Velar had to guide Starlight Glimmer most of the way into the palace. The pony barely seemed conscious—as though she were committing every aspect of herself to the magic. And a terrible spell it was. The smell of blood was rising from the city all around him, strong enough to overcome the flames of torched buildings. They were murdering innocent creatures. They were killing citizens and slaves alike. They weren’t going to spare any of the lives of those in the palace district. That would include the several monasteries on those grounds, which constituted several different religious crimes.
Even so, there was something terrifying about the sound of an army destroying itself. Blood brothers and friends and commanders and colleagues ripped each other apart as though they were the feral spawn of ancient chaos, while they left the unarmed alone.
He could hear the shouts of surprise and relief going up from the checkpoints. “Vengeance and Victory are fighting!” they yelled, the only way for ordinary soldiers to interpret what they were seeing. Velar knew it wasn’t so simple as that. The birds would kill each other until there was no one left, or Starlight’s magic ran out.
“Are you okay?” he asked her again. “If you need to stop, to rest…”
“No. New Scythia lives. Don’t interrupt until it’s done. I… won’t be able to go back to Equestria after this, so got to make it count…”
There was no saying just what that meant. But Velar didn’t interrupt her again, just led her the rest of the way to the palace steps.
A palanquin trundled out from inside, born by several of the palace servants and surrounded by a ragged band of Plumage Guard. Velar recognized his father’s form on the pillow, still wearing Voidsteel. He had one claw in the air and seemed to be gesturing for him.
Velar couldn’t fly, but he could run. He crossed the distance in a dozen strides, skidding to a halt at the edge of the armor. “Father!”
He didn’t look good. He had removed his helmet, and Velar could make out pale skin, dried blood, and a shake to his limbs. His eyes were glazed and unfocused.
“Why aren’t you with the healers?” Velar asked, unable to keep the frustration from his voice. “They could save you, father! Zoya’s magic…”
“That’s… quite the thing for you to say.” Gaius didn’t sound angry, though. He was grinning. “The last time I saw you, you were denying Zoya’s services yourself.” He shook his head. “If I allowed Zoya to perform the Renewal, I would be unconscious for the next few days at least. Under the circumstances… I didn’t think I would wake up.” He sat up suddenly, the armor creaking as he did so. Velar could see it—the Voidsteel was the only reason he was still able to move. The armor gave great strength to its wearer, even a set of damaged armor like this that leaked blood from his chest-wound.
Velar rolled his eyes. “Well, I’m here now. Starlight and I have this well in claw.” He looked past him. “Mateo, carry my father to the artificer’s tent. He will be—”
“Hold.” Gaius raised a claw, clutching it around Velar’s foreleg. “I never imagined I would see my son’s face again. The slaves were right—Unity did preserve you.”
Velar was done correcting. The pony doctors who had done the real work weren’t around to be offended, anyway. “Yes,” Velar said. “I now know why. We’re going to figure this out. We’ll save New Scythia.”
But Gaius didn’t let go. He yanked Velar down a little further, his voice low. “Look after your mother. Be the bird… that Accipio really needed.” His leg fell limply then, his father collapsed on the pillow. Velar’s eyes widened, and he glanced reflexively back at Starlight. But the unicorn wasn’t a doctor, and she was already occupied with saving the whole city.
“Mateo!” Velar shouted, probably a little too loudly. “Go on, get going! Get him to Zoya, right now!” They saluted, then turned to scurry off. But as Velar watched, he felt a terrible weight settle onto his shoulders. One he had dreaded for his entire life, but always known would come. He isn’t going to get better. Stupid old man… put it off too long. Zoya can do miracles with the old magic, but she can’t bring him back from the dead.
Even so, Gaius had remained at his post for the empire. He couldn’t be angry at him for that. Unity guide you, father. I hope I’m wrong.
“Someone’s coming!” The shout went up from the southern blockade, and Velar could barely make out what was approaching from that direction. But as he stared, his armor made the distant space seem closer.
A bird in Voidsteel was cutting through the melee, slaying every one of his own birds he met along the way to reach the palace. It was Santiago, apparently guessing the source of the chaos that had descended on his ranks. He hadn’t relinquished his weapons, but like Velar he had been protected from Starlight Glimmer’s spell. “Anthony!” Velar shouted, and at once not just Anthony but half a dozen of the Plumage Guard were around him. The transition had been as obvious to them as to Velar—they had seen the mantle of leadership passed.
