Chapter 15
Tempest grunted as she pulled Hardy Spear’s foreleg back until it dislocated from the joint with an audible crunch and pop like a twisting corn husk. With another body twist she kicked the guard until he collided with the group that tried to join the fight from the lobby.
“Forward!” shouted Tempest.
Sour Sweet shouted a fierce, "Hiya!" and kicked the guard right between the legs that had attempted to pin her down. He was launched into the air briefly before colliding with the courtyard window leaving it a spider web of cracks, whimpering as he slid down into a heap.
They just had to round the far side of the courtyard and down another hall and the ballroom would be in sight. So close, just hold on, Twilight. Tempest shook off her fatigue and charged forward. So far they had lost two thestrals. One was severely injured and had to take a chance surrendering or risk bleeding out and one had perished taking a spear to the chest protecting their fellow night guard from a surprise attack. Tempest refused to think about their dwindling odds or if they were already too late. The only thing that mattered was moving forward. She would deal with the rest, physically and emotionally later.
Tempest could see the end of the courtyard and through the glass where the far corridor connected. A feral smile split her face. Almost there. Just hang on, Twilight. Please be okay.
“Look out!”
Tempest ducked and rolled without asking what was wrong as the spear passed by from behind and skid across the thin hotel carpet. They still had too many enemies at their backs. If there was a squad or more guarding the ballroom they would get pincered. Tempest shook her head and began to charge her horn again. She knew she was running low, but even if she had to drain her own life force she was getting through that door.
Flash Sentry and the thestrals that had followed him had encountered little resistance on the second floor. From their vantage point above the courtyard they could see through the windows at how much Tempest, Sour, and their allies had had to fight through. Still, less resistance was not zero resistance. Much to the orange pegasus’s surprise, most of their opponents were in fact hotel security ponies with no armor and little more than their hooves and a few clubs. The thestrals made short work of them while Flash continued to pursue Flag Staff.
After he had set off the alarm charm, Flash had expected the dirty guard to turn and stand his ground, but he did not stop except to occasionally turn to see if the security guards would offer any challenge. After the fifth private guard fell Flash cried out, “Get back here and fight me you coward!” Unsurprising, the unicorn did not stop.
The second floor hall ended at a wall with only a set of stairs that returned to the first floor. Flag Staff paused to glance back, eyes locking with Flash Sentry once more. Flash stopped and held his staff ready in a wing.
“Just turn and run, Sentry. You follow me down here only death awaits you and all the others.”
“Dammit, Flag, none of this makes any sense! You and all the others have lost your minds! The number of crimes you have committed there’s no coming back from this… and for what? Money?! Rank?! You swore an oath to the princesses just like I did! Why would you forsake that and throw in with some lousy, morally corrupt nobles?”
“I don’t need to explain myself to you or the plot licking, diamond dogs your serve.”
Flash charged but had to dodge as Flag Staff fired an energy bolt before escaping down the stairs. Sentry jumped back to his hooves and followed, his troops on his tail.
The six guards who had been left standing at the ballroom door grew more anxious and on edge as they held their post. They could hear the fighting, hear the sounds of weapons clashing, the sounds of painful injuries and bloody gaping wounds. The sounds were getting closer, louder, more violent. Each guard had their spears or their crossbows ready.
“He’s on my tail! Shoot him!”
The guards jumped and swiveled to their right, spotting Flag Staff galloping towards them. The guard out front, Private Shining Gypsum, had been given the last black tipped crossbow bolt to be used on whoever was leading the charge to interrupt Lady Brilliance. A ferocious roar caught the soldier’s attention and the six guards turned back the hall before them. One of their fellow guards was hurled into view and fell to floor like a limp ragdoll. At the end of said hallway a tall, angry, mulberry mare with a broken horn that was dripping with fury powered mana came to a halt. Her burning jade eyes zeroed in on the squad. She was joined by a pale yellow earth pony in dented guard armor wiping the blood from her lip alongside a thestral stallion whose name he never bothered to learn flashed his fangs. The three charged head long side by side.
Shining Gypsum looked right, then back straight, then right again. The crossbow began to shake in his hooves as he backed into the ponies behind him. Gypsum yelped as one of the spears poked him in the flank and tripped the trigger releasing the ferronite bolt.
Tempest felt the world slow. She could see the bolt fire from the crossbow, judged its trajectory heading for Sour Sweet in a fraction of a second, and corrected her body to blast the approaching shot. The magical blast met the fast moving projectile, but instead of deflecting it, the bolt passed through and struck Tempest between the armor plates in her right shoulder. Tempest cried out and stumbled.
Flag Staff came to a skidding stop next Gypsum, his panicked expression turning to one of triumph as he eyed the bold sticking out of Tempest’s chest. His eyes darted back to the charging pegasus just before Flash’s hoof collided with his face. Flag Staff was thrown back into Gypsum, both guards left sprawling on the ground.
