Chapter 45
Fire Eyes felt her heart skip a beat. Cliff’s link was down, which meant that he was either unconscious, or … no, he was unconscious. He had to be! “Blueblood, get him away from that monster! Dash, buy me a second to heal him!”
A shield popped into existence around her oldest friend, pulling him toward the rest of the team.
The Guard took two steps after him, but then a rainbow-patterned blur crashed into it, kicking the suit away with all four hooves. It staggered back on its one hoof before falling backwards with a crash.
Rainbow Dash fell to the ground as well, just a few feet away from the Guard. She barely managed to get back to her hooves in time to avoid the Guard’s swinging ax. A flap of her wings sent her flying backwards to smash into the ground near Fire Eyes and the others. “My suit’s batteries are empty, everyone.” Groaning in pain, she forced herself up once more. “I’ll keep it off you as long as I can, but that might not be much longer.”
Fire Eyes poured an entire battery’s worth of healing magic into Cliff’s head and chest, ignoring the obviously shattered bones in his arm and leg. He was alive, barely, but he wouldn’t stay that way much longer with that Guard sucking out his magic. Dash and Blue were both exhausted, and half of Mac’s internal organs had shut down when that ax nicked his side twice. “Blueblood, take the others and run. I’ll hold it off as long as I can.”
“Nope.” Big Mac forced himself up. Sweat covered the parts of his face that were visible through his helmet, but his emotions were firm. “Just Cliff.”
Blueblood shook his head. “I won’t leave you.” His horn lit up with flickering light, and several chunks of crystalline rubble flew toward the Guard.
“Cliff is going to die if he doesn’t get away from that Guard’s influence,” Eyes shot back. “Your magic is the only thing that can carry him without messing up his injuries even more.”
Blue hesitated for a moment, then he lifted Cliff’s unconscious form in his aura. “As a prince of Equestria, I’m ordering all of you not to die!” Then he took off. Fire Eyes didn’t know where he was headed, but she didn’t care, as long as it was away from here.
Eyes returned her attention to the Guard. Dash was fighting valiantly, but it was obvious that she was running on nothing but determination.
A burst of Eyes’ telekinesis pulled Dash away from a swing that would have severed at least one leg. Fire Eyes quickly redirected her spell to put Dash on top of a nearby house. “I owe you one, but you’re done for this battle.”
The Guard turned its attention to Fire Eyes and Mac. “Chhillld …” it hissed, stepping toward them.
“D-didn’t earn the Element of Loyalty by abandoning friends.” Dash struggled to get back to her hooves, but it was obvious that she didn’t have the strength anymore.
Eyes ignored her and kept her gaze locked on the living suit of armor that had nearly killed three of her closest friends. “Mac, I’ve been working on a spell that might at least slow this thing down. If it doesn’t work, tell Whisper that I’m sorry I couldn’t keep my promise.”
Mac nodded and started running toward the Guard.
Just before they collided, Fire Eyes opened her mouth and spat out a thick ray of pink energy. The beam melted most of the Guard’s helmet before Fire Eyes fell to the ground, coughing up blood.
Imitating Void Fire wasn’t nearly as easy as she’d hoped.
The Guard didn’t seem concerned about suddenly losing its face, but at least Big Mac was able to knock it away before it could land a blow with that ax.
Like before, it only went back a couple of steps before it ground to a halt. Rivulets of molten armor poured down the Guard’s chestplate as the front of its helmet fell away, revealing a nightmare beneath.
An ethereal minotaur face stared back at them all, but it was thin to the point of skeletal. Tight skin stretched over a ghostly skull, and those flickering orbs that served as its eyes shined with all of their hideous glory. No expression or sign of life marked the creature’s face, if it could even be called a face.
The liquid metal on its chest slowed and began to course back upwards, reforming the front of the Guard’s helmet.
Big Mac took a few steps back toward Fire Eyes, breathing heavily.
Then, in a burst of magic, Luna appeared in front of them both. Her gold and silver armor was dented and broken in places, and blood dripped to the ground beneath her, but still she stood proud. “Stay back, all of you!” Then she charged. One forehoof came up to grip the Guard’s ax while the other knocked its shield aside. Her wings swept the suit’s hooves out from underneath it, bringing it to the ground with a crash.
Luna quickly repositioned herself so that one of her back hooves was holding the Guard’s shield arm down. One forehoof gripped the ax, holding the Guard’s arm straight up, while her other forehoof slammed into the arm with a sound like thunder. “You. Shall. Not. Harm. Our. Subjects. Any. Further!” Each word was accompanied with another blow to the Guard’s arm.
