Twilight Sparkle decides to try a new spell she found in Star-Swirl the Bearded lost diary. When she opens an inter-dimensional portal to Middle Earth, things get out of hoof. This is my first MLP FanFiction, so constructive criticism is encouraged.
Twilight Sparkle decides to try a new spell she found in Star Swirl the Bearded's lost diary. When she opens an inter-dimensional portal to Middle Earth, things get out of hoof. Soon, Sauron's minions are running free on Equestria, and it comes down to the Mane Six and the Fellowship to stop them!
This story is back, and with a vengeance! After pulling it off Fimfiction, I have decided to resubmit it. This story will continue as is, but I will also work on another MLP LOTR crossover. That one will be - what's the technical term? - better, than this one. I acknowledge that is story has awful pacing and sloppy characterization. I will try to make that better over time, but anything is possible :). Right now, I am writing this one because it amuses me. If you love it, awesome. If not, well, I'm not forcing you to read it. Thank you for looking at the trash bin of my creative spirit.
Twilight Sparkle's Library, Ponyville, Equestria Time After Arrival: -1 day, 2 hours, 23 minutes
Twilight Sparkle closed all the curtains to her library and let out a calming breath, saying “No distractions. Today is too important. Today is re-shelving day!” With that, she cast a spell that removed all of the books off of their shelves and dropped them into several big heaps on the floor. She cast another spell that lined the books up and had them proceed past her, almost military style, so she could look at each of them and sort as required.
“A Day in the Life of Commander Hurricane, that belongs under History!” she said, and the book flew to its self.
“A Detailed Look at the Stars, that is Astronomy material.”
“The Beginner’s Guide to Magic, that is quite clearly Magic reading.”
“A Detailed Look at the Medicines Practiced by Modern Doctors, that is Biology.”
“A Complete Reference to Star Swirl the Bearded's Life, now that sounds interesting. I think I will read this one,” she mused, and had that book fly up to her bedroom. She returned her attention back to the hundreds of waiting books, saying “Now for the next one.” A book, smaller than most of the the others and showing quite a lot of wear, flew up into her gaze. In fact, it even looked more like a journal. After staring at the book for a moment, she used magic to glance inside the book. She could not read it, the book was not written in Modern Equestrian. She sat, thinking for a few minutes. When she could not come up with an answer to the questions surrounding this mysterious book, she used her magic to find the date of writing. The book was at least two thousand years old. At learning this, she asked, “What in Equestria is this? SPIKE!!!”
Moaning and groaning, the baby dragon, Twilight's oldest friend from back before she understood the Magic of Friendship, crawled out of bed and dragged himself down the stairs.
“What time is it, Twilight?” he muttered, still about half asleep.
“4:45 in the morning, but that's not the point,” Twilight said. “I need–”
“4:45 in the morning? That's it. I'm going bac–”
“LOOK! This is important!” Twilight yelled.
“Okay, okay! Calm down. What is it?” Spike asked.
Twilight used her magic to present the book to Spike, and said “This. Do you have any knowledge of this... book? My magic says that it is at least two thousand years old, but I do not have any books that old, at least to my knowledge.”
Spike examined the book. After looking it over, he glanced though his catalog of every book in the library. He eventually said, “I have no record of this book. It was not cataloged under any category.” Spike looked quite bewildered.
“Odd,” Twilight mused. “I guess I will see if I can translate it into the Modern Equestrian language, then.”
She took the book and moved over to another room. Here, she kept a detailed translation chart of every language known to Ponies. She started, first referencing against Old Equestrian. Nothing. She waded through many languages, including Griffin, Diamond Dog, and even the strange, twisted languages of the Changelings. Finally, she checked the book against an obscure and little-known dialect of Ancient Equestrian. Finally, a hit. These words were unveiled in the title:
A Journal by Star-Swirl the Bearded
Twilight looked up, hardly breathing. “Spike?” she called, in a mild voice. “I need you to to bring me several quills and enough parchment to wallpaper my room. Now, if you please.”
The Mines of Moria, Middle Earth Time After Arrival: -32 minutes
“Who comes hither to disturb the rest of Balin, Lord of Moria?” Gandalf cried in a loud, carrying voice.
Immediately, arrows whizzed by and buried the heads in the door behind him, like ostriches fleeing danger. He immediately shut the door and the Fellowship barricaded it. There, they awaited Saurons's minions.
The door buckled, and almost immediately gave way. All around the room, fighting broke out as the members of the Fellowship fought to defend both themselves and the Dwarven King's tomb. Soon, the Orcs had been defeated and the Cave Troll was slain. Not wasting a minute, and knowing the Orcs would have brought reinforcements, the nine companions fled the room. They ran fast and hard, carrying the Hobbits when it became necessary. The Fellowship of the Ring sprinted to the Bridge of Khazad-Dûm. There, they faced the Creature of Flame and Shadow, also known as a Balrog, the Elf-Bane. Then, something happened, that none of the Fellowship had expected. Not even the Grey Wizard had foreseen this event, and it would forever change both Equestria and Middle-Earth.
Twilight Sparkle's Point of View Time After Arrival: -20 minutes Location: Twilight Sparkle's Library, Ponyville, Equestria
“You ready, sugarcube?” Applejack asked.
“I think I should go over the plan one more time, just to be safe,” I responded.
Group moan.
I looked around at my five friends. They each had their Elements and were ready for action. “Okay, so this is the plan,” I began. “I will cast the spell I discovered. Most likely outcome: nothing happens. However, if the spell works, then a portal will appear, probably a bright violet color. Be ready, I have not the faintest idea what, if anything, will come out.” With that, my thoughts, unbidden, started wandering to the previous night...
Shock had filled my body as I started at that title. I had discovered Star-Swirl the Bearded's lost journal, the last one that had not been discovered! Suddenly I was overcome by a mad fever; when I came back to my senses, I found that I had quickly translated about half of the diary. I continued with the notion that my life depended on the journal, and the secrets it held within. I don't know, maybe it did. The thing that calmed this...insanity...was a spell I found. The spell was extremely long and did not look easy by any means. I translated the spell and the first few lines underneath it. For Ancient Equestrian, the passage literally translated into this:
“Thou who caste aboveforth spell, Shalt disc'ver a new land Land of w'nder and mystery.”
This suggested a portal to a new land. I instantly became curious, wanting to learn more about this land. However, I slowly became worried as I considered it.
“Spike? Could you come here?” I asked, not yelling.
He entered the room. “Yeah?”
“Look at this,” I commanded, and I showed him the translation.
After reading for a few minutes, he let out a low whistle that almost turned into dragon-fire. “That, is something I haven't seen before. Even around you, this is seriously complicated magic. Do you plan to cast it?”
“Well, I don't know. On one hoof, this is a major discovery, and this 'new land'...well...it could forever change Ponykind! On the other, however, this could have seriously damaging ramifications, and–”
“Ramifications?” Spike asked.
“Effects.” I answered. “Like I was saying, this spell most likely creates a portal. The thing about portals, though, is that they go both ways. Yes, Ponies could travel through the portal, but so can things on the other side. Besides, just look at the spell! This is the most insanely complex spell I have ever seen. The spell takes up a whole three pages, for Celestia's sake!”
“Yes, but like you said, can you really afford to ignore it? This could greatly benefit Equestria as a nation,” Spike responded.
“I don't know!” I responded. I stamped my hoof in frustration. “I don't know if I can do it. Maybe I should just inform the Princess and not take any action.”
“Well, I won't argue with you if that's what you decide. Just remember, the Princess will most likely support whatever choice you make. Wait! Here's an idea! Why don't you sleep on it and, at a reasonable hour, not 5:30 in the morning, make your decision then? And if you decide to go ahead, we can get your friends to support you,” Spike suggested.
I looked at him gratefully, “Thank you, Spike. I never thought of that.” I warmly embraced him. Spike is my oldest friend, from all the way back when I first got my cutie mark. He often times is irritating, but just as often he suggests a plan or something I overlooked. I don't know, but I think he looks up to me as a big sister, maybe even a mother.
So I went to bed, but of course I didn't sleep a wink; I was too excited about this new spell!
Okay, that wasn't all truth. I did sleep, but not much. I think I got about five minutes worth of shut-eye before my alarm clock rudely woke me up. I got up, strangely energized, despite my lack of sleep. I knew what I wanted to do.
“Spike? I need your help to assemble all of my friends! Also, I need to dig up the Elements of Harmony that the Princess gave us at the end of the Battle of Canterlot. I intend on doing this, and we need to be ready!”
“Yes ma’am!” Spike responded, snapping a firm salute. “I will right get on it!”
That was about two hours ago. Ever since then, my friends and I have been running all around Ponyville, getting this thing and the other, trying to gather everything necessary. There was so much to get: the Elements, a new box of parchment , some more quills and ink (I was running out after the translation frenzy the night before), and, after a moment of hesitation, I informed the Royal Guards stationed in Ponyville of what we were going to do. Despite an odd want to keep this a discovery private (I had never wanted to hoard information before), this plan was flaunt with risk, and I felt that I should inform the Guard, just in case things got out of hoof and required their assistance.
“...and if it is a problem, we will just buck it back through the portal so hard, it will never even think about coming back to Equestria ever again! Got it! Let's do this!” Rainbow Dash concluded, snapping me back to the moment and out of the past.
“This is serious, Dash,” I said, muffling a flash of annoyance. Despite her constant arrogance, she is fiercely loyal and persistent (Element of Loyalty, duh) and is always a good friend to talk to, no matter the circumstance. Then again, so are all of my other friends, but Dash...well, I don't quite know.
“Are you all right, darling?” Rarity asked me, making it the second time in as many minutes that somepony had abruptly brought me back to the matters at hoof.
“Yes, I'm fine,” I said, quickly focusing on the spell. “Just trying to focus. This is very complicated magic, you know, and I will need all the focus I can get.”
