Chapter 54: The March; Part 2
Elias awoke with a gasp. His eyes flicked about the dark tent, and he felt a nervous panic rising in his chest at the unfamiliar environment. Something moved against his arm, and he felt an immediate urge to grab for his sword. Something tightened around his neck, and Elias recognized a pair of hooves trying to strangle him. Another pair was pinning his arms, clearly trying to make sure he couldn’t resist the midnight ambush. Elias kicked his legs, but found them trapped in his sleeping bag.
Before he could begin to truly wriggle free, a pair of glowing eyes poked up from his hip, and they locked onto his snarling face. The color flickered briefly, and Elias made a realization about his enemy. Changelings. Of course. They had been awfully quiet since their failed infiltration attempts and what better time to spring a trap than when he let his guard down in the middle of a well-armed and armored military camp? Elias clenched his jaw, and tried to free his arms as the creature crawled up his torso.
“Look at me,” the bug hissed.
Mind control, Elias thought.
He intentionally screwed his eyes shut and turned his head away. Tugging at the limbs wrapped firmly around his arms, Elias managed to free one hand, and it quickly found its way out of his sleeping bag. To hit his target, however, he had to open his eyes, and so, steeling his mind, Elias opened his eyes and prepared to strike.
Instead of his fist, calm struck the human as Snowball grabbed his hand with the gentleness of a butterfly, slowly leading it to rest deep in the loveling’s chest fluff. Snowball’s purple eyes shined in the low light, and he simply hummed softly, making sure that Elias got fistfuls of fluff. Elias’ bad eye twitched as the loveling held his eyes with a kind, unblinking stare. For a moment, the slitted purple eyes were replaced by glistening green eyes, and Elias could have sworn Snowball’s plush fluff became even softer, just like…
Elias closed his eyes and took a deep breath as a new kind of panic set in. Fully awake, he glanced around to find the ponies still dead asleep, their snores and adorable snorts finally reaching his ears. The hooves wrapped firmly around his chest belonged to Night Flash, the pegasus’ muzzle buried into his hip. The hooves around his neck weren’t strangling him, they were merely a tight hug as Book Binder cuddled against his shoulder. The words Snowball had spoken, they hadn’t been a threatening hiss, but rather an attempt at a comforting whisper. The threat wasn’t real.
Elias’ eyes opened again, but he couldn’t match the smile he found on Snowball’s face. Dark thoughts about what his reaction could have been plagued his mind, something that must have been clear on his face. Snowball inched closer.
“Give me a minute and I’ll move everyone so that you can get up,” he whispered, his voice as soft as it could be.
Elias nodded and laid back, staring at the ceiling of the tent in silence. Snowball moved past, offering a little nudge or tickle to the ponies surrounding Elias. Though some grunted in obvious sleepy protest, none of the ponies awoke as Snowball moved them away. As soon as the loveling pried Book Binder’s hooves from around his neck, Elias slipped out of his sleeping bag and out of the tent, snatching all of his equipment up in a bundle.
The human showed little care as he tossed it all into the dirt. He merely let his body do the work while he tried to keep his brain away from dangerous thoughts. His sandals found their way to his feet, followed swiftly by his greaves on his shins. By the time he heard the tent flap open behind him, Elias had on his cuirass and was making himself busy on his knees stuffing his dusty sleeping bag into his ruck. Snowball watched the human work in silence for a moment, then spoke.
“They wouldn’t blame you; you know.”
Elias kept packing his ruck.
“I wouldn’t forgive myself if I struck one of them. I’m not exactly weak, and neither are my punches. Would you have liked it if I decided to punch you like the changeling I thought you were?”
“No,” Snowball admitted, “but I also knew that you wouldn’t hit me. You’ve never struck one of your friends in anger before, and I don’t think you’ll start now.”
Elias shook his head.
“It isn’t about anger Snowball.”
Don’t say anything, Other-Elias whispered softly in his ear. You can’t show weakness. Not now.
Elias did his best to ignore the specter.
“I can’t control myself when I have night terrors,” he stated flatly. “It’s not about emotion, it’s about reaction. I wake up in a state, and think that I’m still in the dream. What happens after is only a result of that, and I won’t attack them. Not even if they know it’s not intentional, and even if they are willing to forgive me.”
‘I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself,’ he thought, but left unsaid. He also left unsaid the lie he was telling, mostly due to shame. He knew the prime reason he swung first when coming out of a night terror, and that reason was in the name. His dreams scared him to no end with the kind of irrational fear that even he couldn’t drive away. It was mad fear, unintelligent and violent.
Snowball let out a small sigh, and Elias almost felt that he knew despite his lack of speech.
“So what does this mean? You can’t avoid sleeping.”
