Arming the Knights
Twilight Sparkle grinned as she looked out of the window towards the courtyard below, taking in the ponies around the castle. Though they were first and foremost a military insurrection, all manner of pony folk lived here, among them refugees, intellectuals, and those who were simply disillusioned with Celestia's perfect society. It was morning, of course, the third morning after she had woken up from her ill-advised foray into the astral realm and her journey north. She had awoken babbling about mountains and Windigos and crystals, and the first thing she had asked for was a pen and paper. Quickly, she had made a rough sketch of the runes she had seen, as well as the stone circle and the strange object in the pool in its center. After making sure the details were as accurate as she could make them, Twilight had turned to Golden Radiance, and handed them to her, ordering her friend to commit them to memory, a rare action for her. Twilight usually didn't command any pony who followed her, especially those who she considered personal friends, but this was a rare occasion, and the significance of it was not lost on the construct, who had bowed and hurried out of the room. There, surrounded by trusted friends and loved ones, save Spike, who was off on some mission of draconic importance, she had told them everything. Discord, the flames in Canterlot, the mountain, the Windigos, and the circle. She told of how she was almost consumed by the icy herd, and how Tarantella's voice had saved her.
"I was calling you, Twilight!" Tarantella had said. "You had frost forming on your coat. We thought you dead, so still you were!"
Twilight went on to describe the strange circle of stones and the unusual runes, as well as the object in the pool. She also mentioned the arrival of Celestia, and how she had attempted to bind her still, desperate to keep Twilight from escaping.
"I don't think she intended to hurt me. If she wanted, she could easily have destroyed me on top of that mountain. Lucky for me she still wants me alive." Twilight had said, her voice still hoarse from the damage to her throat. "I broke the spell and returned home, despite her best efforts, though. And that's when you all saw me collapse?"
Radiant Zenith nodded. "Yes. It was the oddest thing, we felt a surge of power in the circle, and then all the hair on your coat stood up on end. We think that might have been Discord. Your horn was crackling with power, and you rose into the air. The door to the library was destroyed, though no damage to the surrounding structure was sustained. It was at that point that Tarantella arrived with medics, as we had called for help to stand by. After this the room became very cold, and you set back down on the floor, unresponsive and stiff as a board. This would be when we tried to cut off the spell, but could not. It was as if it had became self-sustaining at that point. We tried everything, and we began to worry when your coat began to freeze. That's when Tarantella stepped in and tried to contact you. After this, the ice melted, but then the room became extremely hot, and the skin of your neck began to smolder. Soon after, your horn flashed twice and you collapsed. An interesting sequence of events. Now, as to your treatment..."
Radiant Zenith had prescribed her bed rest and regular checkups. If she was able to move reasonably well and did not feel tired, she had said, three days would be sufficient. And three days it had been, three days of going stir crazy and wanting to do something, after she had found herself surprisingly tired of her beloved books. It was going to be a beautiful day, and she already knew exactly how she was going to spend it. And it looked like the ponies she would be spending it with were just arriving on the parade grounds. She opened her closet, revealing a battered set of armor, well used and ready for action. She began to strap it on, humming an old marching song she had picked up somewhere, and within minutes, she stood ready for a long day's work with the Lunar Guard.
The Lunar Guard fell into position silently, as per usual. Rank upon rank stood in perfect formation, evenly spaced and at attention. Not a word was spoken as they waited on their orders for the day. Though they fully numbered one thousand at their core, in addition to the newly created three thousand Lunar Reservists, less than six hundred stood there, their brothers spread across Equestria on missions of vital importance, seizing supplies, infiltrating bases, and on diplomatic missions. It took a special kind of stallion to join the all-male Guard. Those unfit, and those females who had the right idea but the wrong gender, were directed to the Reserves, as dictated by the tradition of the Guard. So too lay the tradition of the core one thousand. Unless they were wiped out entirely, destroyed to the last pony, the Lunar Guard would always number one thousand. A fallen comrade was replaced immediately, hoof-picked by Luna herself. Of course, she hadn't promoted anypony in four years. That duty now fell to their new mistress, the Lady Twilight Sparkle. And speaking of Twilight Sparkle...
