Chapter 26 - Human/Pony: The Changeling Tide(Winters End 4)
Mane Six
Twilight paced the Council Room as she waited for the girls to arrive. Despite the many distressing events, such also couldn't help but feel excited. She was going to get to go on another Friendship Quest! She had yet to have another since the HoofFields and McColts adventure, and she had already spent the last ten minutes coming up with all sorts of possible solutions and creating another friendship portfolio.
'This time for sure it will work.' She thought, clapping her hooves together with glee.
When the doors opened, she practically leaped to her friends and picked them up in her magic.
"You're here. Isn't this exciting?!" She said, setting them all down onto their respective thrones before seating herself.
"Oh, Twilight darling," Rarity said, fixing her mane a bit, "I know this is your duty as the Princess of Friendship, but perhaps you could tone down the enthusiasm a tiny bit."
"Yeah, its just a friendship problem. We'll have this done in no time." Rainbow Dash said.
"But this is the first time we have all been called. Who knows what we could face." Twilight said, giving Rainbow Dash a wide eyed look. Rainbow Dash leaned back away from her a bit.
"Now just take it easy sugarcube. True this may be somethin' involvin' us all, but getting overly excited won't do nothing to help us." Applejack said.
"Um, so-so where are we going? Um because I have-" Fluttershy eeped as the map began to form, and their cutie marks appeared over Ponyville, and then began moving to a location on the map.
"Hey, that place isn't that far? Usually we get sent to far away and exotic places." Dash said, frowning.
"Now Dashie, its not the location that matters." Rarity said.
"But what do you reckon the problem is? All that is there is just plains and fields." Applejack said.
"Well girls, whatever the problem we won't solve it standing here." Twilight said, and she snatched up her portfolio as she and the girls all made their way to the Ponyville Balloon. Though as they walked, Fluttershy couldn't help but wonder what exactly was going on that they all had to be there?
Castus
"What do you mean? What right gives you such ability to demand such a thing?" Luna asked, her voice tight and her eyes hard.
Castus crossed his arms, "Only the right of equal interest. This war does nothing but harm us both, and waste resources and lives. I claim that your forces pull back and return home. Mine will also be allowed to return to the lands in which we roamed for three years and claimed as our own before you so ruthlessly invaded us. We will stay there, and you stay here. We will not enter your lands again, and you will not enter ours."
"Fire Man, what are-" Some of the Huntmasters began or gave him a look of confusion; even shock. But Castus raised a hand to silence them.
"Trust me." He whispered to them, looking to them.
Marcus looked at him, then nodded. The other Huntmasters looked to Marcus, then to him and nodded. Though they still looked confused.
"You dare make such demands. After all you did!" One of Luna's guards shouted.
"Silence!" Luna called.
Your highness, you can't listen to this creature. He has slaughtered innocent ponies. He will surely attack us when we least expect it." Another pony called.
"Silence!" Luna shouted, shutting up the ponies. But she then directed a hard look at him that Castus had to steel himself to keep from shivering.
"My guards raise a good point. From the start of this war your kind have killed many, and commited crimes against my people. Do you think such atrocities can so easily be forgotten?" Luna said.
Castus knew this would come up. It would be the biggest challenge to end this war.
"If we must throw atrocities at each other, then you know as well as I do your kind have done similar deeds to mine. How many children did your forces kill? Women? Elderly? Or do you deny that it was your idiot cousin who ran that attack?" Castus said, giving Luna his own glare.
Luna bit her lip, but retaliated, "So you respond with a similar attack? You are more barbaric then you let on then, if you try to deny the slaughter of Sunbrook?"
Castus frowned, "I don't deny the actions of my warriors. But I never gave such orders, and I have punished the culprits when I learned of this atrocity."
"Lies! You speak lies to deceive us!" Shouted a guard.
"We can't listen to this beast!" Shouted another.
Castus ignored these words, but it seemed one of his companions would not.
Valen, who Marcus had brought with them, stepped up and gave the guard a hard look and said in the pony language, "I am no beast." Then spat at the pony guard.