Flash’s anger was briefly overtaken by concern when he spotted Tempest struggling back to her hooves, her features twisted in pain as she wretched the black ferronite crossbow bolt from her body. “Tempest!”
“Watch your six, Sentry!” Tempest shouted with a shaky warble to her voice.
“Give up, Traitors!” growled Flag Staff, staggering back to his feet with blood dripping from his missing tooth. “You’re outnumbered and surrounded and now, you have no unicorn magic.”
Tempest Shadow felt as if she were about to vomit as she labored to suck in a full breath of air, sweat beginning to drip from her face. The bolt had not struck her lungs, she could feel that. The wound had missed all major veins and arteries having pieced just bellow the shoulder joint and collar bone. It had been a while, but she knew without a doubt the arrow bolt must have been poisoned with some sort of concoction. She tried to feed power to her horn without holding back, but no matter how hard she tried to conjure a spell nothing came, not even sparks. The effort sent a wave of vertigo through her and she once again had to swallow the gut retching sensation to spill her stomach content. Sour Sweet was quick to steady her while glaring at the approaching enemy.
Flash and his thestrals scrambled to join their fellows, forming a defense around their injured captain. There were only six of them left all together. The remaining security guards had limped up to join the squad of guards who were becoming more confident of their position, their weapons steady. Sentry looked over his shoulder towards the front of the courtyard where Tempest and her squad had come. The hall was blocked by guards who looked like they had gone through Ghastly Gorge wearing bait around their necks. All of them had suffered some form of injury, dented armor, some even had missing plates. Others limped or continued to bleed as they closed in and surrounded the raiding group.
Flag Staff chuckled, seizing the crossbow from Gypsum and reloading it with a basic bolt. “I’m going to enjoy watching you lot hang.”
“Oh goodie! It’s time for the gloating monologue speech, my faaaaaavorite part,” spat Sour Sweet with an eyeroll.
Tempest stepped to the front of the gathered guards and glared at Flag Staff. She assumed a fighting position, which caused the guards behind the rogue lieutenant to flinch and grip their weapons tighter. Flag Staff, however just smiled and lit his horn as he aimed the crossbow.
“You want to go down fighting, sure, yeah, I can respect that. Bring it on, bitch. You're still going to die.”
“I’ll tell you the same thing I told you the first time I kicked your traitorous backside and sent you running,” Tempest replied, taking a moment to spit blood and bile from her mouth. “I don’t need a damn stick.”
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He exited the train the moment it came to a complete stop. The executive train car always emptied or was loaded first. That was to be expected anytime there were dignitaries or VIPs in addition to regular train passengers on the same line. Preferential treatment had become so common that he did not even notice, though he still tried to not let it go to his head.
Canterlot had not changed too much since the last time he was here, which was not surprising considering it had only been a few months. Still, it looked like they had made noticeable strides to get the palace completed plus the surrounding damage. That would go a long way to settling Twilight’s nerves and bring some needed closure to that whole horrible battle.
“Sir, we should get moving.”
He nodded, but then he overheard some of the local chatter that was causing many ponies to linger and loiter about, a few pointing to the sky. Normally, he would have just dismissed it as typical Canterlot gossip that changed faster than the mountain weather, but something about it set off his old soldier instincts.
“I’m sorry, I did not mean to overhear, but could you repeat that?” The two mares turned, their eyes widening for a moment as they started to bow. “Please, none of that, I’m not here in any official capacity, just here to help some friends and family.”
“Oh! Yes, of course! Anyhow, I heard just a moment ago from some minor nobles that there was a commotion down on International Boulevard near the Embassy District. They said the guards were turning on one another! An acquaintance of mine named Riverstone said they saw the thestrals and that large mare who I think was with the Storm King's army just pummel several guards and storm the hotel where the princess and the council were supposed to be in session. I don’t know if it’s true or just some sort of internal scuffle, but it sounds dreadful!”
“There was also some fighting in the skies above to hotels too, they say some weapons and blood were hitting the streets,” the other mare added.
He nodded and turned back to his escort squad, features hardened. He wished he knew that spell he had seen Luna do where she could summon an entire suit of armor and weapons. Regardless, something was going on and he needed answers immediately. He needed to know Twilight was safe.
“On my six, double time!” The squad of crystal ponies saluted and chased after their prince and captain.
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Sugarcoat had gotten in reach of her foe numerous times, but just as she was about to cut his wings or subdue him he would turn and fire. Somehow he had not run out of bolts yet. She also kept turning her eyes back to the hotel knowing that the princess was still likely in danger and that her lieutenant was down and bleeding out. Finally, after too long of playing chase she scored a hit and cut his quiver of extra bolts, the sack falling to the rooftops. Sugarcoat smiled savagely when she smelled the trickle of blood. She had also managed to gash his leg as well.