"Stallions! Tench-hut!" the officer in command barked, a stand in for the absent Silent Shield. A smart pirouette brought him face to face with the legendary unicorn herself, dressed in heavy armor and waiting on his next command. He brought his hoof up in a smart salute, which she promptly returned.
"Good morning, Lieutenant Nova. What's the exercise for today?" Twilight asked quietly, surveying the ranks in front of her, their faces impassive.
"Good morning, Lady Sparkle. Exercise for today is a five mile ruck march, with sixty pound packs. We will be headed to the clearing located to the west for war games against the Reservists and Ever Free militia. If the battle is won, we will conclude exercises for the day. If it is lost, we will be continuing our ruck march and coming back around nightfall. The troops are ready for inspection if you choose to do so, ma'am. Or do you wish to fall in?" the lieutenant asked, surveying her armor.
"I'm under your command, Lieutenant, so long as you put me in a unit that will see action today." Twilight replied.
The lieutenant nodded sharply. "Very well, Lady Sparkle. You are hereby reassigned to the newly reformed Evening company, under the command of Sergeant Major Windrunner. They are located in the back, on our right. You have thirty seconds to pick up your pack and fall in. Dismissed!"
Twilight nodded, bolting for the nearby gear and slinging it roughly over one shoulder before galloping towards the back, falling into formation behind the already assembled ranks. It would have been very bad form for her to enter after they had taken role, and so she merely fastened her pack and waited. She didn't wait long. The Lieutenant barked out his orders.
"Today's ruck march is five miles! You are expected to remain with the group or face disciplinary action! Upon our arrival at our destination, we are to face a combined arms force consisting of Ever Free militia and Lunar Reservists. In order to make it fair, they outnumber us by two to one! Also, on our arrival at the field, you will be instructed to open your kits. In your packs you will find inhibitor rings. All magic users are hereby ordered to wear these rings for the duration of the exercise! To the best of my knowledge, your opponents have no such restrictions! We depart in five minutes from the west gate! You are dismissed to recieve your instructions!"
Discipline was maintained in the ranks even as orders were carried out, each company arranging themselves around their commander. Unusual for a company, Twilight's group was led by an enlisted pony instead of an officer. To his credit, he made no mention of the fact that the leader of their rebellion was in their company. He broke the news to his troops that they would be leading the attack on the Lunar Reservist positions, who had arrived at their destination that morning, and were likely entrenched already. They would be assigned roles based on the contents of their packs once they arrived at their destinations.
Quickly they formed into two files, eager to move before the sun got too hot. Twilight found herself next to the Sergeant Major himself.
"Lady Sparkle." he intoned, bowing his head in respect.
Twilight came to attention. "Sir." she replied, holding that position. She waited until he raised his head.
"At ease, Sparkle." he said. The message was clear, an understanding between the two. He knew the feeling well. She wanted nothing more than to cut loose and play dirty, to push herself past the normal limits of her body. Until the conclusion of the day's exercise, she was just another soldier. And she had done this often enough to prove that she could handle herself with the rest of the elite core of soldiers. She had put herself through training in the Ever Free Fighters before tackling the Lunar Reserve and handling herself well. She waited on the personal recommendation of their commander before proceeding into the grueling training of the Lunar Guard.
It showed, too. The mare who had taken command of a rebellion was a Mage of no small power, but she was not a soldier. This had been one of the first things she had rectified after she had settled into command. Training had changed Twilight Sparkle. The Sergeant was a good leader, one who listened to his ponies. Half the Guard was in love with her, and the other half was scared shitless of the purple mare. She learned fast, thought even quicker, and was vicious in a fight. That was the scary side of her, Windrunner thought to himself as they began a brisk march out of the gate. She appeared soft on the outside. But he had fought her personally. Under the admittedly beautiful exterior rippled bands of iron muscle and hidden strength. The same was true of her personality. She was still a Mage, and still a leader first and foremost. But she was an opponent nopony wanted. Most of the soldiers in the barracks joked about how in a choice between her and her dragon, they'd rather fight the dragon.
