The Element of Willpower

by Redwolf15

Chapter Twenty-one: Link Story: Shining Armor

Chapter Twenty-one:
Link Story: Shining Armor

---

I'm Captain Shining Armor. At least that's what I am to my soldiers and the Princesses. To everpony else, I'm Shining Armor, okay, not much of a difference, but it's the formalities is all. Sometimes I'm also referred to as 'Shiny'. My little sister nicknamed me that when we were young. But now everypony I know and love are being held captive. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, my parents, my little sister imprisoned in stone, and finally my wife. I only hope that she's fine and Discord hasn't done anything to harm her.

I wasn't around last time Discord was freed. I had pressing business in the Griffin Kingdom to attend to. There was word that the Diamond Dogs in those parts were getting more courageous, the griffins and ponies have always had a peaceful relationship and were always there for each other in times of dire need. Princess Celestia sent me to help with pushing the Dogs back, won't say that it went over well, but it wasn't that bad either. Last time Discord was freed you'd think that that would have been one of those 'dire need' times. The lucky thing for us is that we have a powerful weapon that can only be used for good, the Elements of Harmony. Six elements, Honesty, Loyalty, Honesty, Kindness, Generosity, and Magic, with those six combined they form the greatest power the world has ever seen. And my sister and her friends are the only ones who can use it. I was so proud of her when I first heard of this and how she was able to defeat Nightmare Moon.

And it should have defeated Discord, but something's wrong. When they fought him last year the Elements worked just fine, but for some reason they're ineffective. So on Celestia's orders I ran to recruit all our allies, I don't know why she gave me this order, Discord beat the Elements' power, he beat Celestia and Luna, he's taken over Equestria. How could the rest of us stand a chance? But Princess Celestia has always had the best judgement on decisions. But I still don't know.

Hm, while we're on the topic of strange things I've met and heard some of the strangest things since I left. The first was definitely the strangest. I met a new creature, one never seen in Equestria before, as far as I know, something like this has never been seen in the entire world. He calls himself a human, says his name is Jesse and he's some sort of branch of the prime ape family. But he talks, walks on two legs all the time, can think for himself, has a personality, everything. He carries around a sword all the time, I haven't seen a blade much like that ever. The edge is sharp on only one side and curves back, the oddest thing about it is that it can light on fire, leaving the metal completely intact. What's more is that he has a travelling companion, a phoenix. Those creatures are rare to be seen, the only one I've ever seen is Philomena, Princess Celestia's pet.

Ever since then this journey has gotten stranger yet, after introductions and meeting the two griffins Sharla and Shantze, we fought a vampire. An actual vampire! And it wasn't a pony vampire either, it looked human too. Jesse killed the vampire, bringing justice to a slaughtered town, then we met Flora. She too looked rather human, but had bird features. Jesse said that she was a friend that saved him on his first day in Equestria.

Then there was the Cave, Diamond Dog origin den. After what we presumed were weeks of searching for Jesse after he went missing we found slaves of the Diamond Dogs. They said some creature never before seen freed them, that he gave them something they all that forsaken: hope. We our hunch was that it was Jesse, and we were correct. He was captured by Diamond Dogs and forced to dig for gems. After enslaving him, his captors helped free him. That was rather strange. But the strangest part was that the Diamond Dogs had a Prime Alpha, a king if you will. Diamond Dogs never had a king, just a single Alpha for each pack, no Alpha ruled more than one pack. And there was a Dragon Lord. Dragons are unruly and care for only themselves. I've never heard of a king dragon, and there are no records in any books on Diamond Dogs or Dragons having a king. Trust me, my little sister will read anything.

All these strange things have been happening since Discord came into power. This cannot be a coincidence. I trust Jesse, he's earned it, but he's definitely connected with Discord. Ever since we left the Cave he's seemed a little different, like he was hiding something. No, he is hiding something. One night I saw him sneak into the night while the rest of us slept, and I followed him. He found a clearing and started practising his sword-work. Normally I'd just presume this to be him preparing for the future, but then he started talking to himself. Like he was having a conversation with somepony else, but it was only the two of us, and he didn't know that I was around. Most would presume that he was going crazy, but I knew that there was something else.

I never brought it up because I knew that it was one of those secrets that you can't tell others. Because if you do, everpony else would presume that you're crazy, or they'd stop trusting you. Only until the right moment could he tell us.

