he spotted a scribbled note at the top of the page that did have his name on it.

Hi Spike, please can you send this on to Princess Celestia ASAP.
Be safe. Twilight.

Spike grumbled some more. “She didn’t even want me, she’s just using me as a postal service.”

“What does the letter say?” the three crusaders asked in synchrony.

“I probably shouldn’t read it…”

“Pleeeeease?”

Spike gave in almost instantly, as his own curiosity had also got the better of him. He started reading aloud.

Celestia, we need your help urgently. There is an army of Shards preparing to attack the Crystal Empire, and we cannot risk letting them get close enough to make use of the Crystal Heart. The guard are mobilised and prepared, but I fear we will suffer without your help. Please, we need you.

Twilight.

Spike narrowed his eyes as he finished his recitation. It was not like Twilight to be so blunt. And an ‘army’ attacking the Crystal Empire? This was clearly incredibly serious. Unfortunately, the crusaders did not seem to share his appreciation of the severity of the news.

“Wow, there’s going to be a battle? That’s so cool!”

“What’s a Shard?” Sweetie asked brightly.

“Oh, they’re these shadowy crystalline pony things that are completely evil,” Spike explained absently, re-reading the note.

“You mean, like the one I smashed to pieces in the Everfree Forest?” Scootaloo asked eagerly.

Spike thought back to that fateful evening. It hadn’t been a Shard, but he was still not prepared to tell Scootaloo what it had been. “Uh, yes, like that.”

“Oh my gosh, this is our chance!”

“What do you mean?” Sweetie asked.

“We can go to the Crystal Empire and help out! We’ve already beaten a Shard before, we can take on some more! And Rainbow Dash and the others need help. We might get cutie marks in being heroes!”

To no great surprise from Spike, the other fillies thought that was a great idea. He started to wish that he hadn’t agreed to read the letter. He was going to have to use all the authority he could muster to keep them in line now.

He breathed out a wisp of green flame, which sent the message away to its intended recipient, and then turned back to the crusaders, claws on hips.

“You’re not going anywhere. It’s too dangerous.”

The three fillies glanced at each other, and then Sweetie Belle took the floor.

“But it won’t be too dangerous if you come with us,” she said, her voice sounding strangely distorted. “I’m sure the Great and Honest Spike the Brave and Glamorous could keep us safe.” She pulled a peculiar expression and started fluttering her eyelids madly.

Spike stepped back from the bizarre sight, waving his arms. “Nu-uh. We’re all staying right here.”

The young unicorn pouted and turned to the others. “I was sure that was what Rarity did when she wanted something…”

“Oh well, time for plan B?”

The three spun as one towards the unfortunate dragon, engaging their greatest weapons. Spike actually forced his eyelids shut to avoid the hypnotising power of their puppy-dog expressions, turning his head away and holding his arms out.

“No! I won’t be convinced.” He turned back and warily re-opened his eyes. “And anyway, how would we get there? It’s, what, one o’clock in the morning? There won’t be any trains for hours.”

Apple Bloom slumped to the ground.

“He’s right. There ain’t no way we could get there in time.”

“Oh I wouldn’t say that,” came a new voice from the corner of the treehouse. “Not if you ask nicely anyway.”

Spike’s heart plummeted as he recognised the newcomer’s voice. He slowly turned and saw a pair of mismatched horns above two wide eyes and a mischievous smile. Not him. Not now.

“I’ve never liked sticking to the usual timetables,” the draconequus continued, snapping his fingers to summon a calendar and a clock that he then promptly incinerated. “What do you say girls? Care for a little out-of-hours expedition?”

The three fillies nodded their heads eagerly, as beside them Spike groaned.

“Then all aboard the crazy train!” Discord yanked on a pull-whistle that had just materialised next to him as the treehouse around them morphed into the shape of a train car. “Next stop, the Crystal Empire!”

---

The field that separated the Crystal Empire from the base of the Crystal Mountains was silent in the cold night under the distant stars, but it was a cautious tranquillity, as though it knew the carnage that was about to descend upon it. On the northern side, standing in the sheets of snow at the border of the mountains, were hundreds, possibly even thousands of Shards, some earth pony and some unicorns. Above them in the air hovered just as many pegasi Shards, holding a constant height. They were all stationary, as though waiting for some external signal.

Contrastingly, the ponies on the southern side of the field were still in turmoil. Shining Armor was doing his best to direct everypony, but the sight of the vast opposing army had understandably spooked many of the guards.

“We’ll split into three fronts,” he directed, addressing Captain Softhoof and the two lieutenants. “Softhoof, I leave it to you to decide how to separate your forces, and then you will lead the central front. Arcus, we’ll want your unicorns divided as equally as we can, and then you can lead the western front.

“And Sentry…” Shining frowned as he looked across the battlefield at the multitude of opposing pegasi. “Do your best to split your strike force fairly across the troops, and then you can lead the eastern front.” He grunted. “I’m reluctant to ask our pegasi scouts to fight, but we can use them for recon. Whatever we do though, we’ll be severely outnumbered in the air. I just wish we had more fliers.”

“You called?”

Shining turned in surprise to see a throng of pegasi in blue, gold-lined uniforms. At their head, as always, was a blazing gold pegasus with a fiery mane, who gave him a broad grin and a wink.

“Spitfire!” Shining felt his spirits soar. “You would not believe how good it is to see you, I could almost kiss you.”

“With your wife watching?” Spitfire nodded to the pink alicorn beside the prince. “You’re not well practised at this infidelity thing are you?”

“Believe me,” Cadance began, “I’d be in line behind him. How in Equestria did you know to come?”