Elias cinched the top of his ruck closed, then clicked open his pocket watch.
“It’s about three in the morning. Everyone will be up in two hours. I’ll check in on the night watch, then go plan out the day in the command tent.”
He could feel the loveling frown at his back.
“That may be a solution for today Elias, but what about the rest of the march? You need to sleep, and it’s better to sleep somewhere that I can help you come out of your night terrors.”
“Or somewhere far enough away that nobody notices when I have them,” Elias said. He stared down at his ruck in silent thought for a moment, then shook his head again. “I’ll figure it out. Go back to bed Adiutor. Thank you for making sure I didn’t do anything stupid.”
Snowball waited in silence for a few moments as Elias sat back on his haunches, putting on his wrist guards. A small, unhappy sigh filled the air behind him, then he felt hooves wrap around his torso. An attempted nuzzle was halted by the cold steel of his armor, but that didn’t stop Snowball from nuzzling away.
“I’m so sorry Elias,” he whispered. “I know everyone keeps making promises, but we’ll find a fix for this. Somehow, some way, we’ll free you of these dreams. Everyone deserves to sleep at night. Everyone.”
Elias felt his bad eye twitch and images of red stained the dirt before him, just for a second.
“No,” he whispered. “Not everyone. Certainly not me.”
When he heard no reply, he looked back to find Snowball already gone, the tent flap waving gently wish the loveling’s passing. Elias let out a small sigh, wishing he could rejoin the ponies in their nice warm tent. A chill breeze ran up his spine, sparking him to finish getting dressed quicker. Once he was finished, he rose to his feet, rubbing at his bare arms as he made his way to the command tent. He was already awake, might as well get started on the day’s work.
*****
Late into the day. the column ground to a halt at the sound of a horn. With well-oiled practice, the legionaries fell into small boxes, with shields locked and spears pointing outward. Elias had to keep back a scoff of disgust at the milling clumps of other guards. The new marching strategy he had implemented once the army had awoken had been designed to spread out their strength. Instead of being packed into their neat and tidy sections which ranged widely in training and combat ability, Elias’ method had split most of the guard forces up and mixed them together using a far more advanced copy of the abilities guide Scarlet had created.
While Elias had been comatose following the incident in the Crystal Empire, Scarlet had taken the abilities guide he had crafted for their old section of the Lunar Guard and had expanded it with gusto. He had taken stock of each pony in the army, then divided them by guard force. Then he had made a number of section recommendations, offering different arrangements that varied in utility. If Elias wanted a solid, unbreakable wall, Scarlet had created a division chart that created perfectly balanced sections to provide physical and magical defense on an entire front. If he wanted to make it so the army could perform as a guerilla force, Scarlet had outlined which units would be best used for bait, and which ones could act the fastest for a hit and run campaign. Comprehensive didn’t begin to describe how thorough the guide was, and once the pegasus had awoken, he and Elias had perfected the marching order, then distributed it to the army.
As a result, the column no longer shimmered in easily identifiable colors. At the front of the column was the 1st Cohort Auxiliaries, augmented by most of the legion scout’s as a vanguard. Behind them came the first third of the Lunar Guard, followed by a third of the Solar Guard. The carriage was no longer merely placed between the Solar Guard and the Legio I Equus. Instead, Royal Guards formed a defensive wall on all sides of the carriage, including a pair of unicorns on the roof. All eight-hundred members were packed tight beside each other, making sure that nothing short of a dragon flight would have easy access to the princesses.
Behind the carriage came 1st Cohort, 2nd Cohort, and her auxiliary regiment, and they were followed by the second third of both the Lunar Guard, and the Solar Guard. Finally came the lengthy baggage train, pulled and guarded by the final third of the Lunar Guard, Solar Guard, and the 3rd Cohort.
Elias stalked in front of the shield walls of the 3rd Cohort, gently prodding the crimson shields with Feather. His scutum still sat on his back, loaded down with pila. He didn’t particularly want to draw it if he didn’t need to; strapping it back onto his ruck would be a hassle and a half, so Elias scanned the trees atop the hill from which the horn call had originated.
It didn’t take long for him to spot a trio of tall figures waving a green flag. Elias drew a pilum with a green flag tied to the end from his shield and raised it high in the air, answering the call for a peaceful talk. Twirling the javelin around, he called out;
“Remain at the ready. We don’t know if this is a trap, so treat every single blade of grass as an enemy!”
One of the Lunar Guards standing nearby snorted and reached a hoof out, stomping a patch of grass.
“I guess I just killed a dozen enemies then,” he laughed. “I bet the real thing is just as easy.”
Granite appeared behind the stallion like a wraith, and immediately laid into the blue-clad guard. With the sound of a well-earned chew-out gracing his ears, Elias left the situation, knowing it was in good hooves. He stalked forward, advancing up the hill toward the figures.
