• Published 29th Jan 2016
  • 1,726 Views, 1,533 Comments

The Last Cutie Mark Crusader - Jatheus



Equestria is at war. The land is plagued by an unending horde of timberwolves that pour out of the Everfree Forest. Cities have fallen, and it seems everypony is powerless to end the slaughter. Scootaloo was one of the first to enlist...

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31 - Raid, Part 4 of 7

Absolute madness surrounded Beigh. Bright flashes blinded him as magical attacks rained death upon the first regiments to lead the attack. Orders were being shouted, but he couldn't understand them over the explosions and screams of the dying. His heart was pounding so hard he thought it might burst from fear.

Unicorns began returning fire as the first several rows of the line were blown to bits, and the air popped and crackled as the sizzling magical bolts zipped back and forth. Crossbows were also being loosed as timberwolves slammed into the shrinking line from directly ahead. Sergeant Emerald Dream was leading the squad forward as a magical bolt sheered through her wing, effectively severing it. Blood poured profusely as she let out a scream in pain. His breaths fast and shallow, Beigh tried to do what he always did, ignore the battle and help somepony in front of him.

Grabbing his sergeant, he shouted, "Hold still, you're going to be fine!"

His stomach felt in knots as he looked down for a second to get a bandage from his pack, trying to think how to best help. When he looked back, the headless body of the pegasus fell into the medic, taking him to the ground. He scrambled out from under the corpse and back onto his hooves, Starbright helping him up.

“I’ve got you,” he said just before a blast of magic ripped though his chest.

The light of life left Starbright’s eyes as he fell away from sight. The little courage that Beigh had been able to muster evaporated; he turned and ran from the chaos. He pushed his way through, ponies dying all around him as the fight raged on. He tripped over a body and the world spun. The medic hit the ground with his face and tasted earth; it had a burned flavor. The body grunted; it was Beigh's own lieutenant, LD. He was alive, but he had a wild look of panic in his eyes. Beigh wasn't sure how aware of the situation he actually was, but he was in no condition to fight.

"Focus fire on those buildings!" Charging Lance cried out from behind. "Pacer, get to the front and form up our lines, they're falling apart!"

"I'm on it!" Pacer called back as he and a few squads thundered through the chaos to get to the slaughterhouse that was the front.

Beigh stayed down beside LD for the moment.

A pegasus scout landed near Charging Lance and yelled, "Sir! Massive forces coming out of the swamp behind us. We are cut off from-"

His report was stopped by a blast magic that stuck his throat. The scout clumsily fell drowning to the earth as a medic ran ineffectually to his aid.

Beigh was frozen by the specter of terror as he watched this unfold.

Charging Lance barely reacted to the death of the scout, but turned to one next to him and said, "See if you can get through to General Brax and advise of our situation. Unable to fall back, need assistance if possible. Go!"

This second scout shot up into the air and away. Blinding flashes split the night to their rear as the electrical discharge from the cloud opened up on the enemy. Lighting began ripping into the ground to the east near the swamp and thunder banged in rapid succession with it. Charging Lance jumped on top of an old cart that had been long abandoned and looked around. Beigh was in awe of how calm the other stallion seemed in the middle of this insanity. LD was shaking; not certain what to do, Beigh grabbed and held him.

To another scout and one of the regiment commanders Charging Lance said, "We can't stay here. This is a meat grinder. Advise all officers that we are moving into the city."

"Sir!" one of the officers cried out, “We’re getting wiped out up ahead! We'll be sitting ducks in there."

Charging Lance replied, “Going back that way isn’t going to be an option. If the changelings are going to shoot at us, better we're surrounded by timberwolves. At least we'll take some of them with us. We need to connect with the flanking force on the south side of town." Taking off at a gallop, he cried out, “Sound the charge. On me!"

The rest began to move forward on his hooves. If it were possible, Beigh began to panic even more. His heart pounded to the bursting point as his life surged through his veins. Sweat soaked his coat and armor, the air stifled with bloody burned scents as the medic focused just long enough to take a deep breath. He became aware of one thing; panic is death, and he had to move.

"We have to go!" he said to LD as he shook him.

The other didn’t react in any way, still staring ahead with a blank expression. Since the sergeant wouldn't budge, Beigh left him, following with the rest of the soldiers. His thoughts were wild as he saw so much fighting and death all around.

Suddenly, he stopped. At first he wasn't sure why, but within a few moments a feeling grew inside that he couldn't abandon his Lieutenant. If he ran, LD would die. He turned back and went to him, pushing his way through soldiers that were moving forward. Timberwolves were growling and howling somewhere nearby, difficult to hear over the barrage of thunder booming from the cloud. Beigh found the paralyzed pegasus where he’d left him.

“Lieutenant LD, you have to move!" again to no answer. “You have to get up! You can’t stay here!”

There was no response. LD’s breaths were shallow, his eyes wide and unresponsive to the chaos in which they were enveloped. Not sure what else to do, Beigh struggled to pick him up. He was heavy, but in a few moments, the medic succeeded in getting the lieutenant onto his back. Each step was now much harder, but he pressed as fast as he could to stay away from the outside of the force where the timberwolves were biting.

”Just keep moving," Beigh shouted, more to himself than anypony else. "Just keep moving."

Changelings began to fill the sky. They came crashing down into the force as it charged forward. They drove their bodies with magical auras that exploded on impact. Waves of heat blasted out, and they rose seemingly unharmed. Snarling and hissing as they came, they launched an attack throughout the vanguard, magically transforming into saber-cats, bears, and other equally ferocious creatures. Others used their magic to deal death to the ponies that had dared to come find them.

The ponies fought back as they were able, though the vanguard was outmatched. Beigh did his best to avoid anything hostile. He wasn’t exactly running with LD on his back, but he kept as quick a pace as he was able. Sweat poured down his face, and his throat felt swelled shut for how parched he’d become. He developed tunnel vision, just focusing on the next step and staying away from savage claws and lethal magic that filled the night.

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