“Get Starlight Glimmer out of sight,” he said. “Starlight, go with them. I will have to fight Santiago myself.”
The unicorn stepped up beside him, and for a moment he could almost hear the old Starlight through all her magic. “I am sorry I can’t help your father.” Then she left, following Anthony into the palace and out of sight. Considering her help in his last few battles, Velar wished she could’ve stuck around. She’s fighting all the other birds at once. To do my part I only need to fight one. Can’t let her show me up like that.
“Tell the birds to get out of Santiago’s way,” Velar ordered. “They can’t pick up their weapons to fight him, or they’ll be taken by the magic same as every other bird. Just get them to move, take cover. I’ll meet him myself.”
He didn’t have long to wait. Santiago struck the barricade with a massive warhammer, shattering it and sending bits and pieces of wood out of the way. An unlucky member of the Guard wasn’t out of the way fast enough and screamed as he was crushed by the assault. Santiago strode through the gore without slowing, making his way straight for the palace.
“I KNEW I SHOULD’VE SUSPECTED SOME EQUESTRIAN ABOMINATION!” he roared, his voice amplified by the armor just like Velar’s had been earlier. “IT’S JUST LIKE THEM TO RAISE THEIR HOOVES TO PROTECT THEIR PUPPETS. BUT I DIDN’T EXPECT THE ‘HONORABLE’ HOUSE VIRTUE TO BEND THE KNEE SO EASILY. IS THAT THE FUTURE YOU’VE CHOSEN FOR US, SLAVES TO EQUESTRIAN LORDS?”
Velar strode slightly to one side, extending one hoof. At his will, a longsword formed there, almost the length of his entire body and made of swirling black metal. “Yes, speak of honor, Santiago. The bird who sent his own ally to die, the bird who was in the very act of burning innocent citizens of the realm… entitled to proper ransom, and slaves entitled to lawful transfer of ownership. You’re slime, Santiago. Your birds receive what they deserve for their actions.”
Santiago stopped dead at the sound of Velar’s voice, staring at the armor. Every set of Voidsteel looked different with a new owner, but there were plenty of elements in common. He would know it had belonged to Giovanni, and what its transfer must mean. “You’re dead,” he said, no longer shouting. But the armor still made him loud enough to understand. “I saw…”
“You would hope so.” Velar advanced a few steps closer, swirling his longsword through the air in an elegant wave. “But Unity protects the virtuous. Unity safeguards the good of Accipio. Equestria destroyed your invasion fleet. Their ships are on their way here. Before you can mount a retreat, they will break you, and we will be helping them. Your betrayal had failed before it even began.”
Velar had hoped that Santiago might be broken by his previous conflicts—fighting those who wore Voidsteel was an ordeal, even for the winners. But he seemed only enraged by the battles, not exhausted as he should’ve been. Or maybe it’s seeing his army destroy itself and him being powerless to help. Had Starlight targeted Virtue birds, they would’ve turned to Zoya’s magic, and they could’ve undone any spell for a price in lives. Considering how many were dying, that probably would’ve been a small price.
But as it turned out, the most skillful zebras wanted nothing to do with a house whose treatment of slaves had earned it a foul reputation. Magic was not a typical weapon for the griffons, and since inter-empire conflicts had never involved other powers before…
“So, you’re a traitor then,” Santiago finally said. “You’re complicit with the Equestrians. They saved your life, and now you’re their slave, slicing the empire into pieces at their will. You should join with my army and turn against the invaders. Together, perhaps we could head them off.”
Velar laughed. “You murder my father and on the same day ask me to fight the ones who saved my life? The ones who wanted only peaceful coexistence with Accipio? I’ve seen Equestria, Santiago. I know they weren’t planning to betray us. All they wanted was for us to stay in our borders and let them live out the catastrophe in safety.”