As he pulled away from the formation and began moving up the hill, several ponies sprinted from separate points in the column, running hard to catch up to his long-legged strides. Elias made it half-way up the hill before the other generals caught up, with Lionheart running especially hard to cut the human off. Elias stopped as the unicorn placed himself between the human and the minotaurs at the top of the hill. In a move that surprised Elias, Lionheart spent only a moment catching his breath before he straightened.
“The Princesses assigned me as our diplomatic liaison.”
“That may be true,” Elias said, “but they also mentioned taking the advice of others into account. I intend to do so with you all when a battle plan becomes needed, and I expect the same respect when it’s the other way around.” He looked past the unicorn to the minotaurs. “I did some cursory research on minotaurs when I was still in the infirmary, and I think I can speak their language.”
“And I’m sure you’ve come to some conclusion about how your blunt diplomatic style would fit with theirs,” Lionheart said, “but I have actual experience with minotaur relations, seeing as the western border of Equestria was included in my administrative province. In all likelihood, I know these fine gentlecolts personally or at least know allies of theirs, and therefore will know how to speak to them, while you would no doubt say something to offend them and draw us into open war.”
He took a step forward, sneering up at Elias.
“I understand that you pride yourself as a fighter, General, but this situation requires tact and diplomatic precision. I think even you can realize that you are lacking in both areas.”
Elias almost wanted to crouch down so that he could directly butt heads with the pony. Unfortunately, that would only prove Lionheart’s point. His bad eye twitched with irritation at being thought of nothing more than an over-aggressive brute, but he decided that now wasn’t the time to settle any kind of argument, insult or no. They had a job to do, and Lionheart had been assigned to do it, whether he liked it or not.
Elias swallowed his pride and motioned up the hill.
“Well go on then liaison. I’ll keep quiet.”
Lionheart snorted, showing supreme effort to not roll his eyes as he turned around.
“Somehow I doubt that,” he muttered, just barely below his normal speaking voice.
Elias suppressed the urge to smack the pony at the second insult, but decided to keep his word, and merely fell in beside Nightshade and Midnight Chaser as they continued the march up the hill, with Lionheart at the lead.
Upon reaching the minotaurs, the first thing Elias noticed was the amused, almost mocking grins that two of them wore. They had likely been able to hear Lionheart demean him, and no doubt thought less of him for it. The second thing Elias noticed, as he stabbed his green-flagged pilum into the grass, was that the minotaurs were huge. He had thought those in and around Bordertown were fairly large. Those minotaurs stood a little over a head taller than he was, but these minotaurs were easily a foot or more taller, with a height difference almost comparable between Elias and a normal pony.
Elias removed his helmet and set it atop his pilum, then slid his ruck off, analyzing the three minotaurs out of the corner of his eye the whole while. Unlike the ponies, who were all in largely the same armor with mere color differences, the minotaurs were each completely unique in equipment. The left-most minotaur looked to be the youngest, his hair short and a rich brown, with his fur much the same. His short horns gleamed white in the sun. The rest of his attire matched that white glow. Gleaming silver plate covered most of his key areas, with layered furs and leather protecting the rest. On his hip sat a sword that might have been long in Elias’ hands, but seemed like little more than a dagger to the minotaur. On his back sat the head of a massive two-bladed battleax, and judging from the corded muscles of his arms, each as thick as a pony, the minotaur could use it.
The minotaur in the middle was the shortest of the three, with a nearly white head of hair that stretched down his back in a long ponytail. He seemingly lacked any weapons or armor, aside from a simple wooden staff with strange carvings on it, as well as the massive, yellowed horns on his head, and he was dressed in simply brown robes that clung to certain parts of his frame while hanging loose from others, adding to his aged appearance. He hunched over, almost as if the horns were straining his back with their weight. Still, despite his apparent age and seeming infirmity, he was only slightly less muscled than his two counterparts, and he bore two golden rings, one pierced through his septum, and the other attached to one of his horns.
The third minotaur, however, was the largest of the three, made all the clearer by the fact that he was stark naked. His skin was barren of fur, and the sun glistened off of what Elias guessed was anointing oil, or sweat that covered his entire body from head to hoof. His horns were larger than the armored minotaur’s, but not quite as heavy of those of the white-haired minotaur. If anything, they looked shaved, with the points gleaming as much as the minotaur’s bald head. The thing that shined the brightest about the minotaur was a thick golden septum ring hanging from his nostrils.
The naked minotaur seemed to notice his appraising eyes, and he gave Elias a wink and a hip wiggle. The human showed no reaction, instead continuing to arrange his gear while Lionheart approached the armored minotaur. The red-maned unicorn held a smile on his face as he gave a small nod to the minotaur.