The thestral watched as Sergeant Turn crashed onto a flat roof. He landed hard and rolled as best he could, scooting so that his back was to the wall. She would have applauded his good defensive position as he looked up waiting for her to finish him. Sugarcoat was sorely tempted to do just that, but he was disabled for the most part and that would have to do. Sugarcoat swooped down and retrieved the bolts and then flapped hard to hurry back to the Grand Royale rooftop.
Flanker was thankfully still alive, but there was a sizable pool of blood underneath him as he fumbled with his med kit, blood soaked wings and hooves making it difficult for him to work. Sugarcoat came to a sliding stop, dropped the quiver of bolts, and quickly tore open her own medical kit. Flanker had already removed the bolt from his side, but the bandages he had been using to apply pressure were soaked red. She had to get that bleeding to stop first.
“Move your hoof, sir.”
“Forget about me, leave the kit and find a way to get through that door.”
“I will, as soon as I know you are not going to die on me, sir.” Sugarcoat tossed the ruined bandages aside and sprinkled more clotting powder on the wound then applied heavy pressure. Flanker winced and hissed bearing his fangs.
“You are disobeying a direct order, corporal.”
Sugarcoat removed Flanker’s helmet with her wings and carefully began wrapping his ravaged ear with medical tape and gauze all while keeping her hooves on the leg wound. Much like pegasi, thestrals had incredible dexterity in their wings. Some would argue perhaps more. “If it means not having to explain to Spice Grinder that his husband died because he was too weak and injured to properly dress a gushing shot wound then it is worth the demotion, sir.”
Flanker laughed and grit his teeth from the pain. “Every time I talk to you I am reminded why you would make a great officer and simultaneously why you keep being passed over for sergeant. Your heart gets in the way of your brain and that mouth of yours doesn't help.”
“Sour Sweet says my mouth is a blessing and a curse even when I say nothing at all.”
“Yeah, I bet she does.”
Sugarcoat checked her work and nodded in satisfaction. He still needed a medic, but there was no time to go hunt Stitches down if she was still alive at all. Her eyes turned next to the roof access door. Then back to the windows. The widows would be ideal and faster, but they were still probably protected by enchantment.
“There is no telling how thick that door is. Try cutting the glass with you blades,” Flanker wheezed, knowing exactly what she was considering. He carefully slid across the roof to put his back against the wall. It would keep an enemy from sneaking up on him and allowed him to watch the door while Sugarcoat's back was turned. “If you can score the glass just right you might be able to break the enchantment placed on them.”
“Worth a shot.” Sugarcoat gave her sore forelegs a few stretches. While unlikely to get it, she could use a few days off to recover from the day’s events, they all could. Such was the sacrifice of a royal guard. The thoughts quickly passed.
Sugarcoat deployed her gauntlet blades and took a few swings at the glass. Much to her surprise, the glass did score a bit. With a quick quirky smirk, she pressed the blades to a single pane and began to etch a circle into the glass. Once the circle was complete she smashed her armored hoof into the center and the glass sheet gave way in a thunderous crash. Sugarcoat gave Flanker one last salute and dove into whatever fate was waiting for her on the other side.
The thestral landed in the center of the ballroom and quickly assessed her surroundings. The nobility were off to her right, most of them huddled together with expressions of varying degrees of shock and surprise. She could smell blood, quite a bit of it. Had one or more of them been wounded? Her eyes immediately shifted back to the dozen guards that had all turned their weapons to her. Their expressions were harder to see under their helmets, but they were mostly surprise and disgust. Nothing new there. Between their legs and polearms she could see a white unicorn standing over Princess Twilight who was on the ground on her side with a red stained flank and what appeared to be a dagger handle sticking out of her leg.
Her interruption had caught the attention of said white unicorn and the guards parted for a moment to allow the noblemare to gander at who had dared to trespass upon her proceedings. Sugarcoat stood and assumed a more casual, relaxed stance, brushing one of her pigtails back that had come loose from its tie after the day’s events. It was mostly a bluff, but sometimes trying to appear calm and nonchalant would throw an enemy off.
“Purity Brilliance?”
The unicorn rolled her eyes and turned back to Twilight, her beautiful features twisted in scornful disgust once she realized Sugarcoat was a thestral. “Just kill her quickly, the others are no doubt close behind. Which also means that you need to stop stalling as well, little Twilight. Or do I need to stab you again?”
Sugarcoat snarled, flashing her fangs when she heard her princess cry out in pain. She took an aggressive fighting stance and activated her gauntlet blades again, staring down the rogue guards who held their ground firm with pikes, spears, and crossbows ready. Each waiting to see who would blink first.
“You should know I’ve already had to wash dragon, griffon, and traitorous pony blood off my hooves today. Throw down your weapons and surrender. Don’t make me add yours to the butcher’s bill as well.” The guard to Sugarcoat’s far left sneezed and prematurely fired his crossbow. The bolt flew wide and she easily dodged it, charging forward with a screeching battle cry.