And there he is, staring at Canterlot Castle, something is one his mind. That same thing that he's hiding. I walk up beside him, not saying anything. We've only known each other for a short time, but we already know that words are useless for communication between the two of us.

"Everyone ready?" He asks referring to our escort team to get us to Canterlot quickly.

"They're ready." I confirm for him.

"Alright let's end this." I begin to walk back to the group for our assault. "Why hasn't it changed?" His question stops me in my tracks. I turn to find him staring at the bright sky now. I turn my attention to the sky also, ever since Discord's rule night and day have become shorter and shorter until they only lasted about five minutes each. But it's been hours since the sun rose and there has been no abnormal change.

"I don't know. Maybe he wants this day to seem perfect because he expects to win." That's my honest answer. I really don't know why he hasn't changed it, and Discord certainly is full of himself. Confidence isn't even close. Without a clue as to why, we head back to the group together. The minotaurs, zebras, my soldiers, and some of the griffins went on ahead of us to distract all attention at the gates while the rest of us strike from the air.

"General, it's time." I address the leader of the griffins. I've met the general before, years ago while I was still a private and he a colonel, he also had both his eyes back in those days. I never met him formally, but I knew of him and heard many of the stories. He was a model soldier, one every other hoped to become. 'Swift Silver' was his nickname. He didn't choose it, he earned it. It was said that when he was a corporal his entire squad was ambushed by a rogue dragon, the survivors conformed that it was Swift that killed it single handedly. He sliced open the throat with a buster sword, the kind meant to take down large monsters like dragons. They said he swung it so fast that light couldn't keep up with it. He still denies his speed, but confirms killing it.

"Alright you pansy-ass chickens! We're playing escort for the moment, so guard these ponies with your lives!" He calls to his troops, rallying them for war, he's rewarded with cries of cheer. He swings me over his back, some of us need a ride. We take off, hundreds of wings took to the air.

Sharla and Jesse straggle behind, not because they were slow. What took you two so long?" Flora asks.

"Just saying good-bye." Sharla says in a quiet voice.

"Not good-bye. 'I'll be back'." Jesse says to her gently.

"Yeah, 'I'll be back'." She perks up a bit repeating those words. She's thinking of her little brother, I know what he's feeling, what she's worried about. Not a day goes by that I worry that Twilight and Cadence are alright.

"Okay, we need to find Princess Celestia and Princess Luna first. With them we may be able to figure out a way to free Twilight and defeat Discord." I yell to everpony else over the rushing wind. Under my breath I tell Cadence that I'm on my way.

"So where might they be?" The bird woman asks.

And it dons on me. "Um, not sure." The others slapped their faces with hooves, claws, hands, and whatever else they had. "But I suppose the best place to start looking is the dungeon." It's not that I didn't know, I know the castle inside out, but because of Discord's distortion they could be anywhere.

"And where's that?" Twilight's athletic friend Rainbow Dash asks. I point towards a very large tower closest to the mountain side.

"Captain, that may take us some time." The general grabs his trademark sword. "Because we've got incoming." My stomach sinks as I see hundreds of Lessers fly over the wall and charge at us. I get ready for battle, my horn had its magic aura around it, preparing to fire a bolt.

"Alright you chickens, keep in tight formation and protect those five ponies with your lives! It's vital that they make it!" The one eyed griffin under me calls to his soldiers.

"Shining Armor, do you have a spell that could amplify someone else's attack?" Jesse asks me.

"Depends, what do have in mind?" He lights his sword on fire and gives me one of those look when somepony gets a crazy idea that'll work in our favour. I get an idea of what he has in mind. I put all my concentration in using an amplify spell that I know. Spells like these aren't my speciality, more so defensive spells, so this amplify takes a lot of concentration. A send a bolt of magic at Jesse, hitting his sword. He swings the sword twice, each time two huge crescent shaped flames fly out and they fly towards the Lessers, killing an impressive number of them. Too bad there's still hundreds that can replace the fallen few.

"So what now?" Applejack asks now that that idea wasn't a complete success.

"That's an easy one girl." General Swift calls out, gleam in his single eye. "We punch a hole right through them! Captain, you have anymore magic left?"

"Yeah, you have a plan sir?" I ask massaging my head for the throbbing to subside.

"That I do. Spear formation! Keep in close or get left behind! Captain, on my mark, throw a shield around us, and make it like a spear, built to withstand and puncture."

"Ugh, yeah, right" I concentrate hard on making a shield, it's not hard, but it takes concentration to keep it solid and my head was pounding.

