Chapter 1: In War We Trust

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Being unable to move, every last ounce of brain power is put into focusing my ears. The clock was ticking for my country and I sure wasn’t about to spend it being useless. Tanis does her best to stifle the grunts of agony as she tries desperately to free me. All I can do is offer words of encouragement despite not having a clue as to how dire the situation actually is.

“My theory is that Cartridge is wiping everyone out due to resources. It’s a shame though, you think with advanced enough technology to run tons of water from a lake, to their city, they’d put effort into improving everything instead of destroying it.”

Sergeant Tanis groans angrily as she keeps lifting rock after rock. “Keep talking sir, it’s helping…”

My left hands starts to tremble, as the pain begins to take over. “Yep, I mean...why bother mass producing crops when you can just annihilate everything else that needs to eat, am I right? Hell if they had told us what they were going to do, we probably would have gladly moved away.”

Tanis hurls another piece of lumber then stops and pants. “Honestly sir, I think Taraska would have told them to send the Og Nag anyways and we’d return them to hell. It’s not like us to bow down to threats, even though we probably should since we’re behind in...well every possible way.” Her breathing is raspy and from her footsteps, I can tell she’s stumbling from side to side.

My lips quiver as a scream threatens to force its way out. “I mean...you can rest if you need to, I’m rather cozy!”

She takes in several rapid breaths. “Sir, I can see your blood slowly dripping out of the rubble. Just...hang on I’ll get you out soon. I can see the top of your helmet, but I got to clear everything else away first or the whole pile will just come crashing down if I try to pull you out. Wait...I have an idea. I think I can set up several logs of wood to give the debris a path to fall down. Like I’ll set up two of them, then try to provoke the pile into falling towards me onto the logs. There’s just a few stone slabs I gotta move first.”

It was a game at this point: pretend I’m not too bad off so Tanis doesn’t panic and over-extend herself. “I...that would...make a lot of noise. Most of the city is quiet now so if there’s any stray Og Nag nearby, they’d come running.”

Tanis takes in a deep breath, but I hear her voice quivering. “Then I’ll lure them away. I got a small hideout not too far from here. Dug it out myself actually.” Despite her confidence, I still hear her regularly miss a step and almost fall to the ground. It had been almost an hour and the remains of my guard tower still lie on top of me.

She starts picking up wooden beams and examining them. My surroundings grumble angrily as she sets it all up. “Okay so I’m setting up the logs, then I’m going to pull out a few slabs that will make the pile fall over. It should mostly slide away when it hits these beams, so you might have to dig yourself out since my side will be covered in new debris. You ready?”

The small grave I was in, starts to spin wildly. I know I’ve said something, but I can’t even tell what. Tanis’ frantic voice sounds like distant ambience, despite her borderline yelling. The small dances of light from the nearby fires start to fade with everything else. The pain in my hand starts to diminish to a point where I’d want to double-check if my body was even still attached.

A loud crashing sound snaps me out of it. My lungs pound furiously, grabbing every inch of oxygen they can. Light pours in from both sides and my little tomb is now limited to one last slab above me.

Tanis gasps and then goes completely silent, except for tiny shifts in her steps. They’re rapid and constant, but still considerably silent.

“Tanis, stop moving!” I hiss. Her next words make my blood run cold.

“I’m not moving at all.” She whispers. The night is suddenly alive with the shrieks of Og Nag. Tanis’ metal boots pound against stone as she runs off, calling out to them angrily. The captain in me wants to reassure her, but I’m dead if I make a noise. My eyes clamp down on themselves as slow tears run down my cheeks. I can’t even give her a salute, let alone any last words. She gets to die by herself, surrounded with those vomit-green freaks who would love to have fresh meat. No one to stand at her back, no one to rely on, just the cold, cruel embrace of death if she was even lucky enough to die first.

Dozens of footsteps race by, more interested in a shiny new toy than what she was doing. Luckily, they were never too bright. Mindless minions that knew only one thing: oblivion in every sense of the word. They ranged from the size of a child, to even larger than an average human. Deformed and suited with the random armor salvaged from every battle, they were a mess with whatever scraps they could be fitted with. Some with scrawny arms, others with bulging biceps. Their randomness made combat irritatingly unpredictable. Small ones would slash at heels, bigger ones would just try to exhaust you with repeated heavy blows.

The night goes quiet again after a few minutes, before one final female shriek sings the dying fires to sleep.

I have to clamp my lips shut to not scream in agony, as I shove the large mix of stone and wood off my body. It lands with a heavy crack on the ground, kicking up a small cloud of dust. I lay there panting, hoping I didn’t alert anything to my position. The blood trickling from my side, tickles my back like a dark omen. My hands rattle from the pain and ball into fists. My Captain's cape is the only thing even remotely like a bandage within reach, so I tear off a few long strands and stuff it under my armor against the wound. I carefully tie the second longer strip of fabric along my waist to keep the bundle in place. A cloud of dirt kicks up as I recoil from the pain. After a deep inhale, I glance around at the toppled cottages and houses that once littered my great city. The flames that consumed them were now my only hope to see due to the thick smoke blocking out the moon.

The city around me was drenched in black. Creatures scurried around in the distance, too brief to tell if they were human or not. I do my best to lay still, knowing I’ll be easy prey in my weakened state. Every muscle in my body has given up, but I am still a soldier and soldiers don’t quit. Looking off to my left, I see a tiny foxhole in the debris, just large enough for my body. It was close enough to move into, but if one of those freaks sees me, it could easily be the end.

A few rapid breaths enter my lungs before I crawl my way over to the hole. Every time I stretch out my arm, I give the environment one last look. It may be small, but it had a few feet of rubble surrounding it. Sliding into the hole, I gasp as my side once again erupts in piercing agony. Small pebbles roll off my armor as I sit up. Even the tiniest noises make my blood run cold, as I have to balance between caution and pain. Seconds feel like hours as I have no choice but to sit and wait for anything that saw me. A low, pitiful moan cuts through the silence of the night off to my right. It was too far away to see, but there was no mistaking what I heard. It could be human, or another odd sound from an Og Nag. The cry gets a bit higher pitched and I can tell it’s one of my people. Whether I could do anything or not, was another matter.

My hand clenches around my hilt as I ponder what to do. Chances were high that they’d get picked off soon if I did nothing. There was no avoiding my predicament though; I needed reinforcements, but I couldn’t keep waiting forever. Hunkered down in my tiny hole of stone and wood, I ready my blade and kick a few stones away from me as auditory bait, then go back to listening while leaning against the debris. Soft pattering on the ground makes me flinch. Gradually they make their way towards my little hole, but stop. We play the waiting game again and whatever it was, it wants to know just how active its target is.

I let myself cough and groan a few times, trying to exaggerate my injuries. It was true that my side needed immediate medical attention, but I didn’t need to live for more than a few hours as it was. The bomb should be going off any time now. It would be a kiss from hell itself and the last present to the world from the great nation of Taraska. Perhaps then this world could partially forgive us of our sins after that.

The soft footsteps resume and are accompanied by the gentle ruffle of stones. They get louder and more frequent as my stalker draws closer. My jaw drops a bit as I realize a small mistake I’ve made; I’d have no time to tell if this thing was friend or foe. There couldn't be more than a handful of my people left, so I couldn't risk killing a survivor. I set the sword down and prepare to grab my target. Every footstep is planned as I carefully get to my feet while staying crouched.

The crunching of rock gets louder, as my stalker is just a few feet ahead of me. The delicate drawing of steel makes my skin crawl. Any second now, they’d try to jump into the hole with me. They probably knew full-well there’d be no sneaking up on me at a certain distance. I’m surprised they were even still trying. My ears are at full concentration as I wait for the last step; they’d dig in their foot before sprinting.

My heart pounds in my ears. What were they waiting for? Staying crouched for so long was making my legs burn. Then I hear it. Rocks go flying as whatever it is dashes towards me. I grit my teeth and stand as fast as possible. Without even risking the time it would take to look, I grab hold of whatever I can, and slam the creature into the hole head-first with a furious throw. It hits the ground and bounces once with a high-pitched squeal.

Its eyes shoot open and dart to me. I slam a steel boot onto its hand that holds the sword. I crouch down in a flash, pull the dagger from my boot and jam it into his ugly face before it can utter out a hunting call. I listen carefully, not moving a muscle so the clanking of my armor doesn’t mask the sound of a second assailant. The night is dead again. A burning log nearby illuminates the face of the most foul species to walk our planet: an Og Nag.

On average they barely come up to my chest. They varied in size significantly, which meant being versatile in combat was key. Their large bellies were constantly full of slain opponents and occasionally each other. Their large heads and bulging eyes that stuck out to the sides, seemed like a cross between humans and frogs. Their massive, gaping mouths held rows of long, jagged teeth and stretched from ear to ear. With scrawny arms and legs that somehow let them wield weapons, they weren’t much individually. Unfortunately, they always showed up in a massive horde.

They’re known for two things: ruthlessness and numbers. Cartridge had brought them out of thin air and had laid waste to our land. Their origin was unknown and Og Nag don't speak or have any semblance of higher brain function. Oddly enough, they don’t bleed, which made combat much less gory. Our Minister, who is in charge of collecting information on all species and factions, had theorized that they may have been made using magic, although there was no clear sign of leadership. They were a dull, vomit green with immense, unsettling yellow iris’.

Its upper jaw holds more teeth than was natural for its mouth. The top layer of teeth were now scattered over its chin, unable to sit comfortable inside its mouth. Monstrous yellow eyes stared at me mindlessly, almost looking infected and absent. I had seen infested wounds that looked more appealing than this thing’s face.

Its bulging belly slowly spilled open, it must have cut itself open on my shoulder spike on the way down. I drop my dagger and cover my mouth with my right hand. Out from its belly, slid a tiny purple mantle. It belonged to sergeant Rufina, one of my finest up and coming warriors. She would sit and listen to my war stories for hours at a time. She was even one of the soldiers who was imprisoned after speaking in my defense at my trial.

I can’t hold back a growl that leaps from my throat. Yanking my sword from the ground, I make slash after slash into this disgusting monster. It didn't matter that I needed to conserve energy. Large chunks of skin fly off and litter the ground. Tears crawl down my cheeks as years of pent-up rage come out. these things have laid waste to my world for many years and all the fighting was for nothing. The soldiers I’ve lost, the battles I barely won: none of it mattered. I stop when I hear the moans again. Carefully peeking over the edge of the hole, I see the vast empty landscape. It may seem clear, but our soldiers quickly found out that debris can always conceal an Og Nag.

The pitiful cries were too much to take. My arms can't even lift myself out of the hole. I have to roll myself over the edge and let my body slide down the brief hill of rock that was once our forge. The sound meant nothing to me now, since anything within earshot would have heard my little fight.

As if the smoke was mocking me, I stared up at the sky, contemplating just staying there until my breathing stopped. I was fighting more for duty and spite at this point anyways. In a few hours, our city would be a giant crater of revenge as we took out the largest army of Og Nag ever seen.

My eyes flutter, wanting to see the stars one last time. As fate would have it, I wouldn’t be granted any last requests. My eyes sting with the smoke and the smell of charred wood clings to the air. I’m part of the horrifying truth; our nation took advantage of others during the Great War for personal gain. Granted that was the unspoken rule when all hell broke loose; kill or be killed. Evil and good were now a matter of situation, than a clear boundary. We had back-stabbed anyone we could to get ahead, given that our country had no real special skills other than pure tenacity. We did what we had to and now it was time to pay our dues.

The moans of my soldier get a bit louder and more pitiful. I close my eyes and sigh. Sitting around while others suffered, had never suited me. Whether saving their life was pointless or not, I could at least spend my final hours with someone who wasn’t trying to kill and eat me; not necessarily in that order. Hell they might even trade off between doing both several times. Og Nag will make their prey wiggle while they eat if they can. Something about more blood pumping through your system in every bite, was a treat to them.

I roll to my hands and feet, planting my scabbard into the ground to help me stand up. I choke on the high-pitched gasp that almost escapes as I remember the nasty gash in my side. The path to the cries of agony is almost clear, save for the large slabs of stone illuminated by various small fires. My gaze shifts quickly, but quietly as I let my eyes do most of the scanning.

I pass by another soldier who went out the best way possible. She was missing her head, but beside her lay a dozen dead Og Nag, as well as a few empty liquor bottles. A small smile creeps onto my face, happy that they at least died how they wanted, on their own terms.

I turn a corner and stop; I almost lose what little I had in my stomach. A soldier without his helmet lay pinned between two large stone slabs. Everything below his shoulders was almost completely concealed. His eyes were literally beginning to bulging from his head. Trails of blood seeped from his tear ducts and his face was a dark shade of purple. I couldn’t even tell the tone of his skin. His short brown hair is half caked with dried blood. He couldn’t be any older than seventeen.

He peers up at me with wonder, almost as if his mission was to find me. His temples pound rapidly on his forehead. He tries to mouth words to me, but can do nothing but gulp like a fish. His eyes dart to my sword then to me. My fingers caress the handle as my stomach rots. It was the duty of a captain to end needless suffering. It was my burden to bear and mine alone. I whip out my sword, trying to make this as quick as possible, but I hesitate.

This was the first friendly face I had seen in hours and I was about to remove it from existence. I didn’t even get a good look at sargent Tanis. Standing by his side, I raise my weapon above my head. Besides the light crackle of flames, the night is serenaded with the clanking of my armor as I shake in place. Once again, something inside me just...can’t. I lower my sword and take off my helmet.

Our eyes lock as I take a knee, setting my helmet next to him out of respect. He deserved to see my full face. This could easily be the last friend I ever meet. He does his best to close his eyes but literally can’t. I tear off a piece of red cloth from my Captain’s Cloak and lay it across his eyes. He didn’t need to see it coming. With one stroke, he’s gone. The built up pressure of blood comes jetting out over the ground with a loud splash. The slabs of stone shift a bit as they settle down.

I see his helmet laying a few feet away, resting on an upright stick. He had it so it was just barely visible over the short wall. If anything came wandering, it might jump the wall and go for his helmet first. He tried to catch his breath in this building, but it must have collapsed on him as he slept. His helmet was the same design as mine. It fully covered the wearer’s face, but his had a massive dent in the left side. The sides of the helmet that cover our ears, continue above the head and quickly dip forward like the end of a scythe blade. While it could be used for headbutting soldiers, it almost never came up and got caught more by weapons being swung overhead than anything else. You could thank our King for wanting our armor to be as dramatic as possible, regardless of practicality.

I mindlessly put my helmet back on, doing my best to block this moment out. Some of his blood had apparently filled my helmet, as it slowly oozes down my cheek. My eyes are wide as I walk away from him and this damn war. Stones crunch under my boot as I stand on a long path that acted as a main road. This city had been my home, but everything looked foreign. There was nothing recognizable anymore. The sky mocks me again. I wanted to see the moon, the stars, anything. This was the end.

My head snaps to the right as I hear my name called down the road. It takes my eyes a bit to see the fire’s light reflect off his armor. He runs towards me. Emeris, my second in command and lifelong friend. He might as well be walking straight out of the gates of heaven. Him being alive was impossible.

“Captain Raiden!” he calls out again, waving his hands. I begin walking towards him, but pick up the pace once he looks behind him. At least twenty Og Nag came into view, waving their swords and snarling wildly. I look down at my weapon and sigh. One day I had planned to walk down the steps of a huge, white house, walk into the living room and see it mounted above the fireplace. It curved near the end, to make it more aerodynamic. The handle had weaves of red and gold fabric. The once polished blade had been hideously reforged in a hurry several times. It had been custom made for me once I had hit captain, as is tradition.

Emeris does his best to run, but limps on his right foot. He only has a basic sword, and no shield. I go into a light jog, knowing I’ll need to save some energy for the fight. My eyes scan the debris around me, and I finally see a cramped, intact alleyway to my right. I stop and make a triangle with my hands above my head, our signal for either a trap or tactical advantage in our favor, with an X meaning the opposite. He sheaths his sword and runs as fast as he can. The stone slabs groan a bit as I pat them for stability. If it wasn’t steady, we might have to use it to slow them down, but if it’s still decently intact, it could be a good choke point. The ground holds a single piece of hope for us: an abandoned shield. After turning it over a few times in my hands, it seems to be decently intact.

Emeris stops and slides across the ground. I grab him and guide him into the alley way.

“How tired are you?!” I ask urgently

“I’m...I’m okay, I can fight!” He barely gets out the word between breathes.

“Then we hold them off here. Keep an ear out if they start trying to climb around us. If they do, we keep backing up. The debris should help spread them out.”

He nods his head furiously.

It’s only a few seconds before they get to us. They hiss wildly as they all try to crowd into the narrow alley. The walls surrounding us crack and groan as the monsters slam into the side as they round the corner. We both flinch and scan the tops of the walls as a few rocks roll down. Emeris grabs the shield from me and braces himself. He starts shaking in place, his eyes are wide and focused. I lean over to his ear.

“Try to deflect their attacks instead of stopping the entire hit, you’ll use less energy.”

The first Og Nag charges. It swings his sword at Emeris, who quickly leans back, barely dodging the attack. He jams his sword into the Og Nag’s stomach. A second one quickly climbs on top of his fellow soldier and tries to swing at Emeris from the left. I raise my weapon and block the attack, but only momentarily. Emeris quickly jams his sword up and into the creature's face before he can swing again. Emeris pulls out his sword from the dead Og Nag, and kicks the creature away, then goes back into the same position. A third Og Nag tries to swing down at him, but I can see his other small, frail hand on a shank.

“Den Right!” I yell. Emeris slams his shield to his right, pinning the monsters arms against the wall. I quickly reach over the shield and stab it in the forehead. Its bulging eyes roll back and both weapons fall to the ground. Emeris barely has time to deflect to his left, as another attack happens. He runs it through with his sword. I get my sword up just in time to block and impale another attack from above. I flinch as a rock falls on my helmet. Two Og Nag stare down at me, their eyes are yellow and empty. They clutch their weapons menacingly.

“Emeris, time to move!” I yell. We back up as fast as possible, still having to defend ourselves with every step. I check behind us every second, knowing a well-timed ambush would end it all. Their bodies keep piling up and the alleyway is running out rapidly.

“Gai!” I call out, letting him know it was time to leave. Emeris slices up one last Og Nag and kicks it into the small crowd which are stunned momentarily. He spins around and we empty out into a large area that was decently clear of debris. This must have been a small market area due to the random colored fabric tucked into the stone slabs that ring the clearing.

I glance over and see an Og Nag as tall as I am, rushing at me. With no time to draw my sword, I stand there for just a brief second, baiting him to take a confident swing at me. He quickly raises his sword above his head to bring it down. Right as it begins its descent, I immediately crouch and turn my right side in his direction and rush forward. In a split second, I’ve rammed my shoulder spike into its chest. The moment my shoulder pad makes contact, I reach across and clamp my hands around his, controlling the weapon. As fast as I can manage, I swing it across his neck and sever his head which clanks against my armor on it's way down. The brutal shriek of another Og Nag makes me turn around and he's followed closely by two allies.

I kick my former opponents head into the face of the first little monster, stunning it momentarily as it protects its face. The second sword makes a light whistle as I hurl it through the air, nailing him in the chest. His accomplice tries to swipe at my head. I duck under the swing, and draw my sword to the left, across his stomach as I sail past. Before he can do anything else, I slash his spine to finish him off. He falls face first into the ground.

My hand instinctively goes for my side. I knew I needed to take it easy, but how could I? My veins pulse with every block and every swing of my blade. The makeshift bandage was doing its job for now, but by the time it would matter, I’d be dead. Something deep within drove me to keep pushing, to keep fighting, to keep resisting.

The footsteps of my last foe echo off the debris around me. I flip my sword around so it goes back across my forearm. His first swipe is blocked with my blade, as I swing my free arm and ram my elbow spike into his face. His only sound is his metal weapon clanging against the ground.

Another comes in, sword drawn. I deflect his attack to the left. Instead of stopping, I spin all the way around again, allowing me to hit him with my shield, sending him sailing into another approaching ally. They collide and hit the ground. I rush over and impale them both with a single downward thrust. I pull out my sword, and see Emeris has his hands full.

Two tall Og Nag come at him from the sides. He raises his shield. Right before the left one brings his sword down, Emeris dodges to the left, under the creatures swinging arm and cuts off its leg. It falls to the ground shrieking. His ally watches him hit the floor. As soon as it looks up, Emeris sends its head flying. It falls to the ground on its knees, then slumps over dead. Emeris finishes the one on the ground. The last six decide it’s time to run.

“Emeris, we can’t keep doing this, we have to get back to the castle!” I hiss with frustration. It was common knowledge in our army that if everything fell apart, that you retreated to the nearest landmark. A well-known tower, a command post, whatever stood out the most was the assumed location. If we were regrouping, it would be at the castle. It hung silently in the distance, devoid of any light and hope. Every candle that could be seen from the outside was snuffed to make it impossible for catapults to sight in on it. Calling it a castle was a bit of an exaggeration, since it was only as wide and long as eight normal homes, but it did its job. With six floors and what appeared to be a completely winged design, it was an eyesore but had resisted plenty of sieges.

Emeris and I stay low and try to keep out of the light. This also helped our eyes adjust to the darkness as well. Emeris sighs as we skulk through the city. His voice is quiet but full of frustration.

“Why are we even doing this? Let’s just sit here and watch the castle go caboom! We did our job! We lured the Og Nag here and fought them for days now!”

We stop and I slump against a wall. I prop one leg up and have my arm hang over it.

“We have to make sure every last one is here, which means fighting until we can’t. If Dracur is going to even have a remote chance of striking back at Cartridge, they need as little opposition as possible.”

While sitting across from me, Emeris pulls off his helmet and massages his face.

“Did anyone even know why Cartridge suddenly went all doomsday? Last I checked, they kept to themselves, then these little freaks appear and everyone gets free swordhugs. I mean do we even know if it was Cartridge? Are they even still around?”

I nod slowly, moving my neck from side to side.

“Latest report said that letters were sent out from Cartridge to their biggest enemies. The details were vaguely like “It’s been fun. Enjoy the show.”. So we at least know Cartridge was anticipating it, but whether they were responsible, is still unknown.”

After sitting silently for a bit, we do our best to follow the random paths that were clear of debris, but eventually we hit a snag. In front of us was an old house. The roof had completely caved in and the outside wood was scorched black. I tap the back of my head, letting Emeris know to watch our backs.

I lay down and peer through the rubble. We couldn’t turn around now, the nearest other path we had seen was ten minutes worth of sneaking behind us. As I narrow my eyes in concentration, I see light on the other side of the house reflecting off a shield. The way through wasn’t even remotely enough for us.

I drum my fingers lightly on the ground. We couldn’t really go back and going through was risky at best. There might be a small chance we could climb over the roof, but everything was a gamble at this point. The rocks that appear to be my best foot holds, grumble a bit as I set one cautious foot after another on them. With no scouts nearby to warn us, I'd have to keep my head as low as I could. Og Nag may have terrible aim, but minimizing risk was our only option. Ahead of me is an exact copy of where we came from: endless destroyed houses and bodies.

Six figures stand up and continue to look through an old home. My stomach muscles tense as I lower myself as quietly as possible. Every crumbling rock and footstep makes my ears twitch. I attentively raise my head an inch at a time until I can just barely see all five figures again. The Og Nag continued to move rocks and wooden beams, attempting to gain entry into the house. I raise an eyebrow and see a painted sign on the ground to the right of the house. The print was illegible, but there was no mistaking the painting of a pie on the left side of it. It was a bakery, which meant it had a basement for storage. Was there someone holding out inside?

In the low light, my eyes catch a different sign. There was a horizontal wooden plank, with two equal sized rocks on each end. To the casual onlooker, it was just rubble. To a Taraskan, it was a secret sign of refuge. I climb down as quietly as possible and motion for Emeris to come over. He takes one last look around before hustling to me. Gesturing behind me with my thumb, I keep my voice as low as possible.

“There’s survivors in there and it’s a good place to rest. Got any ideas?” Emeris looks at the same puzzle I was: how do we get over the house without being seen? Emeris stops and stares at the debris to our left where a slab sticks out, acting as a ledge. I look down at my metal gauntlets and boots, wondering how we were going to sneak over without making a load of noise.

Emeris slips off his boots, but keeps the leather lining on around his feet. I motion for him to turn around and undo the ties for his chest piece as he works on his hands. When he’s done, he does the same for me. I tighten my belt that kept my scabbard to my side. The ledge sits a good foot out of reach. Despite being exhausted, I massage my arms before crouching down. Emeris gets in front of me and cups his hands. A small leap up and my hands clench onto the edge. A few agonizing seconds and I can tell the ledge is sturdy. He gets behind me a few feet then does a small hop into the air.

His hands clamped onto my shoulders. He pulls up his lower body and wraps his legs around my midsection. He then reaches up further with his hands onto the ledge, then uses my shoulders as holsters for his feet. He looks to the left and right before slithering on top of the stone. He turns around and grabs both my wrists. He gives me a single nod. I let go as he leans back, pulling me up with him. This was extremely inefficient, but it kept us as low as we could get.

Climbing up a mountain of debris wasn't as difficult as climbing back down. My arms had to take the majority of my weight. Progress is aggravatingly slow, as every rock and foot placement is double checked for stability. One of us would move forward, find a decent stopping point, then kept watch as the other moved down.

The Og Nag have their backs to us, as Emeris makes his way to street level. He turns around and motions to where he climbed down so I can follow. I trade between glancing where my hands and feet are going, and the Og Nag just ten feet away. They had simple leather straps that they tied scrap pieces of armor to. I stare at the nearest one and can't help but see the tiniest odd feature, something you would easily miss. The armor was attached by pieces of thin rope, tied together in a simple knot. Who tied it? Can Og Nag even do that? They grab, they hiss, they swing their weapons, they charge and run away. There were never any reports of them doing anything that required attention.

Emeris crouches behind the creature and I quietly walk up to his side, just barely out of eyesight. His nearest ally was another five feet away. My dagger comes out smoothly and quietly, ready to be tossed in my free hand. In case I have to use it, my sword rests on my left shoulder, ready to swing. Emeris gives me a small nod and I step in front of the creature and jam my knife into his forehead. The moment it’s done, I rush forward and jam my sword into his ally’s face, hearing it pierce out the back of his skull with a sickening plop, just as he turns around. Emeris meticulously lowers the first Og Nag to the ground so it doesn't make any noise. I grab onto my victim’s leather chest harness, and use it to keep his body quiet as we sink down. My sword has to be twisted a few times to break free of the suction so we can continue.

We creep to the left and see two more Og Nag try to clear out a small window that leads into the basement. Emeris and I skulk behind them, staying in the darkness. We angle ourselves directly behind them and give the scene one last look. I give a short three-count with my fingers and we dart forward, slamming our weapons into the back of their skulls. I hear the curious squeal of an Og Nag to my left who stares at me with his arms full of wood. His yellow eyes watch me, illuminated by a small fire still burning to his right side. He opens his mouth to shriek, but gets interrupted with a knife into his head. He stands momentarily before falling backwards.

I look at Emeris who stays locked in his throwing position, with a second knife ready in his other hand. His face was cloaked in shadow, but I know he’s grinning. We both wince as the Og Nag’s load of wood makes a racket that echoes everywhere. We crouch by the window.

“Hey!” I whisper, still trying to make sure only they hear me.

A pair of green eyes meets me at the windows. He gives me a grateful wave, before disappearing. He returns with a small, blonde daughter and lifts her up to the window. I wave my hands frantically.

“No, stay there, it’s not safe out here! We’ll come back for you soon, just say quite alright?” He sets down his daughter, who smiles at me from ear to ear. She must have been barely six, probably too young to grasp just how much danger she was in. The man and his wife both stand at the window and whisper terrified gratitude to us. I nod and start walking back to our armor. Emeris runs up and clamps a hand on my shoulder right as I start climbing the debris.

“Captain! Why aren’t we taking them with us to the castle?! This is against protocol!” I turn around and stare at him silently. He drops his hand and his eyes grow wide.

“Oh...the...bomb…” He mumbles. I glance back at the building.

“If they come with us, there’s a chance none of us will make it on the way there. At least they’ll be safe enough for now. Let them stay a family until the end.”

The climb up is silent.

Chapter 1: In War We Trust Part 2

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Emeris and I make our way back to our armor, a bit more apathetic to noise now. If anything was even remotely nearby, they would have come at the sound of combat. A small grumble escapes my throat.

“I don’t know about you, but we can’t keep getting into combat. I’m going to pull something soon if this keeps up.” Emeris sighs and hangs his head.

“Then we gotta stay in the darker parts of the city. There’s too much fire on this side so...hope you like skulking.”

“Only when I'm following your sister…” I say sarcastically. He chuckles and shakes his head as he keeps getting suited up.

I look down and cautiously step between pieces of brick and glass. We continue for five minutes then hide in an abandoned shack to see if we were being followed. There’s a small staircase that leads up to another floor. The walls are burnt black with every window completely shattered. Railing that line the stairs, have numerous slash marks in them. Each step groans pitifully, but luckily nothing caves in. Peaking just enough over the last step, I scan the room making sure there was nothing ready to pounce on me.

There’s five large clumps barely illuminated by a distant fire dancing through the window. It’s a family and they all lay motionless with weapons by their sides. Sadly, there’s no dead Og Nag nearby. The parents were the closest to the stairs, with three smaller bodies near the back. I step over them and stick my head through the window that leads outside. There’s one last corpse on the ground that probably was up here with them.

Emeris’ voice calls quietly from downstairs.

“Raiden, they got a Zukafera up there? We could really use it.” I check the stair entrance for signs of a hidden crossbow beneath the floorboards but don’t find any.

“No, I don’t think this family was enlisted.” I quickly creep down the stairs and rejoin Emeris who looks at be bewildered.

“They’re not an enlisted family, but they live in the Main District?! I know unenlisted Taraskans are rare, but you’d think they’d be harassed until they moved.”

The pure blackness outside makes peaking between the holes in the wall almost pointless. It’s nothing but stone, wood and brick piled randomly.

“Emeris, when the Og Nag finally broke through our main gate, where were you stationed?”

Emeris hums to himself in thought. “When they first broke through? Okay that was like...three days ago so I was on the Northeastern wall stopping them from climbing over. Why?”

Sweat slowly crawls down my face, mixing with the dirt and ash on my skin.

“I was on the Southern gate. Hurrand was actually loading his gold onto a wagon that was meant for the Verin Shore. He was actually more concerned with wealth than the defensive. He ordered myself and another unit to block the path to the castle. Of course if he had bothered to pay attention to the defensive at all, he’d know we were surrounded. I let him find out the hard way.”

Emeris snorts condescendingly.

“There was no plan in place for any of this. You know what our orders were? Stay in your squads and keep killing. If we had artillery support, we could have let them in the main gate and thinned them out hard. We coulda slammed the front with shredder rounds from our trebuchets and they would have acted like lethal barricades once they stopped rolling.”

With one last peek, I take careful steps through where the front door once was. Emeris follows me out and we continue making our way towards the gloomy stone nightmare that sat at the heart of Taraska.

Emeris and I were just five hundred meters from the castle when we stop and survey the area. We both groan quietly after moving from cover to cover for so long. Several groups of Og Nag were behind us, searching through debris for survivors to finish off, then eventually eat. We watched for a bit, waiting to see if the castle was still held or not. While the small break was nice, we had a sense of duty to meet back up and receive new orders. A small hole is the closest thing we have to cover, where we could peer out between wooden beams. Half an hour ticks by and there’s still no explosion.

We snap at the slightest sound or glimmer. Emeris taps me on the shoulder, making me jump. “Okay this is just wrong. If the Og Nag had sacked the castle, the gates would be open and obliterated, but they’re closed. However if they had been successfully fought off, wouldn’t there be bodies all over the street?”

The area between the rubble and the castle was completely clear of everything for a good hundred feet. There weren’t any houses, so the lack of debris made sense, but nothing else did. I scan the environment cautiously and get my answer. I gently bump Emeris’ arm with my elbow and point down the road.

“Og walls.”

Emeris scoffs with a hint of dazzlement.

“Making walls out of dead Og Nag to funnel more Og Nag...to kill and make more walls out of. Gotta hand it to us, we may not be the best trained fighters in the land, but do we sure know how to make do.” Down the street, dead Og Nag were piled ontop of each other, with large pikes driven down through the corpses to stop them from sliding off. There was one small opening every thirty feet big enough for only one or two foes at a time. The real question was why is it still clear? It’s not like the Og Nag just give up.

I turned to Emeris, whose eyes are wide and alert.

“You ready?” I ask hesitantly, secretly hoping he had a reason not to. Emeris stares at me for a few seconds before slowly nodding; he didn’t like this anymore than I did. As if things couldn’t get any worse, we had no idea what would happen if we tried for the castle. We could get swarmed, accidentally killed by our own soldiers, anything was on the table at this point.

We take one last meticulous look around, and see nothing. Something isn’t right. Even if we were holding this spot, there shouldn’t be so much silence. I grab a small piece of wood, and hurl it near the main gate. A small shuffle to our right snags our attention and we see an Og Nag head peak over some rubble, then shrink back down. They couldn’t currently take the castle, so they waited for survivors to show up. They were monsters inside and out.

My heart sinks. If we try for the gate, we’ll be ambushed before they can get it open. There are small holes on each side of the gate for spying outwards, but I can’t tell if anyone is inside. We sit patiently, wondering what to do. Was there some way of signaling them before we rush? What could we do to possibly get them to open the gate before we get there? Emeris slumps against me, making me jump. I look over at his hung head.

I do my best to hold onto his armor as he falls to the ground. He lays there, barely breathing. My eyes bulge as my hands start to shake. I tap his cheeks with my fingertips repeatedly.

"Emeris! Wake up! What's going on?!" My voice stays quiet but frantic. There's no fresh blood coming from under his armor. His neck still has a strong pulse to it, but his breathing is light and slow. I ball my hands and try to remain silent. My armor shakes briefly, but it sounds like a symphony amongst all the silence. I hear a few rocks shift in the distance as a few figures start lurking around in the shadows. My eyes bulge and I carefully flatten myself to the ground.

There was no way for me to carry him while wearing my armor. If I try to take off his armor, the noise will get us spotted for sure. The list of what I know and what my options were, repeats over and over in my head. They could possibly see me and were ready for us. The Og Nag were waiting with an ambush party. I also couldn’t carry Emeris by myself with enough time to get him inside. My head shakes in small rapid movements that I can't control. Leaving him here wasn't an option. Not now, not ever.

The only real plan was to distract the Og Nag long enough to get Emeris inside. I had dead bodies and rubble...dead bodies and rubble. My teeth clench in frustration. Emeris still lays there, but his breathing is so slow, I can't even tell he's alive. All I can do is camouflage him with debris, then creep back the way we came. I hated leaving him, but we’re dead men if I don’t come up with something fast. My eyes do their best to study my surroundings, and I finally find what I need.

A single charred wall that was still upright. It wasn’t terribly high, only around three feet or so. It was literally the last thing standing of an old brick house. The plan was to try and set up something to knock it over to create a whole bunch of noise. I have to rely on touch as I’m too low for the fires to help illuminate anything. We had intentionally stuck to the blackness so our eyes would adjust. It may not be fun, but we were still alive so we had to be doing something right. My hands rattle as I feel the floor for what I need. Some glass and metal scraps are exactly what I need so I set them behind the wall. When it falls over, I want it hitting as many items as possible.

I find one long and one short piece of wood, along with some rope. My hands tremble so bad, my metal gauntlets almost cause a commotion. I take a knee, close my eyes and do slow counts of breathing. My eyes open and I carefully lean the longer wood against the smaller piece, tilting towards the wall. I tie the rope to the shorter wood, hoping I don’t knock it over prematurely. The plan was to yank on the rope and cause the long wood beam to hit the wall, knocking it over and colliding with the glass and metal behind it, making just the right distraction hopefully. Everything was set up, but my stomach still rolls over in place.

As I turn around, my foot bumps into some glass. My blood turned to ice. As if I was made of stone, I stand there like a statue. I hear my own heart pounding so loud, I’m worried it might give me away. A few seconds takes hours to pass. As luck would have it, there's shuffling off to my right, as a few Og Nag come to investigate. I lower myself to the ground as quietly as possible. I’m completely still, hoping to pass for a dead soldier. If they’re not sure, they might just stab me to see though.

My odds were terrible. They probably searched the entire surrounding area already. Then a slight change of plan hits me. I prop myself up against some rocks, and act dead. If I time it right, and with some luck, I might be able to kill them both. Three of them come creeping around. One to my left, and two straight ahead; fantastic.

I can see them just barely. The silhouettes of their heads against a distant fire were all I had to go on. Luck wasn't on my side, but what else was new? This was going to get real bad unless I do something. Despite the darkness, I could see the shape of their bulging eyes, and it was enough to tell where their attention was. The one to my left starts to creep closer to me, sword out and pointed at my chest. The other two were browsing my little set up. Instinctively, I wanted to knock the sword away. At this distance, I'd get run through before I even draw my weapon.

The creature eyes me up and down suspiciously. He's clearly been here before and I wasn't around last time. I had to wait for just the right moment. He stands just a few feet from me, staring down at my body. I grit my teeth and keep my eyes open enough to see, but closed enough so he doesn't see them tremble. He leans forward and looks into my helmet, his putrid breath forces me to stop breathing. The stench reminds me of a rotting animal carcass. They were lucky they didn’t have noses. I quickly find it’s even nauseating just to inhale through my mouth.

His left hand carefully reaches forward to pull off my helmet. Any second now, any second! His allies turn around for a brief moment to look behind the wall. I see my opportunity and take it. In a flash, I grab the Og Nag by the jaw and slam his forehead into my helmet spikes, then go back to being dead. His buddies turn and stare at us. I have to use every ounce of neck muscle to keep him upright. The strain feels as if my head was about to be ripped off. If I let him lean too far over, my helmet will go with him. Something is going to pull if I keep this up much longer however. I gradually reach down with my right hand and grab a small piece of debris. With them slightly off to my left, this dead Og Nag might block their sight of my right arm.

As quiet as the dead, I toss the piece of stone behind me and over the pile I’m resting against. I get lucky and it tumbles against other materials, making a huge racket. They dart past me to investigate. I reach up and gradually pull his head from off my helmet and lower his body to the ground. My eyes stay fixed on where the two Og Nag went as I get to my feet. What little noise I make, is easily excused as their former ally just rummaging through another fallen soldier.

Every step is calculated as I creep closer to the two monsters. In one smooth motion, I draw my sword and decapitate the first Og Nag. I angle my body behind his, to stop it from colliding with the ground, catching his head with my free hand. I lower both the body and the head to the ground, almost losing control a few times. His ally is still carefully peering around the corner to see what the first noise is. The monster's last meal, is a metal hand clamping over his mouth and a sword being jammed into the back of his skull. I immediately wrap my arm around his torso and look around. His body may become my shield if there's one last enemy hiding nearby. I had seen Lieutenant Bays become a human pincushion while unintentionally teaching me this lesson. At least he died quickly.

There was bound to be a patrol that noticed these three never came back. My little distraction gets set up sooner since I could get away with a bit of noise now. Anything I did could be dismissed as their units doing some digging. Every creak and snap of debris settling, is a dagger in my back as I lead the rope back to Emeris. The plan was horrible, but it was all I had.

Yank the board, wait for them to investigate, grab Emeris, and hope there’s someone to let us in. My plan was terrible. I was relying on a lot of unknown variables. There could be no one behind the gate, they might not be willing to risk letting us in, there could easily be more Og Nag to my left, anything was on the table. They could even trip over us on the way there and I wouldn't even have time to defend myself. With one last look around, I lower myself next to Emeris. The rope lays in my closed fist. My entire life was about to be decided with a single tug. My eyes snap shut and I give it a small pull.

In the silence, the wall is an explosion. I knew what it was going to sound like and when to expect it, but I still flinch. My hands clench into fists as dozens of Og Nag bolt past me. I didn’t know there were so many. At least thirty pairs of feet stomp right next to my head. I have to close my eyes to avoid getting dust in them. It takes everything not to shake with anxiety.

My training for how to keep calm, feels more like swimming in full armor. Forget about what happens if you fail, it's irrelevant. Focus on your next task and the one after that. Plan, prepare, succeed; nothing else. My cheeks quiver when I realize just how alone I am. There was no help, no hope, not even luck. This wasn't like the stories we were told when we were kids. The only thing that has saved me for my entire life, was my ability to prepare and react.

My plan gets recited in a tiny whisper over and over.

"Grab Emeris, run to the gate. Grab Emeris, run to the gate." My helmet gets kicked a few times, making my heart stop. I repeat the next steps, doing my best to drown out the fear and criticism.

The last Og Nag runs past. The stillness of the night was its own monster. There could be one last scout watching us. In fact, there probably was, but there was no telling exactly where or even how many. They usually leave one behind. There’s no point now though. They’ll might see my set up and realize it was a distraction; it was now or never. I carefully get up, and hoist Emeris onto my shoulders. As I turn around, there’s an extra straggler who hops over some debris who hasn’t quite noticed me in the darkness. I freeze not knowing what to do. He skids to a halt in front of me, eyes bulging. He reaches for his sword. I use the only weapon I have available.

Like a sack of wheat, I hurl Emeris on top of him. His frail body is nowhere near enough to take the weight. He gets crushed instantly. I pick Emeris back up with an internal groan of agony and haul it towards the gate. My brain screams at me to look over my shoulder, but I don't dare. What ever was behind me didn't matter, there was only running to the gate.

Then it hits, my wound that had barely clotted reopens in a fiery spasm. A scream forces its way out of my mouth as I do my best to climb over a small mountain of stone and wood. For a tiny moment, part of me thought I might just make it when I hear the familiar screech of Og Nag. Everything would soon be on my heels and I usually couldn't outrun them for long in my armor. Shrieks of protest bellow from my mouth impulsively.

I get another five steps as arrows begin to whistle past me.

"Please, open the door, please! I’ve come too far to go out like this!" My voice crackles as the desperation consumes me. Og Nag were weak, but there are a few vulnerable spots where my pieces of armor separate, mostly near my joints. Numerous pings echo through my suit, as I wait for the one unlucky arrow to doom us both. The noise increases in frequency and I’m beginning to lose my balance from all the impacts. One loose stone sends me toppling down the hill with Emeris rolling next to me.

"No! No, please no! Not now!" I shriek over and over like a parent pleading for their child. My back almost gives way as I lift Emeris up hopefully for the last time.

"Not like this! Not like this!" Tears streak down my face. For once in my life, I wanted to live, even if it was just for Emeriss safety. My head rocks to the side as a nasty arrow hits directly where my ear is. The sound blocks out everything as I push my legs to keep going. Up another hill and I can hear movement in every direction. Somehow, I find the strength to keep climbing. An Og Nag meets me at the top.

"Never!" I shriek, booting him off the hill. He rolls backwards, kicking up dust and rocks until he gets impaled on a jagged piece of wood. I give a small hop and slide down, my feet almost cry out in happiness as they make contact with the street. Another Og Nag runs up with a dagger while screeching. I maneuver Emeris so I’m holding him horizontally and ram his helmet spikes into the little freak’s stomach. With an agonizing wrench, I yank Emeris’ body away, pulling out his helmet from the monster’s gut, making him collapse on the ground.

The doors of heaven welcomed me in, as dozens of soldiers pour out from the gate and form a line behind me with their shields up. I almost cry as I’m greeted with the familiar glow of the torches inside the gate room. A few tables sit against the walls with their various chairs. I set Emeris down, almost ready to scream at the top of my lungs to release the anxiety.

Now that we weren't about to be stabbed and devoured, it was time to see if Emeris survived at all. Even if it was too late, I would feel better knowing he didn’t go out as a snack. I knelt down beside him and eye his chest piece. It didn't rise up and down with his breathing. I tear off my right gauntlet and put my hand over his mouth. He was barely breathing, but why was he unconscious?

Our units gradually back up inside the gate, fighting off the Og Nag with sword thrusts and kicks. As soon as Versa yells “Gai!”, they shove the rest of the Og Nag back with one perfectly coordinated shield bash, then slam the gates shut.

I stay knelt over Emeris, wondering what happened. The clank of armor behind me is startling as General Versa walks up. She stands at an intimidating 6’9. Her armor is just like ours except she had a steel horn attached to her helmet that she frequently used for head-butting enemies to death. Her mark for general was a gold trim that outlines every piece of armor she wears. She stopped wearing her cape a long time ago since she wasn’t easily mistaken for anyone else. She also has brutal spikes attached to the knuckles of her gauntlets. Her weapon of choice being hand to hand combat, and she was vicious at it. Many of us were disciplined for watching her fight instead of doing what we were supposed to do.

She stands over me, hands on her hips.

“Report.” She growls.

I stare at her in silence. She gets it; we’re the only two. She walks over and kicks a table upside down, balling her hands as she yells with anger. I know what’s eating at her, and it’s bad. Every soldier left in the city was at the castle. Besides General Versa, Emeris and I, there were about 18 soldiers standing in the gate room. That was probably all that was left.

General Versa regains her calm.

“Is he breathing?” She asks casually. I lean over him and hear raspy wheezing.

“He is, b-but barely.” I’m almost unable to stop my words from stuttering. She thinks to herself for a second, then reaches over and loosens his chest piece. She tears it off and drops it on the floor. Minutes tick by and I somehow manage to block out the sound of Og Nag pounding on the gate. Emeris sits up gasping, causing me to cry loudly in surprise. Versa looks over the chest piece. He had apparently taken one hell of a spear charge earlier, due to a massive indent in the back. He probably ignored it to keep fighting, and forgot about it. I laugh timidly, just grateful the injury wasn’t serious. Emeris looks at Versa sheepishly, almost not even wanting to know the answer to his next question.

“How many units do we have left?” He asks weakly.

She crosses her arms, trying to act like her answer doesn’t bother her in the least.

“About two-hundred and fifty.” Emeris’ face goes blank.

Emeris looks around the room. “Don’t suppose any of the Dracur made it back? We sure could use their skilled soldiers right about now.”

Versa shifts her weight from one leg to the other.

“Well unlike Taraska, Dracur isn’t stuck between two waring countries. We had about 34,000 people in the city before this attack. I’d like to see them do better than we did.”

The other soldiers begin to panic. The fearful mumbles of “What are we going to do?” and “This is insane!” can be heard. General Versa looks at them, then down at Emeris and me.

“How the hell did you two make it back here?” Emeris looks down at his legs and sighs.

“Playing dead and throwing rocks a lot. You kinda had to be there for it.” Our soldiers chuckle a bit. Versa continues to stare at us. Her lack of animation means one thing: she’s deciding what to do.

“Gen triah” she says through gritted teeth.

Emeris and I groan. Gen Triah meant the three of us had to go show off for the sake of moral. At this point, I didn’t see why moral was even important.

The path to my tiny quarters, was laced with numerous hallways that had built-up dirt and cobwebs. I pause in the throne room to stare at the map of our land. Our nation of Taraska was legendary for combat tactics and scavenging since we had no other talents. Our immediate neighboring ally had amazing ways of making the best armor and weapons. We were more than happy to exchange protection for gear. Unfortunately they had a massive outbreak of Mana Fever, so we were forced to set fire to the outside of their city, and kill anyone who tried to leave.

Putting an arrow into a fleeing civilian was horrible, doing it to someone who screams your name for mercy left a festering wound in your soul. When we were certain they were all dead, a team went in and recovered a few documents describing how they made armor and weapons. While we hadn’t perfected it, it allowed us to prosper for a bit. Our steel was lighter and stronger than before, but it took an excruciatingly long time to make.

I run my fingers over the large, black X that covered their name.

“Worshul…” I mutter to myself. They praised me as a hero there. Even when I was sent to check up on armor and weapons shipment, it was still a vacation. I had personally trained a good quarter of their military. My eyes scan over all the marked out kingdoms and forests. There were so many, it looked as if someone had allowed a child to decorate the map with a piece of coal. Some forests were marked as destroyed, some bridges had "Impassable" next to them.

I cheer up a bit as I climbed the final staircase, knowing it wouldn’t be much longer now. My room was large enough for a bed, a dresser with an attached mirror, and a chest for storage. I had taken the dresser from a previous kingdom with Emeris’ help, so it technically made me wealthy by Taraskan standards. I now owed Emeris a favor with his own piece of furniture if he stumbles across one he likes.

I stop in front of the dresser and stare into the mirror: this is it. Only a few more hours and we detonate. I sat down, studying my armor. Would anyone remember me? Would everything I’ve done disappear with my soldiers? Why was I even here? I was in my late 20s, and not expecting to see thirties. This was going to be my last fight. My face left behind with the history of every nation that fell at our feet. What an ironic end to my story as well. My own helmet feels empty, despite seeing my own eyes through the tiny horizontal slits in my helmet. The most important question of all however, was did I even deserve to be remembered?

What was the point of all this violence? What happens if either Cartridge or Dracur wins? Could there ever be peace after all this fighting? Could any nation survive on its own? Do they have ways of getting supplies we can’t? The land North of Cartridge was unknown, with a vast ocean surrounding us on all other sides. Exploration was never an interest, as no one ever returns. Maybe they found peace and stayed. Food was often carried in by distant patrols, who prioritized new rations over getting enemy intel. All we ever did was fight and scavenge. Pointless battles, one after the other, defend then counterattack. Here I was, another soul lost in this eternal war. My body shakes as one last question rolls into my mind: where do I go after this life?

I grab my claymore, and head back to the gate. Wherever I end up when I die, I’m going there regardless; no reason to think about it any longer. Emeris is stretching his legs in a corner with a new chest piece on. Versa leans against a wall with her arms crossed. She looks up at me.

“Took you long enough.” Her poor attempt at humor does nothing for the situation. I stay silent, distracted by that tiny question I desperately longed to forget. The idea of throwing myself off the highest tower like many of our people was tempting. It sounded better than spend my last few minutes doing what I’ve done my whole life: kill Og Nag. At least I’d have done what I wanted to do for once in my short, irrelevant existence.

Emeris stops stretching, and picks up his sword and my shield. Versa stops leaning on the wall and checks Emeris and I over from a distance.

“Alright here’s the plan-” she’s interrupted by a roaring slam on the door. Her head snaps to the gate, and she leans over to look through one of our peep holes.

“The Og Nag are battering the gate!” she calls out.

Emeris turns around and bolts to the stairs.

“I’ll go tell the King and Minister!” Versa and I know full-well what’s going to happen, but we say nothing. Every soldier grabs a table, chair, whatever solid item they can find and tries to brace the door. Another slam sends us all back a foot, but we quickly recover. The gate begins to crack. A small opening in the door lets me look outside. There had to be thousands of them. I could no longer see a single tower, fire, or remains of a house; it was all covered by a tide of Og Nag. If they weren’t helping ram the gate, they cheered with their swords in the air. I duck my head away as several arrows slam against the hole. One even sails through, but skids across the ground harmlessly before bouncing against a wall.

Another massive hit, and we’re thrown to the ground. There’s an opening big enough for the Og Nag to get through one by one.

“Gai!” Versa screams. We group up on the stairs. There’s only room for five of us to stand side by side at a time. The last units hold up their shields to block attacks as we retreat up to the throne room.

My soldiers spill out all across the great hall. I have an idea that seems pointless in the long run.

“Everyone, form a shield wall around the stairs, we might be able to clog it with their bodies.” No one objects. Versa, Emeris and I go to the first set of stairs on the right, and start to head up to the Minister’s room.

I halt on the first step and turn around. This was it. This was the end right here. In the next few minutes, it would all be over, one way or another. My eyes scan every last person in the room. They were my company in hell, and if there was an afterlife, it wouldn’t hurt to have them put in a good word for me.

“My soldiers, my family…” I begin walking back into the throne room towards my men, doing my best to yell over the chaos. Multiple heads turn in my direction, despite the bloodbath at the stairs. Words pour from my heart that I had never uttered before. Any emotion besides rage was taboo.

“We know this is the end. And strangely enough, this is the time I want to get to know you all the most. I’ve seen your faces on the battlefield, standing side by side with me as we lay waste to those who stood before us.”

The soldiers give out a cheer.

“I saw your faces when we had nothing but our armor, swords, and each other.“

Another louder cheer erupts.

“We were side by side, accompanied only by stars and fear.”

Grunts of approval this time.

“I don’t know where we go after this life, but I know we’ll see each other again. Farewell my friends.”

Sergeant Ranum jogs up to me.

“Sir…” he stammers, almost rattling inside his armor. I give him a grin and shake my head.

“You don’t need to call me that this time.” I see a subtle smile cross his face from the small breathing slits on his helmet.

“Is...is there no way out? Do we not have any type of magic from the Minister to stop them?” I place a hand on his shoulder.

“Not this time Ranum.” He looks down defeated but nods. Emeris chimes in while leaning against the stairwell.

A sudden cry erupts from the troops, as the Og Nag use their battering ram to make a small hole in our formation. Dozens of Og Nag spill out from the stairs. Our soldiers fan out to give themselves fighting room. Several Og Nag come running towards us, and we dart up the stairs. After a few flights, we rush inside the Minister's room. The moment the doors slam shut, we brace it with everything we can.

I keep my back against the doors and stare at the massive white orb the size of a horse. I had only heard about it. A golden ring constantly rotates around it, filling the room with a light humming sound. It had numerous bizarre symbols carved into the golden ring. Every inch of the ring, was smooth and polished. The symbols were perfectly carved, without a single unintentional bump or squiggle.

Emeris grabs the claymore from my back and jams it through the metal handles. The orb almost demands attention from my eyes that's irresistible. It’s so white it almost hurts my eyes. It’s glass is perfectly clean. As I approach, the golden ring makes a gentle breeze as it moves.

This thing had a heavenly vibe from it, but there was no denying the monster that lurked inside. Our world was infested by war. Any past depictions of peace were met with skepticism. A long time ago, strange massive glass orbs filled with unknown purple material, had appeared in the sky, then quickly fell to the earth. The resulting explosion easily leveled an entire town. The worst part is every nation we knew of, was hurt by at least one, so their origin or purpose was a mystery. After the destruction, a disease had risen from the orbs. They call it Mana Fever since the explosions were rumored to be magical in origin. It starts with a heavy fever, leading to paralysis. After only a few days, the victim enters an endless coma. After a week, the victim can sometimes explode, killing anyone in the room.

This was two hundred years ago and since then, every nation had entered a dark age, where everyone was rumored to be the enemy. Doors were shut, outsides were either killed or turned away. Exile became worse than capital punishment, and every ruler wielded it like a deity's hammer.

The King leans over the angelic white orb. His thinning lump of red hair on the top of his head is a mess. He has but a small patch of beard on his chin. His purple robe has soot all over it; you can barely notice the gold trim with all the grime. His golden crown seems to be recently polished however. The Minister stares at us, his long black hair hangs over his blue eyes. They exchange doomed glances. I debate beheading the King, but if we have to spend the rest of eternity together, things might get awkward.

Versa, Emeris and I brace the door the best we can. The King turns to his Minister.

“Do it.” His voice is tired and full of defeat.

The Minister nods, picks up a hammer. I turn to the King. As the Minister starts to bring down his hammer, I mutter my last words.

“I hate you.”

The King turns to me.

“I know.” He says apathetically. The Minister's eyes bulge and his face glows red. His temples throb as he hesitates with the hammer raised above his head. I hear squeals and pounding on the door.

"Hurry! Do it now!" Emeris screams at the top of his lungs.

The Minister yells as loud as he can, bringing the hammer down onto the orb with all his might.

Chapter 2: As Madness Takes Its Turn

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The room is filled with an overwhelming white light, which doesn’t dissipate despite covering my eyes with my arms. I feel my limbs stretch out in every direction, without a single hint of pain as if I was made of fog. They’re now several feet long and I’m unable to move them. They flow freely as if this was a lake of my own mind. My sight travels around my body, as if being carried on a chariot. I see myself from the outside. Strange images of a distant land start flying by.

I see a lavish stone building with square windows and a statue of a horse rearing up just outside. Numerous young people are walking back and forth, holding books, and dressed in strange garments. What was I seeing? Was this the past, the future, another world? I call out to them. To my surprise, they all turn their heads and look at me...wherever I am. They don’t seem to see me, but maybe they hear me? Some of them take a few steps back, looking around fearfully in my general direction.

It’s impossible; this isn’t real. I see my arms and legs begin to twist and stretch so far I can no longer see my fingers, but it doesn’t hurt. This had to be some kind of dream. One last image I see completely shatters my chance at comprehending this; I see myself. I’m walking some four legged animal. It’s my face, but I look...happy. I’m wearing some type of shirt and pants. I’m also glancing where the sound came from. My stomach almost forces itself from my body as I drop. The building is now miles away and is my only sense of speed. My sight follows my body, never trailing behind in the slightest.

I fly by what seems to be a massive tree. It could have been the size of my entire planet. I soar by, at whatever speed I’m at, but I don’t seem to be passing this thing anytime soon. This tree dominates me with its presence. As if it could transcend my own will, I feel it digging around in my mind. This...thing looked to be made of crystal. Its branches sprout in every direction, almost like a star a child would draw, except completely consumed by elegance. On every branch, hang strands of teal transparent cloth, decorated with small orbs of light that orbit them. Five of the nine largest branches have odd gems or diamonds near the end, almost grown into the tree itself.

The branches holding the gems are evenly spread out from each other, with one blank branch in between them. They were different colors of the rainbow but each was the size of a city. Millions of small patterns were etched into the surface of each jewel with some kind of glowing creature inside them in the shape of an eyeball. They all watch me as I soar along, completely unable to move or speak.

I hear a strange, deep booming voice all around me. It’s as if a male and female were speaking the exact same phrase simultaneously.

“I dare not fathom the end of your fate Raiden, but it will not be here. For what you are about to go through, I shall grant you a single act of compassion. This act may be a gift or a curse depending on how you see it.” A massive bolt of lightning comes out of the tree and strikes my ribs where my wound is. Just as quickly as I got here, a black hole pulls me down. My internals beg to jump out my mouth. The air becomes so cold, it almost shreds my face. A massive planet comes into view. It's lush, green wastelands spread as far as I can see, with vast oceans isolating the occasional continent. One moment my face is almost frozen solid, the next my armor comes ablaze as if I'm being shoved through lava. I open my mouth to scream, but I'm force-fed scalding air.

The ground comes closer and closer. Distant lands become littered with trees. I look around and see hundreds of my fellow soldiers, but they were barely recognizable. Without their armor, they'd simply look like burning leaves falling through the air. Some of them tumble, twist and flail as they fall. Others curl up into a ball and hold their legs tight.

I shove my arms out as if I could push away the inevitable death that was rising to meet me. They were now their normal length and I could see through my own eyes again. I was heading directly into the middle of an open plain of grass. A stone brick hits my shoulder and clangs off my armor as it soars past me. It's joined by a few, then several, eventually thousands, falling to the ground long before I'd arrive. Even beams of wood and hay bales rush past as if being pulled to the ground on their own. They seem to be stacking themselves into a structure that’s too far away to recognize. The end is a few seconds away and I shut my eyes and do my best to accept it.

My lungs scream at me for oxygen. My head feels like an ax had been put through it, and my vision is barely coming back. I'm still in the Minister's room. I blink a few times and try to move, but am quickly reminded of the wound on my side. It was still decently tender, but somehow sealed. The area around it doesn't have any type of gel, so it wasn't anything from our kingdom. It erupts lightly in pain when I press on it. If I had simply be left to heal naturally, I would be dead. There didn't seem to be an infection or even inflammation. This must be a dream, there was no other explanation.

The sound of birds chirping drives me to try and stand. I'm exhausted, starving, dehydrated, and had no idea what to expect. My first thoughts were of everyone who was in the room. My vision comes back enough for me to see, but I had a long way to go before anything was clear. I support myself on the frame that held the massive white orb, which was now completely clear and empty. The king lies on the ground to my left. To his right was the Minister. They were both breathing, unfortunately. The dizziness wears off enough for me to stand up without the orb, but all my muscles were pulled. I still owed it to my soldiers to at least try and see if they needed me, not that I was much use at the moment.

Emeris and Versa lay at the door, clearly breathing as well. I’m about to check on them when something catches my eye: sunlight. There was actual sunlight. Crawling on all fours, I make my way to a window and look outwards. Fresh green grass covers the landscape. Flowers and trees are plentiful. Our city looks like it had been cut out in a perfect sphere, and re-materialized into the ground. The edge was black dirt, with filthy stones paving the walkways of our streets. It suddenly stops and is met with the heavenly grass of the land. It hits me: we were alive.

My mind stutters and fumbles on itself. How were we alive? What was going on? I couldn’t remember the last time I saw fresh grass. Seeing living trees nearby was like getting a surprise hug from relatives you thought were long dead. It was a common tactic to burn down your enemy's nearest forest to cut off their nearest supply of wood.

I saw a land that had to be a fantasy. In the distance, was a massive red mountain, with some type of large bronze structure built into it near the top and off to the left. Was I dead after all? Could this be the beginning of some sort of trial that decides where I go after here? I turned around and go to the window directly behind me. There was a mountain range covered with snow. The Minister's room provided a perfect view of our surroundings. There were distant cities that were clearly well-kept, but with no way to see their inhabitants from here.

I continue to gawk in disbelief until I hear movement behind me. Emeris and Versa start getting up. The Minister and his dog are still unconscious. Emeris sits up and looks around confused. Versa gets up, examines the room and strolls over to a window. How the hell was she recovering so fast? My jaw hangs open as she acts like nothing more than a rough night's sleep had occurred.

She takes a small glance, and then begins walking to the doors. She flings them open and readies herself for combat; not an Og Nag in sight. She slowly turns and looks at me. We silently decide that while this was all a wonderful bucket of horrible confusion, we needed to secure ourselves first. The door was still battered and had thousands of cuts and chips on it. If it hadn't been for the strong oak it was made from, it would have caved long before we struck the orb.

“Emeris, seal the door behind us.” I say, still in disbelief. Emeris slowly gets up and nods, with one arm shielding his stomach. Before I even have a few seconds to listen for the door, I hear Emeris waving to me frantically. When I turn around, he points out the window and mouthes to me. "Trees! Real friggin' trees!" I grit my teeth and mouth for him to be quiet.

Versa and I head down the stairs, constantly at the ready. There’s nothing. No bodies, no sounds, absolute silence. Not a single dead body, human or Og Nag. The walls are coated in scratches of our final battle. We were definitely in our city. My stomach flips, expecting at any time to turn a corner and watch our survivors being devoured.

As we creep downstairs, the throne room is completely barren. Versa and I stop and stare. We know there had to be at least dozens of dead Og Nag and soldiers here since they were holding the hallway. There was still fresh blood on the ground, but only in a few, large patches. In the blood were lines as if several bodies had been dragged through it. Seeing as how it was still wet, this had to be recent.

The stairway down is eerie and has large heaps of stone carved out from it. Paintings had been knocked to the ground and trampled on. Tiny streaks of blood lined the stairs, guiding us to whatever fate we were going to find. There were no weapons, armor or shields either. Just blood and marks everywhere.

We walk through the gate room and take the hallway to the dining hall. We hear the sounds of talking and armor clanking. We peak around the corner and see around a hundred soldiers, sitting with the same confusion we had while lining the walls or laying in cots. Versa and I enter the room casually. It was both a chow hall and a general meeting area. The walls are lined with beds, occupied by the wounded. Dozens of our people run around, tending to anyone who needs it. A soldier looks over and notices us.

“General Versa!” He yells loud enough for everyone to hear. They all stand perfectly straight, with one hand on their sword and the other at their side. Versa waves a dismissive hand. “As you were everyone. Cy, report.” Versa calls out. Turning her attention back to Cy, who has a clipboard in his hand. His long, black hair peaks out below his helmet.

“Ma’am, we saw the Og Nag get up and run out of the city towards a nearby forest to...what we think is the west.” I sigh in relief. Sergeant Brutus is on a bed nearby on my right. He props himself up on one elbow. “Sir and ma’am, does this mean we’re safe for now?”

I cross my arms and try to remain calm. “The Og Nag leaving is unheard of. If they were in a small group of five or so, then they’ll usually retreat, but an entire army? There’s no doubt things have gotten weird, but we’ll handle it. For now, the palace is at least secure it seems”

“Ma’am, where are we?!” says another soldier who lays in bed, with one bandage over her eye. Versa shrugs and casually strolls around the dining hall.

“We should all be dead, and maybe we are. I thought that final fall into the planet was going to be the end.”

Sergeant Brutus looks around in shock. “Wait did we all experience that?! I thought it was just me!”

A soldier addresses me eagerly as I start following General Versa.

“Sir...what was that bright flash we saw?” I stop and face him.

“It was our weapon. It seems to have malfunctioned and to what degree, we don’t know yet.”

Versa stops pacing.

“I’m going to assume for the time being that we’re still alive. Raiden, set up scavenger teams and post some scouts. We need to gather our supplies so we can figure out what to do from here.” I nod and begin assigning roles to various lieutenants who clearly have nothing to do. I put one on the task of finding out how much food and water we had. A second was tasked with scouring the city for survivors. A third was to set up a watch at every point of our town for the Og Nag returning or any other surprises.

I walk back up the stairs to where Emeris was and hear him talking with the King. Pausing outside the door, I’m tempted to just leave our land and take my chances out there with a colossal army of Og Nag. Emeris opens the double doors and I walk in. The King looks at me surprised. I stutter a bit before speaking.

“Are....we dead?” I ask. The Minister looks outside a window and rubs his chin. The King stares at him, unsure of what to say or do without his guidance.

“Well…I don’t think we’re dead. That orb seems to have different magic in it than the purple orbs. This could be a different part of the world, different time, different universe, who knows. One thing is for sure; we probably can’t go back, so we need to find out everything about where we are.” I nod and cross my arms.

“Versa has already ordered me to assign troops to just such a thing. We’re tallying up what we have first.”

We do our best to talk with as much certainty as we can, but no one can hide the overwhelming anxiety that we have no clue what’s going on. It's agreed that we'll hunker down before trying to find the missing Og Nag. They were here, that was all we knew. Our only hope was to board up every entrance point and hope they didn't come back for a long time. We didn't have the strength or numbers for round two.

Emeris joins me as we begin walking down the stairs. His hand clamps on my shoulder. I turn to face him and cock an eyebrow when I see his eyes grow wide with terror.

"Sir! The...the family! In the bakery! Before we got to the castle?!" My mouth hangs open. Instead of speaking, we take the steps two at a time. We slide into the gateroom and tear open what was left of the doors. We bolt outside and look around confused. Not a single Og Nag, not even a dead one. Even the walls of Og Nag we built were gone and the spears along with them. I bite my lip and continue moving. Retracing my steps, we bolt past the wall I had toppled over. As I mound over hills of debris, I still expect a random foe to dive out of hiding and try to get a knife in my chest. The fires were out too and only small, white pillars of smoke still rose. Just how long had we been out? A day? Two maybe?

I take several turns so fast, I have to skid to a stop as I round each one. The bakery comes into view, but it's shorter now. My head starts to shake as I sprint over to it. I start yelling at the top of my lungs, hoping the family will reply. We dart around to the window we were at before. It was completely shattered. I peer inside and see the family on the floor, almost completely covered in debris.

"No!" I scream. That simple word becomes more of a sound as I shriek it over and over. I push aside several rocks and recklessly try to climb inside. A pair of arms wraps around my legs.

"Raiden you can't! It's not stable! They're gone!" I ignore him and continue with my screaming and clawing, comparable to a ravenous animal caught in a net. I scream over and over again, trying to get to all three bodies, just to have Emeris groan in pain and pull me back. He finally drags me out and I fall to my knees, pounding on the bakery with my fists. My ears ache from all the yelling. My throat gives out and my cries of anguish are now tiny, painful squeaks. I yell so hard my lower back sends rockets of pain all the way up to my shoulders. My armor clanks as my hands clench in rage. Saving people was my job, my mission, my responsibility and it seems I never save anyone.

Emeris pats my back as he sighs sympathetically.

"We did all we could. At least they died together...which is odd. Why are their bodies still here and everything else is gone?" Emeris helps me up and keeps one of my arms over his shoulders. We limp back to the castle. I have enough time to compose myself before returning to the dining hall. Everyone glances at me briefly before going back to their tasks. We slowly bring everything we can and stockpile it in the side rooms. I jot everything down on a piece of paper as we go, letting my work fill my mind instead of the billions of dark thoughts fighting to get into the spotlight.

Five hours later, my lieutenants report back in. Before the attack, we were in a famine. But with a population reduction from 34,000 down to a few hundred, we had plenty of supplies now. Almost no survivors were found, as anyone severely wounded had apparently died during the transportation.

My last lieutenant has a giant whopper of news to tell me as well. Apparently, multiple units reported seeing unique flying animals that stopped on a regular basis to stare at our city. From their mannerisms, they were actually stopping in the air to converse with each other.

I stare at lieutenant Cy quizzically as he gives me his report.

“Sir, I swear, they look like…miniature horses and painted all sorts of magnificent colors!” I keep staring, I couldn’t think of what to say. He had five of his soldiers give me the exact same type of report; all five soldiers from different parts of the city. No contact with us had been made, but we were going to get some type of greeting eventually. I share my thoughts with the King, who paces with the Minister in his throne room.

“Unacceptable! They can’t think we’re as weakened as we are! Take a small group to meet them the moment you see some type of envoy! I want time to...spruce up the place before they get here! Stall them if you can!" I nod and assign Sergeant Crispus, whose sole job is to follow me around and send my messages. Versa and Emeris continue to share our supply counts with me.

“Captain Raiden, we found someone.” A voice calls out from the far end of the dining hall. I give Emeris the papers with our current supplies on them and turn around. Captain Lucretia gently waves at me, while having her arms over the two soldiers carrying her. Emeris runs over, grabs her around the midsection, and gives her a giant hug. She pats him on the back, despite groaning in pain. She has a small cut above her eye that made her normally timid looking face seem decently stoic. Her long, blonde hair flows around her shoulders. It was temporarily dyed with random debris from out on the field. Emeris takes a small twig out from her hair and smiles.

I hear Versa’s angry, low grumble next to me. Did she have feelings for Emeris? Did she try to have Lucretia killed? Or does she just hate displays of affection? Regardless, it wasn’t my place to ask. I walk over to Lucretia, doing my best not to give her an embrace of my own. I put my hands on my hips and stand up straight.

“How did you manage to survive out there?”
She chuckles painfully. “I was fighting some Og Nag and an archer shot the one I was fighting. It fell on top of me and I was too exhausted to push it off.” Versa walks up to us, trying to act casual.

“If you don’t mind, we need to finish going over supplies.” With that, Versa effortlessly wraps her arm around Lucretia's legs, lifts her up and sets her on a cot nearby to rest. Was this general compassion or just a gimmick for something more sinister later? I motion for Lieutenant Cy to come over. As soon as he jogs up to me, I lower my voice so only Emeris and Cy can hear.

“Cy, I want you watching Lucretia at all times, especially when Versa is in the room. Make sure you’re the only one giving Lucretia water and food as well.” Cy nods nervously, then marches over to Lucretia and begins questioning her about her possible injuries.

Emeris looks over at the pair, then back to me.

“You don’t really think Versa…” His tone reflects the same worry I have. I shake my head.

“I don’t know, but I’d rather not learn the hard way.”

We had enough problems without our chain of command trying to choke itself.

Chapter 3: Meeting Confusion For Tea

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Lieutenant Dayke and Sergeant Thyra run up to me with a large piece of tan paper. Dayke had drawn everything in eye-sight with rough estimations of how far they were.

I look it over with a satisfied nod. “Good thing you got a knack for guessing distances. We should be able to hit them hard with our trebs if they come back.”

She nods uneasily and drums her fingers on her legs. "I'm sorry Captain Raiden, but we're also out of rocks to launch. All we have left are shredders but we have a ton of them at least."

I let out a slow exhale and drop my shoulders. “Good thing shredders are so simple to make given we have tons of scrap metal and at least two forges still operational.”

Sergeant Thyra looks between us uncomfortably. “My apologies I never got training on our trebuchets. What are shredders?”

Dayke keeps her hands clasped behind her back as she turns to talk to Thyra. “They’re molded head-sized balls of jagged metal, with a sharp piece pointing every direction. They’re also soaked in the latrine so they can easily cause infections. Their only drawback is the severe lack of range and predictability. They have a fourth of the range as a normal rock, but can coat an entire area. Our trebuchets have different fittings for different ammo. For shredders, a larger pad is used to make sure we covered a wide area. If we used our normal sling for the jagged metal, they’d wear it out. Unfortunately a thicker pad means less energy going into our shots so less range, they’re also not aerodynamic or balanced for crap.”

I hand the paper back to Dayke.

"Make several copies of this map and make sure every soldier in command has one." Right as she takes the map, another soldier runs up. He hands me a scroll with red tape on each end, about a single inch from the actual edge of the paper. In it, is a report that a large group of what we presume to be natives heading in our direction from the huge mountain. I bolt to the window and look outwards.

We see several horses approaching our city from the south. They're still far enough away that it makes details impossible, but we can at least make out a front row. They're also wearing some kind of reflective material. Could be shiny armor, could be weapons made from steel. There could easily be more following behind.

I race through the castle and find Emeris in the dining hall between two heated soldiers. “Come now, gentlemen. What’s more badass, throwing fists over someone else’s attitude, or being the guy I can trust to keep a cool head when I stumble across some extra supplies to give away?” Emeris looks between them with a grin and pats both their chests with each hand. He looks up at me as I skid into the hall. I hold up the scroll with red tape and wiggle it a few times. He nods and starts issuing commands.

In a few minutes, my scouts had already bolted through the stone halls and notified everyone under my command. Units pour into the throne room, as I stand in the middle with my hands clasped behind my back.

All fifty of us stand at attention, when the last few of my soldiers join our formation. I clear my throat and address them as they stand in five rows of ten.

“We know nothing about this land. You will act respectfully, but not fearfully. The last thing we need is to be picked off before we even have a chance to fight. So be ready for anything. All units not with our initial welcoming party, will utilize typical rogue protocols with the exception of not killing any locals for the sake of stealth. Tara Beik, you will approach from the west, sticking close to any trees and shrubbery with bows at the ready. You will fire on my command only. You'll prioritize ground infantry with your longbowers focusing on high threat targets. Tara Neiz, you'll approach from the east, taking advantage of the hills. You will hold your fire until we need it. You'll be reserved for flanking as well as dealing with any arial units. We've seen them fly so keep your eyes on the sky. If we get into combat and fall back, you'll hit them from behind. Also if you see any of their people make a run for it, you are to use your longbowers to take them out so they can’t go back and report the situation. Understood?” Quiet nods from everyone. This could very well be the start of a second war. We couldn't risk any enemy unit reporting back. If combat broke out, we'd have to rely on the element of surprise given our ignorance of this land. There would be no telling what they have in store for us.

As we exit through the castle gate, Emeris leans over to me and chuckles.

“That was the most boring, dry speech you’ve ever given. Might as well add in that they should kill themselves before being taken prisoner.” I sigh with annoyance.

"Alright, what would you have said?" Emeris smirks and crosses his arms.

"Who knows, maybe they'll just surrender and we'll become the new rulers here. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'd love being woken up by a foot massage!" He calls out. Our people laugh to themselves, more out of a release of tension than humor I assume.

We pass what remains of the double doors in the gate room. They lean against the stone, with only half of each door remotely intact. The ground was littered with wooden debris when doom came for us. We march through the remains of our former homes in a daze. Most of the city was gone, with our outer stone walls guarding a wasteland of misery and destruction.

The debris was already being quickly transformed into basic forts. If it wasn’t a checkpoint along the road, it was being piled into a huge wall. The side facing away from our city was a gradual incline made to let the Og Nag climb onto it with ease. On the other side, facing us and hidden from view of our foes, large metal spikes were put down to impale enemies who try to jump down. The idea was that the Og Nag would mindlessly climb the hill of debris and possibly jump off without thinking, impaling themselves. Once they realize it’s no good, the units behind them might give an accidental bump killing a few more. This also allows us to use the sides of the hill of debris as a bit of a choke point. Last but not least, it was a bit of an early warning as they’d have to stop at the top of the hill and go back down. It's engineering was obnoxiously simple as well: Make a wall, then pile debris on the other side over and over, gradually making a ramp. Small jagged pieces of metal, coated with pepper, occasionally poke up, ensuring a few punctured feet and a very unpleasant after effect.

We stop right as our city ends and the luscious green grass begins. We can’t believe the sight of it: real grass. I take the first step out. My foot sinks just slightly into the ground. My knee cries out, being accustomed to marching on hard, solid earth. I gently bend over, take off my left gauntlet, and feel it with my hand. Real grass was something I had never experienced. It was almost a gift just to be able to see it. The blades are smooth, cool and just slightly damp. The deep green almost massages my sight. The texture was almost that of silk, coated in fresh moisture. The blades were almost infinite, hiding the dirt from my sight. There was no dead shrubbery, no blood or rusting metal, no burnt wood crumbled into a pile.

I’m about to turn around to address our troops, but to my right, Emeris tears off his armor and rolls around in the field giggling. Everyone bursts out laughing. I try to keep a straight face, but Emeris enjoying himself off to the side is too much. I sigh and give a small welcoming wave. Roars of happiness erupt as everyone takes their own approach to this strange miracle. Some just admire it, while others remove one or more bits of armor and throw themselves around carelessly. I sit down, letting the cool green blades tickle my palm. If this was a dream, it had been the best one of my life.

I stare up at the sky. A few clouds, some birds soaring carelessly, the bright warm sun kissing my face, this had to be some kind of afterlife test. I close my eyes as a nice breeze swims through my helmet. I let out a sigh of bliss. I had no idea where we were, but I didn’t want to leave. Maybe we were dead. Maybe this was the next step; venturing outwards as some kind of final assessment. I was never a religious man, but this could very well change that. Various animals run around in the distance, watching us curiously. They seem more shy than afraid. Animals that don’t automatically run from humans, what a strange land this was.

One of my units calls out that the envoy is getting closer. Everyone jumps up and puts back on whatever armor they tore off, then get into formation. I run through our lines, pulling stray blades of grass from their armor. My two groups break off and sprint to their designated positions. Their leather armor makes them completely silent. Snickering and excited whispers plague the unit, as all the happiness hasn’t quite faded yet. Soon, the most glorious horses I had ever seen make their way into view, accompanied by around fifty other smaller horses, wearing some kind of custom silver armor. As they get closer, there appears to be two horses leading them. They both had an odd familiar feminine look to them.

Their colors were unreal. My eyes tremble trying to contemplate creatures that had more majesticness than the rumors of rainbows I’ve heard.

The tallest one, was a light shade of pink. Her fur was short and perfectly groomed.

To her left is another horse, slightly smaller by a foot, but still with that strange feminine allure as well. Her fur is a dark, faded cobalt blue, with a spectacular mane of blue, with an odd outline of light purple. I think I see it sparkle a bit in the sunlight. Her eyes are just as wide, but are teal. I had never seen such color, let alone on an animal. On her head was a purple horn, approximately a foot long, backed up by a black crown with another strange purple outline to it. Around her neck she seems to wear some kind of cloth necklace, painted black, outlined with a light purple. In it, is a depiction of a white moon going through one of its phases. Her tail also mimics the same pattern as her mane. Both have massive wings at their sides, as if they could even fly. Their radiant black eyelashes almost make me stare at the ground. The oddest thing was that this is how I reacted around women of my own species.

To top off their appearance, I couldn't help but notice just how different they looked from horses of our world. Instead of massive bulging bodies, loaded with muscles, they were thin and petite. Were these thinner horses used for racing instead of riding or labor? Also their muzzles don’t extend out by a few feet or so like a normal horse. Instead it quickly forms into the mouth similar of a dog, sticking out only around three to four inches. It was...cute. Their mouths and lips were the size of a person’s, instead of the massive gaping chops of a normal equine.

Their eyes were massive, slightly larger than a typical person. It was strangely calming though. They were also a lot more closer to the nose, rather than completely on the side. They were able to look straight at me with both eyes at the same time with ease. The more I stare into them, the more I notice one last perplexing feature. These horses seemed to have the back parts of their eyelids outlined with eyeshadow. Even their eyelashes seemed to protrude out with a bit of help.

The white one has her entire eyes outlined in black, while the smaller darker horse had just the back corners of her eyes done up. Who the hell puts makeup on horses? Perhaps it was the radiant teal of her eyes, or the way she casually bats her eyelashes, but I had the feeling I was dealing with more than a mere animal. They all shared the same characteristics that separated them from the horses we were used to. They were surprisingly rigid, as if striking a royal demeanor. They had clearly been heavily trained, but where were their riders?

The miraculous colors on them are more of a shock than the grass. What other possible surprises did this place have? I walk towards them, with my hands up, doing my best to appear friendly. They were probably hungry and lost, and came to us for safety. As I get closer, I see something just a tad off. Instead of mindlessly glancing around, they constantly studied us. What the hell was going on? I talk as gently as I can.

“I’m so sorry, we’ll get you back home don’t worry. “ The two horses look at each other, and then back to me, with perplexed looks. I had never seen horses make facial expressions either. Did they even have more facial muscles than a normal horse, with the knowledge of how to use them? They all stop about twenty feet from us, almost acting as they had never seen humans before.

“Cy, get a saddle and escort them to our stables.” I had instructed him to bring at least one in case we found a mode of transportation. Cy runs past me with his saddle. I turn around and begin discussing with everyone that we need to take good care of these creatures, as they may belong to powerful royalty and it would make a good first impression. I pull out my map and begin designating areas where we can house the poor creatures. Cy begin to saddle the white horse, when I hear a female voice call out.

“Excuse me!” The voice is mixed with an attempt at politeness but also anger. Cy drops the saddle and falls down.

“S..s…sir! The…the horse just told me...no.”

I slowly turn around and stare at him, then back at the horse. She looks rather annoyed. She…smiles at me, raises her right hoof to her chest. Raises her hoof to her chest. Horses can’t do that. Did they even have extra joints?

“I’m Princess Celestia, and this is-“ My units start screaming and backing up. I can’t look away or move. The map falls from my hands to the ground. The white horse, who just addressed herself as Princess Celestia, looks surprised at our reaction.

“I…I apologize! Have I offended you?” She stares at me with sympathy. My soldiers keep backing up, murmuring to each other about how this wasn’t possible. I slowly shake my head in disbelief. The cobalt blue horse looks at Celestia, then back to me and tries to speak. This...Celestia interrupts her by raising her left hoof to her company's chest.

“Giiiiiiive them just a minute. I don’t think they’re from here…at all.” Her tone is royal and articulate. It is what I would expect from a powerful queen, but not from an animal.

We stand there in complete disbelief. Talking rainbow horses…talking horses. I just couldn’t even begin to process this. My brain turns on and I accept the fact that at this point, anything is possible. We could easily be in some kind of afterlife even. All bets were off about where we are.

I slowly nod my head and weakly wave hello with my right hand.

“I…I’m Captain Raiden. We’re…um…where we come from…your species hasn’t…um…well they don’t talk. They’re for riding and labor like any other animal could be...not that I'm saying you’re animals it's just... I…I’m sorry it’s just…talking horses…I…”

The black one interrupts me.

“Ponies. We’re actually ponies. Don't get me wrong, we do have horses here, but they're technically another species.” I turn my head slowly to her. She even has a slightly different female voice as well. It’s slightly deeper with a bit of sass to it. She sounds younger, and less interested at coming across peacefully. I try to say something, but my head screws everything up and I make a strange knocking motion in the air with my hand. She looks me over awkwardly.

“I’m Princess Luna by the way.” She glances angrily at Celestia, then back to us with a subtle smile.

“Welcome to Equestria! If there’s anything we can do to make this less-” she stops trying. She can tell we’re still wrapping our heads around this. I turn to Emeris.

“Wh…what…what should we…” He shakes his head.

“You’re first captain; it’s your call. I’m not dealing with this crap. I’m still processing the fresh grass.”

Celestia and Luna giggle at his comment.

They actually cover their mouths with a hoof while they do it too. They’re mannerisms were so human it catches me off guard.

“I…uh, maybe if…would you excuse me for just a second?” They both nod. I instruct my units to turn around. Everyone reluctantly does. I subtly look over to my left and pat my chest twice with two fingers, signaling Tara Beik to relax. They all have their bows drawn. Their dark green leather armor makes them almost invisible. Lieutenant Termin commands Tara Beik and makes sure to stay where we can clearly see each other, but not the enemy. She nods at my hand signal and creeps back behind the small patch of trees. I take in a deep breath, knowing it was time to put on my friendly mask. Emeris and myself had always been a good tagteam for conversations.

“Okay…regardless, we are guests in these lands, and we’ve just received an introduction. We will act with respect, accept it, and…um…talking horses, I just can’t even-“

“Ponies!” Luna calls from behind me. Several of my soldiers chuckle.

“Okay…talking ponies. We need to accept this, and treat them like any other nation. Is that understood?” I hear grunts of yes from everyone. We all turn back around. I take a deep breath, and exhale slowly. I redo my introduction as my body wants to shake violently, but somehow I stay in control.

“I apologize, I’m First Captain Raiden, and this is my second in command, Captain Emeris. We are the nation of Taraska. We were somehow teleported to your land during a war. We mean you no harm and are desperately trying to make sense of this world.” Celestia and Luna give me large smiles.

“Well that’s fantastic! I must admit we were in complete shock when your city first appeared here. Do you require any assistance? We should have an abundance of anything you may need.” Celestia says with a remarkably friendly tone. Why were they so willing to help us? Did they plan on using us later? We didn't have any options so there was no refusing help at this point. I hold the map out to her, and somehow it flies out of my hand, and unravels in front of her with a yellow glow around it.

Celestia looks over the map, completely unphased by the mystical floating paper in front of her. I hear Cy take in several huge, deep breaths and sit on the ground on my left.

“Permission to lose it sir?”

“Permission denied.” I tell him with a strict but humorous tone.

Emeris points at the map.

“Sir…our map is floating, how is that-”

Celestia looks up at me startled.

“Oh I’m so so sorry! That’s um...magic. I apologize, it’s just so common for us. We’ll keep it to a minimum for now.” She gives us an anxious smile. Emeris and I exchanged bewildered looks. We stand there for just a minute. Luna glances at Celestia, then back to me. Suddenly rocks around us take on a purple glow and start whizzing through the air. Half my units scream and start running back towards our town.

Luna giggles and the rocks go back to the ground. Celestia shoots her a sharp glare. “I apologize for my sister. She can be quite rude at times.” Celestia gives Luna a playful but rough smack on her foreleg.

They were freaking sisters but they look nothing alike. I do my best to regain my composure.

“Is…um…I apologize if this sounds rude, but…is there anything else we need to know about your land?” Luna thinks for a minute. She points at the massive structure behind them on the purple mountain.

“That’s Canterlot, our castle and palace, and we can also fly.” She rustles her wings a bit, extends them to about four feet on her sides, and retracts them.

Emeris sighs and shakes his head with his hands on his hips.

“Okay that’s it; I’m going back to rolling in the grass.” He starts to turn around until I clamp a hand on his shoulder. Celestia and Luna both start laughing.

I look at Luna hesitantly. “So this grass, do you have it everywhere or just here?”

The sisters laugh again then stop when I don’t smile.

Luna blinks at me with a completely plain expression. “...you’re kidding me, right?”

Emeris shrugs with embarrassment. “We don’t really have this where we’re from.”

Celestia slowly rotates her head to the right. “You don’t have grass?”

I rub the back of my neck.

“We do it’s just...dead and covered in blood.”

The sisters look at each other and chuckle nervously. Emeris buries his face in his hands. “Seriously Raiden, the speeches.”

I place my hands on my hips and rock back and forth.

“Well I guess we should take you to see the King now that we’re...introduced.”

Celestia smiles at us.

“We would be honored to meet him. Perhaps on the way there we can work through this little...mess we have.”

Emeris turns to me.

“You…you do know the King is the worst with surprises and whatnot right?”

I nod slowly, giving him a small smirk.

“Yes, it’s going to be hysterical. Make sure you take careful notes so we can share the story with the rest of our people tonight.”

More laughter from the sisters. The humor was helping us relax as well. Luna clears her throat right as I go to turn around.

"Not to sound rude as well Captain Raiden, but is there anything we should know about you?" I stare at her in silence. The humor is completely gone as we lock eyes. There's only a few things I dare say to her.

"We're professional warriors and we're supposed to be dead." Celestia and Luna's eyes enlarge a bit. Emeris leans in front of me as if he was performing one of his renown plays.

"But we're plenty friendly!" He says, waving his hands. No one laughs but I stop tensing up. I hold the back of my hand across my mouth and whisper to Emeris.

"Sudo Tara Beik gai." Making sure Emeris got the hint to tell Tara Beik to fall back. Emeris nods a few times.

"Before we depart, may I take a small leak?"

Celestia blushes a bit. “Do you mean you wish to travel to our palace or…”

Emeris does his best to casually speedwalk to the trees. He hums to himself, making his coded words to Tara Beik sound like a Taraskan song as he pretends to pee. I shake my head and sigh loudly to get their attention back on me.

"I apologize your highness. I hope we haven't offended you. This land is...more new to us than you could ever know." Celestia smiles and nods. Luna watches Emeris with a bit of suspicion and disgust. I swallow a bit, feeling like a stray dog in comparison to them.

"Princess Luna, you said the palace off in the distance is called...?" She turns to me, almost embarrassed.

"Oh! Canterlot!" They both turn to look at it for a second and that's all the time I need. I pat the back of my head with two fingers and see my stealth team bolt backwards as fast as they can, disappearing into a much larger forest behind them. The princesses turn around, but Luna watches me curiously, probably picking up on the sudden relief I probably expressed. I was going to need to be more careful around her. I could only hope that Tara Neiz saw my commands too, as the hills to our right could easily conceal them.

I have our soldiers walk ahead of us towards our castle, while myself and my captains walk alongside the princesses. Their guards covered our rear. Celestia tells me about their various responsibilities, the different towns, the different types of ponies, and warns me how common magic is. I decide it’s best to probably hold off on mingling for a bit until my soldiers get more accustomed to this new world.

I stop as the sisters let out loud gasps. Their eyes scan our destroyed homes and buildings. In our walk, I had completely forgotten about the destruction. There were literally five houses in our massive city that still technically stood up. Our city had been raided so many times, that we rebuilt homes with the intention of them being turned into temporary fighting quarters. Their shutters were metal, and could be closed from the inside. The wood has a special coating on it to make it more resistant to arrows and swordswipes. They were hideous, dull, gloomy, basic, and I owed my life to several of them during the last invasion.

Celestia’s eyes go from the buildings back to me.

“Do…do you require any assistance?! Your entire city is destroyed!” Emeris shrugs casually.

“It’s fine, it always looks like that.” I punch his arm. He wasn’t entirely wrong though. Luna swallows before taking a few steps forward.

“We would be more than happy to send you our most skilled artisans and builders so you have proper homes! And I’m sure we could spare plenty of hay for beds and anything else you may need!” Celestia glances at her sister and nods rapidly.

“Yes certainly! I hope you’re not sleeping on the ground!” Emeris shrugs again.

“No of course not, there’s perfectly halfway-clean stone in the Castle to sleep on!” I cross my arms and shake my head at the ground.

As we walk along the street, random debris is cleared from our path from the sisters. I’m still getting used to it. All my men gasp whenever they see debris go flying. Celestia stops clearing it, as Luna seems to enjoy all the attention from lifting everything. She trots along, proud as can be; smiling at every gasp as she effortlessly clears our path without even slowing her pace. I catch myself staring at her frequently, as she begins to return my glances.

“So…you raise the moon at night.” I say awkwardly.

She nods happily.

“Every night!”

“That would be nice being able to bask in the moon whenever I wished. Never cared much for the day honestly.” I glance at Celestia.

“No offense.” I add in casually. She turns to me, smiles, and continues forward. I see Luna with a massive wide-eyed grin staring at me out of the corner of my eye. I begin to get nervous and do everything in my power not to glance over again.

"So if you don't mind me asking, Captain Raiden, what exactly is Tara Beik? I heard you whisper it to Captain Emeris, then he hummed it to himself earlier." My blood turns cold.

"Tara Beik is a term for...home. More like "Our dearest home"." I exhale through my nose in relief when she nods, happy with the response. My face suddenly contracts into confusion.

“Something else has crossed my mind, Princess. I find it odd we speak the same language.”

Her eyes widen and those gorgeous teal pearls make me flinch as she looks up at me.

“Oh that! We don’t actually speak the same language. A long time ago, a great sorcerer of our people decided to unite all the races by casting a global spell that allows us to understand each other. You hear us speaking your language, we hear you speaking ours. It took many years to create and many more to store the magical power needed to cast it. It’s not perfect and has issues with certain other languages, making the speaker sound...odd, but it doesn’t take long to at least get the basics down. I’m afraid this magic was before our time and we’ve grown so accustomed to it, that very few ponies even know of its existence. It’s also noted in our ancient logs that the spell is also gradually changing every species speech to all be the same language. Even if it were dispelled, it would only be our two species that would have difficulties most likely.

We reach the castle and all the happiness I had spills out onto the blood-covered stone of the gate room.

Chapter 4: The King And His Misery

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We stand outside the main double doors that lead to the interior. Emeris gives me one last glance. I ponder what to do to lessen the impact. An idea clicks into my head.
“Emeris, go inside and grab some fabric to drape over our friends here. I’d like to try and make this as gradual as possible." I turn to the sisters.
“Would you be so kind as to have your guards wait out here and allow me to hang some cloth over you? This will only be for just a few minutes to give the king time to…adjust.” They both happily nod.
“Oh one last thing, please refrain from using magic while you’re in there. It’s just…one thing at a time if you may.”

Emeris comes back out with a few tablecloths. I drape them over the sisters like robes. Red for Celestia and a nice black one for Luna. Their faces are fully covered, but there's no hiding their horns.
“Emeris, bring them in when I call out their names.” He nods as I enter through the double doors and see the King on his throne, talking to Versa. There was no greater dishonor than kneeling to the pig, but I do it anyways.
“Your majesty, I’ve found another kingdom. They’re peaceful and wish to meet with us. I’ve brought their current rulers here for your consideration.”
King Hurrand claps his hands as if he had just received another slice of cake.
“Splendid! Bring them in at once!” He bites his bottom lip anxiously. Too bad he couldn't just devour his entire face.
My armor clanks in my ears as I rise to my feet.
“Your majesty, if I may, I have an odd request. Can you close your eyes while you talk to them? I know it’s odd, but I shall explain in a bit.” The King looks at me suspiciously, then shrugs and closes his eyes.
“Make sure it’s but a moment Raiden.” His tuft of red hair bounces a bit. I nod and stand up, bracing myself for either hilarity or humiliation.

I turn sideways and hold out my arm towards the double doors.
“Introducing Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, rulers of this land Equestria, hailing from Canterlot.” Mid sentence Emeris brings in the two. I see our guards look at them confused, but no one does anything too excited…yet.
Princess Celestia is the first to speak.
“Greetings King Hurrand, we come humbly from our palace in Canterlot. First Captain Raiden has told us of your current situation and we would be more than willing to help.” Princess Luna follows up.
“King Hurrand, is there any way you can shed some light on how exactly you got here?”
King Hurrand laugh dismissively.
“I’m afraid we’re just as confused as you are. One minute we’re fighting for our city, the next we’re here. But please, if you may, I’d rather not discuss where we came from, it’s an unpleasant topic and this is a most pleasant occasion. I wish to know everything of your land if you may!”
Celestia gives a small nod.

“Our land is full of peace and beauty. Everypony here works towards the advancement of society and crime is almost unheard of. We do have the occasional setback, but it’s easily dealt with.”
King Hurrand chuckles.
"I...I apologize but...everypony?" Celestia turns her head and peeks out from under the tablecloth. I tap my index finger on my waist.
"I apologize your majesty, I'll explain shortly." Hurrand shrugs.
“How is it you came to create such a utopia then?” He smiles but keeps his eyes closed.
Princess Luna raises her head a bit.
“We work diligently to preserve peace and integrity. It has not always been easy, but a mere walk around our kingdom will show you the magic our land holds.”
King Hurrand seems to restrain a very odd smile.
“Splendid! Come now Raiden, is it still necessary for myself to remain blind to our new friends?!” he says excitedly.
I shift in place and give another glance around the room.
“As you wish sir. I must warn you though, our friends are a familiar, but different species.”
King Hurrand stops smiling.
“Are they…dangerous?”
I begin my next sentence with a scoff.
“I would assume not, unless we make them mad.”
Celestia giggles under her red cloth.
“Oh come now Captain Raiden! Stop teasing your poor king!”
I nod at her.
“Very well sir, please open your eyes.” He does and stares at them for a brief moment. He can only see their general forms, and isn’t terribly shocked. He clears his throat.
“There’s no need to wear such disguises!” He gets off his throne and starts walking towards them.
“Please, if you may, discard your robes so we may know each other!” Celestia tugs off the tablecloths with her magic. The King stares in disbelief for a moment, then bursts out laughing.
“Raiden, oh you! You got me good! Where did you find such magnificent horses? They look like they – “
Luna does her best to politely cut him off with a gentle cough.
“Ponies.” she says.

The King stops laughing and gawks at her. He retreats a few steps then falls backwards. He props himself up with his hands, his mouth still trembling.

“Wh…what is this?! Guards! Seize them!” Hurand turns around and makes a dash for the stairs that lead up to the Minister's quarters. His swift steps are comparable to a drunk mutt. I hold up a hand to the guards, who almost had their swords out. They freeze in their place, still unsure of the situation. I turn and face Hurrand.
“This is princess Celestia and Princess Luna.”
He looks over his shoulder before falling down. He rolls over to his back and gradually gets back to his feet, still trembling.
“I…I apologize…I just…”
Princess Celestia nods.
“It’s quite understandable, Captain Raiden explained earlier. We know you are not used to our species being…sentient.” The King is able to stand a bit more upright.
“Wh...I can’t believe this…” He blinks fiercely. He slowly inhales and breathes out.
“And I was also not expecting you to be so...absolutely beautiful! I have never seen such glorious color! Please, if I may, I would love to have a portrait drawn of you! Raiden! Fetch my artist! I want a forlorn picture drawn of these auspicious creatures!” he yells boastfully. Another of Hurrand's favorite past times, was knowing that the people around him didn't have a very large vocabulary. So he hears a word occasionally that he likes and uses it, regardless if he even knows the meaning. I swallow nervously.
“Sir, you had him…removed because you thought he was trying to steal your crown.”
King Hurrand thinks for a second.
“Oh that’s right…well find me someone!”

Luna casually trots behind her sister, before walking over to me. She does her best to whisper.
"Forlorn?"
I inhale a bit.
"I'm aware of what it actually means, but I promise you he's trying to both impress and compliment you. Whether he succeeds or not is up to you, princess." I say as quietly as I can, trying to hide my amusement. Luna gives me a massive grin. My mouth quivers as I stare into those teal eyes of hers that study my face.
Celestia chuckles and puts a hoof to her mouth.
“We shall have portraits sent to your castle immediately. Although I must admit sending portraits of myself as a gift seems terribly vain!” she says with a small laugh.
The King waves a dismissive hand.
“Oh I know the feeling!”
To my surprise, Emeris takes a jab.
“Your majesty, did you not give us all self portraits as gifts for our last victory?” Celestia and company have a big laugh. The rest of our troops shift nervously. The King does a great job of pretending not to be insulted.
“Oh hush now captain!” he says with a large grin. Behind those fake eyes, lay the wrath of a black soul who enjoys torment as much as he does his wine of lies.

Celestia and Luna discuss the layout of the kingdom with King Hurrand. Hurrand does his best to avoid answering questions about our land, except for vague ones like what our specialties are, and how much money we have, that he conveniently adds an extra zero to at the end. He seems to forget the fact that the difference in currency makes the numbers irrelevant until we establish a trading agreement.

The bragging and lies go on and after the better part of an hour, they inform the King that they must depart. He personally shows them out the door and his eyes graze Celestia’s backside. I give a small shudder to myself. Once the Princesses have left, he stops smiling, and slaps on his secret malicious grin.
“Can you believe it?! Gold and magic! And peace!” He claps his hands excitedly.
"Oh this is just...so easy!"
We know full well he was never good at sharing.

The King plops his overzealous rear into his throne and begins daydreaming, probably fantasizing about ruling Equestria. I lean against the wall in the throne room, with my arms crossed, waiting for the King’s orders. Emeris walks past me, and gives me a quick glance. I unfold my arms and stop leaning, trying to get a word with Emeris, but he opens his mouth before I can protest.
“Your majesty. Perhaps with this land, we can adopt a new set of rules. I feel that this kingdom can be trusted to live in peace with us.” I stare in horror. The King has one leg propped on the arm of his throne. He turns towards Emeris surprised, “Oh Emeris, I forgot you were still here. Guards, put him in a cage." Emeris sighs and goes along with the guards willingly. They say nothing to him and reluctantly escort him outside. Neither of them place a single hand on Emeris.

He knew full well that his joke would cost him, it was more a question of worth honestly. If I knew Emeris, it was a good investment. I took a mental note to sneak him some food and water later tonight. The cage is a simple, yet brutal form of punishment where you’re locked in a cage that can be altered for height and width to make sure you can’t lay down or stand up completely. The tenant is also denied food and water, and is left outside. It was smart to study the weather before attempting anything that could get you sent there, as the King has an unfortunate time remembering the perpetrator when it snows.

“Raiden, boy, come here. I have a new assignment for you.” I sigh quietly through my nose so no one can hear. The heat from my body clouds into my helmet as I yet again take a knee in front of his throne.
“I want you to find out everything you can about their castle. Especially where their vault and library is. You will go there as an emissary and take careful notes on its layout." He strokes his chin a few times as he daydreams. He moves his left arm over and knocks his cup to the ground. I let out a sigh.
"Sorry, your majesty."
Hurrand shakes his head with annoyance.
"It's alright Raiden, I expect mistakes like this from you."
I stomach my pride.
“Yes, your highness.”
He growls angrily.
“Yes, your supreme Lordship of all the land.” He grumbles with a subtle hiss.
I hesitate for a few seconds, contemplating if a few days in the cage was worth it. It wasn’t. Also I get a free trip to their castle if I go with the princesses. He'd easily cancel the "trip" if I gave him a reason.
“Yes, your supreme lordship of the land.” I say with as much apathy as possible. It's the only way I can choke out the words.
“Good boy, now take this with you.” He pulls out a strange orb the size of a marble and hands it to me. It's orange with a strange black swirl in the middle, as if an artist had mixed paints and glass together. I take it and set it inside my pouch.
“What’s this for sir?” I ask hesitantly. He narrows his eyes at me.
“Remove your helmet.” I loathefully do so and look at him with a subtle, yet defiant stare. He backhands me. He has a special ring with jagged edges. My cheek starts bleeding in agony. I show no sign of pain just to make him mad. He grunts.
“That’s why. Now begone. I expect a report in a few days.” I put my helmet back on and leave.
“Idiot...” the king grumbles at the last second before I leave.

This wasn't a castle, it was a tomb, where hope goes to die.

Chapter 5: A Vacation From Inferno

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Right as I reach our gateroom, Lieutenant Termin steps out of the shadows.

"Captain Raiden sir, we...have a huge problem." My eyes start twitching.

"Oh God, what the hell is it this time?!" I say furiously. She motions behind her with her head. We walk into the training yard, where a terrified teal pony with a white mane, shakes in place holding what I presume is his daughter. He looks around at my soldiers, eyes huge and tearful. His jaw clacks up and down so hard, I can almost hear it. His daughter has light tan fur and a mix of pink and blue in her mane. She holds onto his foreleg with her eyes shut. Termin bumps my arm.
"We ran into them when we fell back. It was close enough that his screams would have drawn the princesses. Our only option was to gag them. We haven't had a chance to release them so we brought them here." I fall to my knees and cover my face with my gauntlets. This was really, really bad. There was no way in hell I was killing them, but could I risk them saying what they saw and it getting back to Canterlot? At the same time, we couldn't just hold them prisoner forever.

Emeris strolls past me. I look up and see he's wearing his formal teal attire with a giant smile plastered on his face. He greets the colt with a colossal wave of his arm. He sits on the dirt and crosses his legs.

"Hey there! I am so sorry you got mixed up in all this! You see we didn't know what was going on and it was our first time meeting the princesses, so we didn't want her getting ambushed you know? We had to have our special guards in the area and they didn't know who you were! But don't worry, everything is cleared up!" The colt stops shaking, but there's still stone-cold fear plastered on his face. He nods a few times, still looking around the yard. I get to my feet but decide to let Emeris handle this. Emeris rubs the back of his head.

"Jeez, I'm really sorry, I know you're scared. Don't worry, these guys only look evil, they're actually really nice! Aren't you?" He calls out joyfully, turning his head to the soldiers in the yard. Like a bunch of idiots, my soldiers turn to each other, before looking back at Emeris and shrugging. Emeris narrows his eyes and gives them an angry glare. They get the hint and start nodding.
"Yeah yeah! We're real friendly, like...totally not going to kill you." One of them says. I turn around and groan into my gauntlets again.

"Well tell you what, what's your name?" The colt looks at him and opens his mouth.

"My uh...my names Coldstone sir." Emeris nods, scrunches his eyes a bit and smiles again.

"Well tell you what Coldstone, who do we got here?" He taps the air in the direction of his daughter.

"Um, this here's Gemstone." Gemstone opens her eyes and looks up at Emeris, still clinging tight to her dad.

"Well hi there Gemstone! My names Emeris! I'm sorry you're so scared! You know, it's been a long day and I could really use a new friend! Do you wanna be my friend?" She sniffles and crawls her way out of her dads legs. She nods and sticks out her left hoof. Emeris takes it carefully and barely shakes it.

"Alright, well lets get you two back home!" Emeris leans over and picks up Gemstone like you'd pick up a cat and cradles her in his arms. The colt gets up and gives Emeris his best smile, with a hint of apprehension in it. Emeris asks them about their town as they walk out the back gate. I turn around and Termin follows me, looking over her shoulder one last time.

"I get it, I really do, but what happens if they start talking? Do you...want me to make it look like an accident?" I stop in place and stare ahead silently.

"I think it would be easier to explain our paranoia than a murdered civilian. Let Emeris handle it for now." Termin nods and suddenly all I can hear is my own footsteps as I head to the gate room.

As I exit the double doors of the castle, I still see the sisters leaving with their guards. I signal to a sentry at our front gate to hold them up a minute. The Princess’ greet me with a smile as I reach them. I bow with my hands to my sides.
“If you will permit it, I would love to visit your palace as a Taraskan ambassador.” The sisters glance at each other and gladly invite me to tag along. Luna doesn't make eye-contact when she speaks.
"I apologize, I was under the impression Captain Emeris was an ambassador?" I swallow a bit.
"He's...occupied at the moment."
Celestia gives me a light smile.
“Normally we’d take a chariot, but we didn’t want to seem...invasive.”
I chuckle under my helmet.
“I’m going to be honest your highness, a flying chariot would have given us quite the fright.” Luna lets out a tiny laugh.
“And here I was, almost ready to wear my cape made of bats.”. I stare at her, unable to tell if she’s joking. I let out a humerous scoff just in case she is.

The walk back is taxing in heavy armor, but the scenery and company made it more than bearable. Everywhere I look was at least one curious pony who wanted to know what the commotion was about. I did my best to wave, but it slowly dawns on me that my armor was designed to inspire fear, as any new guest quickly hid from sight. I still couldn’t believe the color. Every animal, every flower, every creature was their own unique painting. I turn to Luna.
“So you said the occasional villain pops up, how is this so with such a harmonious and inviting land?”
Luna thinks for a moment.
“To be completely honest, it’s not so much how many villains we get, it’s more about the return of old ones.”
I nod and try to think of the least ruthless response I can.
“Would it not be easier to simply execute them and rid yourselves of the problem once and for all?”
Celestia, while shocked, does her best to stay neutral with her response.
“In our kingdom, we do not execute. All negative presences are met with the expectation that reform is possible, while others are met with exile. We do our best not to show the same careless anger as our enemies.” I take slight offense to it, as I had executed my fair share of soldiers, but in a way I understood. It was an act of mercy and kindness. Also it freed you from making permanent mistakes. I had my own regrets with punishment that I had longed to take back.

We arrive at the mountain a few hours later. I can clearly see the palace from the ground, and it forces me to stop and admire it. Celestia and Luna don't seem to mind as I take in the sight. Celestia takes a few steps in front of me, but doesn't block my view. She points an inviting hoof at the mountain.
"Welcome to Canterlot! It is home of many wonderful shops and ponies. As you probably can see from here, there's an actual town built along the path to the palace. The town is technically Canterlot, but we sometimes use the name to reference either."

The palace is beyond magnificent. The entire place looks as if it had been built from the ground up to be elegant. There were hardly any straight walls. The top of every tower had its own unique paint job that still matched with the purple, gold and white theme. Winding staircases and pathways connected every building. The complete design of the palace insured that nothing was packed tight. Every tower had plenty of room from its neighbors, without any clutter nearby as well. You could almost see every tower from any point. I had never seen such a spacious and artistic design.

It made sense of course; there was no need for a fortress in their land. Had they ever fought an actual war before? This place was never meant to hold off an invasion. I considered warning them of the Og Nag, but we had just met and starting your first day with “We brought our worst, most brutal enemy here with us, nice to meet you.” didn’t seem like it would go over well. I contemplated the repercussions with both Canterlot and Taraska.

The King would have me executed, and even if I managed to never return, would our new allies cast me out as well? The thought of having no place to call home instilled a sense of dread in me that not even our “magic bomb” could do. I choose to remain silent, even though my gut tells me to warn them. The Og Nag were probably only interested in us anyways. Also, I doubt they would stand much of a chance against the magic this place has.

