7. One Year Later
Vinber Province: the front line. At least as it stood today. I trotted along the rows of tents and up to the one that was mine. The sun was starting to get low in the sky and managed to hit my visor in just the right way to practically blind me.
“Welcome home, Dread Knight,” came the annoyingly cheerful voice of Major Regia once I went through the flap into our shared home.
“Don’t call me that, Reggie,” I replied before reaching back to undo the fasteners on my helmet.
He snorted and rolled his eerie red eyes. “And why not, mate? That is what the gryphons call you, isn’t it? Dread Knight and his Black Dragoons?”
I pulled the helmet free and set it on the stand. Then I started working at the breastplate. “You could call me Silent, Silent Knight, Major Knight, or just, hey you. Whatever you pick, don’t call me that.”
“Sure… sure…” He came over to help me remove my armor. “I swear, do we need all of this? How do you even fly?”
The war had necessitated a few fast advancements in protective gear, a major one being sturdier suits of armor that covered more of the body. The old suits just weren’t up to the viciousness of the Sudramoar gryphons.
“Really? Are you making a joke? An earth pony asking a pegasus how to fly? You flap your wings, Reggie!” This was our usual dance. We did it practically every day as if it were rehearsed.
The cerulean-coated stallion pulled the breastplate free and set it on the stand. “I’m serious, I can barely walk around in this junk for a full day and you go flying in it.”
“Yours is made out of steel. That is your problem. That, and you’re getting round around the middle. My middle still looks good and my suit, on the other hoof, is made from Cloudsdale steel—a pegasus invention I should note—and weighs a fraction of the amount.
“After all, you earth ponies don’t corner the market on all technology, you know.” I pulled the foreleg bracers off and then the hindleg as he removed my back and flank plates, leaving me in my chainmail.
“I’ll remember that crack about my middle,” he grumbled.
I slumped onto the ground and sighed. “Seriously, though, this stuff is pretty heavy. I’m worn out. Did I miss lunch?”
He shook his head. “No, you missed lunch and dinner. Where were you?”
Casually, I motioned off in a random direction. “Sudramoar raiders have been ambushing supply convoys north of here. Brigadier Hammer was getting annoyed with it, so…”
“He sent you.”
“Yup.”
“Did you get them?”
“Of course we got them. We let them ambush a decoy convoy full of infantry and then swooped in from the direction Intelligence said they were operating from. Caught them right in the middle.”
Reggie nodded. “Good work. How many prisoners?”
My head tilted.
He sighed. “Right… Did they try to surrender?”
I shook my head. “Never got the chance. It is kind of hard to do so when you have a company of archers shooting at you from behind and you fly headfirst into a company of lancers. Anyway, the situation is resolved. I’m going to go get some food.”
Reggie sighed again.
“What?” I asked.
“I’m ready to go home, Silent Knight. This is getting out of hoof. Do you know how long we’ve been here?”
“To the hour. Look, I want to leave, too, but we can’t, okay? It isn’t like you and I volunteered for this! Celestia knows at this point there aren’t any more volunteers. Positions open and we’re chosen to fill them.
“That is the reality right now, so buck up, get it together, and do this job as best you can so you can be sure you and your troopers can go back home. When we do that, we can go back to being guards… if we ever can go back. Now, I’m going to get something to eat. Do you want to come with me or not?”
Reggie sat in silence for a while, the turmoil obvious on his face. We both struggled with our lot in life these days. Finally, he found his composure and shook his head. “Nah, I ate, plus I’m waiting for my patrols to return. Oh, by the by, you got another letter from the missus. I know how fast you like to turn those around. It’s on your desk.”
My eyes shifted that way, finding a pink envelope that stood out among all of the other items there. “Thanks.” I wanted to go to it immediately, but I had to eat. I’d need the energy. I shifted my attention back to my tent-mate. “Speaking of my missus, how is your wife?”
“Surly as ever and man, do I miss her. Did I ever tell you how we met?”
“Over two hundred times,” I replied. Then we said together, “It was love at first fight.” I chuckled. “Yes, I’ll be back in a minute.”
Back out into the camp I went. The sun was finally setting in the distance. At least now it was at my back. I could feel it through the black chainmail that covered my entire body. Even in camp, we wore it. The Sudramoar had a talent for getting their soldiers close enough with crossbows.
Not that I really expected a suit of chainmail to save me from a crossbow, but it beat the alternative.
I was halfway to the chow tent when I saw one of my lancers heading straight for me. There was no mistaking his intent. He was after me. Somepony somewhere wanted my attention because he, of all ponies, knew better.