The guards all now looked at Valen, some stepping back. Luna herself, stared at him with wide eyes of shock. Castus had to smirk at that, guessing that none of them had figured that a human other then him would be able to speak to them. But he needed to stay on track, and motioned Valen back.
"Tell me Luna, do your guards speak for you?" Castus asked, crossing his arms. Frankly he was finding the constant interruptions irritating.
Luna scowled, "You will all be silent." She directed to her guards, who flinched from the harsh words.
Luna then turned back to him, and opened her mouth to say something, but someone else spoke up.
"C-Castus!?"
"Princess Luna!"
Castus, and Luna both turned their heads, as did all the guards and Castus felt like his eyes were gonna pop out of his head when he saw a hot air balloon coming down close to them. Within the balloon were ponies he thought he would never see again, especially one in particular.
"Fluttershy?" He said, quietly, and turning to look at the mare.
Fluttershy looked at him with wide eyes, and then slowly hid her face in her mane. Castus frowned, and instinctively he took a step to go over to her, but was stopped as Rainbow Dash, putting herself between them and leveling a hard glare at him.
"Girls quick, take him down!" Dash called, and Castus immediately found himself under attack.
"No wait!" Luna called, but the girls were already on the move.
Twilight immediately smashed a shielding upon his connection with the Wind, and even while he was holding the power he felt himself being pushed back and he had to struggle to fight back. A part of him was rather impressed, though he was less impressed as he felt ropes wrapping around his arms and legs and yanking him down.
"What the!?" He shouted, and saw AJ had hogtied his arms and legs with, four ropes. Holding two in each hoof. How did she do that? He opened his mouth to call them off, when Pinkie Pie appeared and shoved a....cupcake? into his mouth.
The sudden attack had caught him and frankly everyone by surprise, but it wasn't long before the Huntmasters and Valen all shouted and moved to aid him; weapons at the ready. This in turn caused Luna's guards to respond in kind. Castus felt a burning anger building up, and he used that to pile drive through Twilight's attempts to cut him off from the Wind and pulled deeply from the Wind, filling himself to the brim.
He spat out the cupcake and shouted, "Stop!" He wove stands of fire and incinerated the ropes binding him in a flash, making them go up in a puff of flame and smoke.
"Whoa!" Applejack shouted, falling over from the loss of tension.
He then wove a strand of air, and forced the Huntmasters and Valen back, and onto their rears, giving them distance from Luna's guards.
"Enough!" Luna shouted, and wove her own spell, freezing her guards and the girls.
Finally, crisis averted, He stood back up, though he kept himself full with the power to be sure that another attempt wouldn't get so far. He gave his own guards a hard look, "Stand down soldiers. This is all a misunderstanding."
The huntmasters didn't look convinced, and Valen himself could only glance at the ponies in suspicion.
"Indeed. Young Twilight, you should know better then to interrupt diplomatic neogtiations. It seems that we must expand your education in these matters; for it seems my sister has been neglecting her duties in this." Luna said, giving her own look to Twilight, then to Rainbow Dash.
"And as for you, I think it is rather unbecoming of one who is part of the Wonderbolt Reserves to act on their own accord without first speak with a superior officer, or myself." Luna said.
"But-" Rainbow Dash started, but Twilight interrupted.
"P-Princess Luna, wait what do you mean negotiations?" Twilight said, confused.
"Um, perhaps it is best if we all started from the beginning? Yes?" Rarity said, "And um perhaps not frozen. This is most uncomfortable."
"Yeah, can I like be allowed ta get up now?" Applejack said, frozen on the ground.
Castus and Luna both looked at each other, and Castus motioned for his guards to step back, while Luna dragged all the ponies back to her side. The two sides now stood apart, and at last Luna released her captives.
"Oh much better." Rarity said, stretching slightly with a flourish of her mane.
"Now, perhaps we can set things straight..." Castus said, crossing his arms.
