Spoke too soon with my last comment.

But I do not take back what I said about Rose.

Thank you Baero, for this heartwrenching story and this amazing end to it.

This story was amazing, can’t wait to see how it will connect with Babel, if it ends up doing so.

It's been one hell of a ride, Rem

Thanks for taking us on it

11756755
I think this is the shortest comment I've ever seen you write. I'm in awe, actually.

11756757
It probably will.

11756762
Thank you for all of your help and input. I appreciate you immensely.

Rose is a cunt, and I've enjoyed every moment of it. This story was amazing, and you've done something very few authors are to do. You've made a sequel just as amazing and emotional as the original. It's great man, and I look forward to returning to it, again and again.

The immense amount of relief and sorrow I felt seeing that Tempest was alive cannot be understated. All that sacrifice, all that risk, and all it did was end with her back at square one.
There was the briefest moment in the last chapter where Rose was so, so close to having that realization of how far she was gone, when Tempest asked her that simple question of "Are you okay?". But it was not to be.

I was left incredulous at how Rose twisted everything into being a challenge or test for her, that Tempest denied her the chance to prove herself. Prove yourself? You were going to die!

I wanted both of them to survive, but all I feel now is emptiness. No happy endings here, as expected.

Author's Note:
Definitely a much different story than And Hell Followed, or at least I think so.

Rose has been my favorite OC to write. Like, ever. Her arc has been something new and unconventional for me but it's been insanely fun to craft and work with. Even if you hate her, which you should, I hope you enjoyed her story as much as I have.

I've wanted to tell a story set in Canterlot since I finished 'And Hell Followed'. This story was never supposed to be this long. What started in my head as a one-shot, evolved into what was supposed to be a 20k story and snowballed into something that is only a few thousand words short of AHF's length. I don't regret it, though.

Please, tell me what you think.

I think this might be the best thing you've written. I'd even say that this is better than the original And Hell Followed.

I love the original story, don't get me wrong. It's a great piece of apocalypse/outbreak fiction and a wonderful establishing foundation for the universe. However, this story really feels like it manages to nail all the strengths and potential it has to offer.

Starting from Day Zero of the Event and following it through to the end, we're able to see in real time how things fell apart, how everyone reacted to it, adapted to it, and how it all played out. Seeing Canterlot fall instead of hearing about it is a lot more impactful. Seeing the Unicorns turn and magic fail, Canterlot be obliterated, the Princesses' ferocity, is all so much more dreadful seeing it happen through the eyes of one character.

Speaking of characters...

By having such a small cast of characters, with only two consistent P.O.V.'s to switch between, everyone is able to get their time to shine, and we're able to get a good grasp of who they are as characters. By the time they start dying off, we know who Parade, Golden, Bulwark, and Al are, and we especially know who Tempest and Rose are. We get to see how varied the reactions to a disaster scenario are from each of them. Golden and Bulwark stood strong before eventually breaking, Al just tries to skate by, and Parade grew more violent.

Rose's development (or devolvment) is obviously the biggest strength of this story, but special commendation needs to be given to Tempest as well. Seeing the cold, stoic narration of her segments gradually warm up and become alive is beautiful. Made all the more tragic by Rose's warm, hopeful narration freezing, dying, and giving way to stoicism and full-on delusional zealotry. Seeing these two gradually grow more and more distant from each other entirely because of Rose was like watching a train wreck in slow motion.

I could go on and on. The plot and storyline is constantly on the move, streamlined, concise, but still with plenty of time to breathe. The descriptions and worldbuilding are perfect. The characterization and writing are perfection. I've never grown to love to loath a character as much as Rose Wreath. Everything in the story has its place, its reason, and its payoff. It plays into the greater world of Sorchedquestria, effects the greater plot, and definitely sets things up for the future.

I guess what this meandering ramble is trying to say is:

BaeroRemedy's Sun and Shield is a masterpiece.

Thank you for taking us on this journey.