It was somewhat amusing to watch him approach. He’d come a long way since the old days of fighting for my honor. Under the dark chainmail and plate was a straw-colored pegasus stallion. A sweet one at that. Once he came to a stop, he saluted.
“Sergeant Tumble,” I said while returning it. “What can I do for you?”
“I’m sorry to bother you, sir. I know you prefer to have a little downtime after an operation, but the Civvies want to see you. They grabbed me when we got back before I could escape to my tent. They seem to have a knack for that.”
They certainly did. Having civilian liaisons with the Army was, more often than not, a huge annoyance. It took every bit of effort not to roll my eyes. “What now?”
He cleared his throat and pulled his visor down to hide his face. Two green eyes peaked fearfully out from the narrow slit. “They want you to speak at the remembrance ceremony, sir.”
“What!”
“Yes, sir. They sent me because they felt like I’d be the last pony you’d kill.”
He was right about that. It was highly unlikely I’d kill my staff NCO. “Would you please get my dinner, take it to my tent, and figure out some way to keep it warm? Get some for you, too, and something sweet for Major Regia.”
Thunder Tumble’s head titled. “Are you still trying to fatten him up, sir?”
“Yes. I find it endlessly amusing. Now get to it.”
“Yes, sir!” he replied before hurrying off.
The civilians wanted me to speak at the remembrance? What an awful idea. At least this time I got a day’s notice. Usually they wanted something the day prior to asking. I trotted through the tent city and up onto the small knoll where the civilian liaisons had put their makeshift office together.
It wasn’t a bad structure, to be frank. They’d managed to get four wooden walls together and a canvas roof. There were a few offices inside and even a small wash room. Imagine that.
Ley Lines looked up from her desk and sort of smiled. It was more of an attempt. “She’s waiting for you.”
“Thanks… Knock, knock,” I called as I walked inside the office behind her.
"Major Knight, just the pony I was hoping to see,” came the sweet voice of Deputy Ambassador Rosetta Stone. Somehow, even in a warzone, she maintained a relatively positive attitude. The war hadn’t quite hardened her like the rest of us.
“Yes, you sent my favorite sergeant as an offering. Why in the name of the alicorns would you want me to speak at that ceremony?”
Her head tilted, causing her short reddish mane to bob. “Why? Really? Come on now!” She held up a forehoof and started tapping it with the other. “You were there, you saved lives, you saw the Harmony go down… you’ve built quite a name for yourself since then. I mean… that whole thing in Saddle Arabia alone! That was amazing.
“Come on, Major, these ponies don’t want to hear me or the ambassador drone on and on about a peace that isn’t any closer today than it was a year ago. They want to hear from a soldier that knows what it feels like to have lost. Please, do it for me. Do it for the ambassador! Do it for everypony!”
My wings twitched in irritation. “How do you always get your way?”
“I like to think it’s my earnest disposition,” she replied.
“I’m late for my dinner… Fine, tomorrow I’ll give a two-minute speech and then I’m going back to my company. Take it or leave it.”
She folded her forelegs across her chest and tossed her mane. “Two and a half minutes and you have to sit on the stage with the delegation for the whole thing.”
Sit on the stage? Absolutely not! I’d be a guest speaker at best. I wasn’t going to sit there and let everyone stare at me. Unless… “Who’s in the delegation?”
“Several unicorn mares. A few of whom, I can assure you, are cuter than me.”
Several, huh? Not as cute as my mare, I was certain but, then, my mare wasn’t in a warzone and thank Celestia for that. My eyes narrowed at her. The negotiation had to go on. “Two minutes and I’ll sit on the stage… but so help you if they aren’t cute, I’m not doing you any more favors.”
“Deal!”
I turned to go, but her magic tugged at my tail.
“Major, wait a moment. Sergeant Tumble said you were in a nasty fight today.”
“Yes,” I replied without looking over my shoulder. Every fight with the Sudramoar gryphons was nasty. That never changed. Not today, not ever.
Nervously, she asked, “Did we lose anyone?”
“Not today, ma’am. Not a pony nor gryphon in my company, nor any in the decoy group. No letters going home. Although we’ve got several going north for medical treatment. They’ll all make it, though.”
She breathed a heavy sigh of relief. “One good day.”
“Yes, ma’am. One good day.” I left it at that since there was nothing else to say. Any day where we didn’t lose a soldier was a good day and those days were rare.