Scarlet Rose
If there was one thing Scarlet Rose hated, was immobilization spells. They always made your muscles feel stiff. No she did not like magical immobilization at all. Now ropes, that was a different thing entirely. Mmm, the thought gave her some ideas of what she was going to do with the first pony she captured when the Hive conquered this land.
But that couldn't happen while Luna was still around. The plans of the Queen required that the princesses of Equestria be eliminated, a task which Scarlet Rose was ready to take, but no self respecting Inflitrator Class just leaped for the kill for all to see. This had to be tactical, and in the shadows.
She had thought when the purple princess, Twilight she believed the name was, arrived and caused that momentary scuffle, she thought for sure she had a good moment to do the job and lay the blame on a human, but noooooo.
No, that damned moon butted whorse, and that filthy hairless monkey, had to ruin it by stopping it! And of course, trying to manipulate the Princess into attacking would be impossible. Were they really going to try making peace!? That was not in the plans for the hive!
And now, now she could feel the sweet song of the Consort signifying his arrival. Soon, Orchid Wing would send the signal for the Infiltrators in the camp, and that commotion would grab the princesses attention! She had to die now!
And so, going against her better instincts, she gave the call to her fellow Infiltrators in her group with Luna.
'Kill them. Kill them all.' She called to them, and as Luna and the humans finished explaining things to the newest arrivals, she morphed her arm into blades, and aligned herself perfectly with Luna's back.
She would die first. Then the rest would follow.
With a hiss, Scarlet leaped and stabbed her blade arm out.
"Look out!"
Luna
Luna felt a slight headache coming on. This whole negotiations were not going easy, and the arrival of Twilight and her friends was only making things worse.
She had worried their sudden attack would ruin the attempt, but thankfully that had been stopped. But that had only been the easy part, the hard part was trying to explain what they were doing to the newcomers; some of who were not able to believe it.
"You can't be serious at trying to negotiate right?" Rainbow Dash said, looking skeptical.
"Princess Luna, Celestia and yourself told me that Castus is too dangerous. You drilled me extensively on that spell to counter act his magic for three years because of it."
"Hey, hello. Right here. In front of you."
Dash, Twilight both blinked then blushed as they turned towards Castus, who stood behind them with his arms crossed.
"Oh yeah, but come on!" Dash said, pointing a hoof at him, "After everything you've done. You even kidnapped Scootaloo for Fausts sake."
Luna gave him a hard look, but Castus stood cool and collected as he nodded.
"True, but I like to call it saving her from being eaten by Garn in the Everfree. Besides, it was Valen here that did the capturing, and frankly Scootaloo didn't seem to mind too much." Castus said, gesturing to a young looking human beside him. The one that had spoken before.
The young human, Valen, gave Castus a strange look, and Castus only smirked.
"In any case, Scootaloo is no doubt home by now. I released her and Tiara before arriving here." Castus said.
"Now can ya expect us to believe that?" Applejack said, looking at Castus hard.
"B-but he did...I-I ran into them at my cottage." Fluttershy said, causing Luna, and everypony, to look at the timid Pegasus.
"Wait, he did? Why didn't you tell us this!?" Dash asked.
Fluttershy made a slight eep sound and hide in her mane before saying, "I-I meant to but....but then the map called us, and-and uh..."
Luna could see that Fluttershy was hiding something now, and the concerned look on Castus face told her he knew something concerning these events as well.
"Enough, Castus and I are negotiating peace. That is what we are here for, and if ponies like it or not, this is what will be done." Luna said.
Nopony made any further protests at her words, though Dash opened her mouth to say something, but closed it when Luna gave her a hard glare.
"Good, then if all of this is settled..." Luna began.
"Look out!" The human, Valen, called up, pointing towards her.
Or, perhaps behind her.
Luna turned in surprise, and her eyes widened as she suddenly felt sharp pain through her side. Her guard, Scarlet Rose, had a black chitin like arm, shaped like a blade, plunged into her side. The traitorous mare had a twisted smirk, filled with sharp teeth and red glowing eyes.
"Princess Luna!" Ponies called.