“Just remember, we are here in case you need us,” Fluttershy timidly said.
“Yeperdoodles! We are here for you!” Pinkie Pie said, with all of her trademark goofiness.
“Alright everypony! Stand back! I don't know what will happen,” I said, more for dramatic effect than anything else.
My friends backed up, but stood, ready for action. Even Fluttershy was standing tall and proud, not diving for cover, like she normally does.
I took one last look over the spell, and gathered my thoughts. Well, here goes nothing, I thought to myself and started the spell.
I won't go into details, but know this: If my friends were not there and silently cheering me on, I would have failed in casting that spell. Like I said, it was three pages long, and it took me at least ten minutes to cast. But finally, I had placed the final detail into place, just before I lost my focus. No matter. The spell was structured in such a way that the portal would remain open for as long as a source kept feeding it magic.
“It is done,” I proclaimed.
There was a pause in the room. Finally Rainbow Dash stepped forward slightly and said, “Hate to break this to you Twily, but I don't see anything.” The others nodded in agreement.
“First, don't call me Twily, and second, something did happen. It is just invisible to Pony eyes.”
“Not...not meaning any offense, b-but are you sure?” Fluttershy asked, regaining some of her normal timidness.
“Certain. This portal is draining my magic at an astonishing rate. And the energy isn't just vanishing into nowhere.”
We wait for what seemed like eternity, but probably only last two or three minutes. Then...
“There! I see something!” Rainbow Dash said, pointing to it with her hoof.
“What? I don't see...” Then I saw it. “Is that a sparkle?”
“Why, it is,” Rarity said, with slight awe.
“Well, let's see it!” Rainbow Dash said with excitement, dashing forward. I used my magic to pull her back. I was not a moment to early. With a bright purple flash, the sparkle exploded. I briefly saw what looked like nine...creatures...standing there before darkness came over me.
Legolas's Point of View Time Since Arrival: -4 minutes Location: The Mines of Moria, Middle-Earth
It was no use. None of us could stand up to the Balrog, and it was gaining. I felt cold, true fear in my heart for the first time in...I do not remember how long. There is a reason that the Elves fear the Balrog more than anything. If you don't know...then be glad. It is awful, and don't speak to any Elf about it.
“To the Bridge of Khazad-Dûm! Go!” yelled Gandalf.
We fled, carrying the Hobbits when they couldn't keep up. As we ran for our lives, I heard arrows bouncing off the stones behind us and silently laughed at the terrible Orchish archers. To me, a shot like this would have been too easy.
Finally, after what seemed like eternity, I saw it. A thin bridge over a deep, looming fall. I do not know what was at the bottom, and I do not want to, either. If something lives down there, could not be friendly to the Free Peoples of Middle-Earth.
Gandalf tapped my shoulder and said in a hurried whisper “Go! And do not look back, no matter what happens!” he urged me. I nodded and began shepherding the Hobbits across the Bridge. I wasn't looking at what was going on, but when I heard what I presumed to be Gandalf yelling, I turned around. What I saw shocked me.
I saw Gandalf standing defiantly against the Balrog. Suddenly, he yelled “YOU...SHALL NOT...PASS!”, brought his staff up, and smashed it down. Even as a non-magic user, I felt his spell stroke the very strands of reality. But that was not all. I also felt something else. It is hard to describe. It was like another person also stroked reality at the same time, but at a slightly different...pitch, if you will. It was all very strange, and to a non-magic user like me; it felt even stranger. Suddenly, a bright flash of violet light engulfed us, and I felt like I had just been thrown thousands of leagues. I saw a brief flash of five, possibly six figures that looked a lot horses before I collapsed, and soothing darkness overtook me.
Legolas's Point of View Time Since Arrival: Unknown Location: Unknown
I awoke, instantly aware of a splitting headache. Quite frankly, it felt like a set of hot nails were being driven into my head. It took me a moment to gather my thoughts. The last thing I remembered before I slipped into unconsciousness was those six figures, and I was somewhat scared. Who knows what these creatures were? Wait, what was that? I paused my thoughts, listening hard. Somewhere, someone- or something- had spoken. I strained my ears to listen in to the conversation, but even with my Elvish hearing, I could only make out a few phrases.
“Hey, Twilight...okay?” I heard a voice, defiantly not one of the Fellowship, say.
“...fine, thanks Rainbow.” Another voice responded, sounding like the owner had gotten a beating.
“Dear, dirt and...everywhere!” Yet another voice said.
“What are these...creatures?” the first voice asked.
“I have never, ever seen one of these before,” a different voice said, this one sounding timid and shy.
Enough is enough, I thought, and opened my eyes, wanting to get answers. What I saw almost shocked me back into unconsciousness.
I appeared to be in a tree, surrounded by books. Many of these books were off their selves, and on the ground.
But it was not the books or even the bizarre scene that commanded my attention. Instead, it was the six creatures in front of me, arranged around a table and in hushed conversation, that drew my eye.
First, they were horses (ponies?) They stood at about shoulder-height and appeared to be straight out of a little girl's drawing. Second, their coats were all the colors of the rainbow. One was hot pink, another was orange with a blonde mane, the third was yellow with a pink mane, the fourth was a deep purple with a dark, almost black mane, the fifth was a pearly white with a dark blue mane. However, the sixth one stuck out to me the most. I believed it was female, and she had a cyan coat. She also had a mane that was literally the colors of the rainbow. Five of the six horses (ponies, whatever) were also wearing what looked like golden necklaces, and each where set with a different jewel. The sixth, the lavender-colored one, wore no necklace, but had what looked like a crown, though less ornamental. All six of the creatures were actually quite beautiful, in their own way.
“Hey, girls! One of them is awake!” said the pink one, quite excitedly.
I slowly stood up, raising my hands over my head in the universal, Hey, I am not carrying a big, ugly weapon sign. “May I ask, where am I?” I asked, speaking slowly.
The cyan one, who I presumed to be the one named Rainbow, due to her mane, looked at me suspiciously and asked, “Who are you? None of us have ever seen anything like you before. And we have traveled to several places in and around Equestria, the nation you are in.”
I hesitated briefly before answering, “I am Legolas, son of Thanduil, Prince to the Elves of Mirkwood. My father is the King. You have nothing to fear in me.” With that, I unstrapped my quiver and dropped my bow, leaving me weaponless.
A very quiet discussion broke about among these...ponies. I heard only one phrase in the discussion, and I could not see the speaker. The phrase was: “They have Princes? And Kings? Odd.”
After five to ten minutes, Boromir stirred and moaned, slowly getting up. Oh, great, I thought. Boromir will be a problem. I hope I can keep him under control. If I cannot, this will not end well.
Boromir's Point of View Time Since Arrival: About 8 minutes Location: Unknown
I awoke, feeling as though me skull had been pounded in. I looked around, barely registering my fellowship around me, slowly getting up. I saw these six creatures ahead of me, and discounted them for ignorant horses. I was shell-shocked when one of them spoke.
“Who are you? We have never seen anything like you before in our lives,” a very intelligent-sounding voice asked.
I glared at the speaker, a purple-colored...well, unicorn, and said, “What does it matter to you creature?”
A cyan-colored pegasus spoke up, “You better answer her question. This is her property, and you are trespassing on it.”
That statement ticked me off in a major way. “Well, lookee what we have here. A bright and colorful horse thinking she can mouth off to those above them. Well, look here! I am Boromir, a man of Gondor, and I will be treated as such! As for them,” I gestured to the Fellowship, “they are my fellows, and to speak to them is to speak to me, so watch that thing you call a tongue around them, as well.” With that, I drew my sword.
The pegasus did not seem cowed, however, and it flew over to me, sticking its snout in my face. “Watch yourself when you enter a new land, for things change. You may have been a big shot in your Gondor, but here you are nopony! As for you rudeness, I will forgive you because you are ignorant of where you are and who you speak to. But know this: My name is Rainbow Dash, and I bear the Element of Loyalty. As for my companions, they are the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony. Between us, we command more magic than you can dream of! Do not disrespect us. It will come back to haunt you in the future.” The lightning-bolt shaped gem on the pegasus's necklace began to glow.
I snarled at the pegasus, and started to swing my sword.
“STOP!” Gandalf thundered, and suddenly my sword was too hot to touch. Dropping it with a cry, I glared at the Wizard.
“Who do you think you are, using your magic on me?” I screamed.
“I am saving you, disrespectful whelp!” Gandalf snapped. Calming down, he turned to the six creatures and said, “My apologies, ladies. Boromir has seen many battles and is too suspicious for his own good.”
The purple unicorn stepped forward and said, “It is quite alright. Rainbow Dash is a little big-headed for her own good, as well.” She shot the pegasus a scorching look. The pegasus, Rainbow Dash (what kind of name is that?) shied back ever so slightly, wearing a look a shame and guilt. “My name is Twilight Sparkle,” the unicorn continued, “this is Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy, Applejack, and you have already met Rainbow Dash. We are collectively referred to as the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony. I respectively ask again, who are you?” As she named each one of the group, they nodded welcome to us.
Gandalf hesitated a moment before beginning, “Well, I am Gandalf the Grey, this is Peregin Took, Meridoc Brandybuck, Samwise Gamgee, Frodo Baggins, Aragorn Son of Arathorn, Gimli the Dwarf, Legolas of the Woodland Realm, and Boromir of Gondor. We come from the land known as Middle-Earth. Do you know anything about that place?”
The Ponies looked at each other and shook their heads. “No,” said Twilight Sparkle. “None of us have ever heard of a land named that, not even in fiction. I should know, I own a library with almost every book ever published, with only a few dozen exceptions.”
Gandalf nodded, looking disappointed. “Do you know how we got here? I am the only one of our group that can use magic, and I did not cast a transportation spell,” he asked.
Twilight's head drooped at this. “Yes, I do know some of it. I had discovered a new spell and, like a foal, decided to cast it. How exactly you arrived here, I do not know. But I do know I was responsible, at least partly. I am sorry for ripping you from your world.”