My trot back to the tent was, thankfully, uneventful. From outside, I could hear Reggie chuckling. That was good. He was an excellent officer and all-around kind pony. He took loss more personally than I did, though, and in a different way. It hurt him.
I tossed the flap back and found him sitting with Thunder Tumble, the two of them sharing a bit of cake. “Sergeant, I told you to stop bringing the major sweets,” I said before going to my desk, where my meal was waiting.
Thunder, who had quickly stood to attention, replied, “I’m sorry, sir. I get the orders confused. I thought you said to bring him something sweet.”
“Ah, I see. At ease,” I muttered before sitting down and picking up the letter from Crystal Wishes. These envelopes were what kept me focused. I just held it in one hoof while I ate with the other. What could be in this one?
Had Crystal done something amazing? She’d done a lot of amazing things in a year. Anything to keep herself busy, but it was more than that. So much more. As I’d grown in a direction I had no taste for, she’d grown in her passion. It was a blessing.
After wolfing down the food… whatever it was… I carefully opened the envelope and pulled the letter free. It was, of course, on pink paper and a little glitter fell out. Then there was the scent of rose petals. The perfume my wife wore.
I held the letter close for a moment before reading it, vaguely aware of Reggie and Thunder laughing about something behind me. That is something you get used to when sharing a tent in the field: having alone time with others around.
My Dearest Knight
Let me not delay in the topic that I am sure is dominating your days. The Remembrance of the Harmony may have passed by the time this letter reaches you.
Not much of the war affects Equestria as a whole. It is, some days, as though there is not one at all. For most ponies, I doubt they give it a second thought.
That is not so as the Remembrance Day approaches. Nopony forgets. Wreaths of yellow ribbons hang from every door. At first, I was upset. Angry, even. I'm sure that must seem to be a confusing reaction, so let me explain.
When news of the Harmony reached us, the tragedy was felt in the hearts of everypony in Equestria. We mourned as a kingdom. In some ways, it brought us all together—we, the military-minded civilians, and they, the non-military civilians, were no longer separated. For a time.
Days went on, and slowly, life returned to normal for most. Now, as the Remembrance Day grows near, they've suddenly remembered the tragedy? The loss? Now they choose to remember that my love and his comrades are across the sea? It made me so terribly bitter that I stayed indoors the whole day after seeing the yellow ribbons that felt like a mockery of your sacrifices.
But I've come to terms with it. It is not a mockery, but respect. They are stepping out of the comfort of their daily lives to acknowledge the thing which nopony wants to think about.
I don't know what telling you all of this will do. I suppose, really, that I hope it will help you to know that we have not forgotten. The losses will be mourned and honored, and though after some time these ponies will return to what they know as normal, they do remember.
Just as they are taking the time to remember the war, it similarly helps me to remember that here, life does continue. Do you recall High Horse, my foalhood friend? Last year, she had a foal? It was some time before you left that Claire de Lune was born. She is a year old now. Can you believe it? She has grown so much. She is absolutely beautiful.
And on the topic of Horsey, she is pregnant with her second foal. Her pregnancy is coming along just fine. She is due in a few months. They are thinking of having a third after this one is born. Three foals…
When you finally come home, I want foals of our own. A hundred foals, even! I think that is only fair, don't you?
I jest, of course. I would be happy just to have you by my side again. That is more than enough for me, so please, my love, continue to do as you have and stay safe. I will continue to keep you in my thoughts.
Yours, Always,
Crystal Wishes
Deep inside, I felt warmth. The small bit of warmth that was reserved for me and my wife. It was something that I kept hidden and protected. That was a necessity of war. There were parts of ourselves we had to keep separate from the horrors around us. It was a lesson learned over a year.
Without a word, I wandered past Reggie and Thunder and out of the tent to where I could see the endless night sky. I pumped my wings and flew to the hill that stood opposite the brigade command area. It was the highest point and sported a tall lookout tower. The ponies manning it rarely cared when I visited the ground below them.
Far overhead were hundreds of stars, all burning brightly out in the distance. Other than flying or being somewhere outside of our walls, this was as close as I could get to them these days without risking life and limb. While I stood there contemplating that, Captain Brynja, my executive officer, approached and stood next to me.
We didn’t exchange any words and she didn’t come to attention. We just didn’t do that on this hill. This wasn’t about the army or the war. This was just about us. The gryphon ruffled her feathers after a mighty shake before looking up.
Soon, others from my company came. Some nights there were a lot of them, others very few. Tonight, there were a lot. It had been a bloody day and there was much to be thankful for. I’d take twenty injured in action over a single killed any day of the week. That was the war, though. This wasn’t about the war.