The Guard managed to wrench its shield arm free, and Luna barely teleported away in time to avoid getting bashed across the skull.
Luna reappeared in the air and immediately lit up her horn. A nearby house lifted off the ground then flew diagonally downwards to catch the Guard’s shield arm and pin it once more.
The alicorn teleported back, and though Eyes couldn’t see exactly what happened, she let out a cry of pain before latching onto the Guard’s ax again. A trail of blood ran down her other foreleg, which was thinner and weaker looking than it had been moments earlier, but her good foreleg still managed to pull the Guard’s arm out straight once more.
Big Mac ran forward and turned around to buck at the extended arm.
“Sever it quickly, Big McIntosh,” Luna grunted through the strain.
Both his hind legs slammed into the Guard’s arm. Metal groaned and bent, but held.
“Again!” Luna’s weakened forelimb came up to brace her other one. “Before this creature can weaken us both further!”
Another Applebuck, and the metal started to give, then another, and another, and finally the Guard’s forearm came loose from the rest of its body.
Luna hurled the forearm, ax and all, as far away from them both as she could manage.
“It’sss toooo late …” the Guard muttered, just before its shield arm broke free from the house wall that had been pinning it down.
This time, Luna didn’t react quickly enough. The edge of the Guard’s shield caught her across the hip, knocking her into Big Mac with enough force that both of them were hurled away.
The two scrambled back to their hooves, but Luna’s back leg hung limply and her face was pinched with pain. Even her mane was beginning to change back to a mass of normal hair.
“Noowww.” The Guard stood up slowly, revealing a fully repaired helmet. It stared at the severed stump of its arm, which was already regrowing, then it turned its attention toward Luna and Big Mac. “I nevvverrr …”
“Mac, listen carefully,” Fire Eyes sent. “I’ve got enough willpower left for one more attempt at Void Fire, but I need Luna to teleport the two of you to the Guard’s other side so its shield will face away from me.”
A moment later, Luna and Big Mac disappeared and reappeared on the opposite side of the alleyway. Luna’s mane had also started to billow once more, and tiny lights were appearing in it.
Like they’d hoped, the Guard turned to face them once more, just in time for a beam of pink energy to connect with its remaining arm.
Fire Eyes struggled just to stay upright, coughing uncontrollably with blood pouring out of her mouth. It would be so easy to let unconsciousness carry her away. At least she’d be free of the agony in her chest and throat.
Except she’d promised Whisper that she’d come back alive.
Eyes somehow found a bit of willpower left to heal her throat.
Past her, Luna used her magic to rip a thick piece of crystalline wall off the nearest house and slam it down on the Guard’s damaged arm, severing it.
“Crush its body, Big McIntosh,” Luna ordered, leaping at the Guard with both hooves.
With only half an arm to defend itself, the Guard was quickly forced to the ground beneath the pounding hooves of Luna and Big Mac.
Eyes risked a glance toward the wall of the Empire. It looked like the Alliance had gotten through Shining Armor and Cadance’s shield, but strangely, they hadn’t attacked. What are they doing?
-_-_-_-_-_-
“… I said hold your positions!” Silver Tail sent.
“That goes against the plan,” Typhoon pointed out. “We should force our advantage now, while Celestia and Luna are busy with the Requiem Guard.”
“Forget the plan.” Silver Tail growled, and he made sure that all five Hurricanes heard it. “The Requiem Guard wanted a fight with Celestia, and we’re giving it to them without risking any casualties of our own.” Silver Tail had to hope that he wasn’t making a huge mistake by holding the army back. Celestia was weak from fighting Providence until the living suit had run into the Crystal Empire, chasing after the scattered members of the Requiem Guard. Luna was in even worse shape. It would only take a few minutes for the Alliance to massacre the pony defenders and claim victory in this war.
“You’re doing the right thing,” Heart send him privately.
Silver Tail just nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He was throwing away the victory that so many dragons had fought and died for, and all because Heart insisted that the only way to achieve long-term peace with Equestria would be if the Alliance surrendered.
Victory wouldn’t be worth it if it only led to more wars and more bloodshed.
His eyes focused on Luna, slowly crushing one of the Requiem Guard to pieces. Good, the Hurricanes would be less likely to press for another attack if Equestria managed to destroy a couple of the suits, and it would get rid of one more barrier between the Alliance and peace.
If only he had been able to hold off the Hurricanes’ decision to release the Requiem Guard. Even a few days longer would have given Cliff Runner time to complete his gem-creation rune, and Silver Tail would have been able to start pushing for peace instead of releasing these monsters.
