The Kingdom of Heaven and Earth

by Bucephalus

Chapter 11: The heart of a warrior (Part 2: Fire)

Kingdom of Heaven and Earth
Chapter 11: The heart of a warrior (Part 2: Fire)

“Ah can’t believe this…” Applejack muttered, watching the chaos ensuing in the sky. “RD’s mother sure ain’t playin’ around…”

The duel happening above them was nothing as simple as a fight between two ponies anymore. It was like Dash was facing against a whole army, all by herself. Every time Crimson Bell had emptied the ammunition of her current weapon, she simply flew through a cloud close to her and grabbed a new one, unleashing its barrage at her daughter. The blue pegasus had no way of getting close enough for a melee fight.

However, even in the middle of this unending storm of bullets, Rainbow Dash braved the deadly rain and refused to give up. She was like a dancer amongst the clouds, using her wings to skate in the air. Her movement that been straight-forward and unrefined as the battle had started, had morphed into a graceful display of dodges and evades, mixed with flurry-like spins of her lance meant to deflect the projectiles.

Crimson Bell suddenly dove downwards, kicking a group of three clouds straight towards Rainbow Dash. As the fluffy surface dissipated, it became apparent that these clouds carried a dangerous load. Ten iron bombs were released in the air, dropping straight towards Dash. As they got close, they exploded with a ferocious power, sending a rain of wooden pellets towards the blue pegasus.

The battered lance sung once more, and was spun in a large circle around the pegasus. She used her hooves to manipulate the weapon, as her mouth simply could not accomplish such feats when fighting mid-air. The trunk of the lance deflected most of the shrapnel, but the once that got through pounded Rainbow Dash, throwing her in a downward spiral for a moment. Much to the relief of those watching, she was able to catch the air once more with her wings, and dove forward in attempt to dodge the next weapon, whatever it would be.

“Those weapons…” Cyclone Lance suddenly spoke up, catching the attention of Dash’s friends. “… They are the pride of the Firefly Faction. They say that before she passed on, their ancestor wrote a book called Fire Fly Manual. In it were the secrets of creating more gunpowder, the key to Firefly Faction’s military superiority, along with designs for hundreds of weapons envisioned by that same ancestor. I always thought it was exaggeration, but now, I’m starting to believe that perhaps this book was as dangerous as they say.”

“All those fire-breathing weapons were designed by the same pony? Wow!” Pinkie exclaimed. “She must’ve been really bored! And sad.”

“W-why sad?” Fluttershy asked only to see Pinkie adopt an unusually serious expression.

“Nopony happy would create such painful things,” she answered. “Or tell others how to create more of them.”

“Ah reckon yer right, Pinkie,” Applejack said and nodded. “Seein’ all them guns bein’ used… Ah can’t say Ah want to know what sorta desperation got somepony to invent them.”

“We can only blame the dark times that reigned then,” Cyclone Lance said with a somber tone. “Even today, the motto of Firefly Faction is: Stand strong and do not forget. All because of the actions of a single—“

Whatever Cyclone Lance was about to say was overpowered by a huge sound that engulfed the sky. However, when the ponies looked up to the sky, they saw that the source of the sound was not the two pegasi dueling above them, for even they were gazing into the distance with shock in their eyes. The group followed their gaze, only to have their mouths open in awe and confusion.

“W-what… the… hay?” Applejack muttered.

A huge column of light and magic rose from the distant horizon. It reached out towards the sky as if trying to compete with the sun that was about to rise soon. Two colors, purple and blue, mixed in a violent display of magical power. The onlookers could see how the scrawny trees close to the location of the column were nearly uprooted thanks to the shockwave created by it. This same shockwave eventually cascaded over the entire distance between the column and the fort, crashing and breaking against the walls of the fort.

In the air, Crimson Bell had cocked an eyebrow at the sight. When the column finally receded and faded away, she gave an impressed sigh and flicked away the few stray strands of mane on her face.

“I see a new dawn,” Crimson Bell spoke, though only Rainbow Dash could hear her. “Truly, it is like the tales they tell of the young Princess of the Sun.”

Meanwhile, on the ground, Cyclone Lance gave an approving smile to the fading sight of the magical explosion. Lovely Corn, who was standing close to Lance, was wearing a similar expression. It was clear that in that sight of battle, followed by loud sounds of explosions and rumbling earth, they saw something far more than the younger ponies who gazed at this spectacle with their jaws agape.

“Twilight Sparkle…” Cyclone Lance said to herself, proudly. “I see that you have found a worthy opponent as well.”

This caught the attention of Applejack, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. Seeing their confused gazes, Cyclone Lance nodded towards the spot of the explosion, where another column of light was now reaching towards the stars.

“The reason why Twilight Sparkle is not here right now is because I sent her on a mission,” the older mare explained. “I see that my gambit has paid off, and she has met somepony with an honorable heart.”

“They say that the future of Equestria lies within the hooves of those who aspire to be heroes,” Lovely Corn suddenly said. “Though we of the past generation may think we know everything of combat, a sight like this fills me with hope. To think the generation that shall follow us displays their power so proudly… Yes, I do not fear for the safety of this kingdom.”

“We may have ended up here, guided by fate, just for the sake of witnessing this,” Cyclone Lance added. “A birth of a new tale, a new legend.”

As the ponies, both soldiers and the rest, stared at the far-away sight of a battle, there was no time for rest up in the air. Since Rainbow Dash was so focused on the magical energy in the distance, one that she knew belonged to her friend, Crimson Bell used this chance to grab a new weapon from a nearby cloud.

“You have no time to admire the glory of others, little magpie,” Bell announced, and aimed her weapon at her daughter. “You should focus on the battle you fight!”

The moment Rainbow Dash looked up, she knew she was in trouble. The weapon her mother wielded this time was large than any she had used till then. It had multiple barrels, ten in total, all over half-a-meter in length. A huge fan-shaped cartridge was attached to the root where the barrels began, with only a small slot in it through which the user could aim. It was through this slot that Dash could see the eyes of her mother narrow. This in itself meant trouble, but when she heard the click of the trigger and saw the barrels beginning to spin, she knew she had to escape, fast.

