Freedom Through Harmony

by Electricut

Chapter Ninety-one

Chapter Ninety-one
Rainbow Dash

I gave my dual broadswords a single vicious spin at my sides, wings erect behind me. The enemy had only just arrived, and while I could plainly hear their cries from behind the walls, they had already begun to tear apart the barricades and push through. The archers did everything they could, and I know they will continue. But these men can only be held back by pure steel, and the rest of us will have to do just as much to keep ourselves alive. Splinters and dust shook from the walls with each strike, but still I made no move, and neither did the troops behind me. Far to my right, I could see Applejack doing the same, and to the left, Pinkie, who seemed antsy but willing to work with the situation. We would let them work for it, bleed out every ounce of their strength we could before meeting them in close combat.

The wait was killing me. Each bang against the walls brought more of the wood apart, and each time it felt like the next one would be the one to break through. The people pounding away at the walls were constantly shot down in an effort to buy us more time, and constantly replaced by more and more axemen and swordsmen. A whole section of wood fell, and I could see the white and silver armor of the enemy soldiers glinting in the early morning light. They redouble their efforts when they saw they were almost through, and I tightened my grip on the two swords.

"Second wave, charge! First wave, direct your fire!" Lyra shouted from beside me. "Kill the remaining light beasts, then aim for their rear!"

At once, the second line surged forward, led by the green serpentine dragon Fafnir, and hulking red dragon Fenrir. I did not see Mac anywhere among the men gathered, but I knew that he would arrive as soon as he was really needed, and not a moment before. I let out what I hoped was a mighty battle cry, soon taken up by the militiamen of the town, of New Dawn and House Icarus behind me, and we all surged forward to the collapsing barricades. The enemy finally finished breaking through, but those first ones in were met with the vicious jaws and unyielding steel of the town's defenders.

I rushed forward and swung my right sword, Vi's weapon, at an approaching soldier, and sliced at his midsection with the other when he blocked. He dropped to the ground, and two more soldiers were right there to take his place. Both lunged forward with their lances, and I leapt back, then shot forward on my wings to slice straight through their upper armor. I ducked under the swing of a poleaxe, hooked my legs around his and dragged him to the ground, then rolled atop him and drove my left sword straight into his gut.

Even trying as hard as I could, I could not help but keep a bloody tally in my head. Four human lives were on my hands already. I didn't have time to let this weigh on my conscience, but I knew right away that this was going to stick with me. I was level with the wall now, and countless Eclipse soldiers beyond were scrambling to get through this entryway or create another. Arrows and magic still rained across the battlefield from both sides, and I could see Twilight throwing every spell in her arsenal at the opposing army. The dragons launched jets of flame through the gaps at the soldiers unfortunate enough to be standing near the walls.

Even through the apparent success of our attacks, we were taking heavy casualties ourselves. The barricade wall was falling apart, and all but a few ballistas and catapults had been put out of commission, their operators dead at the mangled controls. Archers tumbled back from their perches, nursing their wounds if they were lucky enough to only be wounded, and close-quarter fighters around me fell to the better-trained blades of the endless Eclipse army. The medics behind the lines worked like bees to heal the wounded and get more fighters back on the battlefield.

I returned my attention to combat, batting away another sword strike and running through its owner. Five. I leapt into the air and smashed to the ground a Child of Air who was trying to fly over the wall, my swords rending through the chain mail on his shoulders. Six. I allowed myself to drop back to the ground when several arrows whizzed past me with inches to spare. When I landed, I was treated to a quick duel with a more skilled swordsman, before I swung around him and cracked him on the head with the hilt of my broadsword. Seven.

Somewhere to my left, I heard the familiar battle cry of my partner Applejack, and out of the corner of my eye caught a large mass of ice descending upon a group of enemy soldiers. I spun around and sliced through an enemy archer’s shirt, then slapped him to the ground with the blunt edge of my sword. It hadn’t enough to kill him, but I knew someone behind me would take care of it. I carefully stepped over the wreckage of the barrier wall, batting away enemy strikes for all I was worth.

Eight. Nine. Ten, eleven. I leaned back, then launched forward into a dizzying full-body windmill attack that took me another several feet into the battlefield. Sixteen. I continued to block and slice against the countless weapons around me wildly, and I had to keep my wits about me to avoid being overwhelmed. Seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty. That’s a whole two percent of the central army all on my own. I jumped back and shook my head, trying to silence my thoughts.

I didn’t have much time to try to not think, as the enemy soldiers just kept coming. I braced myself and continued to hold out, backing up until I hit a section of wall that hadn’t yet collapsed. Twenty-four, twenty-five, twenty-six... I could feel myself start to sweat, and even though I was getting cover fire from behind, I still had to push myself to my very limit to avoid getting impaled.