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Tempest grunted as she kicked another hired mercenary in the face. She had been warned that many of the nobles had their own private forces, but it had not seemed that relevant at the time. After having carved through most if not all of the guards on the way into the hotel, Flag Staff’s alarm spell or one of the other dirty guards must have alerted their reinforcements. Their odds had already been bad, but with fresh troops who were actually good at fighting... Tempest could not shake the grim knowledge that their suicidal charge to save Twilight was becoming increasingly less survivable.
“Take her down, dammit! She’s already injured! What is so hard about this!?”
Every time either she or Flash tried to break away from their circled defense in order to land a blow or weapon strike on Flag Staff, one of the guards or mercs would step up to protect him. Most of their polearms had already been broken and the fighting had descended into hoof to hoof brawls with the occasional horn blast. They had been making progress and had backed the dirty guards up against the ballroom door. That was until the mercs arrived.
Tempest swept out another private security pony’s legs and stomped on his hindleg join with a satisfying crack sound. The guard cried out but Flash followed up with a kick that put him down. Her attacks and moves were becoming more tired and sluggish, having to rely more heavily on her friends and allies as more and more blows got through her defenses as well. Tempest blocked one swing when a different guard’s hoof struck Tempest on her already tender and likely broken again jaw. She cried out as her vision blurred and more blood streamed from her mouth. The pain caused the tiniest of sparks to eject from her horn. It would not help, but it gave her a sliver of hope that whatever had been done to her was reversible.
Sour Sweet was instantly at Tempest’s side and landed a doubt front hoof stomp directly on the merc’s head, knocking him out cold. However, before she could gloat or quip a sharp pain jolted through her side. Sour gasped at the sight of a bolt sticking out through the plates of her stolen armor.
“Well… you were right,” she wheezed painfully, “this does suck donkey balls.”
Tempest caught Sour as she staggered and fell over. The shooter loaded another bolt and aimed it for Tempest’s head. The guard captain wrapped her forelegs around her friend to protect her and stared defiantly at the shooter. For all the good it would do. Nevertheless, she would meet her end with both eyes open and a burning fury of defiance.
The bolt released, but struck a raspberry colored barrier that was erected at the last moment. Tempest gasped and shuddered her relief. In fact, all the fighting had suddenly ceased as multiple shield bubbles had been erected around all the different skirmishes in the hallway.
“Everypony drop your weapons!” boom a silky yet authoritive stallion voice. “The next one of you that so much as blinks in a way I don't like gets a horn blast to the face that I promise will leave you twitching for hours.”
Once all the weapons in hoof had hit the floor the stout while stallion approached slowly. His personal guards moved quickly to gather the unbroken spears and crossbows. A merc tried to reach for the crystal guard who somehow had been able to reach through the shield. A horn blast rang out and struck the merc sending him sprawling to the floor with in little convulsive shakes. One by one, the shield bubbles lowered and everyone else in the hall remained still, eyes darting about to see who would move next.
“Now, I want every royal guard and thestral that is capable of moving on this side of the hall and everypony else on the opposite. Anypony who needs medical help remain on the floor in the middle.”
“I’m not standing next to those traitors!” The sentiment was repeated and arguing as hackles began to rise again quickly. The white stallion rolled his eyes and erected two shields, one on either side of the hall, pressing all those that could stand against the walls tightly, incapacitating both groups. Flash Sentry ended up pressed nearly in reach of Flag Staff, but try as he might he could not move. The rogue lieutenant in black armor however discovered he could.
“If you have a healer or a medic I need one for her now! I think the bolt pierced her lung,” said Tempest, still holding Sour Sweet close.
“You mean I’m not supposed to be coughing up all that blood? Silly me! At least the carpet was already red.” Sour tried to laugh and instead made a wet rasping sound as she convulsed.
“Captain Armor,” said Flag Staff, remaining against the wall, “allow me to explain!”
“You don’t get to say a damn thing unless you want to admit your treason, you bastard!” shouted Flash Sentry with a snarl. “Countless lives of good, honest soldier have been lost or placed in mortal peril because of you and your coconspirators!”
Shining Armor stopped before Tempest Shadow, the two staring at one another for a moment. Tempest lowered her eyes first, straining carefully lay Sour Sweet out on her unwounded side. Shining smiled down at the pale yellow earth pony who was struggling to stay conscious.
“This is going to hurt for a moment.”
“That’s what she saAAIDDD AAAARGH!!!” Shining pulled the bolt free and then enveloped the mare in a healing aura. He was not a medical expert, but he could stop the bleeding and stabilizer her for a professional to do the rest. Sour nodded her thanks and patted Tempest's leg to indicate that she was going to be okay.
“Shining!” The stallion turned to look behind himself as a small purple dragon wormed his way between the crystal ponies to stand next to his brother. “We have to hurry! I didn’t find Twilight in the other rooms for her use which means she’s likely in the ballroom surrounded!” Spike gasped at the sight of Tempest who had struggled, but managed to get back to a standing position albeit shaky.