The column wound away from the Regia, its high stone walls fading into the distance as they quick marched into the forest, Twilight Sparkle keeping up the pace admirably. The first mile was easy, over level ground and hard packed earth. Progress was quick, and there was hardly a hitch to be had. The second mile had them climbing through thick growth, avoiding roots and pitfalls as they picked their way up the sides of a series of rolling, steep hills. The third pit them against mud and filth, culminating in the crossing of the river flowing back to the castle. No rests were taken. The fourth was a straight uphill climb, up a series of switchbacks cut into the rock of a low bluff overlooking the Everfree below. The fifth and final was prefaced with a brief pause, as the companies rearranged themselves into the formations they would be using during the battle. Packs were unloaded, and roles assigned. Horns were dampened by inhibitor rings. At last, they began the mile long march, ready to fight. Windrunner noticed Twilight Sparkle was carrying a bag of medical equipment to treat the injured. A battlefield medic, then. Good, he hadn't seen her perform that role yet. An alert was raised from the scouts ahead, who fell back swiftly, as stunner spells tore craters in the ground behind them. Evening Company galloped to the front to engage the enemy, ready for a fight. Soon, the sounds of battle rose from the tree-filled field on the bluff above the Everfree.
The forge was a place of stifling heat and soot, a noisy din rising from the pit containing most of the equipment used by the blacksmiths. Morning to evening and into the night, the place was lit only by the dim light of lanterns and the glow of forges. The smiths were supposed to work eight hours only, but such was their dedication and love for their craft that many chose to work ten, twelve, and fourteen hours in their days. However, there was one such pony who put them all to shame, one who had refused a room in the castle for a simple bed near the forge at night, and who only saw the light of day when she went outside in the mornings to split wood for the fires. This pony's name was Birchwood, she was a smith of legendary skill, and according to those she worked with, she was quite insane.
It was Birchwood who greeted a disgruntled Twilight Sparkle around noon, as the pony came in still wearing her pack and with a medical satchel slung over one side, her face a mass of cuts and bruises.
"Hello, Lady Sparkle! How went the battle? Any heroic feats of arms?" she asked, in the clipped tones of an middle class Trottingham pony.
"We won easily. And handicapped, outnumbered, facing a superior position, manned by well rested ponies who were firing at us after we had just marched five miles in full armor and kit." she grumbled, setting the bags carefully to one side of the door.
"Is that a bad thing?" Birchwood asked curiously.
"Of course it is! The opposing force was made of Lunar Reservists and EF Fighters who literally outnumbered us two to one! What does that say about the quality of their fighting?" Twilight Sparkle snarled, clearly upset. "I told Iron Oak that we'd be running the same exercise again in two weeks, and I expected to lose. I expected the Lunar Guard to be dealt a crushing defeat. If they can't stand up to the Lunar Guard in a straight fight, with them handicapped and outnumbered, how are they going to perform in the field, when it isn't stunner spells flying at them, and they're the ones outnumbered? Not to mention our complete lack of airships, and our incredibly small Air Corps. We need pegasi, but Los Pegasus hasn't sent us anything new in a month. Same for Cloudsdale, nothing from the Crystal Centers there."
Birchwood shook her head. "But you've got more spellcasters than you can shake a stick at, and a spy network that puts anything on the face of the planet to shame!"
"It does us no good if they're outnumbered ten to one in the field with no backup. And the Changelings, fierce fighters though they are, won't help us if Celestia decides to open up an assault on the Everfree. We need to increase the quality and number of our fighters, or start picking up allies in a hurry. Preferably all of those."
Birchwood moved behind Twilight Sparkle, who stood stock still. "I gather that scintillating conversation isn't what you're here for, however." she said, stripping the battered plate off of her leader.
"No. It isn't, but thank you for listening. I've actually got a proposal for you and Mahtaram, and you said you've got something to show me about your project?"
Birchwood pried the last of the armor off of Twilight, throwing it into a heap on the floor, where it was immediately gathered up to be repaired by a junior smith. She nodded, barely able to contain her excitement. "Yes. And now that I think on it, I've got something else, a battlefield equalizer for you. It could potentially solve your problem, if you'd like to see it."