I smashed a spear thrust to the ground, pulling its owner closer to me, and I jabbed my elbow into his stomach and sent him reeling. I parried several sword strikes at once, then released a hasty wind spell that sent the soldiers around me stumbling back a few feet. This gave me just enough time to jump up to the top of the broken barricade and begin fending them off from above. I sent several other Children of Air spiraling to the ground with broken wings, and arrows constantly bounced off of my armor without causing more than a dent.

Twenty-eight. Twenty-nine, thirty. Three percent. A powerful blast of fire magic hit me square in the chest, too fast for me to block, and I want sent tumbling backward over the wall. My armor had taken the brunt of the impact, but was now all but superheated, and the force of impact against the ground had knocked the wind out of my lungs and given me an uncomfortable bump on the back of my head. While I was dazed, I was vaguely aware of a medic rushing over and removing the breastplate to prevent any overheating. My senses soon returned to me, and I used the opportunity to view what was happening on the battlefield from a distance.

It was a horrific mess for both sides. Bodies of Eclipse soldiers blocked off the holes they had created in the shield wall. Injured troops of New Dawn and the Silver Arrows were dragged back from the front line by the men behind them, injured beyond the point of fighting, for the limited number of healers to tend to. I waved aside a medic that had come to check on me, telling her to tend to the others who needed attention far more.

How many of them have we killed? Two hundred? Three? Maybe even four? But our guys are dropping left and right. This does not look good... Nearby, I could see an injured Fafnir swiftly tending to his own wounds, and an enraged Fenrir tearing apart a group of soldiers before him. The enemy seemed to have taken the only logical route and targeted our dragons first, with distressing success. I lifted my weary frame to its feet and gripped my swords again, and took a shaky step back towards the ruined barricade.

A powerful arm gently moved in front of me, holding me in place. I looked up, and my heart soared when I saw Mac standing beside me, the giant blood-red blade of his Weapon resting on his shoulder. He turned to me, and spoke calmly for the situation: "I am a shield for the ones I care about, not a sword. This is what I swore when your brother died. But if I do not act now, I won't have much left to protect. Order the men back behind the walls, and let me finish this."

I nodded silently, then turned around. "Lyra!" I yelled, drawing the mint-haired commander's attention. "Get everyone back inside the town! Trust me!"

She gave me a confused look, then took in the massive form of Mac's Weapon. Her gaze drifted back to me, and seeing the determination in my eyes, she nodded. "All troops, pull back to behind the shield wall! Hurry up!"

Not one complaint could be heard as the remaining defenders flooded back inside the town. I scanned the people rushing back carefully, making sure everyone was still alright. Applejack, Pinkie and Twilight were all still in perfect shape, fighting off troops even as they retreated. Rarity wasn't far from me, her left leg cut through and bloodied, but still functional, and she was being tended to by Fluttershy and her ancestor's healing technique. Elsewhere, I saw the two beast-tribe Laguz, Opal and Winona, among the retreating, and Kyle providing covering fire from a nearby low rooftop. Prince Belenth himself was on he battlefield, using a combination of light and lance to fend off the Eclipse troops, back to back with Lord Blake.

I'm amazed all of my friends have made it this long. Just hang on a little longer, guys, the fight is almost over. The two Goldoan dragons continued to toast the enemy trying to squeeze in, holding back the flow of hundreds of white and silver-clad soldiers right up until the moment Mac reached them. The tall warrior strode forward, Weapon bobbing up and down slightly, and leapt over the rubble dividing us and the enemy. As soon as they saw him and redirected their fire, he swung the Weapon diagonally, then shifted to a horizontal slice, and cut straight through their lines. I could plainly hear a hundred voices cry out in sudden pain, then become silenced. The central army of Eclipse was doomed. I flew up to the edge of the barricade, trying to get a better view of what was happening, as I doubted any eyes were not on Macintosh now.

New orders were shouted from the white-clad commanders: kill the berserker. I twisted around and shouted back to anyone who cared to listen: "Don't just leave him to fight alone! Everyone, give Mac some cover fire, pronto!" Our remaining long range specialists began climbing back up the rubble to open fire at the weakening Eclipse troops, but all of theirs had other ideas. Countless bows set their sights on the man at the base of the massive Weapon, as did the hands of many mages. As Macintosh let loose another brutal swing of his Weapon, slicing several soldiers clean in half and ending countless lives on the spot, hundreds of bullets shot forward, and Mac was temporarily obscured in the wake of the explosion.

I choked back a scream. Even Mac couldn't survive a direct his from so many attacks at once, I was sure of it. But to my amazement, when the smoke and dust cleared, he was still standing, hands on the hilt of his Weapon and preparing for another devastating strike. When he turned around to look each enemy in the eye, I caught a glance at his own eyes, and my heart sank out of my understanding. The Weapon fueled the fires of his heart, and turned him into a virtual killing machine. I could see the fires in his eyes, and knew that that was what was happening. Mac's bloodlust was the only thing keeping him on his feet, or even alive at all.