We begin our slow climb up the side of the mountain. Why do my eyes nag me to glance over at Luna? I feel her presence at all times. My ears can't help but listen to every gentle step she makes. My thoughts are a giant mess as I try to think of anything to ask her. As if picking up on my thoughts, she makes it easy for me.
"So, Captain Raiden, what can you tell me about your world?"
I go blank, being unable to say anything positive.
"Well...we...um...we don't do much besides fight...or prepare to fight, or wait to fight." The tension hangs in the air.
Celestia lets out an interested hum.
"Well then, you must be quite good at it. Unfortunately there won't be much here for you to fight with. Perhaps your citizens and ours can mingle and find hidden talents of your country! Who knows, any one of you could be the next great painter!"
Luna giggles to herself.
"You could always tape a paintbrush to your sword and paint like that. I would honestly pay to see such a thing."
Celestia chuckles and glances at me, probably curious if I was offended or not. Honestly the more steps we put between here and Taraska, the better I felt. They could make fun of me for all I cared.

They invite me inside. I soon realize Canterlot is not an ordinary city. It was a high society town full of all kinds of shops. Perhaps I should have changed into my formal attire, but I was expecting trouble. As we pass, everyone repeats the same action of bowing to the princesses, then getting half way through their greetings before being taken back by my armor. I was getting used to the stares and frozen faces.

We pass numerous shops and I can’t help but get angry. They have it so easy. They could run around the town as they please. No need to worry about getting attacked, having anything they want to eat just being across the street. No disease, no famine, no war. I was jealous, I couldn’t deny it. I see fancy clothing stores, restaurants where every table is custom designed with elaborate cloth draped over them. The smug looks on every face almost sends me into a frenzy. Noses high in the air, eyes almost closed as if the very town itself was honored just to have them. I started to loathe this place. There were innumerable colored flags on every pole. Every sign had been artistically crafted, having lavish, even paintjobs. There was absolutely no fading on anything.

Each building had random assortments of emblems on them. Sometimes unique stars, gems, whatever they could imagine. Part of me wanted a fire to break out, just to see how they dealt with a real tragedy. I tried to shake such murderous thoughts from my head. It wasn’t their fault their lives were so perfect.

I now realize Princess Celestia has been telling me about the town the entire time. I look at her and nod.
“Sounds like a wonderful place.” My flat tone makes me sound sarcastic. I notice a small pattern in all of their citizens: they seem to only greet Princess Celestia. Luna gets a few acknowledgments, but they’re scarce. I can’t tell if she legitimately doesn’t care, or if her casual glancing around the city is to hide her pain. Is it always like this for her? I’m craving to ask her, but this probably isn’t the time or place. A crowd is now following us out of curiosity as we near what seems to be the actual palace.

It almost seems Luna is just as much of a prisoner as I am.

Chapter 6: Enemies Or Friends

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They lead me through multiple hallways, until we enter what must be the throne room. The walls are covered with lavish glass murals of history. The vibe in the room shifts, as Celestia asks her guards to wait outside. My instincts tell me to run, but I know better. Luna glances at me, then to the ground uncomfortably. I rest my hand on the hilt of my sword for comfort. My eyes begin analyzing every detail they can. Celestia’s hips expand and retract faster than normal: she’s breathing harder, probably anxious. Luna shows signs of anxiety as well with her reluctance to have eye-contact. They don’t surround me, so I’m not going to be attacked…yet.

I move around the room, pretending to examine the murals. I use the reflection in the glass to watch Luna’s mannerisms; how will she act when I can’t see her face? Her gaze shifts from me to Celestia. Celestia seems to be searching for a way to politely begin. I take the murals as a chance to slowly get closer to Celestia, in case she tries anything. With their magic, I may have to strike hard and fast. Luna is in the open, within dagger throwing range of her sister. If I’m quick, I can take out Celestia with a sword strike and her sister with a well-aimed knife. How I was going to get out of the palace was a different story, but one problem at a time.

Celestia eyes me suspiciously, but begins her conversation anyways. I listen carefully to Luna’s nervous breathing. I may not get a chance to take a double look if things get bad. I’ll need to know where she is before even drawing my knife. Celestia takes in one last inhale before speaking.

“I must be honest; your King did not tell us much about your land. We were wondering what you might tell us about your people.”

I slowly nod, as I take a few more steps across the room towards the Princess, my eyes still on the murals.

“There’s not much to tell. Our people have been at war long before I was born. Life expectancy is early 30s if you’re lucky.” I eye the paintings up and down a bit, before making just a few more casual steps. Luna joins in with that same fake eager tone to learn about me.

“Why is your world like this? Do your people not want peace?” I turn to face her.

“Our world was attacked a long time ago. Since then, trust is difficult to find, with peace being nothing but a distant fairytale.”
Celestia narrows her left eye.
“What do you mean attacked?”

“According to history, massive glass orbs with some type of purple energy in them, dropped from the sky. The resulting explosions were larger than anything we could ever produce. Entire towns were erased with a single one of these bombs. Without knowing who sent them, paranoia took over almost as fast as the sickness that came with the orbs.”
Luna seems legitimately enthralled by the story.
“Sickness?” She asks eagerly.

Celestia shakes slightly in place. Her eyes grow massive as her mouth is silent; she knows something.
I continue explaining, casually trying not to act like I'm watching her.

“Mana Fever is what we call it. It starts with symptoms of a common cold. Eventually, you gradually lose control over parts of your body. The final phase is a deep sleep that you cannot be woken from. With no way to give the sick food or water, they die. When you finally pass, your body lets out all that energy in a horrific explosion. You can't even dream of the horror that a simple cough could mean someone is a walking bomb. The explosion could break down any type of wall that was not reinforced with metal.”

Luna lets out a sympathetic gasp.
“I...I’m so sorry! How could you survive in such-”

Celestia cuts her off.
“You have not brought one of these orbs with you correct?”
I face Celestia, knowing things are about to escalate.
“As I’ve said, we wish you nothing but peace.”
Celestia tilts her head back slightly, still with those wide, sunken eyes only a monster in the closet could have.
“That is not what I have asked, Raiden.”
Luna snaps to her sister stunned.
“Sister, please! That’s barely approp-”
Celestia stomps a hoof, now being much more assertive than before. Her calm, inviting demeanor is completely absent.
“Did you bring one of those orbs with you or not?!” her eyes show both fear and wrath.
I stare back. My reluctance to give her as little information as possible allows tension to flow between us. She shifts her weight a bit and turns to face me more directly. I want her on edge. It's so much harder to hide yourself when a river of emotion flows through you. She also needs to think we're more dangerous than we are. If she figures out the truth, she could easily annihilate our kingdom. Luna steps between us.

“What is going on?! Are we not here to get to know one another?” her eyes frantically go from myself to her sister. Celestia and I do not look away. She wants to know if I’m endangering her kingdom, and I want answers.
“You know what the orbs were don’t you. It was magic. Was it from here? Were we a secret experiment for you?! Did you exile your enemies into those orbs perhaps?!”
Celestia slowly shakes her head.
“If you think for one second I’ll allow you to threaten my kingdom I’ll - “

A condescending laugh forces its way from my mouth.

“Do what? Kill us all? It would be a welcome vacation! Oh wait, you'd just exile us right? Or maybe a nice reform? Are we going to hold hands and dance in a circle afterwards? You don't have the spine to exterminate us and you cannot fathom the things we could do to your kingdom! Even as we speak, I already have units hiding near your towns in case you try anything! Random poisoned wells, unpredictable assassinations! We'd reduce your entire nation to nothing out of pure paranoia!” She eats the lie right up.

Celestia snarls at me, with those massive angry eyes. She begins panting with anticipation and rage. Luna trembles a bit as she tries to play diplomate between volcanoes.

“Alright...let’s all calm down. This has gotten a bit out of hand hasn’t it?” A yellow glow appears around Luna’s hind heels, as she’s pulled towards the door. She screams at her sister to stop, with what I presume to be a few insults I’ve never heard of as well. In just a few seconds, the doors are flung open; Luna is dragged out, with the doors slamming shut again. They glow ominously with yellow. Looks like I may have to fight my first Alicorn. I was no match for her. If I had any hope of surviving, I’d have to lure her into a sense of security, and take her out when she drops her guard. I hear Luna pounding on the door angrily, calling out to her sister.
I lower my hand from my sword.

“I’m sorry...I’ve just never been so close to getting answers before. And no...we don’t have an orb. No one’s seen anything like them since.”

Celestia stops panting. The anger from her eyes diminishes quite a bit, but she’s still suspicious. I make myself sound depressed.
“I’m sorry for how I acted. It’s not easy being in such a different place. “ I lower my head for effect. She sighs and stomachs her pride.

“Raiden, I will tell you what I can, but for security reasons it won’t be much. Also it will probably raise more questions than it answers. I hope you understand.”
I nod with a fake sense of gratitude.

“Anything helps.”

She lowers her hind legs and sits on the ground. A look of shame comes over. I do my best to raise my hand to my sword as casually as possible. When the moment is right, I wouldn't be able to waste it. She could easily have some form of magical shield up to stop projectiles. The only logical plan, was to go in for a hug, then slip my knife into her throat. I could easily play the part of a depressed soldier in need of a friend.

I clear my mind to stop myself from shaking. Celestia begins explaining.
“An...associate of mine discovered a way of traveling between alternate worlds. Some had only minor differences, others were the complete opposite. I had heard of the orbs you described from a particularly nasty realm.” My arms cross and my right hand slowly wiggles out my extra knife from my left gauntlet. Repeated head nods and random vocal noises are sure to draw her attention away from my hands. I turn my back to her, pretending to be deep in thought. The dagger is now fully free and sits nicely in my hand. I spin it around so I can tuck it from sight when I go in for a hug. Any second now and I’ll have my chance. I'll just need to stage an emotional break down so she'll let me get close. Repeated quick, but silent exhales make it sound like I'm tearing up.

Celestia inhales before glancing at my head, then returning them to the floor.

“The problem is if your world was attacked by them, then they’ve figured out how to cross dimensions as well.”

I fall to the floor and cup my hands around the eyeslits in my helmet. My shoulders bob up and down. Celestia sighs and I hear the clicking of her hooves behind me as she moves closer. Luna crashes through a window without a mural. Infuriated, she lands next to her sister. Luna stomps on the ground over and over as they start having a screaming match. I take the opportunity to conceal my dagger. I could most likely take out the pair later on, but they were probably the only ones who knew how to work these portals. I begin walking out of the throne room to leave the sisters with their argument. Luna gets out one last scream of frustration and storms past me, almost knocking me over with an accidental bump.
She says nothing. I see another opportunity in front of me and take it. Celestia walks up to me from behind.

“I’m sorry, she’s just upset.”

I can hear Luna stop just inside a hallway to the right, just barely out of sight. I turn my head to Celestia.

“I’d be upset too if I was forcibly dragged from my own throne room like a rag doll.” Celestia narrows her eyes at me.

“She’s my sister...” She grumbles. I raise an eyebrow.

“She’s also a princess and an adult.” Celestia lets out a small sigh of annoyance. We say nothing as we walk forward,
out the doors of the throne room. Luna's hooves click quietly as she tries to sneak down the hallway.

“Feel free to explore the town outside.” Celestia finishes her sentence with a small shake of her head and an eyeroll. With that, she turns around and closes the doors behind her. I look over and see Luna watching me, a brief smile on her face.

Yes, that's right, come little spider. Nothing like spreading a bit of animosity between rulers. Perhaps she will eventually tell me what I need to know. She turns her head forward and trots down the hallway. I follow her from a distance. For some reason I felt drawn to her. A few winding corridors later, I find her on a balcony. She’s facing the entrance already as I get there.

“Are you following me?” She says with a mixture of curiosity and amusement, raising an eyebrow and turning her head to the left a bit. A microscopic smile hangs on the corner of her mouth. I just realized how great it would have been if I had thought of something to say once I caught up with her.
“I apologize. I just...wanted to talk.” She huffs a bit, and then turns around.
“Anything in particular?” She’s impatient for me to leave, I get it. I walk up next to her. “I’m sorry for how she treated you.” Luna does her best not to kick the ground with her hoof, but it doesn’t last for long.
“Why are you apologizing?” She says with confused irritation. I chuckle lightly.
“Because no one ever apologized to me for the same thing.” Her mouth straightens into a flat line, as she tries not to vent about Celestia. She’s still trying to act as royalty, despite the disrespect she was shown; I admired it.
Luna’s eyes travel to the ground before looking forward.
“She’s my sister...and the princess.”

I turn my head to Luna.

“A princess. Not the only princess. Unless I’ve been misinformed.”
Luna nods, I see her restrain a pleased smile.
“You are correct.”
I hesitate for a moment.
“You don’t have to act with me. I know it bothers you.”
Luna snaps at me.
“I’m not acting like anything!” She turns to face me.
“You hardly know me, which goes for pretty much everypony in this castle. I’d prefer it if I wasn’t treated like an open book by a total stranger!” I nod and awkwardly look out across the land.
We stand there in silence. I know how she feels, but I won’t dare speak ill of my King. I completely get her wanting to act as royal as possible, since I’m doing the exact same thing.
She looks down sadly and sighs.
“I’m...I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to take it out on you. It’s just frustrating-” She cuts herself off before she goes on a rant.
I check behind me. No guards patrolling, no one to overhear.
“I...can relate.” We stand once more in silence. I do my best to lighten the mood.
“Does she ever do that thing, where they ask for your advice, then do exactly the opposite?”
Luna giggles a bit.
“Why even ask what I think if you’re going to throw it away? Sometimes I just lie and say the opposite just so she secretly does what I want.” My armor clanks loudly as I can't resist letting my head drop in hysterics.
I do my best to mimic the King.
“I like your idea for finding a cure, but I think it’s best just to watch it run its course.” Luna laughs a bit harder. Her voice tickles something inside my chest. I get nervous and my lips curve around each other. Luna does her best to make fun of her sister with a deeper voice than her own.
“Now Luna, I know you want to go save the town, but I think sending a less experienced, less powerful pony instead is a better idea. Why don’t you just wander around for a bit?” I snort, which makes her laugh uncontrollably. Tears form in her eyes as she howls. She has to lean against the balcony for support. Her smile makes me start shaking. I do my best to make it look like part of my laughing fit as well. As she smiles, her eyes gaze into mine.

I can’t help but tremble. My eyes bulge as I’m overpowered by her alluring stare. A violent jolt comes over me, as I’m clobbered with her presence. She blinks rapidly, her eyes searching mine. As if it couldn't get any more awkward, my solution is to let out a mix of a gasp and a squeal before looking at the sky.

“Would you...like to go for a walk?” her voice is shy as she speaks. Something so beautiful and is still shy. My jaw locks up, so I nod. Just like I do for all royalty, I stick my arm towards the hallway, letting her go first. She gives me a colossal smile as she pridefully trots by. As she passes me, her tail leans over and gently drags against my chest piece. Was it intentional or an accident.

On our way down to the palace grounds, my mind goes blank. I want nothing more than to just talk with her, but everything I come up with sounds bland and boring. She bites her lip gently a few times, looking at everything but me as we walk. Was she nervous too? Couldn’t be, she was a princess, what could she be nervous about?

As we move, she breaks into a goofy royal walk, lifting her legs up as high as they’ll go, and pulling her head back, to look as stuck up as possible. Her eyes grow wide and serious as she furrows her brow. She looks over and breaks her straight face in a light-hearted roar of amusement. I watch her for a few brief seconds before chuckling again. She watches me rub my hands together nervously. I’m still wearing my gauntlets and begin to realize just how weird it must look. She grins.

“Trying to keep your skin nice and smooth?” I hold up my hands.

“Best way to polish your armor is to be socially awkward apparently.” She stumbles a bit and tries to stay standing as she falls against the wall laughing. I’m horrified at what I just said. She tries to move forward but is laughing so hard, she falls into me. I catch her and help her to her feet. She stops laughing and springs up immediately, plastering on her serious face. She clears her throat.

“Thank you.” she says without eye contact.

I nod, staring at the ground then suddenly crash into a table in the hallway. She’s overcome with laughter again. She shakes her head, with that perfect white smile of hers. Once again, I wrestle with my hands. As we keep walking, my head stays low; she’s just so beautiful. We’re one last doorway from the outside. I hear Celestia’s voice echo down the hallway.
“Luna...please join me in the throne room.” Luna and I exchange disappointed looks.

“I have to go. If she asks nicely, it’s usually important. Even if it’s just sister crap.” She bumps my stomach gently with her horn.

“Don’t be a stranger alright?” She whirls around. Her mane and tail brush against my armor. She trots off happily down the hallway. I’m intoxicated. I can only stare as she leaves. I’d give anything for just a few more minutes. My wide eyed stare is concealed with horror as she looks behind her one last time, giving me a glowing smile. She turns a corner and is gone.

I stay a few more days, claiming it was part of protocol. They could be in serious danger, and I had no way to warn them. To my alarm, there’s no reports of the Og Nag. That wasn’t possible. How do a few thousand Og Nag, in full view of their palace, just slip away? They weren’t intelligent, and they certainly don’t have any type of magical abilities. There were no reports from my soldiers of where they went either. They were out there though and these ponies were defenseless.

If only I had the time to fully explain just how much danger they were really in.

Chapter 7: A Road Home

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As much as I enjoyed my little getaway, it was time to return to the muck and mire I was so eager to escape from. My mind keeps flashing back to Luna. Why was she so interesting? Why can’t I stop thinking about her? I felt part of myself reflected in her eyes. Almost like her and I were similar, maybe she would even understand me.

The path back to Taraska was lined with hulking trees that had to be hundreds of years old. Bushes of varying types, mostly rittled with berries, were scattered everywhere. Food would never be an issue for them. It was still so hard to believe such a place existed. I hear a rustle in the bushes to my left, among a group of trees. Little eyes pear around a thick trunk at me. A little filly head with brown fur, a blue mane and blue eyes pokes out from the bush.

“Um...what’s your name?” Her tiny voice was just barely audible. A second filly grabs her by the tail and yanks her into the bushes, accompanied by angry whispering. Even though my face was still hidden by my helmet, I still smile at them. She sees it in my eyes and takes a few cautious steps from her hiding spot. I wanted to remove my armor to show them how friendly I was, but with the Og Nag running around, there was no way in hell I was going to expose myself.

“First Captain Raiden. But you can just call me Raiden.” I call out in my best “I’m not going to kill you.” tone. There’s more whispering, but it’s not angry anymore.

They try to stay concealed behind the trees, staying low and quiet. I pretend not to notice as more whispers and a little giggle make their way out of the shrubbery. I'm blocked from their view by more vast trees as I round the corner. A small smirk crosses my face and I dart into the small forest, hoping to catch the foals by surprise. After a few seconds, I hear the children sneaking up to my left. Judging from the quiet patter of their hooves, there’s three of them. My entire body tenses up, trying to remain as quiet as possible while they chatter away.

“Where did he go?”

“Do you think he used magic?” I lean around the tree so they can see me. Frightened screams fill the air as they run away to their original bush. With a massive smile on my face, I get back on the road with a casual stride. I had missed the innocent fun of children, the clear sky, sunshine, flowers, everything. Even the smell of fresh air.

I had never really stopped to appreciate the sounds of this place. The lack of yelling and burning fires was a fabulous treat. Birds chirped in the air, I could hear distant civilians talking with each other. Did they know how lucky they had it? Should I even tell them about our world? I contemplated giving an order to our troops not to be too specific with our history. Some things are best left forgotten. The soft sound of hooves trails behind me. One of the fillies from before watches me, staying in sync with my pace. She doesn’t seem afraid though; more curious than anything. I turn my head back around, waiting for her to say something.
She’s tan, with a light shade of auburn in her hair.
“Hi” she whispers.
“Hello.” I say, accompanied by a wave of my hand without turning around.
“What are you?” she asks.
It takes me a minute to think over how to respond to such a vague question.
“Um...do you mean my species, or who am I?”
“I dono…” she mumbles with a small shrug.
“Well my names Raiden and I’m a human.”
“What’s a human?”
“Um...well we come from a different world than yours. Otherwise we’re just the same as you, we just look different.”
“The other fillies told me you eat us. Is that true?”
“No, of course not.” I say with light laughter.
She turns to her left and yells at the gathering of trees.
“You’re all a bunch of liars!”

I see several pairs of curious eyes peer at me from behind the trees. A few of them are brave, and cautiously walk up to me, almost cheered on by the nervous unsure whispers of their friends.

The first young colt walks by my side. He’s orange and has blue hair. He just looks up at me while I walk. It gets awkward as he doesn’t even respond to my friendly wave, he just stares. A few more join him, and before long, there’s about twelve of them. I wonder if it’s even safe for them all to be running around.
“Do your parents know you’re out here?” I ask. The orange and blue colt responds.
“It’s okay, school got out a while ago so now we get to do whatever we want.”

I had a hard time grasping a world where you can just let your kids walk around without worry. They all suddenly start asking me a billion questions. They want to know what the emblem on my armor means, where I got all the scratches on my armor, why I even wear armor. A large shadow passes me on the ground. I look up and see Princess Luna. She lands just a few meters ahead. Her tail sweeps across the ground and sends a gust of leaves scattering off the path. Her silky fur shimmers a bit in the sun. We lock eyes for a few moments and there's something different this time. The tension that hangs in the air is gone and the silence that I normally resent, is more like a calm breeze flowing between us. The foals all gasp, go to one knee and bow. One young colt gasps and recoils.
“Nightmare moon!” He runs off to the trees shrieking. I watch him confused.

Luna laughs with a bit of nervousness, her eyes darting back and forth. What was Nightmare Moon? Was that a saying in their kingdom?
“Alright, you’ve all taken up enough of Captain Raiden’s time. Go back home now." Luna gives them a gentle dismissive wave of her hoof. I hear disappointed groans, with a few goodbye’s thrown in. I wave and bid them farewell.
“Care if I join you?” she asks in that wonderfully light voice of hers. I nod too many times and stand completely rigid as I walk. She smirks a bit and narrows her eyes.
“Of course you don’t mind. I’m sure my beauty leaves you speechless.” She says in a jokingly stuck up tone. I smile under my helmet, but remain silent. How could I even look at her? Why am I so nervous? I try to think of something to say, but my mind is a complete mess. She gently flicks me with her wing.
“Why so quiet? Are you overwhelmed by my beauty?” she says with that same joking tone as before. To my horror, I heard myself blurt out "Yes." She giggles and my mouth contorts in shock.
“Aw, you’re so nice.” She leans her head forward and tries to peer under my helmet.
“Why do you always wear that thing?”
“Used to it, and it’s quite necessary where I come from.” She gets a bit closer to me. I can feel her wing brush against my armor every few steps.
“Aw c'mon, I bet you have the cutest face ever!” She still tries to peek into my helmet with that sly smile and those alluring narrowed teal eyes of hers. My cheeks and ears explode in red.
“I can see you blushiiiiing!” I start fidgeting with my hands. She leans her head back in a wonderful laugh.
“Oh you’re just a delight Captain Raiden!” I can only think of one thing to say.
“You can just call me Raiden...if you want to.”
She smiles.
“Captain Raiden too official for you?”

She starts marching like a soldier, and in a deep military voice she says.
“First Captain Raiden, vanquisher of villains! Partaker of women!” I start chuckling. She trots up and down a bit excitedly as we walk.
“Yay, I got you to laugh!” We continue in silence for a few minutes. I get a whiff of her perfume. It’s vanilla mixed with some kind of fruit. My face starts blushing all over again. What is it with her?
“Do you mind if I ask you some...questions about your world?”
I rub my neck uneasily.
“I must be honest with you Princess, I’m not allowed to say much.”
She nods and doesn't show any hint of offense.
“What does your King plan to do now? I mean can you even get back?” I shrug, having almost no answers.
“We have no idea how we even got here.” She nods more slowly and studies me.
“You have no idea how you got here, or you’re not entirely sure?”
I turn my head towards her.
“What’s the difference?” She looks forward. I begin studying her. There’s suspicion in her voice.
“Well if you had no idea how you got here, then I guess you were doing your normal thing, then poof you woke up here. If you’re not sure how you got here, then maybe you were doing something to...maybe an object, like reading from a scroll, or using some type of magical device, then it goes off and teleports you here.”
I clear my throat.
“I apologize your highness-”
“Luna.”
“Very well, Luna. If we’re becoming a problem, we can do our best to relocate, but it will take time.”
She’s completely serious now.
“You misunderstand me Captain Raiden. You’re not an issue at all. I would just like to know if we can expect...more of your cities or people, or if it was simply a freak accident.”
“Ah, I assure you, it wasn’t something anyone is going to replicate.”
She nods and smiles.
“Then would you mind telling me what you know about your...incident? I’m inquiring because we’re quite knowledgeable on magic. Perhaps we can help?”

I let out a quiet sigh; I guess I can tell her some of the truth.
“Our Minister, who studies magic, found a device and used it as a last ditch effort. Some type of large white orb. It ended up teleporting our entire city here.”
She turns back to me.
“Last ditch effort for what?”
I look at the ground.
“We were under attack and it didn’t look good.”
She sighs relieved.
“To be honest, I’m glad you weren’t attacking and trying to use some unknown device. I’d take that as you were a bunch of vicious conquerors.” I feel humiliated. I want to tell her what the King is planning. I want to be done with all the secrets and lies. I don’t want to play this game anymore.

We finally get to my city. My gaze falls to the left and right as I struggle to keep our eyes locked. She turns to the side and bumps me with her flank.
“Well I guess this is where I bid you goodbye. Thank you for talking with me Raiden!” She says in the friendliest of tones. I nod to her. She spins around and is about to take off. Over my shoulder, my mouth blurts out more anguish.
“Feel free to visit anytime.” I start smacking my helmet with my palm repeatedly. She takes off, flies in a small circle and lands next to me again.
“Is First Captain Raiden asking me on a date?”

I start stuttering like mad. She can hear the obnoxious noises from my helmet and giggles.
“You got a thing for me Captain?” She gently whips my back with her tail. I can’t get a word out. My face gets so hot I’m about to ignite. She bursts out laughing.
“Okay, I’ll stop picking on you.” She takes off. As she flies, she calls out to me one more time.
“Nice talking with you Captain Raaaideeeen!” As soon as she’s out of sight, I round a corner, tear off my helmet, and pant while hunched over.

Did she actually have some kind of connection with me, or was this all a ruse to pump me for information?

Chapter 8: King Of The Dead

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Author's Notes:

Author's warning: Part 2 contains depictions of emotional and physical abuse which may be unsettling to some readers. If you are easily triggered by these things (and there is no shame in admitting that) then here is a brief chapter summary if you wish to not read the entire thing, however I wrote chapter 8 with the intention of the reader not missing out on anything terribly important storywise if you wanted to skip it.
If you think you'll be fine, feel free to skip this and just read the chapter as normal. Thank you.
The town was sacked by the Og Nag. Raiden takes all his troops and tries to hold it as long as he can, but the Og Nag break through and it's complete chaos. Raiden tries to lure the Og Nag into an ambush, but the King orders half his men to fall back and protect the vault of gold, therefor giving away their hiding position. The King, not wanting to take blame, orders Raiden to take full responsibility. The punishment was a week in a cage outside, followed by being dragged through the town in chains so the citizens can throw things at him and get cheap shots in. After that, it is more time in the cage. As Raiden sits in his little cell, Lucretia and Emeris sneak him food, water and antibiotics for his infections. Slowly, Raiden regains his strength, and they attempt a jailbreak for a second time. The King decides to spare Raiden.
The Minister tells Raiden to confess to his crimes, or they'll dye his crown brown. Even after assuming responsibility, the Minister dyes Raiden's crown anyways.

"After the most brutal battle of my career, I was given that crown. The outside was black, made up of leafless trees branching upwards. The sharp tops of their branches gave it a creepy vibe. In the center of it, right above my forehead, two large trees wrap their branches around a gem almost made of fire. The sheer orange of it was intimidating, and it’s black surroundings just made it stand out that much more. I wear it every time I’m in anything but armor.
That crown reminded me of all the handshakes and back pats from every last soldier who had survived thanks to no one else but me. We had used the bodies of Og Nag to create a choke point in a cave. There, we lasted against relentless Og Nag for weeks. Half my men had broken down completely, including Emeris. In one last desperate attempt, we pushed out of the caves, and created a massive distraction, as Emeris ran to get reinforcements, through a thin opening in their ranks. It was Lucretia and myself, against easily 10/1 odds. It was that day that I came up with the idea of the outside soldiers stacking their shields side by side, to create a wall, and eventually a roof. Everyone on the inside fought off attackers with spears; it was literally a house of shields. I swapped units out for hours, as we kept moving, keeping one side of it facing the mountains of bodies piling up.
Emeris returns with three full platoons, who delighted in rescuing their brothers and sisters from certain demise. There was a parade, food, celebration, all of it. While it was only for a few hours, the King had a crown made for me resembling the black forest we were trapped in. The emblem symbolizing the blaze of fury from our soldiers. It was the lamest and best description I had heard since it was the first and only gift I had ever received. "

Chapter 8: King of the Dead

My report to the King is intentionally vague and useless. It's full of patrols, their policy on execution, the feud between the sisters. It obviously sounded good, but without a way past their magic, it was pointless. I don't tell him that we just have to get close to them. I don't go into detail about how their biggest weakness and strength is trust.
After the report, I wander up the dreary steps to my room. They're covered with dirt and cobwebs, with the occasional scratch marks on the wall from either claws or swords that varied in age.

I sit on the edge of my bed, rip off my helmet and hurl it across the room in a fit of rage. This entire situation was like being trapped in the middle of a swamp. I wanted out, but had no visible place to go. The King was the water, the kingdom is the mud, and I’m the tree growing in the middle. I'm tired of the deception, of having to watch my back, the constant feeling of putting on a disgusting mask.

The rest of my armor gets tossed in the corner. It's supposed to go on an armor rack but who cares. I crawl into bed, still consumed by guilt. I just wanted one new friend that I didn’t have to lie to. My cramped room is illuminated by one tiny candle. Sleep takes me a few minutes after the tears stop.

I see myself before the King; he glares at me, a murderous fire in his eyes.
“You told them. You betrayed your kingdom. You betrayed your family!” To my left is Luna. She looks at me with tears, horrified with a runny nose.
“I trusted you! You lied to all of us!” she screams angrily.
After a few moments of stuttering, I finally get out a reply.
“Luna I never spied on you! I never was! Please believe me!” She runs away crying. The chains that hold me to the floor rattle furiously as I attempt to chase after her. I look back at the King. We’re at my trial now.

I’m surrounded by a counsel, all wearing red robes with black hoods so I can’t see their faces. The middle of the robe has the Taraska hammer on them. The King stands before me in front of his throne. He sighs and begins reading from a document.

“First Captain Raiden. You are charged with the failure of protecting your assigned post. You failed to do your duty, and because of this, you are hereby accused of treason.” The room explodes with angry yelling. I stand in my full armor without my helmet. There's nothing to say. The King tilts his head back and looks down at me condescendingly.
“I hereby sentence you to….Repentance.” The room erupts again. Almost every judge yells out for my head to be removed.

I’m in the training yard now. Angry soldiers remove my armor. They slap iron around my wrists. I’m wearing nothing but brown shorts they give to prisoners. I haven't had the chance to shave in weeks. It’s raining, but oddly enough I don't remember it ever raining. A soldier holds onto the chains attached to the locks on my wrists, as the eight of them take their anger out on me. One punches me in the jaw. I stumble to my right. The water from the sky is cold, but my skin is lit with anger. I’m too tired to fight back; they don’t feed you while you’re on Repentance. They’re also in armor. I do my best to stay on my feet for the sake of pride. Another soldier comes over and boots me in the side. They all laugh as I stumble to the ground. I get a strange feeling as if the very sky is watching me. The clouds are an odd color of bluish-purple.

Emeris stands in a corner in the yard, facing the wall. He can’t bear to watch and he’s unable to help me. A sudden kick to my side sends me falling to the ground. My face is expressionless, I felt almost nothing at this point anyways. The soldiers approach me, mocking me, daring me to attack back. I gradually get to my feet and try to tackle one. He easily sidesteps me and punches the right side of my head. My mouth is full of mud as I slide across my stomach. The rage and sorrow fight valiantly for control of my mind.

I had gone from a respected captain, to a punching bag in just a few days. Their cruel laughs reinforced just how alone I was. Emeris still sobs in the corner. He stands rigid with his hands clenched. Strange, distant, feminine crying flows down from the clouds. The soldiers kick me in the ribs, in my back, my legs, everywhere. I do my best to protect my chest with my arms. The soldier holding my chains starts dragging me. I’m too weak to hold on and keep my chest covered. They unload on my upper body as he drags me around the yard. I feel my shoulder muscles creak as I’m pulled. There’s nothing I can do; I can only hope I die quickly, but that was intentionally not allowed.

A few days later, they pull me through the town. Everyone is gathered along the main road running through our city. They call me traitor and coward. One woman runs up with a large stick. She shrieks at me.
“You let our city die!” She hits me with her weapon. I duck behind my arms just in time, but it still hurts. She gets another four blows on me before one of my escorts starts gently pushing her back laughing to himself. I look around the crowd, dazed, starving, freezing and in agony. I had no friends here. The loneliness was worse than the rocks thrown at me. These same people used to hand me the occasional vegetable or fruit, handpicked from the best of their groceries. Now they were more than happy to let me have the produce not even their animals would eat. I’m pulled along, doing my best to stay on my feet, as the last ounces of pride I had are torn away.

I’m back on that night of the defensive. My men are screaming and fighting around me. Most are on the wall, doing everything they can to live. One by one they get surrounded on all sides by Og Nag and are taken down. Sergeant Rufina runs up to me. She pants and staggers from exhaustion.
“Sir, what do we do?! We’re outnumbered and cornered!!” My eyes dart around to my men in absolute terror. My hands shake. Every plan fails, every idea meets an abrupt end.
“We...we...we need to regroup and use the rubble to-to build a-” Rufina takes an arrow to the back of her head, falls against me and slumps to the ground. I hold her screaming. My sounds are drowned out by war.

Several Og Nag rush me. To my dishonor, I let her body go and draw my sword. The first Og Nag is my size and boots me in the stomach before I can slash at him. I stumble into a house that was barely standing. It was all stone, as a fire had claimed everything inside. I quickly scramble to my feet. He lunges at me with his sword. I deflect it and punch him, with just enough time to stab another Og Nag climbing through the destroyed window to my left. A third runs up behind me and wraps his arms around my chest so I can’t move. The Og Nag in front of me punches my face. We fall to the ground and they begin kicking me, howling with amusement. I happen to glance over and see lieutenant Bermin down the road, on the ground, with an Og Nag on top of her, trying to impale her in the eye with a dagger. She screams, holding on to its wrists.

She sees me out of the corner of her eye and shrieks my name, begging me to help her. The last of her screams echoes in my head, as she loses the struggle. They reach an ear piercing climax as the knife enters her face. Her metal boots pound the stone floor frantically, as she kicks her legs almost animalisticly. She goes silent as the last ounce of strength she has is used. I reach out to her, giving anything to take it all back. An Og Nag grabs my hand and bites my wrist just barely not covered by armor.

I’m back in the streets again, being dragged on the ground by chains. Several people from the crowd run up and kick my already bruised and bleeding sides. They throw rocks at me as I do my best to get to my feet. My escorts slow their pace to a petty walk, laughing to themselves the entire time. A crazed man sprints up to me, screaming that I killed his family. He jumps on my back. I fall to the ground, too weak to do anything. The rest of the crowd runs up to me yelling insults. They beat me mercilessly. Several people pull my hair, eager to get in a single hit. An elderly woman yanks my beard so I face her.
“This is all we have left to eat!!” she screams into my face. She forces a rotten tomato covered with black mold into my mouth. A man in a tan cloak emerges from the crowd and begins pushing people off me. He has half a facemask on, covering his mouth and nose. He does his best to keep some of them at bay. They begin hitting him too. He lies on top of me. Arms stretched out, trying to cover me. They begin kicking him as well. I hear his horrendous grunts as everyone stops caring about who exactly is being beaten and just wants to thrash about in rage.

Three people grab his cloak and pull him away from me. He grabs like mad, trying to hold on to my arms. His facemask gets pulled off; it’s Emeris. He dives on me again, taking some of the blows for me. He’s once again lifted off. They attempt to toss him. He tries everything to hold onto me. I give up protecting my sides and reach out for his hands; not for his protection, but because all I want is a friend. Emeris starts fighting back, putting an older man into an arm lock and dislocating his shoulder. He even uppercuts the elderly lady who still brandishes her stick. He gets hit in the gut, then the face and doubles over. The back of his skull get wailed on repeatedly until he's laying on the ground, relying on pure instinct. He's dragged away from me by his ankles and gets his own little party off to the side.

They lock me in a cage. I can barely breathe. My right eye is so swollen I can’t open it. My nose is broken; my ears are ringing from all the screaming and beatings. My body is covered in bruises and open sores. I hear that strange familiar voice in the clouds again.
“No...no this can’t be. Why are they doing this?!” It rains harder than I remember it. I sit in the cage, hoping I’ll finally die. The floor is metal, but it doesn't matter since my legs went numb a while ago. My knees are too swollen to sit in any normal relaxed position. I probably had spine damage just from being dragged. My wrists are raw and a dark red. The metal cuffs had rubbed them raw. I can barely swat the flies away as they land to nibble and try to lay eggs.

A few guards patrol my cage in the training yard. A crowd shows up to throw more things. The cage is on a seven foot tall platform, too high for them to grab me. They throw whatever they have at me, calling me a traitor and coward all over again. I can barely hear them over the ringing in my ears. I glance at the crowd and see a peculiar trio standing in the back. They wear helmets and heavy armor with red capes on their backs. I manage a small smile, knowing it’s my fellow captains, trying to show me support. Captain Magus was a strong but silent man, bald, with a huge black beard. He always came across as this serial killer, but was reknown for his kindness and patience. Captain Emeris knew people and knew them well. He would help soldiers figure out dispute when neither of them really knew why they were angry. Captain Lucretia showed us that no matter what, there was always a way. She was a ruthless tactician when in battle, but a comforting blanket for our troops when it was needed. They can’t be obvious about it though, or they’ll meet a similar fate.

Later that night, as I lay shivering in my cage, I hear a sudden commotion and fighting. The same trio is back. They fight the guards, quickly teaming up on the ones who are by themselves. They use non-lethal tactics, knowing the guards don't know the truth. Captain Magus uses his shield to either ram a soldier, or hurl at their helmet. All the guards lay on the ground, except for two who run inside the castle to get reinforcements. The trio runs up to my cage. Magus lifts who I presume to be Emeris up to my cage, then rushes to the hallway in anticipation of more guards. Emeris tells me not to worry in a rushed whisper as he fiddles with a set of 20 keys and begins trying them on the lock.

I hear the whimpering from the clouds again.
“Please...please...get him out...I can’t bear this anymore…” her voice...so familiar, so beautiful. Emeris glances down the corridor and sees another massive bulk of guards running towards us. He stops fiddling with the keys and stares at me terrified. With my last ounce of strength, I reach through the bars and gently clasp my hands around his.
“It’s okay my friend.” Tears fill his eyes. He screams in anger and hops down from the platform. The trio run to the wall and mount over it. The guards run after them. The rest of the night is silent as the grave.

A day passes. My wounds are getting infected. I’m dehydrated, I barely sleep and my stomach growls for food. There's no way I can even move at this point. Why can't I just die already. It’s night time again and a cool breeze makes my entire body shiver. I have no ability to keep warm and pray that this is the last time I see the moon. It’s glorious white light illuminates the courtyard. There’s a teal glow around it that pulses randomly.

Two guards walk out to my cage with torches. They’re suspicious, not even bothering with setting up patrols. They look around, trying to act casual. They stand upwind of my cage, talking about the war. The warm breeze from their torches is a small comfort. I try not to react so they don’t change places. The breeze changes direction. To my surprise the guards move upwind once again. They glance at me. I can see smiles in their eyes. They’re trying to keep me warm; trying to keep me alive. My eyes begin to water.
“Thank you…” I whisper and begin sobbing quietly. One of the guards, a female, starts shaking. I see pain and depression in her eyes as she watches me waste away. She can’t take it any longer and faces a different direction. I hear muffled sniffling from her: it’s Captain Lucretia. Emeris can’t watch me anymore either. He stares at the ground, reaches out with one hand and places it on Lucretia's shoulder. The warmth from the torches feels good. Somehow I manage to doze off or pass out.

I wake up in my cage the next morning. It’s actually decent out but I feel too horrible to notice. I sit up, barely able to move. A wound on my chest begins to fester. It wouldn't be much longer until I was finally free. I watch a few birds in the sky with envy. The guards glance at me awkwardly. They’re tired of seeing me suffer, and it begins to get to them. Despite all the beatings and mocking, even they can’t take this. A shadowy figure on the roof in a cloak and facemask creeps along. I look up at them, doing everything I can to watch without drawing attention. They pull out a bow and arrow, draw and aim at me. Finally, it’s over. Probably a grieving parent come to remove me; I don’t mind at all. Take your comfort in my demise, take it any way you can, it’s what you deserve. I close my eyes and don’t move, hoping they don’t miss their mark.
“Traitor!” they scream. The arrow flies into my chest wound. It’s unbearable as the explosion of pain makes me writhe around in my cell.

I slump to my side from the blow. I would scream if my throat wasn't already so hoarse. My eyes open and I examine the wound. The arrowhead is barely even in my skin. I stare at it confused. The arrowhead was much smaller than normal. Did they not pull the string back far enough? How could that be? Even toddlers wouldn’t make that mistake. The arrow smells odd and there’s a clear liquid on the end. I gently pull it out and sniff it. It’s Sapphire Spring; a herb with natural antibiotic properties. It was ridiculously hard to find and expensive, but powerful. There was another smell on it as well. Could it actually be Hersaphine? It was another plant that you could chew to help reduce pain, especially stomach cramps. It was decently common, but you had to be on your toes to grab it since it was highly sought after.

What was going on? I get it, they weren’t trying to kill me. The guards yell at the masked figure. They’re not terribly concerned with them though. I do my best not to move too much as I gently pull out the arrow and rub all the liquid I can on my wound. Then I spread blood over the arrow tip to mask the smell and sight, finally pretending to pass out which wasn't too far from the truth.
I wake up and It’s almost night. I was hoping to sleep through it. I look at my wound, it’s still red and tender, but it’s healing. It was a nice gesture, however I was still starving. I needed water more than anything at this point. I catch a glimpse of another figure on the roof. Again? It meant the world to me, but I knew better than to get my hopes up. The figure does nothing.

I see Lucretia enter the courtyard. I’m surprised to see she’s just wearing some light, low-cut dress that’s powder blue. She complains she can’t sleep. She lets her hair down from a bun. The golden blonde is distracting every male guard, but why? She makes any excuse not to look at the guards faces, giving them plenty of time to admire her cleavage. Gradually, they come over and talk to her, leaving me all alone. I raise an eyebrow. She glances at my cage and smiles, then goes back to making loud giggling, and responding with fake embarrassment to their flirtatious comments. I get sprayed briefly from the roof. As the liquid travels down my face, I shake my head and look up.

The figure has a decent sized container and a basic pump. They keep trying to squirt my mouth. Joy fills me as I realize it’s water. Screw it, I may die here but I’m going to get every last piece of relief I can. I carefully get up on my knees and face the figure. They keep squirting water in my mouth. It’s warm too. I close my eyes and imagine myself under a waterfall, having all I want to drink. Eventually the container stops putting out water. It’s fine though, I’ve had my fill. I do my best to mop up the water with my hair, arms and shorts. With any luck they won’t notice.

Eventually Lucretia goes back inside and the guards resume their patrol. I act like I’m sleeping again. The moon hangs overhead. Once again the sky speaks in that blissful female voice again.
“Please let it end, I can’t watch this…” The voice, I’ve heard it before but who is it?
Versa walks out, and watches me confused.
“He seems to be doing...alright, all things considered.”
The guards glance at me then back to her. One of them walks up to her.
“He’s not okay, he just got lucky so far. He’ll die any day now.” She grunts an acknowledgement and walks back inside. About ten minutes later, the shadowy figure is on the roof again. They slowly stand up, bow and arrow at the ready.

I hear Emeris’ voice again. He tries to make it deeper. “Die traitor!” he calls out again.
A long sigh escapes my chest while I sit on the floor, but do my best to stay straight. He does the same thing. He lets out an arrow and it hits the other side of my chest. This arrow was way heavier than before. It actually knocks me against the cage wall. I slump over again, intentionally away from most of the guards. Groans of agony bellow out of my mouth. Th arrow barely went in, but it almost dislocated my shoulder. Emeris pretends to be angry.
“Why won’t you die?!” He goes on some overacted rant about how I destroyed his home. I examine the excruciating arrow. The head was just sharp enough to stay in my skin, but it widened quickly. The pain was blinding but it didn't get very far inside me. My eyes almost fall out of my head with awe. There was food impaled with the arrow. The guards all laugh at him, trying to give him condescending tips. He pulls out another arrow and intentionally fumbles it, shrieking curse words in his fake voice. No one's watching.

I quickly pull the strands of meat off with my teeth and gobble them down. There’s even a few vegetables. They look familiar. It takes everything not to chuckle. The high quality could only have come from one source: the King. They actually stole from the King's personal reserve of food. It was one hell of a middle finger to him. Once the meal is gone, I go back to acting weak. I feel a strange fire inside me growing. Could I...could I actually live? Eventually I’d get better if they keep this up, but then what? The King would probably have my head for it.

The cycle repeats, with a few variations. Sometimes there’s a distraction so Emeris can get me more food. I’m surprised that we get away with all of it. They even managed to be a few of the guards and dropped off food when no one was paying attention. The meals come about once a day, the portions are small, but I keep my movement to a minimum. My sores began to heal and the swelling on my legs starts to die down. There was no hope. How were they getting away with this? General Versa kept a strict eye on the patrol logs. There’s no way she’d let Emeris and Lucretia anywhere near me. Did I have more quiet supporters than I thought? Was there more than just those two helping me? Why bother though? I was doomed and worthless. I could survive in this cage, but it was going to be my home or coffin.

I get angry at myself and a little voice inside gets mouthy.
“You coward. How dare you, you selfish pig. They haven’t given up on you. So you’re just going to throw in the towel? They haven’t given up on you, so don’t you dare give up on them. If the King wants you dead, he’s going to have to work for it!” I get mad, but most importantly, I get determined.

Our luck seems to run out. They drag me to the throne room in irons. In front of me is a big bucket of water. Emeris was having issues keeping me hydrated as it was. Versa drags me over to the bucket and lets go. Someone grabs me by the back of my head. Versa gets in front of me, hands on her hips, still in full armor.
“Who's’ been helping you?” she demands. I stare at her defiantly in silence. She looks at the soldier holding me and nods. My head gets dunked into the water. I manage to get a breath first. While I’m submerged, there doesn’t seem to be any reason why I shouldn’t get my fill. I take multiple gulps until I’m yanked out. The water feels good on my sunburnt skin. I pant heavily, unable to speak. My lungs burn; they never were very strong to begin with. Versa gets angry.
“I said who’s helping you?! I’m not stupid; you’re getting better despite no medicine or food. How?!” She waits a few seconds. I get dunked back in.

That female voice echoes from around the throne room, but I seem to be the only one who hears it.
“You can do it...please…hang in there….” They repeat the process over and over, but not one word out of me.

A week goes by. Several drowning sessions and random beatings but I’ve still said nothing. It’s the middle of the day. I sit there, no longer wallowing in self-pity. I’m waiting for my chance. A guard walks by; I see Magus' blue eyes in their helmet. He looks at me and gently taps the cage. I look it over closely. There’s special latches that make it so the cage can be adjusted. They weren't locked.

A fight breaks out. The trio is once again fighting the guards. I hear a carriage pull up outside to the gate. With all my strength I push the top of the cage. I’m shocked as it falls off. I use the horizontal bars as foot holds and climb over. I land on the ground. My legs are weak but I can make it. Two guards block my path. They have their hands on the hilts of their swords.
“Raiden...stand down.” I pretend to surrender, and act tired and defeated. As soon as he grabs me, he takes his hand off his sword. I grab it and draw it across the neck of his backup. I kick the inside of the first guard’s knee. He grabs his leg howling in pain. I stumble towards the gate.

Several guards block my path again.
“Don’t make us kill you….please.” They all draw swords this time. The trio tries to fight their way over to me but there’s too many. The King comes out with Versa. He looks surprised, almost hopeful. He has his hands behind his back, almost studying me. What was his game? He raises a hand for everyone to halt. The fighting stops. I glare at him. We stand there for what seems like eternity. He looks me over and sighs.
“Bring him.” He says. The guards look at one another, understandably confused.

I walk into the throne room with a small escort. It’s surrounded with the same council members as before. I still have numerous dark bruises all over. I’m still in the same nasty shorts I was in at the beginning. The King sits in his throne, rubbing his face; clearly stressed out. The Minister watches me, perplexed that I’m alive. The council members stand there in their black and red robes; silent and still. Part of them respects my tenacity. The King squirms in his throne, unable to decide what to do.
The Minister walks towards me, his hands behind his back, eyes closed, and nose pointed upwards in that same stuck-up manner he always has.

He begins circling me, in a slow walk, trying to make me anxious; he gets nothing.
“I’m going to be forward with you...Raiden.” he intentionally leaves out my rank just to be a prick.
“We haven't found anyone to replace you, but we can’t just simply forget all this.” I stare ahead, not moving or flinching, I won’t give him the satisfaction.
“Perhaps we can come to an agreement.“
I raise an eyebrow.
“What kind of agreement?” He grins without opening his eyes, and dramatically clears his throat, just to drag this all out.
“We will give you your title back, with one exception.” He reaches into his dark blue coat and pulls out my black crown. The orange gem reflected every torch in the room. It brought back years of destruction at my hands. I could still hear my men cheering for me as we had beaten miraculous odds.

He opens his eyes and sees my reaction. His smile gets bigger.
“But the King and I just...don’t feel like this...represents you at all.” I glare at him.
“I...we...feel like we need to make a small adjustment to it.” An assistant comes out with a large bowl of a brown liquid.
“I don’t know about you, but we feel like you’ve forgotten where you’ve come from.” He slowly walks towards the bowl, just to make me mad; it’s working. I start to stand up.
“Just put me back in the cage…”

He does a poor job of muffling his chuckle.
“Come now Raiden, this is for the best.”
He holds the crown over the bowl. It’s slick black exterior called to me to be rescued. Every tree etched into it cried out to me in defiance. The orange stone begged to be free from his grasp. I get to my feet in one leap.
“Just put me back in the cage!” I get a knee to the stomach in response by one of the guards. The crown...my crown. After the most brutal battle of my career, I was given that crown. The outside was black, made up of leafless trees branching upwards. The sharp tops of their branches gave it an ominous vibe. In the center of it, right above my forehead, two large trees wrap their branches around a gem almost made of fire. The sheer orange of it was intimidating, and it’s black surroundings just made it stand out that much more. I wear it every time I’m in anything but armor.

That crown reminded me of all the handshakes and back pats from every last soldier who had survived thanks to no one else but me. We had used the bodies of Og Nag to create a choke point in a cave. There, we lasted against relentless Og Nag for weeks. Half my men had broken down completely, including Emeris. In one last desperate attempt, we pushed out of the caves, and created a massive distraction, as Emeris ran to get reinforcements, through a thin opening in their ranks. It was Lucretia and myself, against easily 10/1 odds. It was that day that I came up with the idea of the outside soldiers stacking their shields side by side, to create a wall and eventually a roof. As everyone on the inside fought off attackers with spears; it was literally a house of shields. I swapped units out for hours, as we kept moving, keeping one side of it facing the mountains of bodies piling up.

Emeris returns with three full platoons, who delighted in rescuing their brothers and sisters from certain demise. There was a parade, food, celebration, all of it. While it was only for a few hours, the King had a crown made for me resembling the black forest we were trapped in. The emblem symbolizing the blaze of fury from our soldiers. It was the lamest and best description I had heard since it was the first and only gift I had ever received.

The Minister dangles it over the paint for just a few seconds, daring me to desperately bargain with him; it works. I feel the sensation of being drowned in a sea of shame.
“Please…” I hang my head in humiliation.
“I’ll do anything…” He examines my crown for just a moment before putting it back in his coat. He resumes his patrol around me.
“I want to hear you admit what you did.” I start shaking and grind my teeth, but say nothing.
“I want to hear you confess, in front of all these soldiers, these wise council members that you, and only you, were the reason our defense failed.” I slowly shake my head from side to side in anger; I can’t get the words out.

He sighs and strolls over to the bowl. I hear him pull out the crown. My mouth opens autonomously.
“It...it was my fault.” The Minister stands there.
“And? Come now, I want to hear all of it.” My mouth trembles, my heart burns.
“I let the city down. It was my fault. They’re all dead because of me.” The Minister sighs again.
“I thought we had an understanding Raiden, I really did.” He slowly starts lowering the crown. I scream everything after that, as loud as I can.
“It was my fault! I failed them! All of them! Every last soldier, every last citizen! The buildings burn because of me and only me okay?!”

The Minister smiles.
“Thank you Raiden...but I don’t believe you.” With an evil grin, he drowns my crown. I half yell and shriek with every drop of air in my lungs. I try to charge him as two guards hold my arms. I head-butt one, it hurts and not an ounce of me cares. He stumbles back and I use my free arm to uppercut the other guard restraining me, pick them up, hoist them onto my shoulders, and hurl their body at two other guards running at me. Three steps is as far as I get before being tackled. I reach out to the Monster, screaming and clawing at the air. He turns to the guards.
"Bring out our next prize." I look over my shoulder and see Captain Magus. His bald head has several cuts on the surface and his beard is a mess with blood caked through it. He was almost pushing forty but decided he was comfortable with the rest of us taking lead in any operation. He was a silent man, but when he spoke, his words were pure wisdom. The Minister shakes his head.
"Captain Magus, you've been caught telling lies to the guards and villagers. Apparently it's caused a few...issues in our guard rotations. Tell you what, say the truth and we'll all let-" Magus stands up and lifts the two guards holding him up by their throats and tosses them away.
"You and that pig can go to hell! Our defensive failed because you sent orders that ruined everything! I'm not gonna stand by and-" He cries out as a guard hits him in the back of the head. He goes down and is beaten savagely. He stops resisting and is yanked from the floor to his knees. The Minister smirks.
"No you certainly won't stand will you?" He looks over at Versa and nods. She swiftly walks over to him, tilts his head up by the chin and gives him a punch that must have stretched back to the heavens. The crunching of bone makes everyone recoil. She stands there, with her arm still cocked back. Captain Magus starts convulsing as a clear liquid starts draining rapidly from his nose. Then there's blood, scores of it. It pours out all over the floor. She lets him go and he falls flat to the ground, with his eyes rolling into his head. A few minutes pass and his face is white. He's stopped breathing entirely. The Minister turns to the guards.
“Put him in the cage for a few more days...just to be sure.” The hallway is filled with my kicking and screaming. Captain Magus is picked up and carried away.

My time in the cage passes quickly, as sorrow is all I have to keep me company. Versa watches me for 16 hours at a time, with no one allowed near my cage as she slept. Above me, the sky pours. Those strange purple clouds are nothing to me now. I hear that feminine voice again, sobbing heavily, with broken sentences of agony. The voice in the clouds is no longer of interest. I had nothing, I was nothing. I wish they had let me die. I didn’t care about who I was giving up on. The world was better without me. I stay slumped in the corner of the cage, my legs straight out, my shoulders and arms hanging next to me, my gaze towards the sky, with no life in my eyes.

The Minister walks out, and stares at me. His grin holds his victory over me with pride. There was no denying it; he beat me. He motions to a guard to let me out. They drag my worthless corpse out. I stand up when I hit the ground. I’m slow, apathetic, nothingness. My stare goes through the minister, I’m not even here. What was left of me drowned with the crown.
“Now Raiden, I will need you to obey my every command henceforth if you wish to resume your duties to the Kingdom. Do you understand?” My mouth moves automatically.
“Yes Minister.” In a bitter whisper just loud enough for him to hear. I just don’t care anymore. Why bother. He smiles “Dearest Raiden, you look like you’ve died. It’s almost like…” He pulls out my former crown and places it on my head.
“It’s like you’re the King of the Dead.” He laughs. A few guards let out some unenthusiastic chuckles, just to stay on his good side.

I’m escorted back to my room. Every guard along the way can’t bring themselves to look inside my hollow eyes. Once I’m at my door, my escorts let go of me and walk off, having no will to torment me further. I walk inside and put on my armor. Over the next few months, my men joke with me, compliment me, offer part of their rations to me, just to be rejected. I didn’t care anymore; I really was the King of the Dead.

I see myself, sitting next to a campfire in a burnt forest. I’m in full armor, still as hollow as the metal I wore into battle. There’s crunching behind me. A large wolf looks me over, takes my arm in its mouth, and drags me off into the woods, just like my self-respect. A brilliant purple beam erupts from my left, as Luna comes charging up, sending the beast scattering. She drags me with her mouth back to the campfire with ease. She nuzzles my head up from the ground, slides past and props me on her side. She nuzzles my helmet while singing me sweet lullabies.

“I know what you're after; I know what you’ve done.
Your face is my comfort; your voice is my song.”
Her voice is soothing and as gorgeous as she is. Her teal eyes glow, washing over me as if wrapping me in a warm blanket.
“Your pain is my burden; your joy is my quest.
Stay with me young child, and forget all the rest.”
Her voice was the same one from the clouds. Having her so close, so compassionate, so sweet. A single tear makes it down my cheek as I drift off. I open my eyes, back in my bed. My heart ached and sweat covered my bed.

Maybe things will be okay. I get up and put on my armor, the only thing I really know how to do anymore.

Chapter 9: Choosing Honor Or Reason

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Chapter 9:Choosing Honor or Reason

I slip a bite-sized potato to Emeris through the metal bars of his cage. He leans forward and takes it with just his mouth. He casually leans against the bars, wearing nothing but tan shorts. With a tiny bag of random food in one hand and a small pouch of water in the other, I let my shoulders slump. Emeris glances at me then swallows his food.

"Some of the soldiers have been discussing our...newest neighbors. Apparently they're not so different from us. Care to comment?"
All I can do is play with the dirt using the tip of my boot. I look up and see a small smirk crossing his face. He's sweaty from the midday sun and there's plenty of dust caked onto his face. His brown eyes search my expression.

"Couldn't help but notice you're giving quite the shine to the blue one..."
A frustrated groan escapes my throat.

"She's not even human."
He keeps staring at me, blinking a few times during the silence.

"And that matters because..."
I look up at him for a brief second.

"I...I don't know it's just weird."
I look around then hand him a few tiny tomatoes. He pops them into his mouth, still smirking. He brushes some of his blond hair out of his eyes, which barely comes down to his nose. Somehow, his hair is still silky despite not bathing for a few days now. He shakes his head and looks off to the left, still leaning casually against the steel bars like he could leave at any time but just didn't want to.

"Look I'm just saying...if it's there, it's there. No use in denying it." I slowly shake my head in thought.

"Well what am I even supposed to do?! Like...do I get her flowers or..." Emeris shrugs as he gives the yard another look over for stray guards.

"I mean...assuming she doesn't eat the flowers...she is a pony after all. Which brings to mind...is it even right to call them ponies at this point? I think it's safe to say there's a huge difference between our ponies and them." I give a massive shrug as uncertainty fills my bones.

"I mean she's a freaking princess like..." Emeris wiggles his eyebrows once and looks across the yard. I pass him a small, green pepper. He takes a bite out of it.

"Look at it this way: if she doesn't care, why should you?" I look down and nod several times. One last glance around the yard and I hand him the water jug. He downs the thing entirely then passes it back. He reaches through the bars and pats my arm.

"Just relax for now. Get to know her. It's not like you gotta pop the big question anyways. Hey, next time you see Celestia, give her a big slap on the rear for me will you?" We both share a quiet laugh before I head back inside.

I walk through the corridors surrounding the throne room, on another pointless patrol. I had roamed these halls for so many years. The stone on the inside had to be ancient. The castle wasn’t well kept, with torn banners, unswept floors and poor lighting. On average there was a single torch per fifty feet of hallway. Every floor had maybe four windows at most. The rest had been sealed long ago to prevent spies from slipping in.

We all knew the truth though; it was to stop anyone from escaping. I had always felt that the castle was a reflection of my very soul. No one ever talks about it, but we needed purpose. Our entire lives were spent killing in the name of survival. There was no goal, no way out, nothing to look forward to. It eats at you and turns you into something rotten.

The throne room didn’t have any windows as well, with only a torch in each corner for lighting. In the middle was a large metal bowl with kindle that the King often lit. Small slits in the ceiling allowed the smoke to escape, but not always fast enough.
There was only the hallway leading into the throne room from the gate, and a flight of stairs to the right that lead up to the Minister’s tower as well as the Captain's quarters. After checking the throne room for basically nothing, and not being allowed into the Minister’s room period, I took the staircase down into the gate room. Part of me wanted to grab something from Captain Magus' quarters on the way out, but there would be no going in there without a complete breakdown. He had trained all of us and was looking at being lord of his own place. He gave it up to try and clear my name. All of it, he had a way out that wasn't death. He could have lived his life in peace. I never knew if he had a wife or not, but he had always talked about wanting a pile of kids.

The gate itself was mildly repaired, with numerous extra boards just nailed into it. The room had four different hallways. Behind me went back to the throne room, and to my left was the dining hall. Next to that was a hallway that leads out into the training grounds/disciplinary area and armory. Going past the staircase that lead up to the throne room, was the guest chambers and library. While Hurrand insists his family built this castle, I had found numerous scrolls of other kingdoms stashed in the library. I never told anyone, but we all knew deep down we were not the first scavengers to call this place home.

I turn left and begin strolling down the hallway, but stop when I see my scratch marks on the wall. We got raided by the Og Nag and barely survived. In one night our population fell to almost a hundredth of what it was. We had gotten hit with trebuchets from our former allies who got paid to backstab us. After our north gate fell, the Og Nag ran in under the cover of night. In five minutes, we went from a normal tense night, to our north gate being obliterated, and thousands of Og Nag stormed the city before anyone had time to run for it. The King forced half my men to fallback despite my protest. It completely ruined our last hope for a defensive, and yet I was to blame. The story plays in my head over and over. Any single thing sets it off. So many regrets, so many deaths.

We fought them off and bought ourselves several days. Those few days were a living inferno for me. The King blamed me for...everything. The north watch was my responsibility, and the King needed a scapegoat, and chose me. What was left of my unit was ordered into silence. No one was allowed to speak up on my behalf. During the trial, the King accused me of sending men to the vault to grab whatever coin we could before leaving. I knew the game and remained silent. They put me in chains and tried to drag me off for something called Repentance. It’s basically torture, where the King needs you too much to kill you, but wants to look merciful instead of desperate, so he “kindly” allows you to live after being punished. However he doesn't want you to know that and countless units have crumbled then admitted to whatever the King demanded. Misinformation from the tortured was his main tactic for controlling the masses.

They began dragging me out into the disciplinary area, but I had a sudden change of heart. I did my best to thrash, hoping I could pull a guard off their feet and get a weapon. An impressive five minute struggle ended up with my ribs bruised and my vain attempts to avoid the inevitable. I ran my hands over the scratch marks where I tried to desperately claw the wall to get away.

A few days after my punishment, the King takes his “family” and sails north for a suspiciously timed “vacation”. Not long after his return, the Og Nag came back in one final attack. With no way to form barriers in time, we stationed small units to bait groups of Og Nag off from the main force, to try and split them up into more manageable numbers. It worked for a bit.

One of my scouts comes running up to me with a scroll, bringing me out of my past. She’s scared and out of breath. I take it from her and read it over.

“Raiden, there is a large number of creatures we believe are your Og Nag approaching from the North. We are under attack and desperately need your assistance. Please come at once, Princess Celestia”

I sprint to the throne room, and show the King the letter. He nods casually.
“Take everyone you need. Versa will stay with me along with a small detachment of guards. Otherwise take everyone.” He turns back to Versa on his left, and they continue to talk about our current supplies.
I needed a couple seconds to process this. The King just let me go out on my own to defend another kingdom, with no restraints or insults. The King stops talking to Versa after a few moments, and glares at me.
“Get going now!” I nod and almost stumble out of the Throne room. I pass by Captain Lucretia. We turn to face each other.
“Get your troops ready immediately. Canterlot is under attack and they need us there yesterday.” She nods and runs out to the training yard, her golden cape makes a snap as she turns away from me. I hear yelling followed by soldiers hustling.

I burst into the dining hall and see Emeris reading a book.
”Emeris, get your men ready. Canterlot is under attack. They think it’s the Og Nag!” He drops the book and runs to find his battalion. I race to the gate room and see Sergeant Cy. “Cy, sound the alarm, we need to form up immediately, our new friends need us!” Cy nods, runs up a few flights of stairs, and rings our bell. It has a deep bellow to it that distinctly means “gate” when you hear it. Five minutes later, Emeris and Lucretia show up with their units. Grand total there’s 150 of us. I cup my hands behind my back and address the soldiers.
“General Versa will stay here and watch over the King. Everyone else, onward to Canterlot.”

We have special vehicles that look like black bulky spear tips. They have room in the front for a single driver and everyone else pedals. They can hold a captain and all their assigned troops. I was in front, with Emeris and Lucretia behind me in their own vehicles. They’re simple, but take a while to make. They were nothing more than wood, pedals, and metal plates. This was an emergency though. I knew it would take us hours to get there but I couldn’t bring myself to take a nap; something about these lands inspired me to care again.

The Growler comes to a halt and the driver calls me forward. I climb into the small cabin where a metal grating is the only way to view out front, with a latch in the middle of the Growler for a scout. The driver points to the endless paths that are surrounded by trees.

"There's no way in hell we're getting through here sir. We gotta ditch the Growlers, or take a side path to the left, costing us an extra few hours." I groan furiously.

"Take the damn detour. We might need these things." She nods and swerves to the left, then pushes forward a lever that lets our pedals actually turn the metal axles of the Growler. We lurch forward, sending me stumbling into the back. A soldier yanks on my cape, pulling me into my seat. Small windows on the sides let me see the trees whip by, ominously waiting to show me the absolute carnage of the Og Nag.

As we get closer, something is clearly wrong. There’s no smoke, no one running around, no army. I open up a hatch at the top and scout around. Everything was way too calm. What the hell was going on? I see guards start running up and down the walls of Canterlot as soon as they see us coming. Soldiers fly to the wall, probably wondering why we’re showing up in force. I raise a black flag from our hatch, everyone halts. I exit out the back; Emeris and Lucretia join me.

“Lucretia, stay here with the troops, we may have a misunderstanding. If an attack breaks out after all, move to escort all civilians to the palace, then set up a defensive line until I regroup with you.” She nods.

“Emeris, you’re with me. Let's find out what is going on.” I was the guy who made the hard decisions. Emeris was the diplomat who was good at playing nice. I may need him to calm down the situation.

As we approach the palace, several guards rush up to us and order us to halt with their hooves. Emeris and I slowly raise our hands.
“I received a letter from Celestia saying you were under attack?” The guards look at each other confused.
“I need to speak with the princess then please.” They send a flyer, who returns a few minutes later with a wave to proceed. We quickly march through the streets until I’m in Celestia’s throne room. Her and Luna watch us skeptically from their respective thrones.

“Your majesty, I received a letter from you, calling for aid against an Og Nag attack?” She looks confused. I hold out the letter. She takes it and reads it over.

“I didn’t send this and what are these Og Nag you speak of?” Emeris' jaw drops and he covers his face with his hands. I lock my fingers behind my helmet and groan.

"They're um...these monsters from our world. They were in our city when we transported, then left for reasons unknown when we arrived."

Celestia stares at me in shock. Luna narrows her eyes at me.

"And how many did you bring with you exactly?" I put my hands on my hips and lower my gaze to the floor in silence.

"Captain Raiden, I asked you a question! How many are there? Dozens? Hundreds?" Emeris crosses his arms and glances at me for a moment. I take in a deep breath and look Luna in the eyes.

"Thousands. Enough to destroy Taraska."

Celestia recoils in horror.

"What were thousands of Og Nag doing in your city to begin with?!"

I tap my fingers on my waist.

"Cartridge...controls them. They had laid waste to several cities before ours. In one nasty attack, Cartridge sent everything they had at us. The plan was to let the Og Nag pile up and use an orb we found to send them to hell...along with us, giving Dracur, our closest ally, a chance to strike back while their numbers were low."

Luna leaps off her throne and takes several steps towards us.

"Why did you keep this information from us?!"

I wave my hands in small circles as I try to think of how to even remotely explain it. Luckily Emeris has it covered.

"Your highness...where we come from, trust is...difficult. We were in a foreign land with no allies and no real army. You were the first nation we came across and we didn't want you thinking ill of us, so we kept the Og Nag a secret. We figured we would...see what happened before we said anything. We thought that if you...thought we had anything to do with the Og Nag, you might have...obliterated us."

Celestia just shakes her head, as her eyes bulge in horror and twitch in rage.

"You...you should have told us! This is inexcusable! Millions of ponies are at risk! No we wouldn't have obliterated you, but we may have been more cautious at most!"

I nod and let out a loud sigh.

"I agree princess, we were in error. I'm sorry, your land is nothing like ours and we know we can trust you. No more secrets from now on, I promise." Luna sneers at me and I can't help but stare at the floor again in shame.
“Your highness'...who would have a reason to forge a letter from you?” Celestia looks around the room in thought.
"While Canterlot has had numerous enemies, I can't think of anypony who would benefit from this." Luna continues to stare at me.
"And it's not like Canterlot to keep secrets!"
I turn to Emeris.
“What’s going on? What possible reason would someone have to send us here?”
Emeris sighs as he thinks.
“I could see them sending us to an area for an ambush, but that would take some serious guts...unless they don’t want to ambush us, they just want us gone so they can…” We both think it at the same time: Taraska.
“They want us gone so they can take our city.” I call out. Celestia and Luna both furrow their brows in surprise.
Luna leans forward anxiously.
“Why and who would do this to you!? Did something else come through with you?” she says eagerly.
All I have is a shrug.
"I apologize princess, but this is all a huge mystery to us as well. I promise I'll answer all your questions, but I have to go try and save what's left of my people assuming it's not too late. " I turn around and start heading out of the throne room. There was no way to know what was happening to Taraska, but it had to be going on right now. Luna calls out my name and I spin around in my tracks.
"Do...do you need assistance?" There's sympathy in her eyes, but with a pinch of anger as well. After we just lied to them and put their entire kingdom at risk, she's still offering to help. I could have wept on the spot from the gesture alone.
“Actually, if you think you can get to Taraska faster than we can and help hold them off until we arrive, it may make or break our defensive.”
She nods and takes off. We haul it down the road through Canterlot to get back to our units. Sergeant Dayke meets us before we even descend the mountain.
“Sir, smoke from our city! They’re signaling for aid!” My cheeks grow red from embarrassment. There was no denying whoever did this got us good.
“Get everyone back to the Growlers!” We start down the mountain when Luna flies back to us.
“Raiden, there’s a massive wave of Og Nag to the South! They’re going to hit Ponyville! I’m sorry but I must evacuate my people!” Before she flies away, I ask one last question.
“Luna, how many? Can you give me an estimate?!”
She swallows and her jaw trembles a bit.
“Thousands! And we don’t have enough guards to hold them!” Emeris looks at me and says what I was hoping he wouldn’t.
“We can either save them, or save us. They don’t have the forces or experience to hold off the Og Nag, they’ll have huge casualties. But we don’t know how many are hitting Taraska. We do know they needed us gone though. So we can save our city, or Ponyville. Your call Captain.” Luna watches me, sympathizing with the pain growing in my chest.

I turn to one of the guards.

”Can your people hold them off?!” He lowers his head in shame.
“We’re not an army, sir. Most of us have only been in a few skirmishes. And thousands of Og Nag? I don’t know if even the princesses’ magic can stop them all.” He jumps as I punch a nearby wall. I fall to my knees. Taraska sure as hell wasn’t going to hold without us, but it was going to take a few hours to get back. It’s our home, we have everything there, our supplies, our weapons, our food and water, everything.

Emeris stammers uncomfortably.

“Sir...I’m sorry, but I can see the Og Nag from here. We need to make a call!” I can’t help it. I know the battle in Taraska will be over before we get there. Once again I’m forced to turn my back on my city. I let out a cry of rage, fists balled, screaming at the sky. I hear the cries of my people all over again. Their desperate pleas for help. My heart doesn’t want to fail my last city again, but tactically I know there’s no saving it this time, just like before. I walk over to the edge of the cliff so I can see my forces. Captain Lucretia stares up at me, eagerly awaiting orders. I’m tempted to jump. I look at our soldiers, standing at the ready. If I was gone, who would lead them? Could Lucretia and Emeris handle things without me?

I motion for her to head to Ponyville. She yells it at the troops and her vehicle takes off.

Emeris and I blaze through the town. Every citizen watches us curiously. Celestia’s booming voice is heard from seemingly everywhere.

“My citizens, retreat back to your homes and stay there for your safety! We shall deal with this small crisis promptly then you may resume your activities. Do not be afraid, your princess will not let anything happen to you.” Every pony begins to nervously scream and run around. Doors and windows slam shut, fear is everywhere. I’m ashamed to admit I enjoyed watching their perfect little world get a nice hefty shake.
As Emeris and I exit the town, Celestia meets up with us.
“Captains, what do you plan to do?” We stop in our tracks. There was no way we could converse while running.
“Princess, there’s no way we can help our city now. But we might be able to save yours. It's...the least we can do.” She gives me a heartbroken, but grateful smile. I’m about to say something nice to help sew up whatever ill feelings were between us, but I’m torn away by Emeris’ yelling. As I turn around, we can see a second group of Og Nag, making their way here from the East.

Celestia turns to me.

“Can your people assist Ponyville? Our magic will be at our best if we don’t have to worry about civilians.” Emeris and I nod. She’s about to fly off when she turns and adds one more thing.

“I’m afraid this will be an issue, but the citizens of Ponyville have not been made aware of your presence. You will have to accept the fact that they may be afraid of you, especially with your...rather intimidating armor. Do your best to direct them to Canterlot, I will meet up with you when I can.” Emeris groans; this was going to be one hell of a party. We nod again, and make our way down to the Growlers. In just a few minutes, we tear towards Ponyville. I brief my unit on the situation, knowing Emeris is doing likewise in the other Growler.

I didn't like the idea of Ponyville having the same fate as Taraska, but at least we didn't have to wait for the Og Nag anymore. I look out the viewport and watch numerous trees fly by the Growler. The scene is silent, save for the sound of furious pedaling. I see birds, scared ponies running to Canterlot, rabbits, deer and flowers. Something about this place calls out to me to save it. What if we stay here? What if we never leave? I pull out my sword and examine it.

Save this place? Hell, I'd die protecting it.

Chapter 10: Safety Is Secondary

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Chapter 10: Safety Is Secondary

We follow a set of train tracks, leading straight to Ponyville. As useful as the Growlers were, the roads just weren't big enough. My soldiers immediately file out into their respective lines, as Emeris' and Lucretia's troops do the same. The town is full of frantic ponies, screaming at the top of their lungs and running with all sorts of luggage. Doors bang open; cookware and various objects are gathered in a frenzy. We do our best to rush through the middle of the city to where the Og Nag are reported at. The same ponies trying to run to Canterlot now freeze in their tracks once they catch a glimpse of us. I try to call out to them, instructing that Canterlot was the safest place to go, but I can’t be heard over the chaos. I order my men to halt. Emeris jogs up to me. I stop and call out to my troops.
“They can’t hear us, so for now, we stick to the river. Give them a clear, uninterrupted path to Canterlot. We’ll make our way west until we find the Og Nag. After that, we’ll form a defensive line. Let’s make the body count high!” The soldiers roar in response, punching their balled-up hands together and throwing their arms in the air. We’re all eager to get revenge on the same enemy who ravaged our homeland. We jog in five single-file lines, with Emeris’ platoon doing the same several meters behind. We hear a tremendous explosion to the far left. Over the trees across the river, a massive cloud of yellow smoke rises from the ground. I see Celestia darting around the sky, annihilating Og Nag with dazzling beams of magic.

Unfortunately, the sight and sound of it just causes more panic. I hear rummaging in all the houses. Could they really have received so little warning? None of this added up. How did the Og Nag get this far south? How was Ponyville so late into evacuating? None of it mattered at the moment. The Og Nag were already here, storming houses. I hear screaming from a few of the homes ahead; it’s time. I give the order to fan out. We descend into the storm, ready to do what we do best. I order two of my lieutenants to try and block off more Og Nag reinforcements coming from the south, as my last lieutenant and I try to save as many ponies as we can. We spread out, each sergeant taking their group of five soldiers, and entering a house. Screams echo from every building, as I'm sure no pony is expecting a fully armored death machine to come in and try to save them.

I kick in a door and see a family of three. A colt with light tan fur and a brown mane lies in a corner with multiple bruises. A small filly is nestled up against him, sharing her mother’s purple mane. Their mother lashes out violently by hurling every pot and pan in their kitchen at an Og Nag that climbed through a window. He covers his head as he pulls out his sword. There's no room in here to draw my weapon without risking injury to one of the ponies. I tilt my head down and tackle the Og Nag into a cupboard. It explodes, sending wooden fragments through the air. The wall gives in a bit, but doesn't topple out. We bounce off, and end up on the floor. I hear a buddy of his climbing through the window as well. I get up, and boot him back through the windowsill. The Og Nag on the ground reaches for his sword, but I put my boot on his hand before he can grab it. He covers his face as I pound it mercilessly with my fist. Eventually, one of his eyes is hanging out of his socket and he stops moving. A few of my men run upstairs and come back down with an all clear.

The mare begins throwing more materials at me with her magic, which harmlessly bounce off my metal armor. She runs out of cookware and cowers with her family in the corner. Her multicolored purple mane is a mess, and her pink coat has a few minor scratches on it. I take off my helmet and kneel down.
“You need to get your family to Canterlot. This place is about to become a warzone.” She looks at me with her magenta eyes, almost petrified, but rummages her husband from the ground. They begin limping from the house. The colt stops and looks behind him. His beard leads into his moustache, a style I had never seen before. I do my best not to chuckle. He looks down embarrassed.
“Honey can you grab my…” She growls angrily and lifts a tennis racket off the wall and hands it to him. I instruct one of my men to escort them back.

As we exit the house, a large group of 20 Og Nag charges us from the left. Before I can grab my shield, a considerable purple explosion throws them all to the dirt. Luna's shadow races by on the ground. The Og Nag are hurt but slowly get to their feet. She swings back around and gives them another blast. The moment they’re knocked around again, we charge forward drawing our weapons. Not a single one has time to get back up before being executed. Luna was even careful enough not to use a damaging spell, with just the right amount of force to stun them.

She lands in front of us, with a face full of fright and anger.
“Raiden, they’re slipping by us to the North and going after anypony trying for Canterlot! They’re too close for my magic! I need a few of your people!” I nod and motion for three nearby soldiers to join her. They’re surrounded with a purple glow, and are carried off with her.

As we push forward, slaughtering enemies left and right, we finally come to the heart of the problem. A few thousand Og Nag were walking towards us, following the train tracks from the southwest. They're spread out in a long line about twenty to twenty-five Og Nag thick. I pull out my horn, and blow two times followed by one last long tone, meaning “Group on me”. I hear a wave of clanking armor, as units from all around the city move up. I signal for them to form a defensive line by forming an X across my chest and pounding on my shoulders with my fists. Immediately, shields get slammed on the ground in between the last houses and the approaching creatures. I look off to the southwest and still see yellow explosions. Celestia seems to be doing alright for now. I grab one of my units running forward with spears, and tell her to check on Luna, before I take her bundle of weapons.

A few screams makes my head snap towards the Og Nag. A teal colt holds onto his daughter as he storms out of their house in terror. He looks at our shield wall, before glancing behind him to the Og Nag. He has no idea who to trust. I need to hand out weapons before the Og Nag get here, but saving the pair would require dropping them, possibly weakening our first vital tactic. My hands clench around the weapons as I try to decide what to do. I look to my left and see Emeris blitzing towards the shield wall. He jumps on an overturned cart and lets out three arrows in a cone. They whiz over the head of the colt, who huddles on the ground with his daughter. His eyes are shut tight and he trembles with a look of defeat on his face.

Lucretia runs up from my right and uses our hunched soldiers as stepping stones to vault over the shield wall.
She knows full-well we can't help her if she screws up. As she lands, she pulls out her rapier. While she's never bested anyone in a duel, she had a damn good reason for it. Her sword skills relied more on precision cuts and thrusts, as opposed to brute force. She could cut an artery and dance around as you bled to death without you even noticing; not something you can really practice on a fellow soldier. She was wicked fast, agile, and almost never made mistakes. She was exactly what she had to be, given her muscle disorder.

She slides forward across the ground, wrapping an arm around the colt and his daughter. She whirls around, tossing the pair closer to our shield wall. A soldier removes his shield and drags them behind us. Lucretia holds the line for a few seconds, slashing the wrist of the first Og Nag in range. Two arrows fly by her sides, nailing the other two assailants. An Og Nag runs up and tries to swipe at her. Before he’s even started swinging at her, Lucretia already had her sword raised. She takes a small but quick step back, easily dodging the swipe. The moment the Og Nag’s sword moves past her, she brings down her rapier, and severs his hand. His sword goes flying off to his left, cutting off a leg of his ally. She finishes him with a quick jab into his eye, then pulling it back, ready to impale again if need be. She keeps her body turned to the side, with her right arm facing forward so she can take small, rapid steps when need be. Her upper body is perfectly straight, giving her complete balance that she keeps no matter how quickly she darts around.

She sheaths her rapier, and rolls over our units forming the shield wall. The soldier she rolls across, ducks his head. She lands and immediately starts shooing the father away from the front line. The father turns to her and lets out a tearful thank you before running away with his daughter.

I run up to our wall of shields and start handing out spears. Many invaders don’t get a chance to even touch the shields before getting impaled. There was one issue: we had to hold this until the town could be fully evacuated. The bodies of our adversaries were beginning to pile up and we were nowhere close to being done. It was easily the second largest advantage of the Og Nag: no matter how good your defense is, the piling bodies become a problem. They had no other tactics than to run forward with massive numbers. I give lieutenant Albia the order to start clearing houses as fast as possible. Doors get kicked in, followed by screaming ponies. We do our best to seem friendly, but in all honesty our armor was meant to scare and kill. Ponies would run out of their homes, and straight into another house. The chaos started to build up. I called over lieutenant Albia.

“From now on, I want all our soldiers to stay off the main road leading to Canterlot. With any luck, the civilians will automatically run down it.” She nods and passes around the order to her sergeants. The side of a nearby house explodes, as three unicorns send five of my soldiers sailing. I groan loudly.

I hold up my hands to my other approaching soldiers.
“Clear a path, let them through. If they don’t want to be here, let them leave, they don’t need as escort.” One of them looks straight at me, and I have to roll to the side narrowly missing a bolt of fire. My men start charging them instinctively. They can’t hear my orders to fall back over the chaos. Two of the unicorns are tackled to the ground, as a third starts sending waves of magic at anyone approaching that knocks them down. They do their best to wrestle the unicorns to the ground, but with the ability to levitate any type of chain or rope, they become a massive waste of effort. With neither of the trio looking at me, I run over and with a quick fist, knock all three of the poor creatures out. I use the side of my hand, as the small spikes on my knuckles could give them brain damage or even kill. Hopefully they survive this, but prayers were a waste on the Og Nag. Two of my soldiers carry the trio back towards Luna.

I look back to the shield wall, as the pile of adversaries begins to almost match the height of our wall. Every impaled Og Nag is booted back, adding to the pile. My soldiers resort to impaling them, then picking their corpses and hurling them forward. The stress begins to build on me as my scout comes back, telling me that Luna is doing her best, but she’s wearing out fast. I think for a moment.

"Grab two units to assist with her." The scout nods and turns around. I put a hand on her shoulder.

"Wait, one last thing: tell Luna to go for accuracy over brute force, we might be here a while." The scout looks embarrassed.
"Sir, I'm sorry I almost forgot: Luna’s sister is having troubles as well." The stress is doubled as a second scout runs up to me, screaming that half the Og Nag from the south have moved around to the west and are now going to hit us from our right flank. I let out an angry howl as I try to keep my anxiety in check.

I pull another soldier aside.
"Find Emeris immediately and tell him to set up another defensive line to the west." He nods and darts to the south where I last saw Emeris. I try to keep focused, as I talk to the first scout who's going back towards Luna anyways.
"Actually, find Lucretia and tell her to stay with Luna the best she can. Also start dragging dead bodies to the river to help the shield wall." I go over the checklist in my head.

I'm suddenly thrown to the ground as a shrieking Og Nag tackles me from behind. We both go rolling across the ground. I feel his hands lose their grip and he's thrown clear. He had to have somehow been hiding in some rubble. If an Og Nag couldn't flee, they hide and pounce on units they recognize as high ranking. Before I even realize what’s happened, the Og Nag jumps up using all four limbs, and blitzes towards me with a vicious hiss. He gets an arrow in his chest by Emeris, who runs over and helps me up. Before I can start yelling at him about our right flank, he tells me the shield wall is failing.

I curled my hands into fists and yell angrily. There was so much to keep track of.
I look around me: houses had missing doors, windows, or entire walls.
“Emeris, can we use these houses somehow?” He holds a balled up hand under his chin and thinks.
“We can put archers on the second stories or even the roofs so we can pick them off from farther away.”
"Put as many soldiers as we can spare on it!" I yell over all the noise, and make my way to the shield wall.

The pile of Og Nag is almost three feet taller and is in danger of falling on us. I start gathering a few soldiers and begin explaining that we need to topple the wall of bodies backwards before it can fall on us. A massive purple explosion erupts on the right, between the bodies and shields; both are knocked backwards. Luna flies by and waves at me. This was bad. Now the Og Nag had a nice breach to storm, and they go for it. With our units unable to hold the area, the Og Nag let out their high-pitched cries and start moving in.

Emeris takes a large group of soldiers and they do their best to hold the breach. I take archers from a house to my left and order them to change spots to help defend the hole. As soon as Luna lands next to me, I hear a cry from a few soldiers to my right. The Og Nag from the west had finally swung around. I pull out my sword.
“Use the buildings as choke points, but keep moving forward to the river!” Luna starts jogging alongside me. I stop, and she does the same. To my shame I start yelling at her.
“You stay back! You’ve done enough as it is!” I scream, pointing at the massive hole Emeris was risking his life to defend. She looks down and blushes as her ears go back. She sits on her haunches, looking off to the right. My heart shatters as those teal eyes tell me she was only trying to help. She wasn’t a soldier; I had no excuse to yell at her. I try to apologize but my childish pride and anger stop me from taking fault.

I start to run to the west with the rest of my soldiers, when I see Lucretia bolt past me, away from the action. I try to catch up, but she makes a bee-line to Luna oddly enough. They exchange only a few words, with Lucretia pointing at the hole in the wall, then Luna getting up excitedly and nodding. Lucretia turns around.
“Sir, Luna can use her magic to move the bodies back. She was doing that to the North and it made an absolutely critical difference! We were able to stack their bodies up and make a choke point in just a few minutes. Everyone has been evacuated from the town to our knowledge.” The first good news I’ve had all day and I was already feeling the drain. I nod to her.
“Then we need to hold this spot the best we can. Right now, we have a decent defense and we need to use it. If things get better, take your soldiers to Celestia and help out. “

Right as she nods, I hear screams of agony. We both look over towards the west and see a mammoth of an Og Nag wearing a metal chest piece, gauntlets and a helmet. It wields two massive axes the size of your average soldier. He has armor on his legs too, but they only cover his shins and hamstrings. I had hoped only the Og Nag’s basic infantry had been teleported, but their fiercest warbeasts had made it here too: Garges. On its chest piece was the symbol for the nation of Cartridge: a fierce looking hawk with its wings wide open, talons coming straight at you. Cartridge had experimented with creating Og Nag meant more for sieging by enlarging them and giving them special armor. They were also a bit smarter, but their endless rage was a decent counter. It was easily three feet taller than I was, with bulging arms that could sometimes lift a fully loaded Growler on its side: we found that out the hard way.

Lucretia and I dash towards it, as it mercilessly sends units flying left and right. Two soldiers try to brace themselves, knowing it’s too late to run. They’re sent flying through the first story of a house, as the Garge gives them a nasty backswing with its ax. Its victims lay motionless as they tumble out the other side, covered in wooden debris.

Its mouth drools, with multiple teeth sticking out from its jaw. It towers over us, effortlessly swinging an ax at anything that moves. My units do the standard practice of banging on their shields to draw its attention, but the screams and yells of war block out the distraction. I pick up a pot from the ground and hurl it. It makes a loud ding, bouncing harmlessly off its helm. It turns to me, lets out a growl and charges. Lucretia stays crouched behind an overturned cart to my left. Right before he runs past her, I give her a hand wave. She darts out, and cuts off its leg. She nails it right above the knee, in what had to be a mere inch of exposed skin. It roars in anger, falling to the ground.

The nightmare isn’t over, as it swings its axes wildly, causing itself to spin. Lucretia calls out for everyone to watch out. She flings herself backwards and to the ground, barely getting missed with an ax. The sounds of arrows hitting its armor fill the air. Again and again, the archers have a hard time hitting their mark with it having so much plating. It stops spinning, and digs its axes into the ground. The back of its weapons have large points just for climbing up the side of a mountain, digging into and pulling down a stone wall or penetrating the iron plates of a Growler. It roars at Lucretia and begins chasing her. Its strength and stamina are horrifying, as it’s able to keep pace with her just from digging the axes into the ground repeatedly like a horizontal mountain climber. As she turns a corner going around a house, it almost catches her foot with a sweep. Sparks are seen briefly, as the mere scraping of metal is all that stands between her and a brutal end, but the beast ends up demolishing half of the house's first floor.

The former home creaks and groans, as it starts toppling over, with a few archers inside. The beast lets out a deafening roar, tearing after Lucretia, who instinctively leads it away from the bulk of our forces. It was agility over endurance, as she does her best to stay ahead of it. The house falls over, accompanied by the screams of my archers.

I dart over to the debris, my eyes scanning for any signs of armor that I can locate them with. I start ripping out pieces of wood, trying to save them if possible. After a few moments, a single metal gauntlet juts out from the wooden debris, trying to desperately grab anything. I take the hand, and with the help of another soldier, we pull her free. She tells me her partner is alive but critically wounded. A few other stray soldiers dig on the opposite side, pull him out, and carry him off to our other wounded. I take the time Lucretia bought me and fix our defenses.

I hear that familiar roar, as Lucretia comes back into view a few minutes later, at a much slower pace. She does her best to jog, but her arms hang exhaustively at her sides. Emeris and I rush towards her as the creature comes back into view. It takes a few glances around, sees its target and begins its pursuit. We run past her, both of us eager to distract it. I hurl dagger after dagger, which bounce off its helmet. Emeris lets out a few arrows, with only one hitting it in the shoulder. It's my lucky day, as my daggers only seem to piss it off. He howls and charges after me. I have to dive into the air, as it swings its right arm at me. I can feel the scratch marks on his ax as my fingertips graze over the surface of it. I haul it towards the way it came before it can bring it's weapon back around. I don’t have time to go around a house, forcing me to leap into a window.

I plunge through the glass, sending shards all over the floor. I roll when I land, repeating the same action as I dive back out of the house. The wall explodes into wooden pieces as the creature effortlessly blows through the house. Its last few pieces of wood holding it up groan and snap, as the structure falls straight down. It collapses on the monster's legs, pinning it. It cries out in rage, flailing about. I catch my breath for a moment. The grin on my face barely has time to form before the beast looks at me, then at its predicament. In a horrific move, it chops off its last leg and comes at me again, with its massive mouth able to bite me in half. I rush through the front door of the next house, knowing that if I turn for even a second, I’ll get caught with a nasty swing.

It’s able to pick up speed with one less leg slowing it down. There's barely enough time to dive out the window as it's roars are close enough to vibrate inside my helmet. I don’t get as lucky, as wooden planks ding off the back of my armor. The scrape of an ax on the back of my chest piece is just barely enough to knock me off balance. I collide to the ground, the beast momentarily blinded with all the flailing debris. There's no point in getting up; I’ll be dead before I can do anything. A propped up section of wall is to my left. I roll under it and freeze, feeling uneasy hearing my own heartbeat pounding in my ears.

The creature looks around. To my luck, its helmet narrows its vision while it crawls. I could get stepped on at any time, but it's my only chance. Its deep growling vibrates the wall I'm hiding under, as it scans the area for my body. Playing dead wasn’t an option as it would probably give me a few hits just for satisfaction. Maybe I can make a run for it if it looks in a different direction. The bottom part of the wall crunches, as it sets a cautious gauntlet down during the hunt. My heartbeat skyrockets. If he moves one more time, I’ll be just another casualty. Arrows clink against the back of its breastplate as Emeris calls out to it. I hear the beast gradually turn towards him, followed by a roar. I peek out from the side of the wall, and watch its other arm carefully. His right arm will move away from me, and towards Emeris, but its left arm might be planted right down on top of me as it turns around.

I see the wall uncrunch, followed by another plant of an axe. I log-roll from under my cover, as its last arm comes crashing down on top of the wall where I just was. I stay still, not out of the woods yet, as it can still turn around and end my lucky streak. It makes two more moves towards Emeris then pauses. I eyed it curiously. His head slowly turns and looks at me, with bizarre narrowed eyes. It grins as it begins to turn around. I roll on my side several times, trying to get just enough clearance to get up. It doesn’t roar or anything as it moves. Multiple arrows from Emeris do nothing to deter it.

A strange chill runs down my spine as I know something is off with this guy now. I get to my feet, and look over my shoulder. I’m nowhere near far enough to get away. I plant my feet and get ready to dodge. It brings an arm back, and with an unnatural cocky smirk, it begins to swing then stops. Too late, I instinctively dive and roll to my side just like it wanted. It actually pulls the ax back a bit and takes another swing at me, this time with the intent to kill. I have a split second to actually turn on my side, hearing the screech of doom just inches from collapsing my ribs.

I use the momentum of tucking my legs to my chest to back roll to my feet. The moment I stood up, I knew it was over. It already has its arm back, prepared for another swing across. This time, I can easily tell from the angle, it’s going to be too high to jump over, and too low to duck. I grit my teeth angrily, accepting my fate. As its arm begins to move, my armor glows purple and I’m yanked into the air. I look up and see Luna struggling to keep me afloat. She starts taking me away, but the last of her magic reserves fade, and I’m dropped through the roof of a house, landing inside the second story. The creature begins howling angrily as more arrows enter its body. I can hear it move after Emeris.

I need the time to catch my breath. Several soldiers yell outside, along with light hoofs on the roof.

“Luna?” I call out. She peeks her head inside the hole. There's a tad bit of enjoyment on her face at the thought of my predicament. I sigh and suck up my pride.

“T...thank you...for saving me.” She stares at me for a few seconds, tempted to speak. Instead she turns around, and glides off the roof. Alright fine, I deserve it.

I make my way downstairs and outside, leaning against the walls of the house for support. The creature is surrounded by Emeris and several guards, with Luna eagerly awaiting a clear shot. Her head is lowered, eyes fixated on her target, legs stiff as metal. Her stance is flawless. I can’t help it, I have to apologize. I clear my throat.

“Luna, look I’m sorry for-” She cuts me off with a fierce but focused tone.

“Not now Raiden!”

Out of respect, I shut my mouth. The beast lashes out randomly at units. It’s still bizarre, it’s almost like it knows if it begins chasing anyone, it will get pounced. It pauses for a brief second to roar, and that’s all the time Luna needs. With a split second to build up, she conjures up a large ball of energy the size of her body, and hurls it at the beast, striking it dead on in the shoulder. Its arm goes flying, and the creature rolls onto its back from the force of the blast, howling in both agony and rage.

Several soldiers jump on it, plunging spears into its chest around its armor. One soldier draws their sword, cutting straight through the neck. The creature lays there dead. Luna pretends not to glance at me, closes her eyes, sticks her nose in the air, and trots off just to show me up. Emeris jogs up to me. When he sees I’m fine, he lets out a sigh of relief from our little fight. I turn my head towards Luna, who’s still within earshot.

“You know, I didn’t think a princess would be so hardcore.” I say to Emeris. I see Luna step a bit more proudly, as she turns behind a house.

Despite being a peaceful nation, it was certainly the wrong place to mess with.

Chapter 11: Infectious Past

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Out of the corner of my eye, I see Luna poke her head just barely from behind the house, eavesdropping on us. Emeris sees it too, and pretends not to notice.

“Yeah I kind of gave her a hard time earlier. I got stressed out and yelled at her. I feel like a real jerk. Been meaning to apologize but it’s been so chaotic here I haven’t had a chance.” I rub the back of my neck for effect and because I honestly did feel bad. Maybe I wasn't exactly a poet, but words were never really my thing, that was Emeris' domain. I see her head disappear and hope it was enough. I start talking about what’s really an issue.

“Emeris...this is wrong. First, a few thousand Og Nag slip past Canterlot and Ponyville completely unnoticed. Then they use actual tactics and almost overrun us. Then that creature was...acting like it had a personality. I’ve never seen it before.” Emeris nods and looks at the ground.

“I didn’t wanna say anything in front of the other soldiers, but I noticed too.”

We stand there in silence for a moment. Emeris puts his hands on his hips and sighs.

“We’ve pushed back the Og Nag for now, but I got a feeling this is long from over. I came to tell you they fell back but we had to deal with that creature first.” I raise an eyebrow.

“Wait...they retreated? Like the Og Nag actually fell back?!” Emeris nods uncomfortably. They never retreat unless they’re in a really small group against a vastly superior opponent. The only exception is if they think they can nail a Lieutenant or higher. They never seem to show a sense of self. I sigh and grit my teeth.

“Look, I don’t think we’re going to figure this out anytime soon, so for now we need to assume they’re going to start operating with a military level of intelligence. If they came here and threw a bunch of bodies at us mercilessly, then they wanted something. What could be in Ponyville that was worth several hundred units dying over?”

Emeris' eyes bulge.

“Captain! Princess Celestia!” he roars in realization. In the chaos, we had forgotten Celestia was wearing down. Was that their plan? Knowing Celestia would split off herself so they could take her out while we were kept busy to the west?I had to tie up matters in this town before moving Northeast towards Celestia. We begin jogging back towards our units.

“Emeris, we need to turn Ponyville into a base for now. I don’t know whether this place was a distraction or if they still need something from here, but we can’t keep stashing refugees in Canterlot regardless. We’ll fortify the town with Luna’s help. I’d like you to oversee it. I’ll take Lucretia and we’ll go see if the Princess still needs us.” Emeris nods.

We finally get back to the shield wall, and Luna has already moved most of the bodies into the river.

“Princess Luna!” I call out. She turns around and casually walks up to me.

“Where does this river lead?” She glances behind her.

“Down past Las Pegasus then into the ocean.” I nod approvingly. Emeris begins going over our plan for Ponyville as I search for Lucretia. I find her sitting against a building, next to the archers we saved. She looks over at me as I approach, nodding her head backwards in a silent greeting.

“You okay?” I ask. She chuckles painfully.

“I’m alive...exhausted, but alive.” I look over her for a moment and decide she's too spent to come with me.

“I was going to have Emeris and Luna turn Ponyville into a small base for refugees and for a choke point, but maybe you need the rest more.”

She glares at me and tries to get up. She’s almost standing before stumbling a bit and slumps against the house for support. A warrior’s pride was a hard thing to conquer. She grumbles angrily, as I walk over and help her sit back down. I do my best to give her a list of tasks, and make them sound extra important, something Emeris taught me to do with our more stubborn troops.

“I need you fresh and relaxed. Someone has to stay here, it might as well be you. Use whatever debris you can and create a perimeter. Also assign some units to make more arrows; we may need them later. When this place is ready, we’ll use it as a camp for refugees. If we find a better place, it’s at least one more choke point towards Canterlot we control. Think you can handle all that?” She nods bitterly. I call out for everyone to group up and explain our current plan to our units. I have no choice but to mention the weird behavior from the Og Nag. Everyone looks around uncomfortably.

We begin moving forward. As we march through the town, the devastation is heartbreaking. Half the town had demolished houses, or were missing an entire wall. Every home that didn’t have structural damage, looked raided, or had a few broken windows. Carts were overturned, belongings were scattered all over. This place was clearly less fortunate than Canterlot. No one deserves this, but especially these people. The simplicity of their lives echoes in me, as I had always longed to have just a basic place to call home away from the chaos of war.

There were flower shops, bakeries, clothing stores: all looked like they had been left for dead. I catch Emeris looking around who shakes his head.

“I feel like this is our fault.” he says bitterly. A heavy sigh forces its way out of my chest. I want to disagree, but I can’t think of a decent argument worth making.

“Regardless of whose fault it is, we’ll exterminate every last Og Nag we find. No one and I mean no one deserves this.” I get an angry cheer from the soldiers within earshot.

We get within eyesight of our Growlers. The same purple mare from the first house I entered comes running up. I hope she’s not here to apologize for throwing every piece of cutlery at me. She stops short and bows. I’m surprised but I do likewise.

“I’m sorry miss, but we cannot currently stop for conversation. We’re on our way to assist Princess Celestia.” She walks by my side, much calmer, confident, and probably a bit angry.

“I want to...fight.” She barely chokes out. I turn to Emeris. He thinks it over for a minute then nods. He looks down at the mare.

“I could always use more scouts. Can you tell me anything about Celestia?” A worried look crosses her face.

“Yes, last I saw she was holding them off the best she could, but she looks exhausted!” I growl angrily. I wanted to be there now but exhausting my troops after they just got done defending a town was a bad move.

We get to the Growlers and loading up is slower than I want. My troops are getting tired, and admittedly so am I. I’m still racking my brain trying to figure out exactly what we’re gonna do to help Celestia. The Og Nag will hit us hard and fast. We simply don’t have the energy to hit them head on. I needed to buy us all valuable resting time. I get a very fun but unorthodox idea.

Our Growler tears along the dirt path, kicking up leaves and sticks. My new scout has her head out of the hatch at the top. I wanted her to immediately feel valuable. I couldn’t keep using my normal infantry as scouts anyways. She pokes her head back down.

“Celestia is on the ground! She’s hurt but still fighting!” I swap with her, and signal Emeris’ Growler to defend Celestia. As I hop back down, lieutenant Albia speaks up.

“Sir, aren’t we gonna get out and fight?!” I chuckle and cross my arms.

“Soon, soon.” I bang on the driver door. “Run em over!”
Howls of excitement and blood-thirst erupt from everyone. The mare looks around and smiles timidly. We bounce around wildly: units let out amused laughter as they slide into each other on the benches.

The shriek of our enemies is a war trumpet to our ears. We make a hard right turn, and the thumping stops. The driver calls back to me.

“Sir, the infantry have turned their attention on us, but we got some Garges in there, and they’re keeping an eye on us!” The Garges were always an issue, too large to run over, too powerful to face with normal infantry. It took special training and courage to deal with just one.

“Turn around and get us back to Celestia!” I open up one of the side viewports and watch as almost every adversary out there is running at our vehicle. Emeris has already deployed his troops and is having an easy time defeating the few stragglers who come at his shield wall. I still can’t tell if Celestia is okay, but the fact that she’s not in the Growler means she’s probably going to be fine. The driver screams wildly.

“Everyone hold on! Garge at our nine o'clock!” We all link arms, with my new scout huddled in between my legs. She wraps her hooves around my leg and holds on tightly. A few agonizing seconds go by, then something hits us so hard, we spin twice. The mare starts screaming. My head slams forward, making my neck ache. We brace ourselves as we come to a sudden halt. The moment we’re still, we start pedaling again and take off. I was lucky there weren't any pedals under my Commander's Chair. The driver calls out again.

“He’s gaining on us! Pedal harder or do something!” I look at the rear of the vehicle.

“Lower the ramp!” I yell. The units near the levers for the rear exit look at me confused.

“Do it!” I scream anxiously. With a quick uncertain glance at each other, they pull their levers and the ramp opens up, kicking tons of dirt in the air as it hits the ground. I grab a nearby bow and start hurling arrows into the beast's knees. It howls angrily, still gaining. The rest of my soldiers catch on and start firing arrows, or passing their bows forward to someone with a clear shot. The Garge is almost within swinging distance. In a few seconds, you could barely see anything below its stomach. It howls and starts slowing down. Unfortunately, almost every arrow we had was now lodged in its legs.

We yank the ramp back up, and start gaining speed again.

“Get us over to Emeris!” My heart pounds in my chest. I needed to know what was going on, but I would only have a minute or so tops the moment we came to a stop. We hit a few more Og Nag then come to a skidding halt and immediately exit the vehicle. Celestia stands weakly, conversing with Emeris. I sprint up to them.

“Princess, are you alright?” She nods with a bit of embarrassment. I could tell she rarely hits her limit.

“All the magic I used flying and dodging has left me quite drained. To be honest it has been far longer than I care to admit since I've been in a fight.” She hangs her head ashamed. Emeris and I exchange glances; neither of us knowing what to do. Celestia looks up at me.

“Emeris tells me your soldiers are exhausted as well...I do not know how we will meet this current threat, but we have little time to decide.” She says while pointing at the advancing Og Nag.
I get another idea.

“Princess, if you didn’t have to fly or move, could you keep fighting?” She stares at me confused but nods. Emeris gets it. He faces the princess.

“If we could get you on top of a Growler, do you think you could target just the Garges? The big guys who mean business?” Celestia gives Emeris an amused grin.

“Yes I could. Would that work?” she asks with concern. Emeris crosses his arms proudly.

“These babies are meant to run over Og Nag. The big guys make that dangerous though. If you can take them down or at least keep them away, it could easily cut down the effort.” She eagerly looks at me.

“Captain Raiden, could this work?!” I nod and within seconds, she’s inside my Growler with half her upper body sticking through the top hatch. We manage to load up at the very last second. Og Nag pound at the back door as we speed off. Three of my soldiers nearest to Celestia's flank, do their best to keep her tail from smothering them, but give up and just hold onto it. We gain about a hundred feet on them, swing back around and cross our fingers. I get up and pound on the driver door.

“Run em over but try to stick to the outsides of the group. We don’t want anything flying up and hitting the princess.” As we rocket along, the screech of enemies is accompanied by exhilarating sounds of explosions. I open a small side port and grin at the site of dead Og Nag and smoking craters. There was around five Garges still in the party, but they stay close to the center. We make one big loop, crushing adversaries and cheering as they’re followed up by numerous booms.

Our celebrating is cut short as we hit a previously made crater. Celestia screams as she’s almost thrown from the vehicle. Two of my men hold her hind legs desperately.
“Pull her back inside now!” They tug as hard as they can, but it’s not enough. We hit another crater and her legs disappear. I hear thudding as she manages to hook one of the handles on the outside of the roof with her hoof. I climb up and stick my head out. Her face shows agony as her already exhausted muscles do everything they can to keep her pulled up on a handle. She’s too far away to grab. The Growlers had handles across the roof in case we ever needed to climb onto it in an emergency. Without fingers, she won’t last long.

“Grab my ankles!” I holler down to my men. I climb out and reach out to her, but forgot to tell the driver to stay clear of enemies and now it’s too late.

A few Og Nag get tossed onto the roof and bounce off. A free sword goes soaring near my head. I roll to the side as it barely misses my face. I roll back and finally get a hand on Celestia’s left hoof. I do my best to reach out with my other hand, but without it to stabilize me, I start sliding to the right. I grit my teeth, desperately holding onto her hoof and a nearby handle. I hear yelling down in the cabin. We swing to the right and it balances me out momentarily. I take the opportunity to reach out. Celestia hesitates but lets go of the handle and stretches her foreleg to me. I grab her hoof but it's awkward. There's only a few inches of it in my hand. We slow down just barely. I pull her right hoof towards me the best I can, allowing me a few seconds to get a better grip on her other hoof. She glances towards the sea of Og Nag.

As I look over, a lucky Garge is running towards us. He leaps into the air, howling with one arm back ready to bring his ax down on us. A blinding beam of light comes hurtling out of Celestia’s horn, striking the beast in the face. It makes him fall backwards, but he sail feet first towards us. With every last ounce of strength, I pull Celestia to me. I don’t have time to pull her inside, but I get a good grip behind her front legs. We slide as the Garge’s body plows into us. The Growler skids several feet across the ground.

Celestia closes her eyes and grits her teeth, relying on only me to keep her from certain doom. My arms burn, already tapped out from my previous engagement. I feel my fingers slip, inch by inch. Celestia opens her eyes and clamps onto my chest piece with her teeth desperately. We stop sliding and resume our forward motion. The sudden jerk makes my hands let go for a second. Celestia grabs the nose guard on my helmet with her teeth at the last second.

My neck strains, but I pull her back inside. She falls on top of me. We’re both too drained to move, but my people help us up.

“Driver!” I call out, “Get...get us out of here for now.” That was it, we were tapped out. The panting of my soldiers, the sweat dripping out of their helmets. I had to get them rest or they’d start pulling muscles and would be out of the fight even longer. I see a look of defeat on Celestia’s face, as she weakly gets up and sits on a bench. I plop down next to her.

“Any other ideas?” I ask in-between gasps for air. She pants.

“My...niece Cadence, she should be here any time now. I sent word to her before I departed.” Good, then we’re playing for time. Hopefully this Cadence has an army, or some powers of her own. Either will be useful at this point.

During our brainstorming, my newest mare scout had her head outside the hatch. She calls down to me.

“Sir, third Growler coming in, and they look mad!” I step up to the hatch and look out: It’s Captain Lucretia. I call it out, and every unit explodes with happiness. I howl with laughter as a familiar cobalt blue alicorn sticks her head out of the latch and begins firing. Instead of long, powerful beams, her shots are rapid but are still enough to put down a single Og Nag. The view holes on her Growler go down, as streams of arrows get dumped from her vehicle into every Og Nag in sight. We stay to the West of the entire battle, but still in range of the fight if we have to. Emeris sees his turn is up, and takes off in his vehicle. My soldiers get out and cheer as arrows and explosions whittle down what was left of their forces. Only three Garges remain.