Spitfire just smirked. “I always know what’s going on.”

Shining noticed Fleetfoot lined up beside the Wonderbolt captain and tilted his head. “So it seems. I am glad of it.” He waved a hoof. “Okay then. Spitfire I’ll leave you to direct your troops. We want no opposing pegasi to reach empire airspace.”

“On it.”

The ponies around him all split into their separate groups, and after a few minutes there were only a few stragglers remaining, including Twilight and her friends, minus Rainbow Dash who it seemed had still not returned from her excursion to Dodge Junction. Shining walked up to them.

“Hi Twily. Everypony. Do you all know what you’re doing?”

Rarity nodded. “Applejack and I will of course be joining our units on the battlefield. I believe Lieutenant Arcus wants me with him on the western front, and I shall endeavour to do my duty.”

“And Ah’ll be on the eastern front. Can’t wait to give them Shards a piece of my mind.”

Shining turned to Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, neither of whom seemed quite as confident as the others. He knew that neither had ever expressed any desire to be involved in actual fighting. “Pinkie? Fluttershy? You can both stay out of this if you want to.”

The two ponies caught gazes, and then in unison turned back to him with fierce expressions.

“We want to help somehow. Um, if that’s okay I mean.”

“Yeah! We have to support everypony!”

Shining felt surprisingly touched by this. “As you wish. Pinkie, there are a few nurses from the hospital camped in a tent at the edge of the field behind you. I’m sure they would appreciate help in transporting medical equipment around, and with your knack for finding ponies, you could prove to be a huge asset.”

Pinkie beamed. “That sounds great! I can be a helper not a hurter!”

Shining turned to Fluttershy, who was quivering a little but standing resolutely. “Fluttershy, with the experience you’ve had flying in inclement conditions over the last few days, we could use your eyes high up in the air above the mountains. The snow has stopped, but it’s still cold and blustery up there. Try and get around behind the enemy, staying away from danger as much as you can, and pass back reports of Shard movement. Does that sound like something you could do?”

“Oh, um. High above the mountains?”

“You’ll be joining a few of the team you’ve been flying with on your reconnaissance trips.”

“Really? Um, will Winter Tempest be there?”

“She should be.”

Fluttershy took a deep breath. “Okay, I’ll do it.”

“Excellent.” He turned to the group as a whole. “I’ve no idea how much longer we’ll have before the Shards decide to attack, so we really need you to get into positions as soon as you can. I suggest you say your temporary goodbyes.” He then walked off to give them a little privacy.

The five mares moved closer together, but remained in silence for a while, not sure what there was to say. ‘Goodbye’ sounded far too final, but none of them could deny that this was going to be a perilous night.

“It seems strange,” Rarity finally said, “that Rainbow is not with us for this.”

“She’ll probably be back soon,” Twilight said. “And I bet she’ll fling herself straight into the action when she gets here.”

“I don’t doubt that.”

There was a bit more silence, broken when Pinkie Pie suddenly ran up to each of her friends in turn, wrapping them in hugs.

“Please be careful everypony! I’m actually really scared.”

“Don’t you worry none Pinkie, Ah’m sure we’ll be fine.” Applejack smiled, although it did not quite reach her eyes. “But to be honest, Ah’m a little scared myself.”

“I daresay we’re all somewhat afraid,” Rarity suggested. “But we’ll get through this, I’m sure of it.”

“Eeyup. Our elements may be back on that tree in the Everfree Forest, but we never needed them to be strong. We always got our strength from each other.”

There were murmurs of assent from each of them, and as one they launched themselves into a giant group hug. No further words were said, as each pony gained comfort just from the closeness of her friends.

“Well… Good luck everypony,” Twilight eventually said, regretfully interrupting their embrace.

The element bearers broke apart, choked out farewells, and then each went their separate ways. Twilight walked back over to Shining, who was now standing next to his wife. Cadance was currently talking to Maud, evidently discussing what the strong grey mare could do to help. As Twilight reached them Maud started walking off into the distance, seemingly heading for the front lines.

The two princesses and one prince stood staring out over their now organised troops, and beyond across the field to the mass of Shards in the distance. Everything was eerily still.

“The two of you know what you’re doing?” Shining queried.

“We’ll take care of Black Fractal, don’t you worry.”

“I can’t help but worry.”

Cadance kissed him. “You saw our duel this afternoon. You should really be worried for her.”

Shining smiled as the two alicorns took to the air. “You be careful too Twilight,” he called out.

“And you, BBBFF.”

And then he was alone. He turned back to face across the still battlefield once more. The Shards remained immobile in the distance. What now? Charge?

It was as though their enemy had been waiting for them to get ready, or for Shining Armor to think that exact thought. Just as he was preparing to bellow out a final order, there was a tremor accompanied by a loud rumbling, and a giant black shape erupted from the earth in the centre of the field. It halted in the air, several feet above the ground, and Shining identified it as Black Fractal herself, the Shard mockery of Equestria’s late princess. His heart started to pound, and he could feel the fire rising in his veins.

The alicorn Shard’s eyes blazed brightly in the night sky, and Shining could almost hear the intaking of breath from the hundreds of guardsponies spread around him. She then let out an almighty wail, echoed by the thousands of Shards behind her, and all Tartarus broke loose.

Comments

[Pix]

Just so you know, there's going to be a break in my reasonably rapid update rate. IRL stuff means I won't be at a computer for much time at all over the next few weeks, so there probably won't be another chapter for a month a least.

Oh well, at least this didn't happen at a particularly dramatic point in the story...