My focus returned to the stars. In each and every star, I saw Crystal Wishes’s touch. She had kept her promise because they danced with her love and I felt less lonely. For a brief moment, I smiled and whispered, “I’ll come home.”
And the others around me repeated it: “I’ll come home.”
A year lost to war. A year away from home. What happened between the destruction of the Harmony and now? Wait and see! All will be revealed but not in the order you anticipate and, perhaps, not in the way you expect.
If you are enjoying this story, please consider taking a look at Crystal and my's website QuillnBlade.com for extra content such as mini stories, an Ask Us form to submit questions, responses to said questions, and special rewards for the awesome folks who support our Patreon.
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This must have been some year. Nobody achieves a sobriquet like that from nothing.
I do sincerely hope that you shall let us in on most of what came to being, Anzel, for I am uncertain whether I'm fully in support of such a time transition yet.
a great chapter anzel, i fully approve of this development
sends hate mail
For realsies though, this is great because I would have never expected this story to turn out this way. I am now very excite, please keep going
Silent Knigh have been busy, but one year and no closer to peace? Tough luck!
Squee!
There she is!
Well okay then. So we are time skipping now? I suppose that's the best way to keep writing a story about the ponies and not the battles. I suppose a year is also a perfect amount of time for our bat pony friends to train a team of gryphon slayers if they are going to join this war and assist Luna. After all, they're the ones with the training manuals.
Looking forward to more, as always!
Oh shit, Anzel be doing some timeline meddling with us! Great chapter, it leaves so many ends open to explore!
So, you just... skipped a year?
I admit, part of me is glad to know that Crystal Wishes didn't end up pregnant from their 3-week honeymoon, or else this year apart would just be that much worse for the both of them.
I suppose part of me is also surprised that Silent Knight has managed to survive a year over there, apparently in a more direct war than what Equestria had planned on being in. I guess I assumed it'd either be a short war, or that Silent Knight would get himself killed trying to avenge everypony and feeling guilty or somesuch thing.
Okay, what I don't understand is why do a time skip over about a year after what previously happened in the last chapter?
A year?!
Great chapter.
I love the time skip, but I love the reactions to the time skip even more. It's anachronistic writing deployed in a rather unexpected place. That's an exciting move, and there are plenty of exploratory points to grab along the way. Also, I'm super amused for obvious reason as well.
7116057 I have to agree. at least show the immediate aftermath then time skip.
I just wanna say this was fun to finally catch up on. Enjoying it greatly so far.
Oh. Something something write the story the way I say you should write it. Because I'm a special snowflake or some shit.
7115896 That is what the authors note says ;)
7115905 Why thank you! It was a big development for sure!
7115939 Indeed. I don't think anyone saw it coming which was a big part of the intent. How do we get from the Harmony to a year later?
7115940 Correct on both accounts. That is the message. A year and nothing has happened? Oh my!
7115967 That she is!
7116034 That largely depends on how you view it. The comment was a year has passed and that they're no closer to peace. Seems to me there are plenty of battles left.
7116035 I am! And yes, yes it does! Plus novel ways to explore them. It is going to be a lot of fun and shifts the story perspective and situation.
7116036 Yup.
7116040 And that is a big part of what the shift is meant to do: completely change the dynamic of what is going on. A short war? So everypony had hoped but now it has gone on a year and peace isn't in sight!
7116057 Why? For a lot of reasons :) It pushes the story dynamic. It gives us a lot of opportunities to do things in an unconventional way.
7116079 A year indeed >_<
7116119 Why thank you! Yup the shift in dynamic is perfect for the tone and expectations.
7116134 Who is saying I won't? The authors note is pretty clear :)
7116150 Why thank you! I shall continue to do just that ^_^
7116155 ...
Just like that?
7116158 I'm glad that you acknowledge the specialness of my snowflake, sir.
Also, you're going to suffer for Russet's death. Because now I have to go back and read Memoirs to see best newbie grad happy and living.
I don't know how but you will.
7116158 On another note. Since it has been a year. What's keeping Rainbow from joining the fight? She's Element of Loyalty and she wouldn't stand by while the fighting is going on.
7116155
I had something long winded and intelligent (subjective) to respond to this with... but I lost it halfway through.
Long story short, I didn't mean I expected you to not show us the continuation of the war, I just meant that your time skip gives you the ability to show us the after effects of the first year.