I gawk confused, as they go back to back. Lucretia stops firing arrows, and Luna halts her magic use. They circle the trio of Garges like a shark. Luna lowers herself from the hatch for a brief moment, converses with Lucretia then comes back up. The Garges look around nervously. Suddenly, one howls in anger, as his ankles glow purple, and he’s dragged towards the Growler. With a nice opening, the arrows commence again. In just a few seconds, all three Garges are dead. I had never seen them go back to back before. It was their best option, since their back armor offered less coverage. Usually they had an entire army of Og Nag behind them, so no use for the extra weight.

Emeris and Lucretia pull up to us, and hop out. We’re covered in sweat and scratches, but everyone smiles at each other, doing their best not to fall over panting. Celestia walks out of the Growler tediously, trying her best to stay up. A few soldiers move into help her walk. She thanks them weakly, and walks up to us. Luna trots up eagerly.

“Sister, are you injured?!”

Celestia shakes her head and smiles.

“I am fine, just tired.” Luna smirks and lets out a small chuckle. I take in some air.

“Well, thanks to both of you, we were all able to hold them off. I’m going to be honest, your magic will come in very handy in our defensive. Given time, we might be able to-” Celestia interrupts me,.

“I believe it will be best for my people to take refuge in Canterlot for now until I can figure out a plan. We are not prepared for this, and we cannot risk other settlements falling prey to the Og Nag. I shall set up massive evacuation plans across Equestria. Once everyone is safe, we can decide how to combat the Og Nag.” I can’t help but notice Celestia awkwardly avoids eye contact with me, despite looking around at everyone else during her plan.

We begin our trek back to Canterlot. Our pace is slow, as the Growlers move at almost marching pace. I trade out soldiers every few minutes, so only half are pedaling at a time. I get a tad jealous knowing Celestia and Luna are talking in Lucretia’s vehicle. I can’t get the trio of Garges out of my head. There was something off, and I knew by the end of the war, I’d have my answer one way or another.

An enemy you can't kill with a sword, was easily a nightmare.

Chapter 12: Taking A Backseat

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Ch.p12 Taking A Backseat

Celestia frantically paces her throne room. Her eyes are wide as she darts back and forth, pondering what to do. The bad news from Cadence lay crumpled on the floor. Multiple cities near the Crystal Empire had been sacked by more Og Nag. Cadence is attempting to defend whatever cities she can, as her entire kingdom is in panic. I understood Celestia’s predicament: she had exhausted forces, no real standing army, and their magic just wasn’t enough against so many Og Nag. Luna sits beside the throne, unsure as well. Emeris and I stand at the far end of the room. Emeris glances over at me before he casually walks up to Celestia. He holds his hands behind his back and takes a very casual stance.
"Princess, I understand you're unsure of what to do, but if you'll allow us to go fight for your cities-" Celestia stops mid pace and snaps her head angrily at Emeris.
"That will be highly unnecessary! Our civilians will take refuge in our palace, then we will find a way to achieve peace with these Og Nag!" Emeris clenches his fists behind his back and rocks on his feet.
"Princess, as we've said a few times now, Og Nag do not communicate. They do not have a hierarchy and we still don't know what drives them." Celestia exhales loudly while still glaring at Emeris.
"Then we will be the first to discover this link! No species deserves to be arbitrarily exterminated without being given a proper chance!" I stop leaning on the wall and take a few steps forward.
"You do remember they've already slaughtered hundreds of your civilians and sacked at least three towns of yours correct?" Celestia stomps a hoof and everything in the room jumps a foot as her horn glows a blinding yellow.
"Enough!" She shrieks, her powerful voice shoves us back a few inches. She clenches her teeth and resumes pacing with a few tears in her eyes. Emeris walks back to where he was before, shaking his head.

Celestia stops pacing and lets out a loud, desperate groan.
“Where is Discord?! He should have returned from his investigation ages ago!” Celestia had held out for two things: Cadence and Discord. From what I understood, this Discord was phenomenal at detecting magical disturbances and went probing for something and hasn’t returned since. Luna brought up that Discord has had loyalty issues in the past, but was silenced by her sister’s frantic screaming. Everyone she was relying on for aid was busy with their own affairs.

The castle was full of refugees, and the deafening noise echoing from every wall wasn’t helping. The throne room was the quietest place, with no one but her immediate counsel, but the murmurs could still be heard. My troops were down in the hall, telling tales filled with bravado to help ease the woes of so many terrified civilians. There had to be hundreds of refugees in the palace alone, with nothing to do but sit and worry. Back in our nation, refugees were scarce, but we put them to work. Not to be cruel, but it gave them something to focus on besides imminent doom. It was also more efficient for us, and gave the refugees an outlet for their stress as well as a sense of purpose. I had suggested it but it was shot down with the feeling that they had been through enough and didn’t need to be bothered with chores.

“Perhaps we should fortify the palace if it’s going to be for refugees. That way we don’t have to worry about-” Celestia cuts off Emeris, and snaps her head towards him with an enraged glare.
“I will not turn my home into a fortress! There is no need to begin strapping bits of metal and wood across every window when this threat will be dealt with swiftly!” She had repeated how we were going to be fine after almost every idea that was brought up. No one believed her anymore, especially since all she did was talk and do nothing to fix the problem.

She had sent scouts to almost every city informing every pony of the current crisis and to prepare for it. What she hadn’t considered, was that none of these towns knew how to fortify. A small village to the northeast that I didn’t catch the name of had apparently received advanced notice of the impending attacks. Scouts went to investigate and returned with the worst news. The residence had tried to hold up inside their houses, armed with nothing more than cookware and gardening tools. After that massacre, Celestia sent out a nationwide alert for everyone to come to Canterlot.

Her pacing annoys me, but I keep a lid on it. I talked with Luna a bit earlier about ways to get through to her. It boiled down to while Celestia is absolutely brilliant, she's used to tedious tasks that aren't life threatening. When a problem occurs, it's usually one villain, with one solution. The solution usually involved her knowledge of magic or sending her normal group, the Mane 6, which I've only heard about briefly. I get it, she's not used to her nation suffering as a whole while she thinks. The closest she's ever been was back when some Minotaur named Tirek attacked. With these Elements of Harmony not in the picture, she was faced with a much more gruesome scenario. Her last war was many millenniums ago against King Sombra as well. I gave her all the slack I could, but my own nation was depending on her pulling it together in time.

We had been held up here for almost a week now since the attack on Ponyville. Settlements had been raided from all over, and we were slowly being cornered. If she wanted any hope of survival, she’d need to fight back instead of waiting for the enemy to show up here. I had suggested several times to fortify the front gate, seeing as how there was a nice waterfall to dispose of bodies. This got turned down, since Celestia didn’t like the idea of making her home into a warzone.
“The people are scared enough as it is, they don’t need to show up here and be greeted with an armed militia!” were her exact words.

At this point, she was going to wait around frantically for every town to be taken, and when we had no one left for help, she’d be greeted by the enemy, at her palace doorstep with no precautions at all. Emeris and I stood around, angrily whispering about what to do. It wasn’t our kingdom, but we wanted to help. We had debated on just taking our soldiers and showing her how it’s done, but we needed to remain united. We honestly had nowhere to go that was remotely fortifiable. We wouldn’t last more than a day if the Og Nag came knocking anywhere else.

Emeris and I were decently calm, knowing that we had a good chance of holding the front gate for a while if need be. Of course all it would take is several Garge’s storming the wall and pushing us back from our only real choke point. After that, it would be an endless wave of Og Nag, with no hope of reinforcements. I had talked with Luna for a while about magical solutions, but her sister was the more knowledgeable one. Celestia was more concerned with saving every last pony she could, instead of destroying the threat.

A scout comes running past us up to Celestia, who frantically turns to him.
“Good news?!” she almost screams. The scout timidly shakes his head and hands her a scroll. She opens it, and shrieks at the top of her lungs. The talking from the surrounding rooms goes silent as every last ear wants to know the news. Celestia staggers back a bit, eventually colliding with her throne. She falls to the ground sobbing. Luna quickly trots over and reads the scroll. Her eyes grow wide, and she can’t help but look at her sister, then to Emeris and me with desperation. I uncross my arms and Emeris stops leaning against the wall. We meet Luna in the middle of the room.

Luna begins with a horrified stutter.
“There’s two massive waves of Og Nag. One to the north east and the other to the west coming this way to Canterlot…” Hectic cries of terror erupt from every room as everypony hear. She swallows and her mouth begins to tremble.
“There...there are also refugees from cities near the Crystal Empire on their way here. The scout said they will most likely collide with the Og Nag headed here in just a few days at their current pace.” Luna lets the letter fall to the ground, staring into the void of death.

I open my mouth to call to Celestia, but it’s pointless; she's inconsolable.
“Luna, we can slow the Og Nag down, allowing the refugees to get to us, but we need to move now. “ She glances at her sobbing sister with sympathy.
“Luna, please.” coaxes Emeris. She faces us and nods. I wait to go over our strategy until we exit the throne room. Luna gradually closes the doors behind us with a soft click. I breathe a sigh of relief along with Emeris.
“There’s a lot to go over, but first things first: we need to hold off those attacks headed here.” Luna lets out a frustrated sigh.
“Raiden, I know you mean well, but I can’t just step over my sister whenever it suits me. This is an exception but I’m afraid that while she’s awake, there’s not much I can do.”

Emeris shakes his head.
“So we’ll need to show her what we can do. Maybe she’ll come around if she sees our strategy work!” Luna looks almost excited.
“Perhaps! I know at the moment she is simply frustrated by the lack of options." I gaze at her for a moment.
“Then...why do you not show as much worry?” Luna smiles a bit.
“I trust you.” she says, giving me a quick look. With my helmet on she can’t see my face turn red, but she knows it. In fact, I’d say she knows quite a bit about me.
Emeris sighs in annoyance.
“Not to break up your little romantic pow-wow, but we got two major battles ahead of us, with a few hundred civilians relying on it. We need to get to work.” We walk quickly out to the main hall where the dining table is. Luna levitates everything on it and tosses it to the floor, replacing it all with paper from a nearby cupboard. Emeris squiggles markers for the palace, the mountain range they have to go around to get here, the directions of the attacks, and the incoming civilians.

Luna stands there confident that we can make it work but a bit hesitant to speak. I examine the map and ideas start forming in my head.
“Okay first things first, we need to slow down the Og Nag, not fight them. Luna, do you have any type of raising ground spells or moving rocks?” She nods.
“I could easily bury them in a rock slide to the northeast by Foal Mountain. They’ll need a lot of time to dig everyone out.” She smiles at her plan, but it leaves as soon as she notices neither of us is talking. Emeris glances at me, not wanting to make her feel incompetent.
“They’re Og Nag; they don’t care about their soldiers. Although it will still thin out their numbers. If you can hit the front of their group, you’ll take out a good chunk of them, and the rest will have to go around or over, which will take time. If there's snow up there, can you melt it? Having to track through mud and rocks would definitely buy us a few days.

Luna’s eyes widened.
“Yes, there’s plenty of snow!”

I nod and smirk to myself.
“Okay so we agree, Luna will use the mountains to slow down the eastern troops. What about the west? That will most likely have to be a Taraska task, unless there’s something you can give to us.” Luna shakes her head sadly.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know of anything we can use at the moment. If my sister was a bit more...stable, she’d probably know of something.” Luna pulls out a map from another drawer and brings it over.

I groan. There’s nothing but hills to the west according to the map. Emeris slaps the table angrily, but still restrains himself enough not to startle all the refugees in the room.
“We won’t last in the open. Is there anywhere we can draw them?” I say, hoping someone has another idea. Luna lights up again.
“Did you not build a base in Ponyville? You could lure them there right?” Emeris furiously nods his head.
“Yes, that’s a perfect idea! We’ll send Lucretia ahead of time to load up on defenses: arrows, extra protection, traps in the woods, you name it! We only need enough of us to get the Og Nag’s attention, everyone else can go with her and fortify!”
We look around at each other with pride. We weren't completely doomed...yet.
Luna examines the map again.
"I'll be back in a moment, let me fetch a few items first!" She trots through the throne room doors and is gone.

I turn to Emeris as my right eye twitches.
"So...there's the...um...castle." Emeris crosses his arms and looks off to the side.
"Well...maybe part of me wants to see what happened, maybe part of me thinks it's best that place is destroyed. I don't know how to feel. That being said, as much as I hate the 4th battalion, we could use the infantry even if they're just Hurrand's personal guard." I drum my fingers on the table in conflict.
"We simply don't have the time to investigate at the moment. All the Equestrian flyers are busy relaying messages from all over the kingdom. We have to prepare for these two incoming waves and the civilians. Perhaps we can look into Taraskan Castle afterwards." In all honesty, a flyer could easily give me the news of Taraska on their way back from the Crystal Empire. I wanted that place to burn though. All the memories, all the lies, all the torture. I would never say it out loud, but I was perfectly fine with forgetting that place forever. For once I was getting the respect and attention I deserved and I refuse to have it spoiled by the garbage who sits in that tomb of stone.

Emeris turns around and sits on top of the dinner table in the middle of the room.
"Is there a reason you didn't tell her that baiting Og Nag is a terrible idea? I don't mean to be a downer, but the main forces of Taraska are here and we could go extinct if this goes south." I stare at him quietly until he shifts uncomfortably.
"Do we even have a choice? I guess I also forgot we're all we have. If you have another option, I'd love to hear it. I'd love to roll several balistas out there and impale them at range, but we lost them all when we got sieged." Emeris nods with a hint of defeat.
"Also lieutenant Caval never finished her designed for balista-mounted Growlers. Too bad, we could really use her engineering right about now." My mouth hangs open a bit.
"Emeris, I'm sorry. I know you two were really close. At least she's somewhere better now." Emeris widens his eyes briefly in response.
"It's war. Anyways I'll prepare the report for our new scout to take to Base Ponyville." He slides off the table and rapidly walks out of the room. Emeris does everything he can to keep spirits up, but it seems like life is always trying to hammer him into misery.

Chapter 13: Operation Shock and Awe

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The palace grounds outside were devoid of life, except for what was left of Taraska. I face what were probably the last people in my kingdom. One wrong move and my species could go extinct on this planet. What else could we do though? Sit back in our palace and watch as countless cities fall? This wasn't Nova. There was still a chance to save it from war. Could anyone ever justify sacrificing their entire country to save the innocent? We had already done it once, why isn't that enough?

I had talked with our soldiers privately, as much privacy as one can get in a palace full of refugees. We all had this strange longing to be here. It represented everything we had craved for years: peace, equality, hope. Hell as far as the ponies were concerned, we were icons. News of our arrival and combat abilities had spread fast. When I had caught wind of this, I gave the order for every soldier to start sharing their best war stories. We left out the parts where the decision was made to have mass graves though. It helped tons, but we needed solutions, not just morale.

Emeris stands next to me, doing his best not to let his hands shake.
“Who are you going to take?” he asks. That was a hard call. We needed to stay small, so one lieutenant was all I could afford.
“Lieutenant Cy, step forward please.”
Cy takes three steps, then goes back to standing at ready, with one hand on his sword, and the other at his side.
“Do you think you can move fast?” He nods.
“Do you have any last units under your command that should go with Lucretia? You won’t have a second chance once we’re out there. We need to keep our numbers small, so if you're having any second thoughts about who's coming, it needs to be now.” Cy thinks it over while rubbing the back of his neck.
“Sergeant Septimus. You’ll be going with Lucretia.” Septimus glares at Cy, takes his hand off his sword, and starts protesting.
“But sir, I can do this!”

Cy shifts uneasily, not wanting to humiliate his own soldier publicly.
“You have a bad habit of getting too caught up in a task to listen to new orders. I’m sorry but I can’t have you getting into combat and not seeing it’s time to fall back like last time.” It was ugly, but true. Cy gave me his report about how he and Adeodatus had to go and drag Septimus out of combat. The delay cost Cy the lives of two other units. It was always assumed we would do anything to save our own, even if they deserved their fate.

Septimus tries to think of something to say, but can’t argue with the guilt he feels. He slowly nods his head and walks over to Captain Lucretia, staring at the ground in defeat. Lucretia gently backhands his arm as he walks by, as a show of unity. I pull Cy aside with an arm around his shoulder and whisper to him.
“If you want to fix his attitude, give him a chance to prove himself. Give him some task to perform at the base or something. Otherwise this will continue to be an issue until he pulls some crap that gets him and even others killed in the name of pride.” Cy nods, turns back around and addresses Lucretia’s troops.
“You’ll all be in charge of the base defensive, but we’ll need a quick response team for emergencies. Septimus, I need you and your men to be ready at all times. If at any point a unit gets injured within range, your team will extract them as well as deal with any threat out of range of the base.” Septimus perks up a bit and gives a perfect salute.

Emeris has his lieutenants walk up to him, wishing him luck. Mine hated saying goodbye since it was almost considered bad luck after we lost Sergeant Rufina during the First Defensive of Taraska. I walk across Lucretia’s front line, giving everyone one last look over. It was meant for a symbol of solidarity, but it was also a silent parting for me. We had never tried this before. Leading Og Nag to an ambush was almost always met with failure. There were so many, it was easy for one section of their group to suddenly go after another target, similar to a dog and a squirrel. Their stupidity made them hard to predict as well.

I stand to the side, pounding my chest in salute. Everyone mimics the gesture and falls out, following Lucretia in step. Several units reach out and slap my arm gently as they leave; knowing this could easily be it. I choke back tears; they weren’t just soldiers, they were the closest thing I had to a family. I was born into slavery and was told two other slaves were my parents. They both had forms of intellectual deficiency. I knew they weren’t my actual parents, but it never came up.

My dad always brought me some type of present for my birthday. It was usually sticks and some form of string in the shape of a crude animal. Both my parents had lower jaws that stuck out a good three inches further than they should, which made speaking difficult. They also couldn’t form complete sentences, resorting to pats on the head, or shoulder bumps to say “I love you.” My dad died to smuggle our first weapons that we used in our slavery uprising back when I was still a teenager. My mother was executed by the King himself on "suspicions" before it actually happened. Luckily, there were no records of my relation to my adoptive parents. I had tried many nights to sneak anything I could past the King's guards to kill him with, but it soon became impossible. This was the only time the King's paranoia worked in his favor.

After I met Lucretia and Emeris, we had slowly begun forming some type of bizarre family bond. I had learned to trust them, and they learned to trust me. Lucretia was our best hope for the base and everyone knew it. Long-term planning and strategy would always be her deadliest weapon. Whatever traps she was going to devise, they’d be efficient, easy, and devastating. Her creativity had never been noticed until one specific battle, where we were forced to run from enemy soldiers and had to resort to guerrilla warfare. She had taken a house and made it look like we used it as a hideout, leaving plenty of poisoned food behind.

Once the enemy invaded it, they decided to eat “our” food to save on rations. Of course the ranking officers got first picks of the finest produce, which had the most "seasoning" in them, an absolutely brilliant consideration on her part. The slow acting poisons set in some time after they went to bed for the night. Having their chain of command suddenly convulse and foam at the mouth, it was a simple matter of slowly pushing into their camp. Lucretia alone was responsible for turning a three to one disadvantage on its head. Her promotion came shortly after.

Luna trots up to me. She knew I wanted a few last minutes with my men, and respectfully stayed back until now. She stands there nervously, not wanting to say goodbye, but still desiring some last conversation. She looks me in the eyes and gives me a weak smile.
“I...I appreciate you trusting me with this.” She paws the ground timidly. I shake my head.
“You’re a princess. Why are you thanking us if you're defending your own land?” She glances at the palace, then back to me.
“I don’t normally get trusted with important matters. It feels good to be considered for...anything, especially with something like this.”

I just couldn’t wrap my head around it. She was so resourceful and powerful, yet she acts with such low self-esteem. What could have happened to her? I do my best to raise it.
“You saved my life and probably almost every pony in town with your quick thinking. You’re just as capable as any of my soldiers. We’re gonna have to work on that attitude of yours.” I finish with a small chuckle. She bites her lips, and her eyes wince a bit.
“Thank you…” she says with a touched smile. She studies me hesitantly for a bit, then gently punches me in the shoulder with her hoof. I pat her shoulder as well. She gives me a single slow nod and doesn't take her eyes off mine for a bit longer than normal. She crouches back on her haunches before leaping into the air and taking off.

Emeris, Lieutenant Cy, Sergeant Adeodatus, about 5 normal infantry, and I head down the hill. As we march, I go into the plan with a bit more detail.
“So as you know we’ll be provoking the Og Nag to come down south to our base at Ponyville. Luna will slow down the forces to the East, then come back to Canterlot in case we don’t lure them all. There, she will defend the palace until we arrive. Now Lucretia’s troops will be making small trails on their way through the forest. It is absolutely imperative you stay on these paths. The trails will zig zag around so hopefully the Og Nag will just dart through the trees after you, getting hit by Lucretia’s wonderful surprises as they go.”
“What’s the plan for when they get through all the traps?” asks Emeris. I chuckle a bit.
“There will be a massive supply of arrows at the base. We’ll hold them off at the river as long as we can, engaging in melee combat if we need to. Now once again, it will be around a thousand Og Nag, so roughly the same size force we encountered helping Celestia defend Eastern Canterlot. The name of this mission is Operation Shock and Awe. This will be critical for both morale, and thinning out their numbers. As we go through the forest, if you get the opportunity to let out some arrows then feel free to do so. Keep their attention on you, but don’t fall too far behind. Lucretia will be setting a few traps higher up to help blind or slow down the Garge’s, but if they malfunction, you don’t want to be the first thing it sees.”

I go over the list of everything that could possibly happen ever in my head. There won’t be the time or resources to improvise if we mess up. I know any one of us can trip or get cut off by Og Nag and be forced to go through Lucretia’s traps. We had tried to leave signs in the past to help friendly units avoid them, but it was too difficult to look for signals while running at full speed.

We crept through the very northern part of the forest, giving us a clear view of where the Og Nag will come from. Lying in the dirt, under the cover of random shrubbery, we waited for the upcoming battle. We had spent the rest of the previous day making a clear trail of where to run, marking areas we had to be careful around, and just generally memorizing the plan. We’d sprint along, every soldier having a place they’ll stop and release a few arrows before moving on. Over and over, we memorized the path to take and what traps were where. Lucretia sent a scout ahead of time to give us a small notice of what to expect. It was mostly simple items to trip the victim, causing them to fall on a spike.

Luna had advised Lucretia on a few poisonous plants in the area. Along the trees, there were vines coated with the leaves of something called Poison Joke. While it looked slightly out of place, you wouldn’t take much notice if you were an enraged Garge. There were a few “spring loaded” traps where stepping on the wrong vine, meant an ax would get pulled in a wide arc through the air. We were advised that every trap with a sharp point had slightly altered versions of Poison Joke. There was a remedy at our base made from a certain native who lives nearby, but the poison has an extra effect of setting in fast, causing terrible burning, itching, and swelling. I had a hard time picturing its most notable properties from how it was described, but the results should be hysterical from what I'm told.

I use my training as a captain to help focus my mind. Don’t think about what will happen if we fail; the answer is always death. Focus on what needs to be done and that's it. All I need to think of is what to do and what I need to prepare for. I need to keep morale up, and there’s no harm in exaggerating our chances as long as it doesn’t interfere with anyone’s performance. Too much certainty can make soldiers slack off due to overconfidence, too little and they may get so wrapped up in fear that they lose focus or start dropping crucial items.

I wasn’t use to this kind of fear though. Why did I suddenly care so much? In every previous battle, I always fought as hard as I could, but death was always just part of the job. Suddenly I felt connected to everything around me: every tree, every blade of grass, every lazy cloud. Did I finally have something worth living for? Was my ability to command compromised?

I uncomfortably prepare myself to talk with Emeris who lies next to me in the dirt.

“Emeris. Um...look I need to-” He cuts me off with an annoyed tone.
“You’re fine. How you feel is how we all feel. We finally have something to lose and it’s scary.” I stare at him in shock.
“How...how did you know?!” He chuckles to himself before giving me a delicious grin. He always loved analyzing others.
“Because you’ve been quietly beating your left foot into the ground. You do that whenever you’re self-conscious. Just so you know, you do it when you’re around Luna, and she knows why you do it too.” I bury my head in the ground and groan.

Cy bumps my right arm.
“Sir, up ahead, the trees.” We stare at the forest a few miles to the northwest. Trees sway back and forth, birds escape in mass and the ominous cracking of sticks and logs is heard even from how far away we are. Deer and numerous other wildlife bolt from the forest and dart around the planes in a frenzy. Then we see them. They mindlessly march out to the clearing towards Canterlot. A few dozen Garges and a massive complement of Og Nag. Far to the north, we see the massive pack of civilians. Most of them freeze, and look over at the endless army of murderers. We hear the distant screams after a few minutes, as they begin running towards the castle.

“Raiden, they’re ahead of schedule! We need to get down there now!” Emeris shrieks. We jump from the ground and start sprinting through the few trees that are left. Cy glances at the Og Nag, then to me.
“Sir, we’re not gonna get there in time, we need to draw them to us immediately!” We stop in our tracks and ponder the situation. Desperately glancing around the environment, I try to find something we can us. I pull up dried weeds, and tie them around the end of a few arrows. If we set them on fire, the burning arrows might catch the attention of the Og Nag. Cy and the others begin doing the same, except for Emeris who stares out across the land.

“Raiden...their...it’s too late. They needed us.” I stop for a moment to see what he’s talking about. The Og Nag were already starting to storm through the refugees. My mouth hangs in horror. I hear Cy and the others pull weeds faster. Emeris slowly shakes his head while watching in agony.
“I...can’t...I can’t allow this….” I turn towards him.
“Then get your arrows ready, we-” A strange teal glow starts surrounding Emeris. We stop and watch, having no idea what to think. Emeris keeps shaking his head, repeating his words over and over, unaware of the teal radiance erupting from his armor.

I timidly reach out to him.
“Emeris...what...are you okay!?” Emeris clenches his fists and lets out a furious roar. In a mesmerizing flash, he’s gone. A deafening crack is heard in the distance. We snap our heads in the direction of the refugees. A teal glow runs through the crowd towards the Og Nag. I watch in disbelief. He darts through the ponies and Og Nag as fast as an arrow. There's no way a human can run as fast as he can. In the time it takes an Og Nag to move an arm to their hilt, Emeris has already covered at least ten meters. He flashes again, teleporting on top of the shoulders of a Garge, driving his sword through its skull. It stops and sways a bit. Emeris disappears in another brilliant flash, right as a volley of arrows rushes through where he just was.

The Og Nag focus on him, but are helpless as he either dashes left and right at inhuman speeds, or completely teleports. An Og Nag's eyes dart around in fear, as he's suddenly cut down from behind in a dazzling flash of teal. Before he even starts to fall over, Emeris is gone again. Another helpless Og Nag watches Emeris cut down three of his allies to his left before he can even turn is head to watch it happen.
The refugees get clear of the Og Nag, and begin rushing towards us.

We run down and meet the group after a few minutes of jogging, grabbing the slowest ponies at the rear and helping them towards the castle. Despite never seeing us before, they run on instinct towards the palace. The last refugees bolt past, and we turn our attention back to the Og Nag. I cup my hands around my mouth, calling out to Emeris. He stops annihilating our enemies and teleports back to our group. All I can do is gawk at him as he pants, holding onto his knees for support as the teal glow completely fades. The Og Nag begin running towards us. Cy and I put Emeris’ arms over our shoulders and do our best to carry him. Deep down, we know this is going to get all three of us killed, but we can’t just leave him.

We hear the sound of shrieking Og Nag as we barely get up the first small hill, back to where we were laying a few minutes ago. As many soldiers as we can manage, help lift Emeris into the air, as we run in one large unit. My heart pounds in my chest, as this was one of many doomed scenarios I imagined. I can’t bring myself to give the order I know needs to be given, and there’s nowhere to hide him. In the back of my mind, I knew I could stomach the order for anyone, but not Emeris. It would take just a moment to stash him and cover him with leaves, but they would probably see us doing it. There was also the horrid idea that he would get stepped on by a Garge, or multiple infantry would trip over him.

I can’t do it. My men rely on me to make the right calls that would tear them apart to make, but I just can’t. He didn’t give up on me in the cage, even when I gave up on myself. I can’t tell if I’m crying or sweating, but my heart burns deep within. My muscles stop aching, and my feelings of horror are replaced with a sense of determination. And yet, with my new found resolve, a lucky arrow catches me in the right shoulder. I let go of Emeris, and the sudden shift in weight distribution makes us all fall down the hill.

We come to a stop and lay on the ground groaning. My muscles cry out for mercy, but they get none. My back begs me to rest, but I’ll have plenty of time for that when I’m rotting in the ground. The rest of my soldiers don’t quite feel the same way. I do my best to get everyone else up, but it takes too much time, as the shrill warcries of Og Nag are heard at the top of the hills. One particular Garge pushes his way past all the normal infantry, probably still wanting pieces of Emeris for lunch.

I do the only thing I can do: I pull out my bow, and start pissing off the Garge with arrows. He quickly gets tired of my crap and changes his course towards me. I bolt it, moving to the far left of my soldiers, who now have Emeris suspended again, desperately running along the path. I had a brief advantage of knowing where the next few traps are, but only for another hundred feet or so. I'm completely off the path, and dodging from memory. The traps are too well concealed to evade in time.

Arrows whistle through the air after me, accompanied by the occasional ping against my armor. My right arm aches, as blood begins to drip off my right elbow. I accept the fact that death is right around the corner, and begin playing for time. Ignoring the wound that will only kill me sometime later after I've already been declared a war snack, I focus on keeping the Garge busy so my soldiers at least have some kind of chance. I hear a ferocious howl, and look behind me. The Garge cocks his arm back and hurls his axe at me. I dive to the right, but the ax catches the last part of my foot. It hits with such force that I hear my ankle crack, unable to take the force. I know I won’t be able to run anymore. My foot is still intact, but I’m a dead man now. Luckily it goes numb.

Laying on the ground motionless, I can only hope the Garge will pick me up for a bite instead of a finishing blow. I ready myself to grab my sword with my left arm and give him a parting gift. The ground shakes as he eagerly mounds over to my body. I intentionally have my left arm stretched out in front of me, so if he grabs my waist, I’ll still have a free hand to pull my weapon out with, considering my right arm will mostly be caught in its grasp as well. With what only I would call luck, he grabs me around the waist and picks me up. I let my limbs hang freely. He holds me upright to his face and his hot breath fills my helmet. I open my eyes and go for my sword on my right hip. I swing it at his face, but he leans his head back and I miss. He shakes me so violently, my left shoulder pops and I drop my sword.

The Garge laughs. I can’t think of anything to say. All I want is to scream in agony, but I’m too perplexed. The Garge grins and actually speaks in a deep inhuman voice.
“Oh Raiden, how I missed this. It has been too long since we’ve faced each other. But I’m afraid even the best stories must come to an end.” My mouth hangs open.
“Wh...what are you?!” The Garge grins.
“This is not some fantasy tale where I now monologue. You will have to be content with ignorance until your demise.” Og Nag run past us, as if we were invisible.

My eyes dart around, desperately trying to find some form of understanding. The monster lets out a small sigh.
“We’ve never been formally introduced, but I’ve known you for your entire life little human.” He gives me a quick shake, causing me to cry out in pain. He laughs with the most cruel tone I’ve ever heard.
“What...what do you want with us!? What are you? Are all Og Nag like you?!”
He glances to the top left, thinking on my question.
“It would take longer than I care for to explain it all to you. You should only be concerned with this: today, we shall swallow both your nations whole.”

That fire begins to burn in my heart again.
“We’ve fought you for years, and you’ve never come close to ending us yourselves! You will ne-” He squeezes me again, I can’t breathe. My arms instinctively beat against his massive hand, trying to free myself in a humiliating moment of instinct. He howls with laughter.
“The legendary Raiden, reduced to nothing more than a rag doll. I may keep you alive just so you can watch us destroy your little base to the south.” My eyes bulge, how could he know?!

“We know of your traps. They do not matter, we come back over and over: you cannot kill Og Nag. Even though I’m sure you’re quite good at it by now.” He follows his words up with a deep chuckle. My body shakes in both rage and pain. Tears of fury swell in my eyes: I want nothing more than war. I would slaughter every last one for the rest of my life if that’s what it took. My voice becomes deep and filled with wrath.
“Equestria will never bow to you beast! We will never bow to you! Nothing will ever bow to you!” My heart bellows out words from deep within. I let myself say the first thing that comes to mind, and it fills me with power. The monster grins, and squeezes me again. This time, his eyes go wide as his strength can no longer crunch my armor. He nervously glances at my face, then my body.
“Wh...what is this?! No! I...I severed the link! You will die today Raiden!”

My mouth trembles as all the anger from my entire existence comes back to this moment.
“I am Taraskan, we are born to war. We are born to die!” The last word is almost drowned out. A strange sensation fills my chest. As I yell out my final word, a deep fire from my chest erupts through my mouth, as some part of me deep within wants to reach out and strike the monster. The Garge can only watch as his face is submerged in unyielding flame. It quickly incinerates its way through his mouth, filling and destroying his body. The beam continues through his skull, vaporizing
the top half of a tree and all the branches caught in its wake. A mix of ash and burning leaves float down from above. After just a brief second, I fall to the ground. His entire upper and lower body is ash, leaving just his legs and arms, which drop next to the tinder of his former self.

I shake my head, having no clue how to react. A strange surge comes over me, blocking out all pain and exhaustion. I examine my body: nothing is out of place, and there was no glow like Emeris. A metal hand clenches on my shoulder. Cy hollers into my ear.
“Sir! Time to go!” I get off the ground, and immediately draw my sword to deflect two Og Nag who came in for an easy kill.

Cy hollers at me again.
“Sir, we gotta move! Wait, behind us!” Three Og Nag take up position the way we want to go, and start letting arrows fly. Cy stays as close to my back as he can, protecting me with his shield, as I slay one Og Nag after another with my sword.

The fire inside me starts to die down, along with my hope of living any longer to see Luna again. My body slowly starts to remind me of just how serious my injuries were. I become dizzy as it gets harder to breathe. It takes all my concentration just to slay a single opponent. Cy notices my delirious state and starts calling my name to try and drag me out of it. His elbow hits my back several times, but his yelling mixes in with the sounds of battle. Our plan had gone to hell. We never made it to the base, we barely even started into the traps. I could only hope that a few of the others were still going.

A massive burst of light fills the air. All manner of creatures shield their eyes, unable to bear its radiance. Celestia’s all-encompassing voice surrounds us like it did in Canterlot. She borderline shrieks with an oddly deep tone, her deafening voice full of every last ounce of misery she’s experienced.
“I have watched long enough! I will not allow another citizen of mine to be harmed! You have invaded my home, and spilled the blood of countless innocents! Mercy will no longer be yours!”

A tremendous rumbling consumes the ground; Cy and I are unable to stand up. Her screaming of rage is all we can hear. I see Cy’s mouth move but I can’t hear him. We cover our ears in pain. Every Og Nag in view develops a yellow glow, and gets hurtled into the air so high they quickly escape my view. Celestia stops her screaming to concentrate. She lets out one last howl of agony, as every enemy that had previously disappeared into the sky, comes back to the ground with a little extra help from Celestia.

I see what she's doing, as that familiar yellow glow is still around them, and they fall much faster than I would have thought. Their speed makes a high-pitched whistling sound before they slam into the ground, leaving small craters around their bodies. Celestia lands, sobbing angrily. I want to comfort her, but I can’t get off the ground. My body starts convulsing, as I finally feel every last broken bone in my rib cage.

I stare up past the trees at the drifting clouds. It was almost comforting. Maybe I wouldn’t get to see Luna again, but I could finally say goodbye to a lifetime of war and death. In a way, I was finally free. I didn’t die by some illness, not by some backstabber with orders from the King. I died on my own terms, for my own reasons, fighting for the one thing that mattered most: peace.

Cy’s gentle breathing next to me is a strange reminder that I wasn’t alone either. His quiet breathes get slower and slower, until I can barely hear them. I stare into his helmet and watch his tired eyes slowly close. He reaches out and gently places his hand on my gauntlet before his chest stops rising and his arms go limp. I nod at him the best I can. Rest easy now soldier, your job is done. We finally get to take our armor off for good. We went out defending the innocent. We fought to the death so these ponies would have a chance at peace again. We couldn't ask for anything more. These men followed me to their deaths. They knew what the odds were; we all did. It was finally time to let go. Time to forget our previous lives. Even if I faded into nothing, I went willingly, surrounded by the only family I ever knew.

The sounds of battle around us morph into nothing but muffled noise. It reminded me of waves crashing on a beach. I'd never have to hear the sounds of my people dying ever again. I'd never draw my steel across another person anymore. There wouldn't be any more tense nights as I wait for my orders to move out. No more speeches at funerals. Lucretia or Emeris would take command and my people will continue to fight on without me. Wherever I go, I hope I get to admire from above.

I watch a bird fly overhead, probably on it's way back home, just like I was. Ignoring the river of blood slowly pouring from my back, I laugh silently. I start to lose the feeling of my body, as my vision begins to darken. The last few leaves I’ll ever see glide through the air towards my eyes, as if the forest itself was waving goodbye. My chest pounds quietly one last time. I have no regrets anymore.

A surge comes over me. I hear a sweet voice telling me to relax. Joy fills me as if I'm being kissed by angels. I feel my bones mend and my muscles begin to flex like a massage from a lover. Air is almost forced into my lungs; I feel as if a wonderful force was taking care of me. I had never experienced such a blissful feeling. My heart cries with joy, almost forgetting every last pain this world had delivered to me. Hurrand, the war, my life; everything fades away as no negativity seems to be allowed in.

My legs tremble for a bit, almost being overwhelmed with such power. The feeling subsides and I get off the ground. To my left is Cy, and he pats my shoulder asking if I’m alright. I nod, but I feel almost consumed with the magnificent creature to my right. Her fur is a light pink, with purple eyes. Her mane flows down around her hooves and ends with curls. Traces of a gentle yellow, a dark pink, and fierce purple make up her mane. Those eyes. It's as if she is the very essence of feminine.

I can’t help but feel drawn to her. She smiles at me.
“The feeling will wear off. It’s an unfortunate side effect of my healing powers. I’m Princess Cadence of the Crystal Empire.” I can’t say anything, I’m too nervous. I hadn’t felt this anxious since the walk back to Taraska with Luna. She looks at the ground, then to her right awkwardly. This was easily the most awkward first encounter I've ever had.
“Your Og Nag have retreated back for now. Luna wishes to speak with you at the palace when you’re ready.” She flies off, clearly not desiring further conversation.

Celestia sits with her head bowed, and her back to me. She's on the small hill overlooking the field. Her eyes scan the battlefield of both Og Nag and dead ponies. I tell Cy to go check on everyone. As he runs off, I see more random pink glows reflect off the distant trees; most likely Cadence’s healing. I cautiously move towards Celestia’s left side, still unsure of just how stable she is.

I stand next to her, as she still pants from her vicious assault. She glances at me with tears in her eyes; I can tell she has something on her mind.

“Raiden...earlier...look I do trust you, but this is a different world. I do not know what tactics you use on your world, but I have concerns that you may view certain amounts of casualties to be...acceptable. That and I simply cannot ask you or your people to risk your lives for us.” She looks away uncomfortably, as she resumes her speech.
“That and to be entirely honest, I do not know if your motives are genuine. Please do not take this personally, it is simply a precaution I take with all new comers.” There's nothing to say, so a blank stare is all she gets. I never sat down with her and explained the strange calling we all felt for her land. She had every right to be skeptical, especially with the King being her first insight to our nation.

I tap my left foot awkwardly as a surge of guilt erupts from within for all the negative immaturity I had painted her with. She was well within reason to assume we had ulterior motives. As long as the King was alive, she was right to feel this way too. I take in a deep breath, and swallow my pride.

“Princess...I apologize. I...we...made a lot of assumptions about you and never once asked for further information.” She smiles sweetly at me.

“I understand. You are from a different world where passiveness is met with death. I do not blame you for your accusations, I do however hope in the future we can have a more open line of...communication?”

It’s time I tell her. Something deep within me calls out to escape.
“Princess...may I….have a word? I feel it is time we were both on the same page.” My voice begins to whimper at the end of my question. She nods with a smile, but a hint of caution can be seen in her eye. We walk to a small hill so we can look out across the land. I watch the last hundred or so Og Nag disappear back into the distant forest. I rub my hands together anxiously, not quite knowing what to start with. Emeris slowly approaches from behind. He’s not sneaking, but tries to avoid interrupting.

It is just as well, he needs to hear this too. I decide it is best to open with a line of empathy.
“Princess, when you look across this land, what do you see?” She gazes over her lands, a peaceful, rested expression on her face.
“I see the trees that I’ve watched grow since they were saplings. I see towns that I’ve witnessed spring from just one house, to a thriving community.”

I nod. A few seconds of silence go by.
“Princess...when we look across your land, we see something never before thought possible. We see the same towns as you do, but without fire and fortifications, without patrols or horrified faces, with plentiful farms and foods. There are no pillars of smoke, there are no burnt trees, there are no bodies littering the ground. Your world calls to every native Taraskan. This land is more than we could ever dream of. For that, any Taraskan would walk into inferno for it. They would lay down their lives to protect it, or even just for the knowledge of knowing that they died to stop this land from becoming like ours.”

My mouth trembles a bit as the shock of my own words catches me off guard. Celestia does her best to pretend she doesn’t notice, then reaches over and hugs me with a wing for just a moment. My mouth goes a bit too far however.
“The King wants to take your castle.”

Celestia slowly turns her head and stares at me without an expression.

Chapter 14: Operation Rapid Dominance

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The loud clanking of my metal boots vibrates off the walls as I pace back and forth like Celestia had. These stone walls were driving me insane. Luna wasn’t back yet, and I had sent a scout only moments ago. Emeris sighs with frustration.
“Sir, worrying about it will not get her here any faster. We need to focus on our next step, you know this.” I grit my teeth but nod. Celestia is in a much more reasonable mood.
“I’m sure she’s fine Raiden. She has many powerful abilities and is a very capable mare. Whatever is holding her up, I can safely presume it’s nothing dangerous. Perhaps she saw a new opportunity?”

I place my hands on my hips, trying to think.
“Okay, so the Og Nag fell back. Our next step, if you agree Princess, should be to go on the offensive. I know you’d prefer to give them a chance but-”
Celestia cuts me off with a flat tone.
“I’m aware of our previous policy, but from what I’ve seen today, I will only grant mercy to those who ask for it. This war needs to end before we do.”

Emeris lets out an amused chuckle.
"The pony’s bloodthirsty eay?" He says with a grin. I shoot him an angry glare. That was way out of line considering she's trying so hard to come to terms with her options. Celestia pauses nervously for a moment. I’m worried she’s going to comment, but a shift in her face tells me she’d rather brush it off.
“I would like to offer you three official roles in this fight as my temporary captains. This will allow you to issue orders to our guards if need be. The time for caution is over, and I will no longer sit here as my kingdom burns. We will go on the offensive.” Emeris and I can’t resist howls of excited rage. I bang on the table several times, as Emeris jumps up and down, arms in the air. All this sitting around wasn’t our style. Heads needed to be rolled, and our swords were thirsty.

Celestia eyes us hesitantly. I know she’s worried we’ll go overboard, and I couldn’t blame her for feeling that way. We calm down and start discussing our best move, with a sprinkle of humiliation from our outburst.
“Emeris, we’re going to need scouts to start tracking them. I’d like you to be responsible for it. Celestia, are there other flying ponies we may be able to use?” She nods.
“We have a team of professional flyers called the Wonderbolts. They stay up in Cloudsdale, far away from the Og Nag.”

I stare at her for a minute.
“Wait what do you mean up there?”
Celestia smiles a bit for the first time in weeks.
“I apologize. Cloudsdale is a city made of clouds. They are responsible for our weather. It is just to the northwest of Canterlot.” Emeris and I glance at each other in confusion and shock.
“Why have we not put all the refugees there?!” yells Emeris. Celestia tries not to snicker at our ignorance of her land.
“You must have the power of flight. These wings are not actually enough to fly. There’s literally a touch of magic in them.”

I don’t know what it is yet, but my gut tells me this war is about to turn in our favor, and it starts with Cloudsdale.
“You said...they control the weather?” I say, as my brain starts buzzing with hundreds of questions. Celestia nods.
“Every rainstorm, every sunny day.” I glance at Emeris, he knows I’ve got a feeling.
“Your highness, can we perhaps visit this Cloudsdale? We could really use anyone who’s willing to be a scout. Also I’d love to learn more about what they can do, because a nice rainstorm over mud could really give us an edge.”

Celestia looks a bit surprised.
“I wish I had thought of that. They are also capable of making minor tornadoes as well.”

Emeris chuckles menacingly.
“Now you’re talking, princess!” he says excitedly. Celestia smiles a bit.
"Hold on, let me try something." She closes her eyes and concentrates. Her horn flares yellow and her eyes burst open, once again completely white. Emeris is surrounded with Celestia's magical glow. It starts swirling around his armor as if the magic itself was swimming around him. He examines his shining hands and glances at me. Celestia start grunting to herself as her face twists and contorts angrily. I watch as she even grits her teeth. We jump as a beam of yellow magic rockets off Emeris and strikes a nearby wall, plowing into a bookcase and causing it to float around the room as if gravity no longer existed. I raise an eyebrow as her eyes return to normal and she starts panting.
"That...that is very...odd. My spell won't take to you." She holds her hoof to her chest as she pants. She sits back on her haunches.
"I don't understand, I've never had this problem before. Perhaps...it is a trait of your species? I believe you've never experienced magic before correct?" Emeris and I both nod. Celestia's head swings briefly to the left and right as she thinks. I cross my arms.
"It could also be our armor. I heard a rumor it was made with...special properties, but I was never told the specifics. All I know is it's as strong as steel but twice as light. For now, we need another alternative. Cloudsdale needs to take priority, but we can run tests soon enough." Celestia slowly nods her head.
“Could be because you're not from here as well, but regardless I’ll let you take my chariot since you won’t be able to visit any other way. I'll have to think about this since it's odd that Cadence could still heal you. I’ll stay here and wait for Luna while doing a bit of research.” Emeris and I nod, although I do my best not to show any reluctance. I wanted to be here when she got back more than anything, but I couldn’t let my personal feelings get in the way of my responsibilities.

We step outside and I anxiously scan the sky to the East, hoping to see the young princess swooping in unharmed. My shoulders slump as I see nothing but clouds. Emeris amicably slaps my arm and motions towards the chariot. The thought of entering such a rickety thing makes me uncomfortable. The guards who are in charge of pulling it raise a hoof to the forehead and greet us by rank. Emeris and I nod in respect, and board.

Emeris cries out with amusement, as I cling to the floor for dear life.
“Oh come on Raiden, when are you ever going to get the chance to fly again?!”
“Hopefully never!” I shout back in absolute terror. We pass through a few clouds, and while the fear still swims in my veins, I also appreciate the beauty of being so high up. The air was so fresh and cool, almost carrying away my worries with it. There was no smell of ash, blood, rusted steel, none of it. Mustering my courage, I slowly stand up, gripping the edge with both hands. I peer over the side, and the moment is cut short. Many cities had multiple large pillars of smoke rising from them. Emeris and I quietly look around, inspecting the damage.

I look at the guards, and one watches the ground in horror. His accomplice nudges him a few times angrily, but it’s no use. The chariot begins to rock a bit. Emeris calls out to them, but the guard is transfixed on the ground below. We start plummeting hard as the poor soul stops flapping. His tears trail behind his cheek, and splash onto my chest piece. My guts want to jump out my mouth as we rapidly descend.

I call out to the guard.
“Who did you lose?!” He shakes his head a few times, and looks back at me with wide, painful eyes,
“My sister...she...she lives in that town below us! I...” I do my best to sound aggressive but also encouraging.
“If you want to avenge her or even look for her, you need to keep your head in the game!” He gives me the death glare, but starts pulling his weight. The two guards give it their all to get us back on track. After a few minutes, we're level again, heading towards a massive group of clouds and rainbows. The formation was highly unnatural. Different sections were spread loosely apart, and mimicked what can only be described as vague musical notes. Every cloud I had seen, was usually one large shape. This place swirled around and wrapped back on itself frequently and elegantly.

Cloudsdale; another sight I can hardly comprehend.

“This land...I do not think we will ever learn all its secrets.” I mutter to myself. Emeris examines it in silent awe. It was nauseating not being able to take in the sight, but we have a job to do. I turn to Emeris.
"When this is all over, we’re going on a massive vacation. Guards, can you take us to anyone who can give us a tour?” One nods, but the other is still giving me the silent treatment. I get it, he's angry because he feels powerless and now I remind him of it.

We settle at the front of what looks like the main building. A yellow haired Pegasus is standing in the main area, watching us come in for a landing.. Her eyes are wide and surprised. She wears what has to be a blue military outfit with numerous badges and stripes on the right shoulder. On her face were these odd pieces of brown glass, with a frame that kept them fixed in front of her eyes. The moment we stop, she marches up to the cart.
"I'm Captain Spitfire of the Wonderbolts." I give her a deep bow with a hand on my chest.
“I apologize ma'am, but we’re in a hurry. I need to know everything you can tell us about -” The tearful guard tears loose from the Chariot, and begins badgering the Pegasus about his sister. Without the support, we plummet from the cloud. I hold onto the vehicle as hard as I can, with my other hand grasping Emeris by the ankle. His helmet falls off, letting his wavy blonde hair flutter around madly. The last guard tries valiantly to slow us down, but it’s not going to be enough. In a few seconds, we've already fallen so far that I can't even see the first guard anymore.

I see multiple blue figures rocketing down towards us. My hand starts burning, as the weight of Emeris and his armor is hard to take. He looks over at the chariot and starts swinging towards it. I do my best to help, but my grip is fading fast. Right as my hand lets go, Emeris grabs a hold of a wheel with both hands. We dangle, hearts racing, as the ground is getting more and more visible. I look up, unsure if the figures will reach us in time, let alone lift us.

I see all six of them lock legs in a vertical line, as they get a massive boost in speed. With only one pony having to take the drag of the wind, they’re wing power stacks significantly as they flap in a perfect pattern, with each preceding Pegasus flapping just after the one in front of it. It had to be a way of regulating the air current around them. I hear a roar as they come into view. They wear blue outfits, with bolts of lightning on the chest and cuffs. Their eyes are covered with wide goggles, leaving only their manes and mouths exposed.

Without a word, two of them grab the reins and start pulling, making us lose speed immediately. Another two start lifting the cart upright. The final two give Emeris a boost into the chariot. Their coordination was staggering. At their speed, there was no way they discussed it on the way here.

Emeris tries to hop in with style, swinging his legs over casually. A small spike on his leg gets caught on the lip of the vehicle, as we are greeted with his horrendous screams as he falls. Three Wonderbolts take off almost instantly, giving insight into their training and reaction times.

After a few minutes, they painstakingly heave him into the vehicle, not taking any more chances with his antics. We get back to Cloudsdale, with the other guard lying on the cloud quietly sobbing. He doesn’t even move as we arrive. Emeris and I share a glance, knowing he probably received the worst news. We save him from a tongue lashing by calling out to the group as we arrive. The Wonderbolts introduce themselves, but their leader Spitfire is my main interest. A leader of an elite team of flyers was going to be invaluable. Her hair reminded me of fire, having orange at the top, and and underlayer of tan at its roots. Her yellow fur in the sun forces me to squint slightly. I clear my throat.

“My name is - “ She cuts me off.
“First Captain Raiden and Second Captain Emeris of the nation Taraska. Good to meet you. Celestia sent word of your arrival. What can we do?” She gives me a quick hoof salute. I return it with an equally quick head nod.
“We need scouts to keep an eye on the Og Nag movements. Mainly the large packs of them in the thousands.” Spitfire nods.
“We can easily do that. We’ve had a massive influx of recruits since the war started. We have no real idea how to fight them on the ground but we’ve taken to small raids with dropping rocks. We’ve kept them decently busy to the west but not by much.”

Emeris places his hands on his hips, always loving it when ponies fight back.
“We’d also like to know the quickest introduction to what your city does with weather. A few tornadoes and rain storms could make a massive difference.” The other members begin murmuring to each other excitedly. A colt with teal fur and a dark blue mane steps forward. He salutes us and hold sit for a brief second then pushes back his hood.
"I'm Soarin of the wonderbolts." He takes a step forward.
“We collect lightning and water from stray clouds and store them here. Then we pump it back into a cloud when it’s time to use it.”

Emeris’ jaw drops.
“What...what do you mean, that you can store lightning?!” Soarin nods.
“We have special jars for lightning. No idea how they’re made, but we got tons of them.” I laugh with a homicidal tone.
“And...what happens if you were to...let’s say drop one of these jars on some Og Nag?!” We all share in vicious laughter, knowing we now have a massive weapon in our hands.

Spitfire and I go over exactly how we’re going to set up a chain of scouts, who leads what group, what each group will be in charge of, everything. We both talk excitedly, even finishing each other’s ideas. I shake my head.
“It will be too slow for one pony across the nation to fly all the way to Canterlot with news of the Og Nag, who could easily have moved multiple miles or sack a town by the time we receive word.” Spitfire rubs her chin.
“I suggest having units do aerial moves to indicate where a group is moving, so a face to face meet up can be avoided, allowing us to send messages through a relay of flyers. We could get a message back in just a few minutes, and also save energy.”

We toss ideas back and forth a bit longer, slowly nailing down the plan. We both become more animated as we talk. The feeling of striking back and not being so helplessly blind spreads to everyone, who chatter frantically.

Emeris strokes his chin.
“One last idea: we need to save the lightning for large groups. For smaller strikes, let's get some sticks, weigh them and sharpen the tips, then your units can dive bomb them into enemies below. They won’t do a lot of damage normally, but give them some speed, and you could impale an entire unsuspecting group before they even know what happens.” The Wonderbolts cheer, along with Emeris and I. Commanding aerial units was something I had never done before. While Taraska briefly had large blimps to drop bombs with, they didn't get a chance to be used. Hopefully these ponies would be okay following my orders. There's no real guide to dealing with multiple commanders in a battle unexpectedly.

Chapter 15: Operation Rapid Dominance phase 2

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As the chariot lands outside Canterlot, Celestia and Lucretia are already there to greet us. I hop out and start jogging over to them. Celestia's ears go down and she shakes her head at me. Luna wasn't back yet. I clench my hands angrily, but keep a lid on it. Lucretia has her arms crossed casually and walks up to me.

"We tried everything. It has to either be a species trait or the fact that we're not...from here. Speaking of which, apparently we're on a completely different planet. I drew a map for Celestia and looked over her's; we can't find anything that matches up. From what we can tell, we have an identical solar system, but considering Taraska doesn't have anything detailed on planets, I couldn't provide much." Lucretia looks over my right shoulder as Emeris walks up, holding a jar of lightning with a massive grin on his face.

"Got a present for you Lucy!" He calls out eagerly. Lucretia's jaw drops as she points at the jar.

"What the hell is that?!" Emeris carelessly drops the large jar on the ground. Everyone but Lucretia flinches when he does it. He taps the jar once with his foot. I cover my face momentarily out of reflex. Lucretia gawks at me before looking back at Emeris.

"Um...I get the feeling you should be more careful with that thing?" She says condescendingly. Emeris puts his hands on his hips.

"This baby is literally lightening in a jar!" He gives Lucretia a big nod. Lucretia's left eye twitches madly.

"H...how?!"

Emeris looks back at the Wonderbolts who came with us.

"Apparently Cloudsdale has a wonderful little arsenal for us. I figured you'd wanna see it." Lucretia walks over with complete shock on her face. She bends over and picks up the jar in her hands. It was more of a lantern than anything, with a dark gray casing. The exterior was smooth and shiny, most likely made of clay. The entire design was elegant and unique. Whoever made it had put a lot of effort into it. I highly doubted they were intended to be destroyed. The only thing that made it different from a normal lantern was the large metal rod at the top that had a teal hint to it. Maybe it wasn't even metal after all.

Lucretia's head snaps back to Celestia.

"We have to try this now!" Celestia nods but quickly chuckles when she hears my quiet groan.

"Don't worry Raiden, you don't have to get back in my chariot." I let out a sigh of relief. Before we can protest, Emeris and I are swept up with yellow magic. Lucretia calmly climbs on Celestia's back and hugs her long neck. Lucretia closes her eyes briefly, as if slipping into a different world. Celestia nuzzles her for a moment before we all take off. Lucretia knew better than to get attached, but it was her call.

We sail through the air, accompanied by Emeris once again calling out with excitement. The chariot was preferable at this point since I at least had something solid to hold onto. We spot a few Og Nag who are dragging a dead deer through the forest for lunch. Not only were they attacking innocent ponies, but they were also wiping out local wildlife. Was anything safe?

Celestia immediately dives towards them. Lucretia seems to be relatively okay with flying. She holds the jar in her right arm, with her left around Celestia. We say nothing, despite every part of me wanting to call out as my guts want to jump out my throat. I recoil a bit as the ground rises up faster and faster with every second. The pair of Og Nag have enough time to look up as Lucretia hurls the jar at them. It strikes the ground five feet away and fries an Og Nag. A nearby tree explodes from within and falls over defeated as orange light and smoke pours out from its center. The other Og Nag lets go of the deer and runs.

We fly back into the air towards Canterlot. Lucretia has an extremely annoyed look on her face.

"That barely did anything. Yeah it killed an Og Nag but that kind of precision is going to be impossible!" She crosses her arms and pouts. Celestia looks over her shoulder. She tilts forward just enough for Lucretia to cry out and fling her arms around Celestia's neck. Celestia grins with amusement.

"I think I have an idea. There's a spell I want to try combining with it. It's magic I use to locate either missing animals or detecting nearby lifeforms. I'm rather positive that with some tweaking, I can make the lightning do likewise. It will also help minimize environmental damage. I plan on keeping my kingdom after the war is over." Lucretia watches her for a second. She nods then leans in to give her another hug. I can't help but glare under my helmet. We were at war. There was no logic in forming unnecessary bonds. The last thing I needed was one of my captains getting emotionally destroyed if we needed to replace Equestrian leadership should the worst case scenario happen.

Emeris calls out to me just loud enough to grab my attention.

"Just let her be. We gotta take what we can get, ya know?" He says with an admiring stare at the two.

I can't help but feel a chill come over as the Wonderbolts meet us half way. A teal colt with a cobalt blue mane flies up to me and stops.

"Captain Raiden! We spotted a group of a few hundred Og Nag just to the east of here! They're moving fast! They must have something in mind!" I look over at Emeris who gives me a defeated nod. We were both enjoying the moment and once again it was ruined by this condemning war. We land at the chariot and Celestia takes her position. I look over at three other chariots that are all full of lighting jars. I lock eyes with the colt.
"What is all this?" I ask with a hint of fascination. The colt tries to hide his smile.
"When we heard about the group, we figured you might want to hit them so we gathered a few loads of jars just in case." I chuckle loudly.
"Good thinking mister...um..." He takes a few steps forward and salutes.
"Soarin sir!" I give him a respectful nod. I have to shut my eyes as a massive bright light erupts from my right at the chariots. I look over and see Celestia out of breath again.
"I...I think that should do it...but there's no time...to test them..." I look around at the six Wonderbolts and put my hands behind my back. They immediately gallop forward and stop in a line.
"We don't have time to make this official, so I'll be brief. Spitfire, how quickly can you get squads together?" Spitfire steps forward, still looking ahead.
"Each pony here has a squad of four under them. This is Fleetfoot, Soarin, Blaze, Surprise and Highwinds. Each one battle tested and ready to go sir!" Each pony nods as their name is called. I grind my teeth a bit, knowing they're all too soft. I doubt they've even seen death before.
"I have to be clear on something you're not gonna like. When it comes to your squads, you need to be the one to survive. We don't have the time or luxury to replace you. Fleetfoot recoils a bit.
"Um sir, we're Wonderbolts! We don't leave each other behind!" The rest of the group mumble in agreement. I march up to her and she trembles a bit but does her best to stand firm. She brushes part of her silver mane to cover her right eye. I tower over her silently and she can't help but divert her gaze to the ground. Spitfire shuffles in place. I take in a slow breath, not taking my eyes off the trembling mare.
"Quiz time. Your team member goes down. You swoop in and try to help her up. Then bam! You take a sword through your spin and it comes out your chest. You die instantly...or even slowly, who knows but you don't survive. Now I have to find the next Wonderbolt to take over what remains of your horrified squad. Who's next in line?" My voice is deep and loud, as if every word is a command. She digs at the ground.
"L...Lightening Streak I think." I lean over so I'm a foot away from her face.
"What do you mean you think?! You don't get to think! You have to know! So now your squad is terrified because they just lost two comrades, including their superior officer! Since this Lightening Streak is next in line, I'm assuming it's accurate to say he's not as experienced?! So now a less experienced pony is taking his first command of a petrified group of fliers that now have to deal with two deaths all because you couldn't make the right call! You're a Wonderbolt! You're suppose to be smart! So tell me little miss mare genius, which is the better option? Try in vain to save your squadmate, knowing the consequences, or making sure the rest of your squad isn't left high and dry?!" Her mouth moves a few times as she tries to think of what to say.
"I get not leaving anyone behind, but you have to be smart about it. Putting your life on the line when you know it's futile because you can't stand to do nothing, is both stupid and reckless. You're risking a lot more than just your squadmate. You can ruin an entire squad just from some foolish notion that you're obligated to die! You need to survive at all costs! I do not have the ability to replace you! You get me?!"
They're all quiet, but I can tell they understand. When I first took command, we all had the mentality to never leave anyone behind. I lost seven soldiers trying to save one person. I told myself I did the right thing, but after a while it ate at me. Yeah I never want to leave anyone behind, and I'll do anything I can to save them. But I slowly realized that bravery and stupidity often go hand in hand.

Lucretia stands next to the jars, eyeing them curiously. She sets her helmet on the ground and the breeze catches her hair. Her eyes widen with bewilderment. She touches the glass and the glowing mass of energy that floats carelessly inside, arcs where her finger is. She gasps a bit in shock but keeps watching it. The normally white lightening now has a teal glow to it. She sets down the jar then turns around and faces me while putting her helmet back on.

"If everything is in order, we need to get moving." She says with this quiet, mystified tone.

Seething with rage, the pegasi making up Rogue One was rather quiet. Emeris turns to me, his boots clanking on the floor of the chariot.
“What do you think is up with them? You’d think they’d love their first bombing run on the Og Nag.”

I nod while looking over Rogue One.
“Looks more like military-based focus to me. They don’t want to screw this up.” I watch the ground, waiting for our target to come into view. Spitfire had trained the Wonderbolts extensively with aerial maneuvers and general strategy, although she left the orders up to me. Tracking a group of a few hundred Og Nag and performing our first offensive hit; things were looking up for once, but I knew better than to get my hopes up.

The Wonderbolts sail through the air, not one inch out of line, no side conversations, no drifting eyes. They lived up to their reputation. Emeris and I waited eagerly, eyes peeled, just wanting a single glimpse of our target. For now, they would have literally no offensive ability against our air units, having only primitive bow and arrows for range. While they could possibly learn to spread out to minimize casualties, our infantry would make short work of them. If they form up into a group, they’ll get lightning bombed; it was an almost guaranteed win no matter what.

I tap my hand nervously on the side of Celestia’s chariot. We still had no word from Luna, and concentrating was becoming increasingly strenuous. Had she been hurt or killed? What if she found an even worse threat and was dealing with it? I’d give anything just to have some information on her.

The scouts we sent never came back, and after this bombing run we were going to find her one way or the other. The chariot carried a decent complement of bombs. We had made a large attachment to it for hauling. Celestia stayed behind to enchant more bombs for us. The goal was to test one or two, and record their effects for future warfare. Their average arc range, amount of life forms affected, mortality rate; it was all absolutely vital. We were going to save the rest for a rainy day.

I kick the chariot a bit, wanting to go straight for Luna, but we needed to take out this group in case they went for other towns or refugees. It was also crucial for morale, as numerous defeats and casualties were fresh on the minds of our soldiers. Spitfire flies up to us and motions to the far right with her head. Emeris and I peer over and see a large amount of birds scatter from trees in the distance. Our entire battlegroup readjusts, now hot on their trail.

Our initial reports indicated a group to the southeast, going for Dodge City. Oddly enough, they were reported as falling back as soon as we left Canterlot. We had spent the last hour trying to regain a visual. This group was small, only a few hundred. Emeris and I still found their size suspicious, since Og Nag love to group in massive numbers. It was theorized that their limited intellect made them more susceptible to group mentality.

They ran through the forest at top speed, showing that unusual behavior all over again. There were no targets ahead of them, just vast forests and eventually the sea. While it was suspicious, we had no other visuals on any other Og Nag. Emeris and I had discussed this extensively. We knew in our guts something was off, but we didn’t have time to ponder. We needed to know the full applications of our newest weapon. We were confident we could adjust to whatever trick they were going to pull, so the call was made.

The Og Nag weren’t terrified or worried at all. They were just mindlessly running through the forest. Something was way off. Emeris and I exchanged confused glances. Regardless, I give Spitfire the go ahead. She nods, flies up to her first group and gives them commands. They dive to the left, heading towards the largest cluster of units.

“Take us down, I want to stay on the Wonderbolts as much as possible!” I call to the guards pulling us.

I lean forward as my eyes bulge, wanting to see if all our efforts were in vain or not. The Wonderbolts pull ahead of the group on the ground, having to make sure their bombs hit perfectly. Each Wonderbolt had a bomb chained to their chest. They began unhooking the chains, now carrying the bombs in their forelegs. We pull alongside the group, watching them carefully. Spitfire glances at the ground every second, waiting for just the right lead on her targets. We had let them practice dropping rocks on our infantry who were on a patrol, until their aim was spot on.

She counts down to her group. In one glorious second, three bombs drop. They fall to the ground, with everypony waiting eagerly. The first jar explodes, with the lightning arcing out like a demonic whip. It strikes a small Og Nag. Its body convulses, eyes glowing blue as smoke comes off its body. It falls to the ground, rolling with the momentum it still carried. Its body kicks up a trail of dust as it rolls, crunching over various twigs and bushes. The very second the creature was hit, the lightning arcs to twelve others, all with similar effects. Death was instantaneous. Cheers and proud, angry yelling bellows from every unit, even myself. The wondrous crash of units to the forest floor was just extra frosting.

The Wonderbolts bank right and fly back to Emeris and me. They cheer, high-hoofing each other. Emeris and I bump shoulders, happy we can finally strike back. Spitfire looks back at our massive payload.

“Captain Raiden, do you think we can deliver just a few more?” Emeris looks over our cargo and shrugs.

“Raiden, I gotta be honest, this is the most fun we’ve had in a while…”

I think it over, the stories the Wonderbolts will spread from this attack will do wonders. Besides, we had tons of bombs. Also there were three other flyer groups, each needing and deserving their own shots at vengeance. The Og Nag come to a halt in a massive clearing of trees, just standing there. I sigh, pretending to think over what I already knew I was going to do.

I look at Spitfire.

“Okay, tell the other three Rogue groups to dive bomb the large gathering. Do it from a bit higher up though, no need to take risks.” Spitfire closes her eyes and tilts her head back with mad laughter. She falls back to the other three flyer groups trailing behind us, each with their own bombs. I hear a chorus of cheers as they rocket ahead of us. They climb high, with massive grins on their face. Spitfire flies next to us, wanting a good view of the carnage soon to come.

I casually lean on the edge of the chariot, waiting for the climax. Emeris grabs my arm and shakes me frantically. I look at him confused. He points at the clearing, eyes full of fear. The Og Nag stand there, motionless. No fear, no tactics, just standing there. I slowly shake my head, what could they possibly be doing? My mouth hangs open as I see their strategy. I lean over the chariot and scream.

“Princess Luna!” She lies in the middle of the Og Nag unconscious, with numerous injuries. I turn around, Spitfire is already flying to the group as fast as she can. Emeris slams his fists on the edge of the chariot repeatedly. “No no no no no!”

Spitfire gets to the group just a second too late, they release their bombs. Spitfire screams at them, inaudible from where Emeris and I are. All three squadrons race to grab their payloads, unsure if they’ll go off once being caught. We had done exactly three drills of bomb catching just in case, and they didn’t go well.

The squads head straight down, gaining speed. I had no idea if they’d pull up fast enough. I bang my hands over and over.

“Come on! Go go go!” The first squad cautiously gets their hooves on a few of the bombs, with the other squads not far behind. Emeris lets out a sigh of relief.

“Hehe, good thing we ran all those-” My face reflects horror, as I watch the Og Nag, knowing their plan all along. They all grin at the same time. A Garge hurls an ax at the squads. Spitfire sees it coming and does her best to dodge. The ax collides with a pegasus on her right. Spitfire gawks in horror as her friend explodes in a bundle of feather and blood then plummits to the ground. A brutal scream echoes out when she takes the full hit. The lighting bomb erupts, frying her and the others around her. Spitfire takes a lesser hit from the lightening and manages to stay airborn. Four dead pegasi fall lifelessly through the air, trails of smoke drift from their corpses. Spitfire nurses her left shoulder and watches them with a blank look. The other bombs are still falling.

Squad Two grabs their bombs, but dive to the sides, trying to avoid future projectiles. Twopegasi go left and the other two go right with their commander issuing orders from twenty feet above. Numerous Og Nag fire arrows at them, seeing as how they were suddenly in range. The pair who went left explode as a few lucky arrows hit their bombs. After the lightning claims their lives, they slam into the ground sending up clouds of dirt and smoke.

The two who went right split up. One of them throws their bomb away, but the other isn’t so lucky, taking an arrow in the wing.

He falls with his bomb. His wingmate grabs the bomb from him and is able to barely toss it clear. He holds onto his wounded comrade but they’re too close. They slam into the ground and roll several times. He’s barely able to move but starts crawling over to see if his squadmate is even still alive. Judging from the way his head was twisted behind his body, he wasn’t. Before he even makes it over to his friend, the shriek of Og Nag come from all sides. His eyes grow angry and he makes a run for it. He builds up just enough speed, getting a few inches in the air before a mouth clamps onto his rear hoof.

He lets out a brutal scream, unable to take the weight. He lands and kicks off the Og Nag with his free hindleg. He hits another coming in from his left, before he’s tackled to the ground. An Og Nag clamps onto his right wing. It thrashes its mouth back and forth, eventually pulling the wing completely free of the Pegasus. He lets out a shriek of torment, before his cries turn to gargling, as another mouth clamps on his throat. We watch him helplessly as his legs kick less and less. In his last moment, he gives one final hoof salute before going limp.

Spitfire lshakes in place, her eyes are so wide that her face starts twitching. She watches Fleetfoot flap mindlessly in the air as her squad was also just annihilated. Two units down, still with bombs falling from the remaining groups. Both squads had grabbed their payloads, soaring past the rest of the falling debris. The third squad has a different, but honorable tactic. My stomach flips upside down as they pull off their last maneuver.

Three of them, with tears in their eyes, pull away. They’re too far behind at this point to grab the bombs and also sail away unharmed. The fourth hits top speed, and catches up to the bombs. Soarin shakes his head from above as he screams at them. His fifth member nudges the bombs together as quickly as possible while they fall. With eyes closed, she hits a bomb with her hoof, detonating it along with the other explosives. She stops them from detonating on the princess, or risking her squadmates; her last effort as a soldier. Blaze's squad is able to toss the bombs clear and avoid any casualties, thanks to Soarin's squad taking all the attention. I can imagine Blaze having survivor's guilt after this.

Emeris falls to the bottom of our chariot, grabbing the sides of his arms, sitting quietly with defeat. The Og Nag let out a coordinated chuckle, and chant.

“King of the Dead! King of the Dead!”

I scream at the top of my lungs, in both pain and hatred. The Og Nag slowly walk away. One last Garge picks up Luna, examines her body, and hurls her with all his might at the chariot. Before the last nine of the Wonderbolts can snap out of their shock, Luna’s body collides with the vehicle, almost sending Emeris and me over. I catch her body before it can fall past us. I hold her, fearing the worst. She’s still warm, but barely. Her eye opens just enough to look at me, as she lies in my arms. She reaches up with a hoof and touches my helmet.

“I’m...I..I’m sorry…” she collapses again.

Spitfire lands in the somewhat crowded chariot. She stares at me, her eyes wide but it’s as if she looks right through me. She can’t make a single sound, as her throat pulses desperately to say something. She points a hoof towards the Og Nag, still keeping her eyes vaguely pointed at me. All she can do is lose her lunch all over the floor and sit on her haunches. We all look at each other but say nothing.

The ride back is accompanied by quiet sobbing.

Chapter 16: Full Metal Patriot

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I’m on my back as Emeris holds me to the ground, while Lucretia tries to put me in a Sleeper Hold. The metal clang of our armor is almost deafening. I reach up and grab Lucretia’s hand, almost crushing it with rage. She cries out and loosens her grip just enough for me to breath. I punch Emeris in the throat, and with a loud metal clank, he rolls over to the side. I try to get up, but Lucretia lunges on top of me.
“Raiden you have to calm down! You can’t do anything right now!” I howl in rage, desperate to get to the princess's chamber.

Emeris wraps his arms around my legs. I respond by pulling myself forward with my hands. Emeris starts hammering on the side of my leg with his fist.
“Raiden, get a grip! There’s nothing you can do!” Emeris yells. I stop crawling and pound my fists into the stone floor over and over. Lucretia lets herself fall to the side exhausted and panting.

Emeris lets go of my legs and sits on the ground, catching his breath. I pound the cold stone with all my might.
“It’s not fair! None of this is right! It’s not my fault! It should have been me instead of her!” I scream with all the air I can manage. My voice echoes off every wall in the palace. My cries of rage are enough to silence all the refugees still quietly listening in. I roll my face left and right into the floor, unable to manage my emotions any longer. I know I'm not making much sense, and not a single ounce of me cares.

Emeris sighs a bit with a mix of sympathy and annoyance.
“Raiden, we have our best medics tending to Luna, there’s nothing you can do for her right now. I know you want in there, but you’ll just get in the way.” I gradually get to my feet. Lucretia gets in front of me, staying just ahead to subdue me if I make another attempt for the double doors. I let my shoulders slump, and moan in dishonor. She walks forward and puts my head on her shoulder. My helmet and her shoulder pads make a heavy clank as they meet.
“Sir...I know you’re hurting but...we need to talk about this.” Emeris adds in uncomfortably. I let out a bitter groan.
Lucretia puts my arm over her shoulder, and leads me to another room. It's small, meant as a minor dining room. Six chairs, with a rectangle table and a dresser for holding various dinnerware. It was poorly lit as well, creating a gloomy vibe with its two candles in opposite corners. Lucretia sits me down in a chair, and I slump forward sulking. Emeris and Lucretia keep looking over at each other, unsure of what to do with me. Emeris tries to coax me out of my misery.
“Okay, so we can’t ignore this problem any longer. The Og Nag are now being lead by something that exhibits massive mind control abilities.”

Lucretia nods, and crosses her arms.
“To be specific, what do we know and what don’t we know? This is too much of a wild card and we need to prepare for it. Not to mention the strange power surges you both got. One thing at a time though.” Emeris leans his back against the table with both hands on the edge.
“Okay...so it knows who we are and where we come from. It knew Raiden’s little “nickname” and called him a legend. It also said Og Nag could never die. Does any of this make sense to anyone?”

Lucretia casually strolls around the table a few times thinking.
“We can’t really even theorize what it means, but we can at least go off what we do know. From what I’ve observed, it can control the Og Nag in large groups, but we have no reports of it controlling multiple units and having them do two different things. Either it controls one unit, and it does one thing, or it controls multiple units who all do the same thing. That suggests whatever is controlling them isn’t everywhere at once. It has a single mind.” Emeris lifts his head and stares at her.
“That’s a really good observation…” he sounds both impressed and shocked.

Lucretia looks down at me for a few moments, then punches my arm as hard as she can. I grit my teeth for a second and glare at her. I take in a deep breath and gaze at the floor.
“It also displays intelligence. It used our knowledge of the Og Nag against us. We have to act like we’re fighting another army from now on.” I stand up, as the gears start turning in my head.
“Also I’ve noticed that even though the creature itself is clearly magical based, the Og Nag themselves have not used magic. I mean if they could, there were plenty of opportunities to get more casualties. So I think the Og Nag’s limited intelligence makes them susceptible to mind control, or otherwise why not control one of our soldiers, or even one of us? Hell even one soldier could probably dagger one of us in the neck while we're not paying attention. I honestly believe it's an intelligence thing.”

Emeris grunts happily, and walks past me, giving me a friendly backhand to the same arm Lucretia punched.
“Good to have you back...sir.” He says half with gratitude, and half annoyance. I inhale a bit as I think.
“Okay so this creature, whatever it is, we’ll call it Mobius for now. We need to test its abilities. We need to know if it can read our minds, or hear us planning. If we’re lucky, it can only control the weak Og Nag. If it can do more than that, we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.” Lucretia laughs loudly.
“Now that’s the Raiden I remember!” I put my hands on my hips and walk a few steps.
“Alright I have a few ideas to test it, the only issue is that if it can read our minds, then it will most likely let us pull off our plans to lure us into a false state of confidence. If that’s the case, we’ll speak with the princesses about magic and see if there’s some way to block it. From what I’ve seen though, it can only use the Og Nag, so we’ll go off that for now. For security reasons, assuming it can hear us, I’ll have to wait until the last minute to tell you the plan.”

Emeris clears his throat, then motions at the door when I look at him. Celestia stands at the doorway, with exhausted red eyes, and a messy mane. We all clamp our hands to our chests and bow. She gives us a distraught nod.
“Raiden...I need to speak with you.” She turns around and walks out of the room. I look at Lucretia and Emeris.
“Keep theorizing. Write down everything we know and we’ll go over it when I get back.” They both nod.

I follow Celestia nervously. Every part of me hopes it isn’t bad news about Luna. Instead of turning right to where Luna is, we keep going forward, down the same path I had spoken with Luna in a few weeks prior. Celestia looks entirely out of it. A few guards have to duck into a nearby room, as she walks down the middle of the hallway, completely inconsiderate of where she’s going.

We walk out onto the same balcony Luna and I had spoken on. She sighs a few times, staring at the ground. My nerves get the better of me.
“Is...is Luna going to be alright?” Celestia looks up at me surprised. A microscopic smile crosses her lips, and I see that brightness return to her eyes for a moment.
“Luna...will be safe for now. Cadence hasn’t answered my scrolls in some time.”
I nod a few times then look at the ground embarrassed. Celestia keeps staring at me.
“You...really fancy her don’t you?” I don’t answer, there’s too much emotion in me right now.

Celestia bumps me with her wing amicably. She lets out a sigh, and I can tell she’s done procrastinating. That dimness comes back to her complexion, as she gets ready to tell me what’s really on her mind.
“I’m accustomed to losing loved ones, to making hard decisions, to doing what is necessary for the kingdom. This is something entirely different. When Tirek began ravaging the land, and I was helpless to stop him, I thought that was one of the worst moments we would ever see. At least he only drained ponies of their magic instead of killing them. But watching my cities burn and my people die, and being absolutely helpless for most of it...I find myself second guessing every decision I make.”

I nod again in agreement.
“It’s not your fault your highness. Luna has gone over much of your recent history. Apparently a full scale war is something that has seldom happened since you overthrew Discord and King Sombra.” She sighs and looks across the land.
“I’m afraid neither of those compare to this. Both did not involve much death, just misery.” She keeps glancing around, wanting to avoid whatever she needs to say. I raise an eyebrow and look at her.
“Princess...what is it? What can we do for you? Whatever it is, name it and it shall be done; whatever the risk.”

She exhales a bit, trying not to cry.
“I can’t sleep, I can’t think. I do my best to hold myself together in front of everyone. But without the comfort of my little sister...I’m afraid I’m not much good to the kingdom.” Sympathy invades my face. I take off my left gauntlet and place my bare hand on her shoulder. She twitches a bit. Her fur is silky, clean and warm.
“Princess, you are more than a good leader. You are who they look up to. You have done magnificently so far. You have done all that anyone could when the time came. I know this is troubling, but you will pull through.”

She bows her head as a few tears run down to her nose.
“That is kind of you to say Raiden, but I’m afraid I must put that all aside and do what needs to be done. Come with me. I must do this while I can still think. Summon your people and meet me in the throne room.” I raise an eyebrow, but nod anyways. We exit the balcony and return to the chambers outside of where they kept Luna while she recovers. I instruct Emeris and Lucretia to gather everyone.

Half an hour later, all my soldiers line her great halls, Luna had been moved into a back room and Celestia sits on her throne. She has cleaned herself up and she looks normal for now. Several more decorated guards stand in front of her, seven total. I also recognized a few mayors off to the sides as well as a few higher profile ponies.

Celestia shifts uncomfortably in her throne. I eye her suspiciously.
She takes a deep breath and gazes straight across the room.
“First Captain Raiden, will you approach the throne please.”
I step out of formation near the back of the room, take three steps forward, turn to the right on my heel so I’m facing the throne. I bow, and walk forward. I had no idea what was going on. Every part of me was horrified that they were banishing us in hopes that the Og Nag would follow. It was very plausible it would even work...for a while anyways.

I stop twenty paces from her guards, and take a knee.
“What does your majesty command?” I choke back tears, taking in one last eye full of her throne room and its majestic paintings. Celestia looks down at me sadly.
“Rise.” She says with a painful tone. I stand up, using all my strength to look her in the eyes.
“First Captain Raiden of the Nation Taraska. I can no longer put off what I know in my heart should be done for the good of our Kingdom.” My heart sinks, my veins turn to ice. I feel hollow. I can’t be mad at her, how could anyone be? They weren't warriors like us. This tragedy had been going on in our nation for countless generations. No one could possibly expect them to tolerate it the way we had to.

She swallows and I hear her inhale vigorously.
“Due to the recent events with the Og Nag, I must make this announcement in front of everypony so there will be no mistake….” She takes in another deep breath.
“At this moment in time...I cannot be responsible for my citizens’ safety.” A few gasps erupt from her small council. They turn and look at each other before turning their attention back to the princess.
“That is why...I am naming First Captain Raiden as our Nations General until the time is no longer needed.”

Her people yell cries of protest. I am a stranger to their lands. We are warriors not leaders. These were some of their outcries. Celestia stomps a hoof angrily.
“Enough!” The room goes silent.
“This was not a decision I made lightly! This was not on a whim or some depressed hysteria!” Her thunderous voice echoes off every wall.
“You have trusted me with your lives. Now I ask that you trust my choices." She turns and faces me directly. She walks off her throne, so she's only a few feet from me. She speaks to me and the crowd simultaneously, meeting their bewildered stares with a solid, stoic expression.
"I'm fully aware that you have all seen what the Taraskans are capable of in war. You know they are ruthless and extremely efficient. What you might have not seen, is their bravery. Their selflessness and how they will go to any length to protect each other and any of us as well. There will be a time where I shall reacquire my position, but for now, we need the ones with experience to lead the fight that will save us from these Og Nag."

She stops looking around the room and faces me directly.
“First Captain Raiden...will you accept?”

The only thing I can manage is a nod, despite my jaw almost hitting the floor. Something in my chest burns. It was as if every negative thing I had ever thought of myself had been brought before me and slain with a sword like a beast. As I nod, my army erupts with applause and whistles. They know full well what this means to me. I have a chance at redemption. I have the ability to show I’m not some low life. I have importance. This world would know the same legend I had made for myself but in a new light. I was no longer the King of the Dead.

The double doors open, and two royal guards are carrying a mantle. It was made completley of fur, with a silky purple cape and a black collar. It would be great during winter, but I'd easily die of heat exhaustion . I watch eagerly, enjoying the sight of respect. The guards walk up to me and bow. I face the princess. She too lowers her head, along with her subjects. Nervousness dances in their eyes, but they trust her. Celestia stops bowing. I hear the mantle fly through the air and stop behind me, hovering.
“Raiden, I have but one request of you before you adorn your new title.” I nod furiously, willing to agree to anything at this point.
“Anything you ask princess!” She looks at me desperately.
“Do what you must in the name of peace, but ...save as many lives as you can….please.”

I take a knee in response.
“I now pronounce you, General Raiden of Equestria.” With that, the mantle flies onto my back, the clasp connects on its own around the front of my chest. More applause, even from her subjects this time who either stomp or bang their front hooves together.
“General Raiden, please rise.” I get to my feet, I’m almost on the brink of tears, but I somehow manage to hold myself together. I was grateful I was still in my full battle armor to hide my emotions in. Celestia trots up to me, eyes full of fear and desperation. She gently places a hoof on my chest.
"Please...save our kingdom...."

I turn around and stare at my soldiers. I see sword marks littering everyone’s armor, dents, new wielded pieces of metal. After everything, after every time they almost died or lost a limb, these soldiers still stand by me. I pull out my sword and point it straight into the air.
“Who’s ready to win a war?!” Everyone pulls out a sword and raises it with pride, crying out for battle.

Lucretia runs up to me applauding. I take off my mantle and toss it onto her. She giggles as she pulls it off her face.

“Take that...thing to my room please. It’s time we stop hiding."

I contemplated the idea of making a literal throne out of Og Nag.

Chapter 17: Full Metal Patriot part 2

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Lucretia sits to my far right, her helmets off and her long golden hair flows wildly around her face. She has her gauntlets off, and chews on her pinkie nail as she thinks. Emeris sits across from her with his hands folded, looking around attentively.

Spitfire, Cadence, Shining Armor, a small handful of royal guards and I sit around a massive table near the back of the castle. Shining was your typical perfect prince type of character. A blue mane with a streak of teal is the only real color next to his white fur. We had never spoken before, but Celestia assured me he was both brave and honorable. War has a way of pushing you to your limits and discovering just who you really are. Had Shining been through this test?

Celestia is still in the back room, watching over Luna, after Cadence’s magic can’t seem to heal her. The table shows some form of a map made of crystal of the entire nation, including the Crystal Empire. Celestia had teleported it here, claiming she was borrowing it from one of her students. The idea that such information was so freely available was unsettling to me.

I was still getting used to the title of general. Even when guards would come running down the hall calling out my rank, I seldom turned, and usually had to be nudged by nearby units as a reminder.

I take a deep breath, about to start giving my first commands as a general. The first order of business is better intel.
“We need a more reliable scouting regiment. I want the remaining Wonderbolts to enlist as many pegasi as they can. Each member needs to train their own small squad of scouts. We need eyes everywhere. You can have one pegasi from each team report every hour to keep our information up to date. Other than that Spitfire, I’ll let you make the calls from here. If there’s anything crucial, like a large group of Og Nag coming towards a settlement, I want a hand delivered scroll to myself personally.” Spitfire still gazes at me with those hollow eyes of hers. They’re red from endless crying. She gives me an empty salute and casually walks out of the room.

I turn to Emeris and Lucretia as I still lean over the table, bracing myself with both hands.

"The second order of business is locking down the palace as a military fort. We need to set up choke points and smaller bases, so the Og Nag can’t just strike anywhere at anytime. Lucretia and Emeris, we’re going to break the area around Canterlot into North and South, with each region having around three choke points. I want Emeris holding the North and Lucretia to the south seeing as how you’re already familiar with the traps in the forest and Base Ponyville.” Lucretia nods but raises a hand slightly to speak.
”With our current forces, that would be 75 soldiers to each region, with that 75 being split up to have 25 at each choke point. How can we expect to hold a choke point with a handful of soldiers?”

I nod casually, having already planned ahead.
“That’s where the guards come in. I want both of you to find a way of training the royal guards to use weapons in some manner. You can even just attach lancers to their armor somehow. I’ll assign about three pegasi to each chokepoint with a small company of bombs to handle Garge’s. Make sure one of our lieutenants is responsible for training them or just teaching them how to fight in general. Even our basic infantry can lend a hand with training.”

Emeris drums his fingers a few times before speaking up.
“Where are we setting up choke points?” I study the map briefly.
“I want one set up at the entrance to the mountain. Set your men up to rain arrows inside the valley. We’ll make it one large kill box. Worse case scenario, I can pull back the other two choke points and have them help defend the valley. That place will get clogged easily so don’t fall back to it unless we have no choice. Once we defend the valley, there will be no other places to fall back to. I don’t want to get cornered.” Emeris slowly nods. I can see him beginning to form up defensive ideas.
“Lucretia, I want you to start using Base Ponyville to house refugees. It won’t be pleasant, but we can’t cram anyone else into the palace.” She nods, looks around the room, then sits upright with a hint of embarrassment.
“Shining Armor, I need you to set up a thorough chain of command with the guards. I think they still need time to accept my new position, so it seems more fitting that the orders come directly from you. Do we have a headcount?” I stand up straight and put my hands behind my back.

Shining armor pulls out a small notepad.
“We have about three hundred guards, but another five hundred civilians who volunteered. Unfortunately, we have well over a few thousand refugees. Supplies are a huge issue, as spreading food and water to everypony is a nightmare.” Supplying refugees in a palace not meant for so many had turned ugly faster than we had thought. I had heard stories of food and water being forcibly taken from the guards when they showed up to spread it all out evenly. There was even a small market made by two brothers. They’re currently spending the rest of the war in the dungeon, courtesy of Celestia.
“Shining is there any way to set up supply stations? Perhaps have designated areas where we can teleport in food and water spread out through the palace? We may need one supply station for every one hundred feet to make sure everyone can get what they need.” Cadence’s eyes light up.
“Well yes actually that would be decently easy!”
“Cadence if you’re okay with it, do you mind being responsible for managing the refugees here? I think the sight of a princess running around will be good for moral, especially with your ability to control love.” She gives me a large smile.
“Of course! I think even passing out colored cards to make sure everyone knows what station to go to will help keep order.” Shining Armor looks over at his wife and smiles.
“That’s actually a great idea!”

Our numbers and chances had skyrocketed once Cadence and Shining armor brought over a massive compliment of guards and supplies. They also brought their citizens with them. It seemed easier to have everyone at or near Canterlot due to our inability to defend both their empire and here. I couldn't help but notice their apprehension to have Cadence in any sort of combat role. It wasn't terribly important, but I was still curious. Did their leaders not fight along side their troops?

I go over the checklist in my head. We needed safety first, which meant locking down the area around Canterlot so we can be prepared for an attack instead of just winging it every time. This also includes the refugees. Knowing safety was taken care of for now, it was time to think of our strategy in the war.
“This is where we need everyone’s input. Whether you like it or not, the Og Nag need to be permanently removed. We can kill them, or find a way of teleporting them. Regardless, I don’t think they’ll respond to mercy or redemption, seeing as how they don’t have the brainpower for diplomacy. Does anyone disagree?” Heads turn to the left and right, but no one objects. I flatten my hands against the table and hunch over as I look everyone in the eyes.
“I will say this once: any Og Nag you spare, you will end up fighting later.” Multiple ponies paw the ground or swallow. Shining rubs the back of his neck. I get it, they think they’re above killing. In a way, I admired their tendencies to lean towards forgiveness, but these were Og Nag. They haven’t even seen the worst of it yet. On average, the ones we fought were small. Back on Nova, the average Og Nag was the size of a human, and twice as “excited” for combat. Even as they watched their kingdom dwindle, they still had no idea how lucky they were.

Stormchaser interrupts our meeting briefly, when she kicks open the doors and runs up to me with a scroll that had stripes of red paint going down the outsides of the paper. Red scrolls meant that they have important information that I’ve asked them to obtain. We had been tracking a rather large group of Og Nag that were going to be our first test subjects. I read over the scroll: lieutenant Cy had been doing guerrilla warfare, gradually leading the Og Nag closer and closer to Canterlot. They were now at our door step.
I hold up a hand.

“Meeting adjourned for now.” I take a knee to look Stormchaser in the eye. Her silver hair is a mess, and her purple fur is coated in sweat. When I first met her, she was a bit ditsy and didn’t care much about anything. I had noticed a massive change in her, once she had gradually become my go-to scout for information. She had previously spent most of her time analyzing various social statuses, hoping to become more popular among the other fliers. This gave her an uncanny ability to study and remember details.
She pants heavily. I place a hand on her shoulder.

“You’ve done well. I’m going to add a small change in how we do things from now on however. I’m going to ask you to trust me. I can no longer explain our plans to you. You will simply need to deliver the scroll to whoever it’s assigned to without reading them.” Her ears go back and her eyes narrow.
“It has nothing to do with you. We are dealing with magical forces, and I have to take certain precautions, which means telling as few people as possible about our plans. I promise you I will explain soon, but for now, I need you to trust me. You’re too important to lose.”

She inhales deeply, wipes the mad look off her face, and nods. It was odd, she used to be a chatter box, but since the war, she hardly says a word. Part of me assumed she had either lost someone special, or seen the horrors that come with battle. I write careful instructions on the scroll and hand it to Stormchaser.
“Deliver these to Spitfire and make sure she destroys them once read.” Storm takes the scroll and trots off, with a sprinkle of pout in her step.

The room is empty except for Lucretia and Emeris. They know what the red scroll means.
Lucretia stands up, crosses her arms and shifts her weight to her left leg.
“So what’s the plan?” I sit back down in my chair and glance at both of them.
“We’re going to do our first test. I can’t tell you what it is without blotching the results, but I’ll need you to take extremely careful notes while you’re out on the battlefield. I’ll have each of you direct an attack from the sides. With any luck, we’ll slowly start to learn what’s going on.” They both nod.
“Excuse me, I’m going to check on Luna before the attack begins.” With that, we exchange respectful bows.

I turn right out of the small room, and go through the doubledoors that lead to the throne room. I walk past the thrones, and into the side hallways behind it on the left, that leads straight back into a series of random rooms that used to house supplies for the palace. They’ve since been turned into trauma wards for both physical and psychological wounds. Having someone professionally trained to help you with your emotions; they still had no idea how lucky they were.

I stop outside of the library. The sounds of magic being tossed back and forth is barely audible. I knock a few times; no answer. A few seconds later, I reach up to knock again, but the door opens.

Luna is a complete wreck. Her left eye is almost swollen shut, her mouth has multiple cuts across it, her right wing is broken, and one of her hind legs is in a cast. Her hair is a disaster, and she has innumerable cuts and bruises visible under her dark purple fur. She smiles sweetly at me, and hops a few times to the side to clear a path for me. I walk in silently.
“So...I take it Cadence still can’t figure out why she can’t heal you yet?” I try to say casually, attempting to hide my concern.
Luna chuckles weakly.
“It’s fine. I’m not as helpless as I look. Besides, we’re at war; a princess cannot lie in bed while this crisis continues.” She hops across the floor and sits in a chair in front of several books.
“Any luck finding out what Mobius might be?” Mobius was the name for any type of wild card we knew nothing about. In this case, Mobius was this odd psychic creature we were dealing with.
“I believe so, but unfortunately it raises more questions than it answers.”
I walk over to her notes.
“Well anything works at this point. What do you have?”
Luna uses her magic to turn the pages of a book. The writing is in a language I can’t recognize. She nods at the page.
“Have a look.”
I clear my throat.
“I’m afraid that language must be ancient, I can’t read it.”
She stares at me and raises an eyebrow.
“Is that so? Captain Raiden, unable to read. What are we going to do with you?" I chuckle. It was nice having a friend again, considering all my time was wrapped up with making critical decisions.
Her eyes slowly show admiration in them.
“How come I’ve never seen you with your helmet off?”
I smile a bit.
“Habit. It’s a comfort thing. So what did you find out?”
She nods and looks back at the book.
“I apologize, I’ve been stuck in this room since we returned...thank you by the way.” She laughs nervously and gazes at the ground.
“I really wish I could stop being such a burden...” I lay a comforting arm across her shoulders. She told us she had been blasted from behind with magic and didn't remember anything after that.
“You’re far from a burden. No one could have predicted this outcome. None of us knew what was coming. None of this was your fault.”
She looks up at me shyly, barely showing one eye.
“Are you sure you don’t hate me?”
I recoil briefly with bulging eyes and a quivering mouth.
“Of course not! Why would you think such a thing?!”
She turns her head to face mine. Her warm breath fills the inside of my helmet and smells like sugar. I tremble a bit. She gently reaches up with her left hoof, and starts tilting my helmet up. I place my hand on her hoof and stop her.
“I’m sorry princess, but after our meeting here, I’m due in the commander's quarters. We have a battle ahead of us.”
She widens her eyes and looks shocked.
“Really?! They’re coming here?! Why would they bother you in Canterlot? They stand no chance of getting in. Please let me join you! I would give anything to get out of this-” I cut her off as politely as possible.
“Luna I need you here doing research. We have to know what we’re up against. Now please, what have you found so far?”
She grits her teeth. Part of my heart breaks denying her, but her eagerness to help might get in the way. Also it would take too long to update her on our current dilemma.
She turns back to her book.
“Apparently, this creature is called Zaran. It feeds off magical energy. From what I’ve read, which is just witness accounts, he’s a very powerful and ancient creature, with massive psychic abilities. I wouldn’t be surprised if he could read our minds.”
I nod nervously.
“That would be bad, but I doubt he can. “ She cocks an eyebrow.
“And why is that?”
I think for a minute.
“Call it a gut feeling. Things could have easily played out differently by now.” She gives me a slightly skeptical look then nods.
“In any case, I started looking into ways to block his powers. I’m assuming he’s mainly based on dark magic, as there are rarely any creatures who exhibit such evil actions who are not fueled by it. So far, I’ve seen a few hints of amulets that could block the user from dark magic effects, but I don’t have the faintest idea where they would actually be.”
I hear writing behind me and slowly turn around. There is a quill writing madly on some parchment. It’s surrounded with the same purple glow Luna uses. I stare at it curiously. She looks at me, then behind at her writing. Her mouth opens a bit, but she says nothing for a moment.
“I apologize. After the battle I’ve found myself getting random surges of emotion. I’ve taken to writing them out, and occasionally I do it without thinking.”
I casually walk around the table out of curiosity. The paper flies to Luna.
“Please don’t...it’s…” she blushes and looks at the ground with a small smile. “It’s about you…”
I smile and glance down at the table. There’s something going on here, I better pretend to be buying it for now.
“I’ll pass your findings to Celestia. She may know a bit more.” Luna stares at me for a second.
“I’ve actually been giving that some thought. I think we may need to keep as much of this information to ourselves as we can. The less Zaran knows, the better. If he thinks we know nothing about his existence, that may buy us some time.”
I walk to the door and give her one last look over my shoulder.
“Make sure to get some rest princess.” She nods, and shakes a few times.
“I apologize, but I’m feeling rather ill and need to rest. Come visit me when you can?” I give her one last smile under my helmet and close the door behind me, but leave it just barely open. I peek back inside after a few seconds. Luna turns towards the lit fireplace and holds the note up. She grumbles and tosses it into the fire. It drives a chill up my spine.
It was three words: “Don’t trust me”

Chapter 18: The Reaper of Royals

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I walk quickly out to the throne room. Lucretia has her helmet off as she talks with three guards about their patrol routines. As I approach, she hears me and turns around. Without hesitation, I motion with my head for her to follow me into the side room we just had our meeting in.

As we enter, she closes the door behind us with a slightly worried look.
The moment I hear the doors latch, I blurt it out.
“The creature is controlling Luna and it’s called Zaran.”
Lucretia’s mouth hangs open.
“How could you possibly know that!?”

I cross my arms and start pacing.
“I went and visited her. She had a small amount of strange behaviors. It was subtle but there was something off about her. Also I think the real Luna tried to write me a message that said "Don’t trust me." I know she’s being controlled but how is the problem. Zaran read me a passage out of a book about him. Unfortunately I can’t read it myself, it’s written in an old language I don’t recognize.”
Lucretia sighs and sits down at the table. She plants her elbows down and holds the sides of her head with her hands.
She takes in a deep breath and lets it out as her eyes widen.
“I hate to be the one to say it, but I have the feeling it’s not that easy.”
I raise an eyebrow and take a seat across from her.
“What do you mean?"

Lucretia opens her mouth and glances at the door apprehensively.
“This creature is smart. I honestly feel this is too...novice for it. I mean it could be from a sociopathic need for recognition, but I doubt it.” She looks across at me and calms herself.
“Go over exactly how she was acting, maybe that will give me some clues.”
I lean back in my chair and do my best to recall all her odd behavior.
“To begin with, she...normally she’s...subtle at being seductive towards me to be blunt. There’s always a hint of it when I talk to her. Maybe she legitimately feels something for me, maybe it’s just her personality...could even be a recently devel-”

Lucretia interrupts me nervously.
“Sir...I’m sorry but...we need to stay on topic. We can discuss how she might feel about you another time if you want, but I need to know what she did different.”

I purse my lips and blush.
“Sorry. Anyways, she laid it on thick. She made me feel bad for her, she kept trying to drive the conversation to be about us, despite knowing how important it was that she relayed her info to me. Also when I told her I couldn’t read the language, I saw a suspicious smile. She tried to cover it up by subtly flirting with me, asking why she’s never seen my face. It could have been a legitimate question I guess.”
Lucretia stay silent for a bit then taps her fingertips together.
“I’m sorry Raiden, but I think it’s safe to assume everything she said and did was deliberate….maybe even the note.”
I ball my hands into fists angrily.
“I...I hate being played like this. Let's say the note was a fake, why then? Why make it so obvious you’re being controlled?”
Lucretia nods uncomfortably.
“That’s the right question to be asking.”
My eyes bulge as one last detail pops into my head.
“Also she tried to get under my helmet. She baited me into a kiss almost. Zaran knew just how to get at me. I think it now knows what Luna knows.”

Lucretia nods again.
“I think it has to be physical contact. Like her actual body has to touch yours. Maybe it even has something to do with the metal our armor is made out of, or it might just need to be your skin. Also it might be a full-blown possession, or perhaps Zaran can read your mind just by contact.” She leans to the side and props up her head with her left hand. She lowers her head a bit and sighs, puffing out her cheeks in annoyance while she stares at the center of the table. Long golden hair flows down in a complete tangled mess around her gauntlet. She lifts her head, and I see her hazel eyes filled with fear and irritation. I know she’s worried about losing our new home too. If anyone could beat Zaran at his own game, it would be Lucretia though.

She closes her eyes, slowly inhales and calms herself.
“Okay...I honestly think Zaran intentionally did a bad job to make us paranoid. I think he wants us at each other’s throats in fear. I could see the ponies freaking out and ruining everything. Imagine if like the few hundred refugees we have in the palace alone started suspecting each other and went nuts. It would cause some serious issues. Also, I think he can only possess one creature at a time, and for a short duration, but we’ll have to test it to make sure. So get this: if he can do it indefinitely, it would be more valuable to stay undetected inside Luna right? So I think he knows after a while he has to leave. Based off that, I also think that while he can view her memories, he can’t alter them, so once he leaves she’ll rat him out, otherwise once again, he wouldn't announce himself. So I guess he might as well mess with us since she's going to spill the beans anyways. That's the only logical conclusion I can imagine as to why he would expose himself like that.”

I groan and take off my helmet as well.
“I forgot to mention. He seemed genuinely fearful when I told him the Og Nag were coming. I think he can’t control them while either possessing or really far away. I mean if he could, then he’d know they were coming while he was inside Luna.”
Lucretia drums her fingertips on the table while her eyes dart back and forth.
“I’d feel better if we could confirm what we know. I have an idea!”

She jumps up excitedly and starts talking with her hands.
“Okay I can test a bunch of stuff in one go! So when we go to fight the Og Nag, we’ll have the Wonderbolts go up into the clouds at the start. Now follow me here:
We’ll tell the Wonderbolts not to attack, just fly around for a bit.
1. If the Og Nag do nothing and just attack normally and get slaughtered, it means Zaran isn’t controlling them currently. Which says he’s either too far away, or can’t control them while possessing or both.
2. If they move apart, it means Zaran is controlling them but doesn’t know about the Wonderbolts orders not to attack, meaning he can’t read our minds, because he’ll be strategically reacting, instead of predicting.
3. If Zaran has them spread apart, they’ll get annihilated by our ground infantry. If they stay closed together, we’ll actually have the Wonderbolts do a bombing run, meaning he has to do something. And he can’t just let us destroy a few thousand Og Nag. Our scouts reported in and said it’s the largest force he has at the moment.”

I put my hands on the side of my head.
“Lucretia I could hug the crap out of you right now.”

She crosses her arms and grins.
“One last thing: We need to go see if he’s still possessing her. If he is, then we can say what he can and can’t do while possessing. If he isn’t possessing her, then we’ll find out if he actually can read our minds or not. I mean if he is psychic, then his best option is to retreat, because just wasting his Og Nag on an attack that will fail is pointless obviously. We’ll be forcing him to give us information. Or if he really wants, he can ignore all of it and lose a few thousand Og Nag for the sake of keeping a few secrets, it’s all the same to me. Either way, we’re about to get the upper hand in this war.” She gets out of her chair and strolls over to me. She stands at my side silently, before messing up my short hair.
“And if Mr.Redhead here could keep his head in the game instead of swooning after some princess, things could go a lot more smoothly.” I narrow my eyes at her in a joking glare.
“It’s actually auburn. You’re getting sloppy. Maybe we need to replace you with Derpy Hooves for a bit.” Lucretia laughs while rolling her eyes.

We grab our helmets and are about to make our way to the throne room. I stick out my hand and grab Lucretia's arm. She stops and looks at me. I lower my voice so only she can hear me.
"What are the chances Zaran could hide inside of a guard?"
Lucretia blinks a few times.
"There's a good chance he'll do that as a backup plan...which means..." I purse my lips.
"That we'll have to make sure he doesn't get a chance to escape...by any means necessary." Lucretia gently twists out of my grip and stares at me.
"Can you do that? If the time came?" My mouth hangs open. I'm torn between what I know I should do and what I actually can do.
"Let's cross that bridge when we get there."

She lowers her eyebrows and grins.

“Well then, keep your beard but keep it short, it’s a good look for you.” As my cheeks grow red, she lets out a loud snort. We both put on our serious faces and slide into our helmets. The outside hall is strangely quiet as we walk.

Celestia is talking with a few guards accompanied by Cadence. Celestia stops talking and watches us walk by curiously. I give her a serious stare. She says nothing and goes back to her conversation. I just realized we had never discussed whether we were going to tell Celestia about our discovery of Zaran. If we did, she’d want everything, and we couldn’t afford Zaran overhearing us.

We stop outside Luna’s current quarters. I glance behind me: the entire hallway is clear. I lean in and whisper to Lucretia.
“We can’t tell Celestia anything right now. It will just complicate things and we can't risk tipping off Zaran.”
Lucretia stares at me thinking, then nods in agreement. We slowly open the door, and see Luna lying on her bed, with her scratched up back to us. We gently walk into the room, expecting her to either try to attack us, or do nothing. As we step forward, my heart starts pounding. Would I have to kill Luna if she was possessed? Could I kill her? Could Zaran use her magic?
I’m a few steps away from her, and realize I’ve already made a huge mistake. Lucretia is to my left, Luna is in front of me, and there’s breathing coming from directly behind the door.

Clever girl.

Chapter 19: Warchild

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I’m sent forward by a pair of hooves hitting my back. Lucretia whirls around, and instead of drawing her weapon, she pre-emptively jumps back against the wall. She narrowly avoids getting kicked, but gets blasted in the chest by a green beam from the creature's horn. She collides against a table. I get to my feet and almost get a punch in before the creature stops me in my tracks; it’s Luna.

I stare for a second confused. My gut tells me to swing, but my brain can’t help but think of every memory I have of her. The impostor narrows her glowing green eyes, smirks, and in one brief moment, sends me flying against the bed with a kick from her forelegs. I feel a few things pop in my back as I land.
“You idiot!” I think to myself “It’s not her!”

Lucretia runs over to Luna and puts her in a choke hold. She pulls Luna down to the ground, and on her back. I was sure the weight was horrible to bear, but Lucretia holds on tight. Luna gags and her tongue flops around on the side of her mouth.

Her horn glows bright green. I have to shield my face and Lucretia is forced to let go. Lucretia holds her hands over her eyes, screaming in agony. A light amount of steam rises between her fingers and around her hands. Luna pants on the ground, trying to get her breath back. I pull out my sword, stand up and run over to Luna. She looks up at me.
“Raiden, wait!” She holds up a scared hoof. I pause. I’m greeted with a blast from her horn. She roars with laughter. Her voice is a cruel cackle.

Lucretia gets up, smoke is pouring from the slits in her helmet, and she’s clearly pissed. She knees Luna in the ribs, wraps her arm around the back of Luna’s neck, and manages to hurl her against the door with a vicious swing like a lumberjack cutting down a tree.

It cracks as Luna lands against it. Luna quickly recovers. Lucretia grabs a silver platter from off the table, and hurls it at Luna, just in time to intercept another beam. Before Luna can get off another shot, Lucretia shoulder rams her, sending her flying out into the hall. Luna hits the wall and lies on the ground. Lucretia falls to her knees, and covers her eyes again with her hands miserably.

Luna gets up on wobbly legs, and starts rapidly making her way down the corridor. I run over to Lucretia and kneel next to her. Through her random cries of agony, she hollers at me.
"Just get Zaran!" I rush out the door and head down after the fake Luna. She’s talking to Cadence and Celestia in the throne room. As I enter, Zaran cries out in Luna’s voice.

“Raiden is being possessed!”

Cadence doesn’t take her eyes off Zaran. Her horn glows pink. Zaran is surrounded by the same color aura, but his wounds don’t heal. He panics for a second, but is interrupted by a beam from Celestia, making him slam into the wall about thirty feet back. Zaran struggles to get up. Celestia charges up her horn again. In a horrible green flash that stings my eyes, we’re all blinded. My sight returns after a few seconds, and a strange black pony is lying on the floor unconscious. It has solid teal eyes, and strange holes randomly through its legs and bug-like wings. Tiny fangs hang over its bottom lip.

The window behind it is broken. Celestia calls out to the guards.
“Follow Zaran immediately! He cannot be allowed to escape!” Lucretia stumbles through the hallway, into the room, and leans against a wall.
“No! Cadence, heal your guards! He’s bound to be in one of them!” There’s six guards, and they all begin looking each other over suspiciously. Cadence does a mass heal, and from what we could observe, they all responded normally. Typically when Zaran's magic was involved, the pink aura swirls around the target, instead of going inside and healing.