Luna felt her shock fade, and she reacted quickly with a spell that blasted Scarlet Rose back, and pulling her blade arm from her body. This of course only made the wound worse as she placed a hoof over the wound, feeling wet blood leaking out.
But the next surprise came, as the rest of her guards leaped at her and the others, a red flare of flame surrounding their bodies, before revealing them for what they were.
Changelings. Black chitin forms, hissing as their arms turned into sharp sickles, blades and axes. Every last one of her guards had been a changeling. Did Stonewall know of this? And how had changelings even managed to sneak into her forces in the first place?
The changelings all rushed at those gathered, half towards Twilight and her friends, and the other half towards the humans. But for Luna, Scarlet Rose was not yet dead. The changeling stood up, and rushed her again.
Luna drew on her magic, numbing herself to the pain as she directed a Moon Beam Blast toward her attacker, but Scarlet was fast, pivoting and keeping up her charge. Her bug like wings worked fast as they propelled her right at her.
Luna snarled, and drew her blade as she parried several quick strikes from duel blade arms. But Luna had nearly several thousand years of sword experience, and was one of the few to hold the title of BladeMaster in Equestria and the world. Even with her injury, Luna easily worked her blade to cut across tendons and puncture through gaps in the changelings outer skin. With a single final thrust into the changelings heart chamber, Scarlet Rose, if that was her name, went stiff, then limp and with a kick, fell over dead.
Luna, despite victory, breathed heavily and she placed a hoof to her wound again. She needed to treat it, but she needed to first deal with the remaining attackers.
Some of the changeligns were in battle with the humans, some holding wounds or on the ground. Luna could not tell if they were dead or alive, but they were bleeding badly. Dash was in battle with one changeling, and even without a weapon, the quick Pegasus was punching and kicking at the changeling hard in trained style of Pegasus martial arts. But even she was not without injury. Two burnt husks laid on the ground, and Twilight breathed heavily as her horn glowed softly.
But it was Fluttershy who was in the most danger, with a changeling coming at her for the kill.
"Fluttershy!" Twilight screamed.
Luna grit her teeth, and took off to intercept the changeling. But she feared that she would be too late.
But before she could go any further, the changeling was soon intercepted by a bright electrifying wage of energy beams that formed a strange checkerboard pattern. As the beams passed through the changeling, and vanished in an instant, the changeling went still and stood there. Luna stopped, and turned to see Castus with his arm outstretched toward the changeling and a murderous look in his eyes.
"You stay away from her you filth." He said venomously as he approached the changelings still form, and blew on it.
Luna looked away, gagging as the changeling began to fall apart. In small little pieces.
Luna tried to get the image out of her mind, and focused on the few remaining changelings. They too were soon laid low, by sword and Castus spells.
"Fluttershy, are you okay!?" Twilight and her friends said in worry as they rushed to their friend.
Luna walked over, "Dear Fluttershy, are you well?"
Fluttershy sat on the ground, shaking but she gave a nod.
"Oh, Luna! You're bleeding." Fluttershy gasped, and pointed to her wound.
Luna covered the wound, feeling the pain some, "It is okay. It is nothing serious."
"What are changelings doing here? I thought Chrysalis was locked up tight in that castle we left her in what that creepy talking Pinkie Pie suit." Rainbow Dash asked.
"Hey, I worked really hard on that suit." Pinkie said.
Luna shook her head, "I do not know, but if changelings have infiltrated my guards then-oh no." Luna turned toward the camp, and in the distance saw smoke rising from it.
"Stay here all of you." She ordered, and she took off to the aid of her soldiers.
Something was happening, and she feared that it might be too late to stop it.
Castus
Castus kneeled over Camus, who had several deep wounds in his side and across his chest. He pulled on all the power he could hold from the Wind, using three amplifiers he brought with him to ease the burdern of holding the power, and even using the extra he had stored in the Well belt he wore. It made him dizzy, and he had to wipe his brow to remove the sweat that appeared.