A cluster of golden figures caught Silver Tail’s eye. The rest of the Requiem Guard was closing in on Luna, and one of them was already pulling back to throw its spear.
No. Luna was an honorable warrior. He wouldn’t stand by and watch as she was killed by a dishonorable ambush. Silver Tail jabbed both wings forward.
-_-_-_-_-_-
Luna looked up just in time to see a spear from the Requiem Guard get pushed out of the way, clattering against the wall of a house instead of plunging into her throat.
Instinctively, Luna teleported herself and Big McIntosh back to where Fire Eyes crouched. Not more than a hundred feet away from where they had just been, another Guard was rushing to the damaged one. Behind it, the rest of the Requiem Guard stood, silently watching.
This new Guard looked at them and tightened its grip on the giant hammer that it carried. “Coount yoursellf lucky, Mistress of tthe Night. You aand the resstt of yourr misbegotten kind wallk the pathh to oblivion, but my quarrrel iss with yourr sister, and sso I will alllow you to livve a shorrt time longer.” Then it lifted the other Guard over its shoulder. “Requiem Guard,” it glanced at Luna and the others one last time, as though second-guessing its decision to spare them, “ffall back.” It paused only long enough to gather its companion’s fallen shield and ax before turning and walking back toward the wall.
The other six members of the Requiem Guard silently followed after it.
Luna watched them go, as tears of helpless frustration started to run down her cheeks. Equestria had struck those creatures with everything it had, soldiers and civilians lay dead because of them, and yet they hadn’t killed a single Guard?
The suits kept walking, reaching the Empire's wall and climbing over it as they continued toward the Alliance's army.
“Ponies of the Crystal Empire,” Silver Tail’s voice echoed across the distance between them. “Do not attack our caves again, or I will order the Requiem Guard to attack the Empire once more.” Then he and the rest of the Alliance began to fly away.
-_-_-_-_-_-
Silver Tail looked back at the Crystal Empire, wondering what would happen now. He could see Celestia standing on the wall. She was still alive, which meant his pact with the Requiem Guard was still in effect.
Life would be so much easier if drakes could go back on their word. He could kill the Hurricanes, bury the Requiem Guard beneath a mountain somewhere, and then surrender to Equestria, stopping this war by sundown. Of course, that was only a dream. Other races didn’t understand it, but drakes simply couldn’t break a promise. He could as easily sprout gills and breathe underwater.
Silver Tail skimmed the ground far below and located the eight suits of armor to which he had effectively sold his soul. He angled down toward the group, only flapping at the last moment before landing in the powdery snow. The draining aura of the Guards made his limbs feel weak as he fell into step with them.
Providence led the group, with another Guard slung easily over one shoulder. The other Guard was strangely listless, and the glowing runes that covered it were far weaker than those of its fellows.
“You were able to face Celestia,” Silver Tail said. “Are you satisfied?”
Providence stopped and held up one fist.
The others all came to an abrupt halt as well.
“I willl be ssatisfied when she iss dead.” Providence lowered its arm before turning to look down at the drake leader. “And neverr forget that it iss not yourr order to give.”
Silver Tail stood there, puzzled for a moment, before realizing what the Guard was talking about.
“I willl order the Requiemm Guard tto attaack. Iff the Allliance doess not fight beside uss next tiime, they willl be the firsst to fall.” Providence turned and resumed its march. The crunch of snow beneath its hooves almost drowned out its parting words, “And nexxt time, there will be no retreaat.”
-_-_-_-_-_-
Fire Eyes, Luna, and Big Mac sat in silence as they watched the Alliance forces slowly fade into the distance. Eyes was propped against the house that Luna had lifted in their battle.
The battle played over and over in Eyes’ head as she tried to think of something different that they could have done. Her team was arguably the best in the Everfree Platoon, and they had even had the help of one of the Immortal Sisters. How could things have ended like this, with all of them exhausted and Cliff possibly dead?
She could only pray that Blueblood had gotten him to a medic in time.
In front of her, Mac and Luna leaned against each other. Like Fire Eyes, they were covered in dirt, blood, and sweat. Their armor was battered and ripped in places, showing painful wounds beneath.
“It would seem,” Luna said at last, “that a new strategy is required if we are to be victorious against the Requiem Guard.”
Big Mac pressed against her side a bit more, his eyes downcast. “Eyup.”
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Hmm...
How does orbital kinetic bombardment sound? Teleport some sizable chunks of rock up to the, let's say, Ionosphere, apply a bit of directional magic to keep them on target, and let gravity do what it does best.