Lucretia sighs in relief.
“Sorry, had to be sure! Also we need Zaran to escape.” she pants a bit. I stare at her confused.
“What do you mean we need Zaran to escape?!” She catches her breath.
“The hole in our plan, is if Zaran can’t control the Og Nag, we’ll learn almost nothing about his powers. Now that he’s gone, he’ll most certainly go take command of them. We need to know his limits. I don’t like letting him go either but - Cadence will you please heal my eyes already?!” Lucretia almost shrieks.
Cadence looks shocked.
“Oh, I’m so sorry!” A pink glow comes over Lucretia, as her eyes shine pink.

She sighs happily, and throws her arms around Cadence.
“Oh thank you so so much! Is there any way I can repay you!?” I can see Cadence’s annoyed face over Lucretia’s shoulder.
“I really hate this…” she mutters. Cadence stares at me, then rolls her eyes.
“Do you need a lift as well Raiden? I guess I need to regardless, just to check.” My body glows pink, and I can feel my bruised ribs recovering. I keep my head lowered.
“Thank you Princess Cadence. I’m going to go ch-check on the real Luna.” I walk out of the room, knowing I’ll just become a babbling idiot if I look that gorgeous pink pony in the eyes.

Lucretia picks up the black creature and carries it off to the dungeon. I walk down the hallway, and those old familiar thoughts start creeping into my skull. I wasn’t dumb, but having to fight Zaran on two fronts was beginning to wear on me. Lucretia was my saving grace, with Emeris handling things outside. So what happens if Zaran gets a hold of Lucretia? The thought sends shivers down my spine. There was no way I’d be able to match Lucretia’s wit, especially with something like Zaran’s powers inside her. If we were going to survive, I’ll need to find more methods of detecting him.

I stop outside of Luna’s room and peer in. She lays there, still completely motionless, except for her sides gently rising with every breath. I drum my fingers on the wall. Did Zaran possess her first, hide her, then bring in the shapeshifter? Or was he never inside Luna and snuck in? Also if he wasn’t in Luna, then where was she all this time? Surely someone would have had to stumble across the wounded Luna...unless the shapeshifter simply took another form for a while. I sigh heavily, stressed at the game I was being beaten at.

I walk over, and sit next to Luna on the bed. I lean over, admiring that wonderful face. I stroke her shoulder, but she doesn’t move.
I sigh and plant my hands on my knees.
”Luna...I’m so sorry. I never should have sent you by yourself. I promise you, your sacrifice will not be in vain. We have learned much about Zaran. If you had not gone through what you did, he could have infiltrated us easier, and we would all be at his cruel mercy.” I rub her shoulder a few more times, feeling destroyed at the fate she had suffered under my command.

I hear a pair of hooves walk in. I glance over my shoulder and see Cadence.
I turn back to Luna.
“Hello princess.”
She walks over to my side.
“Has she spoken yet?”
“No, she's still out.” I murmur. My eyes gaze over the horrible slashes along her spine. I cradle my head in my hands in guilt.
“You really do care about her don’t you?” Cadence says sympathetically.
“What makes you say that?” I reply with a hint of sarcasm.
“Because you haven't looked at me once and you’re still under my spell’s after-effects.”
I can’t help but change the subject.
“Can you still not heal her?”
Luna’s body glows pink. Her marks begin to close. Cadence gasps.
“I…how...I’ve tried many times before! She isn't completely healed...it may take time for her to recover fully, but she'll be alright."
I rub the chin of my helmet.
“Cadence, what was that creature on the floor?”
“The black thing? That was a changeling. Their species can shapeshift, why?”
I ball my hands into fists, still hunched over on the bed.
“Because that’s a huge resource to Zaran. I’m thinking that Zaran is a type of magic that is resistant to your healing power of love. You couldn’t heal Luna before because it was a changeling impersonating Luna. So chances are, the changeling wasn’t hurt, but kept imitating the wounds. From what I know of Zaran, he would have made the changeling pretend to heal. Which means...that changeling was working for Zaran without being possessed.”
Cadence grits her teeth.
“We have had issues with them before, but are they unaware of what Zaran is?!”
I stand up.
“Do these changelings have a ruler?”
Cadence nods.
“Queen Chrysalis.”
I punch my right hand into my left, catching it.
“Then Zaran and Chrysalis have an arrangement. Seeing as how this entire Zaran thing has happened in Canterlot, I doubt she knows who she’s dealing with. I’ll need to speak with her soon…”
Luna groans and rolls over to face us. She begins to climb out of bed, but wobbles a bit. I stick out my arms and catch her right as she is about to fall over. She tries to speak but she’s clearly exhausted. I guide her back into the middle of the bed.
She pants, but manages to speak.
“Raiden...it’s...it’s a trap...all of it…”
I nod sadly.
“I know Luna, we’ve learned about Zaran and his power. You’re safe for now.”
She shakes her head, fear shines in her eyes.
“Zaran...his power...I’ve...I’ve felt it...before...Nightmare Moon.”
I look over at Cadence.
“Can we speak with this Nightmare Moon? Would they know about any of this?!”
Cadence stares at me.
“Um...I’m afraid not. We defeated Nightmare Moon a long time ago.”
Luna swallows and closes her eyes.
“No...Zaran’s power...he...he draws power…”
Luna goes back to panting. I hold both forelegs in my hands.
“It’s fine Luna, just rest alright?”
She vigorously shakes her head.
“He draws power...on misery...the entire war...it’s a trap…”
I look back at Cadence. We both have looks of horror on our faces. That was another piece of the puzzle. That’s why Zaran is attacking. He doesn’t care about Canterlot, he just wants suffering. The changeling we fought wasn't even Zaran. If we had that much trouble, how bad is fighting the real Zaran? And how do we defeat something that gets stronger the more we fight it?

Luna starts snoring quietly and I get to my feet.
"If you'll excuse me Cadence, I need to talk to Celestia." Cadence nods then sits on the bed, stroking Luna's back with her hoof. The hallway has several guards running up and down it now, most likely securing the rest of the castle. Celestia talks with one of the guards, but stops when I approach.
"So I need a little clarification. That was a changeling, not Zaran correct?" Celestia thinks for a second and looks up at the ceiling.
"Well it was certainly a changeling's body. I must confess I'm not an expert in possession magic. That is considered dark magic and not something anypony publicly practices." I let out a loud growl of frustration.
"So a few things then. First, is there someone who is knowledgable on possession or even dark magic? Secondly, Luna said the power Zaran wields is like what she experienced with Nightmare Moon. It feeds off negative energy. Is there no way at all we can speak with this Nightmare Moon? Lastly, and I hate to say this, we are horrifically out-gunned. We need a way to level the playing field. Since I know nothing of magic, we need to assign one of your people to it. Do you have any suggestions?" Celestia purses her lips uncomfortably and looks away with just her eyes.
"That's the problem, most of this could be answered by our...ally discord. We still have no contact with him. He knows plenty about chaos and dark magic. I had him investigate a strange magical spike I picked up and he never returned. I sent a few guards, but they never came back. I was about to go myself, but then the war broke out. Also Nightmare Moon was vanquished, with no hope of return. I'll look through our books and see if there is some kind of shield we can erect, but even if we find something, the amount of power Zaran has seems to dwarf anything we might be able to make, but I'll look into it." I nod and thank her, being careful not to show how infuriating her response was. Lucretia walks around the corner and joins me as we stare out the shattered mural. I reiterate Celestia's responses, finished by a loud sigh.
"Zaran definitely had a hand in Discord's absence. It was most likely a calculated move. He either knew of Discord, or intentionally let out a large amount of magic, just to test his enemies detection abilities." Lucretia folds her arms and nods.
"It could have been when he made all the Og Nag leave. He probably knew the Equestrians would immediately detain them and he wouldn't have an army. Raiden...what the hell are we going to do?" All I can do is shake my head and stare quietly across the land that looked more like Nova every day.

Chapter 20: Heart Of Metal

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A cup goes flying across the room. I sit back in my chair opposite the table from Lucretia. She storms around the room, throwing random objects.
She shakes her head left and right, then turns and starts flailing her arms as she speaks.
“Are you kidding me?! If he grows stronger every time we fight him, then how much does his power increase?! What are we going to do if he ends up being able to possess two or more creatures at a time?! What if he no longer needs a host?! What if he’s able to possess Celestia or Cadence?! Can he use an alicorn's magic?! We're screwed if he can!” She stomps around the room. All her theories were now in danger.

We could learn a lot about Zaran after this fight, but knowing the limits of his new powers filled us both with dread. We had no idea how much more powerful he could become, but he was a handful already. Lucretia paces back and forth swiftly.
“Okay...so there’s one thing we need to start making a priority: we need to find some magical way to either contain him or defeat him outright. Even just detecting him would be fine with me. We can’t just sit around fighting Og Nag at this point either. I want to send Emeris to find out how he keeps getting more Og Nag as well. I think it’s clear they’re being manufactured.” She walks around with her hands on her hips.

I sit quietly, letting her brainstorm. She mumbles to herself. I don’t catch enough to make sense of it. She stops and stares at the ground.

“Okay so...when Luna recovers, maybe we can have her do some digging. We need to know what we’re dealing with as soon as possible. Now here’s another question about Zaran: why now? If he feeds off negative energy, then why is he just now surfacing? Has he always been here? Did he come with us through the explosion? I doubt he’s from our world or he’d be unstoppable by now, so he had to be here before. Was he just patiently waiting? Was there not enough negative energy here to feed him?” I can tell Lucretia is calming down. She’s drawing conclusions and beginning to understand Zaran again.

Cadence walks in, she has an excited expression on her face. She stands at the doorway, respectfully allowing us to include her. Lucretia walks around with her head bowed, deep in thought.
She hastily trots up to me after I wave her in, but glances once at Lucretia before speaking.
“Raiden...I overheard what you said, and I have a feeling I may be able to help.” I touch my fingertips together in front of me quizzically, cock an eyebrow and nod for her to continue.

She taps her front right hoof on her chin, looking slightly past me in thought.
“I had this strange feeling that there was a reason Zaran attacked Canterlot instead of the Crystal Empire. I mean Canterlot had two alicorns guarding it. Surely Shining Armor and I aren’t nearly as powerful as the princesses. Also there’s no telling what type of magical items they have hidden here, not to mention the fountain of knowledge both princesses have. I don’t like admitting it, but my kingdom was certainly an easier target. So why then? Well, are you familiar with the Crystal Heart?”

I shake my head in response. The chair shuffles against the floor as I sit up straight, eager to hear news of any new artifacts this place has Lucretia looks up from her thoughts at Cadence. She smiles weakly at Lucretia, still a bit uncomfortable with getting involved in “military” matters.
“The Crystal Heart is the most important artifact in our kingdom. With it, we can spread love throughout Equestria. However, the love of my people is needed for it to work. I’ve noticed from looking over previous reports, that the Og Nag multiplied in weeks, but that was after we left our kingdom to come assist.”

Lucretia lets out a silent gasp.
“I think we have some good news at last. There has to be a connection between the heart and Zaran's Og Nag!” I turn towards Cadence.
“How hard would it be for you to activate this heart again? I’m wondering what will happen if you started pouring love out of it, as we attack the Og Nag. It might hinder or even stop Zaran from growing more powerful. It could even break his connection with the Og Nag temporarily.” Lucretia slams her palms on the table.
"We might even be able to take out most of his forces! Who knows what will happen!" Cadence’s eyes grow wide.
“I...I don’t know. I would need a lot of citizens. Also everyone is so demoralized. I can’t fathom what we would need to do to raise everyone’s spirits.”

She taps her chin again thinking, then a small smile crosses her face.
“Wait! I have an idea! I’ll need a bit to make preparations, and I admit it will be a little unorthodox, but I can make it work!”
Lucretia stands with her arms crossed.
“We can attack the Og Nag whenever you’re ready. Emeris is holding them at bay, with neither side advancing forward for now. As far as we know, this may be the last group of Og Nag for a while. Our scouts reported in that all other groups are only a few hundred. I think Zaran has a plan with this attack. He’s probably holding off to see what we’ll do. If he’s doing that, then he has something nasty planned. It may even be his final assault.”

The wooden chair I'm sitting in, squeaks loudly as i lean back and rock slightly.
“Cadence, can you be ready by noon tomorrow? We’ll need to coordinate this as precisely as possible. What will most likely happen, is we will muster up our forces and wait until we see any sign that the Og Nag are acting weird, then attack.”
Cadence bits her lip nervously.
“That...that is a very short timespan.”

Lucretia leans against the wall.
“If Zaran see’s you leave, he’ll know something's up. We won’t have long. I’m sorry but noon tomorrow is the latest we can give you. We don’t have all the time in the world. Emeris needs sleep and so do our people. Noon is already pushing it, as none of them have slept yet.” Lucretia glances at me, most likely wondering if she’s overstepped her bounds.
Cadence looks back at Lucretia.
“Alright...noon tomorrow. But what if there’s complications? What if it doesn’t work or I get held up?”
I sigh deeply, wanting to reassure her but she needs to know the truth.
“Then this battle will be the deciding factor in the war. If we suffer too many casualties, Zaran might follow up with another attack, seeing as how quickly he can get more Og Nag. We won’t be able to get more replacement soldiers fast enough. All we have for reserves are the civilians who volunteered and a decent compliment of guards. They’re still being trained as fast as possible, so we won't have the skill advantage like we do with Taraskan infantry.”
Cadence stand there, trying to stop herself from shaking.
“I...that is most definitely not reassuring!”

Lucretia taps her foot impatiently.
“Look, I know this is a nasty position for you to be in, but we don’t have many options. The moment you leave, Zaran will know something is up. If you don’t go, then Zaran might be able to just wait us out, or force our hand with a bunch of minor skirmishes. Don’t think about what could happen, just focus on what you need to do, and get it done no matter the cost. How are you going to get everyone else over there anyways?”
Cadence smiles, now that she has something positive to contribute.
“Celestia, Luna, and myself can probably teleport them. It will take a lot of magic, but it can be done!”

Lucretia groans.
“So what you’re telling me is if you do this, we’ll have exhausted a bunch of our magic reserves…great.” Lucretia rubs her hands across her face, trying not to let her anxiety get the better of her. I stand up, and Cadence takes a few steps back.
“Cadence, we have no other options. Prepare your people and head out when you are ready. I’m going to walk around and inspect everything. This palace might turn into a full scale warzone.” Cadence nods and bolts to go prepare her people, probably grateful to be done with the conversation. I had noticed the princesses don't always react to long periods of stress. Hopefully they won't let us down when we need them. Lucretia stares at me, and shakes her head while sighing, before turning around and walking out.

I exit the room, and take a few random turns. We had several hours before Cadence was going to leave, and a nice walk sounded perfect.
I turn the corner and begin walking down a hallway. To my astonishment, I see Luna in all her beauty, coming from the opposite end. I instinctively look down at my feet, pretending to be deep in thought. I can see her eyes fixed on me. My heartbeat races. I can’t look her in those gorgeous teal eyes, that pull me into a realm I’m unfamiliar with. Her presence draws me in, begging me to abandon my surroundings. A few more steps. She still stares, I still fake my obliviousness. I’m almost side by side with her. A few more steps and I’m free from her captivating gaze. Suddenly, she flutters a wing in front of my face. I cry out, legitimately startled and grab my chest as I lean against the wall.
She giggles.
“Deep in thought again are we?” She comments, gently whipping me with her tail.
My laugh is a mix of fondness and relief.
“Well aren’t you always the jokester.”

She smiles and tilts her head to one side. It’s adorable and I can’t help but continue to stare as I walk past her. Her perfume is a wonderful mixture similar to blueberries and vanilla. It captivates me, it takes everything not to shiver. My heart pounds in my chest and my armor becomes a furnace. I hear her light footsteps walking away from me. I can’t help it. I take one last glance over my shoulder at her.

To both my horror and joy, she’s already looking at me as well. She giggles again, making warmth swim through my veins. Decades of anger and fear are left behind in a single moment. She gives me a slight wink. If it weren’t for my helmet, she would have seen my jaw drop and tremble.
This feeling is cut short as I walk straight into the wall in front of me and fall to the ground. She laughs hard, as her intoxicating light voice echoes through the halls. She turns a corner to the right and is gone again.

I had learned something new about Zaran that day. No matter how long he had possessed Luna, he could never pull off the same alluring gestures she could. Back in the room where Zaran was controlling her, I wasn't terribly nervous. It was more awkward than seductive. But when Luna's left to her own devices, that pony gets inside my head like a beautiful migraine. Even as I kept walking, my hands still shook. My jaw still trembled. Zaran had nothing on that purple goddess.

A gentle smile crosses my face.

Chapter 21: A Knife All Blade

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I walk to the wall that overlooks the massive plain to the north of Canterlot. It's roughly fifty feet high, and the only way up is a narrow ramp cutting the wall in two. It was a fantastic choke point. Ahead of me, slightly to the west, four thousand Og Nag wait eagerly in a forest. They’re a few miles away, but we can still hear their grunts. This was easily the largest amount we had fought yet, and I expected casualties no matter how well we planned. They covered the landscape with their numbers.

Emeris paces along the wall, apprehensive towards Lucretia’s plan. Lucretia has her hands on her hips, and stares at the ground. Emeris slowly shakes his head back and forth nervously as he paces.

“Emeris...look one way or the other we need to know what Zaran can do. We can’t discuss it this close to the Og Nag. Please trust us. I know the North is your area, but we have to try.”

Lucretia had suggested starting the fight a few hours early. We still wanted to test the extent of Zaran’s powers before the power from the Crystal Heart hits us. The plan was to start an assault, and have the Wonderbolts loaded with bombs. The Wonderbolts would be given orders not to drop their payload. If the Og Nag fan out when the Wonderbolts disappear into the clouds, then that means they’re expecting to be bombed. Seeing as how the Wonderbolts were told not to attack, it means Zaran can’t read minds. If the Og Nag don’t spread out and walk towards us, it means Zaran can read our minds. There was an off-chance he'd let our plan work just to confuse us, but that would mean heavy casualties for him. One way or the other, this was going to be bad.

In the event our own thoughts can’t be kept from such a creature, we would have to rely on normal military strategy and have to do almost everything on the fly, as planning would be useless. We would repeat the process a few times, seeing as how if the Og Nag are spread out instead of in a group, they’re more vulnerable to normal infantry. If they stay in a group, then we’ll actually have the Wonderbolts drop their payload.

The issue is if Zaran has something in store for the Wonderbolts, Emeris would be outnumbered and trapped. They’d have to make an insane retreat. Meaning Emeris would be out there with them. It wasn’t an easy call. Emeris was informed inside the castle. Now that it was time for him to begin the attack, he was having second thoughts. We were pretty sure Zaran could at least hear us from here, so we couldn’t discuss it any further, and there was no time to march all the way back to the palace. Celestia had erected some type of magical barrier around Canterlot that she assured us would block out any means of magically spying, but it takes a lot out of her.

Emeris stops pacing and stands still, eyeing the ground. He pulls out his war horn and gives one loud blast. In less than sixety seconds, his units storm up to him and get in formation. Lucretia’s soldiers were mixed in with his. In total, it was a hundred, against four thousand. We had about sixty bombs total. If well-placed, we might be able to take down around a thousand with bombs alone. But that will still leave roughly three thousand Og Nag to dispatch the normal way.

Celestia, Luna and Shining Armor would be too weak after transporting all the civilians Cadence needs to assist much in battle. In a last ditch effort, after all the lightning bombs had been dropped, the Wonderbolts were willing to fly with other pegasi to create a massive tornado. However they couldn’t practice it without fear of Zaran seeing and making his own counter. It would be a final backup plan that could end with our air support being decimated.

Emeris stands in front of his hundred soldiers. He can’t hide his nervousness so he doesn’t try. My tactic was to act solid and confident. Emeris was always upfront with his doubts and fears but made sure to verbally voice his plans to counter the worst case scenarios. He breathes quickly, as complete silence covers the land.

Emeris keeps it short and sweet.
“If you want peace, if you want a chance to live a normal life, if you want to get back at the one thing that has plagued us our entire lives, then listen closely. We will be heavily outnumbered. I know you’re all used to that, being badasses and all, but this is different. There are over four thousand Og Nag out there, and our bombs are limited. Keep your ears open as we will play this smart. The princesses might not come to our aid this time around. I wish I had written something more inspirational ahead of time, but screw it, let's kill some Og Nag!” He says while drawing his sword and raising it high for inspiration.

The soldier's reply with a mix of laughter and battle cries. Emeris looks at me, with that look we all get before you think you might not come back. He walks up to Lucretia and me. Before he can speak, Lucretia hugs him with all her strength. His eyes flinch a bit as he holds back tears. I cross my arms.
“You know we’ll be out on that battlefield long before you’re in a tight spot right?” I give him a small grin. He smirks and leans to the side with a bit of his charming attitude.
“Are you kidding? You expect me to fight without my favorite meat shield?” We both chuckle quietly, before shaking hands. He turns around, leaving nothing but the vicious snap of his teal cape.

Lucretia and I watch as his units follow him out single-file. Not a single soldier hesitates to be at his heels. We wanted to rely on Cadence so badly, but if it didn’t work, we needed a backup plan. There was a possibility her Crystal Heart would give us a massive tactical advantage, but we had to react with what we have here and now.

Emeris and his men jog briefly out into the field. They go in two groups of 50, marching perfectly in unison. I look over and see Captain Spitfire muttering to herself, as if she was having a conversation with an invisible friend. Her eyes dart like she's not even on this planet. Her gaze travels to the Og Nag with wide eyes, whispering to herself and shaking her head. Lucretia and I exchange worried glances. I couldn’t have her breaking down on me right now. Lucretia stands next to Stormchaser, ready to give her new orders to transfer to the Wonderbolts if need be.

I tap my fingers on the stone wall. We were about fifty feet up from the ground, with one single ramp being the only entrance...and exit. Normally it was just a simple uphill walk, but using Luna’s help, we moved multiple tons of earth, making sure the ramp is just one small passage, with walls of dirt on either side, compressed by stone slabs above. Last we had seen, the Og Nag have no real knowledge for how to climb walls, so they’d have to walk through a shower of arrows in a confined area, assuming they didn’t get blocked by bodies.

Emeris and his units stop at their mark, just about a mile out. I turn and nod to Spitfire, who takes her units into the air. They fly around in circles, waiting for the final signal to go into the clouds, being almost invisible. Emeris begins his march towards the Og Nag. Lucretia and I watch in horrified silence, analyzing every last detail. After a few minutes of marching, the Og Nag begin rushing towards them in a giant mass. I give the signal to Spitfire who jets into the clouds at full speed with her other members.

Lucretia points to the Og Nag excitedly.
“Look! They’re spread out! That’s it!” I slam a delightful fist onto the stone surface of the wall. The Og Nag, without looking up, slowly move apart from one another, trying to make our bombs as ineffective as possible. That was it. It proved Zaran was reacting. Emeris, as planned, stops his units and slowly begins walking backwards. The Og Nag take the bait and begin moving faster. We wanted them to think we were relying solely on the bombs.

Emeris continues to back up as the Og Nag rapidly increase in pace, until they’re full on running at him. Emeris holds off a few more minutes, until the Og Nag are running at him at full sprint in a giant disorganized mess. My foot taps so hard, I can barely hear Lucretia muttering nervously to herself. The Og Nag draw their weapons, only a few seconds from pouncing on our soldiers.Then, in a flash, Emeris’ units halt and charge the Og Nag. Several units get impaled immediately. We use the bodies as low-grade shields and slam them into every enemy behind, causing a huge jam in their forces. The Og Nag who were still running, have no time to stop, and collide with all the bodies impaled on spears.
The effect stacks a bit, as a few hundred Og Nag are knocked to the ground. Without hesitation, around twenty Taraska infantry charge past the wall of bodies, using our first line as stepping stones. They begin decapitating Og Nag left and right. It takes only a minute, but as all the Og Nag in the middle are pinned by their allies in the front and back, they have nothing to do but struggle before meeting their fate. With our soldiers literally climbing on top, driving sword after sword into every helpless Og Nag, they lose a staggering amount of soldiers.

Every enemy at the back of their horde who had time to stop, begin grouping up to combat our shield wall technique. I give the signal to Lucretia. She has Stormchaser read a small scroll. Stormchaser salutes with her hoof, and in a flash of purple, charges towards the clouds.

Emeris begins backing up again, as the Og Nag tighten their forces into a massive pack. As he falls back, the Og Nag climb over their dead, completely immune to the carnage. Emeris continues to retreat ever so slightly, acting hesitant. As the Og Nag hit the middle of the bodies, they’re pace slows with the uneven terrain, and that was their final mistake. They stop to help a few allies still trapped. In almost four seconds flat, the Wonderbolts come rocketing in, bombs at the ready.
We can all hear the sharp whistling, as the Wonderbolts hit top speed, not wanting to waste one valuable second.

With all the bodies under their feet, the Og Nag can’t spread out fast enough. We watch happily as jar after jar hits the ground. Lighting shoots out in all direction, arcing from enemy to enemy. Most convulse, then fall to the ground never to rise again, while some of the smaller Og Nag have their heads literally explode. They get hit with devastating losses. In just a few brief seconds, the Wonderbolts in a feat of brilliant timing and coordination got off ten bombs. The spread was perfect, as multiple jars spread to every last Og Nag, having almost zero overlap between jars.

Lucretia and I pound on the wall while cheering. It was good seeing Zaran getting his rear kicked. Lucretia turns to me.
“How many losses do you think that was?!” she yells excitedly. I laugh with a dark, sadistic tone.
“Easily five hundred. But that won’t work a second time.” I figured our first tactic would go off well, but the rest of the fight won’t be so easy.

We had learned many valuable things though. First off, it was clear that Zaran couldn’t read minds, or he could have easily countered us, by hitting us from the sides. It would have been devastating, as our forces would have been pinned and vulnerable. We had to rely on mobility, which was our saving grace. Secondly, it was obvious that the Og Nag reacted with almost human-like timing. Meaning Zaran was watching and giving orders. We had no doubts he could probably possess a few, and give them more advanced orders, but he couldn’t control their entire army like that. Most likely, he could give a single command to everyone, then tell individuals what to do.

I had multiple aces up my sleeve, but now it was time to let Zaran make a move.

Chapter 22: A Knife All Blade Part 2

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Emeris waits patiently, but I see a few of his soldiers shift about uncomfortably.
Shields are hastily raised at the sound of crunching trees. All eyes are on the forest, as something bad is about to go down. Birds dart from their nests, and the mighty wooden giants sway furiously. We hear the heavy sounds of many footsteps. Lucretia looks at me worried.
“Do we need to signal him to fall back?!” she asks nervously. I sigh in frustration.
“We can’t yet. We have to know what’s coming. If we give up ground now, we might not get it back. We won't be able to maneuver once he falls back up here and we'll have nowhere to go.”

Emeris stands confidently, but I know on the inside he has that same feeling of dread as the rest of us. Gasps echo from every unit, as several Garge’s emerge from the forest, carrying shaven down trees. There’s something odd though. I eye them suspiciously. I glance up and see Stormchaser hurtling towards me, a look of horror on her face. My stomach flip-flops as I can only imagine what gut-wrenching news she has.

Storm lands in front of me, panting heavily. She points at the Garges and tries her best to form words. Lucretia and I almost bit our tongues off while waiting for her. Lucretia cries out.
“Raiden! Emeris is falling back! He’s giving the signal that there’s something else going on.” Storm finally catches her breath and says one word.
“Foals!” she screams while pointing at the Garges.

I do my best to focus on the Garges but they do the work for me. One by one they raise their trees, revealing the most disgusting plan I had ever seen. Every tree had rope wrapped around the end. Under the rope, struggling in vain, were children. They twist and turn, crying out for help. I turn to the left, tear off my helmet, and vomit as the anxiety knocks the wind from my lungs.

Lucretia raises her hands to her mouth in silent horror, muttering in disbelief. This was a new low for Zaran. Emeris and his men can’t fathom what to do. Taking out a Garge was hard enough; taking out seven of them who use children as hostages was a crime against nature.

“Lucretia...what are we going to do? Do you think the Wonderbolts can rescue them?” I manage to mumble out.
Lucretia turns to me and shakes her head sadly. We couldn’t engage the Garges without hitting the children but we can’t just let them advance to the palace. Was I willing to give my archers the order to fire on the Garges? Could I even live with myself? With our regal backup out of commission, things began to look grim. Did Zaran know the Alicorns would be exhausted?

The Garges get closer, easily stepping over the bodies of fallen Og Nag. Emeris sprints up the ramp to Lucretia and I.
“Sir...I’m...I’m sorry, I didn’t know what to do!” Emeris is hunched over panting. His soldiers line the walls, pulling out bows, expecting the worst. Multiple faces glance at me, wanting me to make the call.

I can’t do it. It was my job to make these decisions and live with it, but I just couldn’t. Several soldiers start shaking their heads in disgust. The Og Nag grow quiet as they walk, allowing us to hear the desperate cries of the young, captive ponies. The same psychopathic grin is plastered on the face on every Og Nag. You can see every last sharp tooth clenched together in a malicious smile. Their eyes are wide and open, creating an unnatural, eager expression.

Emeris screams at me.
“Sir! We have to do something! They’re coming!” I don’t show it, but I start to panic. My thoughts are a train wreck. I’ve quarantined civilians and killed any who tried to leave. I’ve marched countless units to what I knew was certain death for the good of the entire city. I’ve held my ground against certain defeat. I have never given the order to murder children before.

My eyes dart wildly across the field as the Garges are almost to the wall. They step apathetically over their dead, having only one target in mind: Canterlot. Glancing to the palace, I see Celestia slumped over a distant balcony. She’s completely worn out. Would she forgive me for having the children of her kingdom killed for the greater good? Would she even understand ?I see her turn around and talk to someone further behind her that I can’t make out. A few of our archers look over their shoulder at me. I hear my name called a few times in panic. They want orders, and I have nothing.

Lucretia claws the sides of her helmet.
“We have to fire! They’ll just kill the foals if we do nothing anyways!” Emeris looks up at her in disbelief.
“Are you insane!? They’re innocent children! There was to be another way!” Lucretia lets her body slump to the ground in a depressed heap.
“We...don’t have a choice…” I mutter. I watch helplessly as the Garge’s are only five hundred meters from the wall and gaining ground every second. They had picked up pace after moving past the large graveyard in the middle of the field. Their heavy footsteps can be heard even from up here like the ticking of a clock. My heart pounds as every plan I come up with, crumbles. As soon as I'm ready to give the order to rain arrows on the Garges, my mouth freezes and refuses to do it.
flashes of my entire career being stained with the title of Child Killer, burst every thought I have.

We watch them with confusion as they stop. They gently lay their trees on the ground and untie their hostages. As the children run towards us, dozens of Og Nag climb aboard each tree. They draw their weapons, cheering and snarling. My blood runs cold.
“Emeris! It’s a trap! Don’t let the children up here!”
Emeris stares at the foals then back to me.
“Sir...what do you want me to do?!” My jaw trembles. I was almost ready to vomit all over again.
“Emeris...I want you to do what you have to do!”

Emeris’ arms shake as he pulls out his bow and loads a single arrow. The children make it to the wall and beeline to the ramp, with frightened tears streaming down their faces. Tiny little screams of terror erupt from them. Emeris draws his bow back, he shakes violently. His armor rattles as he trembles. He takes aim at the first filly in the ramp. I hear him start crying.
“Sir! I...I can’t! They’re just children! They’re…they’re coming to us for safety! I…I can’t do this!” I grit my teeth, not wanting to be the bad guy.
“Emeris, it is a trap! They'll be killed after they take the palace!”

Emeris screams in agony, unable to make his fingers do what has to be done. He looks away and lets his mouth hang open. His face folds all over itself, soaked with tears. He falls to the ground sobbing and lets his bow hang loosely in his hand. I brace myself, unable to grab my own bow in time. The children reach us and immediately hide behind numerous soldiers in absolute terror. I breathe a sigh of relief, as the foals run around in blind panic. This must ahve been to draw our attention. It was time to pay the price of hesitation though.
“Archers! Take them down!” Lucretia shrieks. Our soldiers snap out of their grateful trances and start pulling out arrows.

A white filly with a pink mane runs up to me crying. I bend down and pick her up, each hand under her forelegs. I smile at her. She smiles back. Her eyes glow green and that sick grin gets plastered onto her face. My jaw drops. The filly transforms into the same type of black and green changeling from the palace. I suck in air to yell out. Before I get a word in, its horn glows green. I see the same thing happening with every filly, and most of them are hugging the archers.

All I see is a light, green flash, followed by blinding, burning pain. I can’t see. I feel the changeling kick my stomach, knocking me to the ground. I hold my eyes as the burning sensation is unbearable. The rumble of the Garges shakes the ramp, as they jog towards our walls. The devilish laughs of the changelings fade as they transform again. I gradually get to my feet, unable to see. I give the only order I can.
“Everyone! Fall back and regroup!”

We abandoned our only choke point. It was a scenario I never thought would happen so early and so easily. I look around and see the second stage of their plan. The changelings had morphed to look like Taraska infantry. It was almsot impossible to tell who from whom. Before I get to my feet, a soldier comes charging at me, with no weapon drawn. I stay hunched down on one knee until the last second. I lunge at his torso and wrap my arms around it, before suplexing them neck first into the ground behind me. They lay on the ground either unconscious or dead.

I look around, both delirious and panicked. A copy of Lucretia beats on her mercilessly, as she lies on the ground, still covering her face. I draw my sword and raise it up. The copy of Lucretia gets one final punch in. The Lucretia on the ground morphs back into a dead changeling. The real her turns around and glares at me. I lower my sword.

“Sorry!” I holler.

Lucretia stands up and rushes over to a pair of soldiers choking each other against a wall. She shoves them apart.
“Nehora!” She screams out. One of the soldiers stands at attention, the other stands there shaking and confused. She kicks the side of the imposter’s knee. They go down to kneeling, and cry out in pain. She grabs its head, and tilts it back so they're looking at the sky. Lucretia brings her elbow down into the creature's face, with all her might. It makes a sickening suction sound as her sharp elbow of armor sinks a good four inches into its face. It falls to the ground with a thud, morphing back into a changeling.

Lucretia pulls out her sword.

“Everyone! To arms!” Our soldiers quickly get the idea that the changelings don’t actually have weapons to pull out. The changelings morph immediately and fly away, howling with laughter.

“We need to find a way to-” I’m cut off as the trees slam against the wall with a deafening thud, and numerous Og Nag pour all over the place.

An average sized Og Nag rushes me. I deflect his sword to the left, turn to my side and boot him in the face with a well-placed side kick. I swing my sword horizontally and send his head bouncing down the ramp. The Garges begin slowly making their way up here. The very first Garge has a massive metal shield, making it almost impossible to hit any of them with arrows.

“Fall back!” I scream through the chaos. Another Og Nag rushes me from the left. I deflect his attack to the right, making him turn his back to me as his own momentum into a power attack betrays him. I reach around with my free arm, wrapp it around his neck. Stepping onto the back of his leg, he falls down to both knees. Giving his head a hard yank, I get to see his lifeless eyes as he drops his weapon. He falls forward with a loud thud.

I sprint back to the majority of my units that try to form a defensive wall with their shields. I stumble through them, mentally drained for a moment. Lucretia helps Emeris to a spot on the wall, as he holds his ribs. I shake my head in disbelief. The rest of the path through Canterlot to the palace was too confined to fight Garges without massive losses, assuming we even managed to take one down. The Garge's carefully fan out from the ramp, forming their own shield wall with massive pieces of wood.

All seems lost when a familiar blue princess lands in front of me. Luna’s horn lights up and a wave of kinetic energy blasts forth, knocking the Garges to the ground momentarily. The air is filled with the sound of angry monsters. She turns to me.
“Cadence will be here soon, but we need to talk first.” I stare at her for a few seconds.
“Talk?! I don’t have time to talk! We’re in the middle of the worst-”

“Raiden!” She shrieks.
“Listen to me, and listen carefully, we will not have time to discuss this! There are four main universes, with limitless alternate dimensions! There is a Human realm and a pony realm, both being considered “good”. Then there are evil versions for both the pony realm and human realm. We believe that a specific evil pony realm has found a way to travel through dimensions.”

I grit my teeth.
“That’s absolutely fantastic Luna! I’ll write a report on it later!” Luna charges forward, and pins me against a wall with her front hooves.
“Shut up and listen! We sent a small scouting party to that alternate universe and recovered an artifact that will help! Given your past, I need you to keep an open mind!” She lets me off the wall, but still glares at me. I rub my neck.
“Wh...what do you mean an artifact!?”

I hear a strange noise as Cadence appears to my right. Behind her, there’s something I’ve never seen before but recognize from the old tales of my world. Lucretia and Emeris both gawk at it in disbelief. Behind Cadence is a massive glass orb filled with purple energy. She looks at me with concern, unsure of my reaction.

I point a trembling hand full of hatred at the orb.
“Wh...what is that thing and what is it doing here?! You have no idea what happens if that thing detonates!” I scream. Luna gets between Cadence and I. She bits her lip nervously.
“These orbs are filled with magic. For now, us Alicorns can pull extra magic from it. Cadence can use her magic to keep your units alive for a while.”

I cock an eyebrow.

“How long exactly?”

Cadence sighs.

“I can make your soldiers immortal for five minutes…but there's a catch.”

Chapter 23: Holy Hell

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Author's Notes:

Warning: Chapter 23 features depictions of gore and decapitation. I have provided a review of this chapter for those who do not wish to read it.
Raiden and company decide to use the orb, and become much more daring in combat due to Cadence being able to resurrect them for five minutes. They defeat the wall of Garge's, just to have the Og Nag infantry use the massive shaven trees as makeshift ladders.
Cadence eventually runs out of magic and uses her last reserves to teleport back to the Crystal Empire to try and use the Crystal Heart.
As the Og Nag pile up, they do their best to remove as many bodies as possible. Raiden has all his troops maxed out, as they're either part of the defensive line guarding the right side of the wall, or the main ramp leading out to the field
The Og Nag set up a tree on the left, and Raiden knows they can't hold all three as it is. Celestia and Luna use most of their reserves to teleport King Hurrand, General Versa, and the fifty troops they kept at Taraska to the fight. Versa holds the left wall, but they begin facing the issue of too many bodies piling up.
Luna uses every ounce of strength she has to clear all the bodies from the field. Raiden has her carried away in case they lose ground.
The ramp gets clogged and the Og Nag are able to climb over their dead and spill over to attack the left and right defensive lines. They begin to lose ground and Raiden almost orders a retreat.
From what they can tell, Cadence succeeds, and the control over the Og Nag is broken. Standing around confused and uncoordinated, the Og Nag are cut down by the Taraska infantry. Upon celebrating, Zaran shows himself across the field.
A horrific booming shriek snaps us all out of our spirits. I stand up, looking around for the source. It was far away, and sounded like a cross between thunder and a hawk. Where the Og Nag came from, rose the most despicable creature I had ever seen. It towered above everything. It had to be several hundred feet tall. It looked like a centipede from your worst nightmares.
It was jet black, and around 10 meters wide. It was easily a few miles away, but it had these two massive eyes on the sides of its head. They were angled just enough to where I could see them. They glowed orange, with a stare so full of rage; I could feel it all the way from Canterlot. I knew it was Zaran. Black smoke rises from its body. It seemed as if it was roasting in the sunlight, or maybe it was from the crystal heart. Whatever it was, staring me down took priority apparently.

After a few minutes, it slithers back into the ground. I see it dematerialize, passing through the dirt as if it was fog.

Lucretia and Emeris share a glance for a bit, before staring at the orb again. Part of me wanted nothing to do with the thing, considering what it did to my world. On the other hand, we were out of options and almost out of time. The Garge’s slowly start to regain their composure. Luna shoots them a sharp glare, before flying above us and hitting them with another wide blast of energy. Luna lands panting.

“Raiden, I’m still worn out from the teleport. Cadence’s original plan can still work but we wanted to try the orb as well. I dare not take energy from it for myself.” She turns to face me.
“It is up to you. Will you use it or not?”

I curl my lips inwards with both pride and anger. The idea of using this...this thing, was disgraceful. Why not dig up our dead and use them as shields why we're at it. Emeris walks up to me, his eyes bulging with uncertainty.
“So what’s more dangerous, seven Garge’s in a small, confined area or one hundred immortal Taraska for five minutes?”
When I turn to Luna, I can't help but allow my face to scrunch up with scorn.
“When this is over, we’re having a long talk about who made those orbs, and where I can go to kill them.”
Luna cocks an eyebrow with a slight smirk.
“Save our palace and you can have whatever you want.”

My face goes blank for a moment before I look over at Cadence.
“When you say immortal…”

Cadence inhales with uneasiness.
“To be blunt, you will have to die and endure the expected pain of your injuries. But I can resurrect you and restore you to full...after roughly ten seconds.”

Lucretia’s mouth hangs open.
“So...we’ll have to feel death and having our limbs chopped off?!”

We all stare at Cadence in shock. This was going to suck.

The Garge’s are almost to their feet. My soldiers look at each other; no one wants to be the first experiment. I sheath my sword, toss it to Emeris and walk towards the garges. They're so close, I can smell the rotting flesh splatterd over their armor. As they get up, they stare down at me with hatred. I cross my arms, and wait patiently. It took everything I had to act apathetic. On the inside, I was a child hiding under their bed. Without hesitation, a Garge on my left grabs me around my midsection. My heart pounds in my throat. Every instinct screams at me to flee, to fight, to do anything. Being a leader means setting a good example. They didn't cover being a desert tray.
I do my best to keep eye contact with the beast. In one swift motion, he shoves my head in his mouth.

I’m blinded by pain. I feel his teeth crunch through the bone in my neck. I feel the skin separate so easily under his massive jaw. I had heard rumors that even once decapitated, the human brain lives on for six minutes. I have the unfathomable horror of verifying this fact. The world spins around me, as the Garge spits out my head, throwing my body to the side. My helmet flies off and skips across the palace grounds. I can’t move my face, as the pain completely consumed all my senses. My brain screams for oxygen, trying to tell my lungs that aren’t there to pull in more air. The horror of every last warning signal from my brain going off, overloading me. My mind becomes primitive, seeking only to survive, and having no way to do it.

I look up at my men, whose eyes are wide and petrified. They squirm as my mouth autonomously moves up and down slightly. I had never experienced such pain before. Every part of my brain screams to do something, to run from the danger, but there’s nowhere to go and no means of fleeing.
Run. Breathe. Eat. Don’t move. Danger. Agony. These are the single words my brain produces to tell me. I stop comprehending the world around me. My vision starts to go out and I feel myself drifting away.

Cadence’s horn glows pink, as I’m whisked back to my body. In just a few seconds of being attached, the pain leaves and I feel my limbs once again. The nearest Garge watches me. It picks up my body before I’m ready to move. It grabs my chest and legs, before bending me backwards. I let out a blood-curdling scream I’ve never heard before. I feel several things in my back break. Shards of bone ram themselves into various organs, and I feel a rush of hot liquid inside me. I start convulsing. Blood sprays from my mouth as my arms flail helplessly out of pure instinct. The beast holds me by my legs and throws me back at my forces. I skid across the ground motionless. The blood pouring inside me swishes around my insides as I tumble across the floor.

Upon opening my eyes, my brain can't quite figure out of I'm alive or dead. It sends me contradictory signals, one moment telling me to lay still, the other moment it screams for me to run from danger. No creature was ever meant to experience this. I feel my heels scraping the back of my chest armor,a s they're currently forced the wrong direction. I hear multiple screams erupt from our forces, along with Luna. A third of my soldiers, including Emeris, vomit on the ground. I get back up gradually, no longer being in pain as that soothing warmth once again spreads over me. My brain is still trying to comprehend everything. My temples pound at the unnatural experience I just went through. I do the only natural thing I can: I push it out of my mind, grab my sword from Emeris who still gawks at me, and order my men forward.

The first Garge ahead of me brings his ax up. As he brings it down, I turn my body sideways. The ax collides with the ground just in front of me. With a quick upwards swing of my sword, I lob off its mighty hand. Seeing as how death wasn’t an issue, being a bit more bold was in order. There was a lot of theories I could finally test, but didn’t want to risk before. I’m sent flying by a hit to the back from his ally. I know Cadence will wait to heal me until I hit the ground. My back cries out, and I can no longer feel my legs.

I shake profusely and scream, unable to take the pain of my spine being in pieces again. A glow comes over my skin. The pain subsides and I stand up. I’m dizzy and I feel something inside my head start to snap. An Og Nag runs over to me, sword above his head. At the last second, I step to the side and dodge him completely. I grab a leather strap on his back, and use his momentum to send him flying over the cliff. He shrieks until he hits the ground.

As I turn around, another Og Nag plunges his sword up and under my armor starting at my waist. My mouth hangs open. My body automatically wants me to vomit out the foreign metal object but I’m unable to. I do my best to think through the pain. I hold onto his hand so he can’t pull it out. With the last ounce of my strength, I lob off his head. I stand there, unable to resist staring at the sword. I reach behind me and feel the tip stick out an inch, scraping against the inside of my chest piece.

I pull out the sword, and wait a few seconds. A horrible empty feeling consumes my gut, as blood pours from the wound, filling up my boots gradually. The familiar pink warm glow covers my body. I feel the wound seal up. The blood pooling all over the ground is all I can stare at. Had any being ever seen so much of their own blood in one day? My brain gives me the bizarre sensation of telling me I need to lie down and rest from my injury, but I also feel fine. I do my best to ignore my basic survival instincts and get back to fighting. That was the only part of my training that mattered at the moment.

The first Og Nag I see gets the extra sword I’m still holding thrown into his face. I look around for Emeris, who sends arrow after arrow into every oncoming Og Nag. My soldiers slowly begin to surround the Garge’s but it’s not going well. Limbs are getting hacked off left and right. I watch my soldiers scream right before being crushed with a Garge’s axe.
I cup my hands and call out to Emeris.
“We need to focus our efforts on the Garge’s!”

Emeris places his hands around his ears and yells for me to repeat myself. Before I holler, a loose Garge's ax lobs off Emeris’ head and hands. It's impossible not to stare as his body that's still standing. I knew he would be fine, and at that same moment my entire world felt like it was crashing down around me. I bolt towards him, desperate to do everything in my power to save him. His body stays upright for a few seconds before falling backwards out of sight. Slaying a few more Og Nag on my way, I can't resist screaming cries of protest followed by Emeris' name. As he regains consciousness, he gets up and jogs over to me. As if a ghost from my past had come back, I hug him with all my might, making him choke on his words. I let go and blush as he purses his lips.
“We need to take out the Garge’s immediately! I need you to try and blind them; they’re just cleaving through our units too quickly! Start with the ones on the end, so we can gradually surround them!” Emeris nods. I go for the first Garge. He sees me and readies his axe. With his attention on me, he’s an easy target. An arrow plows into his right eye. He howls in rage, grabbing his head with both hands. I run up to him and jump, grabbing onto his front chest piece to get the height I need. My sword runs easily through his head. As I drop down, he begins falling towards me. I’m able to roll through his legs at the last second.

As I go to stand up, an Og Nag jams his sword through my collar bone. Before I can cry out, I get another sword through my left eye. Everything goes black. My eyes open again, seeing the bottom of Lucretia’s boot pressed against my face, as she’s apparently just pulled out the sword from my skull. It makes a sickening suction sound as it leaves. A few crimson drops roll off the sword’s tip and kiss my cheek. I wipe the blood from around my eye. She helps me up and takes an arrow through her neck. She instinctively cups her hands around it, gurgling and spitting up blood. The friend in me wants to scream and hold her in my arms, but the logical part of me knows to shrug it off. The constant war of emotions within me is distracting to say the least.

I whirl around and deflect a sword swipe to the left. Before he can recover, I ram the points of my helmet into the Og Nag’s head, killing him. With his weapon free, I charge the archer that shot Lucretia. I either barely dodge or block each arrow with my swords. As he reaches for his quiver, I hurl my spare sword into his chest, making him fall backwards in a lifeless heap.

The Garge’s are still preoccupied with slaughtering my soldiers in front. I dash behind them, slashing ankles, calf muscles, anything I can cut through. A chorus of beastly howls is heard, as they fall to the ground. Some fall forward, supporting themselves with their arms. A few others fall backwards, clawing madly like a child during a temper tantrum. It takes only a few seconds for my units to dive in, piercing and lashing anything they can get their hands on.

Occasionally, a soldier goes flying, struck or grabbed by a Garge. I watch some of my units take out years of pent up aggression, constantly hacking at the massive corpses, carving off whatever they can. I hear one in particular sobbing as hard as he swings his sword. I leave them be. Best to get it out now, than take it out on each other later.

The random bits of Og Nag soldiers are quickly dispatched. I grin as over half our units have decided to savor the moment, by using their hands to beat Og Nag to death. Lucretia joins me as we cut through dozens of foes to get to the wall. Our units easily make their way to the ramp and hold it, as wave after wave of Og Nag come rushing to us. They’re tossed over the side of the mountain. Cadence has an easier time simply restoring the stamina of our soldiers. The Og Nag have nothing but a thirty meter wide ramp to run up, and are met with a wall of shields and overly confident enraged Taraska infantry who have nothing to fear.

Lucretia chuckles as we look across the land, surprised just how quickly we’re dispatching their numbers. If our units weren’t part of the shield wall, they used hooked spears to pull bodies over to the edge of the mountain and toss them over. Emeris runs up, out of breath, with an oddly concerned look on his face. He’s unable to speak, and points to the other wall across the ramp to the right. The Og Nag have started using teamwork to lift the large shaven trees, and leaned them up against the wall.

Lucretia drives her palm into her face in embarrassment. We had completely forgotten about the shaven trees, thinking the whole thing was a distraction for the changelings. They served a dual purpose apparently. A swarm of Og Nag starts pouring over the wall to our right, climbing the trees like ladders.

Multiple soldiers automatically form another wall of shields and spears and do their best to block them off, but they swarm quickly with impressive numbers. Something eats at me. I do my best to get a good view of the trees. The Og Nag were strangely coordinated and skilled. Had Zaran been practicing with them? Could he actually improve an Og Nag in combat permanently? Could he really train an Og Nag, then have that Og Nag retain the skills it’s learned even after Zaran stops controlling them?

Luna calls out to me, then points at Cadence. Cadence’s mane is all over the place, sticking to her face from all the sweat. Luna shakes her head slowly at me when she sees me staring. The orb is almost empty as well. I call out to my men that Cadence is out of the picture. They go back to being almost perfectly coordinated, having to reserve every last bit of energy. Even with our invaluable choke point, did we really have enough stamina to cut through another few thousand Og Nag?

Lucretia clamps a hand on my shoulder.
“Raiden, Cadence needs to go do her thing now! If it works, we might get an advantage!” Our right side was lacking a bit, so I run over and start moving soldiers around to the right spots. I motion for Emeris to give us covering fire. I grab one other unit and signal him to come with me after I grab a spear and shield lying on the ground. We hug the wall, keeping shields and spears in front of us. I impale a crazed Og Nag straight in the face, then shield bash him off my spear. Arrows whistled over our heads, as Emeris tries to nail every new Og Nag that comes over the wall on our side.

I quickly realize I’ve pushed too far, as I’m almost unable to keep up with all the Og Nag that stop to take swipes at us. “Cor hor!” I yell at the top of my lunges, signaling our right side to push and push now. They let out a roar as the wall of shields is rammed forward. The soldiers in front drop their weapons, and brace the shield with both hands, as the unit directly behind them help shove and slay the loose Og Nag who don’t die from being trampled.

We push to the wall and start hacking at the wood. Half our units use their swords to chop, as the other half use spears to kill arriving Og Nag. A loud crack fills the air as Cadence teleports away. Unfortunately, we only take down two of five trees before the Og Nag set up their remaining trees on the left wall. I yell in anger, not having enough soldiers to hold the ramp and both sides. My eyes dart around nervously.

We were losing ground fast. Each soldier who did their best to keep the shield wall up has that one pesky unit who clings onto their shield. I've never seen Og Nag do that. They always just try to blindly swipe at you. They sacrificed themselves, knowing our soldiers couldn't take the weight of an Og Nag on a shield. In the time it took them to kill the grasping creature, another enemy would run up and have to be slain on the spot. It wore everyone out immediately. I started seeing occasional gaps in our lines, as small annoyances become larger issues.

We couldn't fall back and lose the ramp, that choke point was giving us a huge advantage. After everything we just went through to hold it, there's no way we could lose it now. We couldn't stay here because we were about to get overrun. My head involuntarily snaps to the left and right. One soldier holds up his shield as an Og Nag leaps onto it. He has no choice but to let himself fall to one knee. As he does, another Og Nag runs up and puts a sword in his neck. He lets go of his shield and tries to grab hold of the blade. The first Og Nag runs a dagger into the soldier's stomach.

Another one of my men has an Og Nag on his back. He turns in circles, trying to throw it off. A second Og Nag runs up and slices the tendon on his foot. He goes down and gets stabbed several times up the back of his armor. A small hand clamps onto my gauntlet and tries to pull me into the tide of Og Nag. I'm almost about to topple over the stone wall when one of my soldiers grabs my other hand and pulls me back. I let out a sigh.

"Thank-" The soldier takes two quick arrows into the throat and falls backwards gurgling.

Then I hear another flash of magic, followed by the most joyous sound of all: a Taraskan warhorn. A loud, deep trumpet cut through the sound of battle: it was Versa. I turn around and see the fifty units that stayed with King Hurrand running towards the left wall.

I catch Luna’s eye; she smiles and nods at me. Celestia stands next to her, both pant furiously. Celestia staggers around a bit; her eyes are unfocused. Did they seriously teleport King Hurrand, General Versa, and the last of our units up here? It didn’t matter, we needed the reinforcements. Having random alicorn pwoers save the day, was now probably out of the picture. Every last thing we had, was in play. Every last unit, every last ounce of magic, there wre no other trump cards to use. Even if Cadence's Heart broke Zarans' control, could we possibly have enough to finish them all off? Versa charges the wall, filled with rage.

A larger Og Nag is the first over and the unluckiest. He runs at Versa, sword in the air. When he’s almost to ideal swinging distance, Versa dashes forward and closes the few meters he has instantly. Before he can react, Versa reaches across her body with her right hand, grabs his arm so he can’t swing, then whirls around in the same move to slam her elbow into the Og Nag’s face. She twists his arm around as he falls to the ground, locking his elbow. With a precision swing, she makes him cut off his own head, also forcing his elbow to snap completely. She picks up his body with ease and hurls him at the nearest tree, knocking it over.

Another Og Nag comes in to try and impale her. She turns to the side, and grabs his right arm with her left hand. His sword barely scrapes her chest piece as he flys by. She drives her other elbow into his, making it break instantly. The Og Nag bends over a bit. She grabs the back of his head and holds it still, as she drives a knee spike into his forehead. She shoves his dead body away.

She gets a few more paces before an additional adversary tries their luck. Just like the first one, he lunges at her, ready to bring down his sword. Versa dashes the short distance, and grabs his right swinging arm with her left hand. She grabs his throat with her free hand, picks him up, and slams him by his throat into the ground. She angles his body back so he takes all the force on the back of his head.

She quickly overtakes the left wall. The dead build up fast, and our units with hooks work overtime to clear away the bodies. They can’t throw them back over the wall or the Og Nag might have a way to climb up. They start slowing down as their stamina begins to drain. Lucretia does her best to swap out units in our defensive line with the hook crew, but it’s not quite enough. Bodies begin to litter the ground, and our troops start tripping over them.

That cold feeling begins creeping up my skin, as I start to see a problem occur that I can do nothing about. I look around for a solution, but every soldier is either a vital part of the defensive line, or exhausted. Versa literally has her hands full pummeling Og Nag. Lucretia tries to hold the middle, while I hold the right. Emeris provides ranged support for whoever needs it. but he's only one person.

The bodies start creating hazardous mounds, and soon the ramp becomes a problem. Og Nag are able to start climbing over their dead, and go around our defensive line. I do my best to slay a many as possible, but I’m forced back by the sheer volume. Arrow after arrow starts pounding the group at the ramp. The Og Nag see their chance, and begin cramming every unit into the ramp, attempting to overwhelm us. I want to call out orders but there’s none to give.

If we fall back now, we’ll lose our only choke point. Things were tense enough, but actually retreating while keeping your shields up isn’t a reliable tactic. Even if we fall back, it will be complete chaos at that point. Emeris calls out to me.
“Raiden! I’m out of arrows!” I grit my teeth. My eyes twitch with panic. I open my mouth to give the one order I don’t want to give. I see soldiers look around, slowly losing their nerve. I start to see gaps in our defensive line; we were on the verge of a full-blown retreat. I had to rally them, but there was nothing I could do.

I turn and face the shield wall.

"Fall back! We'll take them on in the city!" The words are eerily familiar. The burning buildings of Taraska flash into my mind. The same thing had happened to us. Now it was the Equestrian's turn to share the same fate. Everyone starts backing up immediately, but several units stumble as they do. Plates behind the knee made walking backwards difficult and it took a lot of focus so your legs don't lock up.

"We'll use the buildings in the cities as new choke points!" There was a chance that holding them back at the buildings could work, but we'd inevitably get stuck upstairs, with no way to retreat. Also the Og Nag would be left to run around the city and go for the palace if they can't find a target. It really was the final tactic and it's never worked. That was also assuming we made it back there. It was almost a mile walking backwards with Og Nag pounding on the shields of our fatigued infantry.

Suddenly, every Og Nag in view looks behind us towards the sky. They stop running and stand still. My head snaps around to see Luna flying in the air, a mere twenty feet above us. Celestia stands behind her a ways, with her head bowed. A stream of light erupts from her horn, flowing into Luna. Were they combining their magic?

My question is answered as a fearsome beam rushes over our heads. The sound is deafening. I can no longer hear the yelling of my soldiers, or the clanking of armor and weapons. The sound could only be described as putting your ear to the ground during an earth quake. The only other thing I can hear is Luna's sharp, angry screams. The bright purple light forces us to shut our eyes. All my senses burn. I feel massive amounts of heat pounding my face.

As it hits the Og Nag on the ramp, they're blown back. Most of our units are thrown to the ground. We're unharmed, but in complete shock. Our soldiers cheer upon seeing dozens of Og Nag being thrown hundreds of feet in the air, back towards where they came from. Everything on the ramp had been disintegrated. It was coated in ash, and molten metal. I had never seen such power before. I see small amounts of steam flowing from the side of my armor that was facing the blast. I look back at Lucretia who stands behind me, still coddling her ears.
"They could turn metal molten from a single blast?! Just how strong were these alicorns?!"

An odd combination of both Celestia and Luna's voices fill the air in a thunderous roar.
"If you wish to be free, then go and take it!" is all they say, and all they need. A chorus of cheers erupts as our soldiers get to their feet, rallied by a new sense of strength. This was it, the final push.

Every corpse on the ground is surrounded with a purple glow. They lift into the air only a few feet, before being swept over the cliff. I cheer out in reflex. Glancing around, I see Luna behind our defensive line, horn glowing purple. As all the bodies are flung over, she wobbles a bit, before collapsing. Her body shakes slightly and her legs go rigid. I look back at the right side I need to hold. Lieutenant Cy has been keeping an eye on me.
“Go, I can hold it!” He yells to me. I nod to him in gratitude, and sprint to Luna.

I slide to the ground, stopping right next to her. I place my hands on her shoulders, looking her over. She weakly looks into my eyes.

“I’m...I’m fine, I’m just tapped out I haven't felt this way since Tirek stole our magic.” She coughs as she smiles. I motion to a few pony guards in the back. They come jogging over immediately.
“Make sure the princess is safe. Get her back if you can.” They nod and kneel next to her, doing their best to wrestle her onto their backs.
I watch her being carried away. She looks back at me with concern. I know she wants to keep fighting but she's already done her best. I hear Lucretia walk up behind me.
“If she keeps this up, we will have to make her an honorary Taraskan.”

Several soldiers call out my name. I dash to the front and witness what can only be described as doom. Every last Og Nag runs to the wall. Was Zaran waiting for Luna to exhaust herself before throwing everything he has at us? Lucretia and I can do nothing but stare. We were exhausted, worn out, and we had no other trump cards to play. This is what Zaran wanted. He had no idea what we had, so he sent only what was necessary to barely overwhelm us, so if we did have a massive trump card to play, he would only lose the bare minimum of units. Zaran wasn't just evil, he was a tactical genius as well with an army of mindless minions to control. They say you never escape Nova.

As if hearing our cries, a massive rainbow erupts through the sky, annihilating every cloud in its path. A strange warmth passes over us; it felt like we had already won the war, despite our predicament. The Og Nag stop in their tracks, looking around confused. The blank looks they had before are replaced with bewilderment.

“Raiden!” I hear Celestia call out.
“Cadence has done it! Whatever evil was driving them before is gone for the moment!” I don’t waste it. I pull out my sword and charge down the ramp, beheading every Og Nag I can in full sprint. My abs burn and I could easily pull something at any moment. My soldiers follow me down. We are a tidal wave of metal and death. We don’t stop to consider the idea that maybe the Og Nag are victims now. They may even be harmless at this point. We can’t risk it, and there honestly wasn’t a part of me that even cared. If I was a murderer now, I’d gladly save them a seat in hell.

In just a few minutes, we sweep through the last thousand effortlessly. They all stood there, not knowing what to do, not even raising their weapons. The last hundred or so attempt to flee, but are coated with arrows. Not one escapes. My soldiers cheer and cry out. A few moments ago we had stood in the face of mortality itself and held our ground.

Vicious clangs of armor on armor echo all over the battlefield. Everyone cheers, slapping each other on the arm, jumping up and down, slamming chest plates together. And most of all, we wouldn’t be hearing from the Og Nag for a while. Our scouts had verified that all other groups of Og Nag were only a few hundred, and the Wonderbolts would be happy to use them as target practice to keep them from grouping up, as well as entertainment

I gradually walk my way up the road to Canterlot, planning on talking with Celestia about our next move. She meets me half way to my surprise. I’m about to speak when she gently tackles me to the ground. She embraces me in an awkward hug due to our difference in species. I don’t care. We lay on the ground, both happily laughing that our nations were safe for the time being.
I lay there, laughing in relief. Even if the war wasn't over, we had time to breath.

A horrific booming shriek snaps us all out of our spirits. I stand up, looking around for the source. It was far away, and sounded like a cross between thunder, a hawk and a bear. Where the Og Nag came from, rose the most despicable creature I had ever seen. It towered above everything. It had to be several hundred feet tall. It looked like a centipede from your worst nightmares.

It was jet black, and around 10 meters wide. It was easily a few miles away, but it had these two massive eyes on the sides of its head. They were angled just enough to where I could see them. They glowed orange, with a stare so full of rage; I could feel it all the way from Canterlot. I knew it was Zaran. Black smoke rises from its body. It seemed as if it was roasting in the sunlight, or maybe it was from the crystal heart. Whatever it was, staring me down took priority apparently.

After a few minutes, it slithers back into the ground. I see it dematerialize, passing through the dirt as if it was fog. Celestia and I exchange bewildered and concerned glances. The walk back to the palace was silent.

I decided to ask about the orbs another day. I needed a break; we all did.

Chapter 24: The Bright Side Of The Moon

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Focusing on the walls and ceiling is difficult, as I roll down the steps of the palace. I feel weightless while my hair flutters about freely. I come to a stop, laying on my side. My soldiers and Equestrians mingle with drinks and food in-hand. No one notices me as they're too busy caught up in random banter. Someone grabs my hair and holds me up to their face.
"Oh...it's you, Raiden. I'll just set you back on the table." They return me to my perch overlooking the room. No one wants to talk with just a head.

I sit up in bed screaming. Lucretia is already at my side. She pulls me in and holds me as the emotions slowly fade. A violent shiver runs through my body; the thought of being a helpless head who sits awkwardly in the corner of the room was just a little too familiar in more ways than one. I grip the sheets like a log in a river, doing everything I can to hold on until the tide of emotions subside. Lucretia still says nothing. There's nothing she can say. All she can do is help keep me grounded in reality.

I pant heavily, releasing the sheets. I felt exhausted. My head is bowed, as I'm still not fully here yet. Lucretia continues to stroke my head. She always had better coping mechanisms than the rest of us. She let herself cry when she had time. She faced her emotions head on, let them flow through her, and eventually out of her. Unlike the rest of our soldiers, she didn't bottle anything up; she vented. Gradually, due to her emotional availability, she became a sort of den mother.

There was no denying the fact that she helped us hold on longer than we could have on our own. It's the normal routine. She doesn't ask, I don't say anything. She just knows when it's time to leave me be. She gets up and closes the door behind her. I watch her leave, a silent gratitude massaging the air between us. I bury my head in my hands when I remember seeing her with an arrow in her throat. Her eyes grow wide with panic, as she spits up blood. As she falls backwards, my hands reach out and desperately grab at nothing.

I pass by Emeris in the hallway during one of my patrols. He has both hands clasped around his neck. His eyes are wide with terror, and he doesn't look at anything but the floor as he walks. His face is red, almost as if he's choking himself. I stop and stare at him. He looks up at me, as he walks.
"I can't feel them..." he says in an eerie whisper. I raise an eyebrow in confusion.
"Can't feel what?" His head starts shaking violently at my question.
"My head...my hands...I know they're here but I can't feel them...." I shudder at the sound of his quiet, raspy voice. I can't think of anything to say as he walks away. All I can do is stare and hope this won't become a problem later.

I sit up in bed and sprint down the hallway of the palace, stumbling as I run with the very little light we had. My bare feet pound the slick, stone floor. The few candles that allowed me to see, dance like mad as I bolt past. A single guard in golden pony armor, leaps against the wall so I can pass. I get to Lucretia's room and burst through the door. She's sitting up in bed sobbing, holding her throat. I rush over to her side and sit down. I do what she does for me and hold her. She cuddles my arm and plants the side of her head into my chest. Her tears soak my black shirt. My skin aches under her grasp. She could break my arm and I'd still never let her go.

She takes in enough air to talk.
“I...I just can’t stop thinking about the feeling. I can still feel the arrow jammed in my windpipe. That horrible suffocated feeling. I can still feel the hard wood, the splinters, the arrow tip sticking out the back of my neck, all of it!” More tears run down her face. She sniffles a few times, gradually pulling herself together.

Another 10 minutes and she’s taking slow, deep breaths. She nuzzles my chest a few more times. She looks up at me apprehensively.
“Do...do you mind staying the night?” I smile and nod. She scoots over, and I get under the blankets with my arm wrapped tightly around her. Part of me is wondering if we'll ever get over this. We had faced many things together, survived when we shouldn't have, but this time we lived when we wanted to die. We had been through things that no mortal should ever experience. No creature was meant to die and come back over and over. Our brains told us we were dead, but somehow kept us going. This world felt like a lie. For all I knew, we had died and just refused to accept it. Maybe when I open my eyes this time, it will finally be over.

I stand at the corner of the dining hall, watching our soldiers enjoy a hot meal for once. The civilians and refugees are more than happy to bring dish after dish. My people on the other hand look like hell. Messy hair, red wide eyes, jittery movements, constantly scanning the room with bulging glares. I doubted any of them had slept properly. They look like they're waiting to be ambushed. I scan the room suspiciously, knowing it's all one big powder keg. One of my soldiers, while chowing down, bumps the woman next to him. She jumps to her feet.
"Don't touch me!!" she shrieks.

He gets to his feet furiously.
"Don't yell at me!" Soldiers around them rush in as it comes to blows instantly. I stop leaning on the wall as multiple other fights break out. The ponies scatter from the room in confusion and terror. Food is knocked to the ground, multiple soldiers fall to the floor, beating each other senseless. The room is filled with yelling, cursing, and clanking of armor. I have no idea what to do, as everyone seems to be in their own little world.

They all come to a standstill, enveloped in a yellow aura. Celestia stands at the far end of the room. Her horn glows softly. She waits a few seconds then releases everyone. They stop fighting and go back to sitting on the benches without saying a word. Celestia looks over at me, and motions with her head to follow.

It's a short trip to her throne room. She closes the doors behind us and trots nervously to her chair. I cross my arms, and pace across the room without looking at her.
"I'm sorry princess, I don't know what got into them." I shake my head a few times, feeling like I've failed in my duties. Celestia raises an eyebrow in shock.
"You do not know? Are you not professional warriors? I assumed this behavior would be familiar to you."
My eyes narrow as I jut my head forward in confusion. Celestia shifts her weight a few times in discomfort.
"I know your people may be used to war. They may be used to death, and the fear of being killed at any point in time. But tell me, have they ever experienced dying repeatedly, and watching their brothers and sisters-in-arms be murdered over and over?"

I stare blankly at her in response. Celestia nods sympathetically.
"I do not mean to sound forward General Raiden, but I do not think even you are as well put together as you think. I have heard you cry out in the night many times. Have you ever...discussed these emotions?"
I grit my teeth a bit and look off to her side.
"We are Taraskan, we don't need to discuss such things."

Celestia stares at me, as if she can see into my mind. Her face doesn't twitch uncomfortably, nor does she act like this is the first time she's had this conversation.
"Raiden...emotions are not weakness. Every creature has them to one extent or another. Whether you deny them or not, they are still there, and as you will undoubtedly come to realize, they will find a way out. Face them or they will face you."

I exhale through my nose in annoyance.
"We will be fine. They need time to relax and blow off steam, then they will return to normal."

Celestia touches her chest with her right hoof, as her face shows heartbreak.
"Why do you keep all this inside? Surely your military has recognized the need for more....therapeutic approaches?"

I hang my head. A small dagger of sadness strikes me. I start to understand what she's saying, but most of me doesn't want to admit it. To admit weakness is dangerous; it gives your opponents a way in.
"We are taught from the first day of training to restrain ourselves. We do not talk about emotions. Such things are a luxury we've never had time for. If we are not killing, we are preparing to kill or be killed. It has always been like this..."

Celestia trots over to me, trying to hold back her sympathy for the sake of my pride. She gently places a hoof on my shoulder.
"Raiden...I will never understand the depths of what your people have been through, but if there's one thing I know, it's fine to have time to explore yourself...and to have a good friend." I get uncomfortable and look off to the side again. She lowers her hoof, and carefully places her head on my shoulder. I feel myself shake. Her words hit something deep in me. My entire time in her kingdom has been gradually digging up old things I didn't even know I had.

I sigh and take a few steps back. She stares at me with genuine concern. The same gloomy look I always have, washes over my face.
"I am Taraskan. I will find a way....I don't need anything except my sword." With that, I turn around and leave the room. I glance over my shoulder, and see Celestia's mouth tremble a bit. Her eyes are glass as small tears begin to form. I look away, worried that my own waterworks may erupt at any moment.

Emeris and I halt our conversation as Celestia pokes her head into the room. Her smile reflects admiration and anticipation.

"Raiden, we're having a special guest over tonight upon Luna's request. Do you have anything...formal to wear for a dinner party?"

I nod, having exactly one thing to wear outside of my armor. I look over at Emeris who smiles.
"I can take watch tonight, go enjoy yourself for once..."

In my room, I paced as my stomach turns to knots. None of them had seen me without my armor before. Would I be ugly to her? Was I even her type? Every last loose hair on my neck gets trimmed off. My sideburns connected perfectly with my small beard. A thin strip of hair an inch wide outlines my jaw, connecting to my chin. Every last line had absolutely no hairs out of place. I was completely clean shaven everywhere else, and my short, auburn hair was combed forward and parted on the left side. I checked my outfit for every last stray speck of dust.

Lucretia giggles from the doorway, causing me to gasp. She's still in her full armor, but it's been cleaned, with every scratch buffed out and polished to a mirror shine. She had personally seen to it that at least some of the more anxious refugees found something to do. She walks up to me, knowing how nervous I was. She straightens the collar on my overcoat, and pretends to nit pick a few things just to make me feel better. She gently swats my arm.
"You look fine. I'm sure she'll drool over you...assuming ponies drool."
She gives me a big, beaming smile.

As I walk into the room, I see Luna with an elegant, light scarf, painted all shades of purple. The moon’s phases are depicted on it in black, from waning up to a full moon. She looks up at me and studies my appearance. A small embarrassed smile crosses that cute mouth of hers. I see her cheeks redden, but she still doesn't take her eyes off me. Celestia wears a shawl around her neck of a light rainbow, matching her equally radiant hair. Princess Cadence wears a similar sized shawl but white, with yellow trimming.

I embarrassingly look down at my attire. A formal vest with a plain shirt underneath, my overcoat shimmers due to a light reflective layer and my pants were a fine, sleek wool. All black. It was all I had and all I was ever given. I wore it to funerals as well. It was this outfit, armor, and a basic shirt and pants was my selection and made up half of all my earthly possessions. I briefly considered asking Luna to go on a small shopping rampage with me after dinner, but realized that they probably had nothing for my...species.

My eyes look over the table and stop when I see a monster sitting in a chair. His double chin shakes as he takes bite after bite of his food. To Hurrand's left, is the scrawny creep who claims to be an expert in magic and tactical advising. He was nothing more than a sadist with a golden tongue.

I sit down uncomfortably to the left of the same “King” that has tormented me more than my enemies. Luna picks up on my anxiety and glances at me. My attention is locked onto my plate of food, and there it will stay until this nightmare is over.
Celestia and Cadence look over at me for a brief second then back to the King, the monster, the tormentor. Celestia clears her throat.
“Well, King Hurrand, I’m glad you could join us this evening.”

Hurrand chuckles polity. I knew it was just a clock ticking down for him.
“Well of course, thank you for inviting us. We were just discussing how getting out of our dreary castle would do us some good.” He motions to the Minister with his shoulder. The Minister smiles and nodes swiftly and apathetically.
"Yes. This invitation was pleasantly...unexpected." He’s unenthusiastic and it shows. I swallow and do my best to eat slowly, even though my hands instinctively want nothing more to shovel food in my mouth so I have an excuse not to speak. Celestia glances at me again, and then looks back to the King once more.
“I just wanted to thank you for sending Captain Raiden here to assist with our current skirmish with the Og Nag. I honestly don’t know what we would have done without him.”

Luna and Cadence both nod and smile in agreement. They look over to see if their compliments move me, but I refuse to make eye contact with anything besides my meal. I appreciated their praise, even if it was slightly exaggerated just for my benefit. They often try to bring me out of my shell with compliments, but this was going to get bad, and I’d prefer just to get it over with. I freeze my cold exterior in an attempt to protect myself from what is to come.

Luna sets down her cup with a wide smile.
“Yes, thanks to his brilliant tactics, we still have our home. He is welcome here any time.” My hands shake. I know what’s coming. The same thing during every dinner with the vile sociopath who dares sit on the throne of my country.
The King scoffs as loudly as he can. It manages to startle the princesses briefly.
“Brilliant? You’re telling me this buffoon carried out a proper defense all by himself?” He exaggerates his condescending laugh, almost sounding like a donkey having a painful bowel movement and his rider joins him. He flattens his hands on his stomach and leans back with closed eyes, trying to fill the room with the sound of his cruel hysteria. Celestia and Cadence both recoil a bit in shock at the King’s blatant insult towards me. Luna casts aside normal expectations with a sharp glare. It warms me a bit, but I must remain cold to survive the winter.

Luna's mouth trembles a bit as she tries to politely defend me.
“I’m sorry, I’m not sure what you mean, but Raiden was the only reason we’re even still here. We had a war dropped on our lap with no official army or strategy to adapt to it. With our normal team lead by Twilight Sparkle away, we had no clear hope of what to do.”

My stomach flips inside me. I know what he’s going to say. I know the story he’s going to tell. It never hurts any less. I had just started to believe I had purpose again. I actually let my guard down, just to have my walls rebuilt bigger and stronger.

Hurrand stares for a second then snorts loudly and bangs his fist on the table as his unnecessarily deafening laugh echoes around the room, like a clown entertaining children. He leans over his plate, letting food fall out of his mouth for effect. He's closely followed by his back-scratcher’s high pitched squeals as well. Hurrand does a poor job of pretending to compose himself, before clearing his throat and beginning the same tale I had hoped would be lost from this land forever.
“This idiot was leading a counterattack from our city and ended up losing almost all his troops in one attack!” Hurrand chuckles.
“What was it again Raiden? Nine-hundred dead?”

I take a sip from my cup, still keeping my eyes to the table.
“One thousand, two hundred and thirty-eight.” Hurrand stares at me with a mask of disbelief.
“How do you always keep track of that number?” he asks with a light chuckle.
“Because I went to every funeral and gave a speech. We didn’t have time to bury them so we did mass funerals for groups of one hundred. I still went to each one.”

Hurrand ponders outloud.
“Odd, I don’t remember the funerals.”
“You insisted on sailing to the North with your family as a mini-vacation before they attacked again.” I take another casual sip of my drink, trying to act as if I'm not being publicly murdered.
“Oh yes, that’s right. Quite stressful being a King during a war. I apologize that I always ask, what went wrong with your silly plan again?” He knows damn well what went wrong. He wants to hear me say it so he can criticize every defense I can come up with. He wants me to feel trapped.

My blood begins to boil. My frozen exterior begins to give way under the heat just like it always does.
“They had stormed the city in one final massive wave. We were still recovering from their last siege as it were. Our only hope was to take our last 2500 soldiers, and ambush them from all sides, evening the odds, since they had easily six times our numbers. Right as we were about to ambush them, you gave the order for half my men to fall back and protect your vault. Upon leaving, they were spotted and the enemy took another path instead of our intended one. To stop our soldiers from getting trampled from behind, I moved everyone I had to block their path, revealing their hidden positions, so our losses wouldn’t be an entire 2500, but we still lost everyone who stood in their way but a handful. We laid down our lives so our brothers and sisters could live.”

The princesses mouths hang open.
Hurrand rolls his eyes and tries to shrug condescendingly at their reaction.
“Oh come now, you can’t run a kingdom without gold can you?”
“You can’t run a kingdom without soldiers or loyalty either.” I add offhandedly.
Hurrand laughs loudly.
“Right, but you can always just buy more soldiers.”
The Minister slowly turns his head towards me.
"Easy child. That is your King you are speaking to." Celestia narrows her eyes at his complete disregard for the very soldiers who put their lives on the line to save her people. Anger begins to poison me. The King senses my rage and continues his attack.
“We called him the Sot Suker after that. In our realm, it refers to those born with certain…intellectual disabilities, whose only purpose is to shovel the excrement of those higher up, like ourselves.”
The Minister and Hurrand squeal with laughter.
“Yes yes, we also took his black crown and dyed it brown as a reminder too!”
They both share in a roaring hysteria of laughter along with sliding around on their seats.

I start trembling. My skin is on fire with the fury and pain he so kindly brought back. I glance at the knife next to me and contemplate putting an end to his tyranny. I look up for a brief second and see the horrified looks of my newly acquired friends, as they gawk at the beast.
All I can hear is the screams of my men, fighting and dying, and calling out for orders. I had none. My last ditch effort, ruined by greed and we were left for slaughter.

Hurrand wipes away tears before bringing down the hammer.
“Afterwards, we got flooded with letters from all the land. Mothers, fathers, siblings, all sorts wanting to know what had happened to their loved ones.”
My boiling blood turns back to ice.
My rage becomes a lifeless tundra.
My pride turned to ash.
The letters, oh God the letters...

The Minister decides he’ll enjoy taking a few jabs at me as well.
“We made sure he read every message and replied to them. Those families deserved to know what had happened. They needed to know who...failed them.”
Hurrand looks down at his drink and nods as if they had made a difficult call.
“Yes well, I feel every one of our citizens deserves justice.”
Celestia stutters. She wants to say something, but she’s caught off guard. It’s just as well, I’d rather him get it out of his system so this dinner can be over with. The King and Minister knew that disapproval from their subjects could easily be met with a quick demise, so they used me as a scapegoat. They placed all the blame on me. Every last bit. Only the soldiers under my direct command knew the truth, and they’d be swiftly executed for speaking it.

I remembered the look of my black crown. It was only for formal purposes, but it was the first gift I had received not meant for combat. The crown was a massive symbol of pride for me, and the only reason the king tolerated my protest, was under the condition he would dye it brown. In the middle was an orange gem, symbolizing the fire within me. It wasn’t the most original idea ever, but it meant everything to me. While the crown was more of a solid, custom-fitted headband, it was still a gift. The entire crown was chiseled to look like the silhouette of a black forest, with trees in the middle holding the gem, that had now been covered up with brown paint.

I had never known what material it was made out of, but it was smooth as ice. It absorbed heat easily, and was constantly a source of relief from the sun in the sky. It was artistic enough to draw attention, so people knew I was important. Any bad day could be subjugated with a simple stroll through town. The looks of astonishment were a shield from the grating feelings of any war we were in. Even after they got over the initial shock, I always admired how someone's eyes would bulge just slightly every time they saw it. Without even knowing me, nobles would make eye contact with me when I spoke, not even requiring an introduction to give my words attention.

The brown paint was a single swift fire that destroyed it all. It's texture was course and rough. It grated against my skin so abrasively, that I would frequently develop sores where it sat. The paint also made it too tight to sit correctly. It was often hopelessly crooked, making me out to be some fool in the corner. I was often mistaken for the King's disabled son. The once respectful smiles, were ones of sympathy at my "disorder". They would recoil in shock when I spoke. On a few occasions, I overheard rumors that I was faking a mental illness I didn't even have. I was awkwardly avoided like some child with a dunce cap.

Every so often, when the king was asleep, I’d scrape off the brown paint and stare at the gem, only to cover it back up before the sun rose. I haven’t done it in months.

I crawl back inside myself. Those soldiers were dead because of me. They had stored their hopes and lives inside someone who would inevitably crumble. I had apologized in every letter, taken the full blame in every sentence. Each letter telling me who had died, their name, what they wanted to do after the military, memories, and the pain they now felt at the loss of their loved one. Each letter felt as if I had helplessly watched the soldier die. In a strange way, I got to know every warrior that died under my command that day, more than I ever would have after a thousand battles along side them.

Hurrand leans towards the princesses a bit for a devious effect.
“That’s why we call him the King of the Dead, given the bulk of his forces are now lying in wooden boxes under the earth.” He chuckles, and his eyes reflect admiration of his self-proclaimed witty nickname for me.
Luna looks down at her plate horrified. She had called me the King of the Dead a few times, thinking it was a compliment. There was no way I could ever be mad at her though. I wanted to reach out and stroke her head, and tell her it was okay, but I can’t bring myself to move. I watch the entire circus with the corner of my eye.

The next few minutes are consumed by nothing more than tension, and the awkward sounds of eating. I was trusting dinner would be finished soon, and this wreck would be washed out to sea. I was wrong.
Hurrand perks up with a sudden flare of realization.
“Oh! Funny story! Did Raiden ever tell you how he became a captain?”

I was done. I get up, trying not to seem angry. My chair scoots back just a bit too fast however.
“If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be back in a moment.” I bowed to the table, walked to the end of the room on my left, went right down a corridor, then left up the stairs that exited to a balcony. The wind messes up my perfectly combed hair. The moon was a spotlight on my misery and failure as a captain.

I couldn’t hold it anymore. Silent tears made their way down my face. The disgrace, the turmoil, all of it pounded on the door; an uninvited guest who won’t leave without at least getting tea. I gazed at the moon, wishing I could live there for a moment, maybe even forever. Tears from the past had been the majority of my company during numerous empty nights. I was used to stifling the sound of my crying back in the old castle, until I made no sound at all.

I gently leaned against the balcony, and peered at the lands far beyond. The full moon washed over everything. A gentle breeze brushes the back of my head. I hear the door behind me open and close, followed by that familiar vanilla perfume.
I exhale and hang my head. She slowly walks up to me.
“Can I join you?” she asks, in that gentle soothing voice.

I say nothing. How could I? My entire past was laid bear for all to hear and I had been humiliated to the highest degree. I wanted nothing more than to vanish. And yet, her presence comforts me. Every bone ached to tell her how I felt, but what could a Princess want with the King of the Dead.

After waiting for a reply, she appears at my side, not staring this time, but just being there. We say nothing. While only seconds pass, it feels like hours. She gets on her hind legs and lifts her front hooves onto the banister of the balcony. We stand there, enjoying each other's company. It was just a well, I had nothing to say anymore.

Then suddenly, the tension is lifted by the smallest of gestures. I feel her gently whip my lower back with her tail. I do nothing. She waits for a reaction. When she doesn’t get one, she hits me just a bit harder. She looks at my face as the corner of my mouth twitches, trying to hold back a smile. I hear her exhale a bit as she muffles a giggle, then she repeatedly hits me over and over as fast as she can. After several of these, I can’t help it. I step behind her and tickle her sides. She jokingly tells me to stop in that wonderful, playful tone of hers. I stop and go back to standing, more relaxed now. The tiny bit of silence is broken by our mutual chuckles.

I look down at my hands, as I rub them anxiously.
“Thank you..” I say, barely above a whisper. I peek at her briefly. She smiles at me. She tilts her head to the left just a tiny bit. The gentle glow of the moon illuminates that elegant hair of hers, a breathtaking mixture of blue and purple. Her magnificent teal eyes pull me in; embracing me, almost promising peace and happiness. I can’t help but stare right back. Once again, words fade from necessity, as I’m captivated by that alluring stare. The winter that had been my soul melted away. I forgot about the dinner. I forgot about everything. There was only one thing I wanted, and that was this moment with her.

I can’t keep it in anymore. I start babbling.
“That man in there. He used my honor, my pride. I was nothing more than a napkin for his appetite of approval and popularity. He alone is responsible for killing every last one of my men. My soldiers were my family. I would have died for them. But they died for him instead, for coin, for gold. And when it was time to pay respects to those who had been silenced forever, he takes his family and goes on a pleasure cruise. I have been dishonored, abused, neglected...forgotten. They call me the King of the Dead. A novelty of a name, that is an army of daggers every time I hear it uttered.”

She shows sympathy in her eyes.

“He stole it all from me!” tears begin forming in my eyes. I start stuttering. I can no longer produce words. I start several sentences only to choke on the first syllable. I can’t hold the pain in anymore. I fall to my knees sobbing. She puts her left hoof between my legs so she can lean over and rest her head on my shoulder. She wraps her wings around me, and soothingly strokes my back with her right leg.

The tears stop immediately. I let myself enjoy the moment for once in my life. She takes her head off my shoulder, closes her eyes, and presses her cheek against mine. She takes her right hoof and pulls my head against hers.
“It’s okay to cry.” she whispers in my ear. My eyes run again. I bury my head into her shoulder. I lay my fingers in her mane. She pulls me in tighter. I had never let myself be exposed and vulnerable before, but she just had a way of not letting me hide it. I could trust her. Those four words were impossible, illogical. How could you trust anything?
I let myself drift off. It’s just us now. No war, no misery, just her and me.

“Every time I look at that moon, I just want to live there for the next 1000 years.” I mutter into her fur.
She chuckles and shows those gorgeous, white teeth. I sniffle and clear my throat.

“What?”
She sighs amusedly and shakes her head a few times before looking back to me.

“Just a story. I’ll tell you another time.”
I feel her smile as I lift my head from her shoulder and look her in the eyes once more.

I had no idea how she felt. I had no idea how I would ever explain to her how astonishing she was to me. Once again she had pulled me out of a river of my own tears, and dried me off. Her eyebrows drift to the sides a bit, as sympathy washes over her face.

“I don’t know what we would have done without you. I look over our kingdom every day, grateful that you came when you did. You saved my home, my friends, my family. Everything I’ve ever known is now safe because of you. I owe you everything and that is a debt I can never repay.”

I’m speechless. She had said the words I had longed to hear. I was appreciated. My existence now meant something. I can’t help but sit there, locked in her gaze. A single tear makes its way down my cheek. I don’t bother wiping it away. Just once I wanted her to see the real me. No lies, no excuses, no insecurities. She knows what she’s just said to me. She knows how much it meant. She nuzzles the tear off my face. It takes all my willpower not to embrace her again. Her warm breath on my face makes me tremble; it smells like honey and sugar. I was grateful we said nothing, for I had absolutely no clue how to respond. Those gorgeous teal eyes embrace me again. We go back to staring. Was she just being nice, or was this real? Do I go with my heart, or do I accept this as nothing more than an act of charity?

We both nervously swallow. I timidly run my right hand up her neck and stop right before her cheek. She twitches for just a second and lets out a tiny gasp as her eyes grow wide. She doesn’t move, doesn’t look away, and most importantly, she doesn’t pull from me. She glances at my mouth then back to my eyes. I reach out with my right thumb and start stroking her cheek. She looks down at my mouth for a bit longer this time, glances at my eyes, and starts to close them as she leans closer.

Our moment was cut short by the loud shouting coming from the dining hall. Luna and I quickly ran back inside and down the steps to where we found the 40 foot dining table, turned over and against the wall. Celestia was standing fiercely, yelling at Hurrand. He sits there cowering with his master, intimidated by the very wrath he most likely brought on himself.

She screams at him. “How dare you say such words in my halls! We owe that man our very lives and I will not sit here as you mock him so! I do not care what he has done! You are nothing but a self-centered greedy oaf, and I want you out of my castle now!”

He swallows nervously, as his owner clings to his arm in terror. A sly smirk crosses over my face. He turns to the Minister.
“Just as well, it is getting late.” They both get up, turn and walk to the door. I follow them out, but not before turning around, and bowing to princess Celestia.
“My lady.” Is all I let out. She restrains her angry glare just long enough to nod her head at me. I give Luna one quick glance, she returns my look. A subtle, gentle smile crosses my face. She returns the gesture. For the first time in years, someone had stood up for me, not even I had done so. As we walk to the door, I hear the gentle sound of hooves behind me. I stop and turn around. Luna stands there with that soft, admiring look in her eyes.

She stares at me for a moment, then her scarf slowly unravels from her neck, wrapped in that purple glow. It floats through the air soothingly, as if caught in a breeze. It ties itself around my neck, caressing my beard. I can’t help it, I smile, narrow my eyes and tilt my head to the left the same way she always does. She quietly snorts, gives me a huge smile, and tilts her head down in slight embarrassment without breaking eye contact. I keep my gaze locked on hers as I turn around. We walk down the steps from the castle. And to my joy, the light scarf faintly glows purple in the moonlight. I hold it to my nose and take a gentle whiff; it smells like honey and vanilla.

Chapter 25: When Heaven Falls

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Outside the palace, all is still and quiet, except for Hurrand who keeps kicking as many rocks as he can on our way to the Growler. The Minister, the snake, keeps himself composed. He has that same snooty look on his face, like he’s too good even for the fresh air. Hurrand bickers about how he was treated, grumbling under his breath about how they’re not even real royalty without a king.
I strain the muscles in my face to stop from smirking. We walk along the dirt path; our surroundings lit by moonlight. The empty houses and shops of Canterlot create an eerie setting. They were dark, with doors and windows left open in a mad frenzy to evacuate in case our defensive went south. Belongings littered the ground, carts were overturned as well as a few broken windows. It wasn’t too long ago that Celestia and Luna took me for a walk through this very town. I laugh internally, remembering all the scared faces. Several of those same ponies in the palace now actually greet me with joy and relief.

As we make our way along the winding path that wraps around the mountain, I notice the odd feeling in my stomach. It felt like I was escorting foreigners from these lands. Was Canterlot really my home now? These two people, I had known them my entire life, but now they felt like strangers. The houses and shops cease as we reach the end of our small journey.

I stand there watching as the pig climbs into his oven. The Minister stops and stares at me, before motioning to the Growler with his head. I don’t move and just stare right back confused.
He narrows his eyes annoyed.
“Get in with your king Raiden!” He hisses quietly. My legs walk into the Growler, despite my brain being in a thousand pieces. What was I doing? Where am I going? What do I do? My body autonomous climbs inside, as my mind desperately cries for help.

I glance helplessly at the palace and see a pair of teal eyes watching us from a window before we take off. As if I’m being kidnapped from my home, my arms and legs can't resist tucking themselves a bit closer to my body than usual. The bumps from the road only strengthen my anxiety. I don’t want to go back. I never want to go back. How can I not go back?! Reality sets in: I’m Captain Raiden, First Captain in His Majesty’s Army. I am the King of the Dead, slayer of thousands. I have no home. No purpose.

My brain starts screaming for me to run, but there’s nowhere to go. These wooden walls were my coffin, and we had set course for my grave. I had let myself forget all about Taraska. It was just myself and my people. My hands shake despite laying them across my legs as I sit on the bench inside the Growler. Part of me screamed internally for Luna to save me.

Fear. I knew fear. But this...this was different. I felt vulnerable. I felt alone. There were no guards to talk to, no princesses to worry about me. I had dismissed Celestia’s concern in her throne room about my well-being. Now, I’d kill for it; literally. I missed the sadness in her eyes when she looked at me. She was almost my family, my sister, even my mother in a weird way. They were the closest thing I have ever had to family. I belonged with them. I wanted them. And as much as I hated admitting it, I needed them.

The entire ride is silent. King Hurrand sits in the corner of the Growler with his arms folded up, with an angry scowl like an infant. His head is lowered as he looks outside one of the viewports with a furrowed brow. The Minister looks around the vehicle offendedly, as if suddenly realizing just how poor we really were. He pulls out a small black book, flips to a page and reads.

Trees sail past outside. I can’t stop shaking. I debated on climbing out of the top hatch and diving for it. But what would I tell Celestia? That I abandoned my King? What would she think of me then? What would the guards think, the refugees, my people? My soldiers would get it, but how would a pair of regal sisters understand my desire to flee my own country? Would I be a traitor? would they question how long I'd stay loyal to them? What happens when the war is over and they no longer needed me?

The Growler finally reaches the outside of our city. The jerking motion as we stop, makes my blood run cold. I almost scream as my head snaps forward. There was no comfort inside the vehicle no matter how frantically my eyes search. Neither Emeris or Lucretia knew I was here. Fourth Battalion was the King’s personal guard. First Battalion was mine, with Emeris and Lucretia commanding Second and Third Battalion. 4th always stayed with the King and they were all monsters. I had no friends, no sympathy, no concern.

4th Battalion was made up of the lazy, honorless, self-entitled kissasses of Taraska. If you didn’t mind sucking up for the rest of your life, you joined 4th and got the “honor” of protecting King Hurrand. You complimented him, laughed at his jokes or when he was absurdly cruel, you did whatever horrendous thing he asked of you. One minute you could literally be his footstool, the next you’re beating your former captain senseless after he’s falsely accused of botching a defensive for your city.

They hated me. Well perhaps they didn’t hate me, but they tormented me for Hurrand’s amusement and approval. Battalions one through three were still in Canterlot, watching over the Princesses. Even the First Captain would be foolish to mess with the King’s own personal guard. Despite being able to handle them in combat with relative ease, Hurrand would personally see to it that I paid for messing with his “friends” or so he says.

I feel naked without the comfort of my armor. Nothing to hide my face or eyes, nothing to stop a kick to the sides. While the Growler helped stave off the sense of exposure, we had arrived and it was time to face the storm. I quickly tuck Luna's scarf inside my coat sleeve.

The cool breeze sweeps into my coat as I exit. What was once a nice, cooling sensation, was death creeping across my face. The light from the moon reflects beautifully off my coat. None of it matters. Soon that moonlight will be nothing more than a painful reminder of the things I’ll never have again.

The entrance to the city is covered with guards. They have sniper nests set up, barricades, checkpoints, everything. Hurrand spared no expense turning the city into a fort. The night hides every face under their helmet, reflecting the emptiness of their souls for joining the 4th. My skin crawls as every head turns to face me upon exiting the Growler. It’s too quiet. The night is tense. Anyone who shifts in their armor stands out even more so than the destroyed homes.
The silence is worse than if they all laughed at me. They watch my every movement as the King and Minister walk in front, past the first barricade. I stay a few steps behind the Minister. His black coat smells old and musty, as the very bottom is torn to shreds from years of dragging on the ground. He wears the exact same outfit that I do, granted mine had recently been cleaned in Canterlot. If I get lucky, he might not consider trading with me.

The empty city reminds me of the horrors I had witnessed here. The houses haven’t been cleaned up yet. The only difference was all the sniper nests and random barricades made from debris. My eyes can’t help but take in all the senseless destruction. Lives had been ruined, families had been slain, the monster of war had been hungry here. All the bodies had been cleared out and that was all. Every house was either in ruin or used for a new structure of some kind.

We pass by a sniper’s nest. A soldier pokes his head out from the top along with his spotter to watch me. Various puffs of hot hair drift out from every helmet. Every breath echoes inside those empty helmets of theirs. A chorus of doom, courtesy of the 4th Battalion. I tried to focus on the moonlight. I thought of Luna and that gorgeous smile of hers. A warmth spreads throughout my body briefly. The smell of burnt wood, blood and dust smothers any happiness I had left. The smell of...home.

This place was toxic, and it was eager to infect me. I try to picture the walls of the palace, the guards wandering the halls, giving me their grateful head nods and subtle smiles. The beams of civilians who thank me for saving them. The warm, inviting halls, the endless amounts of food, the positivity. It all slowly begins to fade from my mind. I want to run and hide in the debris. I want to curl up into a ball on the ground. There was literally no one here who cared about me. After being surrounded by loved ones for a few months, I begin to realize just how much I cared. It was too late now. Even if I screamed for Luna to save me while on my hands and knees, she won't come. No one will come. I was undeniably abandoned in hell.

While the Minister and his Toilet paper enter the double doors to the castle gate, I hesitate outside for a minute. Neither of them even notices I’ve stopped. I look up at it’s old, foreboding figure. It has numerous scorch marks, missing stones, and it’s covered in dust. It’s clearly neglected and drains you of all hope. It almost looks abandoned if it weren’t for the few windows that had lit candles. Even then, there were only a single window on each side, as Hurrand had them all sealed up.

I take a deep breath before pushing the doors open. The steps upstairs feel like one foot after another into my grave. The throne room was even more devoid of life than I remembered. The room could easily hold three hundred people. It was lit with four candles, with all the windows sealed up with stone. It felt like a torture chamber than anything, as it was commonly used for that very thing. The King sits on his throne, as the Minister picks up a scroll on a nearby table and begins reading it. I try to quietly walk along the walls, hoping to slip into my room unnoticed.

The stone floor in front of the King had chipped stone, dirt, claw marks, and even old blood. I was not the only one to receive the King’s Blessing, or so we called it. I had to watch two of my soldiers whipped to death for trying to speak up on my behalf, for trying to defend my own worthless existence. Two of the finest women to serve under my command had been torture dolls for Hurrand and a few barbaric guests until they inevitably bled to death. Or maybe it was the lack of food and water; you never really know.

I make it to the hallway entrance before Hurrand calls me over. I'm a fish caught on a hook. Why update him on the entire war, he’d just point out mistakes or downplay my involvement like he always does. I turn around and slap on my stone-cold face. If he thinks I’m permanently miserable, maybe he’ll leave me the hell alone.

He strokes his chin, staring across the throne room in thought. I stop ten feet away from his chair. I say nothing, hoping he’ll do all the talking and be done with it. A few awkward seconds go by. I’m caught off guard when the Minister speaks.

“So, what have you learned about Canterlot so far? Do they have any weaknesses?”
I know I’m not going to get away with a “No.”, and I’m sure as hell not going to cough up any real information. I had to play my cards just right.

“From what I can tell, the princesses possess powerful magic, as do a third of their citizens. I have yet to find a way around it. Some kind of mass disease would work though, they stay together in large bunches constantly.” I leave out the idea that the princesses would easily conjure up some kind of antidote or cure, assuming we even found a disease that would affect their species, but it sounded solid...or so I thought.

The Minister laughs to himself.
“Oh Raiden, you really do think me a fool, don’t you? You actually thought I’d assume you were still on our side? Of course, you developed a fondness of those ponies. I mean you don’t defend a kingdom from the Og Nag just to turn tail and betray them.”

I try not to panic. He had a system, a game to play and now was the time to move my pieces just right. I'm so overwhelmed with emotion, I can’t focus though. Okay it was time to be old Raiden for a while. I just had to make it a bit longer. When I get back to Canterlot, I’ll find a way around this problem. I'll tell the princesses everything. I'll beg them to let me stay. I'll do whatever it takes, I just have to get through this moment. I can do this!
“I’m a warrior. I kill. Nothing else.” I prayed he’d buy it. I let my face go numb, hoping my mindless soldier act would do the trick. The Minister turns around and stares at me. He waits for me to flinch, to get nervous, to do anything. I keep staring. I let my mind wander all over. If I tried to brute force my way through the tension, I’d lose. I think of what my next strategy in the war is, what I'll say to Luna, anything
The Minister tries to play his mind games that he’s obnoxiously good at.
“Fantastic Raiden. Then I’ll be sure to send Celestia a letter explaining that you’ll be staying here from now on then. We’ll need someone to manage the kingdom’s defenses. I’m sure Lucretia and Emeris can handle the small skirmishes that will pop up.” He stops and watches me, analyzing every little detail. His eyes wander all over my body, looking for the tiniest tell of emotion.

My heart crashes to the floor. He could easily be serious. It would be his best move; keep me here so they can indoctrinate me all over again. There’s no way I could smuggle a message past the 4th Battalion. They’d read anything I send, and the Minister would probably tell me it was sent and just burn the letter anyways. The fire in me says not to give up hope, and deal with this one step at a time. I let the depression consume me a bit, using it as material for my act.

I don’t make a single move. I just look onwards mindlessly. The perfect drone. The Minister watches me for a bit longer before going back to his papers. Alright the Minister has been dealt with, now the King. What did he want? What game was he going to play? Hurrand never had intricate plots or ploys. He just knew how to get a reaction out of me. I feel my heart beat faster and try to calm down or he’ll see my temples start to pulse and my farce would be discovered.

I remember walking down the hallway with Luna. I loved how goofy she was with me. Her silly trot, her gentle light laugh. My nerves float away as I swim in an endless reservoir of warmth. Passing her in the hallway. Those teal eyes. That look...her look. The one she gave so well. She pulled me out of my shell and gave me a comforting hoof to stand with.

Hurrand sits there for a few more minutes with a displeased glare.
He exhales angrily.
“Screw this.” He motions at the double doors and I hear four sets of armored footsteps approaching. I try to convince myself it’s something else, but it’s not. I know what’s coming. There was no one to save me now. Hurrand wanted answers that I didn’t honestly have. I always had Emeris and Lucretia around, even if they couldn’t do anything, at least they were there.

Hurrand still stares across the room with obvious agitation.
“I’m going to give you one last chance Raiden. How do we take Canterlot?!” I need something to tell him, but honestly what chance did we have against three Alicorns and a boat load of magically inclined citizens? Wait...what did Zaran say? Was he making it up when he told me there were amulets that block dark magic? It doesn’t matter, I found my lie.

“I read that there were amulets that block magic, but there’s no mention of their location. Without a way of getting around Alicorn magic, they could simply pick up our units and toss us.”
He covers his face with his hand in annoyance then nods to the guards. Someone kicks the back of my knee. My leg buckles and collapses. Before I regain my footing, I get stomped in the back. I hit the floor and grit my teeth angrily. I wanted to fight back, but it would just be worse and pointless.

Block out the pain. Don’t think. Don’t give them the satisfaction.
Hurrand sighs and rolls his eyes.
“Raiden…I'm tired of this castle! I'm tired of its walls, tired of its dust and dirt! I want a new one! I want a new kingdom!" His face is red and shakes violently. He speaks slowly but with all the wrath he can muster.
"And I get, what I want!” I say nothing. I’m done trying to play my way out of this. He rolls his head along with his eyes dramatically. I get a kick in the side by a metal boot. I can’t help but let out a nasty groan. My hand instinctively covers the wound. It was right below the ribs, nice and sensitive. My brain screams at me to crawl away from the threat, but there’s no point.

I get kicked in the same spot but down a bit so it’s my stomach this time. The point of his metal boot drives in deep. I almost vomit. I’m winded and pant heavily. Sweat starts to build on my forehead. My arms want to start trembling with adrenaline, but I do my best to stave it off. Before I’ve even caught my breath, a hand clenches on my hair and pulls me upright. An arm wraps around my neck choking me.

Hurrand knows I can’t talk but asks again anyways just to be a dick.
“What is their weakness?! How do we get past them?! They’re weak right now from all the fighting, it’s now or never!” he roars. I do the only thing I can do; I give him the middle finger. Another hand grabs mine and bends my finger back so far, that it touches my wrist. I would have screamed if I could breath. A nasty crack fills the air as my knuckle bursts. I thrash around as my body tries to flee. My cheeks burn and my mouth pops open in a silent scream of agony.

Hurrand slams his hand on the arm of his throne impatiently. A fist catches the right side of my jaw, almost shattering it. The muscles in my back strain themselves to where I can’t move it. The hand holding my hair readjusts to keep my face steady, as I receive punch after punch to my eye. It quickly goes black from the assault. Someone plants their foot on my calf then stands on it. I squirm, allowing my left leg to flail wildly as it tries to push me away out of instinct. They dig their heel into the muscle, balancing themselves on the person holding my hair.

Despite the pain, my jaw opens wide in a silent wail of torment. A fist breaks my nose, oozing blood down my chest. I shake my head, feeling hairs getting ripped out the back. They let me fall to the ground, so they can hear my symphony of screams. My left hand grabs my right eye, instinctively trying to protect it from further harm. The fresh pain in my calf still screams at me. I roll on my back, yelling at the top of my lungs in both anger and misery.

The warrior in me sits up and I do a pathetic swing at the nearest guard to my right. It rings against his metal shin guard. He boots my face before grabbing my right hand. He yanks me forward. I quickly lose my balance and fall forward. He stomps on my hand, filling the room with a nasty sounding crunch. I scream again, staring at his boot. I try to yank my hand free, just to be interrupted by another kick to the side.

It’s in the same place below my ribs. To my shame, I desperately try to crawl away but can’t move with my hand still pinned. I twist my arm a bit, doing anything I can to free myself. Another boot comes down on my arm. Before I can readjust, I’m forced back to the ground. I feel my elbow almost give out from being sideways. They let up for a minute or so, watching me frantically crawl towards my room. I know there’s no escape, but my brain starts to take over, trying to protect me.

I get about twenty feet before they grab my ankles and pull me back in front of the throne. I claw like a wild animal, repeatedly screaming "No!" as fast and loudly as I can. Panic consumes me as one of them sits on my hamstring and wraps their arms around my leg. They pull my foot up to their chest, holding it by the sides. They start turning it to the right as far as it normally allows. I do what I can to swipe behind me pointlessly at their armor, trying to do anything. I can barely even twist my body, let alone get a decent punch.

I scream in horror over and over as my ankle quickly hits its limit and starts straining. They take their time, wrapping an arm around it for leverage as they pull. My ankle cries out for me to do something, as I feel the muscles start to give out. I wail desperately for them to stop. Pride was irrelevant as my brain told me to say and do whatever it took for my own safety. I even feel the muscles in my knee ache. I feel popping as they manually sprain my ankle.

I beat on his armor with balled fists. My face goes red, and tears stream down my face. My eyes bulge as I revert back to being an animal, desperate to escape. I beg them to stop, almost wanting to bite my tongue off just so my words aren’t used against me later. I grab a hold of his armor and shake him, but he keeps sitting on my leg, twisting away. I can’t even hear myself shriek in desperation anymore. My ears start ringing as my leg burns, while sending stabbing sensations all over.

I watch as a guard grabs my face. His fingers dig into my already sore right eye. He lifts my head up before slamming it back against the stone. I feel my throat still screaming at them to stop. I yell it as loud as I can repeatedly, knowing full-well it’s in vain. My brain doesn’t care. It does whatever it thinks it can do to save me. A few more rides from his hand and everything goes black.

I sit in the corner of my room later that night, hugging my knees despite the pain. I’m a child in a kingdom of nightmares. I have no hope, no light, no comfort. I can’t help but notice the familiar claw marks on the walls from endless nights of agony. Silent tears crawl down my cheeks as I’d give everything for a single shred of comfort. I have nothing. My room doesn’t even face the moon. I feel the darkness slowly close in on me. I sit there for hours, giving up on the idea that I will ever escape this prison.

I shake uncontrollably from both fear and pain. My face is blank as I stare mindlessly across the room. My eye had stopped bleeding a few hours ago, but it was swollen and hurt constantly. My other eye was wide-opened, darting to any sound in the hall. Will I ever be able to return to Canterlot? Will I ever see my friends...my family ever again? I was a fool. Why did I think I could escape this life? What would the princesses think of me if I turned my back on my own country? Would they look down on me? Would they understand? No, they wouldn’t. They’ve never been in my shoes before. The pain of being considered a traitor by the only ones I care about, was more than I could ever bare. There was no living on if I lost their respect.

I take Luna’s thin scarf out from my sleeve and stare at it. Its purple glow illuminates the void of my room. It brings me the only comfort I have. I ball it in my hands and hold it to my face as I sob violently into it. I would give anything to see her face again. Anything to hear that voice. Just to see her would be a relief. I keep the scarf pressed to my face as I cry myself to sleep in the corner of my cell, my room, my own personal hell.

I open my eyes, laying on my bed. A strange purple portal opens up. I do my best to sit upright, still not fully recovered. The changeling from our dungeon walks through first, looks around, and morphs into an exact copy of me. I stare at him confused. Luna walks through a second later, but immediately puts her hoof to her mouth, signaling me to be quiet. It takes the last bit of energy I have not to squeal with happiness. I agonizingly shake my clenched fists up and down like a child receiving a much-anticipated gift.

She lifts me up with her magic and carries me to the portal. As soon as my feet touch it, I open my eyes, staring at the blank wall again. I do what I can to hold onto that fuzzy warm feeling of rescue. It lasts for a good five minutes before the darkness swallows me whole. I lay there for hours, just taking comfort in the fact that Hurrand’s thugs were asleep for now. Eventually I drift off once more.

I’m woken by the sunlight pouring through my window. I sit up and swing my legs over the side. What am I going to do with myself now? Wander around mindlessly? No, I couldn’t do that, it’s too dangerous. I don’t have my sword or armor. Even if I did, I could easily best any fool here, but not all of them. Ten or eleven would fall at my feet, but my stamina would give out by then. There’s no way I could spend all day in my room, could I?