He wasn't sure if Camus would survive the blows, but at the very least he could give him a chance. Still he cursed his lack in healing ability. But healing had seemed so trivial in Karsus past, especially when it was War Weaves that had won him so much power and glory.
Still he would do all he could, but Camus was not the only one hurt. Ulfric sat beside Mogrim, whose arm had been severed by a changeling blade. Castus would need to heal the stump, it would end Mogrim's hunting and fighting days. Theodric was also hurt, but his wounds were not as crippling or life threatening.
All the others, and Valen, sported only minor injuries and cuts. Valen though did have a hand pressed to his side. Castus would need to see to them all. But even as he finished Camus and move to the others, he could not help but wonder what had happened. Where had those strange bug like ponies, changelings he was sure they were, come from?
"It was a trap. The ponies tried to kill us!" Ulfric growled, as Castus tended to Mogrim.
"Don't be foolish," Marcus said, "those black bug ponies attacked them just as well. If this was a trick, why make one that would attack you as well?"
Ulfric blinked and grumbled.
"I agree-agggh!" Mogrim groaned, clutching the stump of his arm.
Castus finished the healing, and sat back as he wiped his brow.
"Fire Man, you should rest. The rest of us are not hurt as bad as it seems." Marcus said, though he rubbed at his shoulder, and was bleeding from a cut across the side of his face.
Castus frowned, but shook his head as he stood, "I'm fine."
Castus ignored the frown Marcus gave him as he tended to the rest of them. He then opened a Waygate and turned to Ulfric, ordering him to take Mogrim and Camus back to the camp for rest and healing. Ulfric nodded, and helped Camus up and carried him through the gate; Mogrim following behind. Castus then shut the Waygate and as he finished, he sat down again and took slow breathes as he let the Wind go.
"Fire Man." Valen said, and he motioned towards Twilight and her friends as they walked over.
Castus frowned, and stood up again as he greeted his....friends?
"Twilight. Rarity. Rainbow Dash. Applejack. Pinkie Pie." He said, greeting each one with a nod, then looking to the last.
"Fluttershy." He said with a frown, and looked away at the ground.
Applejack was the first to respond, by walking up and punching him right across the face; sending him to the ground with a thud.
"Applejack!" Fluttershy gasped.
"Fire Man." Valen and the Huntmasters called. Valen himself stepped up and drew his blade; making Applejack and the girls step back.
"Stand down!" He called, as he slowly stood up. He looked at Applejack and rubbed his face.
"Okay," He said, "I think I deserved that."
Applejack, seeing Valen and the others step back, turned at him and pointed a hoof at him, "Ya'll stole my humans! Do you know how many apples were left unstocked because of that!?"
Scootaloo was right. Applejack was mad.
"Look, I'll make it up to you." He said, backing up a bit.
Applejack gave him a hard leveled look, "Ya bet your flank you will."
"Applejack please. We have bigger problems right now." Twilight said, and looked at the bodies of the changelings.
"How do we know this isn't some trick by Castus?" Dash said, pointing a hoof at him.
Castus sighed, "One of my Huntmasters thought the same thing about you and I will tell you as I told them. Why would they attack me if I was behind this?"
"He does make a point Dashie." Pinkie said.
"Well if you didn't, then where-" Dash started, when the ground began to rumble.
"What the-!" Castus said, as he caught Fluttershy as she almost fell from the rumbling.
"Fire Man, what is happening?!" Theodric called, clutching his hammer tightly and using it as support.
"Ahhh!" Pinkie screamed in horror, "My whole body is shaking! You know what that means!"
An earthquake! But that thought went out the window as in the distance, Castus saw a large, worm or snake like creature break through the ground and screech with strange tentacles coming out as it fell back into the ground. Then a second one broke through the ground, then another.
"Tatzlwurms!" Twilight shouted, as the shaking finally stopped as six of the Tatzlwurms in total burst from the ground, then retreated.
"Aren't those the things you and Cadence fought against when you got that bogus cure for Discord?" Dash asked.