At hearing the genuine concern and regret behind her voice, my heart softened. “Well,” I began, “I can tell if people- ponies, whichever- are lying. You are not. And know this: while I may love Gondor than anything else in my life, I hold nothing against you.”
“You don't?”
“Of course not. You did not intentionally snatch us, did you?”
“No...”
“Then no harm done. Anyways, we where facing our deaths when the portal transported us, so, in a way, you saved our lives. For that,” I picked up my sword, “I owe you my life. As such,” I knelt before the six ponies and held my sword out flat in my palms, “I offer my life in service to you and your fellows.”
Twilight Sparkle's Point of View Time Since Arrival: 15 minutes, 34 seconds Location: Twilight Sparkle's Library
Silence. Boromir knelt on one knee in front of me, his hands still offering his sword, head bowed, and silent. Behind him, the one who appeared to be the leader – what was his name again? Gandalf? – made a motion that looked like he wanted to grab Boromir and yank him back, but thought better of it.
“Boromir...I am honored, but I- I can't accept this,” I said, stammering.
“Why not?” he asked, not raising his head. “You saved my life. A Warrior of Gondor is honor-bound to serve his savor for the remainder of his years. Why do you decline my offer?”
“Because...it would not be right. I am not comfortable with holding a Pony's – or whatever you call yourselves – life in my hooves. I cannot accept your offer of servitude in good conscience.”
Boromir was silent for a moment. Then he said, “What is this strange land? In Gondor, oaths of eternal servitude are so common, it is almost as routine keeping watch on Mordor. I get off topic. Twilight Sparkle, where I come from, if a Man saves another Man's life, it is expected that the saved one would pledge allegiance to the savior. To me, this is a matter of honor. Please.”
I hesitated, thinking it over. “I must repeat myself, I cannot accept this. I cannot do this. This would not be right. Nopony should ever hold that much power over another. It unbalances the world. It leads to disharmony. I cannot, as one of the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony, allow this. It would not be right.”
“Your reluctance to take power is...interesting,” Gandalf said, his voice tinted with an odd tone.
“Why?” I asked, confused and curious.
“Oh, it is just different from our land. There, there is war over power so often, it is commonplace.”
“War? War is almost unheard of here. Equestria has not been at war for over a thousand years. The last war we had is referred to as the War of the Bloodied Crystals, and it occurred when King Sombra took over the neighboring Crystal Empire, bent the minds of all the Ponies living there by using black magic, making them into his slaves, and led them to invade Equestria unprovoked. The war lasted some two years and had claimed many lives before the Battle of Fillydelphia, where the Princesses Celestia and Luna were able to use the magic of the Elements of Harmony to defeat King Sombra and banish him to the Frozen Arctic, thus ending the war and freeing his mind-slaves. There were no victory celebrations for the Crystal Ponies, however. In a brief moment, the King was free to cast one spell. He cursed the Crystal Empire, causing to simply vanish. Nopony has seen nor heard anything from it since its disappearance.”
“Really? That must had been powerful magic, more powerful than any known in Middle-Earth,” Gandalf said.
“You could say that. This,” I levitated a book to me, “is a book containing all the known and most of the speculated magical artifacts in the history of Equestria. Thankfully, the Kingdom of Unicorns, especially Clover the Clever, kept very detailed records of every magical artifact in their realm. Here,” I showed him a page that had an odd necklace that had a unicorn head with pegasus wings, “is an artifact known as the Alicorn Amulet. Allegedly, it was made by King Sombra while he was experimenting with magic in an attempt to become an Alicorn. The Amulet was an experiment that went wrong. However, Sombra quickly re-constituted it to be an artifact with enough magical power to rival the Elements of Harmony in battle. If this was the case, then it failed miserably. Nopony knows whether it is real or not, but the legend says that the Pony who wields this artifact– and it does not have to be a unicorn, a pegasus or earth pony can use it just as well– would be granted 'untold and mysterious power in magic'. However, this Amulet is a double-edged sword. Slowly, progressively getting worse, the user would become more and more power-hungry and insane every time the mare used the Amulet. Eventually, the Amulet would completely erase all traces of the user's original mind and body, replacing it with a dark, wraith-like appearance. For reasons not known in the legend, the Amulet will abandon its user at this phase, no longer working. It will then seek out a new user, and the deadly cycle will repeat. It says that the last known user of the Alicorn Amulet was,” I hesitated, squinting at the text, “King Sombra.”
By the end of the legend, Gandalf looked like I had hit him over the head with a frying pan. Several times. “How many...Ponies...know of this Alicorn Amulet?” he asked. I noticed that his voice had a tone of urgency about it.
“Very few. Only a handful of Ponies have heard of this legend. It is not very well regarded by the Royal Ministry of Education or the Royal Ministry of Pony History. Hersey, apparently. Even fewer, at most a couple dozen, even knows what the Amulet looks like. I think the Princesses and the Ponies here are the only ones who know the full legend. I also am sure that this book is very rare, seeing as in my sixteen years of studying magic and anything else that interested me, I have ran across this book exactly once before, and that was in the Canterlot Royal Archives. Why do you ask?”
Gandalf hesitated for a long moment. Then he said, “...I think we should tell them.”
“Tell us what?” Rainbow Dash asked right away.
“Our mission,” Gimli spoke for the first time. He had a deep, gruff voice.
“What about your mission?” I asked, suspicion coloring my voice. If they had anything to do with-
Apparently, my words were more tinted than I thought, for Gandalf said, “Do not worry, we are here on a peaceful mission to everybody who opposes evil.”
“And just what is your mission?” asked Rainbow Dash, in a voice that made it clear that she would accept no more evasions.
The entire group glanced at Gandalf “Well, you see...” Boromir began, but trailed off. Again, he glanced at Gandalf.
Aragorn stepped forward. “We...we carry a great burden. A burden of great evil. It...well, it is a long story.”
“We have time,” replied Rainbow Dash, undaunted.
“Are you sure you wish to hear this? It is a tale of great evil and things that may be alien to you,” Legolas asked.
I used my magic to levitate a sack of parchment and a few quills, with ink, over to me. “Yes, I am sure,” I said. Silently, however, I was terrified of the outcome.
“Very well,” Gandalf said. “Just remember, you asked for this.” With that, he and his fellows weaved a tale that I found hard to believe, and even harder to imagine. A story of great battles, the alliance of two races against a common foe: an enemy known as Sauron. That was apparently was long in the past. Now, a Ring had been found. Referred to as the One Ring, it carried Sauron's life force. As long as this Ring existed, Sauron could not be killed.
Silence followed as Gandalf finished with one last bombshell: Their group, the Fellowship of the Ring, as they called themselves, was carrying the Ring on a mission to destroy it and evil once and for all.
After a few long moments of silence, I looked at my friends and asked, “Applejack?” As the Bearer of the Element of Honesty, she can usually tell if somepony is lying.
“Well, he is as sure as rain tellin' the truth, Twilight,” she said, sounding slightly shocked. “But a story like that, I can't believe it.”
Me neither, I thought, but didn't say out loud. “Well, if the Element of Honesty says so, then they must be telling the truth.”
“Well, can we see this...Ring?” Rainbow Dash asked, acting slightly scared. Nopony else would have seen it, but I recognized the ever so slight change in her posture.
“Well...” Gandalf began, “there is something that you must know about this Ring. It corrupts the minds of beings that come near it. They began to think that they could control the Ring, and use its power.”
“I see...” I trailed off. “It appears to be very similar to the Legend of the Alicorn Amulet. Well,– Wait, I have an idea! We can use the Elements of Harmony. The Elements are the most powerful magic artifacts in all of Equestria. Even all of the Alicorn Princesses, working together, can not even hope to match the Elements' combined might. If the Alicorn Amulet was made and used by Sombra, then it failed to defeat the Elements of Harmony. What if we use our magic to attempt to destroy this Ring?”
Gandalf seemed to struggle with something in himself for a moment. “I suppose that would be worth an attempt.”
“Very well. We shouldn't do it in here. The Elements tend to be very destructive when used in a confined space.”
Rainbow Dash's Point of View Time Since Arrival: 45 minutes Location: A Grassy Plain Behind Twilight's Library
We trooped out behind Twilight's Library. Personally, I wasn't too sure about this plan. I thought that if destroying this Ring was as easy as casting a spell, these people would have done it long ago. But if Twilight was sure about the plan, then that was good enough for me.
I said to Gandalf, “Now, we need to see the Ring if we are to cast a spell on it.”
He sighed, and nodded to the one that they called Frodo. Frodo reached into his shirt and pulled out a small, golden ring. To me, it was nothing special. Certainly nothing to start a war over. It was merely a golden ring, and the only thing even remotely interesting about it was a series of small engravings. I looked around to my friends. Most of them seemed unaffected. However, Twilight started looking at the Ring funny. I felt an odd sensation in my heart. It was like a sense of impeding doom. I was not superstitious at the time, so I ignored it, dismissing it as worthless. How wrong I was.
“Let's do this, ladies!” I said, snapping Twilight back to reality. “Everypony ready?” I asked.
The answer was a resounding yes.
“You know what to do, then.”
Gandalf's Point of View Time Since Arrival: 47 minutes Location: Unknown
I watched, silently praying to some higher power. I saw the six Ponies close their eyes in concentration, and their necklaces/crown began to glow. Soon, they shot beams of light from their Elements. I watched in awe as the beams merged into one. Suddenly, two rainbow-colored beams appeared, circling up and meeting at a point about a quarter of a league in the air. From this, a new, combined rainbow arched down and collided with the Ring with extreme force. From ten meters away, I could feel some of the extreme magic in use. It felt like...well, I am not certain. It was is intense as core of the Sun, but it was not heat. It was similar to love, but was not quite that either. It had me confounded for a few moments, until I thought back to the name of the artifacts. “The Elements of Harmony...” It seemed ridiculous, but these artifacts seemed to be tapping into the very force that binds friends together. One thing was certain, though. This magic was so strong, not even all the magic in Middle-Earth put together could even consider standing against it. The Ponies continued channeling their magic for several minutes before the rainbow light finally faded, leaving behind a huge cloud of dust.