“Greetings Chieftain,” Lionheart said, “I appreciate your approaching us under a flag of peace. Would that all matters in this world happened as such.”
The minotaur snorted and crossed his arms.
“The Keepers clearly wish differently, as they keep giving us warriors strong enough to rip changelings in two.”
He looked toward Elias, who stood back with his thumbs in his sword belt.
“But clearly you know something of our traditions, so why is the strongest among you not speaking first? We have heard many a story about the mighty Savior of Canterlot, yet I see one before me who matches his description, and he appears weak, his leash held by soft ponies.”
Elias’ eyes narrowed and flicked toward the armored minotaur; his posture unchanging.
“Care to rephrase that?”
He might take the occasional insult from a pony to keep the peace, but he wasn't going to make a habit of letting slights pass without challenge. If the cow wanted to lose his tongue, Elias was more than willing to remove it for him. Before tension could fill the air, Lionheart let out a too-loud laugh.
“Believe it or not, I am the strongest one here! After all,” his horn charged with magic, and the ground beneath their feet shifted and roiled. A touch of arrogance entered his smile. “I am a well-studied mage, and our human general, while a fantastic warrior, has no magic to speak of.”
The naked minotaur perked up at the words “fantastic warrior”, and he eyed Elias up and down with a leering smile, as if eyeing a piece of meat. The center minotaur did the same for a moment, though he lacked anything other than an even expression and an appraising eye. After a silent moment he looked to Lionheart with a soft, diplomatic smile.
“Forgive my son, he is young, and doesn’t quite appreciate that sometimes power is silent, and hidden away.”
The minotaur's voice was low, but Elias could detect that if the white-haired bull wanted to be loud, he could be in an instant. The robed minotaur stepped forward and offered a low bow to Lionheart.
“As Elder of the Stone Crusher tribe, I offer my welcome into our lands.”
Lionheart stepped forward and matched the minotaur’s low bow.
“My thanks Elder,” the unicorn replied sincerely. “I apologize that we could not warn you directly of our pass-through, but well, we have no intention to stay in your territory for long.”
He straightened and smiled.
“But I’m getting ahead of myself. I am General Lionheart, Duke of Western Equestria, and one of the leaders of her Majesty’s army.” He glanced back and motioned with his hoof to each general as he named them. “These are my fellow generals; Shattered Shield, Dragon-Eye, Everfree, Nightshade, Starry Skies, Midnight Chaser, and Elias Bright.”
Elias was surprised to hear no trace of disgust when Lionheart said his name. The armored minotaur let out an amused snort at the long list of names.
“That seems like too many leaders. How do your people know who to listen to in battle?”
Lionheart’s smile remained unchanged as he looked to the younger minotaur.
“We manage well enough; there is strength in variety and uniqueness after all. Regardless, the princesses have delegated their diplomatic responsibilities to me. I speak for this army, and any requests you would have for them should be addressed with me.”
The naked minotaur jabbed a fat finger at Elias' chest.
“And what does he do? Bark like a little puppy?”
Elias’ scowl deepened, his jaw tightening as he tried not to let his anger make him hasty in action. The minotaurs were trying to get him to strike, to give them some excuse to attack the army. If he was going to do that, he wouldn't do it on their terms, if at all. Lionheart again surprised him when he merely said;
“He acts. I am the tongue, and he the sword. I have faced him in combat before, and I wouldn’t recommend provoking him.”
“And Chieftain Bare Hide won’t,” the elder quickly assured.
His staff thwacked the naked minotaur across his chest, drawing a slight wince from Bare Hide. He took a step back, bowing his head just slightly, his eyes never leaving Elias.
“Apologies Elder," he mumbled. "Merely testing the welps. Hiding under so much armor, they need a good prodding.”
“If I wanted anyone tested, I would have done so,” the elder growled. “Now remain quiet before I rip the ring from your nose, and then test if your hide is really sword-proof like they say.”
"Sword-proof?" Elias echoed. "I'm afraid I've never heard of something like that."
His words played perfectly on Bare Hide's obvious pride, and the minotaur stood straighter, flexing his muscles.
"It would take the best blade in the world to pierce my hide," he boasted. "I hide behind no armor because I need none! My fists outpower any mace, and my skin is tougher than any prissy pony armor." His grin turned into a sneer. "Even if it's worn by a skinny little calfling with big legends behind him."
Elias spat into the grass at his feet and smiled back.
"We'll see."
Bare Hide's sneer widened back into a broad smile and his eyes began combing over Elias from head to toe once more. From the corner of his eye, Elias could see that Lionheart was half-way between happy that he hadn't provoked the naked minotaur into a fight, and furious that he had spoken at all.