The two ponies walked side by side through the forge, heading towards Birchwood's private section, which contained not only forge equipment, but glass beakers, bins of chemicals, odd sprockets and gears, and assorted other bits and sundries. Gingerly, she withdrew a small packet of gray powder. "Discovered this quite by accident a few days ago while getting rid of some chemicals in the usual way." she said, nodding towards the fire burning brightly behind her. "Damn near took my tail off, it did. Took me a bit to recall the formula for it, but I think I've got it right." She held the paper packet in one hoof, aiming for the fire. "Behind me, Lady Twilight."
Twilight Sparkle did as she was told, and backed up several paces more after seeing the caution with which Birchwood handled the powder. The dun-colored Earth pony hurled the packet into the flame, and with a rush of air and a loud *bang*, a tongue of flame billowed out of the furnace, followed by a column of black smoke. The forge went quiet as the assembled workers gazed in awe at the explosion.
"I call it 'Flash Powder'!" Birchwood said with a sooty grin. "Any spark sets it off. Had a great idea, carry it in little metal spheres with a small fire crystal. Put it on a timer, push the button to set it, wait for the crystal to break, and-"
"Boom." Twilight said, impressed. "Have you tested this further?"
"Nope! I'm taking it out to the range tomorrow, see what I can do with it. Would you like me to let you know how it's coming along?" Birchwood chirped, surreptitiously kicking a bucket of water over and extinguishing a small fire.
"Please, do so." Twilight said. "What of your other project?"
Birchwood smiled broadly at this. "Think we've finally got it this time. It was your extra ingredient that did it." She turned her face up to the rafters. "Oy! Mahtaram! Lady Twilight's here, do you have everything ready?"
With a slight *click*, a Gryphon landed behind Twilight. The creature stood several inches above Twilight, a smaller female of the species, but no less intimidating for it. The light of the forge glinted off of her smoke-stained golden feathers as she bowed low. "Hanoomeh Sparkle."
Twilight returned the gesture, inclining her head precisely. "Hanoomeh Mahtaram. Haaleh shomah chitooreh?"
The Gryphon cocked her head. "Man hoobam, motashakiram. Va shoma?"
Twilight smiled, making sure to show no teeth. "Man hoobam, haylee motashakiram."
There was a moment of tense silence, before both relaxed. Mahtaram spoke first. "Your Gryphic, it is improving. Though you need to use your throat more. You are here to see what we have for you, baleh?"
Twilight nodded. "Baleh."
The Gryphon took to the rafters once more, coming back with a set of armor, laying it out at Twilight's hooves. "The dragon scales were most effective in conducting the magical energies as you specified, as well as strengthening the armor as a whole. It made enough for an entire set, which is what we made."
Twilight Sparkle eyed the set of armor appreciatively. "This is masterful work. You've outdone yourself, Mahtaram."
The Gryphon bowed once more. "It is nothing, a mere waste of metal." she said, bowing to the old Gryphonian custom of Ta'Rof. But after a brief moment her obvious pride shone through. "I am glad it pleases you, Hanoomeh Sparkle."
Twilight examined it closely. "Why is it white?"
Birchwood cut in. "We think it might be the adamantium acting with the dragon scales you've given us. It affected the structure of the metal somehow. Not sure on the specifics, however."
Mahtaram grabbed a crossbow from a nearby table. "Observe." she said, loading it with ease and taking careful aim at the chestpiece. Her finger squeezed the trigger lightly, and the bolt sped forth, striking the plate at point-blank range. Not only did it fail to penetrate the metal, the arrowhead itself shattered under the stress. She swiped at it with her talon, creating a horrible screeching noise, but the metal remained unmarked. Finally, she seized a blacksmith's hammer, whirling it over her head briefly before bringing it down in a ferocious strike. The piece rang with the low tones of a bell, but there was not a dent to be seen in it.