With a screaming rapid-fire volley trailing behind her, Rainbow Dash desperately zigzagged around the clouds, trying to dodge the violent hale of wooden projectiles. This time, the only danger was not the hardness of the pellets; thanks to the friction of the fast-moving projectiles, the wood actually caught fire, enhancing the power of the pellets even more. At this point, they even caused trouble to the soldiers watching below, forcing them to flee from the flaming rain.

How in the name of Celestia am I supposed to beat her!? Rainbow Dash nearly screamed in her mind. As long as she has those clouds, she’s unbeatable! Even if I realized her trap, it didn’t help me one bit!

The moment she realized what she had just thought, Dash’s eyes shot wide open. Within her turf, her mother was unbeatable. There was no denying that fact. Crimson Bell herself had taught this fact to Rainbow Dash. However, that was not the only thing she had taught her.

She explained all the 36 Stratagems of War to me, Rainbow Dash thought. And among them, there is one that I can use…!

For the first time during the whole fight, Rainbow Dash felt that a true chance for victory had appeared.

****

Soldiers watched in awe as something quite unbelievable became reality before their very eyes. What had started off as a rather normal stand-off between the leaders of two armed forces had now developed into a war waged by only two ponies. Numerous attacks were exchanged in time it took them to blink an eye, with results that tore up the ground below the fighters.

“I can’t believe that the Princess’ protégé was this powerful of a wizard, even without her horn…” the brown mare, who was the vice-commander of the group from the fort, mumbled.

“Her opponent is amazing, too,” one of the soldiers said. “I’ve heard that many ponies have trouble controlling a bladewheel, but for her it’s like an extension of her body!”

Meanwhile, on the other side the battleground, the black-clad soldiers were staring at the sight with rather similar expressions. The only one who showed no discernible emotion was the grey mare with long, flowing black mane. She seemed to be completely focused on how their leader fought, as if she was evaluating her.

“Chief ain’t showing any mercy, that’s for sure…” one of the soldiers with black armors commented. “She’s going all out against this mare.”

“What I can’t believe is that the purple mare’s still standing!” another soldier joined in. “It’s chief she’s up against! Most ponies would be on their knees by now!”

“Silence, both of you,” the grey mare ordered and gave the two quite a glare. “We are not here to gawk at the battle. We are simply to wait until Captain has emerged victorious, and continue our mission.”

But even though she said that, the grey mare knew that things were not that simple. Not with an opponent who matched their leader strike-by-strike, and seemed completely equal on every level.

A powerful strike shook the mountain pass. Two fighters were sent flying backwards, trail of their magical energy drawing a colorful line after them. Their hooves dug into the ground, stopping them from falling back. Gritting her teeth together for a better grip of her sword, Twilight recovered first and charged back forth, ready to meet the attacks of her enemy.

The bladewheel danced in the air like a gust of wind, cutting anything that came close to the white mare. She used it like a gigantic disc, spinning along with the movement of the weapon. An overheard slice was stopped by Twilight as she rammed her sword against it, deflecting the attack to the side. Using this as her advantage, Twilight spun to the side and brought her sword into a slashing arc, reaching for the uncovered side of the white mare. To her surprise, her enemy drew quickly another sword from one of the sheaths, stopping her sword in its tracks.

“What!?” Twilight shouted and jumped back, avoiding the retaliating strike of the third sword.

“Great Wheel!” the white mare shouted so that it echoed through the mountain pass.

Twilight’s enemy drew a fourth sword, striking it together with the previous one to create a second ring. Before Twilight could react, this ring was enveloped with lightning by the white mare’s magic and shot towards her like a thunderbolt. In the nick of time, the librarian was able to teleport out of the way, appearing just behind the white mare.

She’s given names for her attacks!? And she’s shouting them out?! Twilight asked in amazement. Just how hot is her blood boiling!?

Twilight brought her sword down in a slash meant to cut through her target’s armor. However, the first bladewheel was there to block it with a furious upwards strike. Before Twilight could follow with another strike or teleportation, the whistling sound warned her of the second bladewheel approaching fast. She ducked low, allowing the electrified weapon to swoop above her. Immediately, Twilight followed with a slash that was deflected by the first bladewheel. The force of the colliding weapons sent the two mares sliding backwards, magical energies raging around them as like auras of their fighting spirit.

Twilight was exhilarated. She could not have imagined that she would ever feel this way in a battle. Her opponent, the loud mare that fought with the whole strength of her heart, answered Twilight’s every strike with perfect precision. However, that made it all the more exciting. To fight against such an equal opponent, to put one’s whole being into a battle like this where she could vent out her emotions… it was different from fighting against the cruel forces that had invaded Equestria.

This time, Twilight found herself enjoying every second.

Roaring in defiance, Twilight swung her head downwards and sent her sword rocketing forward like an arrow. Having not expected such a bold attack, the white mare had to dodge sideways to not get hit by a weapon. In that instant, Twilight teleported behind her, caught a hold of the flying sword and brought it down like a hammer of gods. Having been caught completely exposed, the white mare had no choice but to draw the two remaining swords she had with lightning speed and cross them in the path of Twilight’s sword, blocking it mere inches away from her head.

“Whirlwind Storm!” the white mare roared as she began to spin on her hind legs.

What had started as a simple maneuver turned into a tornado of movement as the two bladewheels and two swords cut the air, causing a gale-force that pushed Twilight back. Combined with the magical energy of the white mare, the attack created a tornado of thunder around her, one that would have scorched Twilight had she not teleported away.

Now that they had twenty meters between them, the two mares took time to size each other up once more. Twilight was panting heavily, but the grin on her face did not fade. She could have never imagined fighting somepony could have been so enjoyable. With every attack they exchanged, she felt like she could understand the noble and wild spirit of the white mare better. Judging from the smile on the white mare’s face, she felt the same way.