“Liar!” Santiago advanced towards him. The two began circling—birds cleared out of the way, vacating the space around them. There was no getting between two bearers like them when it came time for a battle. No unarmored bird could make a difference. “They gave us fallow ground. They deprived us of our freedom—demanded we enslave ourselves to their rules. Each new restriction on us was a single thread, Velar. Each one is easy to break on its own, but braided together they would’ve made a noose to hang us. You should’ve seen what they did to Griffonstone. Those birds wanted to be strong, but their spirits had been stolen. They were consumed with petty rivalries, selfishness… I gave them purpose. I even married one of them, though I’ve been separated from her thanks to the Equestrians and their oppressive laws. Is it just to prevent me from seeing my wife, Velar?”
Well that explains how you won over Griffonstone. Political marriages were as old as Accipio itself, though it had been particularly bold of Santiago to marry an outsider. It worked out well for him I guess. Somewhere to manufacture illegal weapons, and a wedge into Equestrian territory. “I’m sure they wouldn’t have restricted you if you didn’t use the monastery to make guns. You could’ve grown wheat and vegetables there, and our ships would still be flowing.”
But Santiago had never been as good a tactitan as Velar himself, even if their dueling records were similar. His father had been the real general of house Vengeance. If you were smart, you would’ve tried to retreat your army. Maybe if they dropped their weapons they would be free from the spell too, and you wouldn’t have to lose them.
But they hadn’t, and now they were killing each other.
“Are you still a male, Velar? Or did they geld you up in one of their cities, turn you into their puppet?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “I challenge house Virtue to the throne of Accipio under the sacred law of Unity. Do you still care about our laws, or do only pony rules matter to you now?”
“I accept your challenge in my father’s name,” Velar answered, loud enough that all his men could hear. The meaning of that statement was obvious—the loser would relinquish their right to rule. If Velar lost, that meant Santiago would become the emperor. If he won, then his army would surrender. Assuming any of them are left. “Send word to your ships through my messengers. It would be improper for Accipian ships to destroy each other.”
Santiago’s eyes narrowed, and Velar could see him about to deny his terms. But then he nodded. “Very well. Bring me a quill. We will do as Unity requires of us.”
And to the victor go the spoils. All Accipio. What’s left of it.
Thing are still getting interesting...
Starlight has used the darkest of magics, I can see why she thinks (or perhaps she is right) that she won;t be able to return to Equestria.
But, hey, at least she'll have a friend in the emperor.
And perhaps also a warm bed to return to each night ;3
Interesting stuff. Starlight believes she'll no longer be welcome in Equestria? Unless the ponies are actually stupid, full stop, I don't believe that to be true. Either she believes it and is wrong, or she's simply using it as an excuse to live with her bird crush. Or maybe even to hide in shame for the spell because she believes she'll be ostracized for it. Then there's Santiago marrying a Griffonstone griffin? Oh Gilda, don't let it be you.
I'm sensing the possibility of Starlight marrying Velar at the end of this, and reinforcing the currently diminished Accipio as a world power once again. If that's the case, hopefully they steer it away from the war mongering and enslaving insanity that has already consumed it, for their sake as well as Equestria's. It definitely feels like we're in the endgame. I'm curious, did the story ever explain the presence of 'veal'? Is it what it sounds like, or is it something else in this story? Anyway, looking forward to more.
I want to make a movie out of this...
9136054
Starlight is used to an Equestria in peacetime, but I believe Luna who lived through an age more terrible than than even Accipio's reign would have been will see the practicality of such a spell, as well as the innocent lives it saved.
Whether Twilight will see it in such a way though, remains to be seen.
9136098
Without Starlights actions there would only be dead and hatred but by using that spell the seeds of friendship may still find fertile soil.
9136054
Mass mind control to force an army to kill itself to the last man is probably not gonna just blow over to Equestrian sensibilities, even if she is wrong about not being allowed to return
9136126
It's horrifying to be sure, but these birds were planning to kill and enslave every last Equestrian citizen, and everyone knows it. They've already committed several atrocities against the ponies as well as their own countrymen. I think most everyone will see it as a horrific necessity, and not blame Starlight for getting her hooves dirty to save everyone else.
9136138
Yes. there are no moral goods availible. It better to use a dark magic move in a extreme situation and better to use it to ensure a more friendlty Accipo then a clear hostile one. They may not like it but this was a nessecary move. ANd considerign Discord and Luna's crimes she will be accepted back.
9136138
Using mustard gas on an enemy army is going to be a war crime even if they were *very bad men*.