The elder, on the other hand, just looked happy for the former, and he looked back to Lionheart with his diplomatic smile.
“Apologies for the provocative words of my ally, General Lionheart. Younger warriors are always hot-blooded. I’m sure you’ve had some similar issues.”
Lionheart’s eyes flicked to Elias and then back to the elder.
“Of sorts. Now, to whom am I speaking, and what business do I have with you?”
The minotaur offered another low bow.
“I am Elder Stone Hoof of the Stone Crusher tribe.” He motioned to the armored minotaur. “This is my son War-Chief Stone Horn, and as you’ve already heard,” he motioned to the naked minotaur, “this is Chieftain Bare Hide, of the Jagged Horn tribe. The matter we must discuss is the toll for your, as you described it, pass-through of our lands.”
Lionheart’s smile wavered ever so slightly, becoming strained.
“Toll?” he echoed. “Pardon gentlecolts, but there is no toll for this road. That was written into the treaties that were signed when it was constructed.”
“The treaty also stated that nopony would ever leave the road,” Stone Horn said with derisive snort. “Yet you have already done so twice in large numbers, or perhaps our scouts were mistaken when they mentioned your construction of a large fort on our lands.”
“That fortification is temporary and will fall to pieces in a year or two without maintenance,” Elias said. “We built it only to ensure that our camp was safe.”
‘And easy to defend,’ he thought, but left unsaid.
“Regardless,” Elder Stone Hoof said, “your forces violated the treaty first, and as such, we have the right to enact a toll for trespassing on our lands.”
Lionheart let out a light sigh.
“And I suppose that’s the same justification you gave to every merchant and wanderer that so much as pitched a tent in the grass just before you robbed them blind.”
Elias blinked at the bluntness of the insult and looked toward the other ponies to make sure he hadn’t been the one to say it. All eyes were on Lionheart, however. Elias frowned. No, that wasn’t quite true. One set of eyes paid no mind to the discussion and the insults being thrown around. After being admonished, Bare Hide had remained carefully silent, yet Elias noticed his lips moving, just barely. His eyes no longer ogled Elias, but instead looked past the human. A glance down found the minotaur’s fingers flicking with disguised motion, something he imagined was supposed to look like excited twitching. If the minotaur was carrying a weapon, perhaps even he would have believed the motion, but Elias knew what the naked minotaur was truly doing, even as his eyes continued to scan the long column of ponies.
Elias let his hand drift to his sword as Stone Horn took a step forward, towering over Lionheart.
“I suggest taking your words back pony, because if you know anything about minotaurs, you would know we don’t take to idle insults.”
“And yet your Chieftain so casually spits them at one of my allies,” Lionheart replied calmly. “If you do not wish to receive insults, do not speak them. This is the only warning I will give you.”
Stone Horn sneered.
“We do not need warnings pony, but I will keep it in mind when my army rips you into tiny little pieces and-“
Stone Hoof’s staff cracked into the back of the young minotaur’s head, silencing him. The older minotaur then put himself between Stone Horn and Lionheart, and shoved him backward.
“Enough!” he bellowed. “I did not bring you out here to posture calfspawn! You are here to watch, and to listen! To learn to be a proper War-Chief, as your brother is. Yet you would bring disgrace and disfavor on our tribe with your cowardly, unbacked words!”
Stone Horn winced, but tried to buck up, only to be shoved again. Stone Hoof butted heads with him.
“Be silent calfspawn. You are not a proper War-Chief yet. You bear no rite rings. You are not even close to my equal and until you are, I hold all sway until I tell you otherwise. Unless of course, you seek to challenge me.”
Stone Horn fully withered, and he bowed his head.
“No Elder. I do not wish that. I will await your word.”
Stone Hoof snorted in his son’s face and glared at him for a moment more, then pulled away. He tapped his staff in the grass for a moment, taking deep, loud breaths. Elias continued to watch as Bare Hide did a careful count of the army, only barely paying attention to the negotiations. Stone Hoof let out a sigh and turned around, still tapping his staff in the grass.
“Apologies General Lionheart, but while my son is as dense as a tree is tall, his point is as I see it. Do not throw insults here. They serve you no good.”
“Then I expect the same respect in kind, for both myself, and my fellow generals,” Lionheart replied smoothly. “Until proven otherwise, we are equal at minimum. Treat us as such.”
Stone Hoof bowed his head.
“Of course. Now, the matter of the toll.”
“We didn’t march an army here to pay tolls,” Lionheart said evenly, “but, give me a figure. Perhaps if it is reasonable enough, we can pay it for peace of mind, if nothing else.”
Despite what should have been a sign of good intent for further negotiation, Stone Hoof’s expression didn’t shift from a frown. If anything, he looked nervous as he spoke his figure.