A loud click echoed through the battlefield, and finally the white mare was armed with three bladewheels. They spun around her like orbiting moons, blades aimed straight at Twilight. The white mare spat to the ground, and pointed at the librarian with her hoof.

“And so the three moons have become full!” she announced. “Twilight Sparkle! You have the honor of facing my full might!”

“Same to you!” Twilight answered, and readied her sword.

The two mares charged forward. To Twilight’s surprise, she saw the bladewheels move into a column formation above the white mare, turning sideways so that they resembled axes being swung down. Such a reckless attack was almost impossible to parry thanks to the thin blades of the wheels, but Twilight knew she could do it. No, she had to do it. In order to respect the power of the white mare, she would answer it to the best of her ability.

Two roars filled the air as the mares clashed together, one swinging her bladewheels down and the other slashing upwards with her sword.

The clang that followed was a beautiful sound, like that of a bell. The armies around the two gasped in awe as the sword countered the guillotine-like attack of the bladewheels, stopping the weapons with the thin edge of the blade. The extreme precision it took to create a block like that was out of this world, and acted as a testimony for the analytical abilities of Twilight Sparkle. Like two sheets of glass, the weapons collided together and achieved perfect harmony though it should have been nigh impossible.

Twilight’s head was sideways, and though the three bladewheels pushed downwards, her sword gave no inch. All of Twilight’s strength had been put behind that strike, and it would not lose to the power of the white mare.

For a short moment, the two fighters came to a complete halt. In the silent mountain pass, they locked their weapons into a contest of pure strength, with neither emerging victorious. It was like a scene out of a storybook, picture depicting two knights engaging in a noble combat. Before the eyes of the two groups, their leaders have tested each other, and found a surprising rival of equal strength.

Twilight panted heavily, grin adorning her face. The white mare wore a similar expression, unable to hide her fatigue. It was a sight of two newfound rivals acknowledging the spirit of their opponent.

This scene, one that would be etched into the minds of the soldiers watching, was finally crowned as the dawning sun peeked over the horizon, bathing the two fighters with golden light.

“Waaaaaaaait!”

A sudden yell echoing in the mountain pass drew the attention of everypony. They looked to the direction of the road leading to Fort Stronghoof, and saw the approaching figure of a lone mare. Dressed in strange cloth-armor and metal protectors, she was a sight nopony would have expected. Though this mare wore a white mask resembling the face of a fox, her mint-colored coat was like a refreshing spring breeze in the light of the blazing dawn.

“W-wait just a… minute!” the mare shouted again, gasping for air. Her gallop had taken its toll. “I… I’m here to… bring orders from… Princess of the Moon!”

This caused a wave of murmur amongst the soldiers, and even Twilight and her opponent broken their standoff when hearing this. All eyes were now on the mint-green mare, something which she seemed painfully aware of.

“Identify yourself!” the white mare shouted, pointing one of her bladewheels towards the strange mare.

“Agent Myriad Rivers of the Thieves Guild of Canterlot—“

“Insolence! For a thief to interrupt an honorable duel between two warriors, I should—“ the white mare retorted, only to be stopped by Myriad Rivers continuing with a louder voice.

“—And! Private of the Canterlot Royal Stealth Squadron!” she finished, still gasping for breath. “The orders I bring come straight from Princess Luna herself. Night Guard, you… you are to continue your pursuit of your original target immediately. As to the advance guard of Fort Stronghoof, you… you are to allow the pass of the Night Guard. They are part of the armed forces of Equestria.”

“And I am to simply believe the words of a thief?” The white mare asked, preparing to attack the messenger. However, the grey mare who had been at the sidelines so far chose this time to raise her voice.

“Captain. I think that she speaks the truth. Her armor bears the emblem of the kingdom,” the grey mare spoke up. “Even if she were lying, her words ring true. Even if we forced our way through here, it would be no easy task. The time it would take would allow our prey to escape, and the trail would go cold. I suggest we do as she says.”

“Tavi…” The white mare said, looking at her friend. Then, clicking her tongue, she withdrew her weapon. “Understood. We shall follow these orders.”

With a series of clicks, the bladewheels separated in two and flew back to the sheaths at the flanks of the white mare. She spun around, raising her hoof and pointing to the east, giving a wordless order for her forces. The grey mare nodded after seeing this, repeating the gesture.

“Let us go, everypony!” The white mare shouted. “Our hunt resumes!”

Thus the unknown group of soldiers, one called “Night Guard” by Myriad Rivers, accelerated into a gallop. Twilight and her forces stood back to allow them passage. As the librarian watched the group retreat from the mountain pass, she couldn’t help but to feel a pain of disappointment. A part of her would have wanted to settle the fight between her and the white mare. Rest of her was shocked that she could even think of something violent, but that small voice in her mind lamented that their duel had been cut short.

As the Night Guard finally disappeared into the narrow paths leading towards the root of the mountain, Twilight caught a last glimpse of the white mare leading them. For a moment, her eyes locked into the slit in the white mare’s helmet, and she could swear that her opponent was looking straight at her. Just that simple gesture was enough to tell Twilight all that she needed: the white mare, too, was disappointed in how their bout had ended.

“Night Guard…” Twilight murmured under her breath. “I’ll remember that.”

In the distance, amidst the galloping troops of the Night Guard, their white leader finally cast aside her helmet that had been badly damaged by her fight against Twilight Sparkle. She revealed her blue, spiky hair to the winds of the mountains, and her magenta-colored eyes finally gazed freely at the scenery around her. She saw the dawning sun, its golden light, and felt that even if nothing had been settled, she had definitely gained something.

“Tavi… I have been shaken to my very core,” the leader spoke up, catching the attention of her grey friend.

“Captain?” Tavi asked, looking somewhat confused.

The captain of the Night Guard wildly shook her head, allowing her mane to run free in the wind. It puffed towards every direction in large spikes, enforcing the wild aura that emanated from the white mare. Her eyes were quivering with excitement, as if an electric current was running through her. Never before in her life had Tavi seen her captain so excited about something; and that was saying a lot. After all, the captain of the Night Guard was infamous for her brash decisions, indomitable spirit and hot-blooded actions that brought problems to the whole unit.