“Holy Sweet Celestia! What happened to you?!”
“I had a bad day.”
"Pfffft," Sour Sweet stuck out her tongue and raspberried, "understatement, much?"
The ballroom double doors shook violently as if something large and solid had struck them hard. If not for the warding enchantments they would have likely broken.
“Soldiers, on me.” Shining looked to the guards behind his shield. “I’m sorry, I don’t know who to trust right now and don’t have time to hear everypony out, so you’re all going to have to just stay there for now.”
“Captain, wait!”
“Sorry, Sentry. I know you contacted me about the problems you were seeing, but this way worse than I was expecting and my sister is in trouble.”
Slowly, so as to not draw attention, Flag Staff had quietly unsheathing a dagger that he had stashed in one of the hidden armor pouches. He really did not want to kill Shining Armor. He always respected him as a fellow guard who had worked hard and earned everything he had, but if they stopped Lady Brilliance then he was on a guaranteed one way trip to the lowest pits of Tartarus. The crystal guards would likely try to kill him, a calculated risk. But once Armor was dead the shields would drop and his mercs would be free as well.
Once Shining had passed by and his back was turned, Flag Staff leapt through the shield barrier, releasing a concussion blast from his horn to stun the crystal guards that surrounded his target. The pale gray unicorn raised his dagger and aimed for a quick kill spot at the back of the neck where the head met the shoulders. His former captain was only wearing a Crystal Empire dress uniform that offered zero armor protection. If he landed it right, the prince consort would never feel a thing. A quick death was the best he could offer the respected and highly decorated solider.
Tempest blinked the sports from her eyes as her ears rang. Of course the ferronite armor negated the shield, how stupid am I?! Why did I not say anything!? Once her eyes refocused it was too late to cry out. Flag Staff was on top of Shining Armor… except there was a small purple obstacle in the way.
Flag Staff had forgotten to look down. After all, most arrogant ponies forgot to look down at Spike. However, most simply bumped into him or shoved him aside. He was beneath them, figuratively and literally in many cases. A rogue unicorn in armor Spike was almost certain belonged to Tempest was charging with a blade at his brother. There was no time to get a word in and Shining Armor was too big to shove aside. Spike reacted on instinct.
Green flame erupted from his mouth. Flag Staff could not stop his charge or redirect his momentum and had no time to erect a defense. His entire world went white as his face was engulfed in flame, the magical fire spreading quickly over his body and charred fur, hair, and flesh instantly. Flag Staff tried to scream as he rolled and flailed, but there was no air as he inhale nothing but flame, the fire burning his throat and lungs. The rogue guard tried to shuck the armor plates that seemed to hold the magical fire in as it spread over his body all the way to his hooves. Seconds passed and Flag Staff’s movements became just a few desperate twitches and finally, mercifully, he stopped moving entirely. The black armor had remained mostly unaffected by the magical flames.
Spike stood wide eyed, tears beginning to streak his face. “No… no, no, I… I didn’t mean… he just… Oh, Celestia! Wha, what have I done?!” Spike felt two pale yellow legs wrap around him and turn his head, drawing him in for a hug.
“Shhhh, don’t look at it, just look at me, kiddo. There you go, eyes on me. Let's move over here, one leg in front of the other,” said Sour Sweet just above a whisper. “It's okay, you protected a loved one from a bad pony. You did nothing wrong. You did a brave thing. That’s all you need to focus on.” With great care and a bad limp, Sour Sweet escorted Spike to follow her to the hall near the ballroom doors and away from the smoking corpse that was likely his first kill.
Once he knew Spike was taken care of, Shining lowered his shield over the guards to his left, but left the other shield in place. Most of them remained still, shocked at the sight of Flag Staff who was now little more than a charged skeleton. The prince eyed each of them with harsh scrutiny. Uncertain if an additional threat was necessary, Shining Armor once again turned and continued walking up to the Ballroom doors to closer examine them.
Flash immediately went to stand next to Tempest. He reached for the crossbow bolt wound and she gently pushed his hoof away. “I’ll be fine.” He wanted to argue that she needed healing as well, but they had a job to do.
Shining caught the exchange between Flash and Tempest, perhaps some of his wife's instincts had rubbed off on him as he caught a bit more than just friendship in their body language. Something to ask about later. He examined the doors for a moment longer then enclosed the two wooden doors in his magic. He effortlessly defused the spells that had been enchanted into the wood, a simple lock and privacy spell. With little more than a grunt, he yanked the doors off their hinges and threw them to the side.
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Under the right circumstances, Sugarcoat was confident she could take on twelve armed enemies at once and emerge victorious. That being said, the right circumstances usually consisted of the element of surprise, the cover of darkness, being well rested, and physically prepared for said fight. The fight at the warehouse earlier came to mind. Then Sugarcoat remembered THAT skirmish had just been a few hours ago with no rest in between.