Against such might, it seemed the Ring must have been vaporized, crushed into non-existence. At the very least, the Ring should have had all traces of evil removed from it. However, when the dust settled, there the Ring sat, not a mark on it. Sorrowfully, I tentatively extended a magical probe towards the Ring. When my probe reached it, I sharply pulled it back. There was no doubt.
I looked up. The six Ponies were moving slowly and sluggishly. It appeared that they had each been knocked unconscious briefly.
“Are you alright?” Aragorn asked them.
“Yes,” Twilight Sparkle responded. “Forgive us. Using the Elements can be... disorientating.”
“Well?” the one named Rainbow Dash asked us, “Did it work?”
“No,” I replied curtly. I was about to say more when the sky darkened, and a resounding voice echoed over us. I will not write down the exact words, for it was the language of Mordor.
“What- What was that?” asked the yellow pegasus, Fluttershy, if I was correct.
“That,” I said, “is the Voice of the Enemy. In the language of Mordor, which I shall not repeat here, it said: 'Fools! How dare you think to oppose me, the Great and Mighty Sauron! You shall all be punished for this. I now know where you are...' That was it. The Voice stopped speaking after that.”
“If it knows were we are...” Rainbow Dash started.
“Then we are all in grave danger,” I concluded grimly.
Legolas's Point of View Time Since Arrival: 57 minutes Location: Just in Front of Twilight Sparkle's Library
“So this Enemy, Sauron, cares for nothing but his own domination over the world?” Twilight asked, frantically pacing back and forth.
“That is correct,” I responded.
“Geez, he needs a new hobby. Wait! I know! Let's throw him a party! Maybe that will lighten his mood,” Pinkie Pie said.
I smiled. “That may have been a good idea six thousand years ago, when Sauron was not quite too evil yet. However, now...not so much.”
“Whatever is the matter? You keep looking around you like will never see this place the same again,” Rarity asked.
“That is because I probably won't,” Gandalf said darkly.
“What? What makes you say that?” Twilight asked, wearing a look of total surprise and ever so slight suspicion.
Gandalf hesitated for a moment and said, “We made grave error in attempting to destroy the Ring. Now that we have, Sauron knows where the Ring went, and trust me when I say that he will do anything necessary to capture it.”
“Wait,” Rainbow Dash said, “Are you telling me that because of some random chance of fate, all of Equestria is threatened?”
“I am afraid so,” I responded.
The Ponies looked at each other, muttering. “Well, what should we do?” Twilight asked.
“Do you have an Armed Force?”
“Well, yes, but they haven't been necessary since...” Twilight trailed off.
“Since?” Gandalf asked.
She raised her head. “The Battle for Canterlot. Oh, we are in so much trouble.”
“What was that?”
“Remember, girls?” Twilight asked her friends. They nodded, with the air of somebody tasting something unpleasant.
“What was the Battle for Canterlot?” Gandalf asked urgently.
“The most recent battle. It occurred about two and a half years ago, when the Changeling Empire attacked Canterlot, the capital of Equestria. The battle went...poorly.” The other Ponies nodded in agreement.
“Then what saved you? If I am right, Equestria maintained its independence, am I?” Gandalf asked hurriedly. I glanced at him, getting the feeling that he knew more than he was letting on.
“You are right, Equestria remains a free country. However, the thing that saved us was not our military, but the magic of Love. Using it, my brother, Captain Shinning Armor and his love, Princess Cadence, banished the Changelings to areas unknown. We have no idea where they disappeared to, but ever since, the Equestrian Government has seriously stepped up the importance of the Military. Funding to it has been increased by a factor of ten. They have created a new office, the rank of Commander. The Commander has complete control over the Equestrian Armed Forces, within the bounds of the Equestrian Constitution. The latest Commander, I don't remember his name straight of the top of my head, has completely re-done the training process, expanded the Army, and has eliminated many of the old, obsolete tactics that the Military used to use. As a result, the Military is said to be much better in combat. However, none of us have ever seen any of them in battle.”
Gandalf nodded. “I recommend that we speak to the leaders of your nation. They need to hear this.”
Suddenly, we heard some banging inside the library. I opened the door, only to swiftly to close it as bows spat their black-shafted arrows at me.
“Wh-What was that?” Fluttershy asked.
I turned and faced the groups, a feeling of primal loathing in the pit of my stomach. “Orcs,” I spat.
Twilight Sparkle's Point of View Time Since Arrival: 1 hour, 5 minutes Location: Outside My Library
“Orcs?” I asked. I vaguely remembered Gandalf saying something about them. Aren't they...
“Servants of Sauron! Draw your weapons, my fellows!” Gandalf exclaimed. As one, every member of the Fellowship drew a sword or other weapon. Gimli handled a massive battleax like a butter knife and Legolas carried his bow like he knew how to use it.
“Rainbow Dash! Pinkie Pie!” I called. “You two are the fastest. Track down the Ponyville Defensive Force. Notify them that Ponyville is under attack by unknown enemies, and we need them here. Go!”
Pinkie snapped a firm salute and dived into the nearest mailbox. Rainbow hesitated for a moment, then said, “No can do. Pinkie will cover it. In the meantime, I am staying by your side, Twilight, and everypony else's, too.”
“Dash!” I exclaimed, irritated. I did not press the issue, though. I knew that when Dash made up her mind on an affair like this one, there was no changing it.
“Now, listen,” Gandalf began. “These creatures are brutal and ruthless. They will kill you in a second and not think anything of it. You need to run.”
“With all due respect, sir. If you think we will flee and leave our friends here, you are insane,” Rarity said.
“Is that a challenge?!” Rainbow Dash demanded at the same time. “I never leave Ponyville hanging. And I will not abandon friends of mine!”
Gandalf sighed. “We have no weapons for you to use,” he said.
“We don't care,” I responded. “Our hooves are good enough.”
“And my lasso!” Applejack exclaimed, flourishing it.
Gandalf sighed again. “You don't seem get it. This is not a game. This is not practice. This creatures can and will kill you if they get half a chance.”
“And you don't seem to get it. We may not look like much, but we fought in the Battle at Canterlot to defend our friends and nation. We will fight again!” Fluttershy exclaimed, demonstrating an odd amount of assertiveness.
Before Gandalf could argue further, the door to my library was broken down. I started casting combat spells that I learned in an old book that dated back to the Kingdom of Unicorns. The Fellowship organized into a formation and they fought like they had been in battle before. Most of them probably had, if war was half as common as they made it out to be.
After a moment's hesitation, the Orcs charged forward, and the battle went hoof-to-hoof. There were about fifty Orcs in total. Running forward, Applejack and Rainbow Dash led the charge. Following them was Fluttershy, holding her head high, ready for action. Rarity and I brought up the rear, using magic and speed to our advantage.
I saw that these Orcs were carrying swords that had an odd bend at the end of the sword. All of the blades looked new, like the Orcs carrying them have just gotten replacements or something. They also wore differing armor. A few things were all the same, though. First, they looked at us with a look of pure hatred. Second, they fought separate from each other, with little or no clear leadership or chain of command. Finally, they all wore helmets that had a white hand painted on them.
I dodged a savage sword swing and bucked the attacker back, yelling “For Equestria!” I head a snap and the Orc cried out in agony. Looking over, I saw that I had caved in the chest of my attacker.
“Score one for Equestria!” Legolas yelled over to me, dispatching his own opponent. “These Ponies are great fighters. I shudder to think what they could accomplish with a sword or spear.”
I felt slightly sick that I had just killed, but I shoved the emotion aside. Time for that later. Right now, I have a country to defend, I thought as I saw twenty Orcs closing in around me, grinning savagely.
Aragon's Point of View Time Since Arrival: 1 hour, 17 minutes Location: Ponyville, Equestria
I dueled with an Orc, blocking and trading blows, when a blue blur appeared and slammed into my opponent with great force. The Orc fell, most of the bones in his body broken, and I saw Rainbow Dash on top of the broken and battered body, saying “That one was for my friends.”
“Then score one for them,” I responded.
Suddenly, there was a loud scream. “Twilight!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, and took off in the direction of the scream. Swearing under my breath, I ran after her.
Rainbow Dash's Point of View
No, no, NO, NOO! I thought to myself, darting towards a large group of Orcs. I hit one Orc, shattering its bone structure, and fought my way to Twilight, who was laying on the ground. The Orcs had gathered around her, looking like they were...well...playing.
I killed two of the ten Orcs there rapidly, and seriously injured a third. The rest backed off and did not try to stop me.
“Fluttershy! I need you! NOW!” I screamed. Like lightning, she was there.
“Help her!” I urged Fluttershy. “Don't worry about the Orcs. I will address them.”
I flew over their heads and landed behind them, yelling, “Cowards! Come at me, you filthy pieces of sh*t!”
That pissed them off.
They charged me, some fifteen strong, and I knew that I couldn't hold all of them off. This is for you, Twilight, I thought.
Aragorn's Point of View
I saw Rainbow Dash hold her ground against fifteen Orcs. These Ponies sure are brave, I thought to myself. Stupid, but brave. I prepared my sword and joined Dash, ready for combat.
“Fancy meeting you here!” Dash yelled at me over the sounds of battle.
I blocked an Orc's sword and beheaded him. “I've had worse meetings!” I shouted back.
She smiled at me, then turned and looked at our enemy. Her face hardened into a look of pure hatred, and she yelled at them, “BACK! NOPONY TOUCHES HER!”
I noticed that her necklace was starting to glow again, and she was floating a meter off the ground without using her wings. Suddenly, there was a burst of bright red light and a deafening bang. When I regained my vision, all the Orcs were laying on the ground, slain or knocked unconscious. Rainbow was leaning over her friend, Twilight.