“Such force of will, such a noble courage, such a gallant spirit… and most of all, such strength,” the leader spoke, a hint of tear forming at the corner of her eye. “Every strike of that mare made my heart ache in a manner I have never felt before.”

The white leader gazed up towards the skies, and a confident smile spread upon her face. The fire of rivalry burning in her eyes intensified, becoming equal to the light of the sun in the horizon. Whatever the emotions in the captain’s heart were at the moment, Tavi could not understand them. There was one thing she could understand, however: their captain found an opponent unlike any other, something which she had been searching for a long time.

That was enough to make even the stoic grey mare crack a smile. She felt both glad and proud for their captain, as it seemed that she had just acquired a new goal in her stagnated life.

“Ray of Light, Twilight Sparkle…” the white mare spoke silently. “I, Vinyl Scratch, shall definitely remember your name!”

****

What had been a complete battlefield just moments earlier had now quieted down to a cat-and-mouse play between Crimson Bell and Rainbow Dash. Armed with another absurdly long arquebus, the older mare was laying on a single cloud, completely camouflaged within its fluffy surface, letting her gaze travel amidst the small clouds. Not that far away, positioned so that she could not be seen, was Dash. She was hiding behind a single cloud, catching her breath and preparing for what was about to come.

Dash knew that what she was about to do was as risky as tactics came. She had no way to make sure that her mother would fall for it, and unlike Crimson Bell, she wasn’t a tactical genius heralded as one of the best in the Middle Continents. While her mother would have most likely found a way to ensure a complete turn-around, this was not Dash’s area of expertise.

Thus the two of them had ended up in a hide-and-seek of sorts. In order to get a moment of respite from the seemingly endless volley of projectiles, Dash had kicked up a small windstorm to blind her mother momentarily, and used that chance to hide amongst the clouds. The only problem was, her mother had done the exactly same thing, and was now wielding a long-range weapon that could shoot at a moment’s notice.

“Isn’t it time to stop this foolish game, little magpie?”

Dash’s ears perked up when she heard her mother’s words, her powerful voice echoing on the sky bathed in the golden light of dawn. She couldn’t pin-point her mother’s location, and due to the clouds adding echo where there should have been none, she couldn’t even use her voice to find her. It was like Crimson Bell had become a disembodied voice in the sky.

“You and I both know very well, little magpie, that there is no way for you to emerge victorious in this battle. You lack in technique, equipment, experience and will to hurt your enemy. In other words, little magpie, you lack all the components that make a warrior victorious,” Crimson Bell continued. “You have grown up amongst the peaceful, blissful inhabitants of this blessed land. Never has violence or hardship of greatest decree changed your world-view. Even this journey has left you untouched… unlike that protégé of Celestia.”

Twilight!? Dash nearly shouted out, but managed to clamp her hooves into her mouth in time. What the hay does she mean with that!?

“You’ve noticed it, have you not?” Crimson Bell sounded a bit amused. “I know not what tragedy befell on her, but if I had to guess, I’d say it has something to do with her broken horn. And now, when I saw her eyes, I knew she understood what I had over thirty years ago. A flame of revenge has been lit inside her, and that itself has opened her heart to violence… and to the path of a true warrior.”

Shut up! Twilight isn’t like that! Rainbow Dash protested in her mind, barely containing an approaching outburst.

“A warrior is nothing but a tool for murder. Necessary evil that always exists to protect peace. Unlike heroes, warriors are neither adored nor respected for their trade,” Crimson Bell spoke with a stern, cold voice. “Even in this kingdom, where no such atrocity should exist, warriors can still be found. All with eyes like your friend’s, minds that have been awoken to the reality by despair. It is just a question of time, but I can promise you this, little magpie… your friend will surely find joy in battle. And when she does, her descent into the deep depths of revenge shall finally begin. When it culminates, she can truly call herself a warrior. Of course, when she realizes this, she will leave everything from her past behind. Her ordinary, happy life. Her ordinary, happy troubles. Her ordinary, happy, foolish friends.”

No! No! Twilight would never do that! Who the hay would enjoy hurting somepony else?! Dash was practically gnawing her hooves to stay calm now. Not even you, Mom…! Not even you could claim that you—

“Hm. That reminds me.” Crimson Bell’s words cut into her daughter’s thoughts. “Have I ever told you of my first kill? I believe I did not tell you that story. You were so young back then, little magpie.”

Suddenly, Rainbow Dash found herself unable to think of anything. Her mother’s first kill. In other words, her mother had killed somepony. Robbed somepony of their life. The ultimate taboo, a fate that not even the worst criminals were condemned to. Dash’s frustration evaporated in an instant, and it was replaced by a freezing sense of dread. She didn’t want to hear it. She didn’t want to know. Whatever her opinion of her mother, she did not want to know just what kind of murderer she was.

“It was over twenty years ago, during one of the rebellions in Prance,” Crimson Bell started speaking with a surprisingly soft voice. “It was a time of dread and hatred in that troubled country. Of course, the pony governing that country hired us to quell that rebellion when all other options were exhausted. My mother, Spider Lily, put me in charge of a squadron that was meant to guard to the royal palace while the rest of the Firefly Faction moved in to subdue the rebels and peasants. Nopony expected the rebels to be so bold that they would attack the palace itself… but, as fate would have it, they did. Or, at least, one did. Right during my night-patrol, too.”

Rainbow Dash could not find any anger to protest in her heart. Instead, she had slumped against the cloud, burrowing her face in her hooves and trying to block the cruel truth that flowed from her mother’s lips. It was a desperate attempt of a desperate child, trying to preserve the heroic image of her mother that still existed somewhere within her mind.

