A Third Front Has Opened Up

by waywardfallout

Chapter 8 Dawn Blade

“Not yet.”

Sunset had one trick up her sleeve left. It was a hell of a gamble as it could blow up in her face, quite literally. What she needed was room so Starlight didn’t interrupt her spell. Sunset threw her own punch at Starlight hoping to make her teleport away. Thankfully Starlight did teleport away just far enough to give Sunset the opening she thought she needed.

Sunset acted quickly as she lit her horn and made a ball of fire in front of her. It was about her size in diameter and colored a bright red mixed with bright yellow. Then she compressed the fire magic into the shape of a sword. “Come on work.” The sword started becoming a solid orange color with red wisps of fire coming off of the sword at random points.

Starlight watched in amusement at what the random fire mage was attempting, expecting her to fail. She believed this Sunset Shimmer was getting desperate as the mare was trying to do something even she couldn’t do. But when the hilt formed, then the cross guard… Starlight recognized that she had made a terrible mistake in letting this mare get away with this.

“No you don’t!” Starlight teleported back to Sunset to try to stop her, Lightning bolt spell ready. But Starlight reappeared too late as Sunset finished the spell with a shout of the spell’s name.

“Dawn Blade!”

Starlight watched, in horror as the sword finalized its shape with those words. This random fire mage had just made a sword out of her magic, an elemental magic sword to boot. Finding a unicorn that could make a sword out of their magic was rare. But a unicorn that could make an elemental magic sword, that was extremely rare and dangerous.

Starlight had only seen a few other ponies in her life that do such a feat. The lilac mare could also feel the heat the sword gave off three meters away, in the cold winter air. That meant this random mare also knew how to use it properly and that made her terrifying. Just who was this mare?

Sunset on the other hoof was ecstatic that her gamble paid off. She had in no way expected that to work. Yet here she was holding the elemental blade she had spent months learning how to cast and use. She took a second to look at her elemental sword. It was no bigger than an arming sword in total size with molten magic fire making the whole of the blade. The fire magic flowed like lava and would sometimes drip off the sword.

Sunset had a cocky grin on her face as she pointed the burning sword at the lilac unicorn. Starlight watched molten fire magic drip to the ground vaporizing the snow it landed on. Sunset feeling very cocky repeated what Starlight said earlier.

“Are you done yet?”

“Oh fuck you.”

With that Sunset swung the flaming sword in front of her making a cut of fire fly towards Starlight and leave her sword. The lilac mare moved out of the way just enough so the slash of fire would hit the ground next to her and shot a beam of magic at the fire mage. Her beam got cut off half way as an explosion ripped across her right side throwing her into the air.

Starlight realized that the slash of fire had exploded on impact. What else could this stupid sword do? Starlight thought to herself as she got up. As from what the mare knew each pony’s elemental sword was unique. Starlight heard the sound of another cut of flames that was headed her way and teleported to avoid the attack.

Sunset heard the sound of the lilac mare reappearing above her shouting “Luna’s Frost!” As she fell. Sunset swung her sword to block. Causing burning sword to meet freezing hoof for a second before gravity reasserted itself and gave Starlight the upper hoof. As the rest of Starlight’s landed on the amber mare, the lilac unicorn’s hind hooves landed on her back freezing it and her other forehoof hit her neck. Causing it to start to freeze over as well.

The amber mare had to do something to stop herself from being encased in ice and with Starlight on her back she couldn’t just melt it as Glimmer would just add more.

Sunset looked at her Dawn Blade then came up with a plan. The plan would hurt like hell, but it would stop her from freezing over and knock Starlight off her back at the same time.

The fire mage braced herself and shot a cut of flames at herself and the mare on her back. The flame hit then exploded, sending both mares flying and rolling respectively. As they flew another exchange of magic artillery occurred over the two mare’s heads, shaking the ground as the spells passed by.