11756812
man you got me tearing up on Thanksgiving. That's supposed to be my job!

wow. that was certainly something, to say the least
now i wait to see if rose gets punished in babel

11756815

Great story, loves it from start to finish. Continuations for both characters? Be interesting to see how rose takes Tempests place and what Tempest does in a post apocalypse equestria

I would like to give Tempest the biggest damn hug ever and crack Rose's skull open with a flanged mace please.

This was a phenomenal story, loved it even more than AHF which is already top tier. Makes me look forward to Babel even more.

Well, I don't think Tempest and Twi are gonna be friends in the long run this time. But hopefully Tempest catches up tp Rose when she tries to hook up with the Storm King. Then she can just kill her off.

I have to say solid 9/10 Excellent work. I also spoke too soon about Tempest's fate. Now I hope she manages her revenge on Rose as there's no potential goodness left in Rose. She twisted it into fear, anger, and hate in the guise of a very poisonous light making her into the Storm King's perfect crony.

I love how you made Tempest, the mare who condemned Golden to death by starvation and was ready to murder Rose, into a sympathetic character. Making an audience empathize with such a ruthless, flawed character is a testament to your skill as a writer—and a showcase of just how far Rose has fallen. Tempest isn’t fully redeemed like she was in the movie—she’s still an agent of the Storm King who has the selfish motivations of revenge and the return of her horn. Still, she demonstrated emotional maturity throughout the story, and this makes the betrayal by Rose all the more viscerally felt.

Rose is, I think, an easy mare to hate (as I’ve said in the past) but also not a completely unsympathetic character. The situation she was in was so extreme that they would drive any formerly sane pony mad. If anything, she’s a good character study in how genuine religious faith, which she uses as a source of comfort, inspiration, and dedication to duty, turns toxic when used as her sole emotional crutch in a time of extreme stress. She’d lost genuine confidants like Picket and the princesses early in the crisis, which forced her to rely on her faith. By the time she had a friend willing to lend her an ear (Tempest toward the latter half of The Event), she had already been consumed by the mental echo chamber of religious radicalization.

Hell yeah! That was an awesome story, I got to say. Really like to see what happens next. Are you going to start working on the Babel?

This has been a truly beautiful story, that last battle could’ve gone either way, and man I wish Grubber and the others somehow showed up to help stop all this.

For Tempest, hoping and praying she can get the justice sh deserves.

But for Rose? Man, I hope somebody stands up to that monster. Honestly? I hope celestia does it, BY BURNING HER IN HOLY FIRE. Or y’know, through the magic of friendship and all that jazz, but only time will tell.

Thank you for the incredible writing as always, Baero, genuinely crying over this story all over again! Genuinely can’t believe that Rose’s religious views and Tempest herself were/probably were added later, wonder what the original story was meant to be like?

I know it’s insanely unlikely but…was golden ever CONFIRMED dead? He probably is, but it would’ve been nice to see his last stand against every unicorn/alicorn from both below and above at once, no matter how brief.

11757061
My sentiments exactly. Also, hey, a fellow Pony/Jojo enjoyer!

11757396
I think you summed it up perfectly. A healthy coping mechanism drives a poor mare insane. Doesn’t really justify what she did, but man, if Tempest stayed dead this story would’ve genuinely crushed my soul, man.

Wonder what will follow this hellish story? Babel has me more excited than ever!

11758323
I think Celestia is a tad too mentally broken in Babel do really do much of anything. Given the paintings she probably vividly remembers going after Rose and personally ripping her wing off.

11758323
The original story was going to end after they sent out the signal to the Crystal Empire. Rose and the gang were going to be going back to the dungeon and would get slaughtered by the princesses with Celestia stepping on Rose and breaking her back. The rest of the story was going to be Rose laying in the throne room and basically waiting for the place to be glassed.

That was one of my original plans.

The very very very first idea was going to be Flash Sentry as the MC instead of Rose.