“That rebel, only a young peasant, didn’t know how to react when I found her,” Crimson Bell told. “Like a newborn kitten, she stared at me with her eyes wide open. Even when I raised my gun she was unable to scream or run. The young fool I was, I begged her to flee. I begged her to escape. Tears streaming down my face, I told her to get out of the palace. But somepony as simple as her, somepony as happy as her, could not understand the fact that I would kill her. No, I should not blame her. Nopony living in a civilized country could comprehend such a thing. And that is exactly why we, the Firefly Faction, are so feared.”

There was a short silence, and though Rainbow Dash could not see her mother, she realized that Bell was giving her a chance to lash back. However, Dash had no strength to do such a thing. Her body was paralyzed from the cruel words of her mother.

“I pulled the trigger. I sent a bullet into that peasant’s head while screaming like a little filly,” Crimson Bell spoke. “But, after it was all over and I had calmed down, I realized I had just been through what every member of the Firefly Faction had been. Everypony in my family had killed somepony. After all, they were all warriors. They fought not for the sake of glory nor for the sake of peace. They fought for the sake of war itself. This endless repetition of death, under the banner of the one who paid the most, was our daily life. When I realized this, I was at peace. I was nothing but a warrior, after all. This was the only outcome left for me… as it will be for your friend. She will gain a heart of a warrior, just like I did.”

But when you gained that heart… I bet you lost the light of innocence that must’ve been in your eyes once, Mom, Rainbow Dash thought, not even attempting to wipe away the few tears that had broken through her grim expression.

“And now you know the difference between us, little magpie,” Bell said. “The reason why you have no hope of victory. It is because you are no warrior. You are simply a filly pretending to be a hero, in a world where there are but few true heroes. The rest of us are simple killers ponies call warriors.”

These concluding words brought Rainbow Dash back to present. The gravity of the situation dawned upon her once more. Despite the one-sided talk that must’ve surely been intended to crush her morale, they were still in the middle of a duel. No matter what had been said, the fact that she needed to defeat her mother still existed.

But now, thanks to the words of her mother, Rainbow Dash had made a decision.

Screw risks and danger! Dash thought and drew a deep breath. Warrior this and warrior that… thinking about that is meaningless if I don’t defeat her right now!

Bracing herself for what she was about to do, Dash took a firm grip of her lance while tucking the long handle under her front-leg. This way she could use it for sweeping attacks, while still retaining the strength of her thrusts. With a flick of her hoof, she also adjusted her armor, making sure it would remain firmly around her despite what she was about to do.

When she was ready, Rainbow Dash finally opened her mouth, and spoke up.

“Mom?” She said. “You told me I was missing all the necessary components to be a warrior… but I remember that back when I was just a filly, you told me that your wit was the strongest weapon you could have. You know, when you were talking about 28th Stratagem.”

When Crimson Bell heard her daughter’s voice echo in the sky, she started systematically checking every single cloud she had prepared the previous night, closing in quickly on Dash’s location. She had memorized each cloud’s form, and when she found a one that would not match, in the area where the voice was coming from, she’d take the finishing shot.

“Mm, I remember that, little magpie,” Crimson Bell answered. “I’m surprised you do, too. One’s wit is, of course, the key to victory. However, do I need to point out that this was never your strong suite?”

Rainbow Dash nearly bit her tongue when she heard that.

“Yeah, yeah, I know!” Dash said and groaned. “I don’t tend to think things through. But you know what? I don’t need to. Somepony always thought them out for me.”

“And who was that?” Bell asked softly, having now pin-pointed the cloud where her daughter was hiding.

“Duh!” Dash said and grinned. “You, of course! When you taught me the Thirty Six Stratagems!”

Sudden realization hit Crimson Bell, and lightning-fast, she pushed the trigger-plate of her arquebus. However, it was far too late. By the time the weapon roared and sent a wooden pellet zooming into her daughter’s direction, Rainbow Dash had already used every ounce of strength in her wings to rocket towards the sky. The blue pegasus was like a comet out of bounds, on a crash-course with the ground. Determined grin on her face and wind whistling in her ears, Dash shot downwards with ever-increasing speed.

“Don’t tell me…!?” Crimson Bell shouted and immediately gave chase.

The Thirty Six Stratagems. The basis of the fighting-philosophy of the Firefly Faction. They were the guidelines used by everypony part of this feared group, and thus, they were etched into their very bones. Even somepony who was not a member, like Rainbow Dash, had been taught them by her mother. Thus, she remembered every single one of them… and how to counter every single one of them.

The answer to the 28th Stratagem was:

Stratagem Number Fifteen: Lure the Chimera Down From the Mountain.

If the enemy’s field of advantage proves too powerful for one to overcome, the simplest method is to simply switch the location of the battle. Having prepared the sky, Crimson Bell was unbeatable mid-air. However, down on the ground, there had been no chance to hide additional weaponry. After all, there had been soldiers everywhere on near the arena.

To beat her, I have to take away her advantage, no matter what it takes! Rainbow Dash thought, and though her muscles screamed for a rest, continued pushing them to their limits.

Two pegasi, azure and crimson, fell down from the skies like shooting stars. The red one started gaining ground, and for a moment it looked like Crimson Bell would catch up to her daughter. However, Dash’s wings beat the air with increasing pace, accelerating the mare to speeds which the soldiers of the fort have never witnessed before. The air around Rainbow Dash started to form a funnel, one that got tinier and tinier with every beat of the wings, as if it was trying to crush her. At the same time, it became clear that Crimson Bell could not reach the speeds her daughter did.

Crimson Bell was a mighty warrior. Crimson Bell was a fearless leader. Crimson Bell was a brilliant tactician. Crimson Bell was an expert sharpshooter. However, there was one thing that Crimson Bell was not: As fast as her daughter.

Explosion of energy shook the air suddenly, and before the awed eyes of the soldiers of the fort, the sky above was suddenly tinted in a tsunami of prismatic colors. A ring-shaped wave of natural magic was released as Rainbow Dash broke the speed of sound, accompanied by a thunderous noise. She was no longer a pegasus flying extremely fast; no, she had become but a rainbow-colored flash that headed straight towards the ground.