9136098
Or she could be outraged over it. Just because she witnessed horrible deeds doesn't mean she has to condone them; and Luna being one who knows some of losing yourself in darkest magic, she might be more inclined to see Starlight punished than Celestia, who is a deeply forgiving soul.
That's not my opinion about what Starlight did, by the way. I'm just thinking about how Luna might react.
Also, what Velar did was honourable, but incredibly stupid. Santiago is losing. He has no earthly chance of turning this into anything resembling a win... except if he wins this duel and is crowned emperor.
Although, even then, Equestria could simply congratulate Newcippio's new emperor, and then pound him into the ground. Not like the war is suddenly over then.
9136286
Dunno, the alternative was watching thousands of citizens and slaves die to Vengeance's blade and bullet. I can't see Luna seeing that as the better option.
Well, he has one Starlight Glimmer on hand who likes him.
Does this agreement include Starlight lifting her spell? If not, then I would call it kinda smart move since it distracts Santiago from accidentally doing something smart about the situation. If yes, then... Although, it frees Luna and Starlight to avada kedavra him.
9136286
Well, Velar strikes me as the kind of person who wouldn't throw away his ideals, even in these situations. It's not the smartest move because of the consequences of Santiago's victory, but if he wins, this may stop.
9136114
"You used a spell that turned hundreds of birds to kill themselves so we want to be your friend."
9136138
Putting Nazis in the concentration camps doesn't make it less of a war crime
9136376
It's possible things are going to stop right now, actually. If this duel means no other fighting in the meantime. Starlight would be free to lift her spell. That is, as free as anyone can be in trusting these Griffons. Harsh thing to say, but it's accurate, I think, considering the most trustworthy of their lot so far has been Velar, who is both still willing to bend his word into a pretzel when dealing with Equestria and a bit gullible in general.
9136278
Mustard gas kills indiscriminately and oftentimes slowly, if you're not lucky enough to die outright. What Starlight is doing is almost literally a 'bomb that only kills bad guys'. If such a weapon existed, your gov't and mine would happily employ it.
9136392
This isn't that. This isn't systematically torturing or eradicating a defeated populace. This is a devastating and effective attack against active combatants engaging in civilian slaughter.
9136414
No, this is a psychological weapon forcing enemy combatants to commit what is essentially mass suicide.
9136054
I wouldn't welcome her back. I would probably give her a fortune but she needs to be made an example of.
Mass mind control for the purpose of making people kill their friends and allies is evil. Flat out.
I for one hope it burned till just the ashes are left. For from the ashes of war did Japan rise and under the ruble of divisiveness did German unite time and time again.
9136392
9136414
9136414
War crime are defined by the violation of 4 principles. Distinction, proportionality, military necessity, and unnecessary suffering. By violating the law of war principle of Distinction this spell arguably a war crime weapon. Only that. Starlight's spell cannot distinguish between friend or foe or armed civilian.
Ex: AP mine are war crime weapon.
Did it violate the principle of military necessity? Nope. The Virtue are in losing position, out-numbered, and out-armed. Their condition necessitate a lot of measure available.
Ex: Bombing of Dresden is war crime, herbiciding forest of Vietnam is war crime.
Did it violate the principle of proportionality?
Nope. The Vengeance and Victory the spell targeted are purely armed military. Against purely military target proportionality doesn't apply because it's a proportionality of civilians casualty. Not proportionality of attack. Using modern tank against ww2 tank is hardly proportional but it's not a war crime.
Ex: The conquest of Nanking, siege of Leningrad, and battle of Berlin are arguably war crime in terms of civilian casualties.
Did it violate the principle of unnecessary suffering? Now this is where it get ambiguous. Did the target suffer unnecessarily?
They're killing each other with conventional weapon by losing their ability to differentiate friend or foe. Conventional bladed weapon and firearms kills absolutely aren't a war crime.
Are friendly fire an unnecessary suffering? Are enemy induced friendly fire an unnecessary suffering? Triggering friendly fire in enemy rank have always been part of war tactic. Preventing friendly fire is a self responsibility not enemy's. I failed to see the war crime angle here.
The only angle left is the mental magic. Now it depends on the lore about mental magic usage. Is this a forced removal of cognitive ability or a bloodlust boosting? Do mental magic make the target suffer unnecessarily?