"Open fire!" Lyra shouted, and a fresh hail of arrows and fire sailed forth unto the dwindling crowd of enemies. The soldiers at the edges were pinned down by the cover fire, and those further in had nowhere to run from Macintosh's next strike. With each swing of the Weapon, a hundred or more of the central army's troops dropped to the ground. In only a few minutes, Mac alone had matched the amount of soldiers the rest of us had killed in two hours. Less than half of the army was left alive now.

Many of them realized that they could not stop Macintosh with all the force of their lives, and either tried to run from the battle entirely, or redoubled their efforts to break the defending forces, while plenty of them continued to throw themselves at Macintosh. I dove down from my perch and stood right beside Applejack, and together we parried and fought back the troops who still thought to try and overrun our home. Using the same teamwork techniques that we had used for years as mercenaries, the invaders didn't stand a chance. I watched her back and she watched mine, and in this, I was finally able to find a little order in the chaos of war.

All of a sudden, I felt a tangible shift in the tempo of the battle. The troops before us were fighting less ferociously, as though they had accepted their own demise, and not a single man came now to back them up. In scores the enemy attempted to run from the battle, and while many were struck down by arrows, magic, or the giant blood-red blade that had doomed them, many were able to successfully retreat. Only when I was sure that the only Eclipse soldiers remaining were corpses did I finally allow myself to relax. We've won... We beat the central army, and saved our town, at least for now. The war is just beginning, but we've won this battle.

Mac stood stock-still in the center of the body-filled battlefield for a few seconds, but his Weapon soon slipped from his grip and stuck in the ground behind him. From where I was, I could feel the energy leaving his body, and he fell to his knees. The same fear from before caused my heart to jump, which was much more composed than Applejack, who screamed and tripped forward to her brother. I closed my eyes, hot tears already forming. Dammit! Not another one... Celestia, it just wasn’t enough for you, was it?! You had to take another big brother from me! From us...

In a daze, I began walking forward as well, until I noticed a distraught Applebloom zipped past me in tears. That got me moving, and I rushed up to the three siblings. When I reached Mac’s unmoving, but apparently still-alive body, both girls were already hunched over him. I didn’t need to get much closer to tell that he just wasn’t going to make it. Most of the arrows that had hit him had been blown off by the magic that had followed, but a few stubs were still there. There were also burns and slashes from other attacks, and there was a lot of blood.

His eyes were still open, though, and wavering with faint signs of life. He looked regretful that he had to go, but not that he had given his life to save us, and to deal a decisive blow against Celestia. He attempted to put a comforting arm around his sisters, but the energy jut wasn't there anymore. With tears in the pits of my own eyes, I stooped down next to the two girls, to be able to hear his last words.

"Try no to be too sad..." he said, "I'm... Alright, spiritually. These last years have been... A shell. I've been living for others for so long... But now... I'll be able to move on, knowing that this world is well on its way to becoming safe, and... That I did everything I could to help. Rainbow Dash... I'm going to tell your brother you said hi for you, when we meet up there."

I swallowed hard. "Mac... You might have to wait a little longer to see Vi. See... He did die that day, but he didn't... fully die." As quickly as I could, I explained everything that had happened to, and regarding, my brother to the dying farm boy and his distraught sisters. I told them that a sheer drive for revenge had kept Ultraviolet's spirit alive beyond his body, and that he was fighting with everything he had left to get back to Equestria to assist the resistance.

Macintosh closed his eyes for a moment. "In that case... You tell him that I said hi, and that I'm waiting for him up above. Now... There're a few more things I want to say while I have the chance. Applejack..."

A few hoarse sobs were all the response that came from her, and she kept her face buried in his chest, but it was obvious she was listening. "Applejack, you are strong. I know it hurts... but you'll pull through, I know it. You have to stay strong for everyone, and see this revolution to its end. Don't... don't be like me, and sacrifice your life for revenge." Applejack said nothing, but gave the slightest of nods. I wanted so badly to move over to her and embrace her, to tell her that everything would be alright and to dry the tears from her beautiful face, but I knew that what she needed right now was space. When the time came that she needed a shoulder to lean on, that was when I would be there for her.

"Applebloom..." he continued, mustering up the strength to brush his hand against hers. "You've got a bright future ahead of you, I promise... Don't let this weigh you down. You can do anything with yourself once Celestia falls. Don't... Don't pity yourself. Okay?" She wiped the water away from her big brown eyes and nodded multiple times. It was hard to tell whether it was her or Applejack who was in worse shape.