“Will she be okay?” she asked Fluttershy, a tone of panic in her voice.
Before Fluttershy could answer, a trumpet sounded.
Pinkie Pie appeared, a group of Ponies in armor behind her.
“You're late!” Rainbow Dash yelled at Pinkie.
“Hey, Dashie! I– wait, is that Twilight?”
“Yes.”
At hearing this, Pinkie's mane instantly went from wild, excited and poofy to straight and solemn. “Will she be okay?” Pinkie asked, quietly.
Rainbow looked to Fluttershy. “You are the medical expert here,” she said. “Will she be alright?”
Fluttershy hesitated, then said, “Yes. She received a cut across her front left leg. She many also have a minor concussion. It won't take too long to heal naturally.”
“Why is she out cold, then?” asked Rainbow Dash.
“Shock, mainly. She should be coming around in a few moments.”
They all sighed in relief. I however, was thoroughly confused. The gash looked rather nasty to me, and my Ranger experience told a very different story that these Ponies were saying.
“Wait a moment,” I said. “A wound like this,” I pointed to the cut, “would put a Man out of action for weeks. Am I missing something?”
Before they could answer, a dark gray pegasus Pony that wore armor made of a metal I could not identify ran up to us. “Is the conflict over?”
“Yes, no thanks to you,” Rainbow Dash almost spat. “Now, please go get a Medical Unicorn. We have a wounded Pony here!”
“Yes, ma'am,” the soldier responded, flying back to his forces.
I looked to Dash with surprise. “Does everybody here just order around the military like that?”
“Well, the Ponyville Defensive Force, stationed here not that long ago, are the servants of the Ponies living here. It consists of thirty earth ponies, twenty pegasi, and a dozen unicorns. They are supposed to keep the peace and act as Ponyville's police, emergency response squadron, and standing army. As a result, they are not exactly part of the military, but are not quite civilians, either.”
A unicorn, presumably the Medical Unicorn that Rainbow Dash had sent for, trotted up. “We have a wounded Pony here?” he asked.
“Yes, we do,” Rainbow Dash said curtly.
“Let's see what I can do, then,” the unicorn said. He closed his eyes in focus and an eerie green light enveloped his horn.
“Green? He's a Changeling! Get him!” Rainbow Dash yelled, and tackled the unicorn.
The “unicorn” threw Dash off of him and suddenly he was enveloped in a bright, ugly green light. Suddenly, he flared brighter then the sun. When the light faded, a black, ugly insect-like creature laid on the ground, exactly where the unicorn had been. Rainbow jumped back on top of it, beating the creature into a pulp.
“Changelings!” she said, disgusted. She actually spat on the corpse. She took to the air and yelled “LET THAT BE AN EXAMPLE TO ALL WHO WOULD ATTACK EQUESTRIA OR MY FRIENDS; THERE WILL BE NO SAFE HAVEN!”
I looked to her with a mixture of shock and awe. “You are a fierce creature, you know that?”
She beamed at me.
Twilight moaned and stirred from unconsciousness. “Girls?” she asked, seeing her friends gathered around her.
“Twilight!” they exclaimed, and enveloped her in a group hug. It was clear to me that these Ponies had a bond stronger than any I have ever seen.
“Hey, ladies?” I asked. They slowly gave me their attention. “What was that creature that Dash here just beat into next week?”
The Ponies took on a dark look. “They are creatures named Changelings,” Rainbow Dash responded, solemnly.
“They feed by taking the form of somepony you love and gain power by literally eating the love you give them,” Twilight continued. “They can hold a disguise for an almost unlimited amount of time, all the time getting stronger and stronger. They rule an Empire on the other side of the East Sea. Relationships between the Changeling Empire and Equestria have steadily getting worse over the years, finally coming to bear with the Battle at Canterlot two and a half years ago, where Queen Chrysalis, along with the First and Second Legions of the Changeling Empire, attempted to take over Canterlot. They aren't great fighters in terms of tactics, but they are some of the fiercest fighters on this world. They strike fast, greatly outnumbering their enemies, slaughter everything they see and run before you can actually pull your forces and attack them in return.” Her words rang eerily in my ears. These Changelings sounded a lot like Orcs.
“How can you tell if somebody you know is a Changeling or not?” asked Gandalf, who had come up silently turning Twilight's talk.
“It's difficult. Look for a change in attitude, combative behavior. The Princesses have been trying to develop a way for two and a half years now. There is a spell that forces a Changeling to show its true form. However, the spell is very complicated and if the one you are screening is not a Changeling, then it is excruciatingly painful and can kill her. The only one dead giveaway is if the Changeling tries to use magic. Their magic always glows an eerie green.”
“Like the 'Medical Unicorn' that almost used some magic on you to 'heal' you,” I supplied.
A look of panic appeared on her face. “A Changeling used magic on me?”
“No,” I said, “thanks to the quick action of Rainbow Dash, the Changeling was slain in an instant.”
She breathed a sigh of relief.
“You see, this complicates matters,” Rainbow Dash said.
“Yes, it does,” Twilight said.
“How so?” Rarity asked.
“Nobody is safe anymore,” Gandalf said in a forlorn voice.
Rainbow Dash's Point of View Time Since Arrival: 1 hour, 47 minutes Location: Twilight's Library
I was exhausted. The battle, not that long ago, had left me feeling as if somepony took my body, beat the crap out of it, ran it in a marathon, and then beat it up again. Despite this, I stood beside Twilight, ready to do whatever she needed me to do.
“Rainbow, get that down for me,” she said, gesturing to a book that must have been almost my own size.
I flew up to it, and brought the book down. Boy, it was heavy! I was almost convinced it had bricks in it.
“Carefully, carefully...” she said to me, watching the book with a look of concern written all over her face. Moaning slightly under the weight, I deposited it somewhat gentility on the table in front of her.
“Excellent, now, let us see...” she trailed off, blowing some of the dust off of the cover. The title read The Comprehensive Guide to the World of Quantum Mechanics and Other Related Subjects.
“What is that for?” I asked, more just for the sake of asking than anything else.
“Oh, this?” she asked. “This is a book that breaks down everything known about time travel, the fabric of the universe, and dimensional and universal/multiversal theory, among other related things. Not something I usually study, but one does see the demand once in a while. Plus, it is just fascinating work! Unfortunately, I usually have more pressing things to study.”
“How does it work?” I asked, mildly interested.
“Oh, it involves extremely long and complicated mathematical equations, tons of time, and a lot of guesswork. You have to be willing to invest hours of your time and not get anywhere. There are Ponies in the Royal Ministry of Physics that devote their entire lives to this kind of work.”
I scoffed quietly, and said, “Well, what use is it? It clearly isn't that important.”
Twilight responded sarcastically, saying, “Well, when one of those Ponies finally work out the 'Great Equation,' as it is called, and is able to explain what our entire universe is made up of and how it operates, as well as how to manipulate the very strands of reality themselves, I am sure they would love to hear you say that their work is 'not that important'.”
I paled at hearing the implications of this.
“You get it?” Twilight threw out teasingly. “A Pony or group of Ponies who understood this could conceivably rule the world – no, the universe! How would you fight an enemy that could suspend time, warp space, control the flow of magic to a degree not even Princess Celestia or Luna would understand, or even eliminate you before you even existed? Short answer: you can't. But, this work is no big deal.”
She waited for a moment, making sure that her message had sunk in. “However, lucky for you, I am not trying to subject the universe to my will. Not today, at least. What I am doing is looking up dimensional theory, in an attempt to seal what appears to be hole between Middle-Earth and Equestria. Wherever that Fellowship came from, they did not 'close the doors' behind them. As it stands, there is a open area between the dimensions that allows for those Orcs to come into this world. I hope to find something to close that gap. Although we manged to hold them off today, we cannot expect that to continue. The last squadron was fifty strong and I guess that they stumbled upon the portal. What if the Enemy finds this portal and sends another squadron though, but this one numbers fifty hundred? As it stands, we cannot hold of an army of that size. We need intelligence, and, above that, we need time. If I can find a way to stop or slow them for a day or two, the Equestrian Armies will be that much closer to us.”
I respond, “Now, did it occur to you, Twilight, that we should just send the Fellowship back to their Middle-Earth and call it good?”
“No, Rainbow. That is not a very ethical decision. Besides, I spoke with Gandalf. He said that even it we do so, Sauron will simply return and attempt to capture all of Equestria. His ambition knows no bounds. Also, even if we wanted to send them back, the portal is...well, the portal appears to have some kind of one-way effect active on it. They can send things though, but we can not. Hopefully, I can fix that.”
“Twilight, be honest with me. Do you think that the Equestrian Armies can even consider standing up to these Orcs? Remember the Battle at Canterlot, and what a disaster that was. Over a fifth of all the Royal Guards were killed in action. Another two-fifths seriously wounded in combat. In addition, almost three hundred innocent civilians were killed, for Celestia's sake!"
Twilight hesitated, then said, “It comes down to this question: Do you trust Commander Thunder Mask? I have looked over his military history, and it is quite impressive. The Commander has a long history of defending Equestria's borders against raiding parties of Changelings and Diamond Dogs. What most Ponies don't realize is that the Changelings and Diamond Dogs pose a real threat to Equestria. He has led forces to victory in skirmishes and engagements that should have, by all rights, been suicidal. Not only that, but he did not take one casualty in many of them. In general, he has never lost more than a fourth of the forces under his command in any one engagement, be it in victory or defeat. You probably don't know this, but when Shining Armor was detained in the castle at the Battle at Canterlot, along with us, it fell on Shining's lieutenant to lead the counter-attack while the Changelings ran free. He was slain about three-fourths of the way through the battle. As a result, Thunder Mask assumed command of the Guard. Using his strategies, he saved hundreds, if not thousands, of lives, many of them civilians. He is a tactical genius, truly understanding what it means to execute a perfect plan. More importantly, he is both fiercely loyal and patient. Finally, he has very high regard for the Ponies under his command, and allegedly even refers to them as his foals.”