My window is way too high up for me to escape, and there were bound to be plenty of guards in the hallway. Hurrand kept everything nice and basic so I had nothing to work with. My imprisonment was a taboo thing. We never spoke of it, despite me being a captain. We all just knew I wasn’t allowed to leave. I wanted one friend, any friend. I quickly stuff Luna’s scarf inside my vague mattress. No matter what, at least I’d always have it. It will be my torch of hope in the night.

As if my prayers were answered, a small bird lands on the windowsill. I don’t move and watch him, pretending he’s from Canterlot and came to check on me. I do my best to put on my tough guy act, trying to seem like I wasn’t in pain. He looks around the room curiously. I try to be casual, knowing the trimmings of my prison weren’t much. It was fine though, I didn’t honestly need anything.

He could just hang out, it would be fine. I didn’t mind. I didn’t have much, but he was more than welcome to make himself comfortable. My only friend in the world. A loud thud in the hallway sends him flying. He had no idea how lucky he was. Being able to flap his wings and disappear. I shake uncontrollably as the clanking of metal boots in the hallway gets louder and louder.

Every footstep feels like a slap to the face. Would diving out the window be such a bad idea? My room was several stories up, there’s a good chance I wouldn’t survive. I’m sure Emeris and Lucretia could take care of Canterlot without me. I get up and limp my way over to the window; my eye darting to the door repeatedly. If I was going to do this, it would have to be fast. For every wounded step I take, the boots in the hallway make two.

I’m just a few feet from ending it when the door bursts open. I make a lung for the window, but I make the mistake of putting weight on my bad ankle. I fall to the floor and try to claw my way to freedom. Hands grab my feet and my swollen ankle and drag me to the bed. I kick and scream violently, holding on to the edge of the window. My hands dart to my ankle, trying to protect it. I scream over and over. I shriek for them to leave me alone, but they respond with silence. My leg is torn between trying to free my ankle, and not wanting to injure it further.

“Don’t! Get off me! Get away!” A few more guards come in. Each guard takes a limb of mine and pins me down. Hurrand stands in the doorway with his arms crossed. He stays for a brief second before storming off. The guard near my right ankle pulls up my pant leg. It’s swelled more than I thought. He inhales a bit before grabbing it with both hands and wrenching it left and right.

My face goes read as I scream and beg for him to stop. “Please! Don’t! Just leave me alone! Please! Leave! Me! Alone!” My words cease to exist as I howl in agony repeatedly. As if on fire, my leg thrashes around, trying to escape. I feel something in my throat start to give out, as it’s already destroyed from before. The Minister stands casually by the door, “Come now Raiden, I’m sure there’s something you can tell us about Canterlot?” He yells over the commotion.

I stare at him. My brain actually tries to think of something real to tell him. Anything to end the torment. I remember watching the Og Nag descend upon the civilians as they tried desperately for Canterlot. I could still hear the screams of ponies in Ponyville, shrieking in terror. They had suffered enough. My eyes that were once full of fear and desperation, now fill with anger and rage. All I can do is roar as loud as I can at the snake. They pick me up and pin me on my mattress that was almost as firm as the stone floor. My arm gets held down with one knee, as the guard pounds on my ribs over and over. I turn my stomach to the left and right, trying to protect the already bruised area.

The mattress bobs up and down from my assault. Every single punch makes the springs squeal angrily. I see a small purple glow on the guard’s armor to my left. He lets my arm go and picks up Luna’s scarf. The Minister shakes his head, before walking over and taking it. I scream with all the power that I can.

“Nooooo!” It’s mixed with fear and rage. I needed that scarf.
“Please anything but that!” I free my right hand and try to claw after the Minister. The guards let me go, knowing I'm no threat to him. He casually walks out of the room.

I drag my body across the floor towards him, still screaming protests repeatedly. The guards leave the room one by one. They don’t look at me as I still try to desperately crawl across the floor. My begging becomes almost inaudible as my heart breaks. The desperate pleas are overtaken by horrendous sobbing. The Minister returns with the scarf and scissors. I shake my head as fast as I can.
“No no no no no, please don’t!”

He holds up the scarf and starts cutting off pieces of it little by little.
“How. Do. We. Take. Canterlot?!” I bang my fists on the ground and flail my legs the little bit that can. I let out a mix of anger and sadness. That scarf was the last thing keeping me together, but I would never betray my family. The silky pieces float gracefully through the air, landing in front of me. I curl up into a small ball on the floor. There was no point anymore, so I just sit and shiver.

The Minister looks at a fifth guard who stands at the door. The guard whispers in the Minister's ear. He stares at me.
“You have...visitors.” The Minister’s eyes bulge with fear. He grits his teeth before looking at me then back to the guard. He motions to me with his head.
“Get him up…” The guard actually does his best to help me up with care. He can’t even look me in the eyes. He lets me use him as a crutch as we stand up. The Minister storms off. I hobble to the door and look to the left and right, seeing four guards at both ends of the hall. My leg screams at me to stop, but I can’t. Agitating them further will just result in more beatings. My knee almost quits, and my ankle can’t really take any weight. It’s red and swollen. I loosened the laces in my boot to accommodate earlier, knowing they’d most likely make me walk at some point. I basically hop as fast as I can manage, trying to keep pace with the guards behind me. I’m torn between not wanting to risk further injury and being defiant.

My right eye is so swollen I can’t see, and the massive headache isn’t doing me any favors. My sides feel like I’ve been force-fed rotten meat. They scream for me to coddle them. It’s a long walk to the throne room, and to my surprise the guards don’t mess with me on the way there. Who were my visitors? It couldn’t be Emeris or Lucretia, or anyone from Taraska. There would be no point. Could it actually be the sisters? Why would the...Hurrand even allow that?

I’m led into the throne room, where the Minister and his lapdog stand. They look worried and impatient. Hurrand growls with annoyance when he sees me. They whisper to each other nervously, while keeping their eyes on my face. The Minister sighs.
“We don’t have time to do anything. It will be fine, they won’t risk offending us.” Hurrand nods, and they both begin walking towards the double doors. I’m shoved in their direction, hopping along desperately.

When the doors open, the sun is almost blinding. My strength is already almost gone. My left leg wasn’t in the best shape as it is, but it’s now working double time. I hunch over a bit as I hop along. My back starts screaming for me to stop as well. I’m a complete mess. My right arm almost drives me insane. I should have found a way to make a sling for it. I see a black and blue figure, accompanied by a slightly larger white figure, standing at the end of town. They start trotting towards us. Our little party comes to a halt.

I stand in front of Hurrand and the Minister as the Princesses trot into view. I was so happy I could have broken down. Celestia’s endlessly long wavy hair, Luna’s cute little walk, the way she doesn’t bend her knees as much as everypony else. Both sisters are completely grim.

As they reach us, Luna’s already troubled face morphs into one of horror and pain. She sees my swollen eye, my fat lip, she notices how my right arm dips a bit from my sprained shoulder. She gawks at my ankle that is now much larger than the other, as well as a nice, deep red from the swelling. She scans my face, her eyes about to burst with anger. She grits her teeth; her mouth starts twitching. Every few seconds, she stumbles a bit in place before stomping the ground in both rage and shock. Celestia gawks at me for a moment before regaining her composure. She slaps on a clearly fake smile for the King.

“King Hurrand, how is every-” She’s cut off by Luna’s sharp, demanding tone.
“What did you do to him?” Celestia’s head snaps to her sister.
“Luna. That’s enough.”
Luna shoots her an angry glare, before attempting to restrain herself. I can’t resist staring at the ground. Yeah, that's right Luna, your wonderful general is nothing but a punching bag. Shame floods my stomach. I was supposed to be a strong warrior. I was supposed to be tough as steel. Now she knows the truth. I’m just a piece of meat in Taraska. Sorry to be such a disappointment.

The Minister laughs dismissively.
“Oh come now! Raiden was simply injured in a training accident!”

Luna glares at him so hard, I could literally hear him shift around nervously behind me.
“That’s not what it sounded like from out here!” she screams.

Celestia glares at her again.
“Sister, please! That is quite enough!”
Hurrand exhales annoyed.
“Well, tell them Raiden!”

I tremble a bit. I wanted to scream. I wanted to give them a reason to pull me away. Was I seriously going to ask these two to solve my problem? I’m sorry princesses, I can’t deal with my own problems, please come rescue your general you trusted your kingdom to because he can’t handle a single king and some guards.

Every last part of my pride is torn apart. My mouth goes on autopilot.
“It...it was a training accident.” I say, just barely above a whisper.

Hurrand shrugs with a nasty smile on his face of triumph.
“See? Was just an accident, no reason to fret!”
Shoot me. Stab me. Burn me. I didn’t care, just get me out of here already. I can’t take being humiliated in front of her. Anyone but her.

The Minister slaps a hand on my left shoulder, which was slightly better off than my right,.
“You really should be more careful Raiden!” he lets out a condescending chuckle. He knows he can get away with humiliating me now.

“General. General Raiden.” Luna corrects. Hurrand scoffs but doesn’t say anything. I can hear it in his fake laugh, he won’t risk agitating Luna any further. Celestia looks at everyone awkwardly.

“Well, as I said, we came to drop off Raiden’s equipment.” My armor is brought forward by a Canterlot guard. He glances at my face, before retreating his gaze to the ground in an awkward horror. He lowers his flank so both bags slide off. He bows his head and walks backwards behind the sisters. Before disappearing, he looks me in the eyes. I see a bit of fire in them.
“General.” He says firmly as he nods to me. His words mean more to me than he’ll ever know. I give him the best nod I can, despite my neck still being bruised.

The Minister crosses his arms.
“Very well then. If you don’t mind, we were having an important discussion that we must return to.”

Luna keeps her glare fixed on him.
“I’m sure you do.” Celestia sighs as she looks over at Luna with concern. I know she doesn’t want this to become a bigger issue, and neither do I. Her anger fills me with happiness however. Her passion towards me might be just what I need to survive. Celestia bows her head in respect and turns around. She gets about four paces before noticing Luna still hasn’t moved. Luna stands there, every muscle tense, every brain cell wanting a reason to snap.

She grits her teeth, grinding them together. Small tears well up in the bottom of her eyes as she looks at me, desperate to do anything. A small smile makes its way to my face. The pain feels distant as her every emotion comforts me like a hot bath. Her legs tremble as she stares. She takes a few gently steps backwards before turning around. She keeps an eye over her shoulder at me, longing to free me from my cage.

Celestia stops and trots back over to me.
“Oh silly me, where are my manners?” She rests her head gently on my shoulder, nuzzling me ever so slightly. Before she pulls away she whispers a small message in my ear.
“Stay strong.” She slaps on her smile again and walks away. Luna swipes at a rock angrily with her hoof, sending it flying. It crashes into some debris a ways away.

The walk back to the castle is both peaceful and arduous. A guard carries my armor to my room. There’s something familiar about them. I don’t dare try to point it out. I know it’s neither Emeris or Lucretia. Was it another one of my soldiers? Did they slip in during the meeting to keep an eye on me? The corners of my mouth twitch happily, but I manage to keep a blank face. I could literally hug whoever it is. They’re female, and don’t act as aggressive as the other guards, despite trying to fit in.

As we enter the long hallway to my room, the guard looks behind her. When no one is there, she slings my gear over her right shoulder, and helps me to my room. They get me to my bed and set down my gear then close the door and walk back over to me.

“Sir...I don’t know-”
I look up at them with cold gratitude.
“Thank you, but if they see you acting like this, it will be your head. You need to go.” I try not to let myself get emotional. I so badly wanted a friend. They have already done enough. I had to act tough for them. I wanted them to think I was better off than the truth. They nod a few times. At least we understood each other. “Stay strong sir.” they whisper as they leave. The door closing is my cue to chuckle to myself. My soldiers never stopped impressing me, even after all these years.

I wake up the next morning by loud banging and shouting. There’s a huge commotion in the throne room, but I don’t risk poking my head out. I hear a female voice yelling, but I can’t make out the words. Trembling in fright, I'm worried they found her out. I look at my gear. Could I help her? Probably not. I was in no shape to move. My ankle was becoming unbearable. I could no longer even have my boot on, so I wouldn’t be much use in a sword fight.

I grip my mattress with both hands angrily. I was so tired of being useless. The clanking of armor and a lot of yelling float down the hallway. Several doors slam open down the hall one by one. I stare at my door in confusion as I hear my name being called a few times. Who was it? Lucretia? Did she seriously come back with the third Battalion? No. There was no way. That’s bold, even for her. Plus, they would have moved me as soon as the fighting began.

I stare at the door anxiously waiting to see who was making all this racket. My jaw drops as I hear who it is. The sound of hooves against the stone tells me all I need to know. I chuckle in shock, still not fully grasping it all. My door slams open, and I burst out with enthralled laughter. She stands at my door, powerful as can be, knowing Hurrand is powerless before her.

A massive smile crosses Luna’s face when she sees my reaction. She swallows, trying to contain her excitement.
“Can you walk? “she says sympathetically. I sigh and look to the floor before shaking my head. I’m surrounded in a purple aura as Luna carries me with her magic. She casually walks along the hall with me in tow. I end up turning around, being carried by a strange translucent blue carpet she’s conjured.

Guard after guard charges her, never getting within ten feet. They’re pushed back by an invisible force. They throw plates, knives, rocks, arrows, anything. Every item crashes into an invisible wall and falls to the ground. Luna never flinches or even slows down. She tries to keep her royal expression, despite blatantly defying every order being yelled at her. I hated the feeling of being a puppet, but seeing the guards struggle so valiantly and in vain made it excusable.

She clears her throat.
“I apologize Rai- General Raiden, I would simply fly out of here with you, but I don’t want to be rude.” Don’t want to be rude? Yeah, right. She’s parading around the castle just to show that she can. She secretly tries to torment the King with her power, and I enjoy every second of it.

Luna trots along quickly. There’s a hint of anger in her step as each hoof strikes the ground abruptly. Hurrand is at the other end of the hall behind us. His face is furious. He grabs candle sticks and hurls them at me. They hit Luna’s shield and bounce harmlessly to the floor.
The King calls out to her.
“Raiden is supposed to stay here!” Luna snorts to herself.
“Yes, well, I’ll try to have him back before sundown, but no promises. As I said, we need his help.” Luna says in a flat tone. A subtle smile crosses my face.

Eight guards move to block our path. They raise their shields before charging us. Luna doesn’t even slow down a step, as the guards skid across the dirt, slamming against some invisible force. They groan and push as hard as they can, completely powerless against her. The sound of screeching metal boots against stone fills the halls.

We take a quick right into the throne room. The Minister tries to stand there unimpressed, but his lack of attitude tells everyone he’s not going to bother with her. He tries to goad her into doing something stupid.
“This is highly inappropriate, but I understand being the younger princess. Just so you know, there will be consequences for this.”

Luna stops and looks over her shoulder at him. Her response is mute but deafening. With one look, she gives the Minister all the response he needs. Her face says one thing: try and stop me.

The last four guards in front of the double doors charge us but fall backwards when they hit the barrier. They’re in our way for a brief second before their ankles glow purple and they’re dragged to the sides.

As we exit the castle, I have to do everything I can to avoid laughing. Every barrier from here to the edge of the city was completely demolished. Several guards lay on top of random debris, not moving. A rock gets thrown at me from the same sniper’s nest as before, but it bounces off the same invisible field covering us.

As we leave the city, I’m engulfed in Luna’s blue magic again and we take off. We fly rapidly for just a few brief minutes, landing under a nice apple tree. Luna sets me down in the shade of it. I sit down, leaning against its cool bark. Luna immediately rushes up to me, nuzzling my face repeatedly. I’m too weak to do anything but lean into her.

She strokes my head with her right foreleg, grinding her cheek against mine. She pulls her head back and kisses my forehead twice and my cheek once before nuzzling my face again. My face blushes but I don’t care; I loved the affection.
“Are you okay? Do you need anything? I can get you some water if you want…”
I shrug and try to act like I wasn't about to pass out from pain.
“I...they actually haven't let me eat or drink in days…”

Luna looks horrified, and with a flash of her horn, a carafe of water and a plate of food appears next to me. My body takes over as I scarf it all down greedily. My hands tremble as I shovel every delicious morsel into my mouth. The water is cold and refreshing. It’s all gone in just a minute. I pant profusely and lock eyes with Luna for a moment before staring at the ground in shame again. On top of having to save me from some bullies, now she’s feeding me? Could I be any more useless? I felt like some tiny pet you keep around for the novelty of it.
“Thank you…” I whisper in humiliation. She looks heartbroken and rushes to nuzzle me some more. She grits her teeth angrily upon pulling her head back.
“That does it! You’re coming back home with us permanently!” I look up at her timidly.
“Are you sure that’s wise?”
She glares and rears her head back.
“I don’t care if it’s wise! They can try to stop me - no.”
She regains herself and does her best to strike a royal composure.
“You know what? If you want, I shall take you back. Or if you want, you can go back there. I will not force anything on you.”
I look at the ground happily. I needed to be coddled for once in my miserable life.
“I...I would actually love to come -”
Luna’s horn flashes and before my brain can register it, we’re outside Canterlot palace in some grass. Luna trots in place, giddy with glee. She lets out a happy squeal before gently tackling me. My shoulders scream in agony as I wrap my arms around her. We roll down a small hill about ten feet or so, giggling like crazy. My body gives up telling me to take it easy. All the pain in the world was futile against this feeling.

We lay there embracing each other in the grass. I had never been so happy in my life. My temples throb as I gaze at Luna's intoxicating eyes, eyes I wanted to see every day for the rest of my life. I hear Celestia clear her throat behind us. We both look up at her with awkward smiles. Luna lifts her head up with a mane full of grass. She stares at her sister, before blowing a large chunk of blue hair out of her face. Celestia stares at us amused. We all share in laughter.

Celestia sighs while still keeping a smile.
“I...I know this may cause...problems, but we’ve decided to keep you here. Permanently. I...do not know the customs where you are from, but I suppose you could just assume the role of an Equestrian-”
“That place is not Taraska. Not anymore.” I stand up, remembering all the crazy things I had done to protect this place. The battles I fought. The battles we almost lost. The agony we had gone through. I was done with Hurrand. Even my knees pleading with me to sit down didn't matter.
“That man is not our king. Taraska is the soldiers who fought for your kingdom. The soldiers who were willing to lay down their lives for something greater. We brought Taraska with us. I’ll miss that city in a way, but it is not where I belong. I’ll deal with Hurrand in the future, but for now I just want to enjoy being home…”

Luna keeps me glued to her side as she carries me into the palace.

Chapter 26: The Water Boils Over

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Dinner was seldom my thing. I never had anything to say, nothing new to talk about, and all my war stories depressed everyone. I had several of these little dinner parties with my soldiers, but it was drinks and roughhousing. Now apparently the self-proclaimed “social elite” wanted to have a massive sit down with the princess to celebrate the war coming to an end. It wasn’t over by a long shot, but we took what little solace we could. They can believe whatever they want, I won't say a word, but they'd better not get in the way when death comes knocking at the door.

I walked into the dining hall, trying to keep my posture perfect and upright. The royal sisters sat on one side, accompanied by Cadence, with other socialites across from them. I proceeded towards the table with every intention to sit next to Luna. She meets my careful gaze and a subtle smile crosses her mouth. My cheeks turn a slight red, as I do my best to seem casual on my approach to the seat. Before I even get to the table, our moment is cut short when some colt with a monocle and brown hair, sits next to her, with plenty to talk about. As he begins chatting away, she says something to him. As he looks down into his pocket, she turns her head towards me and mouths “Sorry!”. I smile and nod, doing my best to cage in the seething beast.

Seeing as how Celestia’s former table was still being repaired, they had taken several smaller ones and draped a normal large cloth over it. There’s equal amounts of ponies on both sides, so I sit across from the royal family, which puts me at the very end. It’s just as well, I’m not feeling remotely talkative. The occasional pony trots up, eager to know what little I'll tell about humans, Taraska and the Og Nag. Moral had finally stopped circling the drain and I wasn't about to ruin it with stories of how the Og Nag just seem to appear in vast numbers.

Throughout dinner, Luna and I occasionally lock eyes briefly. She does her best not to be rude to her immediate neighbor. Eventually he runs out of things to say to her, or he picks up on her anti-social vibe. Whatever the case was, he begins conversing with the guest across from him. I grumble to myself internally.
“Why not just get up and leave at that point?”. Luna sighs and stares at her plate, once again being condemned to another evening of being heavily ignored.

I fantasized about myself getting up, walking over to him, and motioning that it was time for him to go. He’s too intimidated to object and leaves. I sit there, proudly next to her, as we celebrate our small victory with conversation, and sophisticated gestures that only we understood.

I wanted so badly to walk up and run him out of my rightful place, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. The thought of all those eyes staring at me, not knowing what to say or do. What if it upset her? What if she’d rather I didn’t? Her lonely expression was heartbreaking. She pushes her food around on her plate as if it was the only friend she had. I contemplate what to say and do. The longer I waited, the more demasculated I felt, which simply compounded the effect.

A small spark appears in Luna’s eyes, as she defiantly lifts her head. I can tell she’s thinking something, but I can’t guess what. She steps off her chair, and carries her food and drink with her. She makes her way around the table, and begins walking towards me. The chatter comes to a gradual halt, as everyone is captivated by her unusual behavior.
I catch her eye, and with a subtle smile of my own, I pull out the chair to my left. She climbs into it, and sets her food down. We say nothing as we eat together. I didn’t need eyes to know that everyone was watching us. We didn’t care. I reach over and gently swat her leg with the back of my hand; she whips my arm with her tail.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Celestia and Cadance both struggling to keep their giggling at bay. They both beam at us. Celestia leans over to Cadence and lets out an amused coo. They keep snickering to themselves, while watching us with adored interest. I take in a few mouthfulls of food, trying to think of what to say. Funny how I had waited so long to talk with her, just to remain silent.

I swallow a bit, as my heart starts racing.
“How...how was your day?” I say quietly.
She looks over at me; those gorgeous teal eyes. I start shaking a bit and look down at my food. She starts snickering. She bumps me with her hoof. I look over at her.
“Your nickname is Captain Tomato okay?” she whispers. I stare at her before I realize my face is on fire, as always.

After a brief second, we share a hushed laugh. A moment flashes between us, and we both break eye contact in embarrassment. I start thinking about how many times my life was almost cut short while I was here. How she had saved me from my own kingdom. I get this strange feeling in my head, that I just don’t care anymore. I feel my hand autonomously reach over and gently grasp her ankle.
She glances at both my face and my hand in mild confusion. To help make it just a bit more clear, I lightly stroke her ankle with my thumb.

Her mouth trembles a bit as she smiles. She sets her hoof on my leg. Without caring even the slightest, she levitates her chair so she’s right next to me. She leans over, resting her cheek on my shoulder.
“Thank you…” I whisper. Her ear twitches a bit before she soothingly nuzzles me under my jaw. I glance over and see Celestia with both her hooves over her mouth, as she watches us with a pleasant shock. Both her and Cadence’s ears go back as they smile uncontrollably.

I hear Luna sigh.

“What’s wrong?” I ask.

She takes her cheek off my shoulder and speaks quietly in my ear.
“I just...wish they’d all stop staring.” I nod a few times, then remember I had soldiers in the room, standing at the entrance. They were more for everyone’s comfort, as well as a bit of show and tell. I hold up three fingers next to my head so they can see. I turn my hand ninety degrees and make a waving motion as if I was telling them to march forward.

They’re smart enough to get what I want. I act casual, as I lift up Luna’s plate and mine. She holds our glasses with her magic as her eyes dart around in confusion. My soldiers pull the tablecloth back from our side, all the way across the table to our right. The room goes silent. The soldiers pick up the exposed table next to me, and move it behind us several feet. Now that here’s a nice gap between myself and the nearest table, the soldiers form a solid line facing the rest of the guests. They raise their shields to their chest, blocking sight.

Luna is caught off guard for a few seconds before she bursts out laughing. I look at her and shrug a bit.
“Best I can do.” I see Celestia’s horn stagger to the left and right, as she tries to peek over my soldiers at us. Cadence and Celestia let out loud giggling and the rest of the guests join in. The laughter dies down, and I finally get the alone time that I’ve wanted with my princess.

Why is it that I can only keep my interaction with her going when it’s humerous? She glances down at my hand as it trembles against her warm fur. I try to take my eyes off my plate, but terror has me in her grip. She leans into my ear; her warm breath makes me shudder.

She whispers to me.
“Captain Tomato reporting for duty?” I can’t help but nod with a slight smile of humiliation. There's just no way to look at her. Those teal eyes dance just barely in my vision. She keeps her mouth just an inch from my ear. Her breath creeps around my face, as if she was seducing me from afar. I hear her mouth open. I'm completely caught off guard as her hot tongue make its way from the base of my neck, to my ear. She takes her time with it too. My entire body spasms.

My eyes bulge and my hand shakes so hard that all the food falls off it. All I can do is stare straight ahead in shock, having no idea what to do. She goes back to laying her head on my shoulder, but angles it so her muzzle is under my jaw, with her horn behind my head. I can’t help but relax with her warm body so close to mine. My arm wraps around her side, stroking her fur.
I hear a slow, content sigh from her. The corner of her mouth curls into a small smile, tickling my jaw.

I’m brought out of my trance when a pony sits across from me. He’s weird. He’s slightly larger than most of the other ponies I’ve seen, but just a tad smaller than Luna. Luna sighs a bit, but takes her head off my shoulder, snapping back to her regal persona.

He says nothing. White fur, and an auburn mane, trimmed to a mohawk that goes down his neck. It hangs to the right side. He wears a white, button-up shirt. His brown eyes stare at me; unblinking, empty and cold. There’s an exhausted redness around them. I feel Luna’s back muscles strain under my hand. I glance over at her and see her eyes grow wide. She looks almost angry and fearful at the same time.

I eye our new guest meticulously. He seems relaxed and a bit of a snob. A slight smile crosses his mouth. He stares into my eyes as I stare into his. My stomach flips. There’s something way too off about this colt. Luna narrows her eyes and turns her head towards me ever so slightly. She’s as skeptical as I am.
He cocks an eyebrow.
“So, General Raiden is it? So good to finally meet you.” His voice carries a subtle sarcasm. My heart starts pounding. His voice sounds odd. Almost familiar. Luna glances at me, then back to him, with perplexity. I look to my right; no one else notices our new friend. Without making a scene, I give him a respectful nod.
“Always a pleasure. Who are you may I ask?”
His eyes flinch a bit.
“Well I have so many names. It’s hard to choose just one.”
Luna glares at him. “Raiden...he’s familiar. In two very bad ways.” she whispers angrily.
“How so?” I ask quietly.
She exhales strongly through her nostrils.
“He reminds me a lot of you...and of...Zaran. The presence that was in me before.” She says his name as a whisper to not draw attention.

Our guest wiggles a single eyebrow in response, now watching Luna. He has no horn, but my cup glows orange as it floats to his mouth and he takes a sip. My right hand carefully makes its way down to my hilt.
He doesn’t move.
“Don’t even bother Raiden.”
Luna shifts a bit.
“What do you want?” she says so flat it’s almost not even a question.
He shrugs and looks down at his drink.
“Nothing much, just wanted to talk to my...friend here.”
He’s way too calm. It could be a ploy but I had my doubts. It was one hell of a gamble, surrounding himself with three alicorns in their very palace, who would probably at least try to fight him. No. This was no ploy. And it was about to get ugly.
I don’t dare take my eyes off Zaran.

“Luna. Get everyone out of here.”
Her mouth hangs open and her ears go back, as she looks at me with concern.
“Now, Luna.” I grumble. She grits her teeth, but gets out of the chair. She takes a moment to look at her guests before speaking.
“Everypony. The dinner party is over. Please take care of yourselves, and we shall have have you over again shortly.“

My guards turn to face the way they came, and march to the doors exiting the dining room. They walk over and hold the double doors open. Celestia and Cadence stare at us confused. Luna gives them a nervous stare. Neither of them say anything, but start studying myself and our new guest, unaware of the massive danger that was about to go down.
I hear Luna swallow.
“Sister...we need to leave these two alone to talk.” They give us one last curious look before quietly getting up and leaving with Luna. I slowly stand up and turn to the side, ready to draw my blade and behead him at a moment's notice.
Zaran watches Luna leave. He wiggles his eyebrows at me.
“Your Luna is just so much more pretty.” He puts his hooves together and gives me sarcastic puppydog eyes. He knows full well he’s easily within my reach, but he just sits there in his chair, calm as can be.
I try to steady my nerves; I don’t want to blindly fall into one of his games.
“What do you want?” My voice is flat, but it fluctuates a few times.

Zaran shrugs while looking into his cup.
“Don’t you play with your food as well?”

I inhale slowly, still treading carefully..
“You’d find me hard to digest.”

He rolls his eyes.
“Doubtful. The other two versions of you didn’t put up much of a fight, and they had magic. You're just a boy with metal.”

Luna’s words from the last battle suddenly ecco in my mind.

Listen to me, and listen carefully, we will not have time to discuss this! There are four main universes, with limitless alternate dimensions! There is a Human realm and a pony realm, both being considered “good”. Then there are evil versions for both the pony realm and human realm. We believe that a specific evil pony realm has found a way to travel through dimensions.

So he was my evil pony equivalent, who’s consumed both my other counterparts. So why even bother? Why not be done with it? Why drag it out? I would never do that without reason. I had to choose my words carefully. He wants something, but what? Is there some trick to consuming me? Maybe I have an advantage the others didn’t since I already knew of his presence.

My thoughts are destroyed when the realization sets in. He’s Zaran. Zaran is my evil counterpart. I am my own worst enemy...literally. I can’t think anymore. It’s unreal. No, I can’t think like that now. There’s a battle in front of me and I need to win. So what’s his plan?

Zaran scoffs.
“There is no plan. I have a conversation with all my counterparts. I mean, it’s not like I’m going to get a second chance you know?”

I stare at him for a second. Could he read my mind? Has he grown that much in power? Zaran rolls his eyes.

“No, I can’t read your mind. But I can put myself in your shoes and we basically have the same thought process.” He sets the drink down.
“That being said, there has always been something that puzzles me. The conversation is almost always different. I’d assume different species, mean different histories. For instance the Luna in your timeline was a tremendous mage and archer.” He pretends to be thinking, but I know he’s trying to captivate me with information from other worlds.

Wait. If there’s a good and bad realm of everything...am I good or bad? And am I destined to be soulmates with the same person in every realm? Would I leave the pony Luna for the human Luna? Zaran coughs up his drink, as he bows his head with laughter.
“Oh the Luna discussion. The good human version of you had a lot of questions too. We talked for quite some time. It does seem terribly vain to enjoy one’s own conversation, but still.”

The good version? Does that make me evil? Is that why I’ve killed so many people? Am I really a murderer? My mind thinks back through all the foes who have fallen at my hands. If I had been the good one, I would have found a peaceful way -no.

This is his game...my game. He’s distracting me. Yes, there were a lot of questions, but I’d have to sacrifice my own curiosity this time. I’m sure my counterparts didn’t know of Zaran when he talked to them. He's dropping little hints, knowing my mind will wander. Questions he had at first that he already has answers to. I replay Zaran’s words in my mind. He intentionally said “the good human” knowing where my thoughts would go.

Zaran seems to become less interested in our conversation as time grows on. How do I fight him? If he’s as powerful as three of me, and they’re all magic based...wait. If he’s the evil pony version, and has magic, and my other good counterparts had magic, then why don’t I? Or do I have magic?

I flash back to the forest where the Garge picked me up. Zaran spoke to me, and I ignited the beast. I had completely forgot. That’s it! He messed up with his lies and he was trying to distract me. He was controlling the Garge and couldn’t kill me! I relax a bit, knowing this isn’t some doomed hope.

Zaran sighs with annoyance.
“I’m going to assume from your relaxed demeanor that you remembered that instance in the forest. Sorry to disappoint, but that was a one-time gimmick I’ve since corrected. You see, I’m what I refer to as an Elemancer. Each realm has it’s own elements. In the good realms, the elements are sent by their respective trees to the ones who deserve it. But in the evil realms, our realms, the elements choose their own hosts, and they are picky, let me tell you.” He takes another casual drink while chuckling lightly, but I start to see through his charade.

He’s doing too good of a job of acting calm. I need to harness this magic. He’s lying to me. Am I really that bad of a liar, or am I good at reading people? I had to stop thinking. This is what he wants. He knows the answers to my questions, the same ones he asked. I have nothing to lose at the moment. In a flash, I draw my sword and swing it to his neck.

The sword hits some type of magical barrier around him. It vibrates so hard on impact, it's forced from my hand. The sword goes flying across the table, shattering various glasses and plates. It spins a few times as it lands, eventually falling to the floor and taking most of the tablesloth with it. I sigh to myself, but I had my answer at least. If I was going to win, I needed to harness this internal magic.
Zaran gets off his stool, and casually trots around the table. I back up several steps until I’m in the middle of the room. Zaran sits down on his haunches.
“Well then, enough of this. I wished our conversation had been more interesting than the others but I guess no-” The double doors burst open. Zaran doesn’t even look over, but he still glares slightly. Lucretia is being held up by Emeris. Both of them have some serious wounds. Lucretia pants as blood slowly drools from her mouth. She has bruises all over her face, and her hair’s a wreck.
Emeris’ right side of his face is still smoking from whatever engagement they were in. It’s completely chard. He keeps his right eye closed, but half his hair is gone. They glare at Zaran. Emeris looks at me with both terror and anger.
“Raiden, no time to explain but Zaran ambushed us. I don’t know what he wants but he told us he devoured you. Whatever he’s said to you, he’s full of lies!”

Zaran stomps an angry hoof as his eyes glow red. “Enough!” he roars. A massive red sphere of power erupts from his body, sending Emeris and Lucretia flying back out the doors. His body is covered with random sparks of what looks like red lightning. His hair stands on end, as if caught in an upwards draft.
I’m strangely unaffected by his blast however. I examine my hands in curiously. Zaran looks me over in subtle panic, still trying to do his superior act. I march towards him and stop just a few meters away, as I see the strange red electricity start coursing around my body as well.

Zaran sighs a bit in frustration. “This is going to be interesting.” he says with an annoyed, sarcastic tone.

Chapter 27: A Symphony Of Rage

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The screeching of tables echoes against the walls, as every last item in the room is pushed back by an invisible force. The stone floor rumbles causing every loose pebble and stone to hop up and down in place. I clench my fists angrily. Every last thought of what he’s put me through echoes in my mind. Every dead soldier, every burnt house. Holding Luna’s body in my arms as we traveled back to the palace. The guard who wanted nothing more than to know the fate of his sister. The Wonderbolts who gave their lives in our bombing run. The fear I once had, melts away, leaving nothing but my scortching wrath in its place.

The frequency of these strange red sparks increases. A mysterious crimson flame slowly rises from my body. It’s transparent, with no heat, but the aura stretches to the sealing, and several feet out to my sides. Mine are higher than Zaran’s by far. His eyes twitch a bit, and I can almost taste his fear. An odd wind pushes out from my body in every direction. I clench my teeth, seething with rage.

“Tell me Zaran, did you even actually consume my other selves? I don’t think you did. You’re lying to me. It’s what I would do if I was the weaker vessel. You put yourself in my shoes? Well, I’m dancing in yours. You’re nothing but a coward!”

I hold up my right hand, and clench my fist. As soon as my hand closes, a massive red bolt strikes out from my palm, hitting the ceiling and floor. The wooden tables are suddenly pushed so hard, they flip over, pressing their tops against the wall. They vibrate there for a few seconds, before the legs themselves snap. The wooden debris tumbles against itself, filling the room with the sounds of loud clacking.

“Raiden, stop!” comes an older voice from behind. I glance over my shoulder. An older pony stands there, giving me a stern but fearful glare. He wears a blue cape and pointed hat, with golden stars on them. His long white beard flaps over his shoulder, but he stands strong against the tornado of fury pouring out.

“Stay out of this! If Raiden wants to fight for that blue whore, let him.” yells Zaran over the noise. My arm instinctively reaches out towards him. My hand is surrounded in that same red flame, but it’s completely solid. The crimson power laps around my skin vigorously, dying to escape. Zaran’s body becomes wavy, as the sudden heat pouring out in front of me, slowly interferes with my vision.

“How dare you!” I seethe. I know full well he’s goading me into a fight, and I don’t care. He was going to get one and I was going to win.

“Raiden don’t! This is his game! He wants you to fight him! He feeds off your negative energy more than anything else!” All I see is different shades of red. My eyes are most likely glowing like his. It all makes sense. I wasn’t some chosen hero, or savior. I was lead into this situation so Zaran could feed off my suffering. Did I even win against the Og Nag, or did he let me win? I drool a little, as my mouth hangs open with rage.

“I am no one’s puppet! Do you hear me?!” I roar with a voice so deep, it catches me off-guard for a second, as if the power I wielded was warping every aspect of my being.

Zaran shrugs with that smirk of his.

“Well if you think about it, you kinda are. You stumble in here, and get to defend the kingdom for Celestia, who was more than capable of handling it herself. But why not let her lonely lapdog do it for her? Speaking of dogs, one could say that Luna didn’t save you...she merely adopted you from the pound. And don’t get me started on Taraska-”

“Shut! Up!” I scream. Subconsciously I do everything not to attack. My body aches for combat. The once majestic red flames from my body, erupt into a massive bonfire. I hear the wind pick up, as Zaran’s hair is swept straight back. While he still stands there, it’s clearly not easy for him. Those eyes though, they still keep watching me, almost eager.

“I...am going..to kill you…” I mutter, with an inhumanly deep voice. A blue flash appears between us. Luna stands there. She surrounds herself with a blue shield, but still hunches to the floor.

“Raiden, please!” she cries. “You must control yourself!”

“Get out of the way Luna!” I shriek angrily. She slowly slides back, ducking her head.

“You have to listen to Starswirl! This is what Zaran wants!” she yells desperately over the storm. I can barely hear her myself.

“Move, or you can join him!” I scream.

She looks up at me just enough so I can see the pain in her eyes from my words. I stutter, trying to think of more angry things to say, but I can’t. Those poor eyes of hers. After everything she’s done for me, I threaten her. The fire around my hand flickers a few times and starts to die down. Starswirl sees his chance and flies around the right side of the room, unleashing several blasts at Zaran from his horn, who quickly dodges. Zaran jumps back, hurls himself through a window with a well-timed back flip, spreads his wings and takes off.

Before I can chase after him, Starswirl lands in front of me and holds up a hoof.
“My boy, you must calm yourself! You will only grant him more power! Please hold still and listen! I promise you can chase him all you want after! Just hear me out!”

My body screams at me for blood, but I know better. The impulse to destroy is almost overwhelming. I was starving for destruction. Starswirl’s hat is carried off and plastered against the wall. Luna does her best to take steps towards me, struggling against the typhoon of anger I can barely contain. I place my hands on the side of my head while shake back and forth, almost driven mad with power. Parts of me began to slip away. Compassion, empathy, morality; they were slowly being buried.
How dare he talk about her like that! The war, Taraska, how much of my suffering was his fault?! I’ve had everything stolen from me! And now this stranger has the audacity to tell me no? To hell with that, Zaran has to pay! I’m stronger than my other selves. I alone can do this!
My thoughts trainwreck as a tender hoof touches my chest. Her teal eyes gaze into mine. I see my own face reflected back. I can’t even recognize myself. My face is covered in creases and my skin is stretched extra tight. My temples throb violently against my skin. It reminds me of some old demon in a child's book.

“Raiden…” her light voice coddles something in me. I see the pain in her eyes. I can't think. There are no words to describe the unrestrained hate filling my mind...but those eyes. Those teal rings that greeted me in my darkest hour. The one thing I'd lay down my life for. How much kindness she's shown me. How often had she gone out of her way to brighten my day. It's too late for me. Every thought goes blank.

“I hate seeing you suffer like this Raiden…” she calls out to me. Finally, somepony to admit what I’ve dealt with. Somepony who gets it. I fall to my knees. She tries to bend over, but still struggles as she’s being forced back. Her hair whips so hard, I see several strands get pulled out. Her eyes are squinted, but I can still see those teal rings. My tears manifest themselves as bolts of red lightning from my body that pound the ceiling, threatening to cave it in.

“Why is it always me?! Every time I turn around, someone is tormenting me! Do I have to destroy this place to find peace?!”

Luna struggles with all her might to get to me. I watch every painful step, each arduous hoof into the stone. Her face shows both strain and agony, as she fights against the storm. The skin on her face is being stretched. I hear her groan loudly as she refuses to give in. One step after another, and she finally hits her goal. She reaches out with both forelegs and wraps them around my neck. For a moment, I'm worried she'll be flung back, but she hangs on. Her silky fur brushing against my cheek is all I need. I can hear again. I don't have to destroy. I could just destroy for her. These ponies needed me. My people needed me. I was the only hope this planet had, and everything would have to be planned out.

The tables and pieces fall to the ground, as I wrap my arms around that wonderful neck of her’s. She nuzzles me furiously. All I can manage is to lean against her, as my body loses every last shred of energy. She stops having to strain herself. Whatever this power was, it leaves me. Despite having to put her all into walking up to me, she still holds my body upright as everything fades to black and I drift away.

I haven’t even opened my eyes yet, and already I’m miserable. Every muscle in my body feels destroyed. I instinctively try to sit up and make sure I’m not in danger. A hoof presses me back down, followed by an annoying old voice.
“Easy Raiden, your body is not used to such power. You need to rest. You've been through more than I'd dare put any being through several times over.”
“You must be Starswirl.” I say with a heavy sigh. He chuckles a bit, and I can hear him nod his head from the obnoxious bells on his hat. He takes it off and sets it to his side.
“I didn’t plan for us to meet like this, but Zaran intentionally forced my hand.”
My eyes burst open. I immediately close them from the burning daylight that fills the room.
“Where...where is Zaran?!”

Star sighs a bit.
“Raiden...don’t worry about him. You and I need to have a long talk about what lies ahead. Fair warning, it’s...not pleasant. We did what we had to do. As a man of war, I hope you understand.”
“Lay it on me.” I groan in annoyance.

Starswirl clears his throat.
“Long ago, near the beginning of time, four realms were created. We do not know how or by whom, but they also created a tree to guard each realm. These trees were called the Spirit Trees, for they embodied the characteristics of their world. You may wonder why half the realms are ponies, as we wonder why the other half are humans. From what we surmise, the being who created all was a hybrid of both. This is simply a theory though. However, this also explains why there is both a good and evil realm for both our species. Perhaps this being rid themselves of both its DNA and its morality...”

Star’s eyes gently glow white, and I’m shown some strange centaur creature. It’s head is similar to Celestia, but it has the upper body of a human, quickly changing back to being horse in nature. It’s gray fur melts with the rest of it’s body into some kind of liquid pool, then creating four spherical realms. Each realm has it’s own distinct sphere and color.
"You can see Equus as white, Nova as black, Earth as blue, and Prime as red." he says.

An army of ponies trots across a vast landscape of trees, happy as can be. The sky quickly fills with red, and the ponies take on armor with sharp points on it. They clash with others, clearly at war.

“Back at the very beginning, where resources weren’t as abundant, you had to fight for everything. As such, eliminating a threat took priority.”

I see two ponies, they try to shove eachother out of a crappy fort made of sticks and grass that has very little room. One pony gets pushed to the ground, as the victor angrily trots inside. He looks up from the ground, eyes wide with fear. He picks up a stone, runs into the fort, and beats his previous victor to death. He spends the night huddled under the fort, eyes darting to every sound.

“Emotional aptitude is genetic. Rabbits and horses are genetically more skittish because they are used to being hunted. As such, they naturally want to run. Same as wolves. Wolves are taught from a young age to be strong, or stand down. They naturally want to fight. It is the same even with higher, more sapient species.”

At a castle, a mare with a red cloak, watches eagerly as another pony is whipped repeatedly by her guards. She laughs cruelly, but you see her slightly nervous eyes scan the faces of everypony in the room. After the beating, her guards leave and begin shoving eachother, pretending it’s a game of who’s the toughest.

“As you can see Raiden, it spreads so easily. Safety is always a priority, as nothing else can happen without a life.”

I nod a few times.
“Equus and Nova are the two realms I’m familiar with. Equestria and my home world Nova. What are the other two?”
“Earth would be the other human world. Prime is where Zaran is from. Now this next part is...weird but important. I have had long talks with the Tree of Harmony, the spirit tree watching over Equus. She saved me from death, as age would have taken its toll. She needed somepony of advanced magic who can travel between realms. Despite being almost absolutely powerful, she found out that when it comes to outside of her realm, she can be almost powerless. Discord proved this with his evil seeds from Nova. We wanted a way to cure the universe of evil, so we studied friendship carefully and found out that it literally is magic. Being in a group is optimal for survival, and it allows you to tap into the life force within you. It was with this power, that Twilight and her friends saved The Tree of Harmony. The elements themselves do not actually possess much magic, but simply allow you to tape into your own. You see, when goodness is allowed to prosper, it spreads. Unfortunately, the same goes for evil. We mortals have instincts that are set on survival. Threats must always be a priority. Kindness means prosperity, cruelty means danger. As such, when faced with either, it is natural to respond in kind. You welcome kindness, and shun evil. Unfortunately, when evil is shunned, it spreads like a poison.”

“Star...I have to know...am I good or evil? Which version of myself am I?”

Starswirl sighs and places a comforting hoof on my chest.
“Son, I’ll get to that soon. The answer won’t make any sense otherwise.” I grit my teeth, but give him a small nod to continue.
“When I say evil, I mean the negative parts of life. When you think of evil, you probably assume endless cruelty for the sake of amusement or greed. This is not the case. Evil is simply the part of us that only cares about survival. It is within every creature to want to live. That is why you want to fight anything that tries to hurt you. And when you can’t fight, you run. It is survival. When evil is left unchecked, it manifests itself in many ways. One might choose cruelty, to be reminded of the fact that they’re strong and safe. Or perhaps they do it to show others they are not weak. Would you not be more afraid of someone who enjoys destruction, rather than someone who simply can be destructive? That is how evil empires are born. Everyone is too afraid to do the right thing, out of fear of destruction. Then other species who are born into it, do not have an example of anything different, and go on to spread it even further. The urge to survive can be overwhelming, and warps the mind. So Harmony and myself came up with an experiment. We introduced an evil entity and a good entity into their polar opposite environments.”

I see a human made of white light, and another human cast purely in shadow. They get lifted from their respective pools, and placed in the others pond. Their color slowly spreads across the water around them.

I cock an eyebrow as Star looks at the floor uncomfortably. He picks up his hat and fiddles with it.
“Raiden...I’m so sorry about this next part. I hope one day you will forgive us. Our experiment...meant taking an evil entity from one world and placing them in a good world, and vice versa. We wanted to see if it was possible to change them. Our theory held true. To make sure it wasn’t a species trait, we did it again. Raiden...we stole you from the good human world as a baby and planted you in the evil human world known as Nova. Your evil human counterpart was sent to Earth, where you originated from. The minute you were born...you had the cards stacked against you. You were genetically good, passed down from centuries of kindness. But you grew up in an evil world. One that saw kindness as weakness. That is why you have spent your entire life experiencing the worst Nova has to offer. As our theory went however, your kindness spread to others. It was subtle, but eventually those closest to you had changed. Lucretia, Emeris, everyone under your command, it spread."

I see back into the beginning of training, Emeris gets knocked down. I reach to him with my hand and yank him to his feet. I tell him about his footwork. Throughout our time in training, he glances at me suspiciously, wondering when I’m going to ask him to return the favor, but I never do. I face off against an opponent twice my size who’s been tormenting me all of training. He ambushes me at lunch and starts to win in our little duel of fists. Emeris runs up and drop kicks him from behind. He sails into my fist. We quickly realize that if we stick together, we can do anything.

Lucretia sits on a bench, unable to read a scroll from command. Emeris reads it to her. She plays it off like she’s tired but we know better. A while later, she gets command. She chooses Emeris and I as her sergeants. We quickly become close. Instead of bullying our lower members for training, we teach them what to do differently, and to unite. Our soldiers quickly stick together, and outperform the rest of the backstabbing lot. Without the ability to relax due to paranoia, our enemies get left in the dust.

“The unfortunate truth is, evil spreads faster than good. We mortals want to get rid of a threat as soon as possible, so we prioritize our safety, but good is stronger. It is more optimal to be in a team, therefor strong bonds allow greater safety, almost helping shield you from evil. Your kindness and compassion for others hit a brick wall with King Hurrand and his Minister however. Due to your nation’s lack of talent, they became scared and were desperate to find anything they could for survival. We did not predict this. There were many variables we didn't see coming. So your kindness couldn’t spread to the upper tiers of your kingdom. They were so scared of seeming weak, that they grabbed a hold of anything they could. That fear made them almost immune to your people’s kindness.”

He watches me, waiting to see my reaction.
“I’m not mad if that’s what you’re wondering. To hell with Nova, Equus is my home now. I understand why you did what you did, and as such, you now get the wonderful burden of guilt as punishment for interfering with lives you had no right to mess with. Your face is covered in it. Now, where is Zaran? And how do I harness this magic again?”

Star sinks back a bit in his chair. His face reflects pain as if he had just lost a child. There’s more, a lot more. I stare at him patiently. He swallows.

“Raiden...look…” he can barely even get the words out.
“I don’t care about any other experiments you’ve done, all I want is Zaran’s head on my pike in front of the palace!”

“Raiden...you can’t kill Zaran.”

He locks eyes with me before succumbing to the urge to examine and play with his hat again.

“Wh...what do you mean? He’s immortal?!” Starswirl shakes his head slowly.

“Raiden...Zaran feeds off your negative energy. The power you received...from our best guess, magic was never meant to cross realms. You mirror all the energy Zaran has. You two will always be equals. The exception is that the angrier you get, the more powerful he gets. You...you will never be able to have your own element like Emeris, Lucretia, or the mane six do.”

I see myself before Zaran. His red power flows into me. As it enters my body, it increases and flows back to him, creating a loop of power. I see us fighting endlessly, exchanging blasts over and over. The more I watch my world burn, the harder I fight, and the higher our power becomes until entire towns are shredded. I watch multiple variations, but they all end the same. I fight Zaran, something gets destroyed, I fight harder, and the destruction gets worse.

My jaw trembles a bit.
“Wh..what do you mean I can’t? Haven’t I shown at least something worthy of getting this power?!”

Star pats his hat gently with his hooves.

“Raiden...you came from Earth, but it’s elements are already given to others. On occasion, they may lend themselves out, but I’m afraid the darkness from Nova has corrupted you too much for you to ever receive one. And you’re too good for Nova’s elements to pursue you. As for Equus...you’re not it’s species, so it doesn’t recognize you as a viable candidate. Fr...from our experiments...we’ve taken whatever chance you had at gaining an element from you...forever.”

I gaze at the wall straight ahead, trying to comprehend all this.

I see the worlds again, each with their respective six champions. They’re all solid colors. I see all four of my selves in the middle, multicolored. A mixture of red, black, white and blue. I see myself step towards Earth, only to see some type of dark knight emerge from my chest, radiating black energy. He’s pushed away. I see myself then turn towards Nova. I reach out with a hand, shining with pure light. The shadowy demons of that world chuckle at me, pick me up, and throw me back to the middle.

“Wh..what about these alicorns? Surely every world has some form of-”
“It’s the same deal Raiden. You’re in the middle zone where you’re too good, or too evil for any side. If I had to pick anyone to become an alicorn, it would be you, but it’s not up to me. Harmony already said no. She sees the darkness in you. It’s not evil, but you crave power to protect those you care about. That desire is too dangerous. As I said before, the instinct to protect yourself takes priority. It blinds you, and makes you react out of safety. This is how wars start. I’m afraid you will have to be content with your physical form. If you try to fight Zaran, he will use your fight to spread darkness across the planet. You two could even destroy Equus entirely.”

I feel cheated, robbed. It’s as if I’m a mother who can never have children. I want to protect them all. I want to save everyone. And now I can’t. I’m just a man, in a world full of magic and power. I’m nothing but an insect in their war. I ball my fists and let out a blood curdling scream. Starswirl gets up and quietly walks away with his head bowed.

All I wanted was to not be helpless, and now I’m even more so than before.

Chapter 28: More Than Human

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I lie in bed, staring at the wall. This unofficial medical wing was vaguely my home for the last few days. It was nice for a bit to relax in only my pants, but it soon grew tiresome. Several of my soldiers came to visit, but our talks were short and awkward. Here I was again, being useless, unable to do anything but sulk. A stack of papers sit next to me. It’s all information on the Og Nag and Zaran. Nothing to report. I start wondering if this was another ploy by Zaran to mess with my head.

I began to resent seeing my soldiers. Watching them walk about in their armor, always having a task to perform, always on duty, constantly deserving praise and recognition. I can’t even live up to my own legend anymore. I’m afraid you will have to be content with your physical form. Starswirl’s words are a poison. I drown in them. There is no one to pull me out. No one to stop the unbearable burning on my skin that cries for purpose.

I wince at the thought of being the old general in the room, who constantly spews out his tales of valor, desperate to not be forgotten. No one listens. They’ve all heard it before. Eyes hit the floor as they walk by, hoping not to attract my attention. They listen out of respect, but my words are lost by the desire to pursue more interesting and current things.

Was I really Celestia’s lap dog? Someone she could push easier responsibilities to, knowing I’d never disobey my master? Perhaps they’ll give me my own basic quarters too for a little dog house. Maybe a nice window so ponies can trot by and stare at me. I’m sure I’d make a fascinating attraction. Raiden, the dog who thinks he’s a general.

The light clicking of hooves grabs my attention. I try to downplay Luna’s visit on my face. As much as I adored her company, I didn’t want her to see me like this. If I got lucky, I’d be killed off by Zaran, and all Luna would remember of me is a warrior who never backed down. Anything would be better than being a pest she was honorbound to tolerate. Hell I’d gladly get a rolled up newspaper for her if it made it easier.

Her pace quickens as she borderline runs to my bedside. She almost rams her face into mine excitedly. Her smile is as wide as she can manage.

“Hi!” she squeals with so much enthusiasm it almost throws me off. I swallow once, unable to control my misery.
“Hi princess.” My words are as quiet and hollow as I am. Her ears fall back with concern. She stares deep into my face, but I can’t resist turning my head away to my left. She quickly trots around the bed, and bumps my nose with hers, quickly flashing on that massive smile of hers. I look back to the right. I have to force my smile away, as the same clicking of hooves travels around the bed, before I’m met with those teal eyes again.

I sigh before turning to the left again. Luna gently climbs on my bed, with each leg surrounding me. We play this little “nose game” a few more times before I shut my eyes and groan.
“Luna...I’m sorry but I’m not in the mood.” I try to say it as gently as possible. I’m not mad at her but I just can’t be happy at the moment. She nuzzles my nose once, before carefully laying herself on top of me, and resting her head on my shoulder. Her warm body pressing against me, is almost soothing as if she was actually pulling the negativity out of me. My arms wrap around her, longing to feel some form of affection.

She wiggles a bit, trying to cuddle up a bit more. She calmly grinds her cheek into mine.
“What’s wrong?” she whispers into my ear. I do really need to tell her? As I sigh with frustration, she nuzzles my face. My left hand reaches up and massages her ear, slowly moving to the back of her neck. She rests her head against me again, enjoying the moment.
“Please tell me…” the sympathy in her voice is almost heartbreaking.

“I just...I’m useless to you all now. How the hell am I going to help fight Zaran when I can’t use magic or even participate without getting in the way? I’m just some human now. You and the others will find a way to stop him, and I’ll gradually become a burden for you.” my last few words crackle, as I choke back tears. They hurt, but they’re true. She wrenches her head back in shock. Those teal eyes scan my face, probably wondering why I would say such a thing.

“Raiden...you can’t be serious!” She’s almost angry now. Wonderful, I’ve turned my only means of comfort into an argument. Her stare morphs into determination as she climbs back to the floor. Maybe she’ll go find Emeris now, and they’ll be happy together. I’d be fine with rotting in this bed while they get married.

I call out in surprise when Luna starts gently pounding my hip with her hooves.
“Okay lazybutt, no more of this! Out of bed!” She starts hitting me a tad harder. Not wanting to actually harm me, but she means business. I groan as I roll over, and cautiously lower my legs to the floor. My muscles hadn’t fully recovered yet, but standing felt good.

I don’t move away from the bed. Why bother, where would I even go? Do another pointless inspection and keep myself busy? I wonder how many “sudden errands” the princesses could scrounge up for me. I’m like a child who needs a band-aid, and they’d be the mothers who didn’t want to deal with my cries.

Luna stomps over to me and starts pulling on the waistband of my pants. She tugs me past the bed, into the middle of the room.

“Luna I’m sorry but...I honestly just need to be on my own for a bit.” She narrows her eyes at me.

“You can walk or I can carry you. Your choice.”
I inhale angrily.

“Luna…” I try to add some strictness to my tone. She’s not having it. Her eyes close, and she sticks her snout in the air. I’m lifted by her magic and we begin making our way across the room. I can’t take it anymore. I’m not some pet to be taken on a whim.

“Luna, put me down right now!” My sudden shrieks of anger break her concentration, and I’m dropped to the floor. She whirls around and faces me, with a look of fright. I get to my feet and stop holding back for once.

“Stop forcing things on me! All of you!” The air hangs with what I can only describe as a deathly silence. I hear my words carry everything between us out the window. I’m officially a loose cannon now. She blinks a few times before looking at the ground. I’m able to bite my tongue, hoping she has something to say. Her response is a few tears I’ve caused. She paws at the ground.

“I...I’m sorry. I just wanted to help...” Her high-pitched words cut down whatever beast had seized me. A small sniffle drives it home.

“Luna…” I whisper just loud enough for her to hear me. She doesn’t look up. Her trembling mouth is all she can do to keep the faucet off. The awkwardness in the room is almost unbearable. I’m torn between my rage and wanting to comfort her. She sits as a pitiful heap. I walk over and stop just a few inches away. Her hot, sporadic exhales travel around my abs. I reach out with my right hand, and calmly place it under her jaw. I stroke her cheek with my thumb reassuringly.

Without moving her head, she calmly gets on her hind legs, embracing me in a hug. My left hand clasp onto her mane, while my right strokes her back under her wings. Minutes pass like a beautiful dream. We say nothing, as words are useless. We enjoy eachothers company. She’s content with gentle massages, I’m perfectly alright with her brushing up against my face.

She settles down, and my heart flutters a bit as her breathing returns to normal. She sniffles a bit before pulling her head back.
“I get it though. I’m sorry I...forgot what you’ve been through. I won’t lift you again without asking.”
I stroke her cheek a few times.
“It’s fine. It’s just been a rough week I guess.” I whisper with embarrassment. Luna gives me a weak smile.
“A bit of an understatement but I understand.” She wipes away her last few tears with a hoof before a grin crosses her face.
“I have a wager for you then.” she says mischievously. I cock an eyebrow in response.
“I’ll give you a kiss…” she takes a few gradual steps towards me. As soon as I begin to lean down towards her, she puts a single hoof on my mouth.
“But, you have to find someone in the palace or even Ponyville that agrees with how worthless you think you are.” She closes her eyes, sticks her nose in the air with pride, and trots off. She makes sure to gently whip my face with her tail as she whirls around.
I roll my eyes knowing full well her plan is going to backfire. That being said, I wanted an excuse to get out anyways.

This little medical wing was at the very back of the palace. I push through the door leading into a long walkway. One thing I had always thought odd of Canterlot Palace was how open it was. Apart from the throne room that connects into the dining hall, the palace was made up of multiple towers, borderline isolated except for one or two walkways that connect them. These paths were a single surface with rails, otherwise completely open to the sky. Perhaps I was too used to the security of Taraska Castle, which prided itself in security and nothing else.

My eyes can’t help but scan my environment nervously, as I rapidly cross the open pathway to the next tower. My sore legs make each step rather arduous, but the fresh air is worth it. I felt vulnerable with nothing but my black slacks. I atleast had socks and shoes that were left for me. I stop and face the railing, letting the cool breeze of the afternoon massage my bare chest.

The walkway lets me see off to the southwest. Ponyville was much more fortified than I remembered. Many houses had been rebuilt, then reinforced with metal plates. From what Emeris told me, they had turned their houses into mini hotels. They weren’t pretty, but they were defendable. It would take a Garge to bring down any house. Each window had a metal grating over it, and they were too wide to simply topple over. Even from the palace, I could tell that each house could hold off Og Nag for a while if the outer walls failed.

I begin walking again, eager to see the new improvements. The first tower ahead of me, has roughly three families in it. I look through the small, glass window built into the door. They all sit around a table in the middle of the room. Each tower had a door on the opposite side of it’s first floor, with a stairway against the wall that leads up to the second floor. The towers aren’t terribly wide, but they can often be up to ten stories. Granted they were designed for a significantly smaller species

With four mares playing cards on the table, everyone else is either counting various possessions or reading a book. While they were clearly more middle class, they looked surprisingly worry-free. They’re clean, a bit cramped most likely, but otherwise they seemed to be in good health. There had to be at least twelve ponies on the first floor alone.

They all stop and stare as I enter through the door. I give them a nod and a small wave. I know I'm not in danger, but the only times I was out of my armor was being a punching bag in one way or another. Casually crossing my arms around my midsection, I having no idea what to say. They give me weak smiles before turning back to their card game. I do my best to scoot by, without bumping into anyone’s belongings or chair.

A colt with black fur and a blue mane trots quietly behind me.
“Are you a soldier?!” he asks excitedly. A warm smile crosses my face.
“Yes young sir, I certainly am.” I hear him gasp quietly.
“Does that mean you’ll protect us if the creatures get here?!” His tone makes me think he assumes I’m some kind of superhero.
“Protect you?” I take a knee in front of him. The fact he doesn’t back up a single step is adorable.
“I’ll do more than protect you, it’s actually my job to make sure none of them get anywhere close to you.” The mares playing cards can’t help but coo happily. I get up and continue with my cautious steps towards the next door.
“So so, you’re like an archer then?! Or are you one of those guys with the shields?!” He talks so fast I can barely make out what he says. I stop and face him just before touching the door.
“Actually I’m neither. Princess Celestia gave me the job of being in charge of your entire army. I must say it’s weird not having my armor on.” My ears can’t help but notice the room has gone completely silent. I take a look around at the odd sight of every pony watching me with massive eyes and gaping mouths.

One of the mares at the table with red fur and a blonde mane, looks at her friends before addressing me.
“Are...are you the one they call General Raiden? The human with the red cape?” Her words sound almost fearful. I can’t tell if it’s awe or resentment. If I’m the reason her husband or whoever died, I’d be powerless if she attacked me. There's a long metal candleholder to my right. It would make a decent weapon if I used the doorframe as a choke point.
“Yes, that’s me.” I say as neutral as possible. They all hop out of their chairs, with shocked faces. My brain screams at me to grab the candle holder and fall back while I still have the chance. My gut tells me I’m just being stupid. I have no idea who to listen to. Another mare with silver fur and black hair calls up the stairs.
“Lightning, Jolt and Thunder, get down here right now!” She calls out eagerly. Great, one of my soldiers probably screwed something up and now they want to take it out on me. What the hell am I going to do if they’re unicorns? Three stallions come trotting down the steps. They look familiar somehow. Their eyes go to me, then the mare that I assume is their mother from her commanding tone. They stand at the bottom of the steps, wondering why everyone is staring at me. The mother bolts over to them, smiles and points a hoof at me.
“This is General Raiden, the one you saw at Ponyville a few months ago!” The colts stare at me with the same expression they all have. Just perfect, all three are unicorns. If I was quick, I could hurl the plates on the table and blind them as I made a run for it. The first colt is gray, with a combination of blue and black hair. He takes a few steps towards me. It’s now or never; if I’m going to strike, it has to be first. The colt's mouth trembles.
“I...I...we never got to thank you! We were there the day Ponyville first got raided! Oh it was so scary, I don’t know how you all just...run into combat like that! We tried to make a dash for it! Oh um, I’m Thunder, these are my brothers Jolt and Lightning!” Jolt takes a few steps forwards. While his brother Thunder had a very charismatic voice similar to Shining Armor’s, Jolt’s sounds rougher, almost as if he has a sore throat. His fur is a dark grey, with a mane that’s a short dirty blonde.
“If I remember correctly, I don’t think we knew you were the goodcolts at first. With that armor of yours, we didn’t know what to think!” Lightning steps forward eagerly. His fur is brown, and his mane is long and silver. His voice shakes with enthusiasm.
“We’re so sorry about attacking you! We didn’t know what was going on, we were told to evacuate to Canterlot, everything was chaos, ponies were screaming, it was a nightmare!” I stare at them confused, trying to remember who they were. When Ponyville first got raided…

The side of a nearby house explodes, as three unicorns send five of my soldiers sailing. I groan, while holding up my hands to my other approaching soldiers.
“Clear a path, let them through. If they don’t want to be here, let them leave, they don’t need as escort.” One of them looks straight at me, and I have to roll to the side narrowly missing a bolt of fire. My men start charging them instinctively. They can’t hear my orders to fall back over the chaos.

Two of the unicorns are tackled to the ground, as a third starts sending waves of magic at anyone approaching. They do their best to wrestle the unicorns to the ground, but with the ability to levitate any type of chain or rope, they become a massive waste of effort. With neither of the trio looking at me, I run over and with a quick fist, knock all three of them out. They all lose consciousness and I can do nothing but hope they survive. Two of my soldiers carry them back towards Luna.

I can’t do anything besides stare at them. That was such a long time ago. Was it actually a few months? It felt like several days but a few years at the same time. The three colts talk to eachother, going over every fun detail about how scared they were, describing sword fights they saw. They act like it was some movie, as if their lives, our lives, weren’t even in danger. A few minutes of answering questions that they gawk at, and I’m off again. Giving them a hearty wave, I make my way to the next tower.

I thought it was rather odd that they were the first ponies I would run into. Perhaps Luna had me intentionally moved to that room, knowing I’d bump into them on my way out. It also made sense that we started moving the first refugees we got, into the back of the palace to make it easier for more refugees to get through later, since the entrances wouldn't already be crowded. The next door is locked. I knock and wait a few minutes.

I can’t help but smile. It was so nice to have fans. I had completely forgotten about those three. Storming into Ponyville...it was so long ago. The door opens, revealing a mare with purple fur and a light pink mane. I recognize her immediately but I never got her name. We stare at eachother quietly. Her jaw trembles before she jumps forward, giving me a hug. My arms instinctively wrap themselves around her.

She lets go and takes a few steps back. Her mouth hangs open in pleasant excitement before she quickly backs up and invites me in. This couldn’t be a coincidence. Although if Luna had organized this, she probably had good reason.
“Ace! General Raiden is here!” she calls out. A storm of hooves echoes down the stairs, as Ace and his small purple filly bolt to greet me. Ace skids to a stop with his daughter. He stomps his hooves a few times eagerly, with a massive grin.
“I can’t believe it! It’s actually you! In our home! How have you been?! Can we get you anything?!”
I shake my head, unable to speak from all the commotion. The mare’s eye bulge with her smile as she looks from her husband back to me.
“I...I wanted to thank you for saving us! To be honest, the military life didn’t suit me, for the brief period I was a scout in it. All the killing and fighting...I don’t know how you Taraskans do it.” Ace looks at his wife, nodding so hard I thought he might sprain his neck. His eyes suddenly reflect some type of guilt.
“Yeah I would have enlisted too but, I mean one of us had to watch our daughter...and I mean also I’ve never fought before and-” I put a gentle hand on his shoulder for a second.
“It’s alright. Honestly, there’s not much you could have done besides scouting. We’re still working out ways ponies can join in. Besides, family is important.” He looks down with embarrassment and nods. I chuckle a bit.
“I’m sure you would have made a fine warrior Ace.” I get it, he wanted to be big and brave. He feels emasculated for not fighting. I had always thought it was weird how most men thought they were cowards for not fighting. Why would you willingly pursue such a violent career? Do they never stop to consider what you have to live with? All the memories, friends dying, the agony. It was as if all they could think about was victory. I envied any pony here who didn't have to close their eyes and see what I saw.
I stay for a few more minutes, listening to their tales of what they saw on their way back to Canterlot. Apparently my soldiers had left quite the impression. They chatter eagerly, trading off between venting their fear and expressing their gratitude. I was actually sad to leave them, but I had work to do. Ace follows me through the next tower for a bit, talking about how he would have loved to give it back to the Og Nag and whatnot. He talks with a lot of fire, but his eyes reflect regret and a bit of fear. He tells me goodbye and runs back to his tower. His wife had made a great scout when we first arrived, but she quickly stayed in doors with her family.

Instead of going straight through the palace, I continue around a walkway that encircles the main building but stays outside. I start down the mountain towards Base Ponyville, enjoying numerous civilians waving at me and calling out my name. Several foals chase each other with wooden sticks. A few of them even have colored capes on, but none were red. The refugees had probably seen enough of that color as it was though.

I knew deep down that these ponies would recover, but could I?

Chapter 29: Jekyl and Hyde

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The town of Canterlot had taken a sudden shift in tone since the last time I had been there. While the children were out playing, it seems like all the adults watched from inside their homes. They had seen their princesses’ tire out, something that rarely happened. Instead of it being in the past, they now lived with the constant fear that their goddess is not infinite. What a shock that must be for them. No matter what, Celestia the almighty was always capable of protecting them.
I had never known such comforts. I quickly accepted the way life was: there was nothing looking out for you. Hell I never even really had parents. In a way, I could empathize. If they wanted freedom from this fear, they would have to learn to fight, or serve someone who can. That is the way war works.

Eyes watch me from every window. I do my best to seem friendly and wave, but I keep glancing at the back alleys. I hated being so exposed. I wanted my armor, but there was no way I was in any condition to walk around in it. The children running around with capes stop and stare at me. Every step feels like I’m navigating some ancient tomb full of traps. Would any of them blame me for their misery? Perhaps I could have tried harder, done better, I’m sure anypony would love a chance to voice their “concerns”.

The town is completely silent. Just like the towers, I can’t tell if it’s good or bad. None of them had ever seen me without my armor. Even when I had it on, I seldom had time to visit with the refugees. Did they even know who I was? A door opens to my left as I walk by. A silver mare with a red mane pokes her head out cautiously, eyeing me up and down. Her earrings suspend little pearls, and her purple eye shadow runs a bit. I guess they were discovering what it was like to make do. She swallows and her mouth trembles.

“Are...you’re one of...them right?” She has to force her voice above a whisper. Her white earrings almost seem like a distraction from her messy hair. I stop and look at her. She takes a single step back inside, leaving just enough room for her eye.
Cadence’s voice from behind throws me off a bit.
“This is General Raiden.” She says with a hint of admiration.
“And he is more than happy to protect you.”

More than happy. Perhaps this was some way of her trying to use my sense of honor against me. Such powerful creatures, why even keep me around. My arms start to shake as I scan the town and see what my true purpose is. They keep me here as a comfort to their civilians. Next thing I know, Celestia will keep me busy with meet and greets.

Jaws drop all over. The foals look at each other with bulging eyes. I back up a few steps. The alley way behind me is clear and devoid of any obstacles. Up the road, a few guards watch us but they’re too far to lend any immediate assistance. Down the road are more civilians, who watch the excitement from a distance. My best bet was to fall back, but after that there was no guarantee I’d be able to rendezvous with my soldiers.

Random campfires were set around the city. I could perhaps use one of them and light some debris on fire, and signal my people with that. Their magic was still an issue however. If I got far enough, I might be able to make it to The Tasty Treat and use various knives to hold them off. I go through the plan in my head one last time. Set a signal fire, make it to the restaurant, and hold off the civilians. With so much chaos, it may give me the cover I needed.

“Raiden…” Celestia’s calming voice makes me look over my shoulder. My eyes are narrowed as I eyed her cautiously. Had they already expelled my people from their territory? Celestia and Cadence glance at each other. Celestia takes a timid step towards me.
“Raiden...it’s alright. These people admire you. You don’t need to be on edge here. You are safe in our city.” Her voice is as quiet and soothing as she can make it. Even with their magic, was I so dangerous that they need me to drop my guard?

I slowly raise an eyebrow.
“I’m curious, was what Starswirl said true, or was it to dissuade me from trying to use my magic?” I back up a few more steps towards the alley. A cart to my left has hundreds of random items in it. A few horse shoes and plates are all it contains. There’s also a long metal rod in it. At least I had options, but what would I do once they figure out that I’m not falling for it? I doubted Celestia would ravage her own town to get to me; perhaps I could use the buildings to block her line of site and prevent her from using her telekinesis magic. If I lost her, I might be able to sneak up on her from behind and snap that long neck.

Cadence giggles a bit before glancing at Celestia.
“Oh come on you two, what did I miss?” She lets out a hearty laugh as she casually trots over to me.
“Come on Raiden, the refugees would love to finally meet you-” I bolt down the alley and hang an immediate left, sprint down a few houses, and disappear into a backdoor. I close it behind me with as much hasty silence as I can. Voices around the town talk in surprise, but it doesn’t sound like anyone followed me. A few hoof steps on the second floor echo around the room. I slip into a small pantry to my right, and wait. A pony comes downstairs, pausing occasionally. They stand at what I presume is the last few steps.
“H...hello?” A colt calls out nervously. I hear them slowly walk to the backdoor that I just came through. I take in a few deep breaths to calm my heart. He has teal fur with a silver mane, he also wears a suit coat but it has stains from dirt. He’s a unicorn too, but he’s still just an animal. On my world, horses panicked easily. Hopefully they’re at least somewhat similar.

I grab a small pot holder on my left and toss it over his head and across the kitchen behind him as he eyes the backdoor suspiciously. I needed enough sound to draw his attention, but not enough to tip off anypony outside. His head turns towards the noise and jumps a bit. I quickly lunge forward from the pantry and wrap my arm around his neck. We roll a few feet from the impact before I wrap my legs around his midsection, ramming both my feet into his gut. I release my arm just enough so the air gets forced from his lungs. We’re on our backs, so he can’t try to buck me off or wrestle from my grip. His eyes bulge as I re-clench my arm across his neck. My right hand covers his eyes. His legs kick wildly in panic as he gags for air. His instincts tell him to run, not to use magic. Looks like they’re not as human as I thought. I make us roll a few times to keep him disoriented. His horn never lights up and he goes limp.

I lay the unconscious colt inside the pantry, drape a few bags across him, and close the door. Hopefully if any unexpected guests come knocking, they won’t find him for a bit. When he wakes up, hopefully he’ll forgive me, but I’m no one’s mule. I creep through the house, and quickly find he’s the only one here. After locking his windows and doors, I start browsing his house for what I need. Luck is on my side when I find out he’s a carpenter.

I find two pieces of wood, roughly a few feet in length. I use some of his tools to carve a nice groove along the length of one piece, so any makeshift arrows I build have a place to rest. Laying the second piece perpendicular to it, and draping it across the front, I secure it with some rope. It wasn’t pretty, but after I strung a nice stretchy piece of cord around the whole thing, it would have to do. I’d have to reset it after every use, but hopefully I’d only need one shot.

I rummage through their closet and find a nice black cloak. It’s probably a rain coat, but it should be enough. I walk carefully out the back door, hunching over so I don’t look human at first glance. Staying this low was murdering my back, but it wouldn’t have to be forever. I creep around the alley, occasionally slipping behind cover to conceal myself from random civilians.

They walk around in pairs, keeping their eyes peeled for me. There’s no way I’d make it to set off my signal fire, and The Tasty Treat without a distraction. What better distraction than a dead princess. I creep inside a house that was neighboring where I first bolted from. Naturally they had expanded their search past it. I keep my makeshift crossbow at eye level as I clear the house. No one on the first floor, no random pony in the pantry. I keep it aimed carefully, as I rapidly ascend the stairs. The house was too creaky to sneak, so I was better off rushing any opponent. To my luck, the house is clear.

I had chosen this location after hearing Celestia speak with Luna just up the road. I look out the window while staying hunched down. I made sure I only saw what I needed to see and no more. Occasionally I can see briefly just from using the reflection on the windows, but it's not aways reliable. I scann the area for the tips of their horns, doing everything I can to stay as low as possible. Celestia’s white horn dips and dives as she speaks with Cadence now. She sighs and shakes her head. I can’t hear their words, as I’m too focused on what I must do. No one can see where the shot comes from. I wait for the conversation to be over.

My hand gently reaches up and unhooks the latch at the bottom of the other window that's got a clear view of Celestia. Cadence trots back towards the palace, as Celestia stands there, eagerly glancing at every pony that comes within view. I begin to pull the window open when it creaks. I stop, unable to risk her seeing me. A few seconds go by before another pony begins speaking with her. As they talk, I peak over the edge of the windowsill. Her back is turned to me and her accomplice stands off to the right. I aim my rickety crossbow, having no idea if it will even fire correctly.

I hear Celestia’s words from long ago.
“I now pronounce you, General Raiden of Equestria.” With that, the mantle flies onto my back, the clasp connects on its own around the front of my chest. More applause, even from her subjects this time who either stomp or bang their front hooves together.
“General Raiden, please rise.” I get to my feet, I’m almost on the brink of tears, but I somehow manage to hold myself together. I was grateful I was still in my full battle armor to hide my emotions. Celestia trots up to me, eyes full of fear and desperation. She gently places a hoof on my chest.
"Please...save our kingdom...."

I stare ahead. My mouth hangs open. I stop aiming the weapon, letting it hang at my side. What in the hell was I doing?! I turn around and rest my back against the wall. The sun heats my neck as I begin to question who I even was anymore. Was I actually evil? Was I so accustomed to evil that I saw it everywhere, or was it actually everywhere and I was just being naive? Could I ever stop being a soldier? Would I always need something to fight?

I look across the room and see Luna standing there quietly at the top of the stairs with a blank stare. As she glances at my makeshift weapon, she purses her lips. Those gorgeous eyes dance angrily. Her cheeks flinch and shake as she’s torn between her feelings for me, and what I was about to do. I want to assure her I would never have pulled the trigger, but I don’t really know that. I have nothing to say; no explanation for what the hell is wrong with me.

The silence is punishment enough. I can hear her deep, rapid breathing despite the commotion outside. Her eyes travel around the room awkwardly. She impulsively stomps on the floor a few times, still avoiding looking at me. I let my mouth hang open; hoping something useful will come to mind. I take in a quick breath.

“I...I don’t know what I was-” I stop when she gives me a sharp glare. She was on the verge of snapping. Her jaw flinches a few times before she whirls around.

“L...Luna I’m so sorry I don’t know-” my weapon takes on a purple glow, and gets slammed across my face, causing me to fall over to the floor with a painful grunt. I lay there staring at the wood beneath me, unwilling to look up at her. She stands at the stairs, still keeping her back to me. Every part of me begs her to say something; anything. Did she know just how messed up I was? Does she even care? All I wanted was to know how she felt.

She does the worst thing she can; she walks down the stairs quietly and leaves the house. My shoulders almost give out as I sob violently in silence. I hear Celestia call out repeatedly to her sister but she gets no response. I lay on the floor of the house, having no idea or care of where the occupants are. I couldn’t face them. Any of them. I wasn’t worth keeping around.

My ears perk up when I hear Emeris’ voice. I don’t bother to pay attention to the conversation. I wanted to die. Why can’t I stop being a burden? The endless hell of hurting the ones you care about, I’d honestly prefer to be Hurrand’s punching bag again. My right leg flinches at the thought. Clanking armor and footsteps fill the house. A pair of boots makes its way over to me. I tremble, almost feeling renewed at the sight of familiar armor. At the same time, it only helped me realized I had just betrayed the only family I had ever known. I’m picked up and hoisted onto the shoulders of a soldier and carried downstairs.

My eyes don’t move as I’m carried down the road through town. Great, now all my former fans know just how insane I am. Sorry to be such a disappointment. I hear the whispers of ponies as we walk. My people say nothing. This isn’t the first time I’ve snapped for them. We’ve all done it. We never talk about it. You do what you can: care for them until it passes. In a weird way, I was glad to be back in their care. It was a mix of bittersweet memories. I had literally no choice but to trust them. Unable to do or think for myself, I had to rely on the bond I had built with them. They didn't care how I am at my worst, they love me for my best.

I’m set in a house near the end of the path leading out of Canterlot. My soldiers hang around the room casually, waiting for something. A short time later, Emeris arrives with my coat, shirt and shoes. He sets them next to me without saying a word. The room is quiet except for the sounds of miscellaneous shuffling. We sit there for at least an hour; a combination of humiliation and peace washes over me. I hated breaking in front of my people, but I knew they had my back no matter what.

Emeris plops down next to me and reclines against the wall. He has his full set of armor on. As usual, neither of us have anything to say. I’ve stopped panting and he notices.

“If you’d like, you can see what we’ve done with Ponyville. I think it would be good for moral if you’re up for it.” He awkwardly avoids eye contact with me. I’m silent as I slip on my formal wear. It takes a bit with my muscles still tender, but no one dares to help me. We exit the house without looking anywhere but our destination.

Emeris and I walk towards Ponyville. I still occasionally look back at Canterlot, wondering if things between Luna and I will ever be the same. Emeris notices my anxiety and tries to distract me.

“So there’s been an issue Lucretia and I have been discussing. From what we’ve seen, Cadence has only a few minutes to resurrect a creature before they go completely brain dead. We’re still not sure exactly what happens, but it means that unless she’s actually nearby in combat, our units may stay dead.” Emeris stops and faces me.

“No one has wanted to admit it, but you taught us never to run from the truth. Our numbers since the beginning of this war have steadily been dropping. We haven’t lost anyone in the first three battalions, but the fourth battalion took about five losses during our last defensive. Not surprising since they’re not required to practice, but considering there’s only around two hundred of us total, it will add up.” I put my hands on my hips and nod a few times.

We would have been in a completely different situation if Cadence hadn’t shown up during our first skirmish defense of Canterlot when we had to intercept the Og Nag heading for a group of civilians. We had no way to go home and no reinforcements coming. We had begun training ponies to fight, but what we could teach them had been limited since they couldn’t really hold weapons.

Emeris repeats what I already know about our difficulties with the volunteer civilians. My jaw hits the ground when we finally arrive and I see what Lucretia has been working on this entire time. Hundreds of ponies had their own armor with attached weapons. Some had what appeared to be lancers welded onto their side.

Emeris chuckles as he crosses his arms.

“So Lucretia determined rather quickly that the ponies can’t fight like we can. Their lack of dexterity means they have to fulfill specific roles. She took the larger ponies, and had special armor crafted. You’ll notice the large axe on the top of their helmet. They use it as their main weapon but they have a few more tricks up their sleeves.” Emeris lets out a loud whistle. A large pony, who stands in front of a group of thirty, turns around and looks at us. Emeris motions for them to come over.

They get to a full gallop immediately, despite what had to be pounds of metal for armor. They skid to a stop, standing at full attention. I was shocked how well they could run with a massive four inch wide lancer attached at their side that stuck out about two feet in front. The whole thing had to be about a few yards long.

“Let’s give Captai- General Raiden here a demonstration yeah?” The colt nods and stomps a hoof on the ground eagerly. Emeris folds his hands behind his back and stands up straight.

“As you’ll notice, when he stands at attention, his armor relaxes a bit. This lets his armor breath. They can’t simply take off armor to cool off with their hooves like we can, so it’s more breathable. I know what you’re thinking, vulnerable spots for arrows to get through right?” Emeris faces the colt again.

“Dezgo!” Emeris roars. The colt hunches over, and tenses his legs. His armor clanks as it folds on itself, creating a solid metal face. Every slit that was exposed is now covered, making him arrow proof at least on the front. I walk around and inspect his suit. The only open parts were behind him on his hind legs.

As I’m looking him over, Emeris wheels over a cart that has five wooden shields on it. Each shield is roughly three inches thick. Emeris looks at the colt.

“Gai.” he says casually. The colt leans back on his hind legs and throws his body to the left, using the weight of his lancer to help him spin around. He gallops several paces away.

“Nehora!” Emeris yells. The colt repeats the same spinning motion, probably having to incorporate the weight of the spear as part of his normal movements. He goes back to standing at attention, his body facing the wooden shields. Emeris tugs on my arm and leads me over about twenty feet from the shields. I watch eagerly, as I start to notice there are some mechanical parts with the lancer as well. Emeris chuckles a bit.

“You’re gonna love this...Dez Nah!” he yells. The colt bolts towards the shields, almost hitting top speed immediately. He closes the distance to his target in a few seconds. As soon as he’s five feet out, he tilts his head back and hits some odd trigger behind his head. The lancer springs forward, slamming into the wooden shields and sending shards everywhere. A few shields get caught and dragged on the lancer. He casually trots around and stands at attention. He looks at his handiwork and gives a small satisfied head nod, completely ignoring the hanging bits of wood.

Emeris looks over at me. I can see a sick grin on his face through his helmet. He walks over to the lancer housing and begins pointing at various parts as he speaks.

“So first off, they can launch it forward for extra power when they charge, but they can just gore units normally if they want. He can keep it launched forward to get some range, and then bring it back with that rear lever if he needs to kick something off.” There’s a lever hanging down behind the lancer. The colt casually gives it a tremendous kick with his left hind leg. The spear snaps back into its housing with a loud mechanical click. As it slides back, he head butts the wood off his spear.

“They have to train hard, as the sudden weight on the left side makes them run awkwardly. We’ve had to attach some counterweights for the other ponies but this big guy right here doesn’t seem to mind.” The colt looks at me and lets out a loud, fearsome snort in response.

“You see these clamps right here at the front and rear of the spear? We can undo them to take out the lancer if it’s damaged. But here’s my favorite part. You see this cable that runs the length of the housing? If it’s pulled at the front by its handle, it completely lets the spear sit freely. While it’s still snug, it gives them a devastating move.” Emeris steps back and gives the colt a nod. The soldier yanks on the handle on his chest using his teeth. The metal cord flies out, making the clamps holding onto the spear spring open just a few inches.

The colt looks at a distant tree about a hundred feet away and adjusts his hooves carefully to face it. The tree is a foot wide and reaches towards the sky majestically. He rears up on his hind legs. As he begins his fall, he snaps his head back, hitting the lever behind his helmet. The spear flies through the air, letting out a fearsome whistle. It slams into the tree, letting out a glorious crack. The tree splits vertically, as half of it falls off to the side with a loud creak.

A fierce roar erupts from what I presume is his unit. They stomp their hooves and cheer furiously.

“The idea is if their spear gets stuck and they have to ditch it, or use it nailing a Garge at a distance, they run back to our reloading team. They get a new spear, and then rush back out again. However, we’ve had to give each lancer a buddy. Their lack of maneuverability sometimes makes them vulnerable.” Another pony walks up. Her eyes are green and a small braid of her brown mane hangs behind her eye. Her fur is a dull purple, but she walks with a youthful spring in her step. She stops and stands proudly in respect. The colt walks up next to her.

He sits on his haunches briefly and takes off his helmet. A pair of green eyes stare up at me, looking overly gentle despite the aggressive display I just saw. He has a golden mane that hangs to one side. His red fur is a complete mess. He probably hasn’t stopped training in days. His muscles are much more pronounced than your average pony. I can see why he handles his spear so well.

“This is Big Mac, and his partner Umbra.” Emeris motions with his head for the pair to head back to the training grounds.

“Basically the partner’s job is to kick off anything the lancer can’t. So if they got a dead Og Nag on their spear that’s stuck, they’re not screwed.” As we approach the middle of Ponyville, I can see they’ve turned it into a massive training yard. There’s extra weapons, endless racks of extra spears for the lancer group, tons and tons of rocks as well as rows of pony armor.

Emeris walks over and drags another test dummy out. It’s a large sack full of either grain or sand. The two take their mark several paces away, and stand at the ready. Big Mac puts his helmet back on. The air is tense as Emeris brings two other dummies out. They’re different colors, which I assume means they have different things in them. The idea was that each dummy could be any number of issues. Emeris looks at me.

“Don’t worry; she does more than just kick things...Dez Nah!”
The two take off. Umbra stays glued to Big Mac’s right flank. Probably so she doesn’t collide into the spear when he stops. Her eyes stay glued to the target. Various soldiers swing at them with wooden sticks. Big Mac easily ignores them as they smash harmlessly against his armor. Umbra on the other hand has to dodge. She has basic armor made from leather and a few pieces of wood wrapped in more leather. She has to stay agile.

Big Mac rams his spear into the first light brown target. It gets torn to shreds at its mid-section. It falls to pieces and gets trampled. Umbra changes her pace perfectly to match Mac’s, before and after he hits the bag. Her timing was impressive but she trots along almost carelessly. As she runs along, I see some type of mechanism on both sides of her chest plate. It’s covered with her black cloak, but whatever it is, I’m sure I’ll see it soon.

The second dark brown target gets nailed cleanly, but the fabric doesn’t tear as easily as the former. It slides towards Big Mac on his spear. Umbra darts behind him to his left side. Mac skids to a stop. As soon as the forward momentum makes the bag start moving away again, Umbra follows up with a rapid drop kick to the target, sending it flying off. It rolls a few times ahead of Big Mac, who gives it a vicious stomp with both his front legs as he sails by. If that target had been living at any point, it sure wasn’t any more.

The third target is solid black. I raise an eyebrow and already see a flaw in their tactics. Big Mac lowers his head and closes his eyes as he gores the target. It sprays his helmet with what I assume is flour. Umbra immediately drop kicks the target again but does an impressive follow up. I look ahead and see several Taraskans holding up wooden shields with targets painted on them.

As she drop kicks the bag away from Big Mac, she does some crazy cartwheel as she spins around. The moment all four of her hooves hit the ground, she jumps in the air, and brushes back her cloak with her forelegs. She slams her front hooves into her belly against two levers. Knives come springing out, flying through the air and nailing their intended targets. As she lands again, she leaps back over Big Mac, and sends another two knives sailing over his head, hitting their targets as well.

They come to a skidding halt, with Umbra staying behind Big Mac again; they made a good team. Their plan was terrible though and I unfortunately had to interrupt the howls of excitement filling the base with my hands held up. I look at the pair who watch me proudly. Emeris walks over.

“Big Mac here was the best with a lancer, and Umbra was the most accurate and agile. I figured they’d make a good team.” I sigh and shake my head. Their eyes were so full of pride and ferocity; I hated to break the bad news to them.

“Gai.” I mutter. The pair trots back eagerly. I hold up a wooden shield and give them a head nod to charge, staying on Big Mac's left side. Big Mac rakes dirt back a few times with his front hoof before taking off. Umbra looks a bit more determined, but still has a dash of lazy to her. I stand there, holding the shield in front of me. I wait for the same conditioned response that could get them killed and see it at the last second. Big Mac closes his eyes a few seconds before reaching me. I immediately side step to his right side and sweep at his front legs with the shield.

He lets out a surprised yelp as he tumbles forward. As I swipe his front legs, I use the momentum to spin around and shield bash Umbra who tries in vain to skid to a shocked stop. She goes flying back as all I have to do is hold my shield firmly, and her forward energy does the rest. I pull out my sword and tap the back of Big Mac’s exposed legs. Before Umbra can recover, I dash over and point my sword at her. She stares at the tip with wide eyes.

“Dead and dead. Do not blind charge. Keep your eyes open as long as you can. What would you do if your opponent gets killed and falls over? That’s a corpse for you to trip on. You hit the ground like that, and you’re gone. You’ll get swarmed and stabbed everywhere. Let’s try another lesson. Gai.” Big Mac gets up and grumbles. He shakes his armor to remove some loose dirt. As he walks back, he shoots me a glare. They can hate me if they want, but I was saving their lives. As soon as they stand back in their ready position, I motion with my finger for them to turn around. They do it but with a bit of a grudge. I motion for Emeris to bring up another three targets. This time, I rearrange them, and put a light brown sack over all three.

“Dez Nah.” The pair turn around and dash at the first target, just as they’ve done a hundred times. Big Mac spears the target dead center, and gets a nice dose of flour in his eyes, which he's used to being in the final target, not the first. He cries out in surprise and stops, while shaking his head. Umbra skids to a stop, while keeping her eyes on Big Mac. She runs over to him. I hurl another shield at the back of her head. She screams as it knocks her to the ground. She covers her head with her front hooves and rolls on the ground next to him.

“Sloppy. You’re so conditioned to doing the same thing over and over, that you don’t actually analyze what’s going on around you. You need to change things up. React, don’t predict. Making assumptions is a mistake you’ll only get to make once. Umbra I know you want to help Big Mac, but while you’re watching him, you can get stabbed from behind. You can’t stand around like that.”

The pair gets up, except Big Mac is shaking with rage. He roars angrily and stomps his front hooves. I cock an eyebrow. Why was he getting so frustrated? Then it hits me, the same look I’ve seen a thousand times. He’s lost something and now he wants to fight to get it back. We lock eyes when he suddenly charges at me. I’m about to take a defensive pose when Lucretia comes running from behind him. Big Mac gets several feet before Lucretia jumps on his back. She straddles him and leans to the side with the lancer. The weight of both the spear and her body make him cry out before falling over again. Lucretia slides off his back as he goes tumbling forward.

Umbra rushes her with a loud roar. Lucretia side steps and grabs her cloak as she sails past. She uses it to swing Umbra into a rack of spears. She knocks the entire pile over and lays there panting.

“Enough!” Lucretia yells.
“General Raiden has a point. We need to step up your training; your lives depend on it! Take it as a wakeup call, not a scratch on your fragile egos! You can learn now, or you can learn the hard way as your life flashes before your eyes; pick one!” The two slowly get to their feet and avoid eye contact with anyonee. Big Mac stomps off. Umbra shoots me a glare before trotting after him. She knew I was right, but getting your high ruined is never fun. I guess I could have been nicer about the whole thing though. It was vital to teach them right away to let go of their pride and do what they had to do. War is not going to be nice. Best to teach them that as soon as possible. Lucretia crosses her arms and walks up to me.

“Go easy on Big Mac...he lost his farm from what I’ve heard.” A quiet groan escapes my throat. I never really gave my lessons much forethought, but I didn’t claim to be perfect. I give the rest of our units a look over. They still needed a lot of work. They couldn’t think about what they were doing, they had to do it out of reaction. Still too new to combat, I could see most of them panicking. There was no denying that all the extra forces helped turn the tides in our favor if Zaran ever returned.

Lucretia leads me over to the unicorns.

“There are two jobs for the unicorns: building walls out of rocks and clearing bodies, or being on the reloading team. Our more skittish ponies are back out of harm’s way. Initially we had the building unicorns set down every rock, but we found out it’s easier to have two unicorns make a barrier on either side, then drop the rocks in. Bam, instant wall. Also we started off having ballista teams, but having the lancers do it ended up being more efficient. That way we could move them with ease. We actually have specific lancers who are amazingly accurate at range like Big Mac that we call on. The ponies who don’t want to be directly in combat make up Tactical. They build, clear, reload, whatever non-combat stuff we need. Lancercore is looking good, but we have more ponies who want to be flankguards than lancers. We might take half the ponies who want to be flankguard and find other uses for them, but for now we’re a tad unbalanced, and we can’t just make them be lancers. The last thing you want is reluctant ponies charging in first.”

Emeris, Lucretia and I, take the next few hours to toss around ideas for training and improvements. Big Mac still gives me glares when he catches my eye, but always listens when I have instructions for him. Perhaps his desire for revenge outweighs his anger for me. Perfect, that’s exactly what he’ll need. We decided that in the event we have to cut training short, we’ll focus on having the ponies support our people instead of going in first. Being frontlines and having your plan fall to pieces, isn’t something for novices to deal with.

Zaran is going to have his hands full.

Chapter 30: Secondary Affairs

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Emeris and I sit on a bench in the training yard drinking water and taking a small break. I can tell he wants to ask what went down in Canterlot, but he can’t work up the nerve to ask. I make it easy for him. I’m hunched over, unsure of how to even begin.

“Have you ever...been someone different?” My voice shakes a bit. I have no idea how to describe what happened. Emeris looks away and lets out a long sigh.
“Back when I had to be a spy in Cartridge, I had to be many people. At a certain point, the stress got to me and I snapped. I had all these...weird thoughts and ideas. From what I’ve noticed, when the brain hits its breaking point, it tries to find ways to vent. It surges you with the emotions it wants to express. So yes, in a way I have.” I rub my hands as I stare at the ground.

“Back in Canterlot...I haven’t been back at the Taraskan castle in quite some time. My brain kept telling me I was in danger. All those thoughts and feelings...it was as if reality and the past were mixed in some horrific nightmare.” Emeris looks around the courtyard at our soldiers who train ponies in various dodging exercises.

“I think almost everyone here has those. I thought it was just a part of being alive, but after seeing these ponies...I don’t think it’s normal. I know Lucy has them occasionally. Hers seem to mostly be nightmares though.” A few more seconds of silence go by as we sit in awkward silence.

“I tried to kill Celestia.” I painfully whisper.
Emeris slowly turns to me.

“Is that what you meant about...being someone different?” I purse my lips and tap my left foot a few times.
“I...I don’t know, something about being physically exhausted and wandering around through their castle without my armor on...completely exposed with no allies nearby...I just snapped. I had this weird idea in my head that I was a prisoner. It made sense at the time I swear. I choked out some poor colt and made some crappy crossbow...thing probably wouldn’t have fired. While everyone was looking for me, I snuck into a house and tryied to snipe Celestia, thinking she was trying to...enslave me or something. I snapped out of it but Luna still found me.” Emeris makes a painful hissing noise.

“Ouch…that uh, doesn’t usually go over well with women when you try to murder their sisters.” He sees the annoyed look on my face and mutters an apology.

“I...I wanna talk to her but...what do you say to that? No hard feelings? I mean they literally just rescued me.” Emeris plays with his water bottle as he thinks of something to say. He tosses it from hand to hand, avoiding eye contact.

“Well look, the thing is, you came to your senses. I think it’s fair to say you never would have gone through with it. Now...as for Luna...chocolates and flowers maybe?” He says with a small chuckle and a shrug.

“Okay seriously, I need a way to talk with her. Even to break the ice...assuming she wants to hear from me.” I let out a loud groan and tilt my head back.

“I forgot to add, I don’t know if Celestia knows what I did or how she feels about everything.” Emeris lets out a long whistle.

“Tough one. Well...perhaps you need to remind them of who you are then. Remind them you’re the badass hero who showed up out of nowhere to save them...from a threat you brought with you. Man your luck just sucks, doesn’t it?!” I punch Emeris in the arm. He always has a weird, condescending humorous way of cheering me up.

“Seriously though Raiden, let's find something to do to show them you’re still you. I ironically have a side mission I was recently rolling over in my head. We know only about a thousand Og Nag made it through with us, yet we’ve fought easily ten thousand of them so far. So they have to be coming from somewhere right? Well my scouts found something weird. There’s this place to the south of Canterlot called the Everfree Forest. Some of the Wonderbolts have flown over it and said there’s something weird going down. They saw large black tanks that house some type of green gel. I’m wondering if that’s where they’re making Og Nag. Could be worth a look. Only issue though is the Everfree Forest is rumored to be cursed so they’re not willing to go in and look. Could be worth a peek. Might give us an opportunity to test out Lancercore.”
I grumble a bit.

“Well if Zaran can hear us, you just told him our plan.”
Emeris quickly finishes gulping down his last bit of water.

“Forgot to tell you, Celestia rigged up some type of magical device to shield the surrounding area of Canterlot. It also encompasses Base Ponyville.”
I let my shoulders fall a bit with annoyance. “Is there anything else I haven’t been informed of?”
Emeris slowly turns to face me with a massive grin. “We’ve got a Taraskan wedding coming up.”
My jaw drops as I stare at him in amazement. “We...we’re in the middle of a war! Who could possibly find time to...what!?”
Emeris falls back against the bench laughing. “Actually there’s more to it than that. Apparently Lieutenant Cy has been...friendly with one of the locals.”
I throw my water bottle to the ground and stand up. “Are...are you telling me one of our soldiers is marrying a pony?!”
Emeris crosses his legs and rests his right arm across the bench. “Oh it gets even better. Get this: Cy and...Stormchaser. Your favorite little scout? Apparently they’ve been smooching in her free time.”
I hunch over and start laughing in shock. “I...I can’t believe that! Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy for them I just…”
Emeris leans forward and gives an excited shrug. “I know right?! Isn’t that insane!? I mean he says it’s like...basically the same thing. You just kind of learn to accept they have a different body is all, other than that everything is the same as a human relationship. I mean former military dates former preppy girl, I don’t know how much they have in common but yeah apparently they hit it off.”
I narrow my left eye as my smile fades. “Emeris...what do you mean Cy is former military?”
Emeris looks down and nods his head a few times before looking away to the left.

“Cy...he wanted out. He said if he had to he’d fight again but...for now he wants to have a civilian life. He asked to transfer to my unit so I put Lieutenant Vox under your command and took Cy. I suspect he did it because Stormchaser’s path is usually flying over my unit. So for now, he’s not military anymore, spends most of his time baking. Stormchaser is still in though. Apparently she loves the military life. From what she’s said, she always had this massive uncertainty about what to do with her life. As enlisted, she’s told everything and all she had to do is do her best. It's comforting for her.”
Emeris’ foot bounces in the air across his lap. He avoids eye contact completely.

“Emeris...I’m happy for him I really am, but this needed to wait until after the war. We can’t have Equestria’s main military force start disbanding because of love.”

Emeris gets up angrily. “They need this...we need this. We need a distraction from this damn war. It’s all anyone ever hears about! Moral is crippled, and the only good thing we have right now, is no immediate threat of death and that’s speculation at best! Lucy and I have been working our asses off trying to think of what to do, and this is the only thing that’s come up.”

I place my hands on my hips and tap my foot a few times, trying not to get mad.
“If we start slacking now, this will cause a ripple effect. Soldiers will look at this and go hey, that’s kinda nice...you know...I don’t want to be a soldier either! And before you know it, half the enlisted drop out, we have to reorganize the chain of command, and while we’re doing that, Zaran attacks.”

Emeris balls his hands into fists.

“Look, if I need advice on how to raid a military fort, I’ll come to you. Sorry to tell you this Raiden, but you’ve completely ignored your troops! They’re destroyed! We’re talking moral here! This wedding isn’t just some little fantasy, we need it!”

I slowly shake my head at him, squinting with confusion. “Emeris what the hell are you talking about?!”

He points at our troops. As I carefully examine them, I start to see the weird behavior. Some stand still, just a few inches from a wall, staring at it mindlessly. A few others sit by themselves on boxes, muttering to themselves and rocking back and forth a bit.

“You see that Raiden?! They’re gone! Imagine how it feels to constantly fight every day while watching others live out your wildest dreams in front of you. Back on Nova, they had no idea how bad they had it, it was life! But now that they’re here, they see it now. They see peace, happiness, coalition. They’re falling apart Raiden! They need hope!”

I kick my water bottle across the ground. “And what happens when we let one after another go? What happens when they stop training? What happens if Zaran shows back up with a final assault months from now, and half our army is too busy baking goods for their sweethearts?! They can have peace after we stop Zaran!” Emeris gets up and starts shaking his hands on either side of his head.

“Raiden they need time to relax! These soldiers are on the verge of snapping! Do you want them blowing a fuse mid battle, or when they’re in the middle of a crucial task? You gotta let some things slide! Give them something to fight for!”

“Emeris we have to maintain order! We have to keep them disciplined!”
Emeris throws up his arms. “Why do we have to Raiden?! We’re done with Hurrand! We can change the rules! This isn't Nova where letting down your guard means death!”

I scoff at him. “Change the rules?! Those rules have kept us alive! What if they start questioning why they have to do anything? What if they start questioning why they even need to listen to us?! We could have a full-blown mutiny on our hands!”

Emeris gets a few inches from my face. His arms are at his side. I can’t help but notice his hand is strangely close to his hilt.

“These women and men are willing to die for you! They have all their faith in you! They trust you with everything! After all that loyalty, all that devotion, all they’re asking for is just a little peace! They’re silently crying out for your help Raiden, but you’re too angry to see it! Have you even looked at yourself?! You’re not made of steel! You’re falling apart! Celestia only talked with you in her throne room because I asked her to-” Emeris looks down and steps back.

“When she told me I wasn’t as put together as I thought...those were your words weren’t they Emeris?”
He sighs and looks up at me. “Mostly. Look...Lucy has been worried about you as well. You don’t see it but we do, your soldiers do...your family. I don’t think you’ve fully grasped what you’ve been through Raiden. Have you even...taken time off?”
I cross my arms and lean to my right. “I was in the hospital for several days.”
Emeris motions with his hands for me to continue. “And how was it?!”

“Horrible.” I grumble.
Emeris drops his shoulders. “Well...what did you do? How did you feel?”
I look off to the right. “Constantly felt like a failure.”
Emeris grabs me by the shoulders and gently shakes me a few times.
“See?! Even when you get time to rest you’re miserable! That’s not healthy! War isn’t healthy! We need time off! We need to relax more!”
He takes his hands off my shoulders along with four steps back.

“When I was holding down the North, we actually had some downtime. I sat on a hill and ate a cupcake...best five minutes of my life. I kept it hidden like some filthy secret. You know what I did after that? I worked harder. I felt like I had to make up for what I did. I spent the entire day teaching the ponies about duty and responsibility, how just even one pony slacking could mean a disastrous domino effect for countless others! Then...I did it again. Sat on the same hill, eating a salad, just enjoying the breeze. Took ten minutes that time. Ended up breaking down and telling Lucy. She laughed in my face and ended up joining me when I did it again. It helped us. I talked with the ponies, taking breaks are even part of their normal business world. It’s actually illegal to not give your employees breaks.”
We stand there silently. The anger still floats around in the air. I just had a huge ball dropped in my lap and it’s barely been a few days since the hospital. I start playing with my gauntlets.
“Look Raiden, let’s just pass our info to Celestia and head out. We can sort this crap out when we get back, but I got a feeling those tanks are important. I had always wondered why the Og Nag never attacked from the south. It was probably because they didn’t want us looking over there.”

Without saying a word, I turn around and march back to Canterlot. The conversation with Emeris plays in my head over and over. They’re silently crying out for your help Raiden, but you’re too angry to see it! I hardly noticed all the Canterlot ponies quietly trotting away from me as I make my way through what was left of their town. It hadn’t occurred to me that I’d have to face what I’ve done. My heart starts pounding so hard, I’m surprised my armor doesn’t clank to the beat. Did Celestia know? Did anypony else know? I’m sure they knew I ran for it, but what else?

I stop outside the steps leading up to the very first room; the entrance hall. The palace, despite being magnificent in color and design, now represented this ominous gloom that sat before me. I stand there, looking over its numerous windows, as if it was daring me to defile it with my presence. Did the guards even recognize me as a general anymore, or a threat to their princess? How much of everything that I earned was gone? Would the same citizens who looked up to me just a few days ago, act like I was some lunatic?

Two guards stand on either side of the doors leading into the actual palace part of Canterlot. Behind me was the town that was strangely quiet. I steal a glance over my shoulder; they watch me silently from the windows. Several faces are brave enough to show themselves, but dozens of heads do their best to stay out of sight, with only an ear or the tip of a horn to give them away.

The guards and I stare into each other. Were they curious, or did they have orders to not let me in? What would I tell them? Order them to move? Leave out of respect?

I take in a deep breath and walk towards the steps. I knew full well they would do me no harm, but the feeling of rejection stung more than any blade ever could.

Chapter 31: For Love And For Honor

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The guards greet me with a casual head nod. Clearly what happened was on a need-to-know basis. I return the gesture without breaking my pace. I was hoping they’d call me by my rank since if I was demoted was also on my mind. Not like I could blame Celestia for doing such a thing. I expected there would be some type of consequence for my actions, but one thing was for sure: I had nowhere else to go.

The palace is alive with casual banter. Multiple civilians sit around talking with the enlisted ponies. The eerie scene of there not being a single human in sight, gnaws at me. I stand in the entrance hall, unsure if I should push forward.

I have to talk with her; I have to talk with all of them. No more running, no more hiding. I wasn’t willing to lose them over my own problems; I had to settle this.

I could control my shaking in front of a Garge who was going to bite off my head, but not on my way to the throne room. The refugees greet me with waves or by name and rank. They call me general. I pass it off with a single head nod. Internally however, their words helped mend my tortured soul; I secretly hated it. Why did I have to feel anything, why did I have to care? I wanted to be cold. Being so vulnerable, being so open, letting their words in, it wasn’t my style.

The doors to the throne room make my chest ache. This was it; behind these doors is everything I was afraid of. I stand there completely blank. Do I just walk in? Should I knock? Should I ask a guard? My head starts to spin along with the room. I’d rather open the doors of hell themselves. I stick my hands out and they hover a mere few inches from the doors. The moisture of my breath bounces around in my helmet so hard, it stings my eyes. My panting is almost deafening.

I lower my hands and hang my head, before turning left and walking down a hallway. The walls echo the sound of my metal boots and nothing more. Once again I stop at the balcony that overlooks the nation. The trees sway carelessly in the breeze. Birds and pegasi alike sore through the air. I grip the banister hard and lean over. It didn’t matter how I felt. Whether they hated me or not, we needed to move on the target immediately. I had to protect this place.

If they wanted to use me to finish the war, then so be it. They can cast me out after it’s all over and I’ll quietly pack my things without a word. I’d die knowing I protected an innocent nation, regardless if they hated me. I had come this far for them, I can’t give up now. I stand up straight and admire this land. It wasn’t like Nova. They didn’t deserve that kind of fate. They had ideals I always wanted. They assumed the best in each other. They always looked on the bright side. Who cares if they were foolishly optimistic; they deserved it.

I’d rather be dumb and happy any day, than be burdened with the perils of my own war. I fought so they wouldn’t have to. We put our lives on the line and watch the horrors of battle so they can sleep soundly in their beds. Watching them live out our deepest fantasies was thanks enough. Screw it, I don't need their approval. I've had worse. I'm not here to be liked, I'm here to kick ass and save the innocent. We don't have to get along, we just have to get the job done.

My steps back to the throne room are swift and dangerous. Anypony was liable to get an accidental kick to the sides if they didn’t watch where they were going. Each angry stomp of my boot resonates in my armor and reminds me why I’m here: to kill Og Nag. My feelings can wait. Somehow I knew that these tanks would cripple Zaran. What he would do after was a mystery. I push open the throne room doors harder than I mean to. They swing open and clank loudly against the walls.