11757430
Yes but first I need to write something that isn't depressing. Just a quick little one-shot.

11758323
Also considering when I wrote the first Tempest chapter, this is what I had to say about her actions, I think it's safe to say that Golden died
cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1040170005452574764/1178000027151499344/image.png?ex=65748d04&is=65621804&hm=a12fb5047a7fe16f40b1e6b0dafa31a4c643c87d3edd94cfe52e189a56489a45&

11758648
I find it interesting that Rose’s actions are seen by the readers as morally worse than Tempest’s. Rose, for all her murderous faults, did try to kill Parade and Tempest quickly. She didn’t try to prolong their suffering, and I don’t think her religious zeal demands she cause protracted anguish to her victims. Tempest chose to go that route when she had the skills to just dispatch Golden quickly and painlessly while he slept. Instead, she just smuggled out all the food and buried him alive without remorse. Like you said, it requires Montresor-like spite and disregard for a fellow equine to do that.

11758614
Oh yeah, some fluff would do great! Can't wait to read it, thanks for writing!

Amazing stuff, really enjoyed the story, characters and how you built up the world.

Can't believe how quick you can write so much, again, great stuff.

I got a suggestion, make a second story about this but with another ponies perspective but this time a stallion. See how this one could play out? Maybe at like an outpost or a military base? Or in another city?

11759961
Dunno feels like I've done the guard thing now. If I was going to do another story set during The Event it would be in some other situation that wasn't as militant.

MAAAAAN i havent checked fimfiction in so long and when i saw this came out i knew i had to binge it.... so worth!!!!! i think rose is one of my favorite characters you've ever written, i know some people don't really like ocs in stories (which sucks because theyre so so fun) but you did wonderfully!!! the slow buildup of her zealotry, and the way tempest genuinely connects with a pony she saw herself in.... absolutely beautiful!

perhaps some more fanart will come your way soon, the last one i did for and hell followed is over 2 years old now.. excited to continue the legacy

11764074
Oh my god I loved your art last time! I'm really glad you liked this story!

Rose was an amazing character to write for me. She is definitely my favorite OC that I've ever written

11767972
Because I like Tempest. Purely selfish.

11768019
Based

11764076
Same and yes

11756815
Question but is rose going to appear perhaps in babel?

I just want to talk to rose, I just want to talk to her,
I just want to shoot her, I just want to talk to her

11767985
Aww man

11768047
Yes

11767974
The kind where, the characters are well defined, and as such their actions in specific situations are just the obvious result of that, and as such the story flows forth once you set the basis of it up.

Welp fuck rose

Hi! I've read AHF, Babel and Sun and Shield and I really like them. I hate Rose, tho, Parade best pony! But I'm not here as a reader (although I probably should give some feedback and attention, because it's something that every writer needs, I just don't like writing in English). By the way, you write so fast, that it's just wow, I envy you this skill to write something long and good that fast.
No, I'm here, because I was requested to draw AHF alicorns. And I agreed, because they're cool and I wanted to draw them anyway (I hope you have nothing against it).
And I have a question - how does Cadance look as turned alicorn? Does she have red, guts-like mane (this is how I've seen her in Sun and Shield) or normal mane? In AHF she also wears some scraps of her golden jewllery thingies and I'm not sure if it's consistent with Sun and Shield.
Sorry for my English, it isn't my native language.

11784509
Her mane is more her normal mane just longer and far more frazzled. Much more like Twilight’s than Celestia’s or Luna’s. Her body is pink with red streaks going through it so it looks like guts and viscera.

11792681
Me too buddy

This story was a wild ride. Was rooting for Rose entire time until the end it self. She got broken at that point, it was too much for her and she went full on in what she believes. Can't blame her at that point, with everyone dying around her and in so much physical pain, let alone her own god cursing her in a way.

Still, even with all that can't forgive her for what she did to Tempest. That part was too much for me. Still I think Rose is a tragic character. Really liked the story, had to take time off of everything else just to read through it, you posted it way too quickly. Well done, trying to keep up with rest of stories, but time not helping me much.

This was an incredibly good story, you wrote Rose's descent into madness so well. I'm glad Tempest survived, Rose's betrayal was heartbreaking to see unfold.