As Sunset stopped rolling across the snow covered ground she found that her prediction was correct. Hitting herself with the projectile flame of her own Dawn Blade did, indeed, hurt like hell. She noticed that the explosion had ripped a gash on the top of her robes, on the right side. Sunset groaned, she wished she could have just stabbed Starlight and be done with it. But this was an honor duel she wasn’t trying to kill Starlight.

Lest Starlight actually try to kill her. So Sunset got up out of the snow with her sword still in her magic melting the snow it passed over. She looked around for the lilac unicorn finding her getting up out of the snow just like she did. Glimmers robes had a hole blown into its left side and her mane had been slightly singed from the heat of the attack.

Then Starlight disappeared in a flash of turquoise.

Sunset raised her sword.

______

Twilight was annoyed. Whoever Glimmer left behind to command the army was pathetic. Well, at least to the alicorn.

While Starlight wasn’t a brilliant strategist she at least managed to surprise her once or twice, making battles interesting from time to time. But whoever she had left in charge was boring and utterly predictable.

This battle had simply turned into a slugging match using unicorn artillery. And to Twilight a slugging match was boring as there are no interesting troop movements, surprise flanks or pegasus dives.

With the snow covering the ground she couldn’t just end the fight with a well designed earth pony charge and cold air made using pegasi impractical and wasteful. So she was left to use the most boring tactic, fire artillery.

But this left her time to think about what she was going to do about Rainbow.

Her plans had changed whether she liked it or not with Rainbow out of commission for the foreseeable future. Unless the Dragon had some way to fix her with his technology. Which was possible, but she doubted it.

But that asked the question, what was she going to do with her? For some reason the alicorn couldn’t explain she didn’t want to replace her. Like she would with any other pony who had become useless.

So where could she put the mare in the meantime? As she couldn’t stay in the infirmary. The cave was the most obvious answer as they knew it was safe to some degree and had food thanks to Rainbow. But the Observatory was an option as well.

A scout pegasus landed in front of her. “Priestess Twilight enemy pegasi archers have been spotted moving towards our left flank. Orders?” The scout pegasus asked as he landed.

Finally something different than artillery.

It took all of two seconds for the alicorn to come up with an answer for the pegasus. “Tell the pegasus archers to reposition to give covering fire while the anti pegasus group spits in four and attack from four angles. Watch for earth pony charge from the enemy. Go.” Twilight ordered.

The pegasus saluted then took off to deliver the orders Twilight had just given him.

The alicorn watched him fly off then went back to thinking about the Observatory. It would be a good place to store Rainbow as it was impossible to teleport into the main room as the grounding stone prevented magic from being used. With it also being hidden fairly well. She could also just teleport to the entrance of the Observatory with the pegasus as she knew the location of the entrance. Maybe Clockwork was there as well so she could ask him questions.

“High Priestess we are ready to fire!” Twilight heard her unicorn commander call out.

“Understood” Twilight casted her artillery spell after a few seconds of charging it. The beam of purple magic went flying through the sky followed by her unicorn's own magic spells.

Twilight waited till the return volley of magic came her way. Once the sound of her magic hitting its target rang out across the battlefield. A much smaller wave of magic started heading her way. She raised her barrier along with her unicorns. The spells collided harmlessly with the barriers.

She also might as well show Sunset and Applejack the Observatory as well, it wouldn’t hurt.

Now what to do with the doctor. He was a griffin so nopony would question it if she just made up some lie about him being a traitor and kill him. But he could still be useful as he was a doctor and a decent one too. Plus him being a griffin might make him more willing to join her rebellion as he was a third class citizen. He might get something out of the rebellion.

“High Priestess the pegasus flank has been repelled.” The scout pegasus from earlier reported as he landed.

“Casualties?” Twilight asked not bothering to look at him.

“Still being determined but it looks like the numbers will be low to moderate.” He said.

So about ten to fifty pegasi dead. Twilight put the new number of pegasus vs pegasus she had left in her equation.

“Good return to your post.” Twilight said with a wave of her wing.

He flew away as ordered.