"Yes, but I've never seen six together before. All my research says that Tatzlwurms are solitary creatures. That rumbling must have been caused by them moving through the ground." Twilight said.
"But why are they-" Applejack began, before from the holes burst forth black shapes. Many taking into the air, but the multitude of the horde, clawing out of the holes and rushing forward and two legs or all fours.
"Changelings! Hundreds of them!" Dash said.
"Oh this is horrible!" Rarity gasped, looking faint.
"But how?" Fluttershy asked.
Castus looked out toward the changeling horde. He couldn't make a guess, but he would say there were thousands of them. Maybe near a million. The masses were like the ones they had fought, but mixed in he saw larger forms, shaped differently as well. War Beasts? This was an entire invasion force.
And the entire force was charging directly for the Equestrian army. The Equestrian forces themselves seemed to have been rallied from whatever chaos was in their camp, and rushing to meet the horde. But even from this distance Castus could see that the difference in numbers was staggering. The Equestrians would be slaughtered.
"Castus!"
Castus looked from the massive horde, and looked at Fluttershy. Her eyes were wide, but she took his arm in her hooves.
"Please, you have to help!" Fluttershy begged.
"She's right. Y-you have magic unlike anything I've seen. There is no way that Luna and the Equestrian army can stand against that force alone." Twilight said, looking at him.
"What!?" Castus said in shock, stepping back and pulling his arm back.
"Are you just going to watch!?" Twilight demanded.
Castus bit his lip, and looked at them all, then to the wide wave of Changelings drawing closer to the lined up Equestrians.
"Fire Man?" Valen said, approaching him. Castus looked at the young man, then to Marcus.
Marcus nodded, and gripped his weapon. Castus nodded back, and once more drew upon the Wind and opened a Waygate.
Equestrian Forces
Gleaming Light, High Mage of the Equestrian Battle Mages brigade of the Equestrian Army. Sat at his desk, working on several new spells. The appearance of this strange new human magic had opened up dozens of doors into study. And the failure of Prince Bluebloods attack on the human HQ was just a sign that they needed to do more study into defenses against this power.
He was lucky to have Arcane Light as his assistant. The young stallion had a keen mind for magic, and while his stuttering and shyness did not help in him properly explaining all his discoveries, Gleaming Light found it was his most endearing quality. And it was rather cute.
"Master Gleaming." Arcane Light said behind him.
Gleaming Light stopped his writing, and turned to his young apprentice.
"Ye-" His words were cute off, as he felt a sharp pain in his chest. He looked down in horror as he saw a black chitin arm, stabbed through into his heart. The arm was shaped like a blade, and it was yanked out and plunged back in. Gleaming Light looked up to Arcane Light, whose twisted smile held sharp teeth. The stallion pushed him to the ground, laughing as he stabbed him again and again.
Gleaming Light tried to fight, but the blackness seemed so inviting as it engulfed his vision. The last thing he heard was Arcane Light saying, "For the Queen."
Then the screaming across the camp began before all went silent.
Luna arrived just as all chaos had begun in the camp. All across, changelings ran about, stabbing and cutting down Equestrian soldiers who were unprepared for the sudden attack of deception. Some had managed to get into some order to fight back, but it was clear the advantage was with the changelings.
Luna got to work immediately, and she used her magic to blast apart changelings as she saw them.
"You soldiers with me!" For Equestria!" She called to soldiers as she rallied them.
She worked fast to clear the camp, and rally all the troops. As she went, she saw Stonewall amongst the battle; and two changeling blade arms cutting down Equestrians.
"Foul creature! Deceiver!" She shouted, and rushed the imposter Stonewall.
The Stonewall Imposter turned, and looked surprised to see her. Luna did not give the changeling time to react, and she swiftly cut it down. How long had this been so? From the start of the war? The changelings brought so many questions, but they would have to wait.
Luna continued to lead the retaliation against the changelings, until finally the camp was cleared and the attackers dead. Surprisingly, there were not that many changelings, but each had been a strong combatant. No doubt elite warriors bred for this sort of attack.