Not to gloat, but Sugarcoat knew she was better, faster, and more skilled than any of the guards she was currently fighting. Individually speaking. However, they had done well to not be pulled away for a one on one confrontation and the few times she managed to get a good parry in another would step up to the gap before she could land a crippling blow. Because of that, Sugarcoat had spent the last several minutes dodging thrusts and crossbow bolts with the grace of a professional dancer or parrying their polearms that came just a little too close. She was fast, but she was tired, hungry, and it was only a matter of time before she made a mistake and they surrounded her and skewered her to death. As much as she hated to admit it, she was in trouble.
“Surround her!”
“She can fly, stupid! You can’t surround her!”
“Just let me get a clear shot!”
"Oh shit, she just shattered my spear!"
Sugarcoat spotted an opening and dodged another crossbow bolt, bent backwards to avoid the swing of a poleax, then cut clean through another guard’s staff before twisting and landing both hind legs directly against the guard’s exposed underbelly. The light brown stallion flew through the air before smashing against the ballroom doors. He slid down the door and remained on the floor. One down, eleven to go.
“Hrk!” Sugarcoat gasped as another bolt glanced off her armor, taking part of the shoulder guard with it. The force of the impact sent jarring pain through her already badly aching foreleg joints. The thestral miscalculated where the throne stage was and tripped over her own legs. It was all the rogue guards needed to close in. Sugarcoat deflected two separate thrusts with her gauntlets, but a third managed to bite deep into her side just below her right wing. When he pulled the spear back, a stream of blood followed. She screamed and scrambled back, closer to the nobility, trying to press down on her wound with her right foreleg, the vital life fluid streaming over her armor plates to pool on the floor. Risking to spare a glance, Sugarcoat shuddered at the stream that was flowing from her side. It had bit deep and struck something vital and hurt just to move. When Sugarcoat looked back up she had two crossbows pointed directly at her and was in too much pain to move. Please, forgive me, Sour. I love you.
The ballroom doors were violently yanked from their hinges. Half the guards turned to prepare for the new threat while two of the guards kept their spears pointed at Sugarcoat. She hissed at them because it made her feel better.
“Bucking abomination,” said one of the guards as he moved to thrust his spear forward only to have it seized in a magical telekinetic grasp. All the weapons had been taken, even those that had been held by other unicorns in their own telekinetic field.
The weapons were collectively pulled into a shield bubble then deposited in the far corner of the ballroom, beyond their easy reach. All the eyes in the room turned to Shining Armor as he stepped into the ballroom with Tempest Shadow at his side.
“Shinning Armor!” cried Twilight from where she still laid on the hard floor.
The rogue guards glanced at one another, none of them of significant rank to make an informed decision. They looked back towards Purity Brilliance whose own eyes had grown to panic sized.
“You can’t be here!” Purity shouted.
“And yet, here I am. I received a dragon fire letter from Flash Sentry a few days ago detailing his concerns about corruption within the guard ranks and possible threats against himself, his captain, and more importantly, against my little sister, the High Princess of Equestria. I figured a surprise inspection might help whip the troops into proper shape. Plus, I’m always up for a chance to visit Twilight. This was not what I was expecting when I got off the train.”
Purity pulled the dagger from Twilight's flank eliciting a painful scream from the purple alicorn. Tempest lowered her head to charge, a few extra sparks popping from her broken horn.
“Don’t come any closer, any of you!” Purity hissed, the dagger shaking in her telekinetic grip. “This blade is coated with a poison that will rob you of your magic and multiple applications can result in death! In addition! I have your small purple dragon held hostage. If anything happens to me the guards watching him have orders to slit his throat!”
Shining, Tempest, and Flash all looked behind themselves as Spike with Sour Sweet still by his side strolled in at the calling of his name. Sour’s lilac eyes went wide at the sight of her injured and bleeding wife several paces away. The pale yellow earth pony snorted and nearly charged into the room. She only paused when Sugarcoat meet her gaze and shook her head.
“Oh, heads are gonna roll! You hear me!? Who wants my hoof print on their face?! WHO?! Step right up to be first!”
Shining Armor ignored the irate EIS agent and arched a brow. His attention focused on the armed noblemare with panic in her orange eyes. “I’m sorry, but was that your attempt at bluffing?”
“No,” said Spike, “she wasn’t bluffing. There were guards watching me at first, but they eventually ran off, probably because of all the commotion going on in this hotel. No pony ever came back to check and seriously, rope to hold a dragon? Tempest was right, you guys are really bad at your job.”
“Enough of this!” shouted Purity, taking a moment to toss her mane back and attempt to regain control of the situation. “You are all interrupting and trespassing on a formal undertaking by the Equestrian Canterlot Council. The rightful ruling body of this nation. The former princesses abdicated from their thrones and placed this unworthy novice in charge all without consulting the council first on the fact that THEIR powerbase existed at the consent and approval of the council itself! As the last senior member of the former ruling family of Unicornia it is my duty and birthright to take the throne back and dissolve the unnecessary, long overdue dynasty of alicorn rule!”