“One thousand bits per pony as a toll, and we take what we like from your wagons as tribute. We have many warriors that are looking for something to take home to sacrifice to the Keepers, and these terms fill all their needs.”
The ponies all recoiled in visible shock at the outrageous terms.
"Are you mad?" Shattered Shield spat. "That's an insane price! What's to stop all of you worthless cows from stealing our food and leaving us with nothing for the rest of the journey to Saddle Arabia?"
Lionheart cleared his throat loudly, shooting a death glare at the other unicorn. Shattered Shield withered back, staring hard at his hooves. Lionheart then put on a diplomatic smile and addressed Stone Hoof.
"Elder, you must realize that that figure is not feasible. We have thousands of ponies, and their armor isn't worth a thousand bits. You would have them sell the very hides from their backs to purchase passage from you along a road you did not build? I think not. I will personally gift you one-hundred bits and a selection from my winery. We can share a nice drink over your easily, yet perfectly fair pay."
Stone Hoof shook his head.
"No. That is not enough."
Lionheart gave him a small shrug.
"That is the only offer you will receive. We are not carrying the kind of coin you demand, and even if we were, we would not hoof it over to you. We are not some hapless merchant you can bully."
Elias hated the fact that he agreed with Lionheart's every word, and he faintly wondered why he hadn't been assigned to be chief diplomat. There was little, if anything he would have done different, and that fact ground on his nerves slightly. Not nearly as much as the spy gathering information on his ponies. That was going to spark him to act if they didn't reach a deal soon. Something he knew would never happen as a helpless look spread across Stone Hoof's face.
The elder sighed and stepped back.
"War-Chief, please make them see reason."
Stone Horn grinned and stepped forward with crossed arms. He moved forward until he towered once more over Lionheart, casting a shadow on the red-maned unicorn.
"You bucked up little pony," he chuckled. "The Elder’s toll was light, mine is not. The toll is now doubled, and we will require fifty ponies to pull those wagons to our tribelands. They will not return."
He crouched down and poked a finger into Lionheart's breastplate.
"You will be one of them, as well one of those princesses you have hidden away down there. We know they have no power, and we will claim one as our own.”
Lionheart’s smile vanished in an instant.
“No, you will not. I don’t know who you think we are, but there isn’t a pony in all of Equestria that wouldn’t give their last breath for the princesses. Suggest such again and I will cut you in two.”
Stone Horn stood up and laughed, throwing his head back.
“Stupid pony, you have no idea what comes against you if you refuse!” He motioned with wide arms to the forests around them. “For every tree you see there is a hundred warriors ready to rain death on your puny army! The swords of a thousand tribes have prepared for this most legendary of battles. The Keepers themselves will sing our names into eternity as we finally secure our own voice in their ear!”
His smile became savage, laced with anger.
“For you see you greedy little creatures, you have stolen the Verdant Fields from us. Each race has their own immortal voice to guide their path, but not the minotaurs! We are ever scattered and we must buy our way into paradise with riches and glory earned, yet you sit idle and weak with three voices! We will no longer let your theft stand!”
“The zebras also have no “immortal voice”, as you say,” Everfree interjected. “But it is their fault, as is your own lacking. You, like my ancestral people, are a divided nation filled with pointless squabbling tribes, where Equestria has acted as a beacon of unity for thousands of years. My family was welcomed there, and if you truly wanted to grow near to the princesses, you would do as my family did, through centuries of service and devotion. We earned our place at the side of Sun and Moon. You are little more than a sneak thief in the dark, taking what isn’t yours.”
He spat at the minotaur’s hooves.
“You deserve nothing, and you will get nothing.”
Stone Horn snorted dismissively.
“Shut your hole. You are a coward for fleeing your homeland for the weak arms of the ponies, and I will see you dead on the field of battle, just before I take your princesses to act for my tribe.”
He sneered at Nightshade.
“Do take a message to Princess Luna moon-demon. Tell her that she will be warming War-Chief Stone Horn’s bed in this life, and then again once we reach the Halls of the Keepers. She will serve me for eternity, finally fulfilling her proper purpose in harmony.”
He pumped a fist into the air, yelling his words to the sky.
“Weak or strong, it doesn’t matter, because they all serve the strongest!”
He pounded his chest and laughed at the ponies.
“Pray little ponies! Pray for strength, because my people are the strongest, and soon the world will recognize that!”
No words prevented tension from filling the air this time. Lionheart and Elias both glared hatred at the minotaur, but the human had enough awareness to realize that he couldn’t kill the minotaur from so far away. He looked to Stone Hoof, who looked much frailer than when they had begun. He looked almost… defeated. Elias briefly wondered how much the elder supported his son’s words, then decided it didn’t matter. He was too far away to strike either.