"Sergeant. Rally the troops, get everypony armed and ready." She ordered, wanting all her troops ready for battle incase another attack was imminent.
The sergeant nodded and rushed to follow her orders. Another approached and said, "Princess, is this the work of the humans? Are they allied with the changelings?"
Luna looked at the sergeant and frowned. A part of her did wonder on that, but she doubted it was the case.
"I do not know. But whatever the case, we must be prepared for battle." She said.
It did not take long for the entire army to be ready. It was battered, and there were many wounded, but surprisingly the infantry and cavalry were not severely harmed. But the real damage was among the battle mages of the army. Nearly 99% were dead, with only just four left alive, and none of them were of the elite. All raw recruits. The Air Knights and Wonderbult regiments were also down several units. In short, the changelings went for the two main advantages of the Equestrian army. magic and air support.
Luna was sure now, that an invasion was occurring. Why else would they strike those areas of the army. Attempt to assassinate her, and no doubt others of the high command of the army.
'Oh Faust, how far does this go? My sister!' Luna thought, worrying now for Celestia. Was she safe? Or was she also dealing with changeling attacks? What of Canterlot? And just how had this all occurred?
Then the rumbling began, and in the distance, Luna watched in horror as several Tatzlwurms burst forth from the ground, before retreating. They left large holes in the ground, and from those holes rose something out of a nightmare.
Changelings. Hundreds, no thousands of them. The flew out and crawled out of the holes and rushed towards her location, hissing in a chorus that seemed to shake the air.
"The changeling horde is upon us!" Luna shouted, getting over her shock and rallying her troops. She charged forth, shouting, "To battle! To battle sons and daughters of Equestria!"
Luna and her forces charged, shouting their own war cries. Luna began shouting orders for a line up as they took a position at the high edge of the hill their camp had been set on. The spearmen took the front, laying their large shields down to form a wall as their spears were set out to stab in a phalanx formation. Behind, the heavy troops readied to charge forward in strategic gaps that would be opened up when the time was right. And to the air the pegasi flew off to engage the changeling fliers in aerial combat.
Luna stayed back, shouting orders, and standing with the remaining unicorns as she and they prepared spells. Lunas wound throbbed, but it had at least stopped bleeding. Though Luna knew she needed to see it treated; but now was not the time for that. The changelings were drawing closer now, and Luna did not think they could stand against such a force without the battle mages support.
Yet she would not back down. She was a princess of Equestria, and she would die to defend her soil against any foe. So she steeled herself, as did her soldiers, for the clash as the changelings grew closer.
The changelings at the front snarled and hissed as they leaped toward the spearmen at the front, only to suddenly by caught in the molten flame of burning magma that burst forth from the ground and dove towards the changeling hordes, like snakes.
"What!?" Luna gasped, and it was only the discipline of her troops that they did not step back in shock from the sudden event. The magma and the ground tore apart and rushed toward the changelings, turning into a wheel of molten fire and earth, swallowing and burning changelings alive. The magma soon stopped rushing up from the ground, and the ground went still.
The changeling charge was slowed, but they kept coming. And that was when the next surprise began as a great tear appeared to the flank of the changeling horde, and out poured dozens of humans. The humans charged, screaming their war cries, as they smashed into the changelings flank, driving deep into the horde. Luna watched as humans kept coming, before the tear closed and at the back stood a single human.
It was Castus, and the human held his hands up, and Luna could feel the power of the Wind he held in himself. Above the changelings, dark clouds began to form and swirl, and as Castus lowered his hands with a scream, great bolts of lightning shot down and blasted deep into the back ranks of the changeling horde. Others strike at changelings in the air.
Then the clouds vanished, and Castus looked toward her, and she at him. Despite the distance, Luna could make out him nodding once, before he began weaving a new spell.
Luna did not understand his reasons, but she was not going to question it. There was just one thing to do now.
"Soldiers of Equestria. Charge! Drive the changelings back." Luna shouted.