I, along with Boromir and Gandalf, who had come up during this talk, let out a low whistle. Boromir said, “If we had a hundred Men like that, not even Mordor or Sauron himself could stop Gondor!”
“Just to satisfy my own curiosity, which race is he?” Gandalf asked.
“Race? I believe you mean Tribe. He is from the Pegasi Tribe, and is a direct descendant of Commander Hurricane, one of the Six Founders of Equestria. Why do you ask?”
“Oh, no reason, just an old man asking too many questions,” Gandalf responded, a little too quickly. My eyes narrowed because I did not buy that story for a second. Before I could press him for details, though, Twilight spoke up.
“Well, this has been a delight. However, I really need to get back to this studying, and see if we can fix this before the Enemy finds the portal and uses it to wreak us all. Get moving!”
Commander Thunder's Point of View Time Since Arrival: 2 hours, 45 minutes Location: Palace Room, Canterlot Castle, Canterlot, Equestria
“You sent for me, your Highnesses?” I called as I entered the regal room. I had just completed my exercises for the day and was preparing for my inspection of the Canterlot Military Academy, which I do every now and then, spontaneously, so nopony knows I'm coming. That way, I get the best possible assessment on how my troops are doing. Just before I departed, I received an urgent summons from the Princesses themselves. Of course, the summons took priority over the inspection.
“Commander Thunder Mask, is your sword sharp?” Princess Luna asked, slightly curtly.
I hesitated, taken aback by the unexpected question. Asking whether a Pony's sword is sharp is asking, according to old traditions that date back to the Three Tribes Period, whether or not the Pony is ready for war. “Yes ma'am, my sword is sharp and ready to serve Equestria. May I inquire as to the reason for this?” I responded, following the traditional phrasing.
Celestia said, also following tradition, “Commander, we have received correspondence with Twilight Sparkle, Bearer of the Element of Magic. Are you aware of this mare?”
“Yes, ma'am,” I responded. Everypony had heard of the six young mares, barely out of foalhood, who had saved the nation of Equestria two times at the least. They stood up to the terrifying Nightmare Moon and Discord. They also fought and crushed, unarmed, the entire Second Legion of the Changeling Empire, finally being defeated by the First Legion.
Amazingly, not one of them were wounded. If they were soldiers under my command, I would have awarded them the Golden Metal of Harmony, Equestria's highest military award, long ago.
“The letter reads as follows: 'Ponyville recently was under attack by enemies know as Orcs. A squadron approximately thirty strong assaulted us ten minutes ago. Battle insured. Nopony was killed, I was lightly wounded. Need reinforcements as soon as possible. It is probable that more will arrive in time.'”
I pondered it for a few moments and said, “Not much to go on. I believe that I should mobilize the First Legion of Equestria. We will march to Ponyville and post a guard. Is this agreeable to you, Your Highnesses?”
“Yes, Commander. You have our approval. Your orders are as follows: You are to assemble the First Legion of Equestria and march to Ponyville. There, you are to keep watch on the town and prevent any hostile force from taking the village. We remind you that attempting to interfere with the administration of the town with military forces, barring cases of immediate threat, is an act of treason, and shall be punished to the fullest extent of the law. Do you understand your orders?”
“Yes, ma'am!”
“Very well. Good luck, and may the Sun and Moon ever guide you.”
I bowed, then left the throne room as fast as courtesy would allow. I had work to do.
(30 minutes later...)
“Captain Shining Armor, reporting as ordered!” said the white coated unicorn in front of me, snapping to attention.
“At ease, Soldier of Equestria,” I said. “Now, let us drop the formalities. Is your sword sharp?”
He looked to me and said, “Of course, the Guard is always ready to serve Equestria. I take that this is not a drill?”
I shook my head no and began pacing. “Have you heard from your sister, Twilight Sparkle, lately?”
“Um, no sir,” Shining Armor said. Then what I had said sunk in, and he said, with a look of panic, “Has something happened to her? To her friends? To-”
I held up my hoof for silence, and he cut himself off. “To answer your question, approximately one and a half hours ago, Ponyville was attacked by an unknown force. Preliminary reports say the force was some thirty strong. The Bearers engaged this new enemy. Do not worry, nopony was killed in action. However, your sister was lightly wounded. I am mobilizing the First Legion of Equestria to reinforce Ponyville if necessary.”
I saw a confused look on his face, but before he could ask a question, I continued, “I need you to place the Guard onto alert, and to ensure that Canterlot does not fall to invasion. If Ponyville was just assaulted, then the enemy must have some way of bypassing the entire area between the border and Ponyville. If this is the case, then Canterlot can fall under attack easily.”
“Permission to speak freely, sir?” Shining Armor asked me.
“Of course,” I responded.
“With all due respect, if you think I will sit on my rump back here in Canterlot while Ponyville is possibly under attack, then you are insane, sir,” he said.
“Well, insane or not, I am still the Commander, your superior officer, and you still have your orders,” I shot back, slightly irradiated.
“Again, with all due respect sir, take your orders and shove them up your a**,” he responded. “I am going with you to Ponyville, and I will not take no for an answer.”
I puffed up my chest, about to blow my top at him. What was he thinking? Despite him being the Captain of the Royal Guard, I am still his superior officer! Despite him being married the Princess Cadence, the Princess of Love – oh. Love. Duh, I thought, my anger instantly cooling. “You must love her very much,” I said, in a voice barely greater than a whisper.
“Who?”
“Your sister, Twilight Sparkle.”
He hesitated, then said, “Yes I do...Even now, I feel ashamed that I was not there to help her in the fighting, and, maybe as a result, she was injured.”
“I see,” I responded, thinking the situation over. “Well, here is my compromise. You shall return to your post and ready the Royal Guard for war. I will delay from marching with the First Legion of Equestria for exactly one and a half hours. At the end of that time, we will depart, whether you are with us or not. In the highly unlikely scenario that you succeed in preparing your Armies, you will be permitted to come with us. Do I make myself perfectly clear?”
“Yes, sir!” he bellowed, snapping a firm salute.
“I hope so. Remember that you are gambling lives in this maneuver. I do this only because of your exemplary service to the Royal Guard and your connection to Twilight Sparkle, who will never forgive me if I forced you to stay in Canterlot. Now go!”
Saruman's Point of View Location: Isengard, Middle-Earth
“So,” I said, reading the reports. “So.”
The Orc leader in front of me quavered, probably feeling my anger radiating off of me. “My lord, we simply need more workers!”
I thought over this for a few minutes, pondering. Then I remembered the vision I had in the in the Palantir. “How many Orcs can you muster?” I asked the leader in front of me.
“At short notice, five hundred. If I am given two or three days, at least two or three thousand.”
“Send out your messengers. I have discovered a...place. A place of smaller, but hard working horses. They are intelligent, but peace-loving and weak. Resistance should be expected, but will not be too strong. I will personally lead our armies. There, we will get all the slaves we could possibly want.”
Chapter 5: “Preparations” The War for the Ring...Enters Equestria
Twilight Sparkle's Point of View Time Since Arrival: 4 hours, 45 minutes Location: My Library
“Twilight. All of us need to talk,” said Rainbow Dash.
I looked up from my book, seeing all of my dearest friends looking at me. They all had sorrowful looks on their faces. “What is it?” I asked, but I was already pretty sure what this was about.
“Well...you see-” Fluttershy began, then she broke out crying. I felt my own eyes starting to water.
“This is about what we...did...during the battle, isn't it?” I said in a shaking voice.
“Yeah,” responded Rainbow Dash. Even she seemed sullen, her cocky attitude gone.
I said, “Now, girls,” and that was it. I broke down crying hard. I tried to stop, but the floodgates were well and truly open .
You see, it had been a thousand years since Equestria was last at war, and the years of peace had brought new values and aspects to Pony culture. The most notable is that the taking of a life is considered the greatest crime somepony could commit. In doing so, you are basically saying that you believe that the one you just killed is beyond all redemption, and they are better off dead.
In the middle of this weap-fest, the door opened and in came Gandalf, Boromir, and Aragorn. “What is the matter?” exclaimed Boromir, seeing our tears.
“I know what,” said Aragorn quietly. “Was this your first time taking lives?”
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak.
“Is that all? Wow,” Boromir said shaking his head. Aragorn turned and stared at him, aghast.
I do not know why, but what he said made me livid. “What?” I yelled. “Are we too peaceful? Are we too kind for you? Would you prefer a society of murders and thieves? Nopony in Equestria has not had to kill in longer than anypony can remember, so forgive us if we are not instantly ready to kill. Gah! The very thought of murder is a disease! In your society, do you kill and fight like it is no big deal?”
I could tell that Boromir's temper had flared in turn. He started, “At Gondor-.” Aragorn cut him off with a hand.
“That's enough, Boromir,” he said in a calm, yet firm, voice. “Go outside and watch over the Halflings.”
Boromir clearly wanted to argue, but decided against it. He stomped out of my library, slamming the door behind him.
“Now,” said Aragorn, “tell me what you six are thinking.”
“We-Well,” Fluttershy began, drying some of her tears with a hoof. “None of us have ever k-killed before, and...” she couldn't continue, breaking down into new and worse sobs.
Rainbow spoke up, “It's not that we cannot kill it's just that, well...” she broke off. I saw tears in her eyes. Even the great Dash had sentiment deep down, within her. She did not continue, but shook her head sorrowfully.
Gandalf said, “Now, allow me to tell you something about Orcs. They are vile, foul, and ruthless, but they were not always this way. Rather, they were once Elves. However, dark powers, looking to breed an army, used black magic to twist and subject them to their will. Now, they are disheveled and evil. There is no hope for them. Some people theorize, however, that deep, deep down within, the Elf that gave them their life is still alive. Regardless, the best thing you can do for an Orc is kill it.”