The minotaur in front of him however…
Elias took a step forward, drawing the bull’s eyes down.
“Seen enough have you?” he challenged.
Bare Hide grinned.
“And then some. I hope those ponies around that carriage are tough because they’ll need to be.”
Elias snorted.
“We’ll see, or rather, I will.”
His mouth twitched upward into a sadistic grin.
“You’re not going to see another sunrise.”
Even as he spoke the words, Elias pulled his gladius free of it’s sheathe, and he slashed upward, and across Bare Hide’s eyes. Feather struck true, biting a clear line across the minotaur’s face, blinding him in an instant.
Any bluster the minotaur had preached vanished as he screamed and fell to his knees, clutching at his now empty eye sockets. Elias snorted flipped his gladius.
“You really shouldn’t tell people that your skin can withstand sword strikes. It makes them target other areas first.”
Taking a breath, Elias gripped the hilt of his gladius in both hands and leaned on his back heel, then used the extra space to build momentum. Feather plunged deep into the minotaur’s stomach, the enchanted blade meeting only slightly more resistance than usual. Elias released the breath and let the gladius hang in its temporary sheathe. He drew the knife from behind his back and pointed it at Stone Horn.
“And you, with your delusions of grandeur. Is that supposed to be intimidating? That might work if you had decided to attack first, but you approached us under flag of truce!” Elias laughed and grabbed one of Bare Hide’s horns. “I mean really, the only thing you accomplished was to ensure that everypony here would fight to the last!” He plunged the blade into Bare Hide’s shoulder, twisting it to draw louder shrieks from the minotaur.
Elias left that blade in place as well, stepping back as Bare Hide tried to blindly swing at him. The minotaur, unable to hit anything, fell forward, whimpering and moaning as he squirmed in pain. Elias stepped over his flailing arm and drew a piece from his hidden arsenal. Spinning the hand-ax around his wrist, he planted a foot on Bare Hide’s back.
“But since we’re dishing out ultimatums, here’s mine.”
He looked down with a grin.
“I don’t know what your final blade count was Chief Bare Hide, but you missed three.”
The ax raised high into the air, and as it began to descend, Chaser called out;
“Elias, sto-!”
Elias’ eyes closed as blood splattered his face. All the anger he felt for Stone Horn and his threats toward Luna traveled into the hand-ax swing, and in one cut, the ax severed Bare Hide’s spine. Keeping his grip on the bull’s horns, his hand-ax descended once, then twice. His bad eye twitched as blood spattered out, painting his face and armor in streaks of crimson.
He didn’t keep count after the first three strikes, but eventually, Elias felt the minotaur’s neck fully separate. Dropping his hatchet, Elias placed a foot on the minotaur’s back, then gripped both of his horns and pulled. With a sharp, twisting yank, he pulled the head free. The massive body fell limp, the screams of pain long stopped.
Elias turned the head around and smiled at his handiwork, then he looked to Stone Horn and tossed him the horned thing.
“There you are War-Chief, a toll paid.”
The minotaur caught the decapitated head and stared blankly at it for a moment, before slowly looking up to Elias with eyes filled to the brim with blistering hatred. Elias sneered in reply.
“Here is my ultimatum Stone Horn. You have no idea what kind of fire you’re playing with, because whatever you think you know about ponies, I’ve changed it. That army down there is mine, and each of those ponies will fight to the bitter end once they’ve heard how you threatened their princesses. I dare you to come against our blades, because I can promise to you that I will ensure personally that your fetid corpse will decorate whatever battlefield we meet on.”
His eyes flicked to Stone Hoof, who was staring at him in open horror.
“As for you Elder, you seem to be the voice of reason. Tell your people what you saw today. Tell them exactly how easy it was for me to rip Chief Bare Hide’s head off. Tell them that if they come against my army, they will lose, and if by some miracle they do manage to win, they will not see it as such, because for every pony that falls, ten minotaurs will feed the worms. If you impede our path in anyway, you will bear witness to the single greatest mass slaughter of minotaurs in history.”
Elias glanced around them.
“A hundred warriors to each tree huh? My legionaries are pretty good at chopping down trees. I don’t suppose slaughtering the lot of you will be much different.”
He hated the touch of arrogance he could feel bleeding into his tone, but he knew it was necessary. He had to force them to come, had to make sure there were no surprises. If he pissed off Stone Horn enough, then he would be sloppy, would simply throw waves of bodies, waves the army of ponies was more than prepared to weather.
Elias bent over and retrieved his hand-ax wiping it clean on an exposed piece of his tunic.
“Now, I am no expert, but I believe negotiations are concluded.” He turned over Bare Hide’s body and pulled both his dagger, and his gladius free. “And I for one am happy that this one is dead. He looked awful dangerous.”