Birchwood continued. "We have found that once the metal cools and hardens, it is nearly impossible to mar in any way. This applies to each piece. We were able to etch the channels along the inside as well as socket the gems as necessary, and I had one of our resident unicorns verify the connectivity, everything is in order. Same goes for the gems in the shoes. Unfortunately, this means that we are no longer able to etch the outside, or give it any inlays. And we count ourselves lucky to have gotten it right on the first try. I tossed a piece of scrap metal into the forge and tried to melt if after it had hardened. It hardly even warmed up."
Twilight stared at the ensemble before her, impressed. "This is amazing."
Birchwood bowed low. "We can't have you leading us in dented armor, milady. Though if you wish to have the old set back, you are of course welcome to it. But when it comes time to lead us, you will stand above the rest. We won't stand for less. Would you like to try it on?"
Twilight nodded, speechless. Mahtaram handed her a leather overgarment, which Twilight dutifully donned. The next was a mail jacket, which glinted with a different sheen entirely, almost black instead of white.
"Taurish bloodmail." Mahtaram said, handing it to her. "Only the Minotaur know how to make it. It's incredibly expensive to buy, but we were able to convince one of their ambassadors to take a turn in the forge for you. If you wish to thank Vladek, you know where to find him. This mail is lighter than even we Gryphons can make, and turns daggers and arrowheads with ease."
Twilight tugged it over her head carefully, as Birchwood bound her mane up so as to avoid getting it caught in the links. A belt came next, binding it in place. A set of armor tailored to cover her flanks and lower back went on next, intricately layered strips of armor ensuring that she could move freely and without being hindered. The chestplate was next. Twilight inspected it carefully. The concept had taken almost a full year to perfect, and much trial and error before the final product was ready. Five separate crystals, each made by Radiant Zenith, glowed softly inside the armor, linked together with intricate magic which was woven throughout the metal. The crystals were designed to catch the magic which splashed across the adamantium and store it for her to access later. Preliminary tests had been successful, and at last Twilight's magic catcher was ready for use. It fit perfectly, snug but not tight. It was fastened carefully, along with an adamantium gorget that protected her throat. Twilight stepped into the heavy shoes, fastening them securely around her hooves.
These also contained crystals, designed to store a different kind of energy. Kinetic energy was siphoned into the shoes, and stored in a complex series of crystals in the sole that allowed Twilight to run for greater distances and kick much harder than normal. Some of this energy was siphoned into her own bones and ligaments, in order to prevent her from breaking her own legs under the increased stress. At last, the helmet was placed on her head. It was a simple affair, imitating the Taurish helmets with a hole for her horn. A nasal bar descended from the helm proper, and the eyes had been left wide in order to accommodate a wider range of vision. Other than that, the helmet was very plain. Twilight didn't want to risk anything interfering with her ability to use magic while wearing it. Twilight levitated it onto her head, allowing her mane to fall free behind her. She swiftly bound it into a short ponytail.
Birchwood pushed a mirror in front of her. "Well? What do you think?"
Twilight stared in the mirror in awe. The mare staring back was...formidable. Covered in steel, lithe and deadly, hooves set in a defensive stance, with her face obscured by the helm, Twilight Sparkle felt every inch the warrior she had tried so hard to be. She stood a bit straighter. "It's perfect." she said, smiling. Her horn sparked, and she felt the crystals in the armor hum to life, helping the weight of the armor disappear. The Lady in white nodded. "It's absolutely perfect."
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Eeeeeeeeeee~! I now have the image of Twilight taking the field like Sauron, except wearing white armor. Please find someone willing to fanart this, or maybe one of my fellow readers would be willing to commission it?
Oh no. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. They did not just discover gunpowder. No way. No freaking way. I already knew this war wasn't gonna end well, but it just got worse. Way worse.
Annnd now Twilight ranks about a 10.0 on "Things to run away from very fast." Scale!
Good to know Twilight hasn't just been reading books for four years! And to think of how dangerous she was before she had time to practice!
With all this attention on Sweetie and Twilight, I have to wonder what the Elements are up to? We got brief glimpses of AJ and Rarity but no one else.
Good chapter, but... back to Sweetie!
Am so looking forward to seeing all these skills that Twilight's gained in the 4 years put into action.