"R-Rainbow Dash..." I could hear that Mac's time was running short, so I merely nodded and allowed him to continue. "You're... You're going to have to be the man of the house now. I know it's a big responsibility, but... It'll be easier when this war is all over... T-take care of your sisters, and brother. Fight for me, and Vi, but... mostly for the people who are still alive. Fight so they have a chance, and a reason, to stay that way."

His words were saddening, but powerful, and tears of mixed emotion still stung at my eyes. I put a hand on his unsteady shoulder, and felt each tremble that wracked his body. At last, his eyes drifted shut, and with a few more ragged breaths, he was still. The only sound that filled the post-battle air was of the two remaining siblings crying. I put a hand on each of their shoulders, and Applebloom dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around me tightly.

I heard someone else approaching quickly from the direction of town, but I didn’t bother turning around. Plenty of other people would be leaving in a daze to find their lost loved ones. However, these footsteps stopped right next to us, and the voice that they belonged to said simply: “Oh no... he’s dead?”

I twisted around slightly, and saw the tall form of Xekora out of the corner of my eye. I said nothing, as it should have been obvious what his answer would be. His next question managed to get my attention, though: “Where’s his Weapon? Did anyone move it to safety?”

Curious, I moved my gaze to where Mac’s Weapon had fallen and stuck in the ground, but just as Xekora had said, it was gone. I looked around frantically, and my eyes widened when I saw another figure standing at the edge of the battlefield. The Weapon rested on his shoulders, and the all-too familiar black cloak of the Order shrouded his features. He made not a single movement, merely watching the tearful display unfold.

“Not good...” Xekora started, putting a hand on the sword strapped to his back. “Number One. We cannot let him take that Weapon. You got any fight left in you, Rainbow Dash?”

Number One? The leader of the Order?! He’s got to be invincible... but we can’t let him take the Weapon. I nodded and rose to my feet, detaching Applebloom from my waist and drawing my two broadswords once again. Applejack stood as well, axe clutched in both hands, and she shouted a challenge at the thief: “It’s not enough that my brother had to die, is it?! You just have to steal right from his corpse?!”

Number One pointedly ignored her, instead beckoning to Xekora with a tilt of his head. In a low, condescending voice, he said, “Did I not tell you, Xekora? I would make no move to take my sword back by force, but would be there to pry it from this farm boy’s cold, dead hands. And well, here we are.”

“We can’t kill him.” Xekora stated under his breath. “Not possible, especially not when he’s got that. But he’s weak enough right now that we stand a chance of taking the Weapon back. I’ll need all the help I can get though. You two in for a spot of vengeance?”

Applejack and I both nodded grimly, and Xekora drew his longsword and dagger, both pitch black. I couldn’t help but have second thoughts, as according to Xekora, not even he as a God could truly defeat Number One. We would be extremely lucky to have any sort of victory against him, but I wasn’t going to go home without trying. The three of us rushed forward, weapons at the ready, all while our opponent was laughing as though someone had told a funny joke.

I was the first to reach him, and swung away with all the speed and power I could muster in both swords. Using his left hand alone, he swatted away each hit I threw at him, and showed no signs of feeling pain. Applejack approached more cautiously, swinging her axe for a lower hit, and Number One shifted the Weapon on his shoulder so that the handle blocked her blade. Xekora leapt into the air and brought his two blades down upon Number One, and was treated to being parried by the Weapon itself.

Number One's jovial chuckle turned into an angry 'ha!', and he knocked us all back with one swing of the Weapon. We all used our own blades to block, but I still felt my knees buckle, and I lost my balance and tumbled to a halt almost back where we started. I heard Applebloom give a shout of alarm and run over to my aid, but I was able to get to my own feet by the time she reached me. Applejack and Xekora both had more luck staying on their feet.

Number One raised his free hand and gave us a little wave goodbye, then became enveloped in a swirling mass of darkness, disappearing with the Weapon a moment later.

Comments

[flamehaze7461]

Reading the battle with Number One, I couldn't help but think of the fight with Ghirahim at the end of Skyward Sword's first dungeon, blocking and swatting away every strike with just his hand. Gotta say, it was sad seeing Mac die, but I can't deny the fact that I saw it coming. One thing that threw me for a second is that at one point, Rainbow slipped into an Irish accent: "I heard Applebloom give a shout of alarm and run over to me aid, but I was able to get to me own feet by the time she reached me."

[Electricut]

705794

... Oops.

Well, Spellcheck can't catch everything, can it? I'll fix that.

[Sforzando]

Great new chapter, Obi Wan.
"cry out in sudden pain, then become silenced"
For the blatant Star Wars reference.

[Electricut]

706505

Um... yeaaaaah I totally meant to do that...

[LonelyChild]

I always imagine big Mac with the Weapon being a ridiculously large anime-like thing, like 20 times bigger than possible.

[Electricut]

708647

Good. That's exactly what it is.

[LonelyChild]

Also, a death. I am pleased.