Tempest and Flash were already poised to strike and Sour was stomping her hoof for a chance to hit someone. Shining Armor glanced to his sister. Purple eyes met blue and a silent conversation that only two close siblings would understand passed between them. Twilight was obviously in pain, but she nodded ever so slightly to him to indicate that she was stable if not exactly safe. She knew he would not let anything happen to her. His eyes next turned to the few remaining guards in the room. Without weapons and with just as many glowing horns pointed at them from loyal guards as well as, surprisingly, some members of the nobility it was becoming increasingly obvious that Purity was standing on her sad little hill all alone.
“Are you kidding me?” exclaimed Twilight, drawing Purity’s scorn. “This… all of this fighting and, and killing and Celestia knows what else you have done… all of this because you think the princesses had to ask for permission to pass on their crowns?! When was the last time you cracked a history book?! The three tribes were on the brink of WAR! They BEGGED Celestia and Luna to lead them. While Celestia has never confirmed or denied it, from what I have gathered neither of them wanted to rule, but they had been groomed for their eventual roles ever since birth. Their special talents over the celestial bodies only further proved it was their divine destiny. They were the first to ascend, the secrets of the universe itself hoofed to them by the very heavens of Mother Creation. And you think they needed council PERMISSION?!”
“Not to mention your council consist of all unicorns and has for generations. Hard to be a unanimous voice of the three tribes when two are excluded. Might want to take that into consideration in the future,” add Sugarcoat, struggling to stay conscious as she swayed a bit. “Can we wrap this up? I am in a lot of pain and need of serious medical healing over here.”
Purity snarled in a highly unladylike fashion at that the thestral for daring to add her statement. The dagger was becoming increasingly wobbly in her grip.
Shining Armor raised his hooves defensively as he inched closer. “You can’t win and this… whatever you want to call it, has gone too far as it is. Put the dagger down before anypony else gets hurt or worse.”
Purity’s wide, slightly psychotic eyes turned to her guards who all had their heads bowed in shame or submission with their ears pinned to their heads. They really were useless cretins. Next, she spotted a member of the nobility, Lady Velvet Cobblestone, was using a basic healing spell to close the wound on the light haired thestral like she had done to keep Fancypants alive. Finally, she turned back to find that Tempest had quietly moved to the side next to Princess Twilight and was helping get her off the ground out of danger while keeping her wounded hind leg off the ground. All the while Shining Armor, had remained completely focus on Purity, watching, waiting for her to make a move. She had only one play left.
Purity’s horn emitted a brilliant flash of light. Shining, who already had his own telekinetic spell ready to go, took hold of the dagger. She let him have it, releasing her grip and pouring the remainder of her power into the flashbang spell. All the ponies in the room staggered with spots in their eyes and ringing in their ears. It was all the distraction she needed to make a break for the door.
Or would have been, except that the pale yellow earth pony with damaged, blood stained armor and a bow tie was standing at the door waiting. How was she not stunned? Purity blinked and then her vision went white then black as a hoof collided with her face. The noblemare collapsed in a heap.
“Awww, I’m sorry, totally not sorry, sweetie, but I saw that one coming a mile away and could not keep from introducing my hoof to your pretty, traitorous face.”
Tempest snarled as she blinked the spots from her eyes, but her fury quickly ebbed once she could focus again and found Sour Sweet tying up Lady Brilliance like she had all the others. The thought of asking where the mare kept getting the rope from made Tempest chuckle despite the pain it sent through her chest.
“Are you okay? Are you hurt? Of course you are hurt, for Celestia’s sake why would I even ask that?! I can see the blood stains and bruises. Gah! You need help!”
Tempest gently touched Twilight’s shoulder to settle her friend. “Yes, I’m hurting, but I’ll survive for the moment. Others are worse off and you have a hole in your side as well.”
With the rogue guards surrender and the wounded being attended to the tense atmosphere in the ballroom began to subside. The nobility broke off into groups, the largest surrounding the still severely wounded Fancypants who remained on his back with the bold still lodge in his chest. Too dangerous to remove it given the location. Flash Sentry and one of the crystal ponies marched their prisoners to the corner and began stripping the rogue guards of their armor and any possible hidden weapons. To his surprise and appreciation they did not resist.
On the roof, Flanker slowly returned to consciousness at the sound of flapping wings and landing hooves. Flanker had not realized he had nodded off, most likely from blood loss. Carefully, he opened one eye but did not move his head. He spotted armored hoofguards that many of the royal guards wore. Whoever was standing before him had not called out his name or bent down to check his vitals. They just stood staring at him. Flanker heard a deep grunt of affirmation before they walked away, but not far. The pony retrieved something from the discarded quiver of crossbow bolts and locked the arrow into place.