Celestia looks up at me from a large piece of parchment in front of her. Her eyes widen and that gentle smile crosses her face. The gesture is the opposite with Cadence and Shining Armor. While Cadence glares at me with as much subtly as she can, Shining watches me skeptically. They knew, that much was clear. Which meant Celestia had to know. So why was she treating her attempted murderer so happily than the other two?

I do my best to push the thoughts from my head. I try to take casual strides up to her as I talk.
“Princess Celestia, we found what might be large tanks in the Everfree Forest. We think that’s where they’re making Og Nag. Our scouts report that they’re well-hidden but none of them dare to fly closer.”
Shining looks me up and down with his best unimpressed face.

“You have a lot of nerve-” I cut him off with my patented “I’m a maniac with nothing to lose” glare.

“Silence.” I hiss in a half commanding raspy tone. His eyes temporarily glare at me, before he tries to act civil. Cadence purses her lips, probably unsettled with how I’m speaking to her husband. They can both go to hell.

“I’m here to fight for your kingdom, we can argue later. We need to militarize immediately and strike now. Celestia, is there some type of spell to conceal us? If we can slip in undetected, that would give us a massive edge. I have no idea what’s in store for us there. Zaran will not have left it unprotected, although I doubt it will be more Og Nag since we would have seen them.”

Shining rolls his eyes. “With all due respect captain, I think we need to discuss this first. Feel free to wait outside.”

Celestia looks down at him and cocks an amused eyebrow. “Last I commanded, General Raiden had control of our forces.” Shining and Cadence look up at her with both horror and disgust. I could hug the crap out of that long neck of her’s. Cadence walks off, as Shining stands there avoiding eye contact with me. I wanted to tear into him so bad. There was no way I could blame his behavior on anyone but myself however. I swallow a few times.

“Shining, if you don’t mind, I’d like to talk with the princess alone.” He narrows his eyes and lets his mouth hang open slightly. Celestia giggles at his expression.

“Shining, I’ll be just fine. Please make sure your troops are ready while we talk.” There’s an unfathomable amount of soothing joy in her voice. Was she even Celestia? Shining lets out an annoyed snort but bows to her, and only her before leaving.

I lick my lips briefly, wishing I had Emeris here with me. Of course he wasn’t here, I screwed that up too. At this rate, I could expect a dagger in the back any day now. I hold up my hand to speak but only a high-pitched gasp comes out. There were no words to express how I felt. There was no way to paraphrase the hell that took place in my mind. Celestia walks forward and pulls me in for a hug with her foreleg. I start shaking and lean against her. She takes off my helmet with her magic and sets it on the ground. She strokes the back of my head and tells me it’s alright.
I shake my head furiously against her warm fur. “How...how can you just-”
She chuckles softly and pulls away just enough to look me in the face. “Raiden...I get it, I really really do. At the end of the day though, you didn’t go through with it. I also don’t want to hear any “what-if” scenarios from you either. I’m not going to pretend to understand how or why, but in the bottom of my heart I know you’re a good man.” As my lips tremble, she pulls me in once again.

“For the record though, if you had actually tried it, it would have bounced harmlessly off my shield...then I may have disintegrated you.” I stop sobbing for a second and snort loudly. She bits her lip in an attempt to stop her laughing fits but fails. We lean against each other, just quietly giggling. I was so relieved the conversation was over so quickly. That feeling was destroyed in a single sentence. Celestia pulls away and looks me in the eyes.

“I’m afraid Luna would like to speak with you.” Celestia gives me an extremely awkward smile. How did I know it wasn’t going to be that easy? My gaze grows wide as my right eye twitches. Celestia looks down and picks up my helmet.

“I apologize for Shining and Cadence. It’s been difficult for them lately.”I slip my helmet back on and begin heading to Luna’s room. Celestia sighs and calls out to me one last time.

“Raiden...Luna will need her time to vent but...she will understand more than you can imagine.” I stop and say nothing. There was more to her words. What does she mean by that? It slowly dawns on me that I honestly didn’t really know any of them. I would have to find time to read through their history.

My stomach twists in knots as I climb multiple staircases. I’ve slowly began to notice this feeling had left when I saw Luna wasn’t in the throne room. I guess she was the one I cared about the most. How could she possibly understand trying to overthrow a kingdom? How was I going to explain it? “I wasn’t me; I just had a lot of strange ideas that swept me off my feet.” Yes, a royal pony that grew up in a castle would completely get it. Maybe Celestia just wanted me to feel better.

I look up at the last staircase I have to climb before reaching her chambers at the top of the palace. I might as well be walking to a guillotine. The same dizziness returns and I have to lean against the wall. Was Celestia downplaying how mad she was at me because she knew it was going to be brutal with Luna? Would I get any sort of respect for coming to her on my own?

I take each step carefully as if they could start breaking under my feet at any moment. I’d be grateful for a random Og Nag attack just so I had an excuse to leave. There was no doubt about it: I cared for her, more than anyone I’ve ever known. There are so many things I’d give up just to erase what I’ve done, but it was time to face the music.

I stand outside her door. It’s cobalt blue with a moon in the middle. Her door was so simple, it catches me off-guard. I couldn’t summon the willpower to even raise my hand. I play with my gauntlets as my heart almost beats out of my chest. Every little sound I made was amplified by the complete silence of the hallway. I reach out to knock on the door, just to pull my hand back.

I stare mindlessly as it opens. Luna stands there staring at me. Her hair's a mess and there are bags under her eyes. Clearly she hasn’t been sleeping well. Her room is full of clutter, as if she stopped putting things away a while ago. Her face is rather blank as she stares at me. Neither of us has anything to say. She takes in a small breath.

“Hi.” She says quietly. All I can do is respond with a brief head nod. A few more seconds of silence go by before she turns around and walks into her room, leaving the door open. I timidly make my way inside. As soon as I’m clear of the door, it glows blue and slams shut. Luna suddenly starts trotting back and forth across her room. It’s large enough for her to get thirty paces before having to turn around. That vulnerable feeling returns; I’m trapped in a room with an angry Alicorn after I tried to murder her sister.

She keeps shaking her head as she trots, staring down at the floor viciously. She breaks pace for only a moment to kick a cup that ricochets off the wall. The sound makes me jump, forcing me to massage my gauntlets again. When I think about it, and really think about it, I was more scared of losing her. She can throw me around the room like Hurrand if she wants; I was used to the abuse. What could I possibly say to her?

She glances over at me as I stare at the ground in humiliation. My left leg starts shaking so bad that I have to shift my weight to my right. She lets out an enraged sigh.

“I...I’m not going to hurt you I’m just…” She sighs and walks over to a window. She stands there for a bit, looking outwards.
I take in a deep breath. “I’d rather you hurt me than lose you.” I say just loud enough for her to hear me.
She looks over her shoulder at me. “What you were trying to do...after everything we’ve done for you...don’t get me wrong, we appreciate everything you’ve done for us as well but...I know it’s not very princess of me, but I’m furious! We save you from Hurrand, we give you command of our entire army, we treat you like family, we trusted you with our lives and you do that?! I...I…”

She trails off, shaking her head and making circles in the air with her hoof in confusion. I wish I had rehearsed what I was going to say. The sound of my footseps rattles my nerves as I quietly walk over and sit on her bed with my back facing her. I keep my head bowed. She turns around and watch me.

“Will you just say something?!” She yells impatiently.
I lift my head slightly, but still not willing to face her. “I wasn’t me, I just had a lot of strange ideas that swept me off my feet. I don’t know what I was thinking...I...I am so sorry Luna I never-” I stop talking as she stomps an infuriated hoof. Everything in the room jumps once in place. My stare goes back to the ground.

“You want to know what the worst part is Raiden?! You’re not the only one to try and assassinate her and usurp the throne!” My gaze gradually makes its way to her face. Her eyes flinch a bit as she holds onto something.

“Look...I heard your conversation in the throne room. You need to go take care of business, but after that we...need to have a long talk.”

I nod and stand up, still feeling like a child going to their room. I had never experienced this type of humiliation before. Luna's ears go back.

“Raiden...look...I’m trying alright? I know you’ve been through...a lot, but...this is difficult...for both of us.” I stop and face her. Something in my gut told me now was the time to put myself on the line. She needed to know, no matter what it took.

“I...don’t want to lose you.” I tell her, my eyes wide with terror and glimmering my vision with small tears. She manages a small smile. “I know...we’re basically your family now.”
I shake my head a few times slowly. “No...I...don’t want to lose...you.” Silence fills the room. My temples start pounding mercilessly. I can’t take it anymore and turn around to leave.

“Raiden...make...make sure you come back...alright?” Her delicate whisper makes my chest hurt so bad I consider sitting down in the doorway. I can’t say anything to her anymore. I quietly close the door as I leave.

I was a soldier; coming back wasn’t something I could ever promise.

Chapter 32: This Is My War

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I join Celestia in her throne room but motion to her that we need to speak in the back. The paintings are a blur as Celestia rapidly leads me down the hall, entering the third room on our left. Silver candlestick holders, bowls of decorative fruit, even fancy candles line the walls of Canterlot. It was so weird seeing such lavish decor despite being in hell. I knew this place could easily look like Taraska Castle though. One day after another, a painting or some other display gets destroyed on accident and never replaced. Windows get sealed up for tactical reasons, blocking out the sunlight. Without a breeze, dust builds up inside the castle, making it feel stuffy and meek. Pointless luxuries get knocked over or damaged as you hastily carry a table or slab of metal down the hall to reinforce the gate with. Decorations seemed so pretentiously pointless to me in the long run.

Celestia closes the door behind us. It’s poorly lit, and has a few rows of shelves holding scrolls and books. There's enough room for both of us, but little else. I take one last glance around the tiny storage room before whispering.

“If Zaran sees us coming, it’s going to be a slaughter. Is there any way we can remain undetected?” Celestia taps her hoof on her mouth a few times.

“I may be able to work with Cadence’s Crystal Heart and help it project something that will disrupt Zaran’s magic. Keep in mind though, it’s an all or nothing deal. I won’t be able to see you either. So if you get into trouble...you’re on your own. That being said, I’m rather certain Zaran has been crippled. I didn’t want to mention it, but there’s a specific device in my studies that detects different types of magic. Only Luna and I know of its existence for security purposes. I thought you Taraskans were the ones creating this dark magic it was picking up. However since we deployed the Crystal Heart, those levels have plummeted...for now. I may not be able to recognize all the different frequencies of magic, but I can make decent deductions of what they represent.”

I sigh in relief, but only for a moment.

“That’s great news...but it’s still Zaran. If he can’t use magic, I’m sure there’s numerous ways he can screw with us.”

Celestia nods her head rapidly.

“I have already spoken with Shining Armor about such precautions. Our palace guards have extensive redundancies in their patrols. Also in the event Zaran does possess one of them, no four guards even have all of the routes memorized. He would have to pull off quite the feat to infiltrate us.”

My gut tells me Zaran is going to do just that. For now, we had to hit him and hit him hard.

“How soon can you set up this field?” I ask uneasily.

Celestia sighs and bites her lip.

“I can have it ready in a few hours. You will have to rely on Luna for anything you need in my stead. Raiden, you must keep in mind that Canterlot will be vulnerable while I’m gone. I have the utmost faith in my sister, but we are less powerful apart. Know this: you will have roughly three hours until the spell fades. You cannot mobilize until then or Zaran will know you’re coming.”

My mouth hangs open as I stare at her through my helmet.

“Are you telling me that I’ll have three hours to prep my units and hit the target?! It may take an hour just to walk there!”

Celestia lowers her head.

“There’s more than that. From what I’ve seen, Zaran will know something is up the moment you all become...invisible for lack of a simpler term. Every second will count. Zaran will have the same time to prep as you will...along with whatever traps he may already have. I think it’s safe to assume it will be heavily guarded. Perhaps Cadence and Shining can assist with your operation?”

I cross my arms and massage the front of my helmet.

“I would love the support, but we can’t risk it. There are too many unknowns and we need them badly. If Cadence gets captured, Zaran could hit us with some type of disease and she couldn’t heal us. If Shining gets captured, there goes our massive shield. Also he could be used as bait for Cadence. I really hate going in without magic support, but this sounds like a job for infantry. It will be dark and crowded, not really a good place for an Alicorn. Hell Zaran could try and just outright assassinate one of them. Without more info, we can’t risk it.”

Celestia lays a comforting hoof on my shoulder.

“You will do just fine General. I will have Luna signal you when I’m ready. Once I teleport to the Crystal Empire, I will begin immediately. At that time, you must be ready to go.” I give her a small nod.

I sprint through the palace and down Canterlot. The civilians watch me nervously, most likely wondering if I’ve gone off the deep end again or not. Several ponies jump out of my way while letting out startled yelps. Dodging over carts and smaller, less alert children, becomes a sport. Despite my legs screaming out for mercy, I try to keep a decent jog going. I had never run down the long dirt road circling the mountain that the palace was built on. Even at a nice walk, it was quite the journey on foot.

The sun has moved enough to be a bad sign; a gradual reminder of my time restraints. I had to get to Ponyville and start organizing everything with Lucretia and Emeris. I stop and hunch over as I stare at the base, realizing one last detail I forgot: had Lancercore been trained on mobilizing? They were taught combat tactics, but not how to efficiently organize and get ready to move out. It could be complete chaos, as everyone either eagerly grabs their armor for combat or trembles and slacks to avoid it.

Were proper chains of command set up? Everyone had to know what unit they were in, or they wouldn’t know who to follow. It was common for units who didn’t know who to go with, to seek out their friends. It was fine if it happened once but it often creates a chain reaction and before you know it, one battalion has twenty five percent of the troops from another battalion.

I start jogging again before the sound of wings draws my attention upwards. Stormchaser lands next to me. I take in several lung fulls of air.

“Tell Emeris and Lucretia...I need to speak with them immediately! Tell them to...stay in the training yard but they need to be ready when I get there!” She gives me a quick hoof salute and flies away.

I block out the pain in my legs, knowing I’ll have a few to rest when I get there. The clanking of my armor is strangely unsettling. Perhaps I needed to start leaving it in the training yard from now on. It bobs up and down with every arduous step. Worst case scenario, I’d have to literally pick ponies at random to be in charge. That was a terrible idea, but we didn’t have time for anything else. Everyone needed to group up and move out immediately.

I look up at the sun as Ponyville comes into view. I had lost a lot of time on my way down. Probably would have been easier if I had simply asked Celestia or Luna to teleport me. Even taking the chariot would have been better. I growl to myself angrily, knowing I just cost myself majorly because of a novice mistake. Ahead of me, Cloudchaser is speaking with Emeris and Lucretia. My legs wobble and force me to stop just outside the main gate. I was always impressed with the massive fifteen foot high walls surrounding the compound. They were slick and basic, making it impossible to climb without the aid of a grappling hook or ladder.

I hunch over again, panting heavily as my body finally gets the rest it cried for. Lucretia and Emeris stand next to me curiously. Lucretia crosses her arms and leans on her right leg. I rapidly get my air back, but I’m almost ready to fall over.

“We got a serious problem. Celestia is going to use the Crystal Heart to block Zaran’s ability to watch us. She’ll be leaving soon and will send us a signal when she’s ready. As soon as the spell is up, we’ll have roughly three hours to organize a strike team and hit the tanks in the forest. That’s how long the spell will last. The moment the spell is up and Zaran can’t watch us, he’ll immediately know something is up and start preparing-” Lucretia unfolds her arms and balls her hands into fists.

“Are you insane?! We have the numbers and that’s basically it! We haven’t even set up proper chains of command or protocol! We have several hundred ponies so far who’ve enlisted and we can’t get to all of them! Hell it will take at least an hour just to teach them to mobilize properly!” Emeris sighs and plants both his palms on his helmet.

“Alright look, we can complain all we want later. Right now we need to make do with what we have. We’ll need to just pick random ponies for every group of fifty - wait...we can’t do that! There’s too many of them! Okay how about one captain for every one hundred ponies?”

Lucretia looks back at them dumbfounded before turning to Emeris.

“This...this is going to be a nightmare! We have to randomly select one captain to control a hundred ponies with no experience?!” she pauses for a second as she thinks.

“So here’s what we can do: the pony in charge will simply relay our commands. They all know the basic attack formations. We’ll have to literally keep an eye on several groups of one hundred. How about I’ll watch groups one through four and Emeris can watch groups five through seven. Raiden you can relay your commands to us, and we’ll pass it along. If you got anything advanced, tell Stormchaser here and she’ll relay it to the correct soldiers. Sound like a plan?”

I look up just long enough to nod, as my body tells me it’s time for more air. One thing was certain: Big Mac and Umbra already had their units. They were well-trained and ready to go. Emeris jogs over with Lucretia and begins having all the enlisted form up. When she gets to the best part of our problem, the air is filled with shocked gasps from our new recruits. I stop hunching and waddle over to the group.

Emeris holds up his hands and starts directing large sections of units into individual battalions. He has to constantly shout over the commotion. Lucretia starts grabbing units that make up tactical, and going over where they need to be. I walk over to Stormchaser.

“Can you get to Spitfire and have her grab her Wonderbolts and meet us down here? We may need air support. Also it will be better to have them for recon. Make sure she knows we only have three hours. We cannot move until Celestia tosses up her shield.” She nods to me and runs several steps before skidding to a halt. She trots back to me and digs into the ground with her hoof.

“I….I think Cy would...want to be here. If it’s important, he’ll want in...I...can go get him too after the Wonderbolts if you want…” I stare at her. I couldn’t remember the last time I heard her speak.

“Yes...that will be great. Ask him if he wouldn’t mind taking a group of Lancercore under his wing.” Stormchaser gives me a beaming smile, before turning around and darting into the sky. Our misery never seems to end here. If we’re not facing dooming odds, we’re either in a complete enigma of a situation, or we have no options. Time was constantly not on our side. Lucretia runs around gathering all the earth and unicorns for tactical, while Emeris deals with the horrified bulk of our main forces. This was going to be bad.

My Growler bounces around as it moves across the field. As we creep to the forest edge, I sigh and hold my face in my hand. Now I knew why Zaran chose this spot. The trees made it impossible to take the Growlers. While we could chop them down, we’d be both destroying a natural habitat and basically announce ourselves for miles, not to mention pissing off every aggressive creature all the way to the target. It would cost us days to get there like that, giving Zaran plenty of time to cook up a nasty surprise for us, or even hit another target while we’re busy. I give the signal for everyone to halt with a single raised fist in the air.

I hop down and meet up with Lucretia, Emeris and Big Mac; accompanied by Umbra who still gives me subtle glares. I motion for everyone to move in close.

“Alright here’s the score: We know Zaran isn’t going to primarily attack with Og Nag, so we need to be ready. This could be easy if he’s not paying attention, but we need to assume he is. Regardless, we have to act fast. Big Mac, what do you know about the Everfree Forest?”

His stance shifts uneasily.

“Lots ah magical creatures. Plenty of bad plants too. Never read up on ’em but I hear it’s nasty.”
Lucretia shifts her gaze to me.

“Using the natural forest as a guard. That’s kinda clever. No pony goes near it, full of weird stuff, plenty of natural guards twenty-four seven, and so close we’d never suspect it. Everyone also keep a lookout for any forms of transportation. There’s gotta be some method he’s using to transport Og Nag en masse.”

I look at the massive dark forest. Something felt off about it. Instead of the trees growing large and tall, they drooped all over the place. Their branches sagged with heavy vines, reminding me more of monsters than trees. Several pairs of glowing red eyes watch us and blink occasionally from the darkness. On top of the creatures, did Zaran set traps, or did he focus all his efforts on pure war? I drum the side of my right leg as I stay hunched over.

“I want Taraskans in front, with Lancercore in back. Big Mac, can you bring your lieutenants over?” Big Mac nods, looks behind him and lets out a sharp whistle. Several ponies trot up, half of them almost shake in their armor after glancing at the forest. I give them a small wave so they know to focus on me.

“Alright listen carefully; we’re going to go over Taraskan protocol. We use code so we don’t tip off our enemies. Lancercore is Landa. Neiz is first battalion, Bek is second battalion, Tresnah is third, Zot being fourth...” We go over the rest of the Battalions and what each command means for a few more minutes. Normally we’d spend weeks drilling our language into their heads, but for now they’d have to make due. The pony lieutenants trot back to their groups, stumbling around in fear. I knew full-well I could count on at least half the battalions running for it if things got bad.

Lucretia, Emeris, Big Mac, Umbra and I exchange worried glances. I stand up with my hands on my hips.

“Is everyone ready? Any last minute ideas?” We all look around silently. Emeris lets out a strong exhale from his nose.

“I thought we weren't mobilizing in front of the forest until we got the signal?” My jaw hangs open and Lucretia shifts uneasily. I can't help but turn around and punch my Growler. I just seriously put everything in jeopardy. Now Zaran knew we were coming, all because I jumped the gun and forgot to wait. What a wonderful general I am.

"Alright that was my mistake, I'll own it. Regardless, I don't think there was any way to avoid him knowing we were coming. At least we'll have a slight advantage for time since traveling here doesn't get factored in." I motion for everyone to return to their vehicles.

After mounting my Growler, I give the forest one last look over. I wave a hand for First Taraskan Battalion to advance forward, shields raised, ready to face whatever horrors Zaran has in store for us. They were comprised of my more insightful and attentive soldiers. They drilled frequently in spotting traps and signs of anything being off.

I hear my name being called from behind. When I turn around, Cy is walking up, with Stormchaser in his arms. He’s wearing his full battle armor. I couldn’t help but notice the cloth that drapes over his shoulderpads was teal instead of red this time. I swallow my irritation and give him a large nod as I hop off the Growler and run up to him. Stormchaser see’s it’s her cue to walk on her own now. She gently hops out of his arms and gently lands on the ground so Cy and I can shake hands.

Cy crosses his arms and looks across our army with a satisfied smile.

“Stormchaser briefed me of the situation. If you want, I could lead one of the pony groups.”

Lucretia stands to my right quietly.

“Actually there’s a battalion with a very skittish Captain you can take over.” She points downrange a ways.

“Landa Ura, Lancercore fifth battalion. Just look for the mare that’s standing in front, shaking in her armor. She probably won’t respond when you first walk up to her.” Cy looks over at the distant Battalion before turning back to us and departing with an eager head-nod. I look down at Stormchaser who starts following Cy. She whirls around when I clear my throat and gives me an embarrassed stare. Her silver messy hair whips across her eyes as she peers down at the ground. Her place was to stay near me to relay my commands, not follow her fiance.

I make a whirling motion in the air with my right index finger and everyone jogs back to their positions. I climb up my Growler and gaze across our forces. Seven battalions of ponies. Three being Lancercore and four being tactical. We had our three Taraskan Battalions as well. First Taraskan Battalion, Tara Neiz for short, was going to scout ahead a bit so we could advance when we’re ready. They’d stay in eyesight and formation as much as possible. Unfortunately, they'd have to discover Zaran's traps on their own with no information ahead of time.

I fold my arms and tap my right hand nervously. My eyes snap to any movement in the forest. Tara Neiz barely makes it in five feet before they disappear amidst the hanging vines and tall grass. I growl to myself, hating the idea of not leading them myself, which was the norm before I became general. I can barely make out any movement, as they march deeper and deeper into the forest. Leaning to the far right and left anxiously, I try to catch a glimpse of someone’s armor.

Tara Neiz emerges a few minutes later. Lieutenant Dayke gives me a large triangle with her arms, signaling it was all clear. I give her a wave and we wait a bit longer. My foot taps nervously before I spin around at the sound of flapping wings again. I let out a loud sigh of relief as Captain Spitfire lands on my Growler, with Soarin on her left. She gives me a nervous nod. Her eyes were wide and sunken. There was something way off with her. Her gaze darts around sporadically as she takes a few cautious steps towards me. I eye her up and down with concern.

“Are...you alright Captain?” I say while raising an eyebrow. She glances at me and says nothing. Soarin looks her over with sympathy and then trots up to me.

“My apologies general, I wasn’t there on the last bombing run, but apparently we took some heavy and nasty losses.” I shudder when the scene flashes back into my mind.Four of them, with tears in their eyes, pull away. They’re too far behind at this point to grab the bombs and also sail away unharmed. The fifth hits top speed, and catches up to the bombs. She nudges them together as quickly as possible. With eyes closed, she hits a bomb with her hoof, detonating it along with the other explosives. She stops them from detonating on the princess, or risking her squad mates; her last effort as a soldier. Emeris falls to the bottom of our chariot, grabbing the sides of his arms, sitting quietly with defeat. The Og Nag let out a coordinated chuckle, and chants.

“King of the Dead! King of the Dead!”

“I’m...I..I’m sorry…” she collapses again.

Spitfire lands in the somewhat crowded chariot. She stares at me, her eyes wide but it’s as if she stares at nothing. She can’t make a single sound, as her throat pulses desperately to say something. She points a hoof towards the Og Nag, still keeping her eyes vaguely pointed at me. All she can do is hurl on the floor and sit on her haunches.

The ride back is accompanied by quiet sobbing.

I cross my arms and stare at Spitfire in contemplation. So I could put an unstable, traumatized Captain in charge of my entire air support, temporarily replace her in front of all the Equestrian forces, or do without my eyes in the skies. I put one hand on my hip and another on the back of my helmet anxiously.

“Spitfire...I need to know if you’re good. I understand if you...can’t right now, but you have to tell me.” The silence is maddening, as she looks down at the Growler and shakes. Soarin bites his lip uncomfortably as he waits for her reply. A massive purple ball of magic shoots towards the sky from Canterlot. It explodes in the air, showering the sky with tiny particles.

I look down at Spitfire and take a knee in front of her.

“I’m sorry Spitfire, it’s now or never. That was Luna’s signal.” She grits her teeth and gets her snout an inch from my helmet.
“Let’s do this.” She grumbles. I give her a rough pat on the shoulder before facing our forces. I make the symbol for all Taraskan forces and point at the forest. We begin moving out.

Chapter 33: The Price Of Freedom

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Lucretia and I look around skeptically. Thick branches and numerous leaves, blocked out most of the sun. Small patches of light littered the forest floor. They were both our only hope to see, as well as the last place you wanted to be. My soldiers armor was almost invisible, except for the occasional reflections of distant light patches. We were in the densest part of the forest now, there was no reason not to have just a few traps that basic infantry would get caught in. It also wasn’t like Zaran to pull any punches, so what was his game?

My breath trembles inside my helmet, as Lucretia and I continually exchanged worried glances. Not a single trap had been found yet, no mythical creatures from hell, just an unforgiving terrain that slowed everything down. I couldn't even see First Lancercore behind us, even though I could sure hear their fearful mutterings.

“Nunda!” I say in a harsh whisper. The command is echoed through my units as each soldier stops and taps the person in front of them on the right shoulder, who in turn do the same until my entire battalion is halted in complete silence. I examine every tree, every rock, and every plant; there was nothing. Lucretia angrily kicks a rock which explodes with a loud bang as it shatters against a soldier's armor. The sudden noise makes everyone flinch.

“Sorry…” She whispers regretfully. I wait a few more minutes, trying to find some trace. I check the underside of my boots to see if perhaps we were trailing some kind of poison or liquid marking. There were no birds following us, nothing skulking about in the dense shadows of the forest; something was off. A large rock formation stood ahead of us in the middle of our intended path. I take every chance I get to step on a stone, as if every crunch of a leaf or branch was a trip to the guillotine.
The rocks were at least twenty feet high and easy to climb, even in armor. I nod my head in satisfaction, knowing we at least had a good defensible position and check point.

“Gai Dezgo!” Once again the order is sent out in a silent wave of repeated whispers. It was now understood that if I yelled Gai, that this rock formation was our first landmark. I reach out and place a hand on the stone, right as Lucretia whispers to me harshly.
“Wait wait wait!” She says frantically. It came just barely too late. The rocks shake for a moment and a loud piercing howl erupts from it. I draw my sword and watch it carefully, expecting some massive monster to unbury itself. The seconds take hours to crawl by. My heart pounds in my chest, making my armor produce a light clicking sound with every beat. Every head in my battalion scans their environment obsessively. No one moves a single limb as we wait to hear what was in store.

Lucretia slowly lowers her rapier as we stare at each other. The silence is broken by distant yelling and clanking of armor. We try in vain to peer through the trees to see what was going on. I can’t dare break formation to investigate since this is exactly where Stormchaser will land if she needs to report something. Ironically, I hear those same wings flutter above my head. She lands with numerous leaves in her hair. She takes in one massive lung full of air.

“Timber….wolves!” She wheezes out. Lucretia stares at her.
“Big Mac said something about Timberwolves but he didn’t elaborate on exactly what they are.” Storm looks up at her frantically, doing everything she can to speak. I didn’t have time to wait on her.

“Gai Cor Dezgo!” I yell. Every unit backs up as close as they can. The two outer layers of units form a shield wall, with the third line ready with spears and extra shields if need be. The fourth and fifth lines ready bows, with everyone else ready to slay anything that is capable of jumping or flying past our formation into the inner circle. In one loud unison, every shield is linked together with the one next to it. As soon as I hear bows being loaded, I turn to Storm.

“I need updates immediately! Tell the Wonderbolts to start doing recon and report to me! I want to know how every unit is doing. Also make everyone form up defensive positions, but have them try to mix with other battalions until we get an accurate threat assessment!” Lucretia nods and adds in her own orders.

“Also any unit that is not under attack or vital to a defense needs to fall back here. We may need to send them elsewhere to-” Lucretia and I both whirl around at the rocks, which slowly build up a massive humming sound. It gradually becomes almost unbearable. We cover our ears as our inner troops start to groan loudly in pain from the noise. The ground starts shaking violently and the rocks begin to glow red. My legs start to buckle as the massive tremors it gives off make it difficult to stand up straight. I’m almost thrown to the ground as the vibration begins to feel like an earthquake. The rocks begin to crack and red light streams out.
“Cor fora!” I scream at the top of my lungs. The last two inner lines point their shields at us, stacking them together. I have just enough time to tackle Lucretia. A blinding flash goes off.

I walk along the same dirt path that I had taken to Canterlot when I first arrived here. My bare chest was exposed, with my black slacks torn to shreds. The red flame surrounds my body like never before. The magic flows outwards from within, easily reaching hundreds of feet into the air.

Canterlot Palace glowed faintly in the distance, fire spewing out from every window. Towers begin to fall and crash. The noise doesn’t reach me for multiple seconds. The air is so thick with smoke, it was impossible to tell the time of day. The flames of the land glow against the heavy red clouds.

Scores of pony guards litter the field like garbage. If they’re not dead, they crawl across the ground screaming for help. Blood and ash was a nice blanket across the bodies. There was not a single guard left unscathed. Most were missing multiple limbs, or crawled along with thick smoke pouring from the eye slits in their helmets, sentenced to an eternal realm of agony and darkness.

A single pony guard gets up arduously with her legs shaking. She gives me a fierce glare before yelling and charging. I point my open palm at her and let out a blast of magic. The roar drowns out her last screams, as a waterfall of death pours from my hand. I cut the blast short and stare at her armor which now glowed red hot and sizzled as it lays in a pool of blood from another pathetic guard.

I carelessly walk across the road, staring at Luna’s broken but defiant body. Her eyes tremble at me with both pain and fear. Her legs wobble as she tries to raise herself off the ground. I stop just a single foot away from her. She winces a bit, knowing this was the end. Celestia’s cold, motionless corpse lays a dozen yards away with its back to us. Blood has finally stopped pooling out from her missing wing. Her detached horn was dug into her chest like a knife.

Luna starts sobbing, looking back from her sister to me. She shakes her head with a silent, open-mouth scream of betrayal. Before she utters a word, I pick her up and hold her in front of me by her slender neck. Her rear hoofs barely scrape the dirt as she wiggles weakly in the grasp. All she can do is shake her head slightly and desperately plead for her life through her eyes. I hold up my right palm to her chest. She gets one tiny headshake in before her insides are blown out through her back. Her head rests lifelessly to the left, with her tongue hanging out of her mouth.
I drop her body to the ground and turn my head to Zaran in his pony form.
“Wow you’re right, this is fun.” I say with amusement. He cocks an eyebrow at me and grins.

I sit up with a blood curdling scream and a bright sky to greet me. Lucretia shakes me by my chest plate, yelling in my face.
“Wake up Raiden! You have to get up!” She yanks me to my feet frantically. I both groan and gasp.

“Wh...what’s going on?!” I barely manage to get out. Lucretia pulls my sword from its scabbard and shoves it lengthwise into my arms.
“Just shut up and kill stuff!” She shrieks, before whipping her rapier around and beheading an Og Nag. The creature narrowly misses thrusting into her midsection due to a well-timed sidestep on her part. My jaw drops as dozens of my soldiers lay motionless on the ground.

Before me, stood the most vicious creature I had ever seen, second only to a garge. It stands on four legs, still easily my height or more. What would normally be fur, is a mixture of branches and leaves, as if the very forest itself summoned them from its own wood. Red magic pours upwards from its mouth and empty eye sockets, along with a few open vents across its back. It's massive jaws are lined with jagged, crooked teeth.
Storm coughs from the ground and looks up at me, still heavily winded.

“Those...aren’t normal Timberwolves. The magic is always...green.” I turn to face the wolves again, knowing exactly what was feeding them.
“Zaran…” I hiss under my breath.

The beast prowls up to one of my soldiers who shakes on the ground helplessly. It bites her neck, as she pounds desperately on its snout with her fists. It quickly ends her suffering with a swift jerk of its mouth, breaking her neck. Her arms hang at her sides. Its head slowly turns to face me. We lock eyes momentarily, before it lowers its head and lets out a deep roar that could never be uttered by a normal creature. The sound mimics the growl of a massive predator, more thunderous than I have ever heard. It takes a few ominous steps towards me. I grab a shield off the ground and hold it in front of me, anticipating a charge at any moment.

An Og Nag only waist high runs up to me, but gets a quick rapier through the skull from the side by Lucretia. The wolf recoils back a bit and howls before charging me. I rush at him as well, making sure he knows I’m no grunt. I run a bit to the left, baiting him in the direction I want. At the last second before we collide, I duck right and cut off his left paw with my sword. I spin around as I sail past, giving it a final hack to the base of the neck. It almost cuts all the way through. The monster falls motionless to the ground. The red magic still flows vibrantly off its body. I start trotting off towards a few distant units who fight back to back.

I stop as I hear that deep growl again. I turn around slowly and watch the very wolf I killed raise its body from the ground. I almost drop my sword as I see this things most fearsome quality. The paw I cut off begins to glow where the wound would be if this thing wasn’t made from wood. The paw is dragged by a long strand of red magic back to the leg, where it seems to seal itself whole again to the limb. The wolf looks over its paw before turning its attention back to me with a nasty snarl.
“L...Lucretia!” I stammer in a loud yell above the combat.

“These things...don’t seem to die!” Lucretia finishes cutting off the wrist of an Og Nag before impaling it downward through the heart. She turns to me and watches the wolf with a mix of horror and confusion.

It lunges at me. I have just enough time to block two swipes and a nasty bite with my shield. The force the beast can put into every hit is shocking, pushing me back slightly with every hit. We circle each other as I block swipe after swipe. It dodges to the left and right a few times to throw me off before taking a snap at my left ankle. I have to take several rapid steps back as it tries over and over to grab me in its mouth. I fend the beast off with several swipes at its face, carving off small sections of wood. They don’t regenerate back.

So this thing can reattach limbs but it’s not immortal. Hacking off wood with my sword would take all day. There had to be another option. I stay hunched behind my shield, trying to ponder this things weakness while also avoiding getting my arms tore off. I yell out in surprise as the entire wolf leaps into my shield, chewing on it viciously. I have to drop my sword so I can use both arms to brace the shield, seeing as how my weapon wasn’t going to do me much good in the immediate future.

I start yelling out in agony, as my arms almost buckle under the weight. It pushes itself against me, using its hind legs to dig into the ground. I do my best to hold my own, but have to resort to letting the shield rest against my shoulder. I grit my teeth and groan loudly, using every ounce of strength to keep myself upright. Suddenly I both fall backwards, tripping over an upright branch. My eyes go wide as it snaps at me from either side of the shield. I hear it growl angrily before a pair of teeth snap on my left. I roll my shoulder just in time. Its mouth snags a bit of dirt and creates a tiny dust cloud. Only having a split second to react, the teeth marks on my armor start adding up.

I start wheezing, as the full weight of the wolf on my shield is crushing my chest. I shake my head, trying to stay conscious but my arms are slowly giving up. I open my mouth to call out for help, but I can’t make a single sound. My head starts pounding as the lack of air begins to add up. This wasn’t working and it was time to try something else. I look to my right and see a rock the size of my fist.

As soon as the monster snaps on my left, I grab the rock and hammer it in the face while dropping my shield. It recoils just enough from the blow. I reach up and grab onto any pieces of wood I can. With a firm grasp on the beast’s neck, I tuck my legs around its left paw and roll to my side, forcing the beast down to my right. Without being able to take another step for stability, it falls to the ground. It rolls over to its right side as it lands and I take the opportunity to change my grip. I hold onto the back of what I’m assuming is its spine. It howls angrily and thrashes about, but I somehow hold on.

It lunges to its left, bringing me up from the ground as I lay across the monster. Before it can push itself up, I swing my body over to its other side, causing it to topple back to the ground again. I needed more time and lots of it. Its legs kick wildly as it tries to free itself from my grasp. My fingers cry out in agony, straining themselves in a desperate attempt to not let the creature get free. Instead of trying to get up, it rolls around back towards me. To avoid having my right arm pinned beneath it, I’m forced to release my grip. I spin my legs to face it considering my arms were already spent

As it faces me, I give it a nasty double kick to the face, forcing it to scoot backwards. I try to sit up to get to my feet, but it lunges. I manage to trap it between my legs, as I stare at the vicious snapping jaws that cover my stomach armor in strange acidic drool. It’s not enough to eat through my armor, but I knew immediately I didn’t want to get any on my skin. Its furious red eye sockets are lit like bonfires. As it tries to force its mouth closer to me, we start sliding backwards across the ground inch by inch.

“Lucretia!” I call as loud as I can. She’s already too busy keeping stray Og Nag from making the fight even harder. To my horror, the monster starts pulling its face back. I grab ahold of its face, driving my thumbs into its eye-sockets and get dragged back with the beast. It finally stands its ground and strains its neck to lift me into the air. I had no idea it was so strong. It barely manages to lift me into the air, but makes up for it by slamming me into the ground on my back. I cry out in pain, but my grip stays firm.

It lifts me into the air again gradually. As I collide to the ground again, my fingers can’t take the strain anymore. I lay there helplessly, gasping for air. I get in a few decent kicks to its face before it starts circling me. I keep my feet pointed towards it, my last desperate attempt to defend myself. The wolf gets more aggressive as my strength starts to dwindle. It starts rapidly circling me, waiting for a single mistake to pounce. My chest pounds inside my armor and my breathing sounds like a choking gasp as I fight off my exhaustion.

It lowers its head and snarls, preparing for the killing blow. My legs kick so slowly, I know I’m not a threat anymore. As it paws the ground to lunge, a familiar massive colt in golden armor blindsides the thing out of nowhere with a nasty head ram. It howls as it makes several rolls across the ground, finally coming to a halt on its side facing away from us.
Big Mac keeps a defiant glare pointed at the creature, as Umbra runs up to me.

“General! Are you alright?! We found a way to fight these things!” Her head snaps back to the monster as it gets up gradually. A large amount of hot air comes rolling out from Big Mac’s nostril slits in his helmet. I eye the lancer still in its housing on his left side. He must have some serious stamina to have enough strength to send a Timberwolf flying while still having a massive spear on his side.

The wolf charges Big Mac, who does the same. The split second before collision, Umbra runs up from the side and jumps above the creature. She stomps on the monster's head as she soars over it with her perfectly timed jump. In the small amount of time it lowers its head, Big Mac does a leap and smashes his helmet ax into the creature's skull, as if he was diving into a lake.

The crack is brutal, as small pieces of wood go flying all over. The creature howls angrily, retreating a few steps, as its head drags lifelessly on the ground. Big Mac gives it a nasty swipe from the right with his helm blade. As it turns to the side, Umbra follows up with a drop kick that sends the helpless beast staggering into a tree. Big Mac kicks his lever and his spear slams straight through the wolf, pinning it to the tree with an echoing crack.

It's head reforms, but there’s no way for it to get a grip on the spear. It can do nothing but kick its legs and howl angrily. Big Mac grabs my chest piece in his mouth, and lifts me off the ground to my feet as I cough wildly. He leans into my leg and motions with his head for me to climb on. I lay across him, as he gallops towards Lucretia with just enough caution so that I don’t fall off. Three Og Nag run out of the bushes at us. I can’t move my arms and I don’t even have a sword.

The first Og Nag gets the chance to at least look to its right as Umbra runs up and sends him flying into his allies with a dropkick. As she lands, she balances on her hindlegs and sends two knives out from under her cloak, each nailing an assailant in the chest. The third gets up and rushes at her. She doesn’t have time to send a knife flying while also evade the sword attack.

Instead, she dives to the creatures left and swings her hind legs under him, tripping him to the ground. The moment he lifts his head, he gets a dagger to the back of his skull as she slams her hoof into her lever. The entire fight is over in a few seconds and Big Mac never slows down.

I groan as he gallops, slowly losing the battle to stay on. He looks over his shoulder at me and slows his pace.
“Sorry General, not use to havin’ passengers. Honestly I kinda forgot yer were even there!” He finishes with a small chuckle. I’m sure he was enjoying saving my rear after how hard I was on him in basic. Umbra catches up to us and gives me a quick glance. As she looks forward, a small smirk crosses her face and she tries in vain to hide. Their confidence was mesmerizing. If they had only fought a few basic Og Nag and pinned a few Timberwolves, they were in for a nasty dose of reality. It was best to let them enjoy their small victories while I could. Sometimes it’s a lot of these tiny memories that keep you going against the large, nasty ones
“Where are we going?!” I yell over the noise of battle. Umbra looks over at me.
“A squad of your soldiers are holding out. We were told to come find you, Lucretia and Emeris and bring you there!” I nod a few times and take the brief trip as a chance to rest. I look behind us and see that Lucretia is riding a large mare several paces back.

A single battalion worth of my soldiers have our traditional shield formation set up. Two units move aside to let us in. Big Mac sails past them, with Lucretia on our tail. Big Mac comes to a skidding halt in the middle of the unit and I slide off. My shoulders ache from the ride. The standard formation shield wall leaves a decent sized hole in the middle, that can be sealed up if need be. It was almost pitch black however, with random reflections from armor and weapons dancing across the trees.

The only light we get was from the massive hole the rock formation made in the treetops when it ignited. It shines through from my left a few inches above the first row of shields. Lucretia had made the edition of adding in four inch spikes at the bottom of the shields to help them be dug in. It’s also bent inwards a ways too so you can really slam it into the ground for extra support. I was responsible for making small latches on the side that let them literally be linked together. We could actually make a small bunker out of shields in thirty seconds with the right units and strict training.

I peer out from our tiny fortress, doing my best to see over the crouched soldiers. Normally it would be two shields high, but that makes the wall wobble more. Due to these horrendous wolves, we lowered it for more stability so they can’t just charge through the wall. Lucretia and I poke our heads through the hole in the ceiling for a better view. It doesn’t help much, but we needed to stretch anyways. Lucretia leans over to me.

“We need a way of signaling the Wonderbolts. I doubt they can see us below the trees.” She says in a whisper. I nod in approval.
“Do you think Stormchaser got ahold of them? She only mentioned the wolves when she got back.” Lucretia lets out a quiet agonizing groan. Her head suddenly snaps and she points over to a nearby tree while bumping my shoulder. Stormchaser waves at us weakly from up in a tree. Lucretia turns to me, still talking in a whisper.

“We have to get her back here!” Big Mac pokes my armor with his hoof from behind.
“We can get ‘er if you wan’.” I look at Umbra on his right who gives me a confident nod.
“Alright but...be careful, we can’t lose you two.” The pair creep to the front where the shields are. Two shields are always left unhooked from the rest to be used as a vague pair of doors. There was another set just like it on the exact opposite side. Two units were stationed at both entrances as guards with orders not to move from those spots under any circumstances while we do our formation.

Umbra whispers to the door guards, who in turn look at me. I give them a nod, since only the highest ranking Commanding Officer in the formation can allow the doors to be uncovered. This was more to discourage desertion than a defensive tactic.
Big Mac and Umbra hunch over, getting ready to make their move. Lucretia crouches down next to me.

“This should be good...” She mutters eagerly. The shields are moved and the pair take off. Og Nag howl and start chasing after them, previously keeping their distance from our fortress. Umbra hops onto Big Mac’s back and presses her entire body down. He picks up insane speed and leaves the Og Nag in the dust. As they get closer to the tree, Umbra stands up and balances herself. Big Mac slows down just a bit and Umbra jumps onto the tree. Her hooves touch the bark and she kicks off again, sending her up to the branch where Stormchaser was helplessly lying.

She gawks as Umbra collides with her. As they fall, Umbra wraps her forelegs around Stormchaser and they land on Big Mac’s back. Umbra puts her left legs on the lancer housing on Big Mac’s side, using the foothold to help keep Stormchaser pinned down. Big Mac does a complete reversal, slides across the ground as he turns and starts making his way back to us. His eyes dart to the right as three Og Nag come bolting at him.

My soldiers immediately take aim with their bows and make shot work of our clumsy assailants. We cheer loudly and I’m caught off guard by just how coordinated these two were. They were great for moral and provided us with both speed and maneuverability. Big Mac looks over to his left and skids to a halt. A monstrous roar makes me flinch. Big Mac whips around and starts running away. I raise a confused eyebrow, when I see the behemoth he runs from. Standing at a staggering nine feet tall, a garge with a massive chestpeice and helmet chases after Big Mac. It swings its axes a few times, narrowly missing Big Mac.

It already has several arrows in its back, but it’s not slowing down.

“Take that thing down at all costs! If it’s going after Stormchaser, then she knows something vital!” I scream at the top of my lungs. My soldiers glance at each other nervously, but pull out their swords and leave the safety of the bunker. Moral was already running low with half our people gone in one attack and we still haven’t even come within eyesight of the objective. They let out a powerful cheer and start sending arrow after arrow into the beast. It completely ignores them and keeps going after Big Mac and his passengers.

Even he can’t outrun a garge.

Chapter 34: Snake In The Grass

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Umbra pins Stormchaser on Big Mac’s back, as he grits his teeth. He looks over his shoulder as the massive Garge howls. Big Mac starts dodging between the trees, taking advantage of his adversary’s lack of maneuverability, something we had gone over during training. I just hoped he’d remember the second part where he’d lure it back to friendly forces.

I’m in a full sprint, with Lucretia on my right panting loudly. We’re nowhere close to catching up and they were just going to keep gaining. I catch Big Mac’s eye for a second and point to my right. He gradually makes his way over, but has to stick close to the trees that are his only saving grace. The Garge angrily backhands every tree with his fist, making them creak or even begin to break. The path behind them is littered with bark and leaves. Lucretia’s eyes dart around.

“Form up on me!” she calls out. Our soldiers run over to her with their nervous eyes darting between every bush. There was shrubbery every five feet, and the only light was still the clearing that was now fifty feet away. I had no idea how Big Mac and Umbra could navigate so easily here, but it wouldn’t be as easy for the rest of us. Lucretia points at four soldiers and motions for them to move into the sun.

“Take your shields and reflect some light over here so we can see!” She says eagerly. They nod and start sprinting.

“The rest of you, form two single-file lines! One on my left and one on my right!” They do as instructed. Both lines had ten soldiers in them. The rest stay back in the shield bunker.

“When that thing runs by, you will all stay crouched behind your shields! Swipe at its legs as it runs past! When it’s crippled, well finish it off with arrows!” A cheer of acknowledgement comes from our troops. She stands at the front of the lines and waits.

Bright sections of light start passing overhead. I look over and see all four soldiers angling their shields towards us. The light wasn’t much, but we could at least see nearby. The soldiers shine the light back and forth, sweeping the area. Lucretia watches them nervously then goes back to tracking Big Mac. I tap two soldiers at the end of the rows.

“Go over with the other four and watch their backs, they’re kinda brightly lit targets out there.” They nod and run over. Lucretia looks back at me and nods in approval. We’re both nervous, as we had a small amount of units to work with. Not to mention there was still no sign of Emeris.

Big Mac carefully makes his way right, having to dart the other direction a few times to avoid getting a thrown ax to the face. I narrow my eyes at him and watch something strange. Umbra is whispering in his ear, telling him where to go. How the hell can she see out here? Stormchaser sits huddled down, her forelegs draped over her eyes. I can see her quietly sobbing on his back. She’s never been in the thick of it before.

Big Mac skids to a halt, after gaining a bit of distance from the Garge. He lines himself up to run between our soldiers and guns it. The Garge has to retrieve an ax before it begins pursuit. It roars furiously, but there’s too many vines overhead for it to throw an ax. The ground starts to shake as it pounds across the dirt. I ready myself at the end of the lines, prepared to handle any sudden ambush from the sides or unexpected change.

My soldiers shift around nervously, unable to resist the urge of scanning the environment. Through the trees, we hear the distant sounds of fighting .My instincts tell me to go and round them up, but we had to secure ourselves first. I can’t tell if they’re humans or ponies, but I hear more horrific screams than the clashing of steel. Whatever was going on, they didn’t have long. I grip my sword and pull it out, desperate for anything to do.

My head snaps to a bush on our right. It rustles once more and a small Og Nag jumps out at one of my soldiers. She glances over her shoulder and sees it coming. She stays crouched and dashes at its legs, keeping her shield over her head. The Og Nag doesn’t stop in time and trips over her, landing firmly on its back behind her. Before it moves, she slams the bottom of her shield into its skull and retakes her place after scooting his body over with her foot.

“He’s coming!” Lucretia whispers with urgency. She dashes to her left and stands behind a tree. She leans around it to the right, just enough to see. The pounding of hooves is all we can notice in the thick jungle. Big Mac sails past and heads straight for the shield bunker. The Garge can barely keep his head up and can’t seem to get a good visual. Lucretia clenches and unclenches her hands, shaking slightly in place.

“Get ready!” She yells. Our units shift a bit in response. They point their shields at the Garge, almost invisible with their dark armor against the forest ground. The dirt is just barely illuminated between them, making the Garge instinctively line himself up with it. The beast is only sixty feet away but gaining rapidly. Lucretia holds her hand up, preparing to give the order. My head snaps to the right, as another ferocious howl erupts. A second Garge comes barreling out of the woodworks and sends our right line flying with a brutal swing from its ax.

“No!” Lucretia screams. The second Garge backs up enough to let the first Garge run past. The right line who was hit, lay motionless on the ground. One soldier is right in the path or the garge and does her best to roll right as he stomps past. She just barely didn't have enough time and the quick sound of her leg breaking and popping, fills the air. She grabs her crushed leg and lets out a brutal shriek of agony. The second Garge looks down at her. Her head turns towards him , right before he swings. Her face slams against my helmet as it sails past me with her right arm. Her body collapses to the ground with a loud clank. The soldiers at the front of the line start tossing knives at the Garge’s face to piss it off. It roars at them and is hot on their heels as they dart through the forest. They scatter, forcing the Garge to pick a single, unlucky unit to pursue.

I take off after the first Garge, desperate to do anything to save the three ponies. They’re almost to the bunker but it’s not enough. It’s a clear path to our soldiers, meaning Big Mac loses his advantage. The Garge has enough room to stand and cocks his arm back to throw his ax. I do the only thing I can do. With a quick swipe, I lob off his right hand.

He looks at me and growls with an open mouth. Without a single second of hesitation, he boots me in the stomach hurling me far into the bushes. I roll backwards across the ground, too fast to comprehend where I'm going. The impact comes unexpectedly. I hit a tree, almost head first and bounce across the forest floor. I grit my teeth as my back explodes in pain when I come to a stop. An Og Nag jumps down from a tree and runs at me from my side with a sword. I pull out my last boot dagger and nail him in the chest. He squeals and falls to the ground, but he's still alive as he slides to me. I swing my legs to him with a grunt of pain, pin his sword to the ground with one leg and sue my free leg to drive my knee spike into his head.

Big Mac looks over his shoulder and can tell he can’t make it to the bunker. He rounds a tree and skids to a stop, sending Umbra and Stormchaser into a bush. He looks at them for a second, before turning around and taking off to the right. He keeps an eye on the Garge as he gallops, staying just slow enough to be a tempting target. The Garge’s head snaps to the right upon seeing Big Mac. He inhales then lets out a loud roar. The beast cocks his remaining arm and hurls his ax at him. Just before impact, Big Mac closes his eyes and does a complete turnaround, taking the ax’s blow into his lancer housing. It’s still a nasty hit and he rolls across the ground, almost disappearing into the vegetation.

Big Mac skids behind a rock and stops. He’s not moving and his armor doesn’t seem to be rising up and down with his breath like it normally would. I can barely get back to my feet, having to tear weeds away from my armor. A pair of hands grabs my chest plate and yanks me to my feet. I stare into Cy’s helmet.

“Where’s Stormchaser?!” He screams angrily. I point to where they were hiding. Cy stares at them and starts trying to sneak around to the Garge’s left. The beast hasn’t seen Umbra yet and makes its way towards Big Mac. It walks slowly, having to narrow its eyes to see. The Garge picks up one of its axes from the ground and stomps while hunched over to avoid more vies. It doesn't even seem to care that it's missing an arm.

Umbra sits next to Stormchaser in a bush; her jaw drops as she glances to where Big Mac is. She stays low and manages to get behind the rock with Big Mac without being seen. I’d never seen a pony move that fast while staying low. Her legs bend at angles that I know are impossible, given where her joints are.

I can see the two ponies behind the massive rock, but the Garge keeps moving in. He’s only twenty feet from them. Umbra keeps quietly and shaking Big Mac but he doesn’t move. She glances around the rock and peers at the Garge, who’s already checked the only other hiding place Big Mac could have landed. He looks over at their rock and starts walking towards it. Umbra sighs and I see a few tears roll down her cheeks. She looks at Big Mac for a second with a smile of admiration and plants a small kiss on his nose.

My eyes bulge as she stands up. Her eyes shine a complete teal for a second and she morphs into an exact copy of Big Mac. She darts around the right side of the rock. The Garge sees her and readies his ax. As soon as he cocks it and hurls it towards her, she morphs into her normal form, ducks and skids across the dirt. The ax sails over her head, barely missing. The Garge screams with rage and looks at his feet. A spear from somepony in Lancercore lies on the ground. He picks it up and is about to charge when he hears rustling to his left. He looks over and sees Cy carrying Stormchaser away. He howls and starts running.

Cy’s eyes bulge and he sets her down.

“Fly! Get out of here!” He yells at her. She shakes her head; her eyes are wide with fear.

“I can’t! My wing's broken!” She sobs. She looks into his eyes then at the ground in defeat. Cy stares at the Garge with both rage and anguish.

“Then just get out of here! Now!” Stormchaser looks at him helplessly, but starts doing her best to trot off, knowing she needs to follow orders. The Garge picks up speed with the spear still in his hand. Cy keeps his eyes locked on the Garge, but lowers his head menacingly. He rips off his helmet; his long, black hair flows down, barely scraping his shoulders. He takes in a few deep, quick breaths before screaming at the Garge and pulling out his narrow claymore from his back. He takes off, firmly grasping his weapon, charging straight at the beast.

The ground shakes as the Garge picks up speed. Cy angles his claymore to his right, ready to get a nasty swipe in at the right moment. He kicks up leaves as he bolts at the Garge, glaring defiantly at the beast. He yells as loud as he can, knowing it might be his last battle cry. I look around for anything to throw, but there’s nothing. I put my hands on the sides of my head and watch in horror.

The space between them closes rapidly. Right before the two collide, Cy lets out his final words.

“You’ll never take her from me!” Cy starts swinging his weapon, but he’s interrupted as the Garge slams his spear into Cy’s midsection. The claymore flys from his grip, planting itself into the ground at the Garge’s feet. Without even looking down at Cy, the Garge swings his spear to the right, sending Cy’s body into the forest. The Garge doesn’t slow down a single step during the entire exchange.

He locks in on Stormchaser, picking up his pace rapidly. He howls as green beams of magic erupt from Umbra’s black horn that she’s never had before. It’s jagged with a hole in the center. A small bracelet is hooked through the hole and has a tiny orange gem in it. She fires repeatedly, trying to draw the Garge over to her. He shields his face with his right arm, but keeps sprinting towards Stormchaser.

I start running into the scene, hoping something will change soon and give me one last chance. Lucretia comes running out of the foliage to Stormchaser’s left and skids in front of her. She glances at Stormchaser then to the Garge, completely powerless to do anything. Lucretia’s helmet is off and a nasty cut on her cheek pours blood down her neck. She clenches her hands and teeth. Her sheath is empty and she doesn’t even have a bow. Stormchaser looks behind her and lets out a scream of terror, then trips and falls into the grass. She covers her face with her forelegs, expecting the end.

Lucretia’s eyes bulge with animosity. She brings her fists up to her face then slams them down to her sides, yelling with such force, the trees above her shake. Her iris’ glow gold and her long golden blonde hair snaps into glowing yellow spikes, points at the ground. She holds up a death grip towards the Garge. The monster takes his last step and pulls back his arm to swing at Lucretia.

“No!” She screams in that inhumanly powerful voice of hers. I hear a deep, faint double of her voice as she yells. A bright light bursts from her hand in all directions. The Garge freezes in place, locking eyes with hers. It holds out its right arm, mimicking her. His cheeks twitch with hers and he just stands there. Lucretia can’t help but stare right back, completely lost in confusion. As she examines her right hand, the Garge does the exact same motion, mirroring her perfectly, even down to her facial expressions.

Lucretia and the monster stare at each other perplexed. Lucretia’s eyes blink and she starts looking around. I narrow my eyes as I hear a familiar voice inside my head.

“Raiden...what’s...what’s going on?! I...I can feel all of you!” It’s her voice, I know it is. All I can do is shake my head in disbelief.

“We don’t have time for this. Everyone group up on me! Wait...Emeris?! Come here!” Her strangely distant voice is almost commanding. I feel compelled to listen. It’s as if her own confidence reflects inside of me. I just knew her ideas would work and I should listen. One by one, every Taraskan soldier nearby walks into the light shining through the trees.

Four exhausted infantry come back, struggling to stay on their feet with the second Garge from earlier on their heels. One of my soldiers slips behind a tree, sits down and starts panting heavily. He lets his arms fall to the ground. The Garge comes charging out, tearing away vines and leaves from his face. He looks around and lets out an angry roar. Lucretia’s voice plays in my head again.

“Do not fear it! Work together and exploit his weakness! His size can be a disadvantage! Surround him on all sides and attack when he’s not looking!” A strange impulse consumes me. I want to gradually maneuver behind him, while four other soldiers take up symmetrical positions.

“Don’t bother with your shields, they will slow you down!” We let our shields fall to the ground and draw our weapons. The Garge raises his two axes. One of my soldiers on his left, picks up a shield and hurls it at the Garge’s face, then quickly dodges behind a tree. The second the Garge looks at him, one of my soldiers darts in and slides across the ground, while simultaneously slashing the back of the Garge’s leg. The beast roars and takes a knee. Once his left arm is at eye-level, I quickly slash it off and jump back. He howls and turns around, swinging his right ax where I just was.

The soldier, who was behind the tree, rushes out and cuts off the monster’s right arm at the elbow. It lets out a blood-curdling shriek. I leap forward and plow my sword straight into his skull. The entire fight is over in seconds. Instead of celebrating, we calmly walk back over to the group in the light. They’ve already unpacked our shield bunker. We all turn and look at Emeris who walks out of the bushes nearby with a perplexed look on his face. He holds his right arm, clearly in pain. He shakes his head as he walks up to me. I feel Lucretia’s presence slip from my mind.

Emeris lets out a defeated sigh.

“I...I tried. I did everything I could but it wasn’t enough.” He looks down at the ground and does his best to muffle his crying.

“Lancercore First Battalion is...gone. So are two of the tactical pony groups. I...we got ambushed heavily. Those Timberwolves...they’re no joke. They slaughtered an entire battalion before we just decided to pin them with so many lancers they couldn’t move. That worked for a bit then the Garge’s came and pulled out the lancers, and then everything went to hell.” His shoulders bounce like mad and he lowers his head so much I can’t see his face. He starts shrieking.

“I tried to do my...teal thing, but it wouldn’t work! I felt everything I did the first time it happened! I wanted to save them! I would have given everything to save them! But my bow is useless against an army of Garge’s and Timberwolves! I...I had to order the second battalion of Lancercore to...we needed distractions! We had to keep them busy! We needed time to form up a plan and maneuver! I...I ordered them to charge...a bunch of novice ponies who trusted me with their lives...and I ordered them to charge the Garge’s and Timberwolves! I mean they were out of spears so…” He looks up at me. His eyes are wide and bloodshot.

“I ordered them to their deaths! I’m not a monster! We had to! It was chaos! We didn’t have any other options! We had to keep them busy while first Lancercore reloaded! I...so many of them called out for help! For orders!” Emeris falls to his knees. His eyes gaze past me in a silent, tearful horror.

“I told them to keep fighting! They...they didn’t kill a single Garge, but I told them to keep fighting! I ordered them to die! It...It worked but...tactical two ran for it! They called me a monster!” He looks down at his injured arm.

“One of the Lancercore ponies rammed me with his spear before ripping off his armor and running back to Canterlot! I...I can’t imagine what he’s told everyone!” Emeris lets himself fall to his side on the ground. His eyes keep that lost stare of disgust.

That was it, we were completely alone. I doubt even the Wonderbolts could help us. Do we turn around and save what remains of our forces, or do we proceed forward and risk oblivion to deal a staggering blow to Zaran?

Chapter 35: For The Sake Of Peace

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A hand clamps on my shoulder. I whirl around and look at Lieutenant Albia.

“Sir! Captain Lucretia just collapsed on the ground!” My head darts to the left and right until I see her body surrounded by two other soldiers, who are stripping off her armor frantically. I kneel next to her. Her hair is still long and glowing. I press on it a bit. It’s still soft but keeps its spiked shape. I can see her iris’ glow under her eyelids. I look around as I hear her voice again.

“Raiden! What’s...happening?! I...I can see what everyone sees at the same time! I...I can’t control this!” Emeris gradually sits up and looks around.

“Lucy! Wh...how...what do we do?!” I ball my fists and slam them into my hamstrings in frustration. Our army was in shambles, we had a mission we didn't know if we could complete, and now this?! I take in a slow deep breath.

“Lucretia, I know this is hard for you right now and I can’t even begin to assume what’s going on, but we’re in hell. Gather everyone here and we need to figure out what to do.”

I can almost hear her hyperventilating in my mind.

“Wait...I...I can control some of them. This...it feels like my mind has no limits. Look I...trust me. Take my body with you and do as I say! We can finish this if we hurry! Zaran’s desperate and he’s attempting to carry his operation away! I know you’re all tired but trust me; we can rest for a while once this is over! I believe in all of you! Dig deep and find just a little more strength for me! Please!” I look around and see everyone with confused looks on their faces. Was she speaking to everyone at the same time?! She can do that?! I let out a loud gasp as a familiar feeling courses through my body.

My muscles relax as if I had woken up from a long vacation. We sigh with relief at those gorgeous pink wings descending down to us. Cadence lands with an infuriated look on her face that she flashes to every soldier.

“Celestia and Shining are remaining behind to guard the Crystal Heart. We need to push forward immediately! Where is Lucretia?! I can hear her but I can’t see her!” It all makes sense now. Lucretia existed in our minds. She could speak to all of us, or individually. A peculiar feeling in my gut tells me to advance forward, as if I knew what was coming. All my soldiers rise and look towards the forest. Two of my people carry Lucretia’s body as we march.

I instantly knew where every Og Nag was and who was going to deal with them. A bizarre confidence settles across the field, as everyone knows their place and what’s going on. There was no doubt or question about what to do.

We stop at a clearing in the forest. Ahead of us stood several clear tanks with a sickening green liquid in them. I recoil intensely upon seeing small wooden conveyors dumping bodies into the tanks. As I stare at the contents more attentively, I collapse to my knees. I see hooves, hands, helmets, claws, everything. That’s how they did it, that’s why there were never any bodies. Zaran had turned recycling into an act of war.

I hunch over and catch myself with my hands. These tanks were connected to some kind of odd machine that poured the contents into green sacks. These sacks were stacked off to the side, with Og Nag in various stages of development inside of them. Everyone shares my expression of revulsion. Zaran clearly had no boundaries when it came to this damn war. My eyes can't resist scanning further to the right. There’s a large river that flows behind the tanks. Along the shore, continuing for farther than I can see, was a literal mountain of bodies.

I jump as a loud thud lands next to me. Spitfire and Soarin land with sunken eye sockets. They stumble a bit and eventually fall over. I scan the pile of creatures again and manage to pick out a single Wonderbolts uniform. Even a few Lancercore were mixed in. Several Garges with no armor carried massive shovels and threw several bodies at a time onto the conveyors which were being turned by the river’s current.

Rising to my feet, I clench my teeth so hard that they almost bleed. I narrow my eyes to the point that it forces small tears out. I pull out my steel, ready to cut down the very fabric of time if that’s what it took.

Four Timberwolves guard the tanks and snarl at us. Red drool pours from their mythical jaws. This time, fear was a distant stranger. Without a word, I sprint forward with eight soldiers ahead of me. They lock shields in a dead run, with four behind keeping their spears at the ready. The Timberwolves break towards us, their red glowing sockets staying locked directly on me.

The distance sounds of takeoff behind me are a momentary distraction. The Timberwolves close in quickly, but not fast enough. A dominating flash erupts in front of us. The Timberwolves howl as a single lightning jar is dropped in the middle of their small group. They pause and let out high pitched wails of pain. It was their last mistake. They get trampled by our shields. The four with spears immediately jump into the air, then slamming their spears into the beasts. Each soldier quickly maneuvers behind the head of the individual creatures, holding it firmly to control the trashing monsters.

We don’t slow down upon reaching the tanks. All our force is put into the greatest shield bash we can muster, toppling the tanks into the water as they shatter. One by one, we destroy these abominations and send their remains into the river. The whistling of arrows to my right is a war trumpet, followed up by the sounds of loud howls of pain. Large splashes hit the water as the Garge’s are put down and put down hard.

I know I should cheer as we examine our handiwork, but we can’t. The bodies soak up any joy we could possibly have. I hadn’t seen a mass grave like that since after the First Defensive of Taraska. We’d need tons of magic to move them. For now, all we could do is stare and pretend we didn’t see the faces of our loved ones in the massive heap of death. The perplexing hive mind wears off as I hear Lucretia one last time. Her voice is faint and weak.

“I….can’t…” I motion for us to fall back. We were done here.

The clanking of armor is the only noise as we jog back through the forest. I keep glancing over my shoulder, as Lucretia's body is back to normal, but completely still. I finally see what Cadence has been up to this entire time. Cy is on his feet, but hunched over. He has one arm around Cadence’s neck. My eyes widen as I see a few dozen Taraskans sitting on the ground together. It was impossible, they had been dead for far too long. Had Cadence found a way to increase her magic?

The soldiers get up and quietly fall in line as we run past them. I wanted to know everything, but we had to leave immediately. None of us wanted to find out about Zaran’s retaliation. I grind my lips together eagerly as Cadence trots up to my side, keeping up a gentle gallop.

“Luna and Celestia transferred most of their power to me. With enough magic, the deadline for resurrection goes out a bit farther.” She looks down ominously.

“I...I’m sorry, I couldn’t get everyone; I ran out of magic.” Her eyes sag a bit from exhaustion. I know I should be grieving, but I’m numb. As if my brain decided it was time to check out, I jog along with nothing but what was next in our plan. My eyes can no longer focus on anything. My body is here, but my mind is done with the present. I don’t need to look over to tell that every soldier feels the same. We were destroyed.

As Canterlot slowly comes into view, my blood starts to boil. I see every pony troop watching us from the ledge. Soarin and Spitfire fly over our heads and land with their troops. Some words are exchanged and a deafening cheer erupts. I pick up the pace and my people follow on my heels. My hands ache from being clenched into fists. Cadence must have flown off a bit ago once we left the forest. I should be grateful for the soldiers she saved, but all I can think of is the uneven battalions behind me.

My body starts shaking as we make our way up the winding path. Our pace quickens until we’re moving as fast as one can while running up a hill. I glared up at all the ponies in their golden armor; completely scratchless and still plenty shiny. Our pounding armor is evenly matched from the ferocious grunts muttered from my soldiers.

As we reach the top, the traitors in golden armor trot up to greet us. One colt in particular stands in front. He’s clearly had plenty of time to even wash the mud off his hooves. His eyes dart from me to everyone else in front.

“Is it really over?!” He yells happily. I march up to him and knock his coward ass to the ground. He’s out cold. The other ponies start backing up with confused stares. I slam my arms to my sides and scream with everything I can. We charge them.

It’s chaos as the remainder of Lancercore and technical are torn between trying to talk to us, and running back to the palace. They sure were awfully fond of running away. They pack the stairs, unable to accommodate every pony at the same time. The ponies at the back stammer and try to reason with our fists. One by one, we grab a pony, punch and kick them until they stop moving, then throw them to the side like the garbage they are.

The ponies finally make enough room and sprint in various directions, yelling in terror. My people pour into the entrance hall, and start smashing every table and painting they can. I hurl my helmet across the room. I tear off my chest piece and start slamming it against the ground as if I was trying to clean the anger from it like a ravenous carpet. Luna lands in the hall and erects barriers to seal off every hallway.

“Raiden! What is the meaning of this?!” I march up to her but hit a barrier as well. I slam a fist into it and stare at her with a glare that could start fires.

“Those cowards cut and ran! A quarter of my people are dead at least! Not to mention the ponies that stayed and fought!”

Luna stomps an angry hoof and returns my glare.

“Because they’re ponies! They’re not warriors! They didn’t even finish training! What did you expect?!” I pace back and forth in short increments, not taking my eyes off Luna.

“I expected them to try, not commit desertion! I’m sorry for accidentally bringing the Og Nag here, but damnit we’re trying and dying for you! And it feels like all we get in return is casualties!” Luna opens her mouth briefly but closes it then looks over her shoulder at a single pony guard who pokes his head around the corner.

Spitfire walks up from my left. She glances at me then sighs as she locks eyes with the princess.

“It’s...it’s bad your highness. Our casualties were catastrophic. No pony but Zaran can be blamed for this however.” Misty Fly, a mare with a mix of teal and blue in her hair and tale, trots up on my right. Her yellow fur is littered with dirt which slowly drifts to the floor.

“Princess...everything went terribly wrong. There were several traps. Our aerial units got hit with some kind of magical flak. We couldn’t even do recon. Without our guidance, our ground units were blind and disorganized. They’re not cowards, there were little to no orders. I honestly don't know how things could have gone better considering the circumstances.” She glances up at me then stares at the ground. I take in a breath and try to speak several times. All I can do is resume pacing. I knew I couldn’t blame them, but my people were an endangered species.

“Raiden…” I whirl around and see Lucretia with her arm around Emeris's shoulders.

“I heard everything during the fight. We can’t blame them. I know you're angry and we’ve had the worst losses yet, but the hard part’s over. Keep that in mind…” She hunches over and holds the back of her head while groaning in pain. Emeris looks her over with worry. He takes off his helmet and hands it to the nearest soldier. His messy blonde hair almost covers his eyes.

“Princess, we need to see Starswirl please. We need to update him on some...developments.” Luna eyes me carefully before dropping a field to our right. I don’t look at her as we ascend the stairs in silence.

I pause outside the faded red door to Starswirl's room. I clench my hands repeatedly and take in deep breaths. I carefully raise my hand and knock. Starswirl opens the door and immediately beckons us inside upon seeing Lucretia. Emeris lays Lucretia on a small sofa before standing up and examining Starswirl and myself. Star walks over to Lucretia and sits down next to her. She’s already snoring and lets her limbs hang carelessly.

Emeris sighs and leans against the wall.

“Star we’ve had some developments. First off, Lucretia apparently got her element as well. From what we can notice, she can both communicate with nearby life forms and even control more simple ones. She took possession of a Garge and used it in combat briefly. She kinda...got overly taxed from the whole thing though. Is she going to be okay like Raiden or do we need to be concerned?” Star looks at Emeris and chuckles a bit.

“She’ll be fine. Your bodies aren’t used to magic like us ponies, so it will take time to acclimatize to it all.” Star leans over her, his horn flares white and he traces some symbol in the air. Her body glows briefly and she shifts her head to face a different direction, still keeping her eyes closed.

“I’ve given her a small pain reduction spell for now to help her rest.” Emeris looks at the ground for a moment then sighs.

“Star...I tried conjuring my abilities again and couldn’t. Is this something we can control or not?!” Star rubs his chin and walks across the room to his desk and sits down.

“Well, I’ve been giving it some thought from what I’ve seen on my travels and I think I’ve learned something a bit off. It seems the elements in each realm are...different in more than one way from their counterparts. In Equestria, the elements are granted to gifted ponies at the right time for the right reasons by the Tree of Harmony. The same goes for the good human world. It seems the elements reflect the general “vibe” of their home world. Your elements however seem to...have specific tastes. I’m theorizing that each element has their own personality. From what I can tell, it’s as if they want to be entertained. They find a being with the qualities they admire, and then release themselves when that being is in a situation to express that emotion. How were you feeling in that specific moment Emeris?”

Emeris rubs his left arm.

“Honestly...the first time it happened, I was willing to die to protect the civilians. It’s all I cared about. This last time...I was trying to conjure it with more as a last resort. Don’t get me wrong, I was plenty fired up, but I was more scared than anything.” Star nods a few times sympathetically.

“It could be that your elements want you to put your lives on the line first before you’re granted power. And I mean really on the line, not just doing it because you think you’ll be fine. Even then, Raiden here had to get beaten pretty bad to even conjure a fraction of Zaran’s power.”

I place my hands on my hips.

“We can’t be that different from our human counterparts can we? I certainly don’t feel evil and I’m sure Emeris doesn’t either.” Emeris nods and agrees with me out loud.

Starswirl sits on his haunches and rubs his chin.

“It’s….evil isn’t necessarily the right word but it’s the closest word we have. Evil is simply the outcome of your actions, not your true motives. You might torture someone needlessly, which is certainly evil, but your motive might be to look tough so you don’t get targeted. Look...there’s something I need to show you three.” He gets up and walks over to a large orange orb the size of my helmet. His horn flares white and he rubs it a few times. A brick building appears in the view screen. We all gasp and lean forward. We see people, but they’re completely different from us. Emeris shakes his head with an open mouth.

“Star...what…” Starswirl sighs.

“This is what humans are supposed to look like. They’re multicolored just like us ponies.” I cock my head at the most unusual two girl I’ve ever seen. One kicks some kind of black and white ball up and down in a large grassy field. She has rainbow hair and teal skin. Her irises are a deep red. The other girl is sitting on some metal stairs to the teal girl’s right. She looks down at some small box in her hands that shines light on her face. Her skin is an unhealthy, pale white. Her hair is long and purple, clearly groomed to a style. Their color reminded me eerily of the ponies. I turn to Starswirl.

“What is this?!” Starswirl glances at me then turns back to the orb.

“This is the good human world. These two will be element bearers one day. Their pony equivalents both get elements here, so it makes sense that it repeats itself in their world. Both the evil and good human worlds call their planet Earth. You Taraskans are in a very....different position however. I need you to do your best to relax and listen to what I’m about to tell you. The Nova you know is...in its own plain of existence on Earth. The rest of the world looks like this.”

He swipes a hoof over the orb as his horn glows again. I see massive metal structures, covered in glass squares. Strange vehicles sail by outside at incredible speeds. There’s not a tree in sight, as everything is covered in metal, glass or this odd gray material around the buildings. Between each structure is a black road with different colored yellow and white lines that these vehicles travel between. Star’s eyes dance at the screen. The most peculiar thing is that the humans there look just like the humans I’m used to, with little change in color. Starswirl’s eyes sweep over the scene in the orb.

“I believe that after millenniums of hardship, your species of humans have simply...faded their color out. As you can see, these humans are like you. Their color doesn’t vary much, and seems to range from a form of pinkish-white, all the way to a dark brown, with shades in between. Same goes for your hair with a bit of variety in that spectrum. This is what the rest of the world looks like. Your realm is in this odd plain of existence where you cannot see or interact with the rest of the world, and vice versa. We believe the bombs you mentioned caused some kind of magical rift, shifting your version of the world into an alternate dimension. You see, from what I’ve gathered, your world stopped around the 1800s when the bombs first appeared. This caused your society to halt its technological progress. As the war spread and science stopped, you slowly adapted back to more primitive methods of fighting, since survival took priority over discovery. For the next few hundred years, your world would slowly be taken back over by nature. You would resort to melting down metals around you into weapons, slowly forgetting about the previous world. You still retain some former knowledge, for instance basic mechanics are still there which is how you made your Growlers.”

Lucretia stutters a bit.

“So...we’re actually behind the rest of the world?! And we’re supposed to be...multicolored?!” I jump and look to my right at Lucretia, who gives me a large smile. Was she tougher than I gave her credit for? Starswirl faces her and nods.

“It is genetically within you to change color but it could easily take another few millenniums to develop those extreme skin variations again.”

Emeris stands up.

“Those vehicles...I’ve seen something like them before on Nova, but without the color. They’re also covered in vines. We often tear them apart and melt them down.” He stares off for a bit.

“All this time...there was so much about our world we didn’t know. So much going on behind the scenes…” I face Lucretia and Emeris, who gradually turn towards me.

“If you both don’t mind, I need to talk with Starswirl privately. I need you both to figure out our army situation. We can ask more questions later, but for now our attention needs to go back to survival. They both nod and exit the room. Lucretia quietly sighs with disappointment as she closes the door behind her.

He looks over at me with a stunned silence. His momentary glance at the floor shows he still feels guilt. The silence continues briefly as I wasn’t anticipating just how awkward this really was.

“The Og Nag...they’re made from recycling other creatures.” I say in a direct tone.

Starswirl’s mouth hangs open and he slowly shakes his head with disbelief.

“That’s...monstrous! It explains everything though. I had theorized he was growing them artificially.” He shakes a few times impulsively. I take a deep breath before continuing.

“We went and saw it ourselves. He has huge tanks that he throws bodies into; ponies, humans, deer, anything. He can make an Og Nag in five minutes. I have no idea where he got the technology from, but it’s sick and twisted.” Starswirl swallows and his eyes dart back and forth as he thinks.

“Let’s see...that’s twelve Og Nag an hour, which is….two hundred and eighty eight a day! He...he could get a thousand in almost half a week! We...we have to stop it! That’s why there’s almost never any bodies! I had assumed they had washed out to sea, but I always had a feeling…” I cross my arms.

“Starswirl...I agree this is a problem, but we have a bigger one and it’s time we talk about it.” Starswirl looks down at his desk and sighs.

“You want to know everything about Zaran don’t you…” I look over and sit down in an empty wooden chair. I sit up straight, giving him my full attention. He taps his desk with his hooves a few times apprehensively.

“I know what you might be thinking but-”

“You have no idea what I’m thinking. Enough games, out with it.” I say aggressively. I didn’t want to be rude, but it wasn’t time for his guilt party. Zaran needed to be stopped. Starswirl's eyes glow white and the color in the room shifts to gray.

“I don’t know if he can hear us from...wherever he is, but he certainly can’t now. As I’ve told you previously, Harmony and I attempted to solve the “evil” problem. You were not our first test subject. In the beginning...we took both your pony forms and attempted to teach them how it all worked. At the time, both your pony equivalents were adults. After that failure, we went back in time and retrieved your human selves as babies and switched you-” I hold up a hand.

“You’re jumping around too much. You said I wasn’t the first test subject, just how many times did you try this?” Star glances at me again before taping his desk with his hooves.

“Thousands. You see, Harmony and I sat down and detailed the personality traits and genetics of our best candidates. We swapped numerous beings, finding out rapidly that it wasn’t a simple switch. Too much evil and they drowned in it, eradicating any chance at becoming good. If there wasn’t enough turmoil, they lacked the empathy needed to understand it. They had to suffer, and suffer tremendously, but not so much as to permanently break them. We tried over and over, finding just the right mixture. Eventually...we found Hurrand and Taraska. That’s when we swapped you.” I narrow my eyes in disgust.

“So you’re telling me...you’re responsible for the torture I received?! How...how many innocent lives are you willing to ruin for your experiments?!” Starswirl gets a bit defensive.

“Look, I don’t think some young human is even remotely capable of judging me! Secondly, we went back in time after the experiments failed. Those beings never actually suffered!”

“If you could go back in time...why not stop Zaran from ever occurring?!” Star sits and thinks for a moment.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m trying really hard to dumb this down for you. To time travel, we “reverse” the particles in the universe for lack of a better term. However, it would affect the time traveler as well. So we have to enter another dimension called the negative verse. It is a place where there...well let's just say there’s no time there. Zaran found a way of “poisoning” it. He was strangely gifted when it came to magic, despite none of your counterparts ever exhibiting signs of magical potential. When it seemed switching you at birth had worked, we took both your pony equivalents and attempted to persuade them to work together to combat evil. Your good pony counterpart prefers to go by Prime now.” I cross my arms and lean back a bit.

“Where is Prime now?”

“I do not know. I sent him to stop Zaran as I did my research. From what I can tell, Zaran trapped him in a different world. Imagine this: Each of your worlds are the same, except they have a different history. Each world has its own universe. Normally beings from each universe cannot cross over. When they do, the worlds they come from start to blend, eventually causing untolds amount of destruction and chaos. Somehow that effect has not happened since your arrival. Zaran is the one who created the white orb that brought you here. He intentionally placed it nearby your kingdom, knowing you would eventually take it and use it.” I shake my head confused.

“How could Zaran have possibly known all this?! It seems like some seriously advanced stuff that would take maybe even lifetimes to master!” Starswirl gives me an annoyed look that I return right to him.

“I apologize; your other selves are just as tenacious as you are. Zaran...stole a massive amount of my research and slipped into the negative verse. While there, time stops for him. He was gone a mere second to me, but he had all the time in the world to learn almost everything about magic. Technically, Zaran has lived several times over by now, but you do not age in the negative verse. All he needed was to learn how to access it, and he figured out the rest.”

“How did Zaran do it? How was he just able to just jump in?!” Starswirl sighs and looks down again, before rubbing his face in frustration with his hooves.

“Zaran...played me like a fiddle. He listened intently to my theory on good and evil. He formed the perfect plot in his head as I went over that evil was just the mind’s way of compensating for lack of safety. He pretended to slowly morph to good, while still keeping enough of his attitude so we wouldn’t get suspicious. He took his time, knowing he would only get one shot. Prime and Zaran went on many missions together, slowly gaining my trust. Eventually, we let them use the portal I had made to access the negative verse. I made it believing they would use it for good. Zaran even used it appropriately a few times, or so I thought. But over time, he was copying the basics of my research, just enough for him to understand. He even asked me a lot of carefully worded questions. He left the notes hidden in the negative verse, slowly compiling everything he would need.

On their missions, Zaran was usually the calm, observant one who planned everything. Prime was the one who always pushed himself; always charged straight in to help others. They were an amazing team. Then it happened. Zaran found a way to cloak himself from the Tree of Harmony. She was confused and asked me to see what he was doing. When I arrived...Zaran was walking my human counterpart into the negative verse. Before I could utter a word, they vanished. Once again, Zaran reappeared a mere second later. But in the negative verse, Zaran had used my human counterpart to help him understand everything magic based. Each one of my counterparts is magically inclined. Even my human versions were as gifted as I am. So Zaran...he…” Starswirl begins to tear up and sobs quietly.

“He...he killed all three of them!”

Starswirl slams his hooves into his desk over and over.

“I hadn’t even considered getting my own counterparts involved, and Zaran already headed me off for good! I...I hate him! I hate him so much! I feel as if my own brothers were murdered because of my idiotic idealism!” Starswirl lowers his head to the desk and groans loudly with a mix of rage and depression.

My anger towards him slowly diminished. He didn’t ruin my life by rolling the dice. In a way, I screwed him over first. Part of me felt he had no right messing with my life, but things only went south because of Zaran. I saw good in Starswirl. He was no longer some arrogant pony with a superiority complex to me; he was just a colt trying to help everyone. There was no way he could have predicted any of it.

Star slowly raises his head, tears streaming down his face.

“Then I went into the negative verse...I found...me. What was left of me. Zaran...Zaran used part of him for his first experiments with the Og Nag. He found out how to create them. My human equivalent had enough time to tell me Zaran’s plan. He wanted to do the opposite of what we wanted. He wanted to spread evil everywhere. And Zaran had one last gift for me. He...he rigged my other self up with a magical bomb. I was able to leave before it went off. I was warned never to return, that it would freeze me permanently in there.”

I shift around uncomfortably. Star wipes away his tears angrily.

“Zaran had teleported away before I could do anything. After I came out of the negative verse, I tried to find Zaran. I was able to track his magical residue, a side effect of teleporting few know about. I fought him. I fought him with everything I had. But...once again I fell into another ploy. In me, Zaran had instilled the darkness he learned to feed upon. During his time in the negative verse, he planned everything. Every possible angle, every outcome. As we fought, I slowly learned the truth...he used my anger to become more powerful!”

Starswirl kicks his chair back as he bolts up. It slides across the floor and collides with the wall, knocking a picture down. Slowly, his body is encased in some kind of white aura. His eyes turn completely solid again. His face tightens into a stare of complete hatred. His table starts rattling in place, and a cup full of quills bounces around before falling to the floor. The entire room begins to creak and groan.

“He...he made me watch as he unleashed his creatures on that world! I was helpless! Too weak...too tired! Too...too old!” He tilts his head back and unleashed a deafening scream. Everything in the room, including me, is forced against the walls. The lights on the ceiling flicker before dying out, leaving just his ominous white glow to fill the room. I do my best to shield my face with my arms, but the pressure is too much.

“Starswirl!” Is all I can yell.

He screams louder, letting the world know his pain. His head snaps towards me angrily.

“I told Prime to go find Zaran! I told him I would stay behind and do research! That was a lie! I...I couldn’t! I couldn’t fight Zaran!” His glow dissipates and he crumples to the floor in an inconsolable mess. He sobs to himself. I put my arms around him gently and give him a soft hug.

“Zaran spread the Og Nag everywhere he could...because of me! All because of me! Zaran doesn’t think the universe is right until he controls or destroys everything! He’s a monster! A demon! One I accidentally created! His existence torments me every! Single! Day!” His voice is barely a whisper. He kicks his hind legs randomly as he shakes his head back and forth in my arms.

“That type of guilt...does things to a colt…” He slides up his sleeves, showing long bite marks across his forelegs that looked self-inflicted. There were several patches of missing fur with clear teeth marks in the middle. The door bursts open. Luna stands at the doorway, staring at Starswirl in shock. Starswirl looks back at her and acts as if his entire existence was revolting. He turns his head away and closes his eyes

“I...I can’t do this anymore.” He closes his eyes and vanishes. Luna storms into the room and looks around.

“Starswirl!? Starswirl!?” She cries.

Chapter 36: Made Of Stone

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It had been three days and no word from Starswirl. Celestia, Cadence and Shining have returned, but they’re all exhausted. With nothing new to report about Zaran, speculation is rampant along with paranoia. I had made it part of my routine to grill every Taraskan and Equestrian on guard duty for anything suspicious.

Lieutenant Permin sits in a chair with her arms crossed, doing her best not to give me attitude. I pace back and forth in front of her.

“You...you’re positive you didn’t leave anything out? No gaps in patrols, nothing?” Permin slowly nods her head. Her armor clanks as she readjusts herself.

“I said we drill the guards relentlessly. It doesn’t matter if they were a changeling or not, there’s no way they know protocol. And yes before you ask, we had Cadence test every pony that was trained. I’m telling you there are no spies in Canterlot. We tested the guards, our soldiers, the royalty, the refugees, everyone.”

I can’t stop worrying. The rest of the Og Nag during our last operation had run deep into the forest. There was literally nothing going on with the enemy at the moment, which made everyone uneasy. The Wonderbolts did their best to look for tracks, but it was hopeless through the endless miles of forest and monsters. All teams were driven back by any number of creatures. There had to be something we were missing; some clue as to Zaran’s next move. Lieutenant Permin lets out a long sigh.

“Can I go now? Captain Lucretia promised to help me work on my deductive reasoning skills and if I’m late, she makes me solve old murder cases from the Taraskan guards-” Her voice squeaks into nothing and she turns her gaze to the floor.

“I guess we’ll never have our old home again…no more citizens running around, no more new stories...” As she looks up at me, I nod my head at the door. The chair squeals against the floor as she bolts, leaving the room with the loud slam of the door. I sit and ponder why Zaran hadn’t sent every last Og Nag to Canterlot, following our tank raid. Our forces were thin and terrified. My people were literally cut in half.

I leave the room and casually walk down the hallways. An odd swirling sound grabs my attention, as if water was being poured from one bucket to another in an endless loop. I stop as blue light pours from under a wooden door. After carefully pushing it open, Celestia is laying on a bed with Luna sitting by her side. The room is coated with the light pouring out from a tiny blue orb above Celestia, clearly being fueled by her sister. I stand in the doorway, not wanting to interrupt what was transpiring.

After a few minutes, the blue ball disappears and Celestia raises herself up with a groan. Luna stands up and begins walking out of the room. I stand as far to the side as I can, wanting to avoid an awkward bump. Her eyes dart to mine for a mere moment.

“General.” She says with a sad whisper of respect.

Celestia groans, gets up and stretches her forelegs. She sighs contentedly and walks off the bed. She stops and locks eyes with me, a hint of nervousness fills her eyes.

“Raide - General Raiden. How are...things?” She says, reaching as far back with her hind legs as she can and letting out a groan. I cross my arms.

“They’ve been suspiciously well. If you don’t mind me asking, what was that...blue ball thing?”

“Oh that? We Alicorns can send memories to each other through magic. In this case there was quite the conversation that was had back at the Crystal Empire. It was faster to have her experience them then to retell the whole thing.” She sighs happily and gets off the bed. She stares at me and the delight from her stretch fades a bit. She sits on her haunches and gets a very stern look on her face.

“Do you...think Zaran is done? His army is in ruins and from what we know, he can’t reproduce them.” I narrow my eyes at her in confusion.

“Um Princess, with all due respect, his army is still enough to sack this palace. Also we can’t confirm all his tanks are gone.” Celestia blinks at me a few times, and then closes the door behind me with her magic. A yellow glow appears around the room as she does her silencing spell so we can speak in private.

“In my study, is a device that measures magic throughout the world. Only we Alicorns can view it. When this war started, I had numerous unknown frequencies of magic I had never seen before. I may not know what they are, but one disappeared the moment you destroyed those tanks. I feel it is safe to assume that they were the only ones. So my question to you General, is if Zaran’s tanks are destroyed and he still has a huge army, why is he not attacking?” I stare at her for a few minutes as the gears turn in my head.

“There are two possibilities and one of them has to be true. First, he either doesn’t want us destroyed and is trying to use us as a form of misery battery for his magic. Luna told us a while ago that he is using the magic from the war to fuel himself. His ultimate goal though is to get me to snap, which allowes him to tap into my...element or whatever it is. I don’t fully know exactly what it is he gets from me, but it must be extremely valuable.”

Celestia looks at the ground in thought and nods.

“While I know much about these elements, how they work across dimensions is still completely new. If I had to guess, the element that responds to both of you is more tied to your soul. The element can’t distinguish between either of you, so it must grant its power to both. In theory, the angrier you get, the more the element responds, essentially doubling its output. Perhaps Zaran is able to store this energy? Or worse, he needs it for something? It might not be about how much magic he gets, but the type he gets. I fear that the area of magic he is experimenting in is beyond the knowledge of Starswirl or myself. So in your opinion, if he’s not using us as a misery battery and does indeed want to take the palace, then why else would he be waiting?” I place my hands on my hips and sigh.

“The only logical thing left would be that there’s something we have that could stop him that we don’t know about. He’s either waiting for something, or trying to get that something. So we have to find out what it is before Zaran gets his hands on it.” Celestia sighs and leans against the wall.

“I apologize general; all these mind-games are leaving me drained. Do you...mind if we discuss something else for a bit?” I shrug.

“I wouldn’t mind something besides this damn war to be perfectly honest.” Celestia bits her lip and looks away.

“Would you tell me about...Captain Emeris?” A delightful smile crosses my face.

“Emeris is my...moral counterpart. He constantly takes everyone’s feelings into consideration. He’s always been a big advocate for the mental well-being of our soldiers. I’ve been told more than once that I can come across as angry and insensitive. Emeris usually takes care of it.”

Celestia nods nervously but doesn’t resume eye contact.

“So what is um...he good at?”

I raise an eyebrow.

“Well...he’s obnoxiously empathetic. So he’s always been an amazing spy. For the majority of his service, he was infiltrating various kingdoms and gaining valuable intel. He’s also a fantastic archer-”

Celestia waves a dismissive hoof.

“That’s not exactly what I meant. Is he...what’s the word...does he like books?”

I look to my left with confusion.

“I...if I remember correctly, yes, he loves to read but that’s a luxury we seldom get. I’m afraid I’m not understanding the relevance here princess...if there’s a specific thing you’d like to know…” Her eyes grow wide and she shakes her head.

“Oh! No, nothing specific! I just...don’t know much about him! He seems...interesting is all!”

I shrug again.

“I can arrange for him to clear a spot in his schedule to meet with you if you’d like your highness.”

Celestia stares at me quietly, still with her wide eyes. She wrinkles her lips and looks away.

“Y...yes, that would be fantastic. Thank you.”

She takes a deep nervous breath and clearly puts everything she has into looking me in the eyes. She stands up straight and her face morphs from casual nervousness, to borderline stone-cold.

“Well thank you General. I...I hate to say it but there has been one unfortunate topic I’ve been putting off. Cadence and Shining Armor would like to speak with you in the main dinner hall. I would...also like you to stay there with your fellow Captains until I summon you. There was a...complication in the Crystal Empire. I’ll need to discuss some things with our dignitaries.”

I blink a few times.

“Discuss what exactly?” Celestia breaks eye contact.

“Since the Og Nag are in remission, some of our people have brought forward...concerns. As princess, I have to hear them out and...follow procedure.” I take a cautious step forward.

“Princess...what do you mean by...follow procedure? What’s going on? What happened!?” She raises a hoof to talk but stutters for a few moments.

“Raiden I’m sorry but I can’t speak of it now. Please be patient, this is a delicate situation.”

I stand to the side angrily so she can pass. I give her a minute to walk down the hall so it won’t be awkward. The hallway is clear as I look both ways before stomping towards the dinner hall. The hell did she mean by procedure? What have we done? This was exactly the type of crap I was talking about! We put our lives on the line every day while their socialites argue over the color of the curtains.

I pass by several refugees on the way. They all look up at me in uncertain terror before blatantly changing direction to avoid me. I take a deep breath and pretend not to notice. The tension was thick enough as it is. I had given orders for my people to not mingle with the Equestrians until everyone had a chance to cool off, but there was no denying that something permanent had happened after we beat the crap out of the remaining Lancercore.

I didn’t feel a single drop of sympathy. If the Equestrians can’t fight, then they can at least be punching bags. That was the way my world worked. You either fought or served someone who fought for you. I was done patting these cowards on the head. If they didn’t appreciate us, we could just leave. Hell I wouldn’t mind retaking the Taraskan castle. Maybe assaulting a bunch of petrified greenhorns wasn’t the correct response, but I didn’t have to feel bad about it.

As I enter the hall, the sound of clanking armor draws my attention to the left. Out of the corridor comes Cadence and Shining, both with annoyed looks on their faces. Hot on their heels, were several of my soldiers. Their arms hang at their sides as they lean over a bit almost in a trance. I can see bulging eyes, as they watch Cadence’s every move. She looks at me, and stomps over. I tilt my head back slightly, in confusion. She lets out a loud sigh as she stops. She motions to my people with her head.

“I had to heal these soldiers the most during the last battle. Apparently the side effect hasn’t worn off quite yet since they were dead for several minutes when I restored them. They’ve been following me for days, even sleeping outside my room at night. Shining’s not terribly fond of it, but it should wear off soon.”

I stare in shock at my soldiers. They just stand there, arms hanging, completely checked out except for watching Cadence. Three of them were even female. I raise a hand to talk, but there’s nothing to say. As I look Cadence in the eyes, we both erupt in laughter. I have to support myself on my knees as I hunch over. Maybe it was from the built-up tension, maybe because we had so much history and literally owed her our lives, but it felt right. Shining doesn’t share in the laugher. He bites his bottom lip in an attempt to stop a smile from creeping on his face. He clears his throat while looking off to the sides.

“So yes General, if you’d be so kind as to um...speak with your soldiers, it would be...great.” I casually nod a few times before giving a small wave for the couple to continue past me. As my soldiers start walking after them, I step in front and block the path.

“Nehora!” I shout, doing my best to sound intimidating, despite still feeling a brief smile on my face. They stop and stand at attention, but keep their eyes locked on Cadence. We stand there quietly before one of my soldiers speaks up.

“But sir...what about Caden-” She shuts up when she gets my glare.

“Princess Cadence is both fine and spoken for.” I point out the double doors that lead to the general entrance area.

“Outside. Whatever is in your system, you’re gonna jog it out.” They nervously drag their feet as they leave the palace, doing whatever they can to get one last glimpse of the princess.

I feel a set of eyes watching me from behind.

“Raiden...may I speak with you?” Luna’s indistinguishable voice makes me shiver. I look over my shoulder and nod, not trying to seem eager or desperate. I turn around and follow her through the hallway. She walks in front and it's difficult not to hug her. I didn’t want to admit it, but the tension between us hurt more than having my head bitten off. I hated being away from her. I hated not being able to talk to her. My heart aches for things to go back to normal. In a way, she was my only break from all this misery that stalks my every move.

We take a few right turns and end up in an average sized room with a small window. An old table and several wooden chairs are all that’s left. She takes a seat at the far end but gazes out the window. The way the sunlight illuminates her teal eyes catches me off guard and I stare for longer than I intend. I sit across from her, cupping my fingers together. The table is only about six feet long, but not being within arm’s reach of her would always be agonizing. She takes in a deep breath and is only able to keep her eyes on mine for a moment. A small smile crosses her face as she stares at the center of the table.

“I...I remember when you all first arrived. Imagine the shock of hearing a loud bang that shook the palace from miles away. I look out my window and see an entire city! The thing has so much smoke pouring from it, that my people have to avoid it. We had no idea what was going to happen. The city was in such disrepair that we assumed there was nothing living inside.” She looks up at me.

“Who would have thought, huh?” She lets out a light chuckle and returns her gaze to the table.

“You were so shy when we first met. I meant walking back to Taraska. I couldn’t explain it but...I could feel your pain. I knew from the moment we met that you would understand me." She slides her right hoof back and forth across the table repeatedly, tracing its cracks.

“I guess I want to...discuss...everything.” I hated how her voice was still using a bit of her regal persona. I wasn’t some diplomat, I was her...I don’t even know.

“I...I’m in a difficult position. On one hoof your...actions have been...unacceptable to say the least!” She shoots me a small glare.

“On the other…”

She sighs heavily.

“I understand you’ve been under a lot of stress...to put it lightly. I spoke with my sister briefly. She...reminded me of everything you’ve done so far. I have to think of what’s best for my country at all times, regardless of what I want however.” I clench the table to stave off shaking. It felt like she was telling me goodbye. What did she mean, what does she want?! My thoughts race too much to form a reply. My jaw starts to tremble.

“You are...a complicated man and an equally complex piece of this puzzle. You...to be clear I do not blame you or your people at all for this war. You had no idea what was going to happen. You have certainly done everything in your power to stop it. It’s just...sometimes you scare me. I don’t know which side of you I’m going to get. Soldier or savior, it’s always a toss of the coin. I know you’re doing the best you can but-”

She looks up at me in shock as I lean over the table and start sobbing silently. There was no stopping the obnoxious clank of my armor after every heave of my chest. She had no idea just how broken I really was. I could never explain to her that part of my success on the battlefield, was that deep down, I didn’t mind dying. I would always fight for others, but a part of me was...done. It was as if my very existence was punishment for a former life I had no memory of.

I hear her inhale painfully. I bite my lip and concentrate on silencing myself. She swallows and tries to steady her voice.

“Raiden...I’m sorry that’s not what I meant! I...I want to help you, we all do! Your actions though...we don’t know what to do. I can only imagine what you’ve been through…” I take a deep breath and sit up straight.

“We call it Warrior’s Bane. It is part of the cost of battle. It is still largely a mystery. The idea is...we can’t let our guard down...ever. To do so, makes us vulnerable. We don’t know how to stop being soldiers. We’ve been fighting for so long that we don’t know when to stop. It’s as if our brain can’t tell the difference anymore between danger and peace, so it just plays it safe and screams at us to react when we don’t need to. The impulse...it’s unlike anything I can describe. I...I don’t mean to be rude but I hardly doubt you can imagine both the instinct and the guilt after.”

Luna blinks a few times but continues to stare silently. Her eyes flinch a few times and for a brief moment, it’s as if she’s far away in a nightmare. She lowers her head, almost heartbroken.

“After...after the trial, I need to speak with you about...something.” I get up and quietly walk over to her. I take off my gauntlets and helmet, then carefully set them on the table. I place my hand on her right ankle, with my other on her back, which I rub gently.

“Luna...I know I’m not the easiest to deal with, but I would literally die for any of you. The last thing I would want to do is hurt you. I know you have a kingdom to consider. I’m not going to ask what side you’re going to choose, but always remember that I’ll never judge you for what you do. You have an enormous burden on your shoulders.”

My last few sentences make her look at me. Her eyes fill with both hope and dread.

“That...means more to me than you will ever know…for both our sakes I hope you can hold up to that promise.” She reaches up with her left hoof and places it on my hand. We do what we do best: we gaze into each other silently.

Chapter 37: Trial By Fire part 1

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Emeris, Lucretia and I stand outside the double doors leading to the throne room. Even though they’re closed, there’s still plenty to be heard. The chatter coming through is a dull roar. Emeris looks to both of us. We all wear our professional attire. My black button-up trench coat with a reflective shine, accompanied by black boots was the totality of my formal wear. A dark purple button-up shirt was laid out on my bed. It was only visible by a few inches at my collar, and another inch at my cuffs. The silver buttons leading up the right side of my coat, had been polished to a mirror shine.

Emeris is in a similar coat, but it was a nice forest green with golden trim and buttons. His hair was neatly parted to the far right and his long, silky blonde hair was perfectly combed and hung down to his jaw. His shoes came to a slick point at the end, being devoid of any texture at all.

Lucretia wears a white blouse, black slacks and a red sash around her midsection. Her black high heels clicks as she leans from one leg to another. Tiny green orbs hang from her earlobes; a present from Celestia she had found in her quarters. She turns to me and sighs.

“Raiden I really wish we had something else for you to wear. You...look like an antagonist to be honest.” A tiny smile crosses her face for a moment. Emeris clamps a hand on both of our shoulders.

“Remember: we can’t answer questions here how we would in Taraska. It’s not polite to be blunt. You need to be open and understanding, but firm in your responses. I don’t care who deserved what, we’re playing diplomacy here; check your egos at the door. That goes double for you, Raiden.” I let out a long sigh.

“Next person to single me out gets stabbed.”

We all take a last look at each other and nod.

We push the double doors open and every head in the room spins to look at us. All we can hear is the click of Lucretia’s heels. She does her best to stay fierce; her eyes stare straight ahead with a confident slight glare in them. Emeris does his best to act relaxed and friendly, tossing his beaming smile at anyone who catches his eye. I do a healthy compromise of staring ahead blankly, reminding myself that every pony in this room is a fool and they’re wasting valuable planning time.

A pony guard motions for us to sit in an empty pew on the left. As we sit down, the crowd is a mix of angry and nervous. Ponies begin to whisper to their neighbor. Lucretia scans the room to her left and right. I hear a quiet growl from her throat. She leans over and whispers to me.

“This is complete crap; none of our people are here.”

“That’s because it’s the Equestrian's decision. There’s no point in having more than what’s required for Taraska.”

She rolls her eyes.

“It’s still bias as hell.” The crowd once again goes silent and looks down the aisle as the double doors squeal. Celestia enters the room and keeps her eyes fixed on her throne. I cock an eyebrow as a suspicious older colt walks a few paces behind on her right. He’s dressed with an elegant coat that has a large, white fluffy collar and purple for the rest of the fabric. It matches his mustache, tail and mane that have a light pink streak in it.

He narrows his eyes at us as he passes, then sticks his nose high in the air and pretends we’re not even here. Celestia takes her throne, trying to act like this entire trial doesn’t bother her.

“Please rise.” She says in a stern tone. We quietly get to our feet.

“This trial will decide whether the Taraskans will be sent back to their castle...or if they will stay here and continue to watch over Equestria.” The purple colt snorts and rolls his eyes.

“More like rule it.” Several ponies cry out in agreement. Celestia looks down at him and glares.

“That will be enough!” She goes back to staring across the room.

“Representing the Equestrians, will be Dandy Grandeur.” The purple colt turns around and bows to the ponies.

“It is my absolute pleasure to stand with my fellow Equestrians in their time of need, when a voice is needed accompanied by a firm desire for peace.” Emeris groans quietly. Celestia closes her eyes and inhales slowly.

“Representing Taraska, will be General Raiden, First Captain Lucretia and Second Captain Emeris of the Taraskan Army.” We give a short bow as she says our names.

“Each side will now give a short summary of their stance and suggestion to improve the current situation.” Lucretia raises her hand and gets a nod from Celestia.

“Princess Celestia, may I ask for clarification on what you mean by improving the current situation?” Celestia swallows and glances to Dandy.

“Since Dandy is representing the Equestrians, I’ll let him explain.” Dandy gives a grateful nod to Celestia before turning to Lucretia with disgust.

“The problem, Lucretia, is that you Taraskans bring nothing but war with you! We haven’t gotten a chance to address the issues we’ve had with your soldiers, let alone your chain of command!” A few ponies in the crowd yell in agreement as he speaks.

“Your forces constantly tear apart the environment while claiming to save it! You call yourselves heroes, but assert yourselves into every fabric of our society! I believe that’s exactly what a dictator would do!” The crowd starts to get more riled up. He walks across the room with his eyes closed.

“But enough of this, let’s get to it shall we?” He looks up at Celestia and cocks an eyebrow. I see her neck muscles strain, but she gives him a nod. We all sit down in unison. He faces us with a small hint of malice in his eyes.

“I would like to call to the stand...First Captain Lucretia.” I can’t help but let my mouth open for just a second. Starting off with her was...overly bold. Clearly his tactic wasn’t necessarily to make a compelling argument, but to cause as much animosity amongst the crowd. Starting with her was his best option. He probably knows he’ll have a difficult time with Emeris so he needs the crowd on his side first. He’s most likely saving me for later since I’ve actually committed very real crimes. With Lucretia, he’ll probably focus less on arguing and more on making factless accusations that he won't bother explaining. This was not her strong point.

I get up and move out into the aisle. Lucretia slowly gets to her feet, trying to act as calm as she can. I knew remaining calm while someone slanders her wouldn’t be easy. She keeps her confidence the entire way to the stand. The clack of her shoes is the only sound as she keeps her eyes locked forward. Celestia motions with her hoof to the throne on her left. Lucretia walks up to it and somehow does a pivot to turn completely around in her heels, then sits calmly, crossing one leg over the other with both her hands resting on the throne.

Dandy clears his throat, clearly faking it for effect.

“I’d like to start with the very first encounter between our people. Ponyville was under attack and Taraskan came to our aid correct?”

Lucretia remains silent for a few seconds before nodding her head.

“Yes that is correct.”

Dandy purses his lips and raises both eyebrows for a moment.

“During this attack, Equestrians were running for their lives. Tell me, when exactly was it that Taraska decided it was acceptable to forcefully drag terrified ponies from their homes and turn Ponyville into their first base?” Several ponies get on their hind legs and start screaming angrily. Celestia's sharp glare alone makes them sit back down.

Lucretia frowns but stays calm.

“That’s not entirely accurate. We entered the city moments after the attack first happened. We had no way of knowing-” Dandy cuts her off with a loud snort.

“Yes, you had no way of knowing the attack was coming. Luckily for us...and you that you just so happened to arrive just as the attack happened. Early enough to stop it, late enough to excuse any mistakes you make. Correct?”

Lucretia inhales through her nostrils and leans forward.

“What are you implying?!” Dandy shrugs with a smile on his face.

“I’m not implying anything, I’m simply commenting on the miraculous timing of your intervention on an attack you knew nothing about. That’s true right? You had no idea it was coming? None at all?”

Lucretia folds her hands into her lap.

“We knew the Og Nag had fled our city, but their location was unknown.” Dandy turns to her with an exaggerated look of shock on his face.

“So let me understand this correctly: The Og Nag, who were attempting to destroy you and had you cornered, fled your city without reason what-so-ever, hid somewhere completely out of sight, even from Equestria’s most powerful princesses, then re-emerged to attack Ponyville right as you were within range, with all of your units ready to fight?!”

Lucretia’s eyes bulge and all she can do is stare in shock. She begins to speak but a random mare in the crowd speaks first.

“They’re behind it! It’s all a ploy! They want to rule Equestria!”

Celestia stands up.

“Enough! We are here to go over evidence and personal accounts, not yell out theories!” The ponies quietly shrink back into their seats. Lucretia plays with her fingers.

“The Og Nag may have retreated from our city because they had no idea what had happened and decided to play it safe. Another theory is that this Zaran we’ve encountered, ordered them to fall back for that very reason.”

Dandy sighs and rolls his eyes.

“And what were you even doing at Canterlot when the attack occurred?”

Lucretia starts avoiding any eye-contact all together.

“We had received a letter from one of our scouts. It was a forged letter from Princess Celestia asking for aid. When we arrived, there wasn’t an attack happening until after about two minutes of us being there.”

Dandy buries his face into his hoof momentarily.