Or, you know, however it is you want to say or view it. It's your story, I'm just contemplating while I enjoy the ride.
I'll shut up now.
7116155
Bah, what does he know? I'd rather hear it from you directly. I'm not a fan of such transitions. I will have to be persuaded by some stellar writing.
7116184
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You ... you do realize that in a first person narrative you're only going to read the world in relation to Silent Knight, right? Like ... just because he doesn't see it doesn't necessarily mean it hasn't happened/won't happen, right?
7116202 Oh I see ;)
Well Crystal isn't writing this story soooo you're stuck with me ;)
7116201 You're absolutely right! You hit the nail on the head: showing the outcomes of an entire year. Although to that point we're going to see things that happened in it too so maybe a bit of both. You don't have to "shut up" you're fine!
7116184
Maybe she has? Maybe she hasn't? Maybe something else is going on that requires her attention? Perhaps she's dead? We don't know yet! We just got here ;)
7116169 Don't worry, I'm already suffering!
7116163 Yes?
7116229 I know it's mainly going to focus on Silent Knight But you could bet she be mentioned somewhere eventually.
7116249 She's currently listed as
SirNot Appearing in ThisFilmFic.7116232
I know, right? The most I can hope for are those letters. Oh, well, a silver lining.
7116261 Considering Silent's Rank and his connection with the Princesses them meeting is not out of the question.
Sometimes, one good day is the best you can hope for. Sometimes, it's all you can hope for.
Hmmmm.... The time jump raises alot of questions, but its good to see thunder tumble again! and Silent got a promotion. I aint surprised Silent has earned a moniker such as that, and he does have a reason to hate the gryphons personally. But Atleast Crystal is still supporting him. I cant wait to see the next chapter!
7116273
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7116057
Because; while a lot happened during that period none of it was particularly interesting from a narrative perspective. It would have been 100,000 words of "we fought a bloody battle over stupid little hill #678 today. Widdershins lost his wing" With the occasional major battle where something unusual came up. I think we'll get the high points as the story continues but for this audience this is probably the way to go.
7115896
I'm expecting a few year-in-review speeches for the remembrance ceremony. With further details as they become relevant.
Another sweet letter from Crystal. Knowing that you have both put some time into writing them make them seem more earnest, so I appreciate the extra effort on that front.
As far as the time skip goes, its unexpected but in no way unwelcome. I think it's a sign of a good author if you can skip ahead and leave events in the background, to revisit or not. It speaks of confidence in your story and its direction, in my opinion. Also, it mixes things up and that's fun. Looking forward to more about the state and flow of the war overall. Keep it up!
Nice sentimental at the end.
7116290 you can bet the Wonderbolts are in this war and depending on how it has gone for them Rainbow may be one of them now.
7116293
I'm expecting nothing but the best usage of this time lapse. Let us wait and see.
7116315
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7116318 I do actually. This war has gone on for a year. A war then didn't happen in canon so it changes everything. I am thinking of the possibilites that could exist with these events.
7116333 You're trying really hard to ignore the "you're only reading the world as Silent sees it" in favor of inserting any canon character you can in for the sole purpose of having them there without considering what the author has planned for the story already aren't you?
7116343 She doesn't have to be shown. Just considering the full potential of what is going on.
Man, a year. Poor Silent, going all that time with only letters to Crystal. Will she even recognize the pony that returns?
Good use of a time skip from an artistic perspective. A whole lot of creative ways to handle that. Let's us fill in the gaps ourselves, and the rest revealed by flashback/conversation/memories.
It took me a while to realize Silent was speaking at a general anniversary ceremony. I was seriously afraid you killed off another beloved supporting character offscreen.
Which isn't really out of the question anyway, I guess.
7116365
She doesn't even have to be mentioned. The story's not about her. Anzel and Crystal have both been really good about not shoehorning Mane cameos in for the sake of it, even if we briefly saw one of them kicking ass with prosthetics in an alternate timeline.
7116477 which made sense till this point. before this they were always in Canterlot with maybe a visit or two to Ponyville.
However war is happening and considering his rank and connections he is likely to run into at least Rainbow Dash just by knowing her character. Do I expect him to see all of the Mane 6? Nope, minus certain events. But to run into some sure. Even as little as Dash relaying a message. Doesn't have to be big or grand.
Heck a perfect example would be an episode from babylon 5. the episode focuses on 2 repair men during an attack on the station. Throughout it all they by chance for a few minutes see or meet the main cast. Somesimilar could happen here. Not saying it has to but would be interesting.