That, or ask Chryssie to borrow a few of those magic-draining staves and hope they drain the Guards faster than the Guards drain everything else.
Somehow, I'm not even surprised.
Unleash the self-aware, likely insane ancient superweapon, and expect that it/they will obey you.
img.memecdn.com/well-fuck_o_4666013.jpg
Yep, a snowball effect
Twilight takes Luna, Celestia, and Cadances magic.. Tirek 2.0+
7733951 Attack them with something more durable than them.(aka. Diamond vs. Glass)
Let's them scream from despair, despairI say.
Idea
i2.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/647/268/f0a.jpg
How about you use the power of the sun to melt them.. You already admitted that it was the only way to permanently destroy them, so just use the power of the sun, give celestia the power of all the alicorns, and let her melt them with solar fire. Seriously, it's like they have never heard the term glassing before?? You have ponies who fire magical beams of destruction, they should know what glassing is!!
7733951 Won't work, by their own self admission, melting them was the only way to permanently destroy them.. so glass them with solar fire or lightning..
7734170
Meteoric strikes actually involve a good deal of melting thanks to the heat of re-entry and shear kinetic energy involved, and should at least damage them enough that Celestia can finish them off with her own orbital death beams.
Seems like the elements of harmony or the Rainbow power would be the solution to beings that evil.
There is an appropriate phrase for this: too little, too late. The Alliance has released an element that is more than happy to slaughter innocents and allies alike. I hope they suffer for their stupidity, the Hurricanes especially. I will not shed a tear for any of the Alliance except for Talon or Yor Tool.
7734264 Oh... you meant a meteor strike, okay... next time don't say orbital kinetic strike, cause that does not mean meteors, that means a designed ammunition that is dropped from orbit onto a target.
7733951
A few years back, the Starswirl solution would've worked.
Send them to a place that doesn't have magic. Watch them crumble as nothing is there to sustain them. Alas, Equestrian magic is spreading there now. They would kill Sunset, Sunset's friends, anyone who came into contact with either, and then die.
7734444
I'm still debating whether I despise the Hurricanes or Heart and Silver Tail more. The former at least don't make excuses. The part about Drakes being totally incapable of going back on a promise, was that ever mentioned before? It reads like something thrown in to make Silver Tail look less like a coward and a fool.
In their defence, they are trying to minimize the atrocities a bit. A small bit.
I think everyone's over looking something, when they're coming down so hard on silvertail and the Alliance. This whole conflict is essentially a clash of cultures. Generally speaking, dragons are individualists, ponies are collectivists. A dragon would smash the world if it happened to be in line with their principles, whereas a pony would stoop to anything for the sake of whatever group they identify as their tribe. That's why I'm pro-dragon: their worldview aligns more closely with my own.
Regarding stopping the Requiem Guard, I would suggest flinging molten rock or metal at them. Perhaps they can repair damage, but they might find it difficult to remove additional material that's fused to them. Failing that, maybe compress volatile material inside telekinetic spheres and let the guard's own magic syphon act as a trigger...?
*still in dragon form*
Me: Yay all the named ones are alive
Robot: yet more died
M.wolfdragon: but we melted on and we are still here
F.wolfdragon: ya a version that is not in this story
7735019 I've mentioned several times that drakes absolutely never go back on their word, but I didn't come out and said that they're physically incapable of it. It has always been that way, but I didn't think I needed to spell it out until I saw how many people were giving Silver Tail crap for releasing the Requiem Guard because of an oath. In other words, I tossed that in as a reminder of something that I thought had already been established, but clearly I didn't establish it well enough. I'm also adding that to a few of the earlier chapters, so it doesn't seem like it came out of nowhere.
7735123
That's just it—they don't. It's the Alliance who attacked first, and it's the Alliance who threaten to release horrors such as the Requiem Guard from Tartarus if it'll give them an edge. There's only one side who goes by "End Justifies The Means", and it ain't the ponies.
7736084
Hm. Of course, that still leaves Heart, who isn't a Drake. I'm looking forward to her trying to explain this to her Equestrian cousins.
7736084
If you wanted people to feel sympathy for him, maybe don't have him make absolutely idiotic promises? Especially when he doesn't even have a good reason to. He might not have a choice now that he's bound by his promises, but it was still his choice to make that promise in the first place. For a drake that's lived for centuries and is well aware of the fact that making a promise is the equivalent of selling his own soul, he sure does make them lightly. My sympathy for both him and Heart is still at 0.