“Do not think you will get out this easily, little magpie!” Crimson Bell shouted.

As she passed the lowest cloud of the formation she had prepared, Bell stuck her hoof inside it and recovered something that was almost as mysterious as the Sonic Rainboom the ponies below had witnessed. It was like a red spear, carved into a shape of a roaring dragon. The wings of the dragon were pressed against its body and its tail was extended straight. Crimson Bell muttered a curse under her breath and struck the tinder at the base of the dragon’s neck with her hoof, lighting the short fuse that went into the spear.

What followed was a mighty roar that sounded just like the beast depicted by the spear.

A trail of fire covered the sky. Spouting flames from its tail, the spear accelerated like a diving wyvern and increased the speed of the older mare tenfold. In a streak of crimson light, Bell dived down from the sky, using the exactly same trajectory as her daughter. She was holding onto the spear with her right front-leg and her face was in a concentrated snarl.

In a span of seconds, the trail of blazing fire broke through the prismatic ring, causing the red in it to shine like the greatest of rubies. Soon after, the spear that Crimson Bell held on to exploded in an array of beautiful fireworks, breaking up the ring from inside. The force of the explosion was so vast, causing the air itself to rumble, that the diving Rainbow Dash could not help but to look upwards. There, thrown into an extremely fast free fall, was her mother, riding the force of the explosion.

This short burst of speed was enough. Giving out a furious yell, Crimson Bell crashed straight into Rainbow Dash, knocking away her lance in the process. Wings were forgotten, flying was forgotten, and as the mares plummeted towards the ground, they only concentrated on pummeling each other with their hooves.

“Quick, we gotta do something!” Pinkie Pie yelled. “They’re gonna crash!”

“No they won’t,” Lovely Corn said. “They’re pegasi. No, more than that, they’re both direct descendants of Firefly. Aerial battle is in their blood. In any other situation I say they could crash, but right now… there is not a chance.”

“A-are you sure?” Fluttershy squeaked from under the table, unable to look at the ensuing brawl. “Are you really really really really really sure?”

”Trust me, lass,” Lovely Corn answered and snickered. “They’ll be alright.”

“Ah dunno…” Applejack commented, focusing on the fight with fierce determination. “Sure, they could be fine after this, but whoever loses ain’t gonna feel good after this.”

“That’s the tragedy of all duels,” Cyclone Lance agreed. “There is but one winner and one loser.”

The ball of flailing hooves and growls of anger dropped like an anvil towards the ground while spinning wildly. While Crimson Bell used attacks clearly refined through years and years of practice, Dash had her youthful vigor and incredible stamina at her side. For every punch she took to the face, she delivered back two to her mother’s stomach. Striking her face was not something even Dash could do, since the older mare shielded it perfectly. However, strikes to the rest of the body connected every time.

The ground approached fast. The cheer of the soldiers below turned into a roar of amazement. Time seemed to speed up instead of slowing down. The attacks of the two mares became nothing more than blurs as they tumbled from the sky, determined to get the upper hand in this decisive part of the fight. Rainbow Dash, wearing an expression of wild enthusiasm, opposed her grim-looking mother for the first time in this manner.

Dash felt like she should have done this a long time ago.

Suddenly, there was a flaw in Crimson Bell’s guard. She reached with her left hoof towards her mane, possibly trying to get it out of her face. Whatever the reason, it was the only chance that Dash needed. Letting out an ear-chilling yell, she opened her wings and turned the fight so that she was below her mother. Her wings would not be able to slow them down enough, but there was no need to. As long as she survived this attack, Dash knew she had attained her victory. She gave a sideways glance to the fast-approaching ground, determined what little distance remained, and extended her hoof in a furious punch.

That one wrong move had cost Crimson Bell. As the two mares hit the ground at dangerous speeds, the combined force of Rainbow Dash’s punch and the gravity hit her straight to the face, causing blood to fly like wildflowers in the air.

“Rainbow Dash!” Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy shouted in unison.

The three ponies were first to react to the end of the spectacle and ran straight towards the huge dust-cloud that had been thrown up by their crash to the arena’s stone-floor. However, Cyclone Lance was quick to grab them by the tails, stopping them in their tracks. Every single one of them knew the reason. Nopony was allowed to enter the arena before the victor was clear.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the dust cloud hanging on top of the arena started to clear out. Two shapes could be seen lying in the middle of the stone floor, one on the ground with her front leg extended, and now standing almost upright. The said front leg had hit the standing figure straight to the head, and each knew that this attack, if any, would have knocked out even the most seasoned warrior.

“Stratagem Number Twelve: Take the Opportunity to Pilfer a Lion.”

Things in battle are never simple, even when they should be. Sometimes one’s strength simply is not enough to take out the enemy with a single strike, no matter how much power is added to that attack. Such was the case with this duel. Crimson Bell was bleeding from her muzzle, and her eye had a huge bruise around it, one that would probably develop into a magnificent black eye. However, she was far from defeated, as the slight grin on her face suggested.

Rainbow Dash on the other hand was out of options. In her face, straight between her eyes, was aimed one last flintlock-pistol, one last weapon of carmine and gold, which had been hidden in the tied-up mane of her mother this whole time. A surprise-attack weapon for the time when the opportunity presented itself… Even Dash acknowledged it was a textbook example of Stratagem 12.

Understanding all this did not make her any more joyous. If anything, it only made the pain worse. Rainbow Dash could have cared less about how bruised her body was, or how pained her muscles were; it was the sheer frustration, anger and feeling of anguish that tore her heart. Bitter tears flowed down her bruised cheeks as she stared up at her mother with eyes of shattered hopes.

Somewhere in the background, Cyclone Lance announces Crimson Bell as the winner of the duel. The soldiers surrounding the arena erupted in cheers, voicing out their amazement at this fight that they would probably never forget. Four ponies, however, did not join this cascade of awe. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Lovely Corn solemnly hung their heads, averting their eyes from Rainbow Dash. They had enough decency not to stare when their dear friend was venting out all of her pent-up despair by a howling sobbing, crying like she was having a tantrum.