His eyes flicked up to Stone Horn again.
“But then again, didn’t you just learn that appearances aren’t everything?”
He wiped clean his other two blades as best he could, then sheathed them. Moving to retrieve the rest of his gear, Elias smiled at the stunned, and disgusted looking ponies.
“I think it’s time to move along, shall we?”
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My hero returns!
NICE!!!
Best yet, but I worry since they only threatened and didn't actually provoke violence it will night his ass on the end. But it definitely proved a point lol. I love when this updates, I hate I read it so fast.
ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?? *cackles madly*
This is great. 🙂
Elias wins! Fatality!
In all seriousness though, jesus christ, Elias made one heck of a point to the Minotaurs!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Brutal and efficient. Part of why Elias is so damn enjoyable. Eagerly awaiting more.
Ya know, that was handled quite perfectly on Equestria's side of it. Lionheart truly suprised me.
Although the end bit with Elias and the war chief was by far my favorite part.
Yes!
If it does come to a fight, I hope Scalpel gets to help. I still dwell on that, give him a chance Elias.
How dare that cow blaspheme my best Princess?! Slaughter them for they are meat Elias!
In conclusion.
Elias to the Minotaurs essentially: "I am not a pony. Ya'll fucked up."
My dad tells me this is actually a common occurrence to veterans, and not just with nightmares. Basic training ingrains an instinctual response to situations. Being approached from behind is just one example. This is why my dad warns everyone he works with whenever we move not to come up behind him unless they make their presence known.
On another note, in what dimensional reality is it wise to anger a Legion? And I mean truly anger, with what the minotaurs spouted. Both sides will take casualties, but I believe it shall be the minotaurs that pay the heavier price. Either way, the forest will get plenty of nourishment thanks to the River of Blood that will flow.
i.makeagif.com/media/5-14-2017/MWnYw2.gif
If they press the issue I expect it to be that easy.
Any fool can calculate strength! (Points to Chief Bare Hide's corpse) That one's been doing so since the Elder started talking. Now they (points to Elder Stone Hoof and War Chief Stone Horn) have to calculate (sniff) what they can't see.
And fear... what they do not know.
As you say, foolish. And expensive, they will miss Bare Hide tonight, they will miss his sword.
Elias Bright: Any fool can calculate strength! (Points to Chief Bare Hide's corpse) That one had been doing so since the Elder started talking. Now they (points to Elder Stone Hoof and War Chief Stone Horn) have to calculate (sniff) what they can't see.
Princess Celestia: And fear... what they do not know.
Princess Luna: As you say, foolish. And expensive, they will miss Bare Hide tonight, they will miss his sword.
Based on a scene from The Thirteenth Warrior.
....I half expected that interaction to be a day-dream of sorts. Some stories have done that, where they’ll play out killing someone as if it’s happening, only to jump back and show that it didn’t actually happen and was just fantasy.
I have heard a saying...
"Lead with the olive branch in one hand, hold the sword in the other."
I would always ask for peace first, as I see war is a waste. But if avoiding war was so easy there would be a lot more happier people. These Minotaurs were not after peace. As soon as they made the first "toll" demand, and by the Elder's reactions, it became obvious they knew what they asked was too much.
While Elias could have let them go without killing one of them, I can understand why he did it. You have three leaders of your enemy standing before you. They have already made it clear they are going to be your enemy, so why miss the chance to take out some leadership now before it will be many times harder later. And besides being the closest, Bare Hide appeared to be the strongest. By killing him, Elias showed he can best one of their proud warriors. By acting arrogant, he made the Minotaurs angry.
By doing it this way, Elias has spread doubt that the Minotaurs will have an easy win, and by making them blinded with anger you can be sure they will attack now and, as Elias said, they will be sloppy. As weird as it may sound, I agree with Elias. Knowing an enemy is coming is better than not.
I am saddened that there didn't seem to be a path for peace, but they are the ones who didn't want that hand offered; so it's time to give the other.
Honestly, none of the ponies should be surprised by this outcome. Elias has had more than enough examples that he does not take nor make idle threats. On top of that, Elias took out the most important figure there, seeing as Bare Hide was assessing the March's strength while negotiations were happening. Since he was the only one doing so, the Minotaur's assessment is going to have to be rough guesses and estimates at this point.
8/10 story can't wait for more.
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Fixed, thank you for pointing it out!
And now... we shall witness the awakening of a legend - all fear, The Blood Eagle.
... I don't care how tough you think your skin is..... armor exists for a reason...
10615461
He has also made sure... or at least more likely that others will not take the path of peace. He threw away the sanctity of the green flag for a temporary advantage and I hope it comes back to bite him.