“So...you receive a forged letter asking for aid for an attack...that just happened to happen after all? Who could have possibly known if the princess herself didn’t? Who would conceal their identity if they’re going to help you? Sounds more like a faulty cover story that you think us ponies are dumb enough to fall for, isn’t that right?!” He points an accusatory hoof at Lucretia. The ponies in the audience get up and yell. Lucretia’s eyes twitch for a second, and then narrow skeptically.

“The only logical theory is that we were meant to deliberately show up at that moment, so we’d look suspicious. Either in that moment, or later on. Also Taraskan castle was attacked simultaniou-” Dandy cuts her off with a loud groan.

“And here comes the pity-party!” Emeris stands up, doing his best to stay calm and professional.

“Princess Celestia, how is this trial supposed to advance forward if he never lets her finish her response?” Celestia nods to Emeris then stares at Dandy.

“Dandy, from now on you will need to be patient and allow Lucretia to finish her responses.” Dandy inhales slowly, but closes his eyes and gives the princess a respectful, deep nod.

“That will be all for now Captain Lucretia. If it pleases the princess, I’d like to call a colt from the audience to narrate his side of the attack.” Princess Celestia gives him a stern look.

“As this will satisfy both parties, I will allow it. After this testimony, the Taraskans will be allowed to defend their side of things however.” Dandy takes an exaggerated bow.

“But of course princess! We are here to discuss this civilly and fairly!” Emeris exhales and shakes his head with his arms crossed.

“Kiss ass.” He whispers. Lucretia gets up and stomps back to her seat. Her hands are balled the entire time with a nasty scowl on her face. She says nothing however. She doesn’t even wait for Emeris or me to move before forcing herself past us. She slams herself down and buries her face in her hands. Emeris pats her leg.

“You didn’t do anything wrong Lucy, this is what he wanted.” Emeris whispers sympathetically.

A teal colt trots up in front of Celestia. He’s taller than most ponies, with a matching navy blue mane and tail. He exchanges bows with Celestia, before the colt sits in the throne. Dandy’s voice changes from sarcastic and condescending, to cheerful and admiration.

“Will the colt kindly introduce himself to the crowd?” The colt clears his throat before looking to the left and right anxiously.

“Toe-Tapper, sir.” Dandy is just a little too happy. Was this pony coached or intentionally selected? Dandy’s behavior changes to relaxed and inviting.

“Well Toe-Tapper, please tell us a bit of yourself...before the war ruined your entire life that is.” Celestia slowly looks over at Dandy, narrows her eyes and lets out a quiet growl. Toe-Tapper looks at the ground and taps his front hooves together.

“I’m….I’m a singer in the Ponytones sir.” Dandy gasps excitedly.

“Well I believe I’ve heard of you! Quite talented you all were! Tell me, what have you been up to since the Taraskans destroyed your only hobby?” Emeris stands up again.

“Objection Princess! It has never been established that Taraska is responsible for any of this! I move to count this tactic as nothing but pure slander!” Celestia once again looks down at Dandy.

“Dandy your tactics are beginning to offend me. You will need to take better care of your wording hence forth, or another pony will need to replace you.” Dandy crosses one foreleg over the other and bows.

“My apologies your majesty!” He slowly trots back and forth, clearly trying to restrain his excitement.

“Very well Toe-Tapper. Might I add that you are so very brave for appearing today. May I ask for you to retell your side of the story?” Toe-Tapper scratches his head. He seems unusually stressed out and confused.

“Well...it’s...been a while. Um, I was at home with my daughter and we were singing old kingdom songs in the living room, when I heard a bell going off. I looked out the window and saw everypony running away towards Canterlot. I’m...I’m not very good with...stress, so I thought my daughter and I should hide upstairs. Then...I heard this...awful screech. I crept over and looked out my bedroom window. There were hundreds of these awful creatures. They were walking all slowly towards the town. Then I heard all this clanking from behind, so I go to the other window and see all these humans in their black armor, just covered in spikes! I thought Sombra had returned or something!” Dandy lets out a sympathetic cry.

“Well that sounds dreadful! You must have been terrified! Please tell us your first...encounter with the Taraskans!” Toe-Tapper plays with his hooves.

“Well...like I told you, my memory isn’t too good, I...I was petrified! So I figured the entire area was going to erupt into one big brawl. So I grabbed my daughter and headed out of my house, but there was nowhere to go!” His eyes tear up and dart back and forth, as if he was making all the same decisions over again.

“I...I...I froze okay?! I cuddled my daughter to me...thinking it was the end! I felt like a failure! I was too much of a coward to save my own daughter! Then...I….” Dandy’s right hoof clicks against the stone floor impatiently.

“And that’s when...you were taken correct?” Toe-Tapper blinks a few times.

“I...I guess I...I just looked up and there nothing but shields and...black metal and…” Dandy’s jaw bulges to the side slightly as he clenches his teeth.

“So the Taraskans took you, then you were rescued by Princess Luna sometime later if I recall correctly?” The teal colt shakes his head slowly, and then suddenly nods.

“Ye...yes that...that sounds about right I…” Dandy narrows his eyes and nods happily as a horrified chorus of gasps erupts from the crowd.

“Well there you have it. Were the Taraskans hoping to hold them for ransom? Maybe pretend to be saviors while getting information out of a bunch of terrified, innocent civilians? Who knows what they wanted. If you ask me, this whole thing wreaks of-”

“Wait!” Toe-Tapper shouts.

“I...I...I actually remember something…” Dandy sighs and tries to hide his nervousness. I raise an eyebrow. I look over and see Emeris hunched over in his seat. He has his hands clasped together under his chin, as he watches the colt with massive open eyes. He doesn’t blink once. His stare goes from Dandy and to the colt, not moving any other muscles besides his eyes. Dandy shakes his head.

“It’s alright Toe-tapper, if you’d like we can speak of this more in private.” Toe-tapper looks up, his eyes wide and on the brink of tears.

“I...I...I remember...her!” He points a hoof at Lucretia, who suddenly sits up and removes the scowl on her face. Every head in the room turns towards her. Dandy nods then turns to Celestia.

“Your highness, the witness has said more than enough for now. Due to his mental state, I move to allow him to return to the comfort of-” Toe-tapper gets on all four legs. He was taller when he wasn’t sulking in fear.

“Yes! I remember! She...Lucretia...Captain Lucretia! She...she dove over her units and scooped us up! I remember her telling us it was going to be alright! She even slew a few Og Nag while rescuing us! Then another soldier escorted us to the princess! I...thank you! I...I can never repay you for what you’ve done!” Dandy purses his lips and nods very slightly. He opens his mouth to speak, but Emeris is first.

“Princess Celestia! I believe you said we Taraskans can speak next, and I’d like to question this colt!” Dandy scoffs at him and turns around, locking eyes with Emeris.

“So you can do what? Traumatize him more? Intimidate him into telling your side of things?!” Emeris calmly walks past me and stands in the aisle. He clasps his hands behind his back and puts on his gentle, friendly smile.

“Not at all Dandy, it just occurred to me that I believe you intentionally lead him into trying to defame the Taraskans who showed up to help. I’d like to ask him to recall events...right before this trial when you two spoke.” Dandy scoffs.

“What do you mean when we spoke?” Emeris takes a few casual steps forward.

“Earlier Toe-tapper said, and I quote ‘Well...like I told you, my memory isn’t too good’ Did you catch that? ‘Like I told you.’ meaning you two spoke before.” Dandy’s face shifts to complete offense.

“How dare you even consider-” Celestia’s powerful voice echoes through the chamber.

“Enough Dandy. I will allow Emeris to question the colt further, seeing as how it is not directly related to the tragedy at Ponyville.” Dandy begins walking back to his seat with a scowl. Emeris keeps his smile on, but narrows his eyes, keeping them locked on Dandy’s face as he passes. Lucretia bumps my shoulder and leans over.

“This should be good.” She whispers.

Chapter 38: Trial By Fire part 2

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Emeris reaches the front of the room and faces the crowd.

“Citizens of Equestria. There is no doubting the tragedy that has befell your great nation. Over these last few months, your people have suffered more than ever before. You have watched your cities burn, your people slain and stood by as certain death marched its way onto your doorstep.” He keeps his hands behind his back. His tone is friendly, but inquisitive.

“May I ask why you’re still here? Did you suddenly fight back and retake your lands? Did the princesses, powerful as they are, conjure incredible magic to repel your invaders? No. It was none of these. The monsters you’ve been running from are too numerous and bloodthirsty. Do not mistake my words for even implying any inaction on your part. You’ve all done the best you could, the best anypony could even dare ask for! You had a war dropped on your lap. You encountered an evil so malicious, that not even Sombra or Discord would dare speak its name.” He looks down at the ground and shakes his head, as if he was sharing in the pony’s pain.

“No matter how hard the Og Nag pushed, no matter what they took from you, there was something else here. Us. Taraska. We fought for you, we protected you. There is no getting around the facts though. Yes, we unintentionally brought them here. The details of which have been kept from most of you, but I will share them with you now. Taraska, on the brink of destruction, chose to make the ultimate sacrifice for the other kingdoms of our realm. There was no stopping the Og Nag. You may not believe it, but the beasts from our world were far worse than what you’ve faced here. Time was running out and no kingdom had an army large enough to challenge these monsters. So Taraska made a deal with our only remaining allies: the Drakur. Taraska would provoke the Og Nag into a massive assault, then detonate what we thought was a bomb, dealing a massive blow to the Og Nags numbers.” The room is entirely silent. Even Celestia herself watches Emeris with intrigue. I raise an eyebrow and shift a bit.

“Where we came from, magic was as big of a fairytale as peace. The only magic we had seen, were massive orbs that suddenly fell from the sky, annihilating entire cities in the blink of an eye. At the time, we had no reason to suspect that the orb we had stumbled across was anything less than a weapon. So we hid it away at the top of our castle, with plans to detonate it at the last possible second, when every Og Nag in the region was on our doorstep. As the Og Nag banged on the door to the very last room where the orb was held, we hit it with a hammer. We said our goodbyes to loved ones that were already dead. When we awoke, things that had not been seen in decades were of abundance here. Fresh grass, sunlight, birds, animals and best of all; silence. You ask why we fought? Because before us lied something that had to be a dream. For that dream, we would die fighting. We knew what the Og Nag could do, what they could take from you. Not a single Taraskan was willing to let that happen.” Emeris turns to Celestia.

“Will you permit me to invite a few of our guards in?” Celestia nods eagerly. She motions at two pony guards who open the double doors. Emeris waves a hand and a dozen of our infantry fill the back area. Emeris crosses his arms and stares down the aisle.

“We put our very lives on the line. We died to stop them before, and now we were willing to do it again weren’t we?!” The soldiers, including Lucretia and myself, give a loud “Aye!” in response that echoes through the chamber. Emeris walks back and forth again, not taking his eyes off our infantry.

“The very idea that we could save peace was all the motivation we needed! We would never stand by and watch another nation fall!”

Another resounding “Aye!”

“Heads will roll, bodies will litter the battlefield, because the Taraskans do not sit by as the innocent are murdered do we?!”

“Aye!” Lucretia and I both stand up. Emeris nods a few times. He begins pointing to civilians and Taraskans alike as he talks.

“No matter how hard they try!”

“Aye!”

“No matter what beats they bring forth from the abyss!”

“Aye!”

“We will not fall!”

“Aye!”

“We will not give in!”

“Aye!”

“And we sure as hell don’t sit around as a bunch of ugly freaks think they can take our home! Do you hear me!?”

A mix of civilians and Taraskans alike erupt in cheers. Arms are raised and every pony in the room leaps as high into the air as they can. Emeris goes quiet and a look of sadness crosses his face. The cheering dies down as the audience quietly begs for his next words.

“But such efforts have their cost. War is a disease. It is the greatest poison of all society. It takes its toll on you. How do you think it feels to never let down your guard or it may spell certain death? None of us here have had peace. Our kingdoms have always been front and center for conflict before we were born, before our parents were born, before their parents were born. We don’t know how to stop being soldiers. We’re used to any conversation turning into a scuffle. Yes, we’re angry, we're tired, but worst of all, we’re jealous. Can you blame us?”

Most of the ponies either shake their heads or mutter “No.”

“Despite our differences, we’ve done our best to care for you, to get to know you. This war wasn’t fair to you, it wasn’t fair to anyone! Once again, the Taraskans are called to fight, after seeing their very dreams laid before them! Once again we must go to battle, knowing the person standing next to us might never stand there again. Imagine getting to know someone, their hopes and dreams, their hobbies, even their family. After a battle is over, all that can become just another story. You never see that person again, never hear their voice, never ask them another question, and never see them go home. Many of which had sons and daughters waiting for them, that will always have half a home now that their parent is gone. In some cases, those children will never know the feeling of security that is instilled in us by always having parents to watch over us. They grow up, seeing other children the same age running and jumping into the arms of the two people that have always been there. They ask why and there’s never an easy answer.

What do you tell that child? That their parents died because nations don’t know how to get along? Those people who don’t come back will never know the warmth of a bed, they will never eat another hot meal surrounded by their friends and family, they will never be present for another wedding. They’ll never be in a new photo, or in a new story. Because for them, that story is over...forever. And after all that, the loss, the suffering, the agony, the dread. We’re expected to keep fighting. Day in and day out. That pain always lingers. The threat of it happening again is always present. Could you go on silently without speaking to anyone? Of course not. But how do you form a friendship with someone that could die any minute? How much or how little do you tell them, knowing that their soul may be snuffed out forever? Is it a waste? Is it worth it? No one has ever been able to answer that. Yet here we are. Doing our best. Some of our best soldiers are the most tormented souls. Take these words to heart: you do not know what eternity feels like until you've lost someone.”

Emeris looks over at Lucretia and me. She has her nose and mouth covered with her hands pressed together. Tears form in her eyes as she nods at Emeris.

“I know we’re not an easy bunch to get along with, but damnit we’re trying. This is new for us too. We don’t want you to become like us. We want to watch you grow and learn like any precious life should. Maybe it’s too late for us, but it’s not for you. We want you to succeed. We need you to keep going. It can’t all be for nothing. And that’s all I really wanted to say. Thank you.” Emeris bows his head and an eruption of applause makes the room almost deafening. Celestia does her best to keep it together, but after a few seconds, she too is hunched over in uncontrollable tears.

Emeris goes silent and walks back and forth a few times as his eyes scan the audience. It was still complete silence except for a few sniffles. Every mouth in the room hung open in shock. Lucretia leans over to my ear.

“I just realized they never heard our little story before did they?” I shake my head at her and go back to watching Emeris, who turns to face Toe-Tapper.

“Sir, may I ask you to recall your first interactions with the Taraskans? What happened after Lucretia dove over the safety of her own units to rescue you?” I can hear Dandy growl from across the room. Emeris was destroying him at his own game. Toe-Tapper looks at the ground again.

“Well...two soldiers escorted us back to Princess Luna. She carried us to Canterlot then returned to Ponyville.” Emeris nods while walking. His demeanor is completely relaxed as if we were all sitting around a campfire, telling stories.

“What did Ponyville look like during the attack if I may ask?” Toe-Tapper scans the room.

“It...It was in ruins. Windows were broken, doors were completely unhinged, and stuff was everywhere. It was complete panic.” Emeris pauses and looks at the ground.

“If we’re conquerors, why would we let future cities be destroyed? Would it not have been simpler to have slain the Og Nag away from the town without damaging the property? We were as shocked about the Og Nag as you all were. Where we come from, Nova, the Og Nag did not use strategy. They never retreated unless there were only half a dozen remaining. Yet when we woke up, there were reports the Og Nag had fled the city in droves of thousands. We didn’t know what to make of it. During the First Battle for Ponyville, the Og Nag split up and hit us from two fronts, using their heaviest infantry to assault from our weakest point. This strategy was simple, yet they had never done anything else, but rampage with huge numbers. Our highest ranking members were clueless as what to make of it. The message was clear though, something else had control.”

I hear whispers in the audience. How did they not know about Zaran? Had there never been a report filed? Had they never been briefed? Emeris lets the suspense fill the air for a bit, just like when he’d tell stories to our soldiers at dinner.

“That something was Zaran. A creature from another universe that fed on negative energy and was capable of unfathomable horror, both on and off the battlefield. He alone is responsible for what the Og Nag are doing to us. Zaran is still a huge mystery to us. Are his motives as simple as power? No one really knows.” Emeris looks back to Toe-Tapper.

“Toe-Tapper, I’d like to change the subject now. Would you mind...recounting your conversation with Dandy? Let’s start with when he was first speaking with you about Ponyville.” Toe-Tapper’s eyes bulge and his head snaps downwards.

“D...Dandy was really pushy about you all being monsters. When I first talked about Ponyville, he’d finish my sentences a lot. He always made me feel like I was in shock and couldn’t think straight.” Emeris cocks an eyebrow at Toe-tapper.

“Would you mind giving us an example?” Tapper rubs his hoof against the front of the seat.

“Well, when I said I couldn’t remember what happened after the house, he kept saying stuff like ‘They kidnapped you remember? Surely you’d remember your own daughter being taken!’ and I’d always feel like I was stupid for not agreeing with him. Every time I said something he didn’t like, he’d tell me I wasn’t remembering correctly because I was traumatized. He just...whenever I wanted to take a break he told me my testimony would save Equestria and would get me to keep talking. I just…” His eyes start watering, so he shuts them. He starts shaking his head in small, rapid snaps.

“He kept pushing for hours and hours and he’d never let me go and I just…” Tapper goes quiet, but his heaving shoulders say everything we need. Emeris shakes his head sadly.

“You know what I’m going to do for you Tapper? I’m going to let you leave.” Emeris stands to the side and stretches his arm towards the aisle.

“Thank you so much for your testimony. Isn’t he brave everyone?” The ponies nod and stomp their hooves. Tapper climbs down and gives Emeris a quick smile of gratitude before disappearing into the crowd. Emeris claps his own hands as he gradually turns to face the princess.

“I apologize, I don’t mean to be redundant, but would you mind if I end my turn by giving Captain Lucretia another round of questioning? I promise I’ll be brief your highness.” Celestia nods and I can almost see her restrain a smile. Part of me wondered how long it’s been since she was last treated like royalty. Lucretia gets up and almost runs to the throne. She clenches her hands anxiously while trying to keep her steps at a normal pace. She plops down into the throne and folds her hands in her lap, like a child about to hear an amazing story. She beams up at Emeris who gives her a satisfied nod.

“Captain Lucretia, I have just a few simple questions for you. First off, when you arrived here, what was the first thing you noticed?” Lucretia bites her lip and narrows her eyes a bit.

“It would have to be the sunshine. Back on Nova, my primary responsibility was to watch over the night guard. So when the sun was finally out, I’d have to sleep through it. During the day, it was almost always blocked out by smoke, well enough of it that you couldn’t enjoy its rays. I was also stuck inside a lot going over defensive strategies.” She looks across the crowd.

“You really have no idea that being able to see the sun every morning is a gift. When I was little, I loved bathing in the sun when I could. It was always so warm and inviting.” Emeris turns and motions to the crowd with an inviting hand.

“That’s fair isn’t it? Is your sun not gorgeous? And it's ruler not equally as gorgeous?” He turns to Celestia and gives her a small smile while cocking an eyebrow. The crowd giggles as Celestia’s cheeks grow red.

“Captain Lucretia, one last question. I want you to imagine that the war is over. Everything has been rebuilt and life has continued. What would you do then?” Lucretia’s eyes bulge and she blinks several times.

“I...I don’t honestly know. I...I’ve always wanted to be a teacher. I’ve had a fondness for children for the longest time.” Emeris clasps his hands in front of him and gives a small shrug.

“You wouldn’t want to keep being one of Taraska’s finest?” Lucretia’s mouth bunches up to the right with embarrassment.

“I’m...actually sick of violence to be honest. I mean I’d keep my armor just in case, but...I’d love to have a normal peaceful life. It would be fantastic to not have to look over my shoulder, or worry about planning what to do next.” Emeris and Lucretia lock eyes quietly for a bit, once again pausing for effect.

“Well Lucy you may just get that chance.” Once again Emeris turns to the audience and offers his hand towards Lucretia.

“Captain Lucretia everypony.” He gives a few small applause that the crowd copies. Lucretia almost skips back to her seat. I can’t help but look behind me at Dandy. I stare at him and his face that’s turned an infuriated red. For a brief moment, his eye sockets get abnormally dark but return to their normal color. Was that normal? I had never seen a pony do that before. He gets up and walks out into the aisle, keeping his head down but still watching forward. Emeris keeps his head tilted up just a bit. To everyone else, he looks confident. I knew full-well he was trying to be as smug as possible to Dandy.

As Dandy stands at the front of the room, I see his right eye twitch when he sees every pony is talking excitedly to each other. He was clearly hoping to play on their fear and anger. Emeris had just seriously impacted that. He clears his throat loudly and the crowd goes silent.

“I would like to call to the stand...Princess Cadence, and Shining Armor, Captain of the Royal Guard!” The room comes alive with simultaneous gasps. Dandy turns to me with a smirk on his face.
"As well as Princess Luna herself; the pony who asked for this trial to begin with." The room goes dead silent.

Chapter 39: Trial By Fire part 3

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Celestia sits on her throne. Her mane is a mess and she blinks in slow intervals. She rubs her eyes with her hooves. We all sit silently, waiting for her to continue the trial. Dandy looks up at her, eager to have his next witnesses approved. Celestia lowers her forelegs and takes in a deep breath.

“Let us take a short recess. Everypony meet back here in precisely one hour please. Also do not discuss this trial outside these doors. We do not need fights breaking out.” Celestia’s voice is flat and annoyed. She lets out a small sigh and keeps her gaze on the floor. Her eyes are squinted and exhausted. Undoubtedly, she’s had to put out small fires on the sides. I get up and motion for Lucretia and Emeris to follow me. We walk through the double doors and into a hallway to the left. We take one more corner just to be careful.

“I’m going to speak with some of our guests in the dungeon. I need you to gather a few of our people who will speak on our behalf, especially Cy and Stormchaser. Their image will really help us fix this.” Lucretia cocks an eyebrow.

“I thought you didn’t care about this trial Raiden…” I look at her, keeping my face expressionless.

“I don’t, but this needs to end as quickly as possible. Celestia is suffering and I’m sure the other two alicorns are as well.” Emeris blinks at me a few times.

“You...you mean Princess Luna right?” I walk off, leaving them to converse with each other.

As I try to prevent myself from simply stomping past people, numerous guards watch me curiously. Were they angry about the cowards from lancercore getting a well-deserved beating? Are there rumors circulating, no doubt spread by Dandy? They get no reaction from me. My eyes stay exactly where they need to while navigating the halls. The endless chatter grows quiet as I near the more deserted part of the palace. The echo of my footsteps bounce eerily off the walls.

A pony guard in black armor stands perfectly still, guarding the entrance to an intentionally dark hallway. I don’t acknowledge him and he does the same, which was the first test. Further down the hallway, the last old, wooden door on the right stands before me. My hands remained clasped in front of me. A few seconds later, the pony guard runs up to me, horn flaring red. He tilts his head down and runs at me full speed. I continue to stare straight ahead at the door. The guard passes through me and disappears into the wall the hallway connects into.

The door opens, revealing a purple unicorn with blue eyes. Her ocean blue mane hangs straight down to one side, just stopping at her right knee. Her eyes always have an expression that she arrogantly knows more than you and it never changes, not once. She has a circlet on her head with a green gem. Her horn stops flaring black. She steps to the side to let me pass. The interior is surrounded with magical gadgets I know nothing about, but Celestia assures me that they make the opening to the dungeon as confusing as possible for a trespasser. I stand on a large, grey plate with symbols etched into it in a circle pattern.

The unicorn closes the door. The gem in her circlet glows and the grey mechanisms covering the inside of the door, snap and click into place. Once they’ve all interlocked into some perfect pattern that travels in an endless loop, she turns to me. Her voice is flat, but mysterious.

“Who are you here to see?”

I pick up a red backpack to the left of the plate I’m standing on and sling it over my shoulder. The contents shift a bit, letting out a few quiet clanks of glass.

“Umbra, prisoner 1476.” The unicorn nods. Once again, her green gem glows.

My vision is surrounded by light for a moment, then I see a long dungeon stretching before me. Teal crystals float through the air, casting the only light. The ceiling is twice my height and decently wide, enough for four of my soldiers to stand shoulder to shoulder. There’s a cell every five feet, but they’re all empty. I walk for about five minutes, feeling strangely familiar being here. The last cell on the left, holds a very defeated looking pony.

Her messy brown mane and dull, purple fur are covered in dust. She has one bang on her forehead in a long braid which ends just under her chin. Her green eyes stare up at me, having no idea if I’m here to end it or talk. We stand there, locking eyes. Her being a changeling presented a lot of issues, but there was plenty she could have done if her intentions were malicious.

She weakly gets to all fours and faces me. I touch a red gem and the clear crystal separating us glows faintly the same color.

“Umbra. How are you feeling?” She swallows painfully.

“I’m doing alright general. It’s...far too quiet down here. How are things back at the palace?”

“Usual nonsense. Do you need anything?” I set the backpack down and open it. After a few seconds of digging, I pull out a carefully wrapped cucumber sandwich. Her eyes bulge as she stares at it. I walk over to a small, blue box right under the red gem. I place the sandwich inside, then trace the image the unicorn taught me. The food glows blue, vanishes, then reappears on top of a pedestal behind Umbra. She runs over and devours it in seconds. She actually starts licking the area the sandwich was on.

“They are feeding you correct?” She nods and turns around.

“Yes, but it’s this extremely bland paste. It has this horrible powder in it that inhibits magical use.” I raise an eyebrow.

“Then how are you able to stay in your pony form?”

“When we changelings transform, it’s permanent unless we shapeshift again. I figured they’d have some form of magical suppression, maybe even more than one, so I wanted anypony to see me for what I feel on the inside.” I nod and start pacing back and forth.

“Well let’s get to it then. I’m going to go over what I know and you’ll fill in the blanks. Some questions that I ask I already know the answer to. Other questions I won’t. Lie to me at your own risk.” I stop and stare her dead in the eyes. They quiver at me.

“First question. There is no doubt you have some form of loyalty to us. The question is, just who are you loyal to? Remember, you get points for honesty, not ass-kissing.” Umbra blinks a few times.

“I...I am loyal to both Canterlot and Tara-” I turn the red gem upside down. Her cell erupts with red electricity. She cries out in pain and falls to the floor convulsing.

“I can easily believe you’re loyal to Canterlot, but to Taraska? You just met us. If you’re loyal to both, then why hide what you were? I understand the fear that we might turn on you, but if you really were loyal to Canterlot, you would have made your presence known to at least Celestia.” She pants and slowly gets to all fours.

“Fine! Yes, I’m loyal to Canterlot, but I was trying to learn about you Taraskans.” I stare at her. Her front knees shake briefly. She was hiding something. I slowly reach my hand towards the gem. Her eyes grow wide.

“That’s the truth! Not all changelings work for Chrysalis! Some of us want to escape, but we have nowhere to go!” My hand returns to my side.

“You’re telling me you were scouting the way for changelings that want to defect?”

She looks down and nods.

“It’s been rough serving the queen, but it’s the only life we’ve ever known. Once Zaran showed up however, things have been so much worse! Zaran’s tactics are...brutal. We’re often told to memorize complex plans and extremely advanced manipulation tactics! He’s put together a small team of changelings for the sole purpose of infiltrating the palace guard.” I scoff lightly.

“Good luck with that.” She looks up at me, a brief defiance devours her eyes.

“I’m afraid it’s too late. There are already three changelings in your guard as it is.” My jaw hangs open.

“H...how did-”

“Because I showed them how. You are correct, there’s no way to infiltrate your guard. Your paths are random, complicated and there’s no room for error. Your guards already executed one of my kind. So we joined your army. Your palace guards don’t ask questions of any Taraskan soldier that patrols these halls, as long as we saw them come straight from a battalion.” All I can do is blink silently.

“Are you telling me that you joined our ranks to spy for Zaran?” She angrily squints her eyes at me.

“Technically yes, but it was an excuse for those of us that wanted to defect. We could easily get all the scouting resources we needed by simply offering to spy for Zaran. That was the plan at least.” I do my best to seem lethargic. If she’s lying, she’ll put in more effort if she doesn’t think she’s getting through to me. The gradual change in character would be decently obvious.

“I assume something went wrong?” She lowers her flank and sits on the ground. She purses her lips in pain.

“Farax. He was only interested in...power. He damn near worships Zaran. When he overheard one of our squad talking about defecting, he ratted him and a few others out. I never publicly voiced my opinions for that very reason. Zaran did...experiments on them. I don’t know what though, but he mentioned something about...what he calls “Super Og Nag”. Something about regular Og Nag being too dumb. I may have heard him also considering combining that with some kind of regeneration. He would frequently go on long, hysterical tangents about his experiments. We never saw our brothers again, but Zaran seemed awfully...satisfied a short while after. I can’t be certain if the other three are loyal to Zaran or not, but I can at least tell you there is only us four that remain. Our squad was nicknamed Zaran’s Seven, or Z7 for short.”

I nod and continue my tiny bit of pacing.

“I’m assuming this Farax is...one of the infiltrators?” I stop pacing when she doesn’t respond. As I look over my shoulder, she glares at me.

“Farax is...smarter than your average changeling. He was also groomed heavily by Zaran for months. Constant praise, given a huge list of mind games and was included in very private meetings. I have no idea what Zaran had Farax do, but I know he did it successfully. He wouldn’t stop bragging about how proud Zaran was going to be of him, but refused to give us any details.” I cross my arms, tilt my head back and groan.

“And here I thought we’d have a break for once. Tell me, if you had a chance to speak with one of the Z7, would you be able to tell if they’d be willing to defect?”

A flicker of pain flashes in her eyes. She winces and looks down as tears fill her eyes.

“No. The mind games Zaran plays...they’re...there’s no word to describe them. Zaran straps us down to a table, then does some kind of...dream magic and puts you to sleep. While you're unconscious, he puts you into elaborate scenarios. Constantly baiting us into revealing our true feelings, making us think we’ve been captured and that we’re finally free. Over and over and over…fake missions, agents defecting and getting you to come with them. There were fifty of us to start...fifty! He killed the ones who failed, even once. He gets you to doubt reality. You think everything is some ploy. You’re too scared to ever try. He makes you watch the scenarios so you know just how elaborate each trick is. He’s had entire weeks be nothing but an illusion. I...I was dragged off by you to be executed once. I had no idea what to do. I kept my mouth shut...I...”

I tilt my head to the side in confusion.

“Take a wild guess what my next question is going to be.”

She lifts her head up and gazes to my left, as if she was watching out a sunny window.

“Love I guess. I never knew what that was...until I met him. I decided there was no way this could be fake. After just a few weeks by his side...I was willing to die, just to pretend it was all real….and then it wasn’t fake.” She moves only her eyes to look at me.

“Funny, isn’t it? Risked one kind of prison just for another?” I nod a few times, still keeping my hands behind my back. She suddenly starts shaking. Her mouth turns inwards as silent tears make their way down her cheeks.
"Do you know how many changelings actually died for Celestia?! The scenarios continued until you hit an end point! Sometimes you'd rat Zaran out and spend a few weeks in peace at Canterlot, just to wake up inside the hive again and the last thing you see are those damn glowing red eyes! Then just like that...you're ash. Then comes the next changeling! No funeral, no discussion, just a quick shrug from Zaran, then bring in the next one! Imagine living in a world where at any moment, I can open my eyes for the last time and be vaporized! He made us all watch every scenario! They're insanely elaborate! Almost everyone is in character! How would we know any different?! We barely know the damn ponies! I can't trust anything! He always has this psychic link to you! His words always clawing in your ear! We have no idea if he can read our thoughts or not, but he always knows where you are and what you're doing! There's zero privacy! Absolutely no peace! Just another mind game you're expected to do, more information to analyze! No breaks, no rest, no silence!" Her painful shriek ends with her collapsing to the floor.
"Honestly though..." She says through rapid sniffles.
"If everything I have with Big Mac is a lie, I'd rather die anyways."
I let her sob it out for a few minutes.
“I can’t go into detail, but you’ll be speaking with Emeris for a while once we settle a few other matters. It will be his call if you go free. One thing though: do not lie to him. Understood?”

Her eyes bulge and she goes still as stone for a moment. She nods her head furiously. I believed her. I knew I technically shouldn’t, but I just didn’t care anymore. Emeris would most likely put in place some extremely complex ploy to allow her to keep her cover with both our forces and her changeling squad. This other changeling was going to be a challenge however. Not to mention the other two I still have to sniff out.

How could I possibly convince a changeling who thinks that everything is a test?

I walk past Umbra’s cell, take a quick left and walk for another minute. I stop just barely with his cell in sight. He sits there, completely motionless, with a stern look on his face. He doesn’t even flinch when I come closer. Straight ahead, his gaze never moving. I grab a nearby chair from a wooden table and place it directly in front of him. I take a seat and plant my elbows on my knees. I clasp my fingers together and use them to hold up my head. We lock eyes. He can’t resist the first contact he’s had in months.

“Well? Aren’t you going to interrogate me?” He says with confusion, as if not even remotely fearing the future. His voice is deep and angry like mine.

“I highly doubt there’s anything new I could do to you. You’ve been the one impersonating Luna when we first got her back. That means you must have been somewhere nearby, a cave perhaps? Maybe a secret room in the palace?” He answers me with silence. We stare quietly for a few more seconds before I shrug.

“So, here’s my issue: how do I convince you that this is real?” He scoffs and shakes his head condescendingly.

“You can’t. Why would I possibly believe any of this is real?” I slowly nod while reclining back, letting my hands rest between my legs.

“I can imagine that Zaran put you through some serious whoppers. Can we just settle for your name?” He blinks at me a few times.

“Go to hell, Raiden.”

An uncontrollable smirk crosses just the right corner of my mouth.

“Can you...perhaps elaborate on some of his scenarios then?” He continues to stare at me silently.

“I mean...they can’t be that bad, right? What did he do? Use harsh language? I mean I know changelings are a bit sensitive but-” He leaps to all fours and gets his nose just barely far enough away from the magical field so he doesn’t get shocked.

“You have no idea what you’re talking about!” I chuckle as arrogantly as I can without overdoing it.

“Oh, I think I do. I’ve heard plenty of stories about how easily your kind breaks under the slightest pressure. Too bad you’ve never been really tested though. Who knows, give me some time and I might make a warrior out of you yet.” He grits his teeth and starts trembling.

“You have no idea the mind games he’s played! I live in a perpetual existence of uncertainty! I have no idea if this is another ploy, or a ploy meant to make me think it’s just another ploy so when I come out of it, I drop my guard down! For all I know, I’m actually in the hive and all of this is another dream! Before this war, before Zaran, I was a high-ranking member in my hive! I was trusted with security! They called me Captain Pharynx! The entire hive relied on me for security!” His eyes suddenly grow sad and he sits on his hind legs, staring at the ground.

“And now look at me...Zaran’s errand boy, skulking around the shadows. I don’t even have an official rank anymore.” We sit there, drinking in the stillness of the dungeon. His purple eyes twitch in unison with the red fin that travels down his back. He flutters his purple wings slightly, before he turns around and lays on the ground, facing the rear of his cell.

“Go ahead and kill me. I have nothing left.” He grumbles. I do the only thing I can do: I get up and walk away. I look over my shoulder at the last second and see him looking up at me. For a few seconds, I swear I see hope in his solid purple eyes.

Stay strong my friend. We’re in this together.

Chapter 40: Trial by Fire part 4

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I step onto the grey pad and get whisked back to the entrance. The purple unicorn from before watches me and raises an eyebrow, but says nothing. A small smirk sits on her mouth. Her eyes are always narrowed, as if she knew everything you were up to. I make no acknowledgement of her existence and leave the room. As I turn left down the hallway, the same black pony guard from before still stands at the entrance, with his back to me. I walk straight through him.

Lucretia and Emeris still wait outside the throne room. I motion with my head to the left, into a small side chamber. Many of the tiny rooms had been fitted with panels that Celestia assured us would prevent any type of magical spying. I hold the door open for both of them and motion to two of my soldiers to guard the door as we talk. Lucretia and Emeris both eye me suspiciously.

I take a deep breath and try to stand up perfectly straight.

“The reason Zaran hasn’t done anything, is because he’s infiltrated us with a few high-ranking changelings.” Lucretia’s eyes bulge and she recoils a bit in annoyance.

“Do I even want to know how many?” I lower my head.

“Four. Umbra was one and a second was impersonating Luna when we first got her back. They’re both in the dungeon.” Emeris sits on the table and faces the wall, rubbing his hands slowly in thought.

“Don’t suppose you found out how they somehow juggled impersonating Luna while also letting her rest do you?” I shake my head and narrow my eyes.

“That’s the issue. Their group is called Z7, Zaran’s Seven for short. Only four of them survived his...final trials. He’s seriously damaged them with his mind games to where they don’t know what’s real anymore. Umbra was highly cooperative, but her little friend named Pharynx is the exact opposite. I think he wants to help, but has no idea what’s real. Zaran mentally tortured them for weeks and did it for longer on his more promising recruits. He projected endless scenarios in their heads to test their loyalty. He also made them watch their fellow changelings get vaporized when they gave even the slightest amount of info up, even going as far as to let them live in peace for a few days, then having them wake up and get destroyed by Zaran.”

Emeris recoils in disgust.

“So, this dude jumps from realm to realm, creating Og Nag and destruction and tortures his spies? What a multi-dimensional asshole!” Lucretia looks over at him and snorts in amusement. I place my hands on my hips and give them a stern expression.

“It gets worse. The best unit out of all four of them is named Farax. He’s apparently extremely smart, borderline worships Zaran and-” Emeris groans.

“Wow, it really can’t get any worse, can it?!” I look at Emeris until he meets my gaze.

“And apparently Zaran has a 24/7 psychic link to all of them. Presumably only when they’re not in rooms with magic blockers like this one. I’d like to repeat that is just an assumption. Unfortunately, we don’t have enough resources to cover the entire palace in blockers.” Lucretia stares at me horrified then turns to Emeris.

“How the hell do we find the other two?! How can we trust literally anything? For all we know, any of us in this room could be a changeling!” Emeris and I look at each other and shrug. Emeris turns and faces Lucretia.

“I doubt they’d attempt that. We know each other way too well and a spy would likely know that. They’d probably hide as someone who would be understandably quiet.” Emeris plants his hands on the table and slides himself off the edge to his feet. He pulls a dagger from his forest green boots and tosses it into the air over and over, catching it without even watching the dagger fall. He twirls it between his fingers, as he squints at the ceiling in thought.

“Alright so...here’s what I’m thinking. If I was a spy...in a foreign army...surrounded by magical creatures, there’s certain personnel I wouldn’t risk impersonating. High profile characters that someone would easily notice a duplicate of them running around. Someone no one would really talk about seeing in a hallway. So, I think the Royal Family and us three are safe. Unfortunately, it becomes a balancing act of being in a position where you can gain intel, but not have to know much about protocol. There’s a chance they’re a guard of some kind...probably nearby the throne room.” He motions with his head to the two guards outside the door. I look over and see that the guard on the left is clearly leaning closer due to his shadow under the door. I slowly pull out my sword. Emeris motions for me to stop. Lucretia has both hands on the side of her head and she’s on the brink of tears. She takes a seat at the table and hunches over. Emeris looks over at her, then walks over and starts rubbing her back with his left hand. He looks up at me.

“I’ll come up with more later, but I think the trial is about to continue.” Our heads snap simultaneously to the door, as we hear a large group of hooves calmly traveling into the throne room. I look at Emeris, exhale strongly through my nose and get up. Emeris holds the door open as we exit. Everyone files calmly into their respective seats. This time, several ponies who were sitting opposite of us, sit directly behind a few pews back. I catch beaming smiles as I look the Equestrians over. The moment Celestia takes her throne, Dandy hops from his seat and clearly restrains himself from running to the front.

Dandy stares at Celestia, who sips on what appears to be a cup of coffee. She meets his gaze, rolls her eyes and gives him a head nod. He spins around and scans the room with a massive smile.

“I’d like to welcome Princess Cadence, Shining Armor of the Royal Guard and Princess Luna.” The entire room stands and faces the double doors. Two royal guards open them and the members of the royal family stand there. Cadence shoots me a quick glare and takes a seat with her people. I understand Shining not making eye-contact, but Luna has an unmistakable look of agony on her face. Her head stays low as she climbs in behind Cadence. She glances at the opposite wall of me. I sit there, staring at her in silence, regardless of how awkward it would be.

Dandy’s elated voice fills the room, but I still don’t take my eyes off her.

“Well then, I’d like to call Princess Cad-” His voice goes silent. Eventually I look over at him. He studies my face with a strange eagerness in his eyes.

“Actually...I’d like to call...First Captain Raiden of the Nation of Taraska and General of the Equestrian forces to the stand.” The room goes quiet like a deer that just heard a twig snap. I button my black coat as I rise. My footsteps echo off the walls as I walk along the rows of seats and sit in the witness chair. The frame of it is made of gold, with lavish red cushions for the seat and back. The moment I’ve sat down, Dandy starts pacing back and forth.

“General Raiden. May I ask you to give a completely honest personal account of your time here in Equestria?” I know he’s hoping to find something in my words he can twist and use against me. Luckily for him, I’m all out of patience. I lean forward and let the crowd study my face. I wasn’t going to be shy, sugar coat, or even hide my emotions.

“My time here has been met with disappointment and grief. Every time we try to change things-” Dandy turns and faces me with his arrogant smirk.

“So, what you really mean is-” I stand up and give him a death glare, balling my hands so my skin turns a dark red.

“Shut up! I’ll let you know when I’m finished talking! So stand there and keep your damn mouth closed!” Dandy recoils angrily.

“Excuse me, but I represent the ponies of-” He stops talking as I get off the throne and stop an inch from his snout.

“I’m a general in your army! I don’t care who you represent! If you keep disrespecting me with your manipulative crap, I’ll have you spending the next week in a dungeon! You will wait for me to finish speaking, or you’ll be earning your meals in a cage surrounded by stone! I don’t care if I’m human! Your princess promoted me into your ranks and I won’t be talked down to by some bureaucrat!” I grab him by his fancy little vest and pull him so close so that his nose bends slightly against mine.

“Do you get me?!” He starts shaking then nods rapidly. I let his vest go and he backs up a few steps, trying to act like he’s the more evolved species. I don’t even bother returning to the throne. I stand there and cross my arms.

“Since I’ve been here, I’ve put my entire species at risk for you ponies! We’ve bled for you and in a few cases, we’ve actually died for you. My entire race has been cut in half! My people have been through hell and back and now we’re doing it again just to protect you! Where I come from, your country would have been regarded as weak and you would have been left to your fate. After everything we’ve done, everything we’ve sacrificed trying to make things right, you dare question me?! You dare question any of us?! Everything I’ve done is for you! Every battle, every skirmish, you all had the luxury of cowering in a corner or behind your princess! That’s not something we could ever do! If we had, no creature would be alive today to even throw this reckless paranoia at us! You want us to leave so bad? Fine. I’ve contemplated it myself! The only reason we’re even still here, is because Canterlot is such a great vantage point! If it wasn’t, we’d happily go back to defending Taraskan Castle! Yes, we would eventually die there, but it would be better than being hold up with a bunch of ungrateful cowards!” I start shaking uncontrollably and my face feels like fire. I can’t even control my volume anymore.

“You want to know why we have so many emotional problems?! Because we’ve never had what you’ve had! You’ll never understand the feeling of knowing that there’s no one to fall back on besides yourself and your comrades! Each battle can be your last and everything you are, the sum total of your being, can be extinguished in an instant like a dropped torch! You really think we want to rule you?! Fine, we’ll leave and when you come crawling back begging for protection, you’ll be greeted with a volley of arrows. So go ahead, have your damn trial, but this alliance is a two-way street!” I look down at Dandy who just stares at me with wide-eyes.

“Now you can talk! Or whatever it is that you call your mischievous crap!” I plop down in the throne and recline back. I prop one leg up so my boot is resting against the seat and let my right arm hang over it casually. Dandy looks around at the ponies who share his shocked expression. He looks up at Celestia who gives him a lethargic shrug. After a bit of silence, he starts pacing back and forth.

“General Raiden, during your last defense of Canterlot, do you care how to explain what lead to your suspicious victory despite impossible odds?” I raise an eyebrow and sneer at him.

“Suspicious victory? As in the entire battle was a ruse? Here’s how we did it: Princess Cadence came back with an orb full of magic. She used it to supercharge her magic reserves and her healing abilities. We held our ground because no matter how many times we had our skulls crushed in, our limbs bitten off, or our backs broken, Cadence would bring us back...eventually. We felt the pain of death over and over, something no living organism should ever have to experience. Normally our stamina would have given out long before then, but it allowed us to take out scores of Og Nag.” Dandy nods and I see the wheels turning in his head.

“And was that the only thing you did?”

“No. It lasted for a while but eventually the orb was depleted. Anticipating this, we made sure to take out the Garge’s, since there was no way we could get past them normally. After the orb ran out, we set up formations on the wall and held it, using the choke point we had created as much as possible. They started slowly overwhelming us as well as my units became fatigued. Reinforcements came from Taraska. They helped us hold out for a while longer.” Dandy stops and blinks a few times.

“I apologize if I’m missing something but...how did Taraska not only know you needed help, but showed up just at the right moment?” I slowly sit up like I’m supposed to.

“Luna teleported them in, but you’ll have to ask her for the rest of the details.” Luna’s voice carries over the crowd.

“General Versa had sent one of our flying scouts with word that they had arrived with the 4th battalion. I flew down and teleported them up, but I have no idea how they knew what was going on and how they got there in time.” Dandy lets out an annoyed sigh.

“So, the 4th battalion shows up lead by General Versa. You hold out the best you can, what happened after that?” The crowd leans forward eagerly.

“Cadence was sent on a small mission to disrupt Zaran’s control over the Og Nag temporarily. It worked so we stormed through them as recklessly and quickly as possible, knowing we only had one shot.” Dandy’s right eye twitches.

“So...you were able to break Zaran’s control over his forces temporarily. How did you do this exactly?” He stares me down. I know his trick now. He wants information. He’s put me in a position where I’ll look more suspicious if I don’t answer, or give him vital intel he needs. It was a smart move. I cross my arms.

“That information is classified.” Dandy widens his eyes and makes an annoyed circling motion with his hoof in the air.

“Oh, how shocking! The information is classified! How convenient! So, if you don’t have an excuse, you just toss out the military red tape?! What a wonderful defensive strategy you have there!” I raise an eyebrow as an idea pops into my head,

“You know what Dandy? You’re right. I’ll tell you how under one condition.” His head snaps back to me and his eyes search my face vigorously. I turn and face the princess.

“I’ll tell you if her majesty allows it.” The room goes quiet as they stare at Celestia. She pauses for a moment in shock then shakes her head,

“I’m sorry Dandy, but I agree with General Raiden’s decision to keep that information private.” Dandy narrows his eyes at her.

“Really now…” I intentionally show a bit of offense on my face. It was time for some mild payback.

“Dandy, you're not implying that you can’t trust your very own princess Celestia are you?! That would be treason!” I hear him exhale angrily as he stares me down.

“No, I would certainly never think such a thing. Very well Captain Raiden-”

“General Raiden.” I snarl. He holds a hoof to his chest and gives me more of his fake manners.

“Oh, my apologies General. Thank you for your testimony. Princess Celestia, if it suits you, I’d like to call princess Cadence to the stand next.” I hop out of the chair and sit next to Lucretia. She pats my leg and gives me an approving head nod. Cadence gets out of her seat and makes her way to the throne.

Now it was time to see what else Dandy had in store.

Chapter 41: Trial By Fire part 5

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Dandy’s eyes are narrowed and relaxed, accompanied by a gentle smile.

“Would Princess Cadence of the Crystal Empire please approach the throne?” Cadence takes in a small breath and climbs out of the pews. Dandy doesn’t waste any time the moment she takes her seat.

“Princess Cadence, may I ask for your general opinion of the Taraskans as a whole?” Cadence’s eyes glance towards the ceiling for a few moments as she thinks.

“Well there is no doubt we have relied heavily on them in every battle. However, I’ve seen...things that have made me nervous.” Dandy purses his lips, widens his eyes and nods a few times as he looks across the floor.

“Would you mind elaborating?” Cadence swallows and her eyes dart to me briefly.

“During the first defense of Canterlot, The Taraskans were attempting to lure the Og Nag to Ponyville. As I was flying in, I saw a Garge pick up General Raiden. They spoke briefly, then a massive burst of red flame erupted from his mouth. I make no judgement against any creature with abilities but...the captains seem completely new to their powers. It also makes me nervous that General Raiden’s powers theoretically stem from both rage and physical proximity to Zaran, especially since he is often around civilians.” Dandy nods and I see him restrain a nasty smile.

“As a princess and a ruler, I’d assume you’d have some fantastic insight into predicting someone’s character. I’m sure from the get-go you must have noticed Raiden’s warning signs. Can you tell me when you first started noticing them? I’d be interested in hearing what an alicorn princess thinks.” Cadence’s face shows a flare of anger, but it quickly snaps to fear when she looks around the room and sees all the eyes watching her.

“W...well I mean yes being a princess, an alicorn and a ruler does give you some insight, but it’s not like-” Dandy nods a few times before he cuts her off.

“Well for instance you called him a danger to your people, would you mind elaborating?” Cadence blinks at him confused.

“I don’t recall using those words.” Dandy slaps on an expression of curiosity.

“Um...I apologize princess, but I think you’re misremembering. Are you feeling ill? I understand if the burden of this war has taken its toll on you. We’d all certainly understand if a princess had to step down for a while.” Cadence’s eyes bulge and once again look around the room.

“No no! Certainly not! I...you know, I actually do think I remember saying something to that effect, but maybe I didn't fully-” Dandy’s muscles relax and his speech becomes more soothing.

“Oh very well princess, I apologize I was just relaying the concerns of some of your citizens. Would you mind elaborating?” Cadence’s mouth hangs open and I can see her eyes dart around the room. She starts shaking very slightly in place.

“W...well there was when we held the entrance to Canterlot. He just...walked up to a Garge and let the thing bite his head off! That has always troubled me how anypony could just...willingly do that! I mean I still get nightmares over that battle!” Dandy’s ears go back and an inviting smile crosses his face.

“Well that’s certainly a valid point princess!” He turns to face the audience.

“As you can see, your very own trustworthy princess Cadence thinks the Taraskans should leave! If you can’t trust her opinion, who can you trust?” Cadence takes up a defensive posture as her ears go back.

“Um, pardon me, but I didn’t go that far!” Dandy turns around and has an almost cautious and concerned look on his face.

“Princess there are two options here: either the Taraskans are innocent, or they need to leave. Surely a princess can make the right call regarding the safety of her people, correct?” Cadence’s mouth mumbles a few times as she tries to begin a sentence. She closes her mouth and swallows.

“Um...well safety is certainly a priority it seems.” Dandy gives a satisfied nod.

“And we normally exile or imprison things that make us safe, don’t we? I’m simply saying that instead of us throwing away all our values in place of a violent nation’s mentality, we simply stick to our ways as we always have. I for one would never even consider letting my children join an army!” A few angry cheers from the ponies break the silence momentarily. Cadence blinks in confusion.

“I...I’m not saying we’re changing who we are but-” Dandy turns around and snaps defensively.

“Well if we’re going to let them get away with assaulting our people and destroying our way of life, how are we not changing?!” Cadence’s face scrunches up as she thinks.

“It’s just...um...they’ve been through a lot and we’re trying to be understanding-” Dandy scoffs so loud that Cadence stops talking.

“We’ve all been through a lot and yet we’re still sitting here as a reasonable society, discussing the best course of action! Why can’t they do the same?!” A random pony stands on her hind legs.

“Yeah, why do we have to put in all the effort for them?! They should be explaining themselves to us!” Dandy spins and points a hoof at her.

“Yes! Exactly my point! Now you’re all starting to get it! The Taraskans have stolen our way of life and even as we speak, they’re invading our courts with their war mongering! This is not Taraska! This is Equestria!” Several ponies get up and let out a cheer of approval.

“And in Equestria, we are not violent!” Another cheer from the ponies.

“We are not evil and we certainly will not sit by quietly as some foreign invaders destroy our homes and our way of life! Do you hear me?!” Half the ponies in the room stand and cheer. Cadence nods her head furiously in agreement, with an almost desperate look on her face.

“Thank you, princess! That will be all for now.” Dandy continues to address the audience, thanking them for their honest participation. Cadence glances at Dandy, but hangs her head and goes around him then trots back to Shining. As soon as she takes a seat, she hangs her head and they whisper to each other. Shining rubs her back as they talk.

Dandy opens his mouth, but remains silent as he eyes the couple consoling each other.

“My next witness, Shining Armor: Captain of the Royal Guard.” Shining looks up surprised, whispers one last thing to his wife, then exits the pews. He shoots Dandy a cautious glare as he walks by. Lucretia leans over so only Emeris and I can hear her.
"At least let the colt console his wife for five friggin' minutes!"

Once again, as soon as Shining takes his seat, Dandy pounces.
“Shining, let me start off by asking you one simple question: when the Taraskans leave, what is your strategy for the war that you undoubtedly have already formulated as a backup plan?” Shining suddenly slaps on the same nervous expression Cadence has, but his tone is still rigid and diplomatic.

“Well now hold on a minute, that’s going a bit far.” Dandy doesn’t give him much of a chance to respond. He mixes agitation with fear, no doubt trying to mimic the worst ponies in the room.

“Shining, your own wife and princess even admitted she thinks the Taraskans should leave. What are we, the good citizens of Equestria, supposed to think if even a simple royal couple can’t agree on this issue?!” Shining’s face splashes with anger before he glances at his wife.

“I’m not saying...look she didn’t exactly use those words. I think we all need to calm down and-”

Dandy turns around and addresses the audience on the verge of yelling.

“You see?! This is what we have to put up with! Us innocent citizens at the mercy of the royal family! We are victims! We are powerless and can only rely on mere words to save us! I can’t even get a straight answer out of the very ponies who are supposed to ensure our safety! I guess we might as well just march out onto the fields ourselves then!” Shining recoils in shock.

“Now hold on! Okay um...yes the princes and I...agree. I just want to make sure every last point is-” Dandy’s tone is suddenly happy and hopeful.

“So, you’re in agreeance then! The Taraskans must leave correct?” Shining starts looking flustered but still does his best to stay calm.

“Well...I mean we can at least hear them out!” Dandy completely changes tactics. He sits down about five feet from the throne and just stares at Shining, with a look of annoyance on his face. Shining blinks rapidly and locks eyes with Dandy.

“What do you want me to say?! We can’t just ignore one side completely!” Dandy lets out a tiny sigh but still doesn’t move, look away or speak.

“I’m not saying my wife is wrong, I mean like I get her point I just...maybe we need to look into this more! I just...yes we always remain united but…” Shining starts babbling in panic as he looks across the audience. Dandy lets out another sigh and his voice is now super flat, slow and relaxed.

“Shining...do you have a plan...or not? That was all I was asking. Why do you insist on flying off the handle over a simple question? This is exactly why we, the powerless citizens of Equestria, even have a problem to begin with.” Shining stomps a hoof on the throne.

“What?! You’re the one who started freaking out!” Dandy raises a confused eyebrow.

“All I did was ask a few questions and voice our concerns Shining. As I said in the beginning, I only had one question. This type of behavior from some pony who is captain of the royal guard is concerning. Isn't that fair to say at least? I mean I did I say at the beginning I only had one question correct?” Shining breaks eye contact and looks at the ground while furrowing his brow.

“W...well yes you did say that I just…I...I don’t...” Dandy shrugs.

“Sounds to me like you’re trying to manipulate us. Refusing to answer questions, avoiding simple concepts like whether you agree with your own wife or not. You must really think we’re that stupid don’t you? But we’re not. We see right through your little ploy, don’t we?!” As Dandy finishes his sentence, he turns around and gives the crowd a defiant glare. Several ponies get on their hindlegs and start yelling angrily about how they’re not fools. Dandy looks back to Shining.

“I mean I get it, it must be difficult having to serve your wife and all. Unfortunately, you don’t see that your bruised ego is making you toxic. Why else are you so eager to completely disregard your wife’s views? I for one trust the princess-” Shining gets on all fours with a mix of panic and anger.

“Wait are you talking about?! That’s not it at all!” Dandy suddenly recoils and sits on his flank. His ears go back and his face is splashed with concern.

“Shining all I’m doing is trying to help you understand your problem. I mean I really don’t think it’s my job to be your therapist, but if it’s what I have to do to restore balance to our leadership, then so be it. I just don’t understand why you can’t admit you have a problem.” Shining blinks several times in confusion. He begins several sentences but doesn’t even make it past the first word.

“M...maybe sometimes I..sort of get uncomfortable but…” Shining starts looking exhausted. His eyes are half closed and he’s breathing heavily. Dandy gets up and gently bats his hoof at Shining in a comforting manner. He lowers his voice to be as soothing as possible.

“It’s okay Shining. We’re all your friends here. All that we ask is you trust us the way we trust you. All we want is for our concerns about Taraska be taken seriously. We all feel it’s time for some changes to be made around here, wouldn’t you agree?” Shining hangs his head back and lets out a loud sigh.

“I...yes I guess it’s...time for some changes.”

“It’s alright that you’re so frazzled Shining! The Taraskans have taken a toll on all of us. Tell you what, why don’t you simply tell us what you would do once the Taraskans leave?” Shining is panting nervously now, refusing to look around the room.

“I guess I would begin rebuilding towns and making them more secure, so it won’t be such a crisis in the future.” Dandy gets up on all fours excitedly.

“Thank you Shining! That’s...all I wanted to hear! That will be all for now!” Dandy turns and addresses the audience.

“I know most of you are undoubtedly nervous with how our leadership is handling this, but as I’ve shown you, there’s nothing to fear when we stand united! We can unite against this common enemy, and we can unite against the Og Nag!” The ponies look at each other and start nodding, accompanied by whispers. Dandy had taken Emeris’ entire speech and turned it around, making it seem like the ponies can’t defend us without endangering themselves. Right as Shining leaves the chair, Dandy stops him.

“Oh, um Shining, if you don’t mind, there might be a few more questions I could have for you. Would you be so kind as to sit here at the front?”

“Oh...I um…” Shining looks back sadly to his wife, who hangs her head and looks absolutely defeated. Shining clenches his face in turmoil, also with an expression of exhaustion.

“I guess that’s alright.” As Shining takes a seat in the front pew, he keeps his eyes locked on his wife.

“Multi...dimensional...asshole…” I look to my right at Emeris who whispers angrily while shaking his head. Lucretia and I give him confused stares. He looks at us then gives a dumbfounded shrug and holds it.

“It’s friggin’ Zaran! How have you two not seen this?!” I look around to see if anyone overheard, but every neighbor is having a whispering session of their own. If Dandy was actually Zaran in disguise, what could we even do about it? If we outright accuse him, it will just make us look more suspicious. We’d have to play his game for now and hope we’d come out on top.

“And now, I’d like to call Princess Luna herself to the stand please!” Luna gets out of her pew, but there’s a nasty scowl on her face. She’s half way up the aisle when Dandy starts talking again.

“Good citizens of Equestria, thank you for your patience, I’m sure we’re almost done he-” Instead of going around Dandy, Luna acts as if he’s not even there and busts her way past, forcing Dandy to stumble a few feet across the aisle. He falls to the floor and looks up at Luna shocked.

“Um, my apologies your majesty.” Luna gives him a blistering glare, but says nothing. She climbs into the throne and sits upright. Dandy dusts himself off and clears his throat.

Chapter 42: Trial By Fire Finale

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Luna sits on the throne with a face completely blank. Her eyes remained narrowed and her posture is completely flawless. She looks directly across the room, over the heads of her civilians. Dandy is still confident and happily trots back and forth, despite her bumping him to the ground a few moments before.

“Now Princess Luna, when you called for this trial to dismiss the Taraskans from our palace, did you have a singular reason for doing so?” Luna doesn’t move a muscle.

“That is not what I said.” Dandy does his best to verbally jump on her.

“Well I think you’re misremember-” Luna only moves her eyes to Dandy.

“I said that is not what I said and if you misquote me again, I’ll have you locked up, is that understood?” Dandy recoils timidly.

“I apologize Princess, I was only trying to-”

“Do you understand me?!” Luna’s face is still unmoving, with her fierce teal eyes staring Dandy down. He purses his lips and nods rapidly. Luna’s eyes go back to looking across the room.

“I said we should have everypony meet in the court room and talk about our concerns openly, to clear up any miscommunications and hard feelings. I believe we can all get along, but we must bring to light the differences between our cultures instead of ignoring them. That is what I said, and I will not tolerate any failure of reiteration.” Dandy nods slowly, showing a bit more caution with his actions now.

“Do you not agree that these Taraskans are a danger to our people? We’ve seen them lash out multiple times and all they seem to know is war!” Luna’s face doesn’t even flinch.

“Because all they’ve known is war. Literally. I cannot blame them for not understanding something they’ve never experienced, just as we cannot be expected to comprehend their tactics. They need time to adapt. How do you expect them to learn peace when they are yet again tossed into combat?” Dandy scoffs.

“So, they get to toss down the broken warrior card as an excuse?! They don’t take any responsibility for their actions and constantly put us in danger!” Dandy turns around and lock eyes momentarily with any pony who cheers at his words. Luna snorts condescendingly. Dandy narrows his eyes and slowly turns around to face the princess. Luna looks down at him, still only moving her eyes.

“If anything, we’d be in more danger if they didn’t do anything. I have fought side by side with these Taraskans, and while they may have vast emotional damage, I still believe them to be noble warriors. They have done things to ensure our safety that no being would do who sought control. They have overcome unspeakable atrocities to ensure our safety.” Luna looks over at me.

“And while they will need to answer for their actions, we must also keep in mind where they come from and what they’ve had to endure. Just as they have had to accept that we are not warriors.” The same ponies that had stood and cheered, now look at the floor with guilt. Dandy’s face scrunches ever so slightly, but he does a decent job of hiding the sneer that threatens to stretch across his face.

“And I suppose we’re just going to believe that Cartridge made these Og Nag and not them? How do we know they’re not the real manufacturers of these nightmares?!” Luna’s eyes bulge and she looks down at Dandy.

“I know of Cartridge, but, how do you?” Celestia looks confused, glancing between Dandy and her sister.

“Pardon me, but would you remind me who Cartridge is?” I stand up and move into the aisle.

“Cartridge is a nation full of advanced science. We don’t know how they did it, but one morning they had amassed an army of Og Nag and sent them to crush all the nearest nations. No threat was issued, no quarter was given, no options were offered. They swept across the land in vast numbers. Hundreds of thousands. Each branching off and hitting multiple cities simultaneously. No country had even remotely enough arrows or soldiers to hold them off for more than a week tops. Drakur and Taraska were left due to us being the farthest from Cartridge. We never mentioned them before, so how do you know of them Dandy?” Dandy rolls his eyes.

“Emeris mentioned them in his little speech.” Emeris stands up and narrows his eyes.

“No, I didn’t. I know who you are Dandy. I intentionally left them out, hoping you’d screw up and drop their name. There’s only one creature on this planet who would go this far to get us out of the picture. Isn’t that right, Zaran?” Every being in the room shifts nervously and stares at Dandy. He remains calm and rolls his eyes.

“There we go again, derailing the discussion and throwing your reckless paranoia at me. What’s wrong? Did I get too close to the truth?!” The ponies now shift away from us. Their eyes dart back and forth, unsure of who to trust. If it was Zaran, I wonder if his anger could force him to transform or erupt like I do. So, the next question was, if Zaran is just like me, what would piss him off? I cross my arms and lean my head back condescendingly.

“As if you have any right to judge us. You’ve never suffered like we have.” Dandy grits his teeth and takes a few steps towards me. He lowers his head, but keeps his face locked with him.

“You have no idea what suffering is Raiden!” I roll my eyes and scoff.

“You’re just weak and powerless and now you want a scapegoat. What’s wrong? Was spreading rumors not good enough for you? Have you even seen combat? No, you haven’t. You just sit in your little office all day, most likely passing judgement on random ponies just so part of you feels like you even have the slightest amount of control-” Dandy rears back and his eyes are surrounded with what could only be described as shadows.

“I’m not weak! I’m the most powerful being-” A red flash erupts from his body.

“In creation!” As he lands and his hooves strike the stone floor, he transforms. His mane was long and red. His coat was a dirty white, and his iris’ glow red. He’s still the same height as Dandy, but there was no mistaking the dull, lifeless color scheme of Zaran. He’s different now though. He’s bulked up since I last saw him at the dinner party. Even slightly taller, almost even with Princess Luna. There’s no red energy surrounding him this time. Celestia and Luna both leap off their thrones and their horns ignite. Zaran addresses them without even turning around.

“Make one move towards me and I’ll create a blast large enough to kill everypony in this room. Alright Raiden, you wanna have it out? Let’s have it out.” His face is sinister and just a bit too confident. The rest of his eyes are black, with just those creepy red iris’ watching me. What the hell has he done since we last fought? Was he somehow even stronger than before? Could he even cast spells now? He starts slowly walking back and forth across the front of the room. Both princesses retreat to their thrones. He doesn’t take his menacing stare off me.

“Everypony I give you one option and I suggest you take it. I am here in your land for one reason and one alone: Taraska. I came here to stop them from doing to my world what they’re doing to yours.” Emeris marches up next to me.

“Oh, come on! That’s not even a good lie!” A green blast of magic erupts from Zaran and sends Emeris tumbling across the room. He collides the double doors and two Taraskan guards run over to him.

“Enough!” Yells Zaran. I look back at Emeris, then glare at Zaran.

“You attacked first, and you know it!” Zaran leans his head back a few inches then narrows his eyes.

“I give you all a choice: either kill Raiden, or die with him. I will not tolerate delays.” I needed an opening, just one single opening. Luna sees my frantic face and steps forward.

“I don’t understand, why do we have to kill him? Why don’t you just do it yourself?” He turns his head to face her.

“I said en-” His eyes bulge open. As he turns around so we’re face to face, he swallows then glances down at the dagger I rammed into his ribcage. I twist the blade to make it hurt. He puts his right hoof on my shoulder, as if trying to wrestle me off him. I reach up, grab a handful of his mane, and reinsert the dagger two more times. He sparks green a few times and turns into a changeling with golden eyes. His voice is deep and raspy.

“Sorry Raiden, you’ll have to try again.” He coughs a few times and shakes in my grasp with a disturbing grin.

“Don’t worry though...Zaran will be here real soon...with enough Og Nag to turn this palace...into rock...” He chuckles and coughs up green blood. I firmly grasp one of his wings, turn him around, wrap my arm around his neck and give it a powerful sudden snap. I let his lifeless body drop to the ground. His blank, golden eyes stare across the room. Silence blankets the audience as everypony gawks at his corpse. Lucretia’s clicking heels brings me out of my trance. She walks to the front of the room and turns around, facing the crowd with her hands on her hips. Her face has a serious scowl on it.

“And now you know what we’re up against. I’m not asking you to like it, I’m asking you to accept it. I know it’s scary, I know you have no idea what’s going on, but you have to trust us.” Celestia blinks a few times then slowly shakes her head in shock. The room slowly clears out and I'm left unable to stop staring at this changeling. Everything he just did, the dark eyes, the glowing iris', turning into a mirror image of Zaran, it was all part of the plan. Just how far will these changelings go for him? Even as the royalty clears out and the Taraskans as well, we say nothing to each other.

I look across the war-torn lands of Equestria while leaning against a banister. Distance smoke pillars still touched the clouds in the distance, but no new ones have sprung up. Was the war really almost over? We were fools if we thought Zaran was done. His goal was to spread misery and feed off it. Even if we did destroy every last Og Nag, I’m sure he’d find some other way to ruin everything. Given his mysterious magical powers, predicting his next move would be almost impossible.

I rest my hands on the banister as I enjoy the gradual breeze that swims inside my helmet. The roof of the palace was often devoid of everything except a few patrols. It takes all my restraint not to turn around like some giddy pup at the light clicking of hooves behind me. I already know how to recognize her by the weight and pace of her hooves. Luna stands on her hindlegs to my left and leans against the balcony, joining in my sight-seeing. I glance over at her and give an uncomfortable smile.

“I’m...sorry for everything that’s happened to your land. Part of me wishes we never would have came here. I can’t help but feel responsible for-” I’m cut off as Luna gradually turns her head to face me.

“Raiden...while it’s true that your nation coming here did spark everything that happened, it wasn’t your fault. You had no idea that any of this would happen. From what I hear, Taraskans don’t give up and dump their problems on others. If you had known...about all of this...would you have still done it?”

The idea takes me completely by surprise.

“If we hadn’t come here and instead died in the hall, fighting as many Og Nag as we could...I never would have met.... we never would have known peace. We would have died; just more souls caught up in that damn war. I don’t honestly know. I want to say we would have done the noble thing but...you have no idea what your land has done for us. All the wonderful things we’ve seen, the new experiences we’ve had...the horses we’ve met…”

“Ponies!” Luna shouts with amusement before reaching up with a hoof and smacking the back of my head jokingly. We share a small laugh together.

“Hypothetically, if you knew what was going to happen back then, would you have let us come here if you were able to stop us?” Now it’s Luna’s turn to stare dumbfoundedly across the land.

“As you said Raiden, I’d like to think my answer would be to have stopped you but...I honestly don’t know. I’m...I’m sorry but I’d have to say yes, I would have stopped you. I don’t like to say it, but the sheer destruction and death that has plagued our land cancels out everything else. But...I don’t regret meeting you...all of you. I think this war has brought me the internal peace I’ve always been after. I fought for my people and even almost died doing it. That being said...my heart aches for my citizens.”

The topic is left at that. Deep down, we both want to be selfish and admit that this war had things we both needed. Perhaps it wasn’t gratitude towards the war, but merely looking at the positive. I can’t help but hear Luna tense up a bit.

“So...your people and...mine. How um...how do you feel about it?” I curl my lips inward.

“Well...at first it was extremely weird but...I mean you act just like us but all we saw were animals. As time went on...it was as if you were humans in different bodies. I stopped thinking of it as wrong and more like you’re...aliens from another world.” I drum my fingers on the stone railing.

“What um...what about you?” I feel my jaw tremble slightly, but do my best to play it off by looking around and hoping she won’t notice.

“I feel the same way. Although for us, I was more worried about my equestrians getting involved with...how do I phrase this…” she says while putting a hoof to her mouth.

“Um...blood thirsty individuals? No wait that sounds...your people were...very different. I was concerned for our safety. But as you said, over time I knew that you were what you had to be to survive and I learned that deep down, all your people are...wonderful. Some more than others…” Her eyes dart towards me for a second, before returning to the landscape. Her cheeks glow a faint red and she adjusts her hindlegs a few times.

“One of the biggest difficulties I’ve had is with...well these pronouns. I mean do we have a term for...all sentient creatures? I mean you say people but there are times where you’re referring to both Taraska and Equestria, and I’ve done likewise with equestrians. I mean we have so many different species here you’d think someone would have come up with a broad term for all living things, but no.” We share another tiny laugh together, more out of tension I assume though.

“Back to the topic at hoof though, does...CY and Stormchaser getting married bother you?”

I let out a small sigh.

“It was a tactical thing. I was worried my soldiers would get jealous then I’d have a full-scale mutiny on my hands. I didn’t mind them dating locals, but I also didn’t want them forgetting that we have a duty to protect this place.” Luna flutters her wings a bit.

“I um...always wanted to say thank you. I know that you put your entire nation at risk by helping us. I can’t imagine having to make that kind of call. I would have understood if your people tried to escape the same war that you’ve been fighting for so long. I would have also been furious, but I would have understood. I’m...sorry for the people you’ve lost. Your nation has quite the astounding warriors.” She pauses briefly to let out some nervous laughter.

“In fact, I wouldn’t blame you for...perhaps wanting one as your wife? I highly doubt you’d be interested in...anypony else.” She adds, quietly tapping her hooves on the stone. My blood turns to ice. Was that an opening? That had to be, but how do I respond? I lick my bottom lip then gently bite it. The silence in the air was killing me.

“You know, I’d want someone fierce, but also kind…” Luna turns and raises an eyebrow.

“Like you?” She says with a teasing, amused tone. I shoot her a quick smile then go back to gazing over the landscape.

“A pony wife…that would...take some getting used to. How would they...um...the whole children thing?” Luna’s expression flashes to complete bewilderment. Her cheeks grow red and she completely turns away from me.

“I...um...Starswirl was theorizing that our species actually has a common ancestor. I believe they are called centaurs. I might wonder if...there’s um...common ground there.” She taps her hooves and looks off to the side. The next few minutes are so tense, I could use it as a shield. One last question pops into my head.

“Luna I’m...I know I’m not easy to deal with. I know I get angry easily and I have a tendency to lash out. I can’t tell you how much of a burden it makes me feel like. So, I have to ask...why do you keep...tolerating me?” Luna’s mouth crumbles on itself as she stares painfully at the land before us.

“I...know what it’s like.” She narrows her eyes so much, I can barely see her looking at me.

“I...think it’s time you and I were on the same page. When you have the time...I would like to speak with you...privately.” I give the slowest nod possible as she walks away.

Chapter 43: Midnight Masterpiece

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It was the middle of the day. The sun was directly overhead, and the land was filled with amusement. As far as I could see, there was fun to be had, conversations to be started, and new adventures to be discovered. Ponies ran around, attempting to rebuild their homes. A few of my soldiers sat on rocks, telling children tales from our homeland: with a few appropriate alterations of course.

I smile, reach up and close the cover over the window. My bed was made of straw and had been extended to fit a human. Even still, it was more comfortable than my bed full of random cloth and I was asleep in minutes.

I wake up to find a gentle white glow pouring in under my window cover. I pull the blanket off me and swing my legs onto the stone floor. It’s cold, smooth and littered with scratch marks from my boots. It felt odd having a new room, but at the same time, I’d rather sleep outside than return to Taraskan castle.

I raise the cover and the landscape is now covered in darkness. Glowing butterflies make their rounds between trees. There were numerous patches of flowers that seemed to only spring to life once the sun had disappeared. The sky had a vast array of stars and what appeared to be curtains of rainbows that danced across the sky. This land was truly miraculous.

The moon was full and the amount of light coming from it made a torch completely unnecessary. I throw open my cabinet and toss on just my overcoat. I make my way through the corridors, enjoying just wearing pants and a jacket. As if the darkness concealed me, there was a strange amount of comfort in knowing I could be almost invisible at a moment’s notice. I keep my hands in my pockets, casually strolling to the staircase. I try not to take the steps two at a time, as I ascend to the roof.

It’s completely devoid of guards either by habit, or because Luna ordered it. I sit down on the smooth stone, and enjoy a slight warm breeze. I prop one knee up and stretch out the other leg, with my hands behind me for support. It’s not long before I hear the elegant flapping of wings. Luna lands with such grace that you wouldn’t even know she was there.

“Well, someone’s up late.” she says with a flirtatious wink and a smile.

I give a light snicker and shrug.

“Couldn’t sleep. Thought I'd come up here and...enjoy the view.”

She slowly circles me a mere five feet away.

“Couldn’t sleep, or didn’t want to?” she says with a sensual undertone, intentionally not glancing at me.

I look at her using just my eyes

“Maybe I just like the night better…”

She turns her head towards me, narrows her eyes and smiles.

As I start to get up, she trots over and quickly puts one hoof on my chest and calmly pushes me back to the ground.

“I’m afraid you’re being suspicious. Keeping me from my duties after all. Guess I’ll just have to interrogate you.”

I raise my left eyebrow slightly and smirk.

“Alright, but fair warning, I can be a difficult customer.” I fold my arms behind my head and lie against the floor.

She clears her throat and puts on a fake regal tone.

“Where were you today?”

“Sleeping.”

“And why were you sleeping so late in the day?”

“Had plans in the night.”

She makes an over-acted gasp.

“Then you were planning sabotage!” I chuckle quietly and smile up at the sky.

“Nah, just wanted to see someone.”

She brushes a wing across my face.

“An accomplice perhaps? Tell me who they are, and I may yet spare you!” she says with a jokingly accusatory tone and narrowed eyes. I stay relaxed and my left foot involuntarily shakes itself gently.

“No, just this...girl. You wouldn’t be interested.”

She narrows her eyes again and walks as stuck up as possible.

“Well I’ll have to keep tabs on her then. I’ll need a description.”

I gaze up at the moon.

“Well...she has the most precious teal eyes. Eyes that make you forget about anything. And that...look she has. It’s the one that melts even the strongest of ice. Just having her around is a luxury I’ll never be able to top.”

Her mouth quivers as she tries not to smile too hard. She fails, as her mouth widens as far as it can, showing her white teeth. She closes her eyes and bows her head.

“Go on.”

“Her voice is a warm blanket on a cold night. It’s soothing, and wonderful. It’s relaxing and just makes you want to be happy. It’s also just so amazingly sensual. Plus, she’s a total flirt.”

She steals a glance at me and bursts out in another fit of giggling.

I try to sit up again, but she puts her hoof on my chest and again pushes me to the ground. I reach up and hold on to her leg just below her knee, and gradually slide my hand down to her hoof. She trembles the entire time then yanks her hoof free and giggles.

“Flirting with a princess is strictly forbidden! I could have you locked up for that!”

I tilt my head, so I can look at her.

“As long as you still come and visit me, I’d be fine with that.” I had no idea it was possible, but she bows her head and smiles, and I swear dark red blush marks appear on her cheeks. She starts her royal walk again.

“How is her persona - “ she glances at me and interrupts herself with a sudden spike of giggling. “Her personality!” I raise an eyebrow and smile.

“You almost sound...jealous. A jealous princess. Who ever heard of such a thing!”

She walks by my head, snips at me jokingly then smiles.

She lowers her head right next to mine.

“Maybe I know this accomplice of yours!” she whispers in my ear, with that same silly accusatory tone. I put my hand on her mane and tug her ever so gently closer to me. I turn my head and look into her eye. In its reflection I can see my own brown iris catching the moonlight. Her eye opens slightly, giving me the same captivated stare I usually give her. Her eye trembles, she breaks eye contact while giggling and pulls her head away. I let out a loud laugh

“Huh...that’s actually kinda fun.”

She trots to my side and playfully kicks my outer thigh.

“That’s my job you jerk!”

“I’m pretty sure you liked it.”

She rushes over to me and mercilessly bats me with her wings, while laughing the entire time and rearing up briefly on her hindlegs.

I lean forward, grab her around the midsection, and pull her sideways onto my chest. She flaps her wings trying to playfully escape while grinning the entire time, laughing with that adorable high-pitched squeal of hers. I keep holding on to her. She stops after a few seconds and rests her head on my bare chest. I felt embarrassed that my heart was pounding so fast, but I could feel hers doing the same. We lay there for about half an hour, saying nothing, doing nothing, just enjoying the night together. We look up as a few stars race across the sky. She takes a deep breath and goes back to laying her head down.

My right hand slowly strokes her mane as our breathing calms down and becomes synchronized. My other hand stays on her back, gently rubbing it up and down. She strokes my left arm casually with her hoof.

“How long do you think the peace will last?” She asks hesitantly.

I lean forward and slowly nuzzle her hair while inhaling the vanilla fragrance.

“I’m not sure. Probably a while.” She sits up and looks at me.

“What makes you say that?” I stop lying on the ground and hunch over a bit. I reach forward and stroke her shoulders reassuringly with my thumbs.

“Well if I were Zaran, which in some super weird way I kinda am, I would have attacked by now. This prolonged peace can only help restore moral and isn’t of any benefit to him. We’ve removed Z7 from play for now and I’m assuming his next strategy is a massive assault. I think he’s still building up his forces. Regardless, we’re going to have the largest battle we’ve ever seen when it starts.” Luna looks down and nods slowly.

“Do...you ever think about...the other yous?” I have to blink a few times at the question.

“Actually, I guess there’s still technically the good pony version of me and my evil human counterpart. I...wonder what they’re like…” Luna looks up at the stars.

“Starswirl told me he doesn’t think any evil counterpart is actually evil, but rather a victim of circumstance. He was never able to explain how it all starts, but it’s a long history of survival instinct. He was dead set on even being able to bring somepony back from being evil. He was responsible for a lot of our reform programs as well. Somewhere along the way though...he lost hope. He never told us what happened or where he disappeared to. We kept asking, but he refuses to answer. Anyways, as far as coming back from evil goes, aren’t Lucretia and Emeris technically their evil counterparts?” She paws at the ground timidly.

“From what Starswirl said, do you think…” I narrow my eyes.

“No. I don’t think there’s any coming back for Zaran. Even if he did change, could we ever trust him?” Luna looks into my eyes before gazing at the sky again.

“I guess not.” She says with a disappointed sigh. I frown a bit and plant my hands on the ground.

“Wait...what do you mean...Starswirl was gone?” Luna shrugs.

“Legend said that he and a handful of others fought a dangerous creature, but the details were extremely vague.” I gently put my hand under her jaw and turn her face to mine while raising an eyebrow.

“Luna...I don’t mean to sound paranoid, but how do we know that this is actually the real Starswirl then?” Luna smirks.

“Oh come on Raiden, he clearly has the magical aptitude of Starswirl.” I let out a silly, exaggerated groan.

“This better not be the changeling routine again.” Luna grins and chuckles. Her hair brushes my chest as it bounces, causing me to squirm mildly. Luna pretends to relax against me, then suddenly sits up and starts tickling my sides with her hooves. I do my best to restrain her forelegs as we laugh together, wiggling around on the roof top. She finally gives up and lays next to me panting. The smile fades from my mouth and I stare into those gorgeous eyes of hers. She starts right back. We lie there quietly, just watching the other. For the first time, my cheeks didn’t burn unbearably hot.

“Luna I’m...I’m sorry for everything I’ve done. I don’t know why I get so angry or scared, but...I just want you to be happy. I’m working on it, I swear.” Luna slowly nods her head and gives me a light smile.

“Considering all you’ve been through, believe me I get it. Not every scenario was that black and white though. I completely understand you going off on Lancercore since you were relying on them, but you seem to forget: they’re just ponies, not soldiers.” I put my hands up gracefully.

“No, no, I get it. It was just in the moment, after everything we had sacrificed, and they just left us there...I lost it. I know my expectations of them are too high, but what choice do I have but to trust them. I’ll...apologize to them soon.” I stare up at the stars, watching a few simple clouds crawl by.

“I guess there was also the...time I tried to assassinate Celestia…” I swallow and glance at Luna, who looks away as soon as we make eye contact. Luna exhales slowly, but I can easily hear it.

“Now that was a bit different. At least you didn’t pull the trigger. I couldn’t have forgiven you if you had actually gone through with it, even though it would have bounced harmlessly off her shield. I’m assuming you were operating on pure paranoia, even though I can hardly fathom exactly what you were thinking. Honestly I was more infuriated that after everything we’ve done to try and help out, you pulled that crap.” She turns towards me and strokes my cheek with her hoof.

“But I know you’re trying and I really appreciate that. I think most ponies underestimate the amount of horrors you’ve had to endure, maybe even you don’t fully grasp it. You had to go from committing suicide, to helping out strangers in a war you thought was finally over, while also trying to out-predict a psychic creature that had a genius level of intellect. Then there’s all the things you’ve gone through with Taraska and Hurrand alone which I’m sure is its own bag of wonders. And to top it all off, you allowed yourselves to be murdered over and over to defend the last place we can call home.” The smile returns to her face.

“Honestly, when you spell it all out, hopefully you can understand why I give you a lot of slack. I try to keep in mind all the things you’ve done for us at all times.” I take her ankle in my hand and stroke it with my thumb. She relaxes her leg and just lets me hold it for a while.

“Luna...I can’t explain how much I appreciate you understanding...everything. If we’re being honest, when we first came here, my orders were to spy on you. I started going through the same routine, but you two changed me. It wasn’t easy taking in legitimate kindness, knowing there wasn’t any catch to it. I’m glad I did though. When...the last time I was taken to Taraska...they tried to torture me into giving up information. I didn't. Not one damn thing they could use. I actually tried to jump out the window because I was scared that I’d crack. My ankle gave out before I could. Seeing you and your sister again though...the fact you actually came to check on me...I can never fully express what that meant. And then you actually stormed the castle and rescued me.” I let out a loud laugh, but Luna stares at me in horror. I realized I hadn’t quite explained what went on. I reach over and stroke her cheek with my palm. She shakes her head while gawking.

“I...I can’t believe all the things you’ve endured for us...how come you never said anything?!” I take in a deep breath while I think.

“Honestly...pride perhaps? Maybe I was accustomed to just keeping stuff in. Or perhaps I wanted to protect you from it all. It always felt like a burden telling you things about myself.” Luna’s eyes start to fill with tears. She lunges at me, wrapping me in the strongest hug she can muster.

“You’re not a burden! I...we love you so much!” My fingers dig deep into her warm, silky fur and we stay locked like that. I start massaging the back of her neck as we lay under the sky. She nuzzles my ear then lets out a small giggle.

“Now that I think about it, aren’t you supposed to save the princess?” We laugh together, letting our cares melt away in the moment. I stroke her back gradually then pull her tighter.

“How...how are you so...understanding?” Luna lets go and props herself up just enough, so her muzzle is an inch from my face. She nuzzles my nose while closing her eyes and sighs.

“Tell you what...can we discuss it another night? I know I said tonight but...I’m having a good time.” I nod in response and pull her back to my chest. She smiles and adjusts herself while nuzzling me. Her eyes open and she looks up at me without moving much from her position.

“So...CY’s wedding. Do Taraskans have weddings? What are they like?” I nod and stroke the back of her head.

“Yes, but they’re different from most cultures. Back a hundred or so years ago, Queen Janice saw our nation was slowly falling apart. She started implementing changes to make things more...interesting. Her most praiseworthy change, was Taraskan weddings. They used to be very stale, formal and honestly, they were just a custom. She decided to have the next couple try something different when they got hitched. She had the groom and bride have their parties choreograph intricate dances. Not like ballroom dances, almost like war dances. Fire twirlers, acrobatics, everything. In exchange, she’d pay for the wedding. It became a huge hit and gradually, people started their own customs like games based on war scenarios.” Luna busts out laughing.

“Typical Taraskans. Wedding? War related. Diplomacy? War related. I’m assuming your funerals involve dodging daggers?” I chuckle loudly and pull her in for a firm hug.

“I’m afraid funerals are still the same, although it’s considered appropriate to list the flaws of that individual. It can even be rude to exaggerate in the dead’s favor. We want to remember each person for who they really are, not some contrived fantasy that makes the family feel better. Some might even assume that if your speech is too good, that you’re just kissing ass to either get an inheritance or the free food there. Of course, you’ll always need to tread lightly around grieving warriors.” Luna nods a bit and blinks with a blank face.

“Huh….you Taraskans are….certainly something. I could never imagine tolerating someone speaking ill of a loved one while we all mourn. I get it though. So...these wedding games, what are they like?” I wrap her ear between my thumb and index finger, then begin to massage it.

“Well, the most popular one is called the Gen Dez. The couple stands in the middle of a large area and they get only one sword and one shield. They must keep holding hands as they defend against attackers.” Luna looks up at me with a grin and narrowed eyes.

“You’re making that up!” I look down at her and slowly shake my head while smiling.

“Not at all. However, the attackers use polearms with the ends wrapped in hay. They won’t actually hurt anyone. They’re also super heavy. Also, the sword is wooden. Typically, the groom’s party goes in with polearms, and the bride’s party launches special arrows with cake on the end. The arrows don’t actually have a tip and are also made to be safe. The very ends of them are wrapped in string before the pastries get added on. The couple keeps going as long as they’d like. It’s just for fun.”

Luna lifts her head, so her muzzle is level with my face.

“Is there any chance we can try that?! I mean, does it have to be the groom and bride?!” I let my head fall back and laugh as I wrap her in another solid hug.

“We can ask, I’m sure they wouldn’t mind letting us take a turn.” Luna sits down, but rests her back against me as she gazes up at the sky.

“Any other games that are fun?” I bite my bottom lip as quietly as possible.

“There’s...one last game that is...well it’s more romantic than anything. It’s called Rose Garden. The couple changes into completely black attire, or whatever color is chosen beforehand. They all join in one big ballroom dance and the groom and bride take turns lifting up these massive veils to try and find their partner. They trade off, getting three chances each. Basically you have your own veil over you as well, so it’s difficult to really see anything besides basic shapes. If the couples find each other, it traditionally means they’re meant to last.” Luna squeezes herself in place.

“Awwww! That’s so cute! I didn’t know you Taraskans had a soft side!” I reach around her, place both hands on her ankles and give her a big squeeze.

“You have no idea.”

The next few hours soar by and before I know it, our time is up.

Luna gets off my chest and stretches her front and hind legs. She hangs her head in disappointment.

“I’m sorry Raiden, I’m afraid I’m still a Princess of the Night. I have dreams to look after.” I get up and sweep my arms behind my back while groaning.

“What do you mean by dreams to look after?” Luna turns her head to either side, pulling at her neck muscles.

“My special power is the dream world. I can look into the dreams of any creature on our planet.” She kicks her hind legs vigorously a few times until she catches me gawking at her. She raises an eyebrow in confusion. My mouth trembles involuntarily.

“You...you can look into...anyone’s dreams?” She narrows her eyes and a slow smile crosses her mouth. She keeps her lips closed and wiggles her eyebrows at me before leaping into the air.

“Catch you later Captain Raaaaideeeen!” I bury my face in my hands and groan.

Chapter 44: Drinks From A Well Of Blood

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I open my eyes and stare at the stone wall as I lay in bed. Even with my back to the door, I can feel something watching me. I slowly look over my shoulder and see a familiar figure decked out in darkened brown leather.

“Lieutenant Termin. I’m assuming Hurrand sent you?” Termin leans against the wall with her arms crossed.

“Yes...he did.” She says with a sad whisper. For a moment, the idea that I was still alive was a good sign. Of course, she could have wanted to say goodbye first. I might be poisoned for all I knew. There was no harm in asking at this point. I didn’t have my armor or weapon nearby and she was behind me in her full gear. Combat was out of the question. Even if I had everything I needed, Termin was renowned for her craftiness. She might even be better than me with a sword. I act as lethargic as possible. I’d rather die as a stone-cold badass anyways.

“...well?” I ask with an annoyed, impatient tone. I hear her swallow and shift in place.

“He said you had changed sides, that you betrayed your kingdom.” I let out a quiet scoff.

“You know as well as I do that our kingdom died a long time ago. Do we even have any honor? I haven’t seen our kingdom do anything honorable until we got here.” I turn over and sit up. Termin reaches for a dagger but pauses halfway once she sees me lean against the headboard of the bedframe.

“I don’t know what Hurrand is, but I fight every day to preserve what Taraska really is. We have been in several fights that would determine whether we fade into history or not. No matter what, we never left these ponies to die. That is what Taraska really is, not this backstabbing torture-hungry monster our throne has become. There’s nothing wrong with Taraska, it’s just the pig who rules it and you know it.” Termin looks to the left and right in turmoil.

“You think I have a choice in this? It’s who I am! Serving my king is the only thing I’m good for! Every step I take, every arrow I release is to protect us from villains...villains like you!” I let out a loud, condescending laugh.

“A villain?! You think that because he drilled it into your head. Tell me Termin, you’re a reasonable lady, what have I ever done that was monstrous? Can you even actually name anything yourself?!” Termin opens her mouth to speak, but all that comes out is a single letter, followed by silence. I roll my eyes and cross my arms.

“Who’s the one who ordered his own captains to be tortured?! Who’s the one who never orders mercy? You probably know him better than I do. Can you name one good thing he’s done that wasn’t some fake act to get in good with someone he plans to have you cut the throat of? Who’s the real villain here?” Termin stops leaning against the wall and her arms hang by her sides.

She has a bit more ferocity in her now. Clearly convincing her that Hurrand was the enemy wasn’t working. I’d have to figure out what really drives her if I was going to live. She balls her hands into fists.

“He said you’d twist everything around on me! He said you’d manipulate me!” I blink at her, trying to stay mellow.

“Whenever he calls someone a manipulator, what’s the first two things you do? You assume that person is evil, and you can’t be wrong because if part of you starts to believe them, you dismiss it as them just playing you. Amazing defense isn’t it?” Termin looks off to the side at the floor and slowly tosses her head back and forth. She says nothing, but I can tell there’s something stirring. If I was going to survive this, I’d have to figure out where her turmoil is coming from and defeat it. Now I need a general question to start with, but it has to be somewhat neutral. I can’t risk her getting angry and lashing out.

“Termin...where do you see yourself in all this?” She squints her eyes and tilts her head to the right in confusion.

“Wh...what do you mean by all of this?!” I look straight ahead, pretending we’re having a nice civil discussion.

“Equestria, Taraska, the war. All of it. What do you see?” Her eyes dart back and forth in a wild state of dismay.

“I...I don’t know! I...I see myself fighting for my country! What else do you think I’d do?!” And in that reply, lay my answer. She doesn’t know what she’d do without Taraska. I’d have to reassure her there would be a place for her without focusing on her directly or she’ll think I’m deceiving her.

“I’m fighting for the innocent. When I’m done, I think I might be a chef with CY. He seems to have warmed up to it nicely.” I turn and face her.

“Did you know he’s getting married soon? I’m actually taking him out for his bachelor party today.” A knife falls out of Termin’s wrist-cover as she gawks at me.

“You...wait...Cy did what?! Are you telling me he went inactive?!” I give her a slow nod and smile. She blinks rapidly, and her eyes go back to darting.

“They just...let you do that?! You can just...stop being a warrior, just like that?! What...what do you...do?!” I let out a quiet chuckle then recline back in my bed.

“Well Cy knows there’s still a war that has to be fought and Taraska doesn’t exactly have an army. Officially he’s not under anyone’s command anymore. If we ask him though, he’ll put on his armor and fight. We try to leave him be with his new sweetheart. Honestly this wedding is extremely sudden, but hey it’s their call.” Termin shakes her head while stepping back, then jumps when she collides with the wall. She looks down and slowly pulls out her knife. My eyes can’t help but snap in her direction, but I don’t move a muscle. I continue to sit there, resting against the headboard, with my fingers folded across my stomach. She examines her blade as if it was the very first time seeing it.

“What...what do you do when you put down your steel? How...can anyone choose that?!” I slowly nod my head, as if her question was new to me.

“Well...it takes a lot of getting used to, but it’s easier than you’d think. The hard part is trying. It works if you let it.” Termin looks at me as if I wasn’t even there. I was a stranger to her now.

“You...I can’t do that. Hurrand...he has plans.” I give a condescending exhale through my nose.

“Yeah I figured.“ Termin looks up at me and pulls off her leather face cover. A long, nasty scar runs straight down from the top left of her lips. Her blue eyes reflect the light of the candle.

“No...you don’t understand. Hurrand has some weird technology, it has to be magic. I hear him talk to himself a lot, to a creature who isn’t there. He did that before we got here. In front of everyone, he’s a monster and a manipulator. When he’s alone, he becomes a scared child. He keeps telling something that he’s trying. Over and over as if his life depended on it. When you were...punished, I heard him talking to this thing a day before hand. I don’t know what they threatened him with, but it was enough to make him torture you. When he was alone, he sobbed his eyes out over you.” If I had been holding an object, it would have rolled out of my hands in shock. All I can do is stare at her with eyes so wide, you’d think I was trying to see in complete darkness.

“No...no. Hurrand is a monster he-” Termin shakes her head very slowly.

“Hurrand is a prisoner, just like you. The orange marble he gave you, is it still here?” I point to my armor on its stand by the door, with my mouth still hanging open. Termin searches the tiny inside satchels near the waist. The fishes out the tiny object and holds it up between her thumb and index finger.

“This thing? He gave it to you when you first got here, right as you left with the princesses correct? It allows him to hear everything. I only know because I heard your voice coming from his room a few times, followed by the princesses, when I knew full-well you all had left. I never stuck around long enough to hear it, but one night I got curious. I peeked in and saw Hurrand holding up this other marble that was purple. It projected some kind of...ongoing image on the wall. I could not only hear you all, I could see you in what I assume was real time.” That was it. That’s why the 4th Battalion showed up just in time to save us when we held Canterlot at our hand-made ramp. Was Zaran also using it? Was Zaran the one behind...everything? There were so many questions now, but there was no way Termin knew. I blink a few times and snap out of my daze. Termin is at the window, holding the curtains open just enough to peer out. Her face is solemn, and her eyes stare ahead as if she was in a different place. Her gaze goes to the ground, still staring through the floor.

“I...had a daughter once.” I nod slowly, keeping an eye on the dagger on her hip.

“What was her name?” Termin turns to me and smiles. She opens the curtains all the way and the sunlight reflects off her red hair, casting a mystical glow around the room. A few freckles litter her cheeks. Her face is astonishingly beautiful. I had never seen her full face before.

“Her name was Carol. I...I was so happy when she was born.” Termin rests her hands on the windowsill and stares across the land.

“I...gave her up. I knew I couldn’t be a mom. There would be times where I’d be away for months and she’d be constantly on my mind. I let her father keep her. He told her I died fighting...like a warrior, not some backstabbing cutthroat.” Termin gently places both her hands on her stomach.

“I was a fool. I still thought of her. I’d watch her play with the other kids sometimes, but from too far for her to see. I even screwed up a few missions wondering what she was drawing in school.” Termin’s eyes bulge and run with tears as her smile disappears instantly.

“I...guess she’s dead now. If we’re the only ones who made it. Funny...I never thought of it until now. I guess...he’s gone too. Richard...father to my sweet sweet Carol.” Termin looks back at me with that dead stare only a Taraskan gives. She puts her back to the window and a breeze drags some of her hair across her face.

“I know you’re not evil Raiden. I wish you luck with everything, especially Luna. It’s about time you’re happy.” Her mouth curves up in a gentle smile, as she closes her eyes and leans back out the window. I leap from my bed with a scream and grab her ankle as her body dangles outside. Her boots dig into my collar bone and it makes me groan in agony. I can barely hear her bellows with her head being so far down.

“It’s okay Raiden, this is what I want. I’m ready to go.” She yells it just enough for me to hear her. I try to reach down and grab more of her, but the slippery steel makes it impossible. Instead of pulling her up, she slips an inch. My hands quickly scramble to get another hold on her. I grit my teeth and my head recoils in pain from the strain.

“Termin…you can’t! There’s…there’s another way!” I get interrupted by my own loud groans.

I hear Termin’s pitiful tears as her upper body clanks with her sobs.

“You said you’d never stop us from choosing the easy way out. You let Jabins and Meruvo do it, why not me?! I have nothing left! Nothing to look forward to! Why bother?!?!” I have to lean forward to get a better angle, making all the effort go to my back.

“Termin...I’m...I’m not that man anymore! At the time, we had no hope!” My eyes roll back as I let out high-pitched gasps of pain.

“I...I can give it all to you! You can have a new life here! Anyone can!” I hug her boots harder as she slips a few more inches now. Her feet are touching my forearm. Sharp pins and needles start dancing around my lower back.

“I don’t know...what you’ll do or how long it will take! But you have to give it a chance!” I slam my knees into the wall to stop her from pulling me out as well.

“You...you can have more daughters! Another husband! Whatever you want! Think...what would you name your other daughters?! Tell me! If you didn’t have to give them up, what would...there names be?!” I let out a blood curdling shriek as her boots slip from my hands and slam their heels into my chest. Termin tuckers her legs and essentially does a vertical sit up, so she's facing me, The flats of her boots are now firmly against my chest while I struggle to support her weight. She reaches forward, grabs my arms and brings her face right to mine. I glance down at the ground below, knowing one slip and I’ll drop her, even though she wasn’t dangling helplessly anymore.

“J...Julie...and Kara...I’ve always liked those names…” She grabs the window and pulls herself in. I fall back to the floor. She lands and rolls forward to her feet effortlessly. She stands with her arms to her sides. I lay on the ground panting and keeping my eyes closed, gasping desperately to recover. She looks down at me.

“You...you really think I can have more children?” I nod and take in several deep breaths.

“You have...to give...it a try though.”

She nods quietly.
"I'll keep you to your word, Raiden. Don't break it. In time, you'll need to prove it to me."

I open my eyes and roll over to all fours. I look around the empty room then to the open door. She had a good point though, what does an assassin do after a war?

Chapter 45: Bachelor Party

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Sitting in a wooden chair, I occasionally peeking up the stairs to see if Emeris is finally ready or not. I turn my head as Cy comes around the corner. It was odd not seeing him in armor. His clothing is a mix of black, grey and white. He’s wearing a typical black button-up shirt, with a grey waistcoat over it. His kilt is a mix of black stripes, with a secondary stripe made of grey and white squares. It made my head hurt just looking at the awful thing. Around his waist, is a rope that had numerous circular emblems hanging from it. The emblems had various patterns that connected back into themselves, forming endless cycles. They were insanely intricate and distinct. His outfit was finished with black boots, but they looked considerably beaten up.

Cy had long, black hair and while his skin was white, it always seemed to have this slight gray tint to it. The right side of his face, is covered with an intense tribal tattoo that curled around his ear and eye. He also had a piercing in each eyebrow, as well as two small rings on each side of his lower lip, a centimeter from the edges. Dracur customs had always confused me. Wouldn’t piercings be risky in combat?

He gives me a small nod and hand wave when he approaches. I eye him up and down.

“The hell are you wearing?!” I exclaim. He scrunches his lips to the side momentarily.

“It’s all that remained of my...formal, yet somewhat comfortable attire. It’s something you wear when it’s important, but also fun. You know, for those of us that don't literally walk around in full Taraskan battle armor all day and night.” My helmet clanks quietly as I slowly nod a few times, then check up the stairs again for Emeris.

I shake my head in annoyance.

“That man seriously takes forever to get ready.” I see Cy rub his arm from the corner of my eye.

“Yeah so...Emeris is definitely a man then?” He asks nervously. I blink at him a few times.

“Um...yes, why?” Cy looks around embarrassed and gives a small shrug.

“I don’t know, he just...always looked like...I could never really tell from his face. He always looked a bit like a girl, but kind of had this vague...masculine build as well. That and he’s...what’s the word...very touchy-feely for a guy.”

I had never really thought of it. Emeris and I practically grew up together. It was true that Emeris never really looked like your average male or female, but he had never corrected us when we said “He”. His voice was also gentle and right in the middle as well. He could give a seductive smile better than any woman I knew, but also rough housed with the rest of us.

Cy watches me think, then asks another question.

“Have...you ever seen him with anyone?” All I can do is raise an eyebrow and narrow my eyes in response. While it was true that Emeris had never mentioned some kind of sweetheart, dating was difficult and often fatal while you were enlisted. You might take a dumb risk trying to save the one you cared for. You might be desperate, maybe even stupid to hold onto the one thing that keeps you going, just to have them die later. Even then, everyone had a crush, but I couldn’t recall Emeris ever having one.

With miraculous timing, Emeris finally comes down the stairs, sporting his vibrant trench coat. It was forest green as a base, but had glittery golden trim outlining its edges, that also spiraled inwards into intricate patterns that resembled snowflakes or flowers. His buttons are a dark teal, the same color as his slacks. It was way too much color for my taste, but Emeris was always the sunnier character of us all.

He has his hands folded behind his back with a large smile on his face. He had on two earrings that were gold but had small teal marbles dangling from them. He had liberated a small village by getting the two bandit factions that tormented them, to fight each other. As a thank you, they presented him with those earrings that were worn by their previous ruler that I never caught the name of.

“We ready to go?” He calls out. I turn to Cy, who gives us a cheerful nod.

“I don’t know about you two, but I need a damn drink. Baking muffins all day makes me insanely tired.” I can’t help but chuckle at the thought of Cy in all his dark clothing, doing something like baking. It was difficult keeping up with both of them while in my full armor, minus my helmet. Any minute now Stormchaser could come flying in with news of some new, horrific war machine, courtesy of Zaran. We start walking down the steps of the palace when Emeris stops us.

“Wait wait wait...this is Equestria...where the hell do we get ale?” We look at each other quietly.

“Let’s ask at a tavern. I heard they rebuilt one in Canterlot. I mean if it’s a tavern that serves food, they gotta have drinks, right?” No one disagrees, so we start following Cy to the tavern. Cy glances at Emeris.

“So Emeris...I’ve always wondered...how come you’ve never had a special...someone?” Emeris looks at him and narrows his eyes, picking up on the fact that Cy was intentionally being gender-neutral with his words. Emeris had said a few times about how he was tired of the underhanded ways people would try to figure out of Emeris was male or female. Of course, Emeris would be as intentionally broad as possible, just to irritate them. He shrugs casually. “Eh, it’s never really happened for me.”
Cy nods and thinks quietly for a moment. “Yeah I mean...having a girlfriend is great. You should try it.”
Cy doesn’t look behind him to see the mischievous grin on Emeris’ face as Cy grows more impatient. “Maybe one day…” Emeris says.
Cy’s hands clench and I hear him sigh. “Um...to which one? A girlfriend or dating in general?”
Emeris muffles his snickering with his fist for a moment. “Honestly, I’ve just...never felt like that.”
I turn to Emeris with a cocked eyebrow. “Shame, you’re kinda missing out.”
Emeris lets out a loud snort. “From the way you two complain, I’m not missing much. Maybe that’s why both of you switched to ponies.”
Cy almost collapses with a roaring laugh. I turn to Emeris and try to punch him half-jokingly in the arm. He stops walking just long enough for my fist to miss him. Before I’m even fully extended, he grabs my wrist and yanks me forward, sending me flailing helplessly. Carried by my own inertia and carelessness, I crash into a cart. Cy hunches over in hysterics, as I get up to my feet.

We continue along the small, winding path until a large wooden tavern looms overhead. Several ponies outside, sit at various tables and wave to us as we approach. One purple mare with a white mane even offers us her table. We give her a courteous wave, but decline. The building was yellow, with a ton of wooden accent and at least three stories tall. It must feel like a mansion to the smaller Equestrians.

Inside, business seems to be slow. I found it odd that no other humans were here. We had given permission for our people to take some time off, as long as they stayed in Battle Ready condition. Partying in armor had almost become a cultural norm for us as well as a requirement. A colt behind the bar looks up at us and stops wiping down the counter. He doesn’t say anything but gives us a polite nod and smile.

Cy takes a seat in front of him and pulls a menu over. Emeris leans against the bar.

“Don’t suppose you got any hard cider, do you?” The colt nods and fills up a mug with a thick, yellow liquid and sets it on the bar. Emeris slides it over to Cy, who drops the menu and takes a big swig of the drink. His face suddenly becomes full of scorn before setting it back down and staring at it confused.

“Um...there’s uh...something missing.” Emeris eyes it curiously, then reaches over and takes a drink from it as well. He looks up at the barkeep and lets out a small laugh. “I apologize buddy, we wanted something with alcohol in it.”
The barkeeper looks at Emeris confused. “Oh alcohol? Well...why would you wanna drink that? It’s just for cuts and stuff.”
Emeris glances over at me then back to the colt. “I...you...you have beer right?”
The bartender narrows his eyes and cocks his head. “What’s beer?” Cy looks up with bulging eyes of fury. He shoots Emeris a quick glance. Emeris has to hold Cy back from climbing over towards the colt, who gasps and backs into the rack of drinks behind him. Cy thrashes about in a frenzy.

“Are you kidding me?! They don’t have beer here?! They don’t drink?!” Cy’s words become a high-pitched symphony of anger. I fold my hands on the bartop and give the colt a nod.

“Okay perhaps you have a different word for it here. It’s a type of drink that makes you relax and can feel like you’re...dizzy, but in a fun way. Have anything like that?” The colt cocks his head and narrows his eyes in confusion.

“No...no we don’t have anything like that and I certainly haven’t heard of it if there is. All we got is milk, water, soda and apple cider.” That was that; Equestrians had no concept of intoxication. Emeris grunts as he struggles to restrain Cy.

“Well I was kinda wondering if a place so peaceful would have alcohol. I mean there’s a small chance it might go by a different name, but I honestly think we’re out of luck. Any of you two know how to distil it yourselves?” Cy stops thrashing and Emeris lets him go. I shake my head as Cy punches the bar before storming out. Cy shoves a table over as he stomps out to the road and mindlessly follows it down.

Emeris leans over to me. “I’m glad they don’t have it honestly. Cy has always had issues with drinking. He’s stopped for two months now and while I’m grateful, I’ve had some pony patrols keep an eye on the small cottage they’re staying in. Last thing we need is a domestic violence dispute.” He whispers. I bite my bottom lip so hard, it aches. The idea of furthering the stereotype that humans are just naturally violent by having Equestria’s first instance of spousal abuse, turned my stomach to rot.

Several breathes later, and Cy is his old self again. We follow him down the road as he grumbles to himself while kicking the occasional rock. Emeris and I look at each other. The night was supposed to be a simple campfire, alcohol and stories. I stop as Cy suddenly turns around.

“You know what I’d like? Steak. I’m so tired of this vegetable and dried meat crap. I’d like a real steak. I’ll scream if I have to eat one more piece from our storage! Hell, we can eat it out in the forest, so the Equestrians don’t know!” He says the last sentence a bit more silently. Emeris and I glance off into the thick woods, knowing just beyond them is a small ranch. Could we steal a cow? Could we get away with it? Could we eat it without anyone knowing?
Emeris stares into my eyes. “Well...I mean I’ve gotten used to the vegetarian diet, but you two can have at it. Don’t forget though, we’ll have an entire cow to dispose of. Seems wasteful, but I guess we could have various soldiers come over and eat some meat, then hopefully we’ll only have the bones to hide.”

I rub the back of my neck. “Um...and what happens if we get caught? The Equestrians are vegetarians, so we’re not gonna talk our way out of killing a cow. You have no idea how bad this could get if-”
Cy rushes up to me with his fingers clasped and falls to his knees dramatically. “Please Raiden! Overlord of all creation! I just want this one thing! We’ll plan the whole thing out! No one will know! For the love of everything that is holy, I just want one thing to go right today!”
I try to casually look around to see if anyone else can hear us. “Just...find us a large herd, someone will distract the owner or whatever, then we’ll steal a cow. With any luck they’ll assume it was a few stray Og Nag or Timberwolves.” Cy wraps his arms around my midsection and whispers an eerier “Thank you!”.