The spearmen lifted their shields, aimed their spears straight and with a shout charged into the broken changeling ranks. Heavy Earth Pony knights Terra charging in through gaps of the spearmen to strike at the changelings with their massive hammers.
And in that clash, the battle of Equestria truly began.
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I'm happy to see this chapter as it was worth the wait. It was nice to see the Mane 6 interact with Castus and his forces. Furthermore, the battle scenes were entertaining to see. Hope to see the battle and the appearance of the Consort soon.
The epic level is over 9,000!... I'm sorry. MOAR pls.
So applejack is a slave owner and punches castus for freeing others, so typical of her.
6708178
Not really a slave. More like a cattle owner, and her cattle were stolen.
I loved that comic. The Return of Queen Chrysalis.
Epic!
6708184 still feel that Castus shoulden't have any regreat freeing his people from being mindless beast in chains.
6708541 Agreed.
I almost feel you should end it here. Sort of Two Towers ending. Before the next story I mean
6708178 You bite your tongue!
6708184 I think using word ''cattle'' here only makes it worse since it depicts a picture of slaves working on orchard and the fact she is acting like that even after she saw that humans are intelligent makes it worse .
orig02.deviantart.net/f2e2/f/2015/341/d/7/battle_mage_by_sipioc-d9je6fm.jpg
Fan Art!
Heh, emergence day.
Pure epicness, but Castus shouldn't owe Applejack anything. He just freed slaves she owned. Castus shouldn't give two shits on how bad her business is going now.
6709341 ya calling full sentient and sapient creatures cattle is pretty bad and given the circumstance applejack really is acting like a slave owner.
6709788
Wasn't the intention. Sorry to Applejack lovers, which I am one.
6709867 to be honest I don't really care too much about whether Applejack Daniels sounds like a slave owner or not, it just paints her in a pretty bad light when you stop and think about what she said. also I think you were spot on with how skittles reacts to seeing Castus
So Castus is the most powerful caster in Equestria now? Meh.
Anyways, you have a habit of repeating actions with particular characters. Like this:
Your dialogue in general could use some more descriptions and some more varied descriptions. I know that's difficult, I tend to struggle with it as well, but it really adds to the story when you take the time to picture how characters interact while speaking. Like, Rainbow tends to lash her tail when she's annoyed, Rarity is charming and graceful and plays with her hair or turns up her nose, Fluttershy cringes a lot and does things like poking at the ground of hiding behind her mane when she's put on the spot. You don't have to overdo it, but it'll make things feel much more alive!
6711035
Yeah, I've seen that. I'll be sure to try and give some more life. Thank you for pointing that out though, I tend to sometimes forget it as I place the essential story bits into place.
6711181
That's actually a good point. With so many on-screen killings and maimings, wouldn't the story qualify for a Dark and a Gore tag?
There was certainly more bloody slaying than kissing.
Oº°˚˚°ºOº°˚˚°ºOº°˚˚°ºOº°˚˚°ºOº°˚˚°ºOº°˚˚°ºoh DANG! Finally! Zi var is hearr!!! \ :v / But then again, GOD. DAMN IT! Why did you stop just as the war has just began??
*sigh* Well, can't blame you I guess... Cause it gives me more reason to look forward to next chapter!
Anyway! Another chapt well done! I can't say anything else besides a 'This is awesome!' So let's leave it at that.
Sooo... Yeaaaah...Welp, See ya next chapt, Capt!!
:v /
Get off your self-righteous pedestals and shut your whore mouths before you end the fucking WORLD!
Obviously Applejack has no issues with slavery.
REALLY, Twilight? Fucking REALLY!? You and your whore friends try to kill the guy who was OBVIOUSLY talking rationally with YOUR FUCKING LEADER! And now you have the unmitigated GALL to ask him to risk himself and his people for a bunch of murderers, LIKE YOU, who don't give two shits and a fuck about whether or not any Human lives or dies and would happily slaughter them!? How fucking STUPID can you possibly be!?
hahaha. a battle of the five armies reference i take it.
7307590
Damn right!