Before I could respond, Aragorn jumped in. “Now, I know next to nothing about you or your people. But know this. What you did out there, while it may be ugly, and nobody wants to do it, what you did is the bravest and greatest thing you can do. You chose to stand against a foe that would probably have killed-” I flinched at the word killed, “or enslaved all of your people. And while you may have been afraid, you did not allow fear to stop you. You Ponies have committed the highest act of honor. Not many Soldiers of Gondor can claim so much.”
I looked around, and saw my friends looking better. I felt my own mood improving.
“Now,” Aragorn continued, “we all know that the Orcs will probably return. And I need to know if I can count on you to fight again. Yes, you will have to kill. If you cannot bear that idea, then speak now. Remember, when you fight, you do not fight to take. You fight to defend and protect. If you take one life, then you probably have saved hundreds, if not thousands more.”
After this little pep rally, I felt loads better. “Thank you Aragorn. You have no idea how much that helped me.” I saw all my friends nodding their assent.”
“Oh, I think I do,” he responded. “You're not the only ones who have had to come to terms with killing.” That word still sent a shiver down my spine.
“That is all very well and good,” Gandalf said, “but now we have other pressing matters to address. How long should we expect for these reinforcements to arrive?”
I looked at my notes, saying, “If my calculations are correct and they took the railroad, they should have arrived an hour and a half ago.” Right on cue, a distinct-sounding trumpet blew. “Oh. There they are.”
Commander Thunder Mask's Point of View Time Since Arrival: 4 hours, 50 minutes Location: Half a kilometer from Ponyville
“Sound the horn again,” I ordered. Without hesitation, the Unicorn to my left sounded the trumpet a third time.
“Commander, I see something!” Shining Armor, who was to my right said. He pointed to “it” with a hoof. Following the hoof, I saw the strangest sight I have ever seen.
There were three creatures running toward us. They all stood on two legs, but one was much shorter than the other two. The shorter one carried a huge battle-ax like it was as light as dagger, the more rugged-looking one had a longer sword. The third creature carried a graceful-looking bow and had several arrow shafts that appeared over its shoulder. He was most likely wearing a quiver of some kind.
“Sir, your orders?” my Second, Lightning Rage, asked me.
I hesitated, then said, “We will proceed as though these creatures are neutral. Have the Legion stand at attention. If they make the slightest move with their weapons, attack first, ask questions later.”
“Yes, sir!” Lightning Rage yelled, then turned and started barking out orders to the Ponies under his command.
“Sir? What do we do now?” asked Shining Armor. He had completed the tasks I had set him before we left Canterlot in just over an hour. I had to admire his spirit.
“Now, we wait.”
(5 minutes later...)
“Who are you?” asked the middle-height, rugged creature, belligerently.
I stifled my anger at this disrespect and responded, “I may ask the same of you.” I tried to speak calmly, but my voice was slightly tinted with anger.
This creature sighed, looked at me like I was an uninteresting bug, and replied, “I am Boromir. This is Legolas and Gimli. Now, who are you?”
“You are in no position to ask the questions here, stranger!” yelled Lightning Rage. “You are an unknown creature in our country. We have received vague reports of an enemy known as Orcs. Seeing as we have no idea what these Orcs look like, you are under suspicion.”
Legolas stepped forward. “Please trust me when I say, we are not Orcs. We fought with a group called the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony to repel the Orcs.”
I snorted, then said, “Impressive claim, but can you prove it? Face the facts, I have no way of telling whether or not you are telling the truth. Forgive me if I have learned something in my several years serving in the military. I was not raised the the rank of Commander because I trusted everypony I met.”
“Well, I think you should hold your tongue and speak with respect! You need to learn to pick your battles!” Boromir replied.
That was the last straw. I lost my temper then. “Look around you. Do you see an army loyal to you? No. You don't. That is because you are the intruders on this land. I could have ordered the mares and stallions under my command to kill you when we first saw you, but I decided to hear you about, in the off-chance you were not these Orcs I have been hearing about. Seeing as you have been nothing but rude, combative, and uncivilized, I am regretting my choice. So, until I receive evidence to the contrary, consider yourself under arrest by the Equestrian Armed Forces for obstructing a military operation.” To reinforce my order, twenty of my soldiers surrounded the three creatures and leveled their spears at them.
Boromir must have realized how deep in the hole he was, and shut up.
“Now, please drop your weapons on the ground and do not move.”
Legolas and Gimli complied without hesitating. They seemed to realize that they should bite their tongues until they have to means to prove their claims. However, Boromir looked at me, his anger on his face hardening into hate, and said, “Make me.”
My eyes narrowed into a line. “So be it then!” I stepped forward and drew my sword.
“Give us room!” I bellowed to my soldiers.
“Sir, I don't think this is a good idea...” said Shining Armor. In my anger, I ignored him.
“Boromir, don't do this. You shouldn't-” Legolas started. Boromir cut him off, drawing his own sword.
“Listen to him. Don't fight-” Gimli added, only to be cut off as well.
“Make your move, coward,” Boromir shot at me, trying to anger me into making a mistake. However, I knew that letting your enemy gloat you and anger you means you will probably lose. I quickly emptied my mind of all emotions (easier said then done), and decided to let him strike the first blow.
He dashed forward, aiming a vicious right slash that would have taken me across my chest. However, I was ready, and brought my sword to clash with his. His stroke had a great amount of strength in it, but nothing else. I felt none of balance and agility that I teach all of my students to use.
I feinted to his left, then changed the blow and attempted to strike his head. He saw through the trick and blocked my strike. He shot his sword forward, trying to impale me through my chest with a thrust. I pulled a risky trick I had used a few times before and danced around the blade, locked his hilt with my blade, and pulled forward sharply. He lost his balance and fell forward. I swung a savage blow to his head, tilting my blade so I struck with the flat part, as opposed to the razor-sharp edge. I did hold back a little, because I wanted to take him alive and conscious.
He collapsed onto the ground, moaning. He was dazed, but alive and conscious, just like I had hoped.
“Take his sword,” I told Lightning Rage. “And bind his...hooves.” I did not let my anger show again.
Boromir recovered enough to lift his head. When he did, he saw thirty separate spear points leveled at him.
“Give us your sword,” Lightning Rage ordered. Reluctantly, and stewing with anger and hate, he surrendered his sword, muttering curses.
“Gag him too,” I decided. At that, Boromir glared openly at me. I read the message easily. Another time, it said.
“Now for you two,” I said, turning to face them. I remembered their actions, complying instantly to my wishes. I felt my face soften. “Do I need to teach you two a lesson as well?”
They shook their heads. I carefully looked into their eyes and saw that they felt absolutely no fear. Despite my defeat of their companion, they were not scared or angry in the slightest. Rather, I saw the light of respect in their eyes. I was curious, but stifled the emotion and instead asked, “Now, do you know anypony here?”
Gimli nodded and said, “Yes, as we said, we met six of your kind. They identified themselves as the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony.”
Before I could say anything, Lightning Rage said, “Sir! Twelve creatures approaching! Six appear to be Ponies. The other six are two-legged.”
“Let them come,” I said. “I think I know who they are.”
Twilight Sparkle's Point of View Time Since Arrival: 5 hours, 10 minutes Location: Near Ponyville
“Well, I hope they know what they are doing,” Gandalf said. “From what I have seen, military strength is very low on the priorities list for this country.”
I shot him a scathing look. “Commander Thunder Mask has seen plenty of combat and has learned strategy from the best Ponies in Equestria. His tactics are amazing. What's more, he is said to be the best sword on the entire planet. Not even the Princesses can fight him sword-to-sword.”
“That may be true,” Gandalf conceded, “but what if he isn't commanding this force? The Commander must have other duties than leading a group of soldiers to an uncertain threat.”
I hesitated, than replied, “You are right, of course.” Gandalf opened his mouth to reply, but I cut him off. “However, Princess Celestia knows me personally, and she trusts my judgment. I said that Ponyville may be attacked soon. Now, Celestia is many things, but stupid is not one of them. She would not send anypony but the Commander to oversee the defense of one of the most important cities in Equestria.”
“We will see,” Gandalf responded. “Shall we go met this army?”
“Let's,” replied Aragorn. We ran towards the group of Ponies.
“Glad you decided to join us,” said one of the Ponies there. He wore armor and a uniform, and the badge of rank indicated he was a colonel. I ignored his sarcasm and looked for the Commander.
“Looking for somepony, Miss Twilight Sparkle?” a deep, yet light and cheery sounding voice said behind me. Despite the humor in it, the voice had an underlying note of authority that told me the speaker was a Pony that was used to others following his orders.
Just from the voice alone, I knew that the Commander was right behind me. “Yes sir,” I said, as respectfully as I could, turning around slowly, “In fact, I was looking for you. Wait, how did you know who I am?”
He snickered to himself. I must say, the Commander was an imposing figure. He stood around one and a half times my height, and had a light gray coat. His mane and tail was fiery orange with a gold sheen. Also orange, his cutie mark was a simple image of crossed swords. Regaining himself, the Commander said, “Are you kidding? Everypony has heard of the famous Bearers of the Elements of Harmony, who have saved Equestria from eternal night, a reign of chaos, and fought–and crushed–an entire army of Changelings in the Battle of Canterlot without one injury. A better question would be how I couldn't know who you are. That is of no matter now. What is the situation here?” At this, the Fellowship looked to us with something approaching awe.
I hesitated and asked, “What do you mean?”
“I mean, what has happened? No offense, but your letter was not very clear. Also, do you know these creatures?” He gestured to them with a hoof. “They claim to have met and fought with you.”
I followed the hoof and saw Gimli and Legolas under light guard. “Yes, we know them, but what happened to...” I trailed off as I saw Boromir on the ground, tied up and gagged. “Commander, may I ask as to the meaning of this?”