We begin following a dirt path that leads off the main road, towards the last place we saw any sort of ranch. For safety reasons, farmers began doing their thing as close to the palace as possible. While crops and general farming would take a while, we had no idea how long we’d be held up here. Even if we defended against Zaran’s next attack, or defeated him outright, it would be awhile before things went back to some semblance of normal. Would we ever be safe and would Taraska just become another species in Equestria?

Cy slows his pace so he’s next to me. “As an ambassador to Dracur, I’ve always wanted to know about your...language. Like you have one, but you almost always speak common. What’s up with that?”
Emeris answers before I can. “Our language, like most of our culture, is based around war. Taraskan is a code language that was assembled around efficiency and relies on single words implying an entire phrase.”

Cy nods his head a few times while looking forward. “Like I know gai means retreat but like-”
Emeris cuts him off. “No no, it’s more complex than that. Gai is any form of falling back. It’s entirely based on context. In combat, gai might mean retreat. But if I use it while you talk to someone, that might imply that you should end the conversation politely, so we can leave. If someone is on your face and I said gai, it can also mean “back off”. Or if you overdo something in a conversation, like you’re embellishing a story too much, flirting with someone and you’re going overboard or something else, gai can simply mean to tone it down. It doesn’t always mean stop completely. Of course, it’s typical to slowly nod your head once when you mean to have them pull back on the reigns, but motion behind you with your head if they need to completely end what they’re doing and physically leave.”
Cy recoils a bit in shock.“Holy crap...you got any more...word-phrases like that?”

I let out a few hums as I think. “My favorite is Nanda. It means “Next obvious questions." I can’t tell you how many scouts would come and tell me there’s an attack coming, and I’d have to ask all these questions and it felt like a complete waste of time. So, I can say Nanda and they’d tell me the time, pace, distance and general makeup of the enemy as well as their estimated target. I mean eventually I changed it to common practice to just have that info ready to go or they’d get the cage. Of course, if you were to tell me there’s a party and you ask if I wanna go, I might say Nanda for you to tell me the time and place.”
Emeris leans forward so he can see Cy’s face. “Also, the Taraskan language tries to do with as few grammatical rules as possible. For instance, if I say Dez Hor, which Dez means charge and Hor which means right side, it doesn’t matter what order the words come in unless I’m giving multiple commands in one sentence.”

Cy shrugs with a contented smile. “Makes sense to me. That has got to be faster than issuing commands in common.”

I can’t help but smile to myself. “I think my favorite shortcut is Kattaka. Kattaka is...how do I explain this...imagine I can temporarily assign any commands to Kattaka. For instance, I can turn to Emeris and say Kattaka dez hor, which translates to When I say Kattaka, charge the right side. The best part? I can tell Emeris Kattaka dez hor then tell Lucretia Kattaka dez tok. Then when I say Kattaka, they both do their orders at the same time, enabling me to launch two quick attacks simultaneously, making it even faster. Although Kattaka is technically the term for any word that represents a temporarily assigned order. Because of our shortcuts, you can’t decipher our language. You have to be there to hear the phrase. We like to change up the order of commands to confuse spies. You even have words like Jaguo which means Ignore what I just said. Now that’s a total dick move.Plus, you can literally put it anywhere in the sentence.”

Emeris chuckles to himself. “I came up with that. On top of being the ambassador of Taraska, I’m also spymaster, so it’s my job to mess with spies. You can’t imagine the chaos when we locate a spy from each surrounding nation, put them into one battalion, then give them all loads of fake intel.” We have to stop as I catch my breath from laughing too hard. Emeris watches me with a massive smile.

“I think my favorite one, was we had Raiden run ahead with his squad, set down a bunch of barrels of gunpowder, then we order one of the spies to light the barrel. So, they’d run up with a torch, thinking it’s a slow-burn, colored powder for signals, just to get launched out of a single-story building when the damn things explode.” I fall to all fours in high-pitched hysterics. Emeris slaps my back a few times.

“So, we started doing this crap, where we’d tell the battalions that we knew the guy was a spy so that’s why we did it. After that, if we had suspicions of someone being a spy, we’d tell them to go light a barrel, and the more they’d shake, the more we’d know they were a spy cause they’d be so paranoid that they’d actually been found out. I mean yeah, the soldiers would be nervous that maybe they were being falsely accused, but more often than not, the spies would shake so damn hard, there was a clear difference. We even had one guy who was about to light a barrel, then just friggin’ bolts it across the field. Poor guy, he came down with arrow spinalitis shortly after.”

When Cy and myself regain our composure, Cy gently slaps my arm and points up the path to a wooden fence. We do our best to casually walk towards it, while not making a sound. Climbing a steep hill of dirt was one thing, but in my full battle armor, I was gasping at the top. I inhale as quickly as I can, while Emeris and Cy survey what’s ahead. Cy crouches down to my right and puts a gentle hand on my shoulder.

“Sir! There’s like...thirty cows in there!” One last time I go over it in my head. Yes, this was a special occasion, but what would Celestia do if I was caught killing a cow? Did they put the same value on more basic animals as their own, or would I simply get a lecture about private property? I look up at Emeris who cocks an eyebrow when he sees the turmoil on my face.

“You know...we don’t have to do this.” He says compassionately.
Cy’s eyes bulge and he shifts his gaze between the two of us. “Oh, come on! We’re already here! Yeah, it will be bad if we get caught, but we just have to make sure we don’t get caught! Stop thinking of the worst-case scenario! Besides they got like a billion cows! They probably won’t even notice one! Hell, we can leave the gate open! They might just think someone was being a jerk, then if they find the remains, we’ll make it look like a few stray Og Nag had at it!” I grumble internally. Yes, getting away with it wouldn’t be terribly hard, especially knowing that there was only one old mare inside the red barn and no one else was around. We had designated areas for civilians and I knew exactly where the rest of our military were. I let out an exhale of frustration.

“Okay so...one of us goes up and keeps the old mare talking. The other two leave the rear gate open and lead a cow far far far into the forest. Cy, why don’t you talk to the mare. Emeris and I will lead the cow, so you don’t get your clothes dirty before your wedding. Let’s wait a bit longer for the sun to go down. Not like completely black, but just enough to give us some cover if a stray pony sees us.”

We sit and wait until the sun begins to set. CY tells us suspicious Dracur folklore about heroes who would flash bright colors before going into full berserker mode to pass the time. When there's barely enough light to see, Cy gives me a nod before casually strolling along the fence towards the barn. We wait about ten seconds as soon as he enters, then stay low and make our way to the gate. I lift the part closest to the hinges to try and avoid any squeaking, while Emeris unlatches the gate and opens it gradually. The cows watch us with curiosity. Emeris stays low, but moves with as little effort as he can, trying to not to startle the creatures.

He coaxes one over with a smile and gentle hand motions. When they take a step forward, so does he, but only when they initiate. Eventually, Emeris and myself lead one out of the pen and along the fence, away from where we came. Rain had carved a steep embankment that must have went on for miles, winding through the trees. Climbing up it was a pain, but the real problem had just started. Emeris clears his throat and speaks as quietly as he can, but where I can still hear him.

“Just so you’re aware, the cow can’t go down the slope.”
I turn around angrily. “What do you mean it can’t?!” I hiss.
Emeris pats the cow’s front legs. “The way their joints work, they can’t go down steep hills. They have to make gradual zigzags. I mean they’d also topple over since they can’t easily shift their weight. If we want her to go down, we’ll need to go further or make something.” Emeris had the advantage of traveling to different nations and sitting in on their schools. Taraska had never been very big on education unless it came to strictly warfare related topics. As much as Emeris had tried to share his knowledge with our people, they gave him polite nods, but he mostly got ignored.

The path cut into the ground by regular rainfall, went on further than I could see. The angle of the ditch doesn’t seem to change much either. This was supposed to be simple and easy, yet here we were, suddenly having to improvise. It was better than war I guess.

“We’ll have to make some kind of bridge...” I mutter while stroking the back of my head. A vast landscape of trees made it somewhat helpful, but how do I make a bridge quietly?

“Stay with the cow, I’ll be back with scavenged supplies. Let’s hope Cy is a good talker because we’re going to need the extra time.” Emeris gives me a nod before he surveys the forest. He points to something off in the distance.

“Dead tree. Good luck moving it. She might wander off if I leave. But look at it this way: you wanted to stay alert right? What better way to stay sharp than building a bridge by yourself?” I narrow my eyes in response, then slide down the embankment. I look up at the small mountain of dirt I have to climb. If I was going to repeatedly go up and down, I might as well make a decent path. It’s something every Taraskan was taught during basic. When out in the field, if you find yourself traversing the same difficult route, find time to make it easier. I look around and find a log barely a foot wide, that had numerous branches sticking out from the base. It was broken in half and would probably make a few decent support beams, but that was it.

I roll the log so a branch is almost submerged in the mud. When I broke it, it would be almost completely silent. I stomp on them just enough to break them loose. The idea is to put the branches into the dirt wall to act as steps. They wouldn't last forever, but I didn't need them to. Putting my foot onto a branch, rather than mud, was going to make life a thousand times easier when I climb in and out of the ditch. I procure several more branches using the same method and go over to what looked like the least steep section of the dirt wall and begin carving out a decent slope with my gauntlets. When I can’t reach any higher with my hands, I pull out my sword and pry large lumps of dirt loose until there’s a less steep path to the top.

I grab the branches, put more mud on them and break them to be decently wider than my small path. I ram them into the walls of dirt across my walkway. They needed to dig into the walls a little on both sides to help them from coming loose. This required vaguely screwing them into both sides, before letting it rest somewhere in the middle where it had several even inches of coverage in each wall. When it fits just right, I gently put my weight straight down on it.

I repeat the process several times until I have what barely qualified as stairs. The climb out is a lot easier, but I had no idea how to silently drag an entire tree through a forest by myself. Emeris hums approvingly behind me.

“Not bad.” I march off into the forest and finally see the log Emeris was talking about. It wasn’t very long, but it was plenty thick for the cow to walk across. I stretch my arms for a few minutes, then lift one end of the log. I keep moving my hands down its dry trunk until I’m right under it. My grunts are difficult to keep restrained as I lift it onto my shoulders. Each step is placed carefully into an area with no leaves or on a rock.

My back starts drenching me in sweat as I arduously make my way back to Emeris. He walks in front of the cow and motions for me to drop it at his feet. I set the log down and tense up. I had it completely vertical and I’d only have one chance to let it fall right where Emeris was. We do a silent count to three before I give the wood a hardy push. Emeris catches it with his hands but underestimates the weight. His face goes red as he struggles not to let it fall into the small valley. I cross my arms and watch him slowly drag it back into position. He finally sets it down and shoots me a nasty glare.

I hop down into the ditch and use the smaller log from before to brace our makeshift bridge. After climbing out, Emeris is already trying to coax the cow over to it. I stand at my end, trying to make encouraging hand motions. Emeris shakes his head.

“No no, move out of the way, give her a clear path!” It takes several minutes of me trying to remain friendly, while Emeris does a combo of pushing and talking, but after a few moos and a lot of hesitation, she finally crosses the bridge. Once she’s over, she begins devouring the grass. Emeris walks over it with an exhausted look on his face. I give him a condescending snort.

“You think leading a cow is hard? Try carrying an entire tree.” Emeris rolls his eyes.

“It was technically half a tree. Way to exaggerate Mr. Garge.” The walk through the woods is eerily quiet. I had never thought about what actually took place when it came to making meat. Growing attached to my food, was also completely new. Could we really go through with it? She was actually becoming sort of adorable. I take it she hadn’t been out in a while, as she happily trotted along, pushing random rocks or wood around with her front hoof and examining beneath it. I had never seen a cow act like her. It was similar to a puppy in all honesty.

We make it to a clearing and Emeris starts setting up a small base for a fire, a drying rack and a nice heavy stick to cook meat on. I take a load off and relax in the grass. The cow looks at me, walks over and plops down so her snout is only a foot from my head and begins eating the grass. She was almost smiling, having that strange ability to replicate facial expressions like the ponies did.

A rustling from my left grabs my attention: it’s Cy and he has an ax with him. I get up and remain silent, unsure of what to even say. The cow and I lock eyes for what is probably the final time. She looks up and down my armor curiously, as well as Emeris’ teal coat. We don’t move, hoping she’ll keep her focus on us and not Cy who drags a heavy ax behind him. He must have snagged it on his way out of the farm.

Cy raises the ax above his head with a giant smile.

“Steak, here we come!” He says casually. The cow looks at me and smiles.

“Beg your pardon hun, but what is this steak ya’ll keep referring to?” Cy’s smile gets replaced with his jaw almost hitting the floor. We all stare at her dumbfounded. The cow’s smile becomes a bit more nervous.

“I apologize for not saying something earlier, I’m terribly shy.” She sticks out her front hoof to me.

“Names Jessabelle Darlin’!” I take her hoof and shake it gently, still lost for words.
Emeris smiles and takes a few steps forward. “Greetings Jessabelle. Um...if you don’t mind me saying so, we had no idea that cows were...um...how do I phrase this...aware of their own existence.”
Jessabelle looks at him confused. “Well of course we are, why wouldn’t we be? We might not be as smart as ponies, but we sure ain’t no animal!”
Cy lets go of his ax, which tumbles around on the ground for a second, but he still keeps his pose. “Are you kidding me?! Is everything alive here?!” He screams. Emeris tries to keep a straight face, but he loses it and spins around. He breaks into hysterics and falls to all four.

Jessabelle looks around worried. “I apologize, did I do something wrong?”
I take off my left gauntlet and gently pat her jaw. “No, my dear. We just had a...miscommunication.”
Cy storms up with his hands frozen in rage like talons. “Wait a minute, why did you come with us in the first place then?!”
Jessabelle turns and faces Cy, then walks backwards nervously until she’s behind me. “I...I’m sorry, I just get so cooped up, I figured that since these nice strangers are taking me on a small walk, why not just enjoy the surprise?”
Cy rotates his face to the right and gawks at her. “Why...why would you just trust a bunch of strangers who snuck you out of your pen and lead you deep into the woods in the middle of the night?!”
Emeris waves his hands frantically from behind me at Cy. “Um, Cy, this is Equestria. They trust each other here.”
Jessabelle looks behind her with concern at Emeris. “What do ya’ll mean? What were you planning then if I shouldn’t have trusted you?”

My eyes bulge and I look over at Cy, who has the same expression. That was pretty damn clever for a friggin’ cow. How the hell were we gonna talk our way out of this? Even now if we get her back to the pen, she’ll inform the others and we’ll be screwed. We certainly can’t kill her now, it’s the same as murder.
Emeris lets out a small laugh and shakes his head before taking a few steps towards her. “I...I apologize, you must be terribly confused. You see...we thought you were someone else. It seems our friends were pulling a prank on us.”
Jessabelle puts her front hoof to her chest and sighs with amusement. Once again, she also has the same extra mobility as the ponies do. There was no way a normal cow could not only touch their chest with a hoof, but also react with such mannerisms. She lets out a nervous chuckle. “Oh dear, you had me worried you were gonna kidnap me or...make me...you know...do chores and whatnot.”
Cy looks at me and rolls his eyes. “Yes, because that it totally the worst thing ever.” He walks a few feet away as he shakes his head.
Jessabelle relaxes a bit. “So, what was this prank ya’ll were talking about?”
I hear hesitation in Emeris’ voice as he tries to come up with a convincing story off the top of his head.
“Oh um...we were told you had information about someone named...Steak. You see, in our culture, it’s tradition for someone to hide the locations of presents. It’s a special occasion for our friend over there.”
Jessabelle’s ears perk up. “Oh, I love surprises! Can I help?”
Emeris laughs nervously. “Um well...actually...yes, yes you can, but you have to keep this all a secret okay my dear?” Jessabelle nods her head excitedly. “Yes, yes of course!”
Her and Emeris walk back towards the direction of the farm, as he starts rattling off lies to the poor cow. He’ll most likely give her something to focus on other than the parts where we took her from her pen. If I was a bored cow, I’d probably spill the beans, so Emeris will give her something to yap on about that’s not incriminating.

I turn to Cy and shrug sheepishly. “Dude, I’m sorry, maybe we can-”
Cy kicks a rock that goes sailing into the trees. “This sucks! Equestria sucks! You two suck! Everything sucks!”
Then storms off to be on his own for a while. I cross my arms and shake my head with a smile.

Chapter 46: Hearts Of Night

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As I near the front palace doors, I can hear the shouting of two women coming from inside. Both pony guards stand rigid in their golden armor on either side of the door. I give them a small wave as I climb the steps. One of the voices is clearly Lucretia. Taking the steps two at a time, I fling open the tall, palace doors and see Termin and Lucretia in a heated argument. Termin’s face is dark red, as Lucretia does her best to relax her pose.

Termin shakes her head wildly. “Why would you not want kids?! They’re the most precious thing ever!”

Lucretia is almost on the verge of shaking. I see the look of fear on her face, knowing Termin wasn’t a good person to anger. “I just don’t want to pass on my illness. I’d never want to put a child through that. Then there’s the chance they could gain even more problems by whoever the father is.”

Termin gives her a condescending shrug in response. “Think of everything your parents went through for you! Do you really want to end that massive life journey because your kids would have a disadvantage?!”

Lucretia purses her lips and looks off to the side. “Kids are tons of work. As a soldier, I’m typically taxed as it is. How am I supposed to keep up with even smaller versions of myself? If my armor wasn’t rigged to assist me, I wouldn’t even be able to swing my sword. I just don't have the energy for kids, it's not what I want for myself.”

Lucretia had helped hold a small town of about fifty residents against a tide of Og Nag. They had an engineer there who was a prodigy by far. He had this technique called a “Three to one mechanical advantage.” The idea is that by wrapping any kind of rope around a branch, the amount of force it takes to lift the object tied to the other end of the rope, is cut by a third. This stacks repeatedly until the weight of the rope itself is the final factor. He had created a suit of armor that uses this process, basically meaning that Lucretia gets a decent bonus to her strength using her main muscles.

The entire mechanism was a bit too complex to understand without looking at a blueprint, but Lucretia told me that her swinging muscles are almost entirely supported. When she swings outwards, the cables inside her armor help pull her arm in that same motion. When she lunges, there are a different set of cables in her back, helping her thrust. Her armor also locks up in specific instances, so her entire arm becomes stiff, not relying on her muscles much at all except for a guide of where to go. On top of a hefty supply of Hersaphine cream, she was set for combat, but needed regular supplies of her ointment to stay active.

Termin crosses her arms and sticks her face towards Lucretia. “It doesn’t matter what their disadvantages are in life! Children are a gift! You’d understand if you had any instead of avoiding them! Do you know what it's like watching a smaller version of yourself learn and grow?!”

Lucretia rolls her eyes. “I’m not saying I hate kids, I just don’t want to deal with any of my own. I want the freedom to do as I want. How can I go travel with a bunch of small, needy people who literally rely on me for everything? I get some people are okay with that, but I'm not. Once you have kids, your adult life takes a back seat to their needs.”

Termin relaxes a bit, but her face is still red with small beads of sweat. “You’ll never understand how it feels to work your tail off and watch a tiny person you created, slowly shape themselves into an amazing human being from your life lessons! Have you ever started something completely from the ground up and watch it blossom into something astonishing?!”

Lucretia crosses her arms and leans forward slightly, becoming more bold. “The fact that I, of all people, made it into the Taraskan army is an accomplishment. I don’t need validation from having children!” Termin stomps her foot, clenches her fist and closes her eyes.

“I’m not saying I get validation from children! They’re just...if only you knew what it was like, then you’d understand! People like you don't even try though, you just stereotype!” With that, Termin whirls around and storms down the hallway, doing her best to stifle her tears. Lucretia stares at me with a mix of fear and concern. Before I can say anything, Emeris bolts past me.

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on her.” He says casually, while speed-walking down the same hallway Termin went.

Awakening to the wonderful somber of the night, I make my way again to the rooftop. I leave my coat in my room this time, due to the night being a tad hotter than before. The moment my feet meet the smooth, cool stone floor of the roof, I close my eyes and let the breeze swim across my face. In nothing but my black pants, I stroll along the balcony. There was no gorgeous blue pony in sight. I hold the railing with both hands as I carefully examine every tower, hoping to catch her flying to me.

I slouch against the stone railing. Without making a sound, something large and furry collapses gently into my lap. Her mane floods over my legs, tickling my thighs. She looks up at me then carefully taps the end of my nose with her hoof.

“Boop.” She says, then gives me a colossal smile. I stroke her sides, playing with her short fur using my fingertips. She lets out her contented sigh.

“Can you tell me more about Taraska?”

I look down at her and smile. “What do you want to know?”

Luna hums to herself. “What are Taraskan homes like? Let me guess, war related?”

I chuckle quietly while slowly stroking her stomach. “Yep, you guessed it. Each home is meant to double as a small outpost if the city gets attacked. It’s normal for the outside to look stylish, but the inside will always be filled with metal beams and metal walls. The outside is meant to burn away rather quickly, it stops the spread of fire, and saves the occupants assuming they can get enough air and the heat isn’t too bad. We used to have our city constantly raided. Our castle was in the middle of a large, open field, so it was strategical for it to be seized. We also had four different nations surrounding us. Since we never got involved in political issues, they never tried to siege us from far away. It was always infantry. There was no logic in destroying our city if they wanted it as a forward base. So, any house in the city could be used as a temporary post to guard an opening in the wall. The bottom floor is equipped to fight with spears, while the second floor has slits just big enough for archers, but so small that the enemy would have to get lucky to hit someone who's inside. Also, our houses aren’t built into the ground and aren’t very heavy. Get like ten infantry together and they can be pushed over to make a big barricade and even clog a hole in the wall.”

Luna lets out a humorous scoff. “Your entire house doubles as a military guard tower? Don’t you Taraskans have any semblance of family or peace?”

I inhale and lean back against the cold railing. “Well...there’s the Zukafera. Basically, it’s a powerful crossbow at the top of the stairs that’s meant as a last resort. It’s positioned where it can fire out of at least two of the slots upstairs, but its main purpose is to shoot armor-piercing bolts down the stairs. It’s traditional for a family to decorate it, paint it, hang stuff on it during the holidays. It represents a family’s willingness to defend Taraska to the last person. It’s even very normal for a family to continually upgrade the top of the stairs with even more defenses. It’s also a sign of wealth. There was this smug jerk down the road, with this huge manor. The man actually had a friggin forge upstairs to make new weapons with. You believe that crap? He had his home built into a massive boulder. Had it hollowed out for what he needed and everything. There was a huge hole in the top to even let out smoke. Of course, there was a cover to keep out rain water.”

Luna sits up with a dumbfounded look on her face. “Your Hearth’s Warming decoration is a massive armor-piercing crossbow for the whole family to enjoy?! Are you kidding me?!” She acts like she’s motioning to children in front of her.

“Common kids, let’s go decorate the thing we’d use to kill people with our last breath! If you’re super good, you get to paint the bolts that are about to be launched into someone’s sternum!” She gives me a massive shrug and we both fall over laughing. When I stop and think about it, our traditions did get a bit ridiculous when compared to other cultures. Centuries of being at war will do that to you though.

Luna stares off across the landscape, then looks at me with this gut-wrenching sadness.

“Would you mind if we went for a walk? I’d like to show you something.”

I nod, refusing to vocalize my apprehension. Just what did she want? Was I about to be asked to leave? Did something else happen that I don’t know about? The storm in my mind rages as Luna lifts us up and flies us far away. Trees flash by in seconds and soon we’re somewhere I had never seen before. Deep above the woods, I can’t help but gawk. Below us, a strange forest glowed gently with varying colors of green, purple and blue, with the occasional pink.

She sets us down in a small clearing only twenty feet wide. The forest was even more exquisite up close. Every so often, there was a smooth stone bench to sit on that outlined a gentle path. There was nowhere to look without seeing some kind of bush that had neon flowers growing from it. Luna walks up to a dark green bush that had purple glowing flowers. The pedals were six inches long but stuck straight out. It gently illuminated the shrubs around it, bathing them just enough to cast away any fear of the darkness, but still keeping its mystical beauty.

Luna lifts up a flower with her hoof and gently touches it to her nose. A small smile crosses her face as her eyes close.

“This could easily be my favorite place. It requires a spell to see and access it. Without the right knowledge, this place looks like another boring forest. While here, you are unseen by the outside world. Even my sister doesn’t know of it. If you don’t mind, I’d also like to keep it that way.”

I’m able to give her a small nod, but I’m still in shock by the color. I thought I had seen all the beauty Equestria had to offer. Never had I seen anything shine at night besides fire. To my left, a bush with the most exotic roses I had ever seen, sits by itself. Each flower has a glowing red liquid slowly dripping from its pedals. It splashes to the ground silently, then loses its color after a few moments.

Luna is suddenly at my side and points at the bush.

“That one is called the Crying Crimson. Do not ever touch it, as that liquid causes quite the burning itch. It’s not lethal in any way, but you don’t forget about that bush after you’ve backed your flank into it.” She bumps me with her hip and smiles, then looks away suddenly, losing that glowing beam of hers. She walks as slowly as she can, and I stay by her side, saying nothing. Her eyes act as if she’s somewhere very far away, in a place I can never visit.

“Do you remember when you left to take out Zaran’s tanks? When I said you’re not the only one that’s tried to assassinate my sister and usurp the throne?” I nod, remembering how scared I was just walking up to her room. Luna kicks a small rock as we walk.

“A...very very long time ago, Celestia and myself had just liberated Equestria from Discord. Naturally, Celestia took the day shift. I can’t tell you how it feels to have an older sister that metaphorically...and literally outshines you. Every time I did something, all I heard was how Celestia had done something greater. I know they never meant to put me down, but at the time, I was still rather young so that’s how I took it. After so many years...you start to feel worthless. Then there was the added feeling that I can’t complain because you’re a princess, how could you have anything to complain about?!”

Her quote is as mockingly as she can put it.

“Imagine that! Not just feeling like crap, but feeling like you’re not allowed to speak about it! Who the hell would understand being the ignored younger sister in a friggin’ palace?!” Inside my helmet, my jaw drops. After the First Defensive, I had to wear my brown crown. No one knew my pain and there was no point in speaking of it. Everyone blamed me for the failure, so the responses were easily predictable. Luna’s face twitches with rage.

“All I wanted was to be noticed! I wanted somepony to acknowledge what I did for the kingdom! But no! How do you outshine somepony when you’re awake as everypony else is asleep?! They literally couldn’t see what I did and when I told them, there were just respectful nods, followed by praises of my sister!” Luna turns around and kicks a stone pillar with both her hindlegs. It crumples backwards immediately.

“Do you know how it feels to navigate dreams where all you see is pictures of your sister and never of you?! As if experiencing it first-hoof wasn’t enough! Do you think anypony ever thanked me for guiding them in their dreams?!” Her mouth tenses up and she goes back to her painful demeanor.

“That’s...when it all started...the beginning of the end. I got...more than jealous. I started giving ponies nightmares. It wasn’t intentional...at first. I think my powers were just being heavily influenced by my feelings. I was torturing my own citizens in a place they had no control over. It was more than nightmares. I could make them feel whatever I wanted, and I abused it. My sister confronted me over it and I made up some story about this dream monster that I was trying to fight, but she knew better...I had never seen her so...disgusted with me.” Luna sits on the ground and starts crying silently with her head hung as low as it will go. I take a knee and wrap her in both arms. She places a hoof on my left shoulder and nuzzles the top of her head against my neck. She takes several deep breaths, trying to fight her way through the tears.

Her voice was now hysterics and understanding her was like translating an ancient language. “And...and then...she came. It started off as some...black cloud, but it was literally the only friend I had! It assured me that I was justified in how I felt and that the ponies I tormented would slowly start to see the truth! I...I didn’t know back then that...I slowly stopped denying what I was doing. Celestia and I fought all the time! I just laughed in her face or screamed even louder than she did! I just...I wanted somepony to love me!” She shrieks into my ear and buries her face in my chest as she cries. I wrap her in the biggest hug that I can. She rests her forelegs across my arms and sobs.

“I...I thought...the blackness called itself Misera. I thought she was my friend! Every time I’d ask her that maybe I was doing something wrong, she’d assure me that they deserved it! She’d tell me over and over that if they weren't going to respect me, then they should fear me! I hate to admit it, but it...felt so good! It felt amazing to be so...evil! I finally had the control I always wanted!” She stops and cries again. She pulls her head back and I stare into her glassy eyes. She looks down, tries to wipe my coat off with her hoof then sniffles.

“I’m sorry I got your coat all...gross.” I stroke the back of her head and pull her into another hug.

“Its fine. It can be washed. You can keep going...” She winces in my arms and takes a deep breath.

“Then one day...Celestia...she told me enough was enough and threatened to take away my magic. We really got into it. We started throwing objects at each other, then it erupted into her forcing me from the palace! We started fighting with our magic! Something we never did! You never use your magic against others like that! It...was a line I had finally crossed! Of course, she won. While I lied there on the cold floor, panting and my head spinning, she said she was embarrassed of me! That she was ashamed! That she wishes I had never been born! I wandered for a while, then...she came. Misera. She...she told me she could make me so strong, that even Celestia would be forced to acknowledge me as her better! I swear all I wanted was to not be ignored! I didn’t mean for things to escalate so quickly but...Misera joined with me. We...we called ourselves...Nightmare Moon.”

It all made sense now. Luna had been what I was but worse. That’s why she understood. That’s why she gave me so much slack. Luna hunches all four of her legs inwards and starts shaking.

“I...I returned to the castle. Celestia didn’t even recognize me at first. I just...charged in, during a meeting. We exchanged only a few words. She knew what was going on. She begged me to stop, but I just...all I could feel was pain and agony...and hatred! All I could hear was Misera’s wicked lies! Then...as my sister lay broken and defeated on the floor….part of me snapped. I saw what I had done. I...hated myself. My sister summoned the elements...all six of them. When it hit me, I remember thinking one thing: I wish I could just...disappear. The next thing I knew, I was on the moon. Stuck there with no way of returning home. Misera of course left me and wandered on her own. I can’t tell you how many thousands of years had passed, but I saw us and Equestria circle the sun more times than I can count.”

I blink several times in complete awe.

“Wh...wait she banished you to the moon?! And...you’re how old exactly?!” Luna sniffles as hard as she can and looks up at me.

“Well….she wasn’t technically the one that banished me. I felt this strange...warmth in my chest, as if the elements themselves asked me what I wanted. And then they gave it to me. I’m a few milleniums, give or take. I’m not too old for you now, am I?”

My mouth hangs open as I stare into her teal eyes.

“How...how can...how?!” Luna smiles weakly, unsure of how I feel.

“Well we alicorns don’t die of old age. Also, the moon has its own ecosystem. We long thought that it was just a large rock. Who knows, maybe the elements gave me a home there. Planetary travel wasn’t really a thing. I never got a chance to find out.”

I swallow and give her a nod to continue. Luna wipes away a tear with her hoof.

“One day...I don’t know exactly how, but Misera returned. She was so much more powerful. I couldn't hold her back. Alone on my desolate little rock, I had no one to rely on. The old angry thoughts slowly crept back into my mind. Nightmare Moon tore a hole in the fabric of space, and through it, we crossed back into Equestria. We didn’t attack immediately. She wasn’t going to be as foolish this time. We didn’t know it back then, but Celestia knew we were returning. She had six ponies that were destined to use the Equestrian elements of harmony. She intentionally disappeared, knowing that they would learn to master them. Of course...we just assumed she had ran. We knew the only thing that could stop us, were the elements. So, we waited. We followed the ponies, hoping to corrupt them along the way. The idea was that by the time they reached the elements, they would no longer be worthy of wielding them and then we would be free to destroy the elements.” She rests her head against my chest and sighs.

“Of course, we later found out that’s not exactly how the elements work. Once they’ve bonded with their champion, they’re not actual physical things. They also leave some kind of...representation with the bearer. A tiara, a scarf, a necklace, something. But the actual element itself isn’t technically outside. So, when we confronted Twilight and her friends...I got to feel what Misera felt. I experienced the sensation of having your entire existence wiped out. Then I opened my eyes and stared at my sister’s hooves. As I lied there on the stone, unsure of what to say or do...my sister walked up to me. She said we needed to put our differences behind us. She probably thought I was still mad. I just...broke and gave her a hug. I was so glad to be home.” Luna shakes her head and I pull her in closer while stroking the back of her head.

“Even after I was back...they still tend to treat me like a monster. They don’t understand coming back from...that. Celestia found a powerful spell that helped remove most of my memories of being on the moon. Apparently, that long in isolation does things to your mind. She couldn’t erase everything, as most of my life had been spent on that rock, but it helped me recover. I’ve spent every moment since then trying to redeem myself, but it never feels like enough. Sometimes I get angry with my own citizens with how good they have it; blissfully unaware of the things that exist in this world.” She leans out of my arms and gets on all fours. She wipes her eyes dry and smiles at me.

“Thank you for letting me share that. It’s...been a long time since I’ve spoke of it.” I give her a respectful nod.

“I’m glad you told me. I...I don’t know what to say. I can relate, but not exactly…” Luna giggles silently.

“Same here to your...whole situation. I see you trying to be better and I adore that. You don’t just dismiss any criticism I have or any of my concerns. You don’t dodge responsibility, even if you feel that you have your own side of things.” My lips fold in on themselves and my eyes wince uncontrollably. As I nod my own head, I have to suddenly look down, so she can’t see my eyes. She lets out a comforting coo before wrapping her forelegs around my shoulders. As was tradition, it was my turn to cry. My fingers dig into her silky fur. She nuzzles the side of my face furiously, telling me it’s alright.

She holds me for a few minutes, until I’m finally calm. As she looks up to the moon, a solemn expression crosses her face.

“I guess it’s time to go back.” We say nothing as I get to my feet. A blue aura surrounds me, and we fly back to the roof. As we land, my mind can only think of one thing: tell her you love her.

I can’t. The idea of being that vulnerable to someone, I might as well go for a walk without my armor on. That being said, weren’t we basically dating at this point? Even if I met someone else, would they ever compare? Probably not. Could I afford attachments? Don’t I always tell my soldiers to avoid attachments with other soldiers for this very reason?

Luna paws at the ground. “Well...this was really nice. Thank you for telling me so much about Taraska! It’s interesting to learn about a culture so different from ours!” I nod quietly as my eyes bulging. Why can’t I say it? The expression on her face begs me to tell her. She stands there hesitantly not knowing what else to say just like I do. She takes a step forward, her eyes stare into mine. My hands tremble and I have to resist the urge to reach up and place them on her fuzzy cheeks. My stomach turns upside down and I’m left with a complete mental shutdown.

She looks at the ground and that special gleam of hope in her face leaves. Without saying another word, she turns around and hunches to the ground. She leaps into the air and just like that, I had missed my opportunity. She sails back to her special perch without even looking back.

Chapter 47: Feet Of Flame

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I raise my head from my pillow as a hoof gently shakes my back. Luna stands there with an uncomfortable look on her face. I flip over and sit up straight. A small wave is all I can manage. She purses her lips in an awkward attempt to smile while digging at the ground with her hoof.

“Um...Raiden I’m sorry to wake you but...I’ve been thinking on...something.” My hands sit folded in my lap. Every negative thought battles to get to the front of my mind. Fighting my paranoia that every conversation was the end of everything, was getting rather taxing. Being a pessimist kept me alive for so many years, that it was almost part of me now. Luna’s mouth fumbles as she tries to find the right words.

“As...a mare and princess, there’s certain things in my future I need. The main thing being...children. I have no doubts you would be a decent father, but...I don’t even know if we can genetically even have children. Then there’s your...anger issues. I’m not saying you’d be abusive, but...I also don’t want to worry about it. I mean...I love you, I really do, which is why...well you...do have a pony equivalent right?” My mouth trembles as my eyes bulge. This had to be some kind of test, right? Did she want to hear me fight for her? Was this my secret second chance to do what I should have done last night? I carefully swing my legs over the side, so she doesn’t think I’m charging her. I stay seated and nod a few times, trying to pretend I wasn’t about to start screaming in heartbreak.

“I...I get that. Your concerns are perfectly valid. I’d...I love you. I love you more than I love myself by far. I would...appreciate a chance to prove…” My mouth rattles mindlessly as tears slowly roll down my cheeks. Her face flashes to concern and she lays a comforting hoof on my knee.

“Raiden! Raiden! No no, it’s alright! Look trust me you’ll find somepony! You’re a wonderful man! I just...I mean it would be weird having kids that weren’t genetically the same species as their dad. I mean I’m sure there’s some kind of magical solution...somewhere but...it just feels wrong though. Also, as an alicorn...I’ll outlive you. That would...be a pain too great to bare. My sister has told me the perils of having a non-alicorn lover I’m sorry I just need something more than...you can be. I’ve really enjoyed what we’ve had, but...honestly it was more loneliness for me. Don’t get me wrong, you’re a fantastic man and anypony would be lucky to have you! I just...need more. I...I’m sorry. Also, I’d like us to stay civil, but other than that, I’d appreciate you keeping a respectful distance.” I hold up my hands while trying to construct a sentence. What exactly do you even say at this point though?

“It...was it because of last night? Would it have helped if I had said something?” Luna purses her lips again and glances at the ground angrily.

“Well it certainly didn’t help! Look just...please respect my wishes and all the burdens I have to deal with. Don’t make yourself one of them.” She pats my knee twice and quickly walks out. The moment she closes the door behind her, I slide off the bed and fall to the ground while holding my arms. The cold, stone floor felt eerily familiar.

Emeris does his best to style my hair, while I sulk in a wooden chair just outside the main wedding area. His pity creeps through his phony smile.

“Look just...try not to think about her at the wedding alright?” A woman walks up to me, with brown hair and freckles. Her blue eyes compliment her smile as she keeps her hands clasped. She’s wearing a cobalt blue dress. I give her an acknowledging nod. She returns it with a small wave and takes one last step up to me.

“Um, pardon me Captain Raiden, but will you please escort me to my seat?” It was customary that if you didn’t have a date to a special event, you can ask a commanding officer to fill in temporarily to a small capacity and it’s considered extremely rude to refuse. I stick out my elbow so she can take it as we make our way to the chairs. I turn towards her and cock an eyebrow.

“I apologize but...I don’t recognize you.” She looks at me and smiles with a hint of offense to it.

“I’m...lieutenant Asio. I serve under Captain Lucretia? I don’t think we’ve spoken recently to be honest, but we’ve talked on many occasions...” I nod, pretending to suddenly remember her. While it was true we were almost always in full armor, I was rather certain I’d be able to recognize every human here. An uncomfortable feeling makes my eyes look off to my left and I see Luna giving me a death glare while desperately trying to avoid watching me to begin with. The flowers around her have wilted and fallen over.

When we arrive at an empty seat, she thanks me and sits down. I quickly make my way back to Emeris, once again catching Luna’s dreadful glare. Emeris and I continue to wait at the entrance to the ceremony in case anyone else needs us. The sun was out and the flowers lining the walkway to the reception bloomed vibrantly with a helping hand from Celestia.

The large, main stage was made up of ceramic tiles that littered the ground and laid perfectly flat. In front of it, were rows of white chairs that currently contained mostly human guests. Several bleachers surrounded the stage for extra seating. They were white, gold and elegant with numerous cushions on them. Far to the left, we had a generous buffet that Cy complained didn’t have any steak on it. To the right, the groomsmen and bridesmaids prepared for their dances inside large tents, as well as using the area for temporary storage.

Ponies begin to arrive and eagerly trot up to speak with Celestia and Luna. The moment Luna sees me watching, she borderline runs up to Big Mac who is currently out of his armor and talks with him. She slaps on a large smile and laughs generously at something he said, while occasionally glancing at me with a malicious grin on her face. I narrow my eyes and my mouth hangs open slightly as she escorts him to his seat. She even puts her foreleg over his shoulders while giving another hearty laugh, even touching her other hoof to her chest. He stares at her confused since he clearly hadn’t said anything.

I glance at Emeris who watches Luna with a cocked eyebrow. He turns to me.

“I...didn’t she break up with you? Is she jealous ‘cause she thinks you’ve moved on already or…” My patented shrug is all I can manage as a reply. Emeris casually looks around before leaning closer to me.

“Maybe you should go and talk with her. I know it will be extremely awkward, but you still gotta try.”

My fists clench instinctively.

“It’s better this way. Less distractions. Besides, she wants another pony and not just any pony...another alicorn. Even if she’s willing to settle for a non-alicorn, she’s actually holding out hope for meeting my pony equivalent. How the hell do you respond to that?!”

Emeris hangs his head and nods while keeping his arms crossed.

“Let me ask you this: if I said you were going to die tomorrow, would you regret not doing something?” I take several deep breaths. He clearly wasn’t understanding the problem; there wasn’t anything to do.

“Emeris...what am I supposed to say?! How do I even remotely talk my way out of her issues with me?! Plus, you know my policy against love during war. It could get me killed!”

Emeris places his hands on his hips, while drumming his thumbs against his stomach.

“But isn’t you dying without telling her how you felt exactly the point?”

All I can do is just stare at him. He points towards Luna and glares at me, then gives me a small nod.

“Look, I’m not a scientist, so I can’t help you with genetics, but what I can tell you is women don’t ask you to go away and be civil about it, then try to make you jealous while simultaneously fuming when you get close to other females. Something doesn’t add up. Go. Talk. To. Her.”

I bite my lip and give a massive shrug.

“Well what am I supposed to say?!”

Emeris clamps a hand on my left shoulder.

“Tell her how you feel. That’s it.”

Luna is now sitting on her haunches with her back to me. The guests are suddenly a maze, as I stumble my way over to her while trying to think of what to say. She glances over her shoulder for a split second, long enough to know I’m coming, but goes back to staring ahead with her sister. My stomach tries to stop me by digging thousands of daggers into itself.

I stand awkwardly at the end of the red carpet that leads up to the princesses. Ponies stare at me with confusion, while wandering into the bleachers. Was this really all my fault and I was just terrible with women? Was I being creepy by annoying her during a wedding? Would she think I was nothing more than some sad, pathetic stalker who couldn’t take a hint? Celestia shifts around uncomfortably, clearly she knows I’m here as well. I can just barely see her mouth moving from the side when she turns to Luna. They had to be talking, but about what?

Without even realizing it, my feet had brought me right behind Luna. She looks over her shoulder at me, glares, then starts walks behind the chairs towards the wedding party area. I say her name a few times as I follow, forcing as much compassion into my words as I can. She doesn’t acknowledge me in the slightest. Her tail twists itself into a spiral of anger, occasionally snapping itself to the side. It was as if her hair had a mind of its own.

She winds through a few tents, then stops at the very edge of the wedding party area. I look down as her tail slowly reaches around and gently wraps the very tip around my ankle. It springs back to her after a second and she whirls around with tears in her eyes.

“So now what?! Is me being here too awkward for you now?! Am I making you uncomfortable?! Well deal with it! You don’t get to tell me to get lost then turn around and make a bunch of petty demands for your feelings! I can’t just shut mine off like you can!” A few ponies and humans can’t help but glance over from the distant seats at us.

“I don’t care if it’s too dangerous to be in love, or if you prefer a human female! You can’t just turn your back on everything! I’m not some acquaintance you can just toss away and forget about! After...after everything we’ve been through together, you have the audacity to just...leave me like that?!” My brain shuts down and I’m completely lost for words. I can feel my mouth just hanging open cluelessly. Luna shuts her eyes and shakes her head vigorously.

“I thought we had something! I know neither of us are perfect but...I put everything I had into us from the start!” She folds her lips in on themselves then shrieks “I trusted you!”. Celestia watches us from back at the entrance to the wedding, along with everyone else. She keeps her hoof to her chest, with an expression of grief. Luna shakes in front of me, her eyes had become fountains. I saw nothing but rage, pain, misery and confusion on her face. I know what’s going on, but I can’t seem to speak. I say the only thing that comes to mind.

“I love you…”

Luna opens her mouth as her eyes expand as far as they’ll go. Her head recoils back a bit and only the rage from her face disappears. Our attention is pulled to the floor as sergeant Brutus steps into the middle and stops with his hands behind his back. He wears a red dress coat with golden buttons and black slacks. His brown hair is slicked back with gel. He holds up both hands and the crowd goes quiet. Luna lets out a frustrated sigh and trots off. Brutus nods to the crowd and holds his hands together.

“It is time now, for each couple to perform their Hata Taga, the wedding dance. As Cy is the foreigner, he will go first.” Brutus bows and steps off the stage. Near the back, Cy and four of his groomsmen stand in an arrow formation, with Cy in the front. He wears a mask that looks similar to a dragon. It’s a black facemask with two horns a foot long, sticking up from the temples and slowly curving upwards. The mask comes forward, forming a brief snout, with teeth etched into it. Some kind of shiny coating on it, reflects the light from the nearby torches. He wears similar gloves that cover his entire hands and go half way up his forearms. His feet have the same design, but the boots are a bit thicker in material that go halfway up his shins.

All his groomsmen are dressed the same way, only varying in skin tone. They all stand with their legs spread shoulder-width apart as i they were preparing to be tackled. Cy and his company reach behind them without moving their bodies and pull out long staves. The ends of them have bulky, black cylinders that are a foot long and a few inches wide. The scene becomes dark as the sun seems to gradually sink behind the mountains. The moment the stage is drenched in night, they begin.

The party take slow steps forward, letting their staves tap the floor once when they step with the left foot, and twice times when they step with the right foot. They stop in the middle of the floor, only illuminated by the four torches at each corner of the stage. The party twirl their staves so each end passes by their side, alternating after each rotation. Cy’s staff lightly brushes his kilt on each pass, making his chains jingle. It was so perfectly synchronized, it had to be intentional.

Drums start filling the air. The main chorus sound is a deep, heavy drum that only has two quick beats, followed by a pause, then three slow hits. Accompanying it, is a lighter sounding drum that has one quick hit when the main drum pauses, then four rapid beats to accompany the big drum's three slow hits. The sound repeats over, with a deep war horn being blown gently every other chorus. The higher pitched drum has a strange vibration noise for each hit.

Taraskan drums had always been different from the norm. Instead of a basic sound, each drum sounded as if you were in a large, empty room as someone knocked on the door from the outside. The overall beat resembles someone taking a war tune, made it faster and added extra instruments.

Cy and his party take large steps to the sides, making their legs stretch as far as they’ll go, while still staying upright and sturdy. His party copies every move he makes as they pause for dramatic effect.

Cy lifts his staff over his head, then slams one end to the ground as if striking an opponent. It sparks and ignites, erupting in flame. He twirls it over his head a few times as fast as he can, then bringing the other end down, which erupts into green flame. No doubt he had gotten his hands on some of this gunpowder the ponies use for fireworks.

He continues walking forward, still keeping his legs spread apart. Each step is powerful and rigid. His shoulders and chest stay perfectly straight as he keeps his head tilted downwards. The mask glares at you, with the narrowed eyes of a lizard carved into it. As he moves forward, he slams the staff into the floor, scattering violent sparks across the stage. It’s a miracle his outfit doesn’t catch on fire. He’s momentarily concealed in the shower of flame with each strike. He alternates ends, sending up green fire from the other end.

He twirls the staff around his neck, giving it enough momentum to keep moving, while his body remains almost motionless, except for pivoting his upper body so the staff can keep rotating on its own. He throws the staff into the air and makes it spin. While keeping his head looking forward, he catches the staff right in the middle. He twirls on each side, alternating every two rotations. Not only has his party kept in perfect sync, they even have the exact colors matched up as well.

The beat of the drums doubles as Cy continues to twirl to his sides, but he straightens up his legs and turns in place. He stops moving and spins his staff so fast, the black wood itself becomes almost invisible, as the orange and green fire forces your attention to it. They create circles of dazzling color, while somehow managing to stay lit. Cy and his party slowly spread out across the stage, eventually facing each other in a large circle.

The drums are joined by a tambourine that gives two high notes then two lower notes. Each person throws their staff high into the air. It twirls and slowly moves to the right. When they fall back down, the next person over catches it. They repeat it five times, until each person ends up with their original staff. The crowd goes wild, as the ponies stomp or clap their hooves together, as the Taraskans applaud with cries of praise.

Each party member suddenly holds their staff like a spear and throws it at the person across from them, temporarily forming a star made up of orange and green. In perfect synchronization, as soon as one person catches their staff, it’s immediately thrown again without hesitation, with each staff barely not grazing the others around it while in the air. The music picks up again as they continue to rapidly throw and receive over and over. They begin circling the opposite way they’re throwing. The stage is filled with the low sound of the fire rumbling through the air on the way to its target.

Suddenly, they twirl their staffs in front of them, turn around, slam it into the ground and the whole thing stays upright as it gets completely consumed with green flame. They push their fists together calmly and bow. The audience is illuminated by the green fire and goes nuts. Even the ponies get on their hind legs to cheer and bang their hooves together. Cy and his party get together for a victorious team hug and jump up and down excitedly. I glance over at Luna who has a small smile on her face as she taps her hooves together.

Stormchaser walks awkwardly onto the stage as Cy and his group exit. When the cheering stops, she clears her throat. Her voice was naturally hoarse, but she still speaks loudly and articulately.

“Welp, I kinda wish I had gone first now, because there’s no way in Tartarus I can compete with that.” The audience laughs, and a few give some cheers. Stormchaser slowly trots back and forth across the stage.

“I mean...we were mostly just going to...fly around with nice fabric and stuff...wasn’t really planning on utilizing freaking fire.” She adds on humorously as the audience chuckles along.

“I gotta be honest, when Cy first told me of Taraskan weddings, I thought he was joking. Also apparently they have a completely different definition of dancing. So if you all don’t mind, I’d like to skip ahead to the Gen Dez. For those of you unfamiliar with Taraskan customs, the Gen Dez is a fun wedding game where the couple use safe weapons to fend off the rest of the wedding party. I actually had no idea that Taraskans knew what “safe” even was to be honest.”

As the audience roars, a strange thought occurs to me. I look back towards the human section out of curiosity. This Lieutenant Asio I had escorted was nowhere to be seen. I raise an eyebrow, knowing something was up. Was I being paranoid? There was no denying the tension in the air. Was this another ploy by Zaran? Was he just making me think there was a ploy when in reality there wasn’t?

Stormchaser goes on with describing the Gen Dez and my eyes wander to Luna, who has her head bowed with her ears back. Celestia hugs her between her wings, trying to cheer her up. A hand gently pats my shoulder. Emeris stands at my side with his arms crossed.

“Remember...if you died tomorrow…” I nod nervously, massaging my hands over and over.

“I know I know, just...give me some time.” Emeris walks back to his seat in front of the human audience. Cy stands in the stage, back to wearing his all black attire of a shirt, gray waistcoat and black kilt. He has a wooden sword, wrapped in a combination of hay and fabric. Stormchaser has a shield clutched in her mouth. The bride’s party is a mix of both mares and colts, where Cy’s is purely human males. They all carry various weapons with cake on the end. The pair stand ready with large grins on their faces.

The party playfully circles them, either making slight jabs or slow swings. Cy and Stormchaser laugh as she flies around, using her shield to intercept blows that Cy can’t parry or cakeloaded arrows. My foot taps so hard, my chair starts shaking. Once again, I can’t help but glance at Luna. She’s over by a table set up to the left of her seat with a few snacks on it. She pretends to take her time selecting something to eat as the party continues.

Emeris’ words eat at me. What if you died tomorrow? Can I honestly just...not care? Am I really capable of just shrugging off the fear and doing whatever it takes to win her over? I’ve faced down armies, certain death, magical creatures who could crush me. I’ve even literally died several times over. Screw it, I’ll fight for her the way I fight for my soldiers. Zaran can mess with me all he wants, I’ll never stop putting myself on the line for her.

As soon as the game is over, I start walking onto the stage. Cy laughs while trying to wipe cake off Stormchaser’s eyes, despite his own hair being coated in frosting. He looks up at me with a huge smile on his face and a light in his eyes I had never seen before. He sticks out his hand and we shake. Instead of letting go, I pull him close so I can talk in his ear.

“Do you mind if...I give it a go with somepony else?” He pulls back, glances at Luna then nods. He pats my arm, picks up Stormchaser and starts telling her what’s going on. The wedding party shrugs and run back to the table to reload their weapons with cake. Cy stops at the edge of the stage and turns to address the audience.

“Hope you don’t mind, but my dear friend here would like to take his own turn with a partner of his choosing.” The audience claps excitedly. I bend down, pick up a piece of cake from the ground and hurl it at Luna. She jumps as it hits her square in the left flank and slowly slides off to the ground. A few bits of frosting speckle her mane. She slowly turns around with narrowed eyes and stares at me.

Luna takes one step forward, then her horn flares and she’s suddenly in front of me still with that ominous stare. The wooden sword Cy was using, glows purple and flies to Luna’s side. The shield gets the same glow and gets shoved into my stomach. I grasp it with both hands and look up at her nervously. She narrows her eyes just a bit more then turns to the side. Both wedding parties ready their weapons.

A man charges at me, sword raised above his head. I hold the shield up like a roof, but instead of blocking his attack, I dive into his knees. He topples over me and lands flat on his back. I quickly swing my shield down onto his sword, shattering it into three pieces. He gets up and runs back over to the weapon rack, with an uncomfortable look on his face. Maybe I was going a bit harder than I was supposed to, but holding back wasn’t usually my thing. Luna apparently has the same mentality I do, holding the sword in her mouth.

A mare runs at Luna, wielding a spear in her armor. She must be a member of Lancercore. Instead of waiting for an attack, Luna runs in, grinding her sword against the spear and adjusting whenever the mare moves it. The poor pony recoils in terror as Luna charges her. She drops the spear and tries to run, but Luna tosses up her sword straight into the air. Before it lands, Luna grabs the spear with her teeth and hurls it at the mare using nothing more than neck strength, nailing her in the flank.

Another of Cy’s party stands there with his sword, unsure if he should dare strike a princess. He quickly regrets it, as Luna runs at him. She uses her sword to block his hit, then throws a wing up into his face. His free hand reaches up to protect his eyes instinctively. While he’s momentarily blinded, Luna digs her left hoof into the floor which allows her to turn in place. She flaps a wing, giving her extra momentum as she slams her hindlegs into his feet, making him fall backwards. As he hits the ground, she smacks his shin with her sword. He drops his weapon and nurses the hit. Another groomsmen drags him from the stage.

While I watch the fighting with an intentionally exaggerated face of bewilderment, another of Cy’s party tries to sneak up on me. I hear him inhale before he tries to swing at my head from the side. I dash behind me, turn around and grab his hand mid-swingthat holds his weapon. I use his momentum to send him sailing across the floor, by slamming my body into him so he can't stop himself. He loses control of his weapon and it goes skidding across the stage, under the bleachers.

Before I can fully regain my footing, I have to roll to the side as a few cakearrows sail by my head. I intentionally put extra force into my roll so I land my feet in an area clear of pastry. A colt gets ready to launch a special cakelance at me, clearly having no desire to get up close and personal. There’s only a second for me to react, so I flip my sword around and deflect the lance away. I hear a few excited screams as it dives into the human audience. Cy stands off to the side, covering his face in embarrassment.

Luna snorts as a lady with a cakelance who wasn’t part of the wedding party, charges her. She thrusts the spear with all her might, but Luna’s wings give her a massive maneuverability bonus. She flaps them, letting her charge forward faster than any of our infantry could. Luna cranks her head to the side, grinding her wooden sword against the spear. Right as Luna goes to slide into the woman’s legs, the woman jumps over Luna, . As she lands on her feet, she pulls out a cakesword from her back and goes to swing at Luna with a triumphant smile. Luna’s face is overcome with anger and she kicks the lady with both her hindlegs moments before contact. She is sent tumbling into the bleachers.

Everyone stops and stares while gasping. Luna suddenly changes to shock as she watches the woman lay there motionless. One of the groomsmen slides on his knees across the stage to check on her. He’s only at her side for a moment as she gets to her feet. A small trickle of blood drips down from the corner of her mouth. She keeps her right arm around her stomach and glares at Luna. Luna’s mouth starts trembling. The woman suddenly gets a malicious grin on her face. “Oh you wanna play like that you little pony princess?!” She grabs a wooden sword from the rack and doesn’t bother to put cake on it as she rushes the stage.

Luna’s face slowly morphs to a devious smile. She flies at the woman and when they’re almost a few feet from each other, Luna lets the sword fly from her mouth. The woman blocks it, but then gets exactly what she asked for. Luna jumps into the air right as her opponent blocks, then tucks in her hindlegs to make herself spin around. She gives the poor woman a nasty dropkick which sends her right back to where she was, except she doesn’t get up this time. Luna uses her wings to counteract her forward momentum and lands gracefully on the stage.

A groomsman grabs her from behind, around her neck. Luna leans her head forward, then rockets the back of her head into his nose. He recoils while holding his face. Luna leaps up, grabs his hand with her teeth and uses the momentum from her landing back down, to yank him off balance into a decent throw. He slides across the cake-covered floor and lands on top of the groaning woman who holds her stomach with both hands.

The last man from Cy’s party who hasn’t sat down yet from some kind of injury, holds his sword hesitantly towards me. There’s a large clump of frosting behind him and to the left. I start circling to his right and he moves opposite the way I do. As soon as the frosting is directly behind him, I make a small dash in his direction. He instinctively backs up, steps on the frosting and falls back with a cry. Before he’s even hit the ground, I’ve already slide over to him, dodging another few cakearrows. I grab his leg so I don’t travel any further, then drive my elbow into his stomach. I pull my fist back to hit him in the eye when his hands fly up to protect his face.

“I yield! Seriously Raiden! It's just a party!” he cries out. I look up at the arches as another volley of cakearrows come sailing towards me. Luna slides in front, holding a shield with her mouth and blocking the arrows. I grab a spear from behind me and we both charge forward. They send arrow after arrow, screaming with playful terror. I plant a foot on Luna’s back to give myself some air. The spear leaves my hand and nails the arrow rack perfectly, knocking it down from the archer’s perch.

Luna and I go back to back, expecting more attackers, but no one else is on the stage. Celestia’s mouth hangs open as she looks around at our injured soldiers, who are still chuckling with amusement, despite numerous injuries. The floor is now a mix of cake, frosting and a bit of blood here and there. Emeris walk up, slowly clapping his hands sarcastically.

“Um...okay...you two...win I guess?” As I walk back to my post, I glance over at Luna who’s already looking at me. She blushes as a grateful smile crosses her face. She hangs her head and chuckles to herself as she walks back to her sister.

I quickly change into clean attire in a small tent as Emeris stands with his arms crossed.

“Not gonna lie Raiden, that was...I’m proud of you...sorta. You coulda gone easier on the groomsmen but...I don’t know how else to say it.” I look over at him with a face full of shock. A small, grateful nod is all I can manage as I dry my hair with a towel. Emeris hands me my cleaned coat and I rush out to the floor, right as the slow dance begins. Luna is already by the stage waiting for me. She trots up with a beaming smile.

“Care to dance?” My mouth is a gaping abyss. No one had ever asked me to dance before. I swallow and stumble for words. Luna gently takes my hand with her mouth and tugs me to the floor. Emeris’ gleeful laugh trails behind us. Numerous people dance even with some of the Equestrians. Four people had a very special job called Spinners. They spread themselves out evenly across the floor, and dance by themselves while keeping an elegant white cloth in the air majestically.

Luna pulls me out to the middle of the floor, then gets on her hind legs with her front hooves on my chest. I gently grasp her ankles as we make small two-steps in a circle with everyone else.

“Raiden...thank you.” She whispers just loud enough for me to hear. I nod and smile.

“Do you think...we can give this another chance?” Her eyes reflect contentedness.

“I’m afraid not, it’s almost time unfortunately.” I cock an eyebrow at her. She stops in place and looks at me with some kind of creepy smile. Off in the distance, Luna stares at me with bulging eyes as her sister tries to clean the cake from her hair. As I look down at the Luna right in front of me, her eyes glow orange.

“I must say, this has been rather entertaining. But as long as I’m here, you’ll always be the King of the Dead!” Before I can say a word, I’m send flying back by a nasty blast of magic. I roll several times and stop upon colliding with the bleachers. My chest burns as the magical blast had torn through my clothes and scalded my skin. A sheet gets gently tossed on Zaran by the same woman from earlier. A flash of orange underneath and his hooves are gone. The sheet glides to the ground.

I try to get out the words to have her apprehended, but she walks back into the bewildered audience and disappears from sight.

Chapter 48: Dagger In The Dark

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Emeris holds down my right arm, as Celestia does her best to pin down my left. I flail and grit my teeth, letting out seething agony from my mouth. The wound on my chest hisses like flesh against scorching metal and feels the exact same as well. Cadence furrows her brow and her horn flares over and over. She stomps an angry and nervous hoof on the stone floor of the palace. “Why isn’t this working?! What is this black crap?!”

Celestia looks at Cadence and shakes her head wildly.

“I...I don’t know! The wound is getting worse though, we have to do something!” Luna bursts through the door, with Lucretia clinging to her neck. She’s out of her armor and her face is pale. Luna has a satchel in her mouth and I can clearly hear several glass vials inside. She skids to a stop next to my bed and Lucretia slides off to the floor. Luna fishes out one bottle with a clear liquid and a second bottle with some kind of blue gel inside it. Luna looks at both jars frantically.

“Alright, tell me what to do!” Lucretia has her eyes closed and swallows as she lays on her back.

“Take an empty jar, pour a fourth of the white liquid inside. Then heat it up until it starts forming small bubbles.” Luna uses her magic to hold the jar in front of her. She stares at it and after a few seconds, the clear liquid starts to simmer. Lucretia swallows again.

“Now mix in the blue liquid, but very slowly...it’ll start to foam for a few seconds so don’t let it overflow.” As Luna pours in the blue gel, steam starts to jet out from the jar. She stops pouring every few seconds, as the frothy mess threatens to jump out. The mixture calms down and turns green, but seems to swirl on its own. Lucretia opens her eyes for long enough to look at the jar.

“While it’s still reacting, pour it on his wound.” Luna’s eyes bulge as she looks down at Lucretia.

“But...but it’s still scorching hot! Why do you think this will work if even our magic won’t-”

“Just do it!” Lucretia croaks miserably. Luna looks me in the eyes hesitantly before slowly pouring the mixture on the black substance covering my chest. I lean my head back and scream. Emeris has to lean his entire body on my arm to stop me from getting loose. After a few seconds, I’m able to at least look at my wound. The black mass starts to harden. Celestia reaches up with her hoof and timidly bumps a few tiny strands of it, that crumble to the floor. Luna pours the rest of the mixture, but it barely has any effect. They brush off the outer hardened layer, but there’s still tons of this stuff left.

Luna looks down at Lucretia.

“Are...are you sure I can use all of this?! What are you going to-”

Lucretia chuckles weakly.

“I’m Taraskan.” Luna purses her lips and repeats the process. After the third jar is poured onto my chest, my vision goes white and I pass out.

When I open my eyes, it’s darker outside with the sun just beginning to set. Lucretia lays in a bed next to mine. She’s pale and sweat covers her face.

“L...Lucretia...what…” She opens her left eye and turns her head just enough to look at me and smiles weakly.

“It was the last of my hersaphine cream. I’ve used it in conjunction with my armor to stay in combat. My...my muscle deficiency...I...my body is unable to even take its own weight. My dad was on crutches his entire life and that was with a heavier dosage that I use. I...I don’t know if I’m going to make it sir.”

My mouth fumbles for words.

“You...we need to get more then!”

Lucretia smiles a bit wider.

“Thank you, but it only grows near Taraskan castle. I think that’s why they nicknamed it the Blood Plant, ‘cause it only grows on Taraskan soil. I’m sure Hurrand had whatever weeds growing there picked up by now. Versa also knows I use it and she’s probably hidden them somewhere so we’d have to trade for it. Even if we sack the palace, I’d doubt we’d find it. There are so many hiding places that you have to know about.” She groans and closes her eyes. I glance at the door then back to her in though.

“How...did you know it would work?” Lucretia gives a tiny shrug.

“I didn’t honestly. I had a chance to speak with Starswirl and Celestia in private before he left. There’s like this...stuff about cross-dimensional magic. Some spells work on us, others don’t. I think it’s like...spells that boost what is already there will work like the healing spells? But like...teleporting for example doesn’t work. I mean...like teleporting us in our armor doesn’t work, but it might be different for each person. I know Cy gets extremely sick if he gets teleported, I can’t be teleported at all, but you can just fine. It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense so far.”

She coughs several times but can’t even move her arms to cover her mouth.

“But like...so I had this idea, that maybe hersaphine has some kind of magic origin and since it’s from our world...why not give it a try. So I had Luna whip you up a special potent version of it and wouldn’t you know it. I think that black crap feeds off your energy and the hersaphine like...stops it or whatever? That might be why Celestia couldn’t teleport me, from all the hersaphine in my system since it can be taken orally or absorbed through the skin. Magic is...so annoying to study. Also there’s like...spell magic and just straight kinetic magic. Like Starswirl was saying that Zaran can’t directly use magic, like he can’t cast spells. So his magic is mostly just...like getting punched really really hard by a Garge. So that means he has to somehow have someone else doing spells for him. It’s all just a big stupid theory though, I could be talking out my rear here.” Lucretia starts groaning and breathing heavily. I grip my blanket tight in my hands as I lay on my side watching her.

“Look just...hang on, we’ll figure something out okay?!” Lucretia smiles without opening her eyes or adjusting her head.

“It’s fine Raiden. To be honest, I’m kind of tired of this...everything. The war, the dying, the fear, the pain, the paranoia, the worrying. I get a guarantee I can go out like a hero.” Her head suddenly drops to the side and she goes quiet. Her chest still rises up and down though, but barely. From what she’s told me, her heart needs the hersaphine regiment to keep going from the extra strain.

I look down at my chest. A nasty scar like a disorganized spiderweb, litters my abs as well as the lower half of my chest. It was still tender, but I’d live. I quietly swing my legs over the bed and do my best to stand. Shuffling across the room, I get my shirt and coat from off a table. Before I can even touch the doors, Emeris opens them with one hand and gives me a stern glare.

“Raiden...what is with you and hospitals?” My mouth contorts from the pain across my stomach, but I do my best to fake it.

“Lucretia...she’s dying.”

Emeris’ eyes widen, and he dashes into the room and looks her over. He turns back to me, his face full of fear and anger.

“What the hell is going on?!”

I motion at her with my hand.

“She...she needs more hersaphine. We have to go back to the castle…” Emeris blinks silently and takes in a deep breath.

“Look...stealthily taking out Og Nag is one thing, but I’ve never been that great against actual people! I may be empathetic, a manipulator, a liar, a leader and a spy, but I’m no assassin. You can barely even walk as it is, how do you plan to even wear your armor?” All I can do is glance at Lucretia again.

“Then I’ll do it wearing dark leather. With any luck, there won’t be any combat.” Emeris narrows his eyes.

“It’s Taraskan castle; its simplicity is its greatest defense. There’s one gate room, one staircase going up. There’s only one throne room. I’m assuming Versa knows about Lucy needing the hersaphine cream and probably has had it all pulled en masse? You’re going to need a backpack full of it. She goes through that crap super-fast. When we left to defend against that first Og Nag attack in Ponyville...I had my suspicions we might not be coming back, so I had several soldiers under my command grab as much as they could. Seven soldiers worth of hersaphine has lasted her these last four or five months. You’ll have to only carry what you can sneak out. Does this sound like a good plan to you?”

My fingers nervously tap my leg.

“Then I’ll get one of the princesses to-” I stop when Emeris rolls his eyes.

“Yeah now I know you’re not feeling well enough. If they even remotely thought we came to storm the castle, the first thing they’d do is make it in vain. They’d destroy all the hersaphine, the food, weapons, armor, everything. You know how Taraska works. Another one of their great defense: be the biggest ass-bags you can so no one bothers you because it will be useless.”

I hold up both my hands and clench them in frustration.

“Well we have to do something!”

Emeris nods his head and takes several steps forward before putting his hand on my shoulder.

“Let’s also not forget this is probably Zaran’s plan. I have no idea what he gains from this, but I’m sure there’s an angle. Maybe he wants to torture you, or maybe he knew hersaphine was the cure. I’m not a doctor, so I can only guess. But I can tell you that there’s a point to all of this.”

I clamp my hand on Emeris’.

“I’m not doing this out of anger though. This isn’t revenge, this isn’t some sick ploy of mine. For the first time in a long time, I feel like I have control. I’m not going there to assassinate Hurrand, all of that is the old me. I could really use your support on this. Please.”

Emeris’ lips fold in on themselves and he sighs uncomfortably.

“I’ll...get you some gear then.” Emeris walks out the doors and fumbles with something in the next room. I weakly shuffle out the doors and stand outside the room Emeris is rummaging through. He looks over his shoulder at me for a moment.

"Oh by the way, we have another issue on our hands. I'm assuming Zaran is going for a more...civil attack. We have a bunch of refugees coming from...basically everywhere. We can feed them but...you know...at least half of them are bound to be changelings. Of course they're not familiar with the issues that we face so things are going to get super tense, as any changeling will have an excuse to be completely ignorant of our rules while in disguise. If we say no, we'll seem like jerks. If we say yes, it will be a nightmare for security. They're mostly from someplace called Saddle Arabia and these ponies look a bit different as well. Longer muzzles, lots of jewels and their clothing uses more pictures and designs than just elegant color." Emeris stands up straight after going through a large box.
"So i'm sure your all-black attire will send a wonderful message." he says while tossing me some darkened leather gear. I grasp it tightly with both hands.
"Emeris...thank you..."

As my former city comes into view, it’s clear the 4th hasn’t been up to much. The ruined houses have been mostly piled on top of themselves to allow for more room, but they haven't turned it into much. The hole in the northern wall has been filled with debris and there’s a considerable gate now. There’s a few tall towers with makeshift trebuchets on them, but they’re so hideous, I’d doubt they’d fire.

There’s one crucial detail that helps sink in the reality of it all: not one dead Og Nag. They barely even had defenses. It was difficult for a person to sneak in, but they had no way of holding off any kind of invasion.

The crusty, black grass crunches under my feet. Moonlight hugged every surface and cast an eerie shadow across the ground. The wall of Taraska was roughly thirty feet high and ten feet thick. There were no patrols on top, but I could hear a guard walking back and forth behind the gate. Pairs were always assigned to the gate though, so I’d have to locate his buddy before doing anything.

The dark dirt continued around a hundred feet past the gate before mixing with Equestrian grass. That familiar feeling of all hope being lost, sits in my stomach as soon as I press my back against the stone wall. Luckily, they didn’t stock the trees with archers, most likely due to a lack of troops.

The gate was a semblance of metal walls that had either been tied or rigged up in some way to stay together. Random wooden beams and even tables were used to help solidify any gaps. Along the wall, was random junk that had been tossed over. Tables, dressers and chairs were scattered about. I skulk about the shadows, trying to explore my options. Further down, there seemed to be a favorite spot for tossing furniture. There was already a decent pile for me to climb up, but whether I could do it silently, was still questionable.

Most of the debris was in multiple pieces, but a single intact table on its side seems to be a decent start. With no one in view, I carefully pick it up and lift it onto the pile. The whole mess settles a bit. I cringe and look over my shoulder. The gate didn’t open and there would be no mistaking the sound of metal boots running up the stairs to the top of the wall.

Step by step, I place my foot wherever looks stable. Even if I wasn’t seen, a mis slip could get me impaled, or I could wind up with a broken bone. This far out, no one but Emeris knew where I was. No one will come save me, no one will show me mercy. Had I become too accustomed to Canterlot’s environment?

I reach the top of the pile and gradually raise my head to look around. The scene was devoid of life. Empty, crumbled houses with a few stray guards who haven’t had anything to do. It was a straight-shot to the palace, but something deep and dark calls from within. These monsters, these beasts called the 4th, they had been able to just wander around as I fought to protect them from Zaran. How was that even fair?

They got to inadvertently prosper from my hard work? My sacrifices? After everything they’ve done, they still get it easy. Maybe they were bored, maybe it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, but no Og Nag, no Zaran? They probably didn’t have to worry about changelings trying to slip into their ranks and removing any magic blocking panels. No triple-checking the guard roster or patrols. Their routes are simple and predictable: staying in the clearer areas and going back to the palace to check in every so often.

I stay low as I climb over the wall. Staying slow, I slide across the stone like a serpent. On the other side of the wall, approximately ten yards to my left, some metal beams lay upright. I crawl on all fours, quickly reaching them. Looking over the edge, the beams are propped up in a suspiciously lucky way. There wasn’t any kind of trap rigged up though. It’s the only quiet way down unless I want to risk sneaking down the stairs that lead to the makeshift gate.

I swing my legs over carefully, letting my sore abdomen do most of the work so I don’t kick them over. My foot finds the beam and my legs quickly wrap themselves around it. I shimmy across the edge of the stone wall, until I’m completely straight with the beam. If I started climbing down and was hanging either direction, the beam might come toppling over with me. My lungs take in one last lucky breath, before I let go of the wall and quickly slide down the beam.

As soon as my feet hit the ground, I lay flat on my back and don’t move. Besides the distant steps from the gate, it’s completely silent. Looking around with as little movement as possible, my spot was decently concealed with larger piles of debris. Rolling over to my stomach, I have to muffle grunts of pain as I gradually rise from the ground. One last check over my surroundings and I creep into the remains of a house.

I wanted to take out the guards at the gate first, but due to it being a higher priority area, they’d be discovered the fastest. That meant if things go south, I’d have to reclimb the beams again or find another way out. The patrols were small though, so perhaps luck would be on my side for once.

My back aches from staying low, but the pain fades to memory as my first target walks by. He casually carries a lance that rests against his shoulder. His buddy stops a few yards back to admire a painting. The first guard with the lance turns around a corner. I follow him, with footsteps as quiet as the grave. I pull out the dagger from my leather wrist guard and quickly ram it into the back of his head. Before he even starts crumpling, I let go of the knife and wrap my arms around his upper section, so I can hold onto his body and his lance.

The strain makes my stomach explode all over again and I almost drop him. My lips tremble as we both go steadily to the ground. As I set his body down, the lancer’s handle touches the dirt and almost falls forward. My fingers are barely able to grab it right before it slams into some nearby wood. Looking over my shoulder and through a small opening in the debris, his buddy is still admiring the painting.

I creep up behind him, with my dagger ready to be thrown in an instant. The painting is of a clearing in a forest. Several soldiers fight to the death, as all the animals, carnivores and herbivores, watch from the trees while standing side by side with each other. I stop a few inches behind him and look over his shoulder.

“Could use some more red.” I say casually. The soldier nods, then his head jerks backwards when he realizes I’m not his buddy. Before he even drops the painting, I’ve already reached around, slammed the knife into his windpipe and sawed his throat open. Blood gushes all over the painting. My hands snag the art before it falls, but I let his corpse hit the ground. There was no one nearby to hear it anyways. I lay the masterpiece against his body, with plans to grab it on my way back out after the blood dries.

A second patrol is off to my left, but they’re still concealed from view of the gate room. I say back a bit, scurrying around in the darkness. There’s still only two of them. As much fun as it was to mess with them, I couldn’t keep risking my luck. They stop and converse about some kind of drunken incident a few weeks ago. They even had alcohol here. I’m sure Cy would have loved to come along. There’s a decent sized stone that I take into my left hand and slowly unsheathe my sword with my right. I chuck the rock far over their heads, so they won’t see it, making sure it’ll still land in some grass.

The moment they look to where the sound came from, I run by, behead the first guard then quickly switch hands and decapitate the second soldier. She lets out a small gasp right as my blade collides with her throat. If they had put on their gear properly, their tracheas would have been covered. I always did like to teach lessons the hard way. Out of the two guards, one of them is roughly my size. I slip on their armor and make my way towards the gate room. On the way there, I snag some random cloth from the ground and wipe as much blood from the dirt-crusted armor that I can.

With no one outside, I walk right up to the gate and knock twice, then knock three times. They open, and one guard gives me a small wave. As soon as I’m inside, he starts pulling the gate closed. When he picks up the wooden log to put across the handles, he freezes as I stand right behind him. He’s not even in full armor. He has on metal boots, but the rest is chainmail and leather.

He sets down the log and whirls around nervously. I shake my head and sigh.

“There’s rogue Taraskans out there and you don’t even change the damn gate knock?”

He turns his head a few degrees to the side and looks into my helmet nervously. The moment his eyes bulge, he mutters my name right as my sword gets slammed into his stomach. He gradually looks down with an expression of pure horror. I grab his jaw and lift his face to mine.

“Look into my eyes and see death.” I hiss. I pull out the sword and bury it into his throat then lower him to the ground as he gurgles. There’s no sound from up the stairs that lead to the throne room. Was Hurrand up there? Could I take him out while I’m here? I have to restrain my movements as I ascend the stairs up to the throne room. At this time of night, everyone was probably sleeping, with a few on patrols throughout the city or in the mess hall.

The moment my eyes can peer over the top of the stairs, my arms tense up. He wasn’t here, but I doubt I could get inside his private quarters. I turn and go into the side hallways that lead to his guest rooms, one of which I had the pleasure of staying in the last time I was here. All the clutter from Luna dragging me out of this hellhole, had been left on the ground.

An idea slowly occurs to me: was Luna’s shredded scarf still here? My feet take extra care not to make a sound as I hurry to the room I was in. Pausing in front of the door, I look around one last time for any random soldiers I may have missed. The doorhandle sits there, as if it was mocking me. I had promised to never return to this room. It was my personal quarters, but also my personal hell.

Gritting my teeth, I press on the lever and open the door. I pause with it open several inches. In my bed, was a guard in full armor. The room smelled horrible and numerous flies swarmed their body. Luna’s scarf was still in pieces on the ground. As I scoot them together in a small pile, Termin’s words come back to haunt me.

“Hurrand is a prisoner, just like you.”

Yeah, maybe he was, but there was no soothing the hatred in my heart. Luna’s fragmented scarf gets stuffed into my pocket. There’s a note in the soldier’s hand. I look behind me at the door and close it carefully. I make my way to the soldier and have to pry open her hand to get the note out intact. After unfolding it, my hand shoots to my mouth. Etched in blood, are the three most powerful words any of my soldiers could write.

“Forgive me, Raiden.” was all it said, followed by my symbol of a V with a horizontal line through the middle. I gently fold it and put it into the same pocket with Luna’s scarf. Despite the smell, I take a knee, bow my head and rest my right hand on their chest piece. From the decay, this had to have been right after I left, maybe even a day after.

I spin around and stare in shock. Termin leans against the wall casually, sipping a drink from a cup. She stares at me without even batting an eye. She looks down at her drink and pulls out a small tube.

“Oh sorry, it’s called a straw. The Equestrians make them. They make drinking a lot easier.” She offers it out to me, but I don’t move. My eyes glance at the door that is still closed then back to Termin.

“How the hell did you get past the-”

Termin rolls her eyes. “Name one person in the entire kingdom who would dare ask me what I’m doing...well besides you obviously.” She snorts at her little comment. I’m about to ask why she’s here, but I already know the answer: Emeris asked her to tail me. I grumble to myself and open the door. My eyes bulge a second time as Versa’s massive hand grabs me by the neck and lifts me off the ground.

I gag as Versa holds me up to her face. My feet tangle helplessly a foot above the floor. As soon as my hand reaches down for my sword, Versa punches my scabbard so hard, it creates a massive dent. Despite my leg screaming in pain, my hand still grabs my handle. After a few tugs, there was no way it was coming loose. I hang onto her gauntlet with one had while trying not to let my throat take the full weight. Right as I fish out my small knife, Versa lets go and boots me back into the room.

I collide against the bed, while holding my stomach that now feels like fire and daggers all over again. Termin doesn’t move as Versa enters the room and slams the door behind her without turning around. My hands shake as I desperately try to fish out another knife from my boot. Termin stops leaning and holds up her hands.

“Raiden, Raiden! Hold on! Look we...made a deal okay?”

My eyes go frantically from Termin to Versa. “What deal?!”

Versa inhales angrily then pulls a large bundle from behind her back. It was a huge pack with a few weeds sticking out from under the top flap. The hefty smell of metal and ash wafts across the room. It was the bag of hersaphine. Versa sets it down at her feet.

“The deal is, I give you this bundle and I want your solemn word on something in the future. I don’t know when, but soon Hurrand will order us to Canterlot to take it. I want your word that you will show the 4th and even Hurrand mercy. Termin told me what is going on with Lucretia. You can save her if you are able to restrain yourself in the future.”

My mouth hangs open. I have to promise to spare the one person I hate more than Zaran in all of existence. Once again, Hurrand gets away with it.

Termin’s eyes gloss over with sympathy.

“Raiden, I-”

I get off the floor and stand there with one hand still over my gut. “I’ll give you my word, but if I even think that any of you are screwing me over, then everyone gets beheaded! I’m sick of ploys and backstabbings! I’ll give you all one chance at a new life, that’s it! Is that clear?!” I can see Versa’s eyes narrow in her helmet before she angrily kicks the bag into my arms and storms off. Termin tries to say something, but I stomp out of the room.

Versa calls my name from the opposite end of the hall. I pause and wait for her to speak.

“Did you kill any of my men on the way here?”

I look at her over my shoulder. “They’re fine.” I say ominously. My steps are quick and rapid as I exit the castle. Did Hurrand or the Minister know I was here? Were they even in the castle? What was life living next to Hurrand going to be like? Even next to the Minister?

I walk past the dead gate guard and storm out to where my leather armor is. It all gets stuffed in the huge pack. It felt weird walking straight to the final gate. Both guards look at me and one stands up while pointing to the bag.

“What’s all that?” I punch him so hard, he flies back into his chair and topples over with it. The gate wasn’t even secured and I easily push it open.

The crunch of the black weeds almost seems to reflect my anger. Once again my enemies got to get away with what they’ve done to me. How many others get to just have their way with my life and escape the consequences? Was I going to have to offer asylum to Zaran as well while we’re at it?! I pause when the Equestrian grass gives just slightly under my boots.

I drop the pack and fall to my knees while staring back at Taraska Castle. As my hands cover my mouth, the truth looms over my head. This was the darkness Zaran wants. In the back of my mind, I had assumed I was a different person now. I had gone from the romantic general, to five murders in less than an hour. What else lurked in the back of my mind? Did Zaran hit me with that black crap, knowing this all would have had to transpire? Was he going to force me to choose between my eternal rage and forgiveness, knowing I’d likely yield to my own wrath?

My past lay before me and behind me. There was no escaping the dark pull of Taraska.

Chapter 49: The Clock Strikes

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Lucretia’s breathing is back to normal, but she still lays completely still in her bed. Emeris sits to her right, firmly clasping her hand in his. I’m across the bed in a wooden chair, unable to shake what I’ve just done.

Emeris’ eyes search my face. “I take it the mission didn’t go off so well?”

I lean back and play with my fingers, occasionally tracing the scars on my stomach. “I...there’s no getting around it, I went out of my way to murder several guards. There...that place...it just does something to me. Their patrols were so thin, I could have slipped past, it would have been so easy.”

Lucretia swallows but keeps her eyes closed. “Who cares, they’re the fourth battalion.” She lets out a small groan and moves her head to the right. Emeris’ eyes bulge and he sits up suddenly. “Lucy! How are you feeling?!”

She coughs a few times and a gentle smile crosses her face. “Like death, so the usual I guess. Did General stab-happy do what I think he did?” She opens her eyes and looks at Emeris who nods rapidly.

Lucretia’s smile fades a bit. “How...there’s no way you just stumbled across it, right?” Emeris looks over at me but remains silent. I pat her shoulder a few times.

“Versa gave it to me. I think Termin tipped her off that I was coming or talked to her beforehand. Versa had one request though...when the fourth comes to Canterlot, we’re to show them mercy.”

Lucretia’s eyes open to their normal amount and her head snaps to me. “I mean I get Versa helping me, but she actually wants mercy for the fourth? That’s a tall order. I mean our soldiers already struggle to fit in, but the fourth are just plain jerks. They don’t even get to use trauma as an excuse. They’re going to cause problems, but it’s not like we can just contain them forever.”

I cross my arms and stare at the ground as my right foot hammers up and down. Emeris watches me with a nervous gleam in his eye.

“Raiden, why don’t you go walk around for a bit? It’ll do you some good.”

I give Emeris a quick nod, Lucretia a pat on the arm and exit through the door. One of our soldiers has her armor off and converses with a colt who wears a white lab coat. He shows her a variety of medicines and they go over what each one is for.

The halls are decently deserted for now, but there was only one mare I wanted to go see. A warm breeze swims through the halls while a new shirt was being made for me. This time, walking around bare-chested felt decent, regardless of how open everything was.

After passing through a few towers and walkways, I’m back to the main building of Canterlot. Every intersection has one of my guards stationed there, with numerous pony guards wandering back and forth. Upon entering a major section of the palace, you had to pass through a simple barricade. They were mostly whittled together out of tables but made it impossible to go running through the halls if you were perhaps fleeing our guards. Each soldier has a clipboard of who they see and roughly what time.

Hooves rapidly travel up to me as I enter one of the hallways that lead to the throne room. Cadence pokes her head around me as she walks by my side with a beaming smile.

“General! How are you?!”

I have to stop and stare at her suspiciously. Last I had checked, her and Shining hated my guts. After a few minutes of my silent, cold stare, she speaks up again.

“Um...alright look I know what you’re thinking and yes while Shining and I have had our...concerns about you, we ended up finding out that there were a boat-load of lies traveling around the castle. Mostly likely spread by you-know-who. We spoke with Celestia and she put a lot of our concerns to rest. Let me tell you though, they were some whoppers!” A second pair of hooves snags my attention on my right. Shining walks up with an uncomfortable attempt at smiling. After struggling for words, he gives me a quick, but sincere salute.

“Sir I um...I guess I forgot how much you incorporated us when you first took command. We were told that you wanted to start having Taraskan banners in front of our own as a sign of your protection. Obviously, that didn’t go over well with us, but we felt like we couldn’t object due to how much you’re doing. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still not even remotely okay with what you did to Lancercore, but I’m trying to write that off as a symptom of war.”

Cadence nods at him several times then looks up at me with those bright, purple eyes of hers. “We were also told that several of your soldiers were hurting themselves just to get healed. The thought of your people becoming magic addicts, well you can guess how we started feeling about all of you. We’ve been slowly talking with all your soldiers and our own guards, just...wow there were a lot of lies going around! I think it’s best we forget about them all for now, but we’d love to ask you a few questions just to clear up some stuff if that’s alright!”

I motion to one of the side rooms with my head. They eagerly trot inside, and I close the door behind us after motioning to one of my guards to stand outside it. As I turn to face the pair, they look at each other uncomfortably. Shining takes in a deep breath and I can hear him struggle to control his tone. “When you first got back and your units attacked Lancercore, we were told a few of them died from their injuries. After checking through the recruitment list, we discovered none of them had died, but many did sustain life threatening injuries.”

I bite my bottom lip and my hand shoots to the back of my head. “Look...this isn’t easy for me to do, so please be patient with me. I’m...I’m sorry for what we did. That was extremely unprofessional and unfair. I expected too much of a battalion of greenhorns who had to witness one of the worst battles of this entire war. Also, it just...it wasn’t appropriate regardless. I have no excuse.” Both their mouths hang open. Cadence blinks a few times and recoils slightly.

“I...don’t think I’ve ever heard you apologize before.” Shining looks at her and nods in agreement. Now that I think about it, I had apologized to Luna numerous times, but was she the only one? Did I actually never tell literally anyone else what I was feeling?

Shining’s mouth trembles. “We had always felt you were rather extremely abrasive to put it nicely, but Emeris explained that your bluntness isn’t out of cruelty. He told us that you do it out of efficiency and to get straight to the point. I can respect that and I’ve tried not to let it affect how I see you. You’ve been a fine general, and I’m glad we’re in your capable hands.” Now it’s my turn for my mouth to hang open in silence.

Cadence nods approvingly. “I mean, do I feel like there are things you can improve on? I certainly do, but Luna went into a lot of detail about the things you’ve had to endure. Things that I don’t think even I could heal.” The moment my mouth starts trembling, I cover it with a hand and excuse myself.

The walls of my room are a blur as I pace back and forth with my armor on my bed, ready to be tossed on at a moment's notice. My gut tells me the attack will be soon, but the waiting is agonizing. I go over the information again and again. They’re planning something, but there’s no way to get some kind of time frame. My anguish is interrupted by a knock on the door. I rush to it, thinking it’s a scout. Princess Cadence stands at the door. It’s the first time she’s ever sought me out on her own. I raise an eyebrow and wonder why she’s so giddy and nervous. I know exactly what’s going on in a heartbeat.
“Skip to the part where you awkwardly tell me to go somewhere so I can coincidentally bump into Luna.”

Her mouth hangs open for a second, completely taken by surprise. She stammers before bursting into a fit of giggling. “Um...nice night for a walk to the garden right?”
I narrow my eyes at her amusedly. “Should I...wait for a minute before heading down?”
She blushes and nods her head. I sigh playfully and Cadence runs down the hallway cackling.
Behind me, my armor lies there taunting me, begging me to give in to the lust of battle and paranoia. Dare I walk these halls without it? Stormchaser could arrive at any moment with my black scroll, containing news of a final attack. I walk over to the bed and boot my set of metal so hard, it flies off and slams into the wall. For one night, I was done being a warrior: I was a man who longed for love the way all creatures do.

I arrive at the lower level of the castle and stop at a set of double doors to the long stone catwalk. Ahead of me is a path that can either go straight into another wing of the castle, or I can take the stairway at the end to the left that leads down to the castle grounds where the garden is. Along the walkway are occasional benches for conversations and get togethers. Sitting on one of the benches is Luna. She stares over the rail lining the balcony, watching the clouds.

As I look through the glass of the double doors, Luna snags every ounce of attention I have. The walkway is stone, with a two-foot-high banister. In the middle, is a circular area ten feet wide, laced with benches. It was clearly a meeting area and had a few potted plants with bright, glowing flowers. Luna stands there, looking out at the land as the moon makes her hair glow. It flows behind her, as carefree as I was when we were together.

The doors click gently as I open them and step out into the walkway. I see her ears twitch: she knows I’m here but pretends not to notice me. The moment I’m behind her, I let my fingers feel the bit of hair that tosses in the breeze. Her tail swims around my ankle, like a puppy trying to give me a hug.

“General.” She says quietly. I take a few steps forward until I’m directly to her side. She looks up at me, but there’s a touch of nervousness in her eyes. Was it even her this time? My smile slowly fades from my face, as does hers.
I look down at the floor and play with my gauntlets. “I...you looked really nice at the wedding.”

She gives me a gentle smile and a nod. “As did you...assuming that was you...or if you’re you right now.” Her eyes twitch and she looks down at the ground in embarrassment. “I’m sorry, that was mean. I...I thought this crap was over with. Guess we know what Zaran’s been up to right?” She lets out a nervous laugh.
I cross my arms and look out across the balcony. “I’ll talk to Celestia and see if we can’t rig up some kind of anti-transformation field to-”

Luna groans angrily and I see her eyes narrow. “I don’t want to do that anymore! I’m tired of security protocols! Why can’t we just be...us?! Why do we always have to look over our shoulders?! Yeah, I know that makes me sound super suspicious, but I don’t care anymore! I don’t want to have Cadence meet up with us just to check everyone’s identity! How are we supposed to have little chance meetings full of magic, when they’re loaded with precautions?!” She kicks the stone railing with her hoof and sighs.
My ears twitch as I hear some rustling on a balcony above us. It was back about twenty feet but another two floors up and connected to the hallways inside Canterlot. It could easily conceal a sniper or - Luna punches my leg with her hoof.
“Raiden! Just...let it go, okay?!” She yells.

I shake my head and look at her. “Sorry, force of habit.”
Her lips fold in on themselves. “And I can’t even ask you to do that because you have every right to be suspicious! See what I’m talking about?! It never ends!”
I look down at the stone floor and grind my heel into it. “I don’t know what to do…”
Luna looks up at me then turns around. “Raiden I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make it sound like it’s your fault.” She sits on her haunches and stares up at the sky. “All I want is to know how much of this is real. I’ll put up with the deception, the lies, the ploys. Just…the idea of this not being real, I couldn’t take it.”

Those teal eyes of hers slowly turn towards me. That strange silence swims through the air. Words are left behind and like so many times, I’m drawn into her world. I turn around and pick one of the glowing purple flowers. As I turn around, her eyes widen as she gazes at my little present. Even as she sits on her haunches, her front hooves can barely stay settled and tap the ground repeatedly. I take a knee in front of her, and gently tuck the flower behind her left ear. She bites her bottom lip and her tail starts wiggling behind her.

Her smile is so wide, her cheeks start to twitch under the strain. The that cold feeling sets in, the one screaming at me to leave. Ice crawls under my skin and I’m left with the feeling of “What if…”. Her eyes suddenly snap to concern and her mouth struggles to find words she knows are ultimately pointless.

Movement on the balcony snags my attention. Luna and I both crane our necks to look up at Cadence, who pokes her head just barely above the railing. She stares at us for a few seconds.

“Kiss her!” She whispers loud enough for us to hear. I see a pair of white forelegs reach up and pull her down, followed by obnoxious giggling. We continue to stare, and Celestia peaks over the balcony, then disappears again when she sees us still looking. I can’t help but chuckle to myself. Luna looks over at me and grins, before gazing back to the balcony.

“Alright sister, you two need to leave now.” she says with a mix of amusement and seriousness. We hear lighthearted, disappointed groans as Celestia and Cadence get up and exit. Two other figures rise behind them, and there’s no mistaking the sight of Lucretia and Emeris exiting as well. I hold up my hands and give a dumbfounded shrug.

“Seriously?! You two?!” Cadence looks over her shoulder as she walks away.

“Kiss her!” She calls out one last time. Celestia laughs and gives her a playful shove forward.

Luna smiles at me weakly before pawing the ground. “I’m sorry, I know stuff like that makes you uncomfortable. I don’t like to be put on the spot myself honestly.”

Could I do it? There was no denying there was something between us, but kiss an actual pony? Cuddling on the roof was one thing, but this? It was seriously pushing my boundaries. While their mouths were almost identical to ours, except going back just a bit further by a mere inch on either side, I had never kissed anything with...fur. At this point, she might as well be a human in another body though. I had grown accustomed to it and allowed my feelings to run wild without bounds, but this was taking a whole new level. I had issues reading the body language of my own species when it came to romance and knowing when to push forward. Now I have to do this under completely different circumstances?

Luna shoots Cadence a sharp glare before she disappears, then returns to looking forward.
“I apologize, my niece can be rather...rude.” The whole age thing was also messing with me. They all had the same youthful appearance, despite being numerous years apart. Just how old was she exactly? Was it rude to ask? Do I even want to know? Did we even have the same measurements of time? For all I knew, a year to them, was a month to us. If they lived just as long as other animals of their type, she could easily be younger than me. Perhaps their magic expands their lives or they can increase it at will, who knows.

She taps her hooves nervously, as I’ve spent the entire time in my head. What if just once, I spoke out loud? I sit down and cross my legs, trying to be as relaxed as possible.

“There have been many times were my only comfort, was the thought of you. The time we spent together, even the awkwardness where I never knew what to say, I wouldn’t trade them for anything. Getting back to you, was all the hope I ever needed to keep going.” As I reach for her face, she borderline slams her snout into my face and kisses me. Her legs trot up and down so fast though, our lips can’t even stay locked. What was supposed to be our very first moment, feels more like a face wash. I pull away from her and laugh hysterically. Her cheeks light up like a sunrise. “I’m so sorry! I just...get all giddy with mushy stuff! Can we try again?! Please?!”

My mouth hangs open as she bobs up and down. “You have to stop moving or I…”
She sticks out her nose and tries to push her lips against mine, but the strain makes her start leaning to the sides as well. I can’t keep my lips together as more fits of laughter force their way out. She gives me the most awkward smile as I collapse back against the banister while holding my sides. She takes a few steps forward and crawls into my lap. Maybe we didn’t even need a first kiss. We had graduated beyond that a long time ago honestly. A loud banging from the castle draws our gazes up to the next floor window. Cadence leans against it, pounding happily with her hooves and letting out obnoxious cheers. I gently take Luna’s ear in my hand and massage it.

“You’re the only one I’ve ever let my guard down around.” I massage the back of her neck and inhale deeply. “I love you. If I ever say anything differently, vaporize me on the spot.” She raises herself up by her forelegs and rests her head on my shoulder after nuzzling me twice. Her hooves touch my chest as she presses herself against me. Right as my arms fold around her back, I hear the flapping of wings. Stormchaser lands, her eyes are wide and while she looks at me, it’s as if I’m not even here. Spitfire and three other Wonderbolts land beside her on the stone railing. Luna lifts her head and looks at them with concern. Stormchaser walks forward so I can take the scroll. As I unravel it and read its contents, the color from my face drains.
“Fifteen thousand Og Nag?!” I scream out loud.

Spitfire slowly shakes her head. “Sir…we…we just can’t. There’s no way. We have to evacuate the palace.”

Chapter 50: Come Hell Or High Water

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The throne room is full of every leader we had, but equally filled with silence. Emeris, Lucretia and myself along with a few lieutenants stand in the far corner behind the throne. Cadence and Shining hadn’t shown up yet, otherwise it looked like everypony that Celestia talks to is here.

Lucretia leans over to me and keeps her voice as low as she can. “It’s kinda odd the Crystal Heart wasn’t working when we hit Zaran’s tanks. Maybe he found a way to shield himself from it in a local area?”

Emeris nods a few times. “Whatever is holding up Cadence and Shining, it can’t be good. Also with Cadence gone, can we be sure it’s even her when she comes back? I wouldn’t put it past Zaran to get a copy of her and have her use fake healing magic to give his agents credibility.”

I glance around at our lieutenants who just keep getting to hear worse and worse news. “With fifteen thousand Og Nag, would Zaran even bother with this covert-ops crap?”

Lucretia stares at me condescendingly. “It’s Zaran. He’s probably doing literally everything he can to screw with us.”

The double doors squeak open and an exhausted Cadence, followed by her husband, walk in. Every face in the room turns to stare at her without uttering a word. She looks around with an expression of complete defeat.

“The...Crystal Heart...they switched it out with a fake. We have no idea where the real one is. The fake responds to magic, but it just glows. I’m sorry, I don’t know what else to do.”

Surprisingly, no one panics or cries out. We’ve all probably just accepted that there’s no way to get out of it this time.

Celestia gets off her haunches and walks to the middle of the room with determination.

“Then it’s settled: we will open a portal to another world and leave. I know of a few-” The room suddenly erupts in protest and shock. A colt with black fur and a gray mane jumps towards her.

“Why can’t we just surround the palace with some kid of spell?! Or like...raise the ground so they can’t get to us?!”

Lucretia stops leaning on the wall to my left and walks up to Celestia. “Because that’s what Zaran wants. He wants the princesses to burn through their magic. That’s why he hasn’t attacked yet. His only obstacle is Equestrian magic. It has saved us in nearly every battle.”

Luna walks up behind Lucretia with a worried look in her eyes. “Also, a lot of our spells are simply temporary. Amulets and other such devices always require some form of magical fuel to keep going. It is a much more rare fact than I don’t expect your common pony to know. If we raised a shield around Canterlot, Zaran would simply just keep creating Og Nag and he is probably powerful enough to destroy it when it’s time. I’m sorry to tell you all this, but us alicorns are not quite as powerful as you think. There are rules with our magic and even the most powerful of enchantments we know, come with a risk of tapping into a very...dangerous plane of existence.”

Celestia nods at her sister.

“As I was saying, there are...other places we can go. This will by no means be an easy journey and it will take time to prepare. I need everypony to pack only what they need to bring.”

Two of my soldiers burst through the door. “Sir! We got incoming towards Baseponyville! Reports of five thousand Og Nag from the west!”

Lucretia narrows her eyes and leans her head back slightly. “From the west? That’s our most fortified spot. We still have the wall of Og Nag from when we first got here. Why would he do that?”

Emeris stands next to her, holding his elbow with one hand, and the other strokes his chin. “This is a different tactic and I think it’s a warning of what’s to come. This isn’t a tactical maneuver per say. He wants to hit us where we’re the strongest and destroy it. It’s psychological warfare. How do you think our army is going to feel if they hit our best fortified position from its strongest point and won? It would be devastating to moral. Not to make everyone more paranoid, but he probably has something similar planned for the alicorns.” Shining leans his head back and groans loudly.

Emeris crosses his arms and addresses Celestia. “Okay so...we need to hold off the Og Nag long enough for everyone to escape. How long do you need exactly?”

Celestia’s eyes are as cold as they can be, but hints of dread seep through. “Two days. We will need to summon the portal, evacuate all four thousand Equestrians and regularly refill the portal with magical energy.”

Lucretia puts her hands on the side of her head. “Two days?! How the hell are we supposed to fight off that many Og Nag for two whole days?! I mean...Baseponyville...we might be able to give you a few hours, but then what?! Are they coming straight here after that?! Will Zaran just toss everything at us until we break?! I mean...fifteen thousand Og Nag...I can’t even imagine!”

Emeris rubs his face and sighs quietly. “They’ll either come straight into Canterlot, or try to draw out the alicorns.” He stops rubbing his face and the moment he lowers his hands, his eyes bulge excitedly. “Or...or...perhaps we have something that can stop him and we don’t know it yet.” He looks from Lucretia to me. “Do...do you think our elements are a bigger threat than we know? Maybe if he hits us too hard, our elements will activate and we’ll annihilate his army so he has to attack in smaller waves!”

Celestia’s eyes bulge as she turns to me. “Raiden, do you think this is true?!” Every face turns towards me with just a sprinkle of hope in their eyes. I shift uncomfortably. “Our elements are...a huge unknown. The last time Emeris tried using his, it wouldn’t work. Lucretia has only used hers once and it was a massive benefit though. I honestly can’t say either way if they’ll save us. If what Starswirl said was true and our elements want more entertainment, then yes it stands to reason that Zaran has to hold back to a large degree. Also, we have no idea where Starswirl went or where this Discord is. Zaran might also be keeping some of his cards in reserve in case they show up. Lucretia, just how fortified is Ponyville?”

For the first time in years, Lucretia crosses her arms, narrows her eyes and smirks. “Take a wild guess what I’ve been pouring my freetime into? Three thousand arrows, a ballista on every rooftop with plenty of bolts and each building is ready to be a nice bonfire when we need it.”

Emeris scoffs in shock. “How the hell did you get all that done?!”

Shining walks up to our little discussion. “I used my magic to mass produce arrows as well as move around all the equipment we needed. Lucretia drew up plans to make some simple machines that can make even more arrows while I was recovering. Basically they put in a long piece of wood and use blades to trim them down to the size they need. Those long rectangles then get dropped into a second set of sculpting blades that turn them into shafts. After that, soldiers just put on the arrows and tip. We have stockpiles of a few hundred arrows all over, with the extras in the middle of the city for efficient reinforcement. I also used our local plants to reinforce the walls. We wrapped poles in these super thick vines then coated them in tar. They’re super resilient to sword slashes and bend decently to absorb impact. It’s gonna take a lot of work from Garges to even break through a single point.”

Lucretia’s foot hammers into the stone floor as she tries to hold back her excitement. “If Zaran knows about our defences and there’s no reason to assume he doesn’t, then he probably has a plan. Still though, if we can hold them off for just long enough, he might have no choice but to retreat. Even if we can’t hold Ponyville, we can still do a number to his forces. If it’s bad enough, we might get an opening to counterattack. We’ll have to put everything we got into defending it though, and I mean everything.”

As I look around at the faces that are too scared to let their hope shine through, only one thought pops into my head, so I say it loud and proud. “Let’s mobilize.”

Emeris turns to Shining. “Shining, we need as many guards in Ponyville as you can spare. Please tell the Wonderbolts that it’s now or never.”

Every last human we had, stands in the yard in full armor. There’s no cheering this time, no one is practicing or sharpening their weapons. All is quiet except for the occasional shifting of armor. I give a lethargic shrug and swallow as hard as I can.

“This...this is it. There’s no backup plan, no holding out for help, no magical item. Before you, festering all over that forest, is the largest army of Og Nag we’ve ever seen, besides the one that hit Taraska the night of the First Offensive. That was back when we had a few thousand of our own units and an entire city made to withstand a siege. Now we have...seventy five of us roughly. There is only one plan so far: we hold them off so the Equestrians can escape.”

One of my units steps forward. “Sir...why us to be honest? Why can’t we just make a break for it too?!”

I place an amicable hand on her shoulder. “Taraska is gone. What we were, was lost long ago. We lost our city, our people, even most of our army. We are divided and in a strange world. Our time has come and passed. These ponies though, they deserve another chance. They have culture to take with them. What do we have? Bloodthirst, nightmares and horrific stories. No, it’s time we put an end to our suffering. We will continue as legends to these ponies. Future generations will see our faces depicted in stories and know what we did without our...disgusting history.”

She looks down and nods slowly. “If anyone ever asked me what Taraska was, I wouldn’t know what to tell them anyways.”

Another soldier steps forward and holds up a clenched fist. “Taraska is right here, right now! Standing shoulder to shoulder against a sea of undead freaks and kicking some ass!”

We all cheer, arms in the air, but there’s something missing this time. There wasn’t any hope, nothing to keep fighting for. Even if the Og Nag stood there harmlessly, I don’t even think we’d have the energy to kill them all. I didn’t say it in the throne room, but if I knew Zaran, he’d have something nasty in store for us. He was going to breach our walls and flood the city with Og Nag. He had only been caught off guard maybe once or twice.

He could come with a giant ball of fire, super armored Garges, or even something worse we’ve never seen. If I could find several non-magical ways in, there was no doubt in my mind he had something in store. We didn’t have the numbers at all. The pony guards were still in shock from us hitting Zaran’s tanks. They were traumatized, most not even able to put on their armor without vomiting.

“Sir, is there….just no one else we can turn to? No other kingdoms?” A troubled soldier says hesitantly.

My mouth hangs open as a small idea pops into my head. I bolt from the yard and run straight into the castle. Every report floods into my mind while trees sail past me. I take the steps into Canterlot two at a time, then blitz by Celestia and Luna in the throne room who watch me with uncertainty.

Past the throne room, winding through corridoors, I pass through a pony in black armor who stands guard over a long hallway. A few rooms down and I stand outside that strange door and wait. The pony guard comes charging down the hallway, sailing right through me. The door clicks open and that same unicorn with purple fur and an ocean blue mane stares at me. I leap onto the portal. “Take me to Umbra. Now.” She nods and her horn glows black.

My feet pound loudly against the stone floor as cell after cell flies by. I pray my instincts were right. We had a chance, a small fleeting one, but it was the only chance we had. I skid to a stop and Umbra looks up at me. Her eye are wide and her brown mane is a mess. Her dull-purple fur has dust all over it. She opens her mouth to speak but I beat her to it.

“I can give you one chance to fix everything you’ve done. I will give you all the trust there is to give and you can save everypony, even Big Mac. Deal?” She jumps to all fours and nods her head eagerly.

I trace a pattern onto a magical tablet on the left side of her cell. The red barrier separating us vanishes and she stares at me in shock, probably wondering if this was another ploy. I get down on one knee and place a hand on her shoulder. “We need help, every last ounce of it. I don’t care how you do it, but we need every damn creature and nation at our doorstep. Who do you think you can bring?!”

Umbra blinks rapidly and looks off to the side. “Well, there’s the Yaks I suppose and the griffons. There might be a few other races, but I have no idea if they’re dead or-”

“Umbra...bring them all. Every last one. We either die, or we leave this world if you fail. You’ll never see Mac again and you’ll have to stay here with a bunch of changelings who view you as a traitor along with Zaran’s wrath.” Her eyes sink back into her sockets and her head recoils. She follows me, but can barely keep up as her legs wobble.

“What about Pharynx?”

I skid to a halt and look back at her. “Can he be trusted? Will he rat us out to Zaran?”

Her mouth twists with turmoil. “I-I know he’s...we can’t just keep leaving him down here! How about he comes with me! I’ll take full responsibility for him!”

I sigh and shake my head. “I’m sorry Umbra, but he could ruin our only chance.” I start jogging again but after a few seconds, I realize she’s not running behind me. I look at her again and this time she stomps on the ground with her left hoof. “No! I’m not coming unless he comes too! You may not care about him, but I do! I know what he’s been through! He may just be a prisoner to everypony else, but to me he’s family!”

My hands clench as my eyes narrow. “Fine.”

A few corridors later and we stand outside Pharynx’s cell. He sits with us to his side, tucking his head and slightly arching his back. He glares at me with every ounce of anger he can manage. “You’ll never break me.” He hisses. I trace the same pattern on his tablet and the field drops. He doesn’t move a muscle.

Umbra runs up to him and gets in his face. “Then don’t do anything, just...come with me! You don’t have to trust us, but at the very least you can get some fresh air!” His eyes stop glaring and wince with pain. Temporary freedom must be as good as gold to him at this point. He had been in this cell since he attacked me as Luna. How many months had he spent isolated with only the daily guard to drop off his food. They were told not to speak to the prisoners no matter what though.

He shakes in place and looks down at the floor with despair. He looks back at Umbra and fumbles for words. “You...you can’t trick me into helping! I’ll...enjoy the fresh air, but you’ll never convince me to turn!”

Umbra rolls her eyes. “Good enough, let’s go.” As we race by the cells, Pharynx’s glare never leaves my back. I didn’t even have to turn around to know how much he hated my guts. Zaran had most likely tortured them while showing my face over and over so they’d despise me as much as he does.

Umbra and I stop on the portal, but Pharynx watches us hesitantly several feet away. Umbra beckons him forward. “Will you just come on!?”

Pharynx backs up while shaking his head. “So I can step on it, then wake up on the table again?! So Zaran can tell me I didn’t do enough and vaporize me?!” He grits his teeth and starts shrieking. “You’re the enemy! No one can save me except Lord Zaran! I’ll never help you!” I rush forward and before he can even react, he’s unconscious with a quick punch to the head.

Umbra watches me uneasily. “Ugh