With great care, Flanker turned his head and eyes to see Sergeant Twist Turn approach the broken window with a crossbow slung along his side. Any consideration to the idea that maybe the rogue sergeant just wanted to watch was washed away the moment he brought the crossbow around and began to adjust the sights. The greenish gleam on the tip of the black bolt made Flanker’s stomach turn. He knew poison even if he was not sure which kind it was.
Sergeant Twist could not hear what was being said below, but he could tell his “side” had lost. Guards were being dishonorably stripped of their armor and marched to the door in shame while crystal guards and thestrals stood watch. His long time benefactor, Purity Brilliance, was weeping on the floor without a shred of dignity with his former captain, Shining Armor, standing over her. Standing about speaking softly were the princess, a few other guards and nobility, and Tempest Shadow.
The fight was over and that also meant so was his career. Twist considered just dropping the crossbow and flying away. If he left now he may have enough time to pick up some personal items and loot others to sell before they caught on. It was tempting and honestly, would have been the smart play since stealth was on his side. However, as he watched the princess and Tempest talk with little smiles on their faces he felt bile rising in his throat. This was all their fault and he had the means in which to even the scales in his hooves. One well placed shot to the heart would not change the overall outcome, but it would send the message that he, Sergeant Twist Turn, would not bow without a fight. The only question left was who would he kill?
The sergeant turned his head to the left at the sound of painful grunting. The thestral he had wounded earlier, Lieutenant Flanker was struggling to stand, using the wall for balance. For a moment, Turn considered ending the thestral, but that would be petty. He was already almost dead as it was judging by the blood loss.
“You should probably sit back down, LT, judging by that pool of blood you were sitting in you don’t have much left in you.”
“Drop… the crossbow… be… before I kill… you…” huffed Flanker, his vision blurring and washing out white with each labored step.
Twist Turn rolled his eyes. “You got nothing left. I kick that bandage, you start bleeding again and then you die.”
“Then… I die… but I take… you with… me.”
Twist Turn returned his attention to the scene below. As much as he loathed Princess Twilight and her friendship council they were genuine heroes and had saved Equestria. He wanted her removed, but dead might be too far. Tempest Shadow on the other hoof…
The decision was made. Sergeant Turn hefted the crossbow and focused his aim on Tempest’s clavicle. From this angel it would slip pass the armor and sink directly into her chest. The poison, whatever it was, would do the rest. Turn waited for the perfect shot.
“DEATH BEFORE DISHONOR!”
Flanker’s growling declaration drew the attention from those below. Many of the eyes on the ballroom floor turned upwards including those of his target. Some ran, others scrambled to protect the wounded, and his primary target, Tempest Shadow, stepped before the princess with her head up and neck exposed. It was the perfect opening.
Turn triggered the bolt and it fired downward. However he never saw it strike his target as his head was yanked to the side and a set of powerful fangs bit into his neck, then, like an alligator, the thestral bit down harder and wretched, tearing the other guard’s neck wide open. Turn tried to cry out but the fountain of blood choked his throat and he collapsed seconds later.
Flash Sentry heard the thestral battle cry. He saw the shooter in place and knew he could not reach the window in time, but that did not matter. Both Tempest and Twilight had been stabbed by poison coated blades and could not work their magic. No barriers, no teleportation, no time to dodge. He knew what must be done and did so without hesitation.
Tempest saw the bolt coming at her… or perhaps Twilight, it did not matter, she would never let it hit her friend and made sure her much larger frame completely blocked the shot. However, the familiar burning sting of being shot never came. Instead, there was a flash of shadow over head, the sharp ping of metal penetrating thin armor and subsequently flesh and soft insides followed by a painful cry. Flash Sentry crashed to the ground just before the far wall with a bold sticking out of his chest, dangerously close to his heart.
“Protect the princess!” Tempest shouted the crystal guards moved without question to form a perimeter. She glanced up at the window again, but found Flanker standing there looking down, blood dripping from his face. One of the other thestrals took flight to check on him as he stumbled and slid out of view. Tempest speed limped to where Flash was on the ground convulsing. With shooting pain rocking her body Tempest came to a sliding stop and pulled Flash into her lap. His face was twisted in pain and there was a green slime mixing with the blood that was seeping out pass the bolt wound.
“Flash! Flash Sentry! You look at me, soldier!”
With tears in his eyes he looked up at his captain. He could tell she was on the brink of a complete emotional meltdown. Despite the dire situation, Flash did the only thing he could think of to help. He smiled at her.
“Heh, hey you. I’m stating the obvious here, but this REALLY hurts.”
Tempest stroked his face and fought down the sob that started to escape. She looked up at the ponies standing dumbstruck about the room and with renewed fire in her eyes shouted, “SOMEONE GET ME A GODS BE DAMNED MEDIC!”
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I love how you went through that whole section without mentioning Shining Armor by name, as you can clue in it's him.
Gosh darn it, Sour Sweet, now's not the time for sex jokes...
Of course, Twilight the book horse goes dictating the history books. As they say "those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it"
Oh, I like you, Sour Sweet