Ex: Mustard gas, torture, and bad pow treatment are war crime.
Sometimes people add fifth principle of chivalry. But I think chivalry are hardly definable. So let's not get there.
Sources for the Four Basic Principles:
Also there's different between humanitarian crimes and war crime.
Holocaust, consentration camp, genocide, slavery, forced labor, forced sterilisation, and forced displacement are humanitarian crime. War itself is arguably a humanitarian crime. The perpetrators are government and/or group of people civilian or military.
War crime are something like mustard gas, white phosphorus, attacking civilian target, ap mine, attacking pow, and torturing pow. Perpetrators are the fighters of said war.
Claw, I think?
9136410
Velar is honorable, but that doesn't mean he can't be pragmatic.
Hmn. Does she have expect that her actions will have been too horrifying and she'll be permanently banished?
That was a really terrible plan, Gilda, assuming that's what you've been up to.
The dual is also a terrible plan, but barbarian birds will barbarian.
I'm inclined to agree but at the same time I'm not sure exiling a mentally unstable war criminal with a talent for psychological manipulation and a penchant for dictatorship is the best course of action.
Consequences to be sure but that's someone you probably still want on your side, preferably getting browbeaten by twilight into stability.
That said I'm predicting a convenient job as permanent griffon diplomat keeping her out of equestria as a half-measure
Alright, so we're getting to the point in the story where I'm starting to notice a few things getting left out or passed over. We know Luna still has some kinda secret contingency plan that hasn't been brought up. There's still a shitload of voidsteel out there multiple sets of which would likely wreck Luna if their bearers were flying around considering one nearly took out Celestia in a 1v2 and left luna on the weak side. We never learned what happened with that destroyer in Canterlot. Normally I'd assume it was taken out but its also likely that the crew surrendered after witnessing their carrier getting 1 shot by a sunbeam and their leader defeated but we don't know as readers. Also is Santiago really trying to play the card of the righteous while in the act of slaughtering civilians?
Like dude. You're separating people from their families too... PERMANENTLY... WITH DEATH! Cmon!
9136278
Victory forgives a multitude of sins.
If I have significant narrative concerns at this point, it's that the story threads following Gilda and the manes have been left dangling since their introduction. We get just enough to become curious and invested, and then they're dropped and not given more than passing mentions for the rest of the story.
9136138
On the one hand, from an official point of view, I doubt there will be any legal repercussions. Strictly speaking, this was a desperate act meant to save a city's worth of unarmed civilians from being murdered and keep her nation and people from being conquest, slaughter and enslavement. Even putting aside the desperate circumstances, there's the fact that Starlight had little time to think of something better and no resources to draw on besides her magic.
On the other... after doing something like this, I can see there being a great deal of unease around her in the future. What she did was arguably necessary, yes, but... all the same, it's a terrifying and unnerving thing, and she doesn't have the cleanest history where mind control is involved. Insofar as subconscious reactions and beliefs are concerned, this will likely leave a stain.
9138120
Yeah, there would definitely be some unease that would never entirely end, but I have to imagine any survivors of the swathe of destruction that the griffin invasion fleet cut through to reach Canterlot would treat her with sympathy and respect for what she had to do. Seeing as how not even the alicorns or fledgling modern Equestrian fleet were enough to keep them safe, there would be ponies who were grateful that they and their loved ones were spared from further death and despair. I'm not saying some ponies wouldn't fear her, but there wouldn't be enough to expell her from the country that she literally just saved(That being Equestria, as they were next on the hit list).
If anything, she ought to be less welcome in New Accipio. They just witnessed her obliterate an entire griffin army, enemy faction or not, on their own soil. You're telling me that there won't be any griffins who will try to assassinate her on the off chance she'll try something like that again? With their level of paranoia and hypocrisy shown thus far, it's literally inevitable. If it turns out that the ponies won't accept her back, there is no way in hell the griffins will either.
9137489
I guess laws are oppressive in a way that shooting someone to death just can't match. I guess because you live to be mad about it?
I just started reading this. A 10 hour long reading frenzy later, I've caught up.... Curse you Starscribe and your amazing ability to make engaging stories.
The last Agni Kai begins.