There was no describing the amount of grief and frustration that Rainbow Dash felt. Even after enduring her mother’s discouraging speech, even after enduring all the bullets, even after overcoming the hopeless situation and coming up with a plan for victory… she had still lost miserably. The gap between the two was too great. The receding back of her mother in her memories was not any closer than it had been before; if anything, she had been shown just how great the difference between the two of them was.

This all was made worse by the fact that the blue mare saw no sympathy in the eyes of her mother. Like always, those eyes were like tranquil ponds, devoid of any unnecessary feelings. Even the sight of her own daughter crying would not move Crimson Bell. The burnt bridges Dash had thought almost rebuilt during their duel had been nothing but a mirage.

In this way did the lonely rebellion of Rainbow Dash against her mother end.

In an utter, crushing defeat.

****

“W-what!? You knew about them being the Night Guard!?”

The next evening, Twilight Sparkle was in Cyclone Lance’s office with the mare herself. Thanks to the various complications after the return of Twilight and her platoon, it was only now that the two mares could discuss about what had happened that night. Together, in the dim light of the torches of the room that combined with the warm colors of the air outside, they had gone over what had happened during Twilight’s attempt to intercept the unknown military force. When she had finished her report, Cyclone Lance had, in turn, revealed something she had hidden from her so far.

It was not what Twilight would have wished to hear.

“Well, I cannot say that I was completely sure, but I had a good hunch,” Cyclone Lance said with a slight smile. “Only the Night Guard would move in such small numbers over such a rough terrain, while making no effort to masking their presence. Troublemakers, all of them, though their captain is the worst of the lot. She is such a hot-blooded young mare that I have hard time believing she made it through their training.”

“Then why did you send me out there!?” Twilight half-shouted, banging the table with her hoof. “They were our allies, after all! What was the point of all this?”

To Twilight’s surprise, the expression on the older mare’s face hardened considerably. The previous amusement at Twilight’s confusion was exchanged to a look of a battle-hardened warrior who was in the process of trying to discern the enemy’s plan.

“Although you might not believe this, our army is currently in something of a disarray. I do not mean that we are not told what we are supposed to do now that the threat of a war with Marecedonia looms above us. No, we have received our orders, and we carry them out like fine soldiers do,” Cyclone Lance said. “However, it is becoming more and more apparent that the Princesses are not telling us everything. I could understand this in any other situation, but when there’s a possibility of a war in the horizon? This is not how a leader of a country should act… unless there is one outside factor in play.”

Twilight felt a shiver run up her spine. Even she realized what Cyclone Lance was talking about. When a time came that a leader of a country could not tell their military leaders everything, even though another country wished to start a war… there was one reason above all else that could explain it.

“You mean… there’s a traitor? A traitor amongst Princess Celestia’s generals?” Twilight whispered. “Could that be even possible?”

“Very possible,” Cyclone Lance said and grunted. “Not even the Princess of the Sun is infallible. A spy might have infiltrated the top brass a long time ago. After all, we do not know how long Marecedonia has been planning for this. The matter of the fact is, the different parts of the military forces of Equestria are not told everything, and so the flow of information between us is uneven. This incident with the Night Guard is a good example. Apparently they were on a hunt, but even though they travelled through our lands, we were not informed of it. If my suspicions are correct and they are hunting an enemy agent, something like that should be told to us immediately.”

Cyclone Lance heaved a heavy sigh and leaned against her table. Her eyes seemed to have lost a bit of their usual fire, and telltale signs of a sleepless night rested below her eyes. However, she still carried herself with a great vigor, something Twilight could only be slightly envious off.

“If we put these two facts together, the meaning between the lines is starting to become clear,” Lance said. “Somepony is helping agents of Marecedonia enter Equestria undetected, and this somepony is hidden somewhere amongst the ranks of Equestria’s military commanders. The Night Guard, thanks to their special circumstances, are the only group that the princesses can trust at the moment. Thus they are burdened with the task of finding these agents before they manage to wreak havoc in our country. Though, I’m afraid not all are captured in time.”

Twilight, for a split-second, saw a memory of that fateful, rainy night flash before her eyes. She pushed away the disgusting image before it could lead to another, more dreadful sight: the last thing she wanted to think about now was the face of Cleitus the Black.

“So it is a traitor… how do we smoke this traitor out?” Twilight finally asked, after recovering from the sudden memory. “I mean, there has to be some way, right?”

“I need to think on this, I am afraid,” Cyclone Lance admitted. “I know that I can trust my own men, and the members of the Firefly Faction are incorruptible as long as we pay them. What about the pegasi Air Force? Or the Navy? There is also the chance that one of the more specialized groups, like the Guilds, has decided to favor Marecedonia more than us. I am afraid that I cannot trust anypony outside of my own fort. But mark my words, Twilight Sparkle: I will find this traitor, and expose him or her. Now that I know of this, the sudden unrest amongst the nobles of Canterlot suddenly makes much more sense. This is the lead I am going to follow.”

Cyclone Lance stood up and cracked her neck, doing light stretches with her legs in the process. She walked over to the window with a clear view of the blazing, orange evening sun, and gazed outside into the harsh wilderness of the mountains. Standing there, wearing a beautiful armor and with features close to those of a rugged stallion, the mare certainly did look like a hero from ancient tales. Even if she had not meant to do it, Twilight suddenly felt much more comfortable leaving this matter into Cyclone Lance’s hooves.

“But enough about that. You have a long journey ahead of you, Twilight Sparkle, and I want you to focus on it,” Lance finally said. “We will handle things here on the home-front. However, there is one more question I’d like to ask of you: Judging from what I saw, you met quite the opponent while intercepting the Night Guard. Am I right?”

Twilight thought back to the white mare, clad in armor of black and silver and wearing a proud helmet resembling the head of a dragon. Despite their personalities being like oil and water, Twilight could not deny that she had felt a strange connection with the captain of the Night Guard. As they had exchanged attacks, the thrill and enjoyment had mixed together in a way that Twilight had never experienced in a battle.