"He's not planning what I think he is, is he?" Rarity asks.

"This is gonna suck." Jesse knows what's going to happen. Griffins have always been known to be the most courageous and fearless of creatures, the minotaurs would disagree.

"Hold," General Swift prepares us for the last minute.

"Hold," We get even closer.

"Hold!" He's really waiting for the last possible second.

"Now!" On his mark I threw up a shield, surrounding all of us. We punch through the wall of Lessers, . It's hard for me to keep it up, I can feel the shield weakening.

"Captain, what's happening?" Jesse asks noticing the shield.

"I don't think I can hold it, amplify spells aren't my speciality and I put a lot of concentration into yours. I'm doing the best I can to keep it up." I haven't tried this hard since my wedding. I mean, keeping a shield, that's what I meant.

"Well you'll have to keep trying, 'cause we're not out of the worst of it." General Swift points. In front of us was a second mass of Lessers. Things are not going to be easy are they? I struggle further to keep the shield up, the Lessers bounce off it as they try stopping us.

"I don't think I can keep doing this!" I yell. Its beginning to physically hurt doing this.

"Just a little more! We're almost there!" I'm trying, I really am. I'm not just trying to save the Princesses and reunite the Elements of Harmony back together. I'm trying to save my family.

"AAAH!" I lose concentration, the shield shatters and all the Lessers dive at us.

The general gives commands, ones I can't understand, everything's a blur. I've overexerted myself. The best I can do is keep a hold on General Swift as he flies in every direction, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that he's fighting and dodging the Lessers.

I finally start seeing straight, just in time to witness a Lesser with the head of a turtle fly at us at full velocity. It's panther claws fully extended. I fire a weak bolt at it, weak, but strong enough to knock it off course.

"You finally wake up?" The general asks noticing my conciousness.

"Yes sir. I'm sorry, I failed." I say disappointed in myself.

"Captain, you have time to feel sorry for yourself later. But now is not the time. Besides, I see a path clear for us." He points diagonally below, a clear path out and towards the castle, I check our current status. The griffins have been dispersed to hold back the Lessers, the girls are still fine, Flex and Flora are occupying their time with the Lessers, where's Sharla and Jesse? They should be right behind us.

"Captain!" Sharla flies towards us, but Jesse isn't on her back. She hacks at every Lesser that gets in her way.

"Sharla, where's Jesse?" I ask fearing the answer.

"He fell, I tried to save him but I was held back. I saw him fall into the forest below." She says frantically. She looks like she's about to break down. I could tell, she thought that it was her duty to protect Jesse, watch his back. She must have been so close, but she saw herself as a failure. She has that same look in her eyes that I do.

"If he fell then he's dead." General Swift says bluntly. "More's the pity to have lost someone as tough as him."

"Shouldn't we go and find him? Maybe he didn't die from the fall, maybe he's alive." She says trying to hold on to the little bit of hope.

"Sharla, I'm sorry but there's no way he could have survived. And we can't risk going to find him, we have more pressing matters at hand." I say sorrowful. Hearing a friend die in the middle of a battle is probably the worst, and he was a good friend. Jesse wasn't the first friend I've lost in battle, and I know that he won't be the last. I've gone through this pain time and time again, Equestria may be peaceful, but the other sections of the world aren't. I've known friends who got drafted to places like the Kingdom to help fend off dragons and Diamond Dogs, and I would always get news that they had died.

"No! That's not true! He survived, he must have!" She's trying to rationalize things now.

"Sharla, he knew the risks, he knew what he was going to face. He knew that he may die today, and he knew that if he did then we would have to go on without him." I say in a stone hard voice. "I want to go find him too, I want to believe he's alive too. But we have to keep moving, if we want to see tomorrow then we have to put today's pains behind us."

She knows I'm right, she just doesn't want to admit it. "Okay." She says in a small voice.

"Quickly, this way! We can get to the castle!" The general calls to the griffins protecting the girls. We dive for the opening, getting rid of every Lesser in the way. He was a good friend, one of the best I've known, when we finish this I'll see to it that he gets a proper burial. This may not be his home, but he deserves to be honoured.

Comments

[shon]

wooooooooooooooooooooooooo first lol love the story so far keep up the good work

[sirraf]

"Six elements, Honesty, Loyalty, Honesty, Kindness, Generosity, and Magic,"
its confirmed! pinkie is now honesty as well!