Twilight looked at the state of her artillery unicorns. One green mare was having trouble standing and was leaning on some grey stallion who wasn’t doing much better than her. A few other ponies were in similar shape but most were standing at attention ready to fire another volley.

But most of them were shivering from the cold and having her arty (arty was a term she used to communicate quicker. As arty meant artillery.) unicorns collapse from the cold would be annoying. It would also make her rework her equation.

“Artillery Unicorn commander!” Twilight shouted loudly.

“Yes Priestess?” The pony in question replied.

“Cease bombardment and light a few fires to warm up your ponies.” Twilight ordered.

“Right away High Priestess.” The commander answered then started to give orders to the unicorns.

Twilight watched as they got to work settings up some piles of wood to burn. As she did so Twilight overheard some ponies talking quietly thinking they were being sneaky.

“I still can not believe Twilight Sparkle is here!” Sounded like a mare who said that.

“Who knows how many Lunar scum she took out with that first spell?” A stallion said this time.

“I bet she knows.” The mare said. “Of course she knows! She is Twilight Sparkle after all! She’s the Goddesses’s chosen one. She must know everything.” The stallion made Twilight almost roll her eyes at that statement.

“I can’t wait for what new weapon or spell the High Priestess will show off this Winter Solstice Celebration. Remember when she showed off the Flamebolt! ”

“Didn’t know fire mages could be happy till she showed that spell off. It’s in a month right?”

Twilight decided to answer that question “Twenty eight days.” She said not even looking towards the group.

The ponies who were talking immediately started to stutter as they had been caught, by the High Priestess no less. “Go back to your group.” Twilight ordered the two ponies with a hoof pointed to where the arty unicorn group was.

“O-of course High Priestess.” Both ponies said as they ran back to their group.

Twilight went back to her thoughts once the soldiers got back to their group.

Another ten minutes past meaning Sunset and Starlight should be finishing that duel soon and while she ex-

A Red flare spell flew into the sky above the Lunar forces. The bright red light standing out in the darkening sky. The enemy had singled to retreat to all of its forces.

Using a spell to amplify her voice Twilight shouted “Hold your positions!” To her troops. She then flew up into the cold winter air to personally get a better look at the enemy forces. Casting a shield around herself as she did so that not only protected her but also kept her warm.

She spotted the retreating army thanks to their black colored armor once again sticking out against the snow. She watched as the army’s troops retreated in a somewhat orderly manner.

She then spotted wooden carts full of what must have been bodies of Starlight’s unicorns being pulled by earth ponies. Most likely ones that got killed in the bombardment duel. So the enemy was actually retreating considering they took the time to gather the bodies of the dead.

Twilight prepared to strike the retreating troops with her signature artillery spell, but some tiny part of her told her she shouldn’t.

She ignored it and fired the spell. Making the world turn purple as magic rained from the sky.

Comments

[Makutaxarxas]

Nice rework, i like the many options you have given yourself as to were this story could go

[waywardfallout]

10564707
Yea I kind of bottlenecked myself.

[waywardfallout]

10564707
And thanks

[waywardfallout]

10509344
I agree

[THERDSTORYWHISPERER]

Great chapter!

[waywardfallout]

10564880
Thanks

[THERDSTORYWHISPERER]

10565407
You’re welcome!

[Onyourleft]

This is an interesting story, and I can't wait to read more!
Side note: You might want to go back at some point and do some editing, there were numerous grammar and spelling mistakes.
Overall all though, this is a great start!

[waywardfallout]

10566972
Good call I probably should do that. And thanks for the read.

[flowgninthgil]

well, my search of twidash got me worried that their writing might be getting less popular.
BUT. THIS. IS .JUST. AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

can't wait for next chapter

[waywardfallout]

10579371
I felt like more Twidash was required so here I am.

[flowgninthgil]

10580882
Twidash is either getting less popular or fimfic is slowing down, sadly, neither of those are gppd

[PonyofEntropy]

Interesting story. Added to my read list.