The purple mare put her hoof against her chest, nodded to herself, and gave a proud smile to Cyclone Lance.

“Yes,” Twilight answered with a clear voice. “Their leader was powerful. Very powerful. No matter how hard I fought, I could not gain the upper hoof… but neither could she. I think you could say that were equals. But who knows how the fight would have turned out, had that messenger not stopped us? I’m not that experienced when it comes to fighting, after all…”

“Nonsense,” Cyclone Lance and smiled. “It is the strength of your soul that matters in a battle. If, in your heart, you feel that you’ve found a worthy opponent, you can never lose. Even a defeat will grant you with a precious memory.”

“Yes,” Twilight agreed. “I’m sure you’re right.”

Suddenly, a shadow appeared over Twilight’s face, and her smile faltered. She gave a melancholic glance towards the window, and the courtyard that could be seen through it. There, a certain stone-paved arena shone due to the rays of the descending sun. This gesture did not go unnoticed from Cyclone Lance, and so the older mare spoke first.

“I might be stepping on some hooves by asking this, but…” Lance hesitated for a moment. “How is your friend?”

Twilight hung her head, sorrow clear from her eyes. Even the flame-like colors of the mountains outside could not make the sight of her cheerful. Cyclone Lance winced, fearing that she might have done the wrong thing, asking about Rainbow Dash. However, Twilight eventually lifted her head, looking at the older mare with a helpless expression.

“Downcast. Gloomy. Almost depressed,” Twilight answered. “And the worst part is… I can’t think of anything to cheer her up.”

“I can understand your problem,” Cyclone Lance said. “I, too, have been in the same situation.

The debriefing of Twilight Sparkle ended, thus, with a somewhat sour note.

****

The orange sun painted the courtyard with blazing colors that reminded the mare watching them more of blood than anything else. She could hear the sounds of merriment echoing from the inside. It seemed that the soldiers of the fort had decided to throw a banquet after such an exhilarating battle, to commemorate this day. To her, that was the last place she wanted to be in. Therefore, she had opted to come back to the scene of her defeat, to stare at the stone arena with empty eyes and no thoughts in her head.

Rainbow Dash was no longer sure what she was supposed to feel. She only felt empty.

It was not until she heard a sound of hoofsteps behind her that she momentarily snapped out of her daze. Even without looking, she knew who was the owner of those heavy sounds. They stopped right behind her, allowing the moment to develop into an uncomfortable silence.

Rainbow Dash could feel the stare aimed at her neck, and wanted to swat it away like a fly. However, her body had barely the strength to stand up and walk. To try to get her mother to leave through force would have led to only more misery, and that was why she could do nothing but endure those burning eyes and the disappointment that radiated from them. It was nothing new to her, though: she had done the same thing as long as she could remember. Only the intensity of those feelings was different now.

“Go away,” Rainbow Dash finally said, and immediately regretted it. Even talking hurt right now. “I don’t wanna hear it.”

“I will soon enough, little magpie,” Crimson Bell answered. “As soon as I’ve given you this.”

The older mare walked around Dash and entered her field of vision. Just like the blue pegasus, she was battered and bruised. However, unlike her daughter, it seemed that Bell had no trouble moving or talking. Dash, on the other hand, cursed the moment the adrenaline had left her, as she now had to deal with the shape of her body.

Without saying a word, Crimson Bell presented Rainbow Dash with something. It was a gun, made out of dark metal and redwood, adorned with prestigious gold and shapes of flames and wings. It was like a phoenix made into a shape of a weapon. Dash immediately recognized the gun: it was the same one her mother had hidden in her mane, one she had used to end the battle in one fell swoop. The dreadful weapon that had been the announcer of doom for Dash.

“I don’t want it,” Dash bluntly stated. “That’s a weapon of murder. Like you said, I’ll never be a warrior. I’ll never kill a pony or another creature. I don’t need that.”

Instead of backing up, Crimson Bell adopted a stern face and pushed the gun into Rainbow Dash’s hooves forcefully.

“I am not giving it to you as a weapon, little magpie. You are too inexperienced to use it, in any case,” she said. “I am giving it to you as a reminder. That gun has a name. My mother, her mother before it, and all the mares in our bloodline, up to our ancestor Firefly, have referred to it as Red Dragon Crescent Gun. It is the heirloom of our family, and to all those who have possessed it, it has taught valuable lessons.”

Dash stared at the weapon in her hooves, and felt disgust. She wanted to throw the thing as far away as she could, but knew that if she did so, there was no telling how her mother would react. Therefore she held on to it, even though the very thought repulsed her.

“To you, it has already taught one lesson,” Crimson Bell continued. “One that you should take to your heart.”

Rainbow Dash looked up at her mother, slight confusion growing in her mind. She did not know what to expect anymore… and was surprised to meet with the cold gaze of Bell.

“W-what’s the lesson?” Rainbow Dash asked, only to have Crimson Bell point straight at her.

“That you are weak,” she bluntly stated. “That as you are now, you are unable to protect anything. Whether it is this kingdom, your hometown, your dreams… or your friends, you do not have the power to protect them. Let this gun remind you of that fact whenever you are about to do something heroic.”

Leaving behind those cruel words, Crimson Bell turned her eyes away from her daughter and headed back inside. She left behind only feelings of shock and guilt, wounds to a heart that had already been nearly torn apart. The desire in the blue mare to throw the gun in her hooves away grew as heavy as a mountain placed on her shoulders, but she resisted it, persisted, and eventually allowed it to wash aside.

Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth together in order to not let out that her voice was wavering. She closed her eyes so that any of the liquid gathering at their corners would not disturb her vision. Dash steeled herself, and eventually gave her answer, and her parting words, to the receding back of the red mare.

“I will… Mom.”

Comments

[Xaldon Ajide]

Buck you Rainbow Dash, you just lost, now. you better take that Lesson and learn form it or we'll be seeing you're friends in coffins soon.