Oooo, a mid-war timeskip immediately following a huge disaster, now there's a classic trope. It'll be interesting seeing how this passes on Crystal's side of the story.
Fun nickname. Well, for a given value of fun.
Cloudsdale steel? Neat.
I see that Silent is also a fan of the "No such thing as overkill" approach.
Oooooooooooo, Tumble. And here I was just wondering about what he was up to. Guess that benefitship with Velvet is on hold at best. Nice to see that he is doing well enough that he'd be Silent's staff NCO.
Well, I'm amused.
There was a thing in Saddle Arabia? Do tell.
Interesting perspective from Crystal regarding Remembrance Day. Reading between the lines a bit, I bet that means it was the only airship lost in combat on that day, otherwise they wouldn't be talking about just the Harmony specifically on the anniversary.
Silent has a captain as an XO? Hmn, looking back over the chapter I initially missed the reference to him as a Major. Significant events have occured, it would seem.
A year away from your wife Silent, a full year.
Interesting...
7116486
Aye, but that meeting was by chance. This would have to be too, no? So, there's a chance of it just never happening.
I won't debate the potential of Rainbow Dash fighting on the front lines, but they seem to valuable of an asset to potentially just lose one of their number like that.
As it was mentioned before, however, Anzel and Crystal don't shoehorn in the Mane 6 cameos. They've already created interesting characters to fill any role that they might- Introducing them could weaken the story.
At its core, this story is one of the background ponies. Rainbow Dash wouldn't really fit in.
7116232
Oh good. I like being able to yammer from time to time.
7116849
7116486
This too. Dash and Pinkie were in the thick of things during the Crystal War timeline, but in this one they're host to magical powers that will not work without one of them, and are far too valuable to risk on anything that doesn't need a highly specific friendship to the face. Much less to deploy into an active warzone where anypony can get killed instantly by a stray arrow or bomb.
Listening to this while I read the chapter.
What the... Did I miss a chapter or something?
Apparently not.
You know, as far as time skips go, I think this one could have been handled better. You kind of derailed the flow of the story. All that tension we saw mounting in the last three chapters ... gone. We had the bad premonitions, the doubts, the horrific realization as the original plan fell apart and the worst fears came true. We watched as the suspense climbed even higher when gryphons assaulted the airships and managed to bring down the Harmony. Then, amidst the shock, you gave us Silent getting ready to kick all sorts of ass. This chapter was supposed to be the conclusion of the battle. Equestrian airships retreating from battle, while Silent looses his cool. It was all there, the foaming rage, the angry promise, the ominous Latin chanting and J-pop in the background. Yet we were hit with a brick wall as the story suddenly shifts one year forward and no closure on the battle is given. It really breaks the flow of the story.
Usually, time skips are given when things have more or less calmed down. A post-battle period, for example. Shortly after Equestrians have finished counting their losses and realize just how messy this war is going to be. That's a good place to throw in a time skip.
Furthermore, having the entire chapter focus on the new present with little, if any, thought given to the events that led up to this moment is not good. I mean, this could pretty much be the start of a new story, there is very little that binds these two chapters together. Perhaps a few paragraphs of the present situation, followed with more focus on Silent reminiscing about what happened during the time skip. However, I think it will be the following chapters that bridge the gap.
Anyway, enough with the time skip.
It seems that Silent is a famous badass. Even the gryphons fear him. I wonder what did he do to earn that nickname? You don't become a Dread Knight for doing nice things. I guess we'll find out eventually. I just hop it won't come back to bite him in the ass.
Good to see that he still has some friends. Even though Silent seems to be embracing his darker side, it's a relief to see that his old self is shining through. Unfortunately, as much as I would like to comment on your other characters, I am unable to. You have so many of them, that I find it hard to remember all of them. I only know five or so, the rest of them are little more than a grey mass. Not because you're bad or anything, it's just that I don't find them interesting.
So a year has passed and Silent hasn't been home? Not even once? I know there is a war and Silent is not the kind of pony to sit idly by, but I think that unless you have seven shades of crap hitting the fan and the situation is falling apart at the seams, the higher ups could arrange for him to see Crystal for at least a few days. He has earned it.
I really like Crystal's letters. They add a bit of civilization ... a ray of hope amidst all the unpleasantness. A small comfort for Silent to enjoy. Yeah, and the message is pretty clear. Should Silent's visit home coincide with the estrus season, we will have a pair of new parents.
Anyway, I am looking forward to the next chapter. If not as much for the stuff that will happen, then at least to fill in the one year information gap.