And the noble sacrifice of some poor OC. 
can't really express myself in any other way than: awesome chapter!
So, you finally made me register here.
I really, really like your story(ies). Especially your portrayal of Spike. Can we expect some more Spike-centric chapters later on?
I guess Spike is on his way to the dragons to make an alliance with them (a mission of draconic importance indeed). It seems like Twilight will bring in most of the other races as allies against Celestia and her pony forces. Things are getting interesting though if both leaders can annihilate each others armies quite easily.
Looking forward to the next chapters.
1503847
I'm honored to hold the position of your Registry Story. I can remember mine very well, and it's still one of my favorites. In answer to your question, yes, we will definitely see more of Spike in the future. And I'm just now ramping up the "epic" factor. We'll be headed to uncharted heights of awesome, at least for me. Be prepared.
I can't wait for the moment when Twi takes to the battlefield.
Shit will get serious.
1504482
Wait,... people have stories they registered just because of? That's kind of surprising. I think I just registered because I found the site and was like pony fanfiction... yay! Either that or I forget, read too many stories by now to know in any case. Frankly I'm a bit sad that they removed the words read counter, since I was getting up in the millions.
Good story so far, hope Twilight doesn't destroy the world or something. There's not much point fighting Celestia on this if you end making yourself infamous for killing ponies and destroying the world. It's not like they all explicitly support everything she does, she's the leader of the country. I'm almost hoping there will be a nice one on one fight between Celestia and Twilight. Problem is Luna would want to help and it wouldn't be good to banish Celestia. Unless they can get her to change her mind, there just isn't a good option as I see it.
Have to feel bad for Twilight, liking mares or no she'd have had no choice in the matter really since the first time she got pregnant she'd be dead for the trouble. Would really mess up almost any relationship of the usual sort she could hope to have
Did... did they just make the basic idea of a flashbang?!
gunpowder....virtually indestructable armour.....a new improved twilight sparkle
man....teh everfree forces are seriously upping their game after four years
i likez what i readz
Can't help but feel that this was the white one Twilight was told to beware...
im hoping that there is a rescue mission for Luna very soon.
Love the story, awesome chapter
Do those two amulets from Luna's auction in the first book come into this at all?
The Lunar Guard were hornlocked, meaning there wouldn't have been any spells flying at them point blank.
3087554
I suspect they do.
2392680 "The White One" was Celestia...
4586065
Are you sure about that? Take your time, come to your own conclusions. Yes, Celestia is being presented as the primary antagonist here, and therefore would seem to be the obvious 'white one' to beware. But...
4586097 I figured it was her coltfriend, what's-his-face, since I thought the ghost had gestured towards him when he said it.
Oooh yes. Twilight is even more badass than before, and reading this made me feel awesome inside.
Wait, Adamantium! How did I not notice before? Somebody's a Marvel fan. Woah, did you just make Twilight a Spartan/Iron-man suit?
Mind = Blown
Interesting armor color. It shows she was Celestia's student but is challenging her, is allied with the Moon but not confined to the night, and is separate from - but as strong as - the combined spectrum of colors associated with the Bearers. (Specifically, too, her white-and-purple SuperMage design labels her a direct competitor for, and superior to, Rarity, the only official unicorn Bearer.)
And of course the usual connotations of purity, unstainability, and righteousness, rather sneakily reinforced by the armor's multiple built-in resistances. The kinetic dampers in particular, combined with the announcement of what is effectively black powder, make me wonder if she's going to either demonstrate later that she can take a cannonball to the face at point blank range, or rig the equivalent of reactive armor by caking gunpowder around her new duds and turning herself into a living bomb. Useful for taking out an opposing target, clearing a battlefield, or wrestling an alicorn.
(Come to think of it, the dampers would also be useful in no-selling a galloping charge by a very large pony, stopping a battering ram with a hoof, and surviving having heavy things dropped on her - like a building, or catapult ammo. And it would be kind of cool if the increased kicking power could channel all the stored KE; few things are as impressive as being able to personally kick city gates so hard they explode, or punch alicorns over the horizon while wearing an inhibitor.)
Gunpowder add Rebels equals guns!!!!!