“Certainly. This creatures came out to meet us about a half hour ago. The one you see bound and gagged was foolish enough to disobey me, insult me, and attack me with his sword. So I stopped him. Forcefully.”
“Is this true?” asked Gandalf, with an edge to his voice. He looked very angry.
Boromir looked up at Gandalf, and seemed to weigh whether or not to tell the truth. After a moment, he slowly nodded.
“Why you little–” Gandalf broke off, sputtering and acting enraged. “You have threatened the entire Fellowship and alienated the one leader of the entire army that these Ponies have– for what? Why? Because you could not contain your pride for two seconds?”
The Commander shifted uneasily. “Sir, I was not offended...well, that badly. I am willing to let this pass, if this Boromir apologizes to me.”
Gandalf glared at Boromir and said, “He will, won't you?”
Boromir hesitated, then nodded. One of the soldiers removed his gag and untied him. He muttered a soft “Sorry,” then walked back and joined his fellows.
If the Commander was frustrated by Boromir, he gave no outward signs of it. “Well, now that we sorted that out,” he began, “tell me, what is the situation here? What happened?”
I gathered my thoughts and said, “Sir, I had discovered a curious spell in my studies. After thinking about it for a few hours, I decided to cast it...” I relayed the story, from beginning to end for the Commander. He was a good listener, though his eyes met in a frown partway though the story. He did not interrupt, though, and waited for me to be done.
“So, let me get this straight. You discovered an odd spell you have never seen before that was written by the most powerful Unicorn mage of all time, and instead of, oh, I don't know, informing the Princesses or seeking help of other Unicorns, you decide to cast it in your home? That's like me testing to see if my sword is sharp by trying to cut my leg off!”
I hung my head, feeling tears start to form in my eyes. The Commander must have seen that he had gotten his point across and said, in a softer voice, “Well, it is of no matter now. What is done is done. The important thing now is sealing this portal. Do you know how to seal it?”
I hesitated, then said, “No. But if I have more time, I am sure I could figure it out.”
“Okay. Do you think that these Orcs will return?”
I looked the Commander in the eye and said, “I am certain they will.”
The Commander thought everything over and said, “Alright, so the portal is in your library, correct?”
I nodded.
“Bring me a map of Ponyville. I have a plan.”
Commander Thunder Mask Point of View Time After Arrival: 5 hours, 55 minutes Location: Town Hall, Ponyville
“...and we will station companies here, here, and here,” I said, indicating the places on the map. “Anypony have any questions?”
I looked around to the colonels. “Nopony? Good. You have your orders, then.”
The five colonels saluted, then left the building. I sighed and closed my eyes. With only five hundred Ponies at my command, it is going to be a trick to hold Ponyville against any large hostile force, I thought. Ponyville isn’t exactly easily defendable. That is one of the hard truths. Ponyville, unlike both Canterlot and Cloudsdale, was built during a time of peace. As a result, roads tend to be lazy and wind around, taking scenic routes. In addition, there are no walls and most of the streets are wide, making it impossible to easily block roads. I considered sending for more forces, then dismissed the idea. We had commandeered the railroad once already today. Other Ponies would want to use it. In that case, it would take two or three days for additional forces to make it on hoof. I only realized that I had started to doze when I heard swords clashing. I bolted upright and ran out the door.
Twilight wasn't kidding. Two-legged figures were spilling out of the library, clad in black armor. The fifty Ponies I had stationed outside were doing well in holding them back. From what I could tell, none of them had been slain yet. That could change fast, however.
I turned away for the fighting and ran back indoors. “It is time,” I said to the Bearers. They were already geared up and ready. I grabbed my sword, belted it on, and turned to the door.
“Sir? What about your armor?” Rarity asked me.
I turned and gave her my best devil smile. “Armor? I need no armor.”
Chapter 6: The Second Battle for Ponyville, Part I
Chapter 6: “The Second Battle of Ponyville” The War for the Ring...Enters Equestria
Boromir's Point of View Time After Arrival: 6 hours Location: Town Hall, Ponyville
I saw the Commander– what was his name? Thunder Mask?– enter the Town Hall, say something the Ponies within, and walk out. He shot over his shoulder to one of the Ponies, “Armor? I need no armor.”
I kind of like this guy, I thought to myself. Then, I remembered my behavior to him and his fellows. I will, of course, deny I ever said this, but I felt ashamed at my attitude and behavior. Maybe I can make this right, I thought, and ran over to the Commander.
“Sir, can I speak to you?” I started.
He turned to me and said, “Well, you just did. But yes, you can speak. What do you want?”
“Sir–”
“Please, call me Thunder Mask. Now, quickly. I have a position to reinforce.”
“Okay, Thunder Mask. I just wanted to apologize for my behavior earlier this afternoon. I was not myself.”
He did not respond for the a long moment, then said, very quietly, “Have you ever been in battle, Boromir?”
I hesitated, then said, “Yes, many times. Our nation, Gondor, borders Morder. As a result, we are constantly fighting raiding Orcs.”
“Then I forgive you. I have seen many battles myself, and I can imagine what it is like to awaken in a strange land with no idea where you are or what is going on. Then, you see an army of the natives marching to the location, and you do not know if they are coming to get you or what...Any soldier would have done the same thing. Maybe even myself.”
I nodded, feeling a sense of relief. “So, is it time to fight these miserable wrenches called Orcs?”
“It is indeed,” he agreed. Together, we ran – or in his case, flew – to the scene of the fighting.
(A minute or two later...)
I ran into the combat, yelling war cries. With one swift move, I pulled my sword from its sheath and ran it through the nearest Orc. Quickly, I pulled it back out just in time to block another Orc from cutting my head off. I dueled quickly with him, slicing open his chest. I whirled around, looking for a new target. I saw the yellow pegasus – Fluttershy is her name? – dueling an Orc. She was having a rough time, so I ran over to try to assist her. When I arrived, I used two crushing blows to beat in the Orc's armor, distracting him so Fluttershy could cut his neck.
“Are you alright?” I asked Fluttershy. She had several small cuts and bruises, but they did not seem to be bothering her.
She nodded.
“Good. Let's keep going!”
I ran with her to the next Orc. This one was taller than the rest, snarling, and carried two wicked battleaxes, dripping with a liquid I could not identify. Poison, I thought. “Don't let him cut you!” I yelled to Fluttershy. With that, I attacked the Orc. He was quite good, making fast attacks and reacting quickly. The axes were heavy enough that I could not afford to parry, else my sword would probably shatter in my hand. Watching his right battleax carefully, I sidestepped as he tried to cut me in half with it. Moving fast, I cut at the handle.
My maneuver worked, but it was not a complete success. The wood was too thick and too hard to simply slice through. Instead, it split part of the wood with a resounding CRACK. The head of the ax remained on.
The Orc smiled at me, then swing with the ax again. With another loud CRACK, the ax head broke off and hit the ground with a thud. It was my turn to smile as the Orc looked dumbly at his useless stick. He looked up just in time to catch the point of my sword with his face.
“Sucker,” I muttered. Moving on, I saw Rainbow Dash and two other soldiers I haven't seen before fighting an entire squadron of Orcs. They seemed to be holding their own, but looked like they needed help.
I joined the fight, slicing and dicing enemy Orcs. Before they could react, five Orcs were down. They rallied quickly, however, and one of the Pony soldiers- an Earth Pony, I believe- went down, a huge cut across his front left leg. I wanted to stop and help the soldier, but there was too many Orcs.
“Help us!” I yelled. Like lightning, five soldiers and Commander Thunder Mask appeared and fought furiously. They formed a perimeter around the fallen soldier and fought hordes of Orcs. I stopped fighting and knelt to care for the fallen warrior.
“Who...who are you?” he asked. I saw he was barely still conscious and losing blood fast.
“I am Boromir,” I responded, looking over the wound. It looked really bad, a cut just above the knee. It was likely, based off of the odd bulge in near his thigh, that the muscle had been severed. “What is your name, soldier?”
“Iron Armor,” he answered. I could barely make out his voice.
“Well, Iron Armor, you need to stay awake. If you fall asleep, I don't know if you will ever wake up.”
“I'll try,” he responded, wincing as if speaking was painful for him.
“Conserve your strength, soldier. You will need it. And do not go dying on me,” I said. With that, I snatched my sword up from the ground and charged the nearest Orc, determined to get vengeance for the pain that Orcs have inflicted on everybody.
Time entered fight speed, that is, very fast-paced and, at the same time, agonizingly slow. Gradually, I noticed that our forces seemed to be retreating. The combat was slowly moving back to a nearby street.
“Commander!” I yelled over the battle.
He dispatched his opponent and turned to look at me.
“We can't let the battle reach the civilians! It will be a massacre!”
He nodded, and yelled something I could not make out to a nearby Unicorn. The Unicorn brought a trumpet to his lips and blew a series of long and short notes.
I was confused by its meaning until I heard a series of war-cries. I quickly scanned the battlefield, looking for the source. I saw a flurry of movement near the streets as what I estimated to be four hundred fresh soldiers joined the battle. They quickly routed the Orcs. Bellowing, I attacked with them. Under the pressure of the new and fresh soldiers, the Orcs slowly started to panic. I watched, amazed. Orcs have never fled the field of battle for years, decades, even. They are violent and ruthless. However, the Orcs were fleeing, running as fast as they could from the fight. Orcs were forcing their way into the library, each one thinking only for themselves.
I stood, in a daze, as Commander Thunder Mask trotted up to me. “I think we won,” he said. I turned and faced him.
“We didn't just win, we crushed them! I can't believe it! Just how many soldiers did you have?”
“Five hundred,” he responded.
“Well, I'll say! Never in my several years of war have I ever seen such a victory.” He, unlike me, was not excited. “What's wrong?” I asked.
He wasn't looking at me. Instead, he was staring past me to the sight of the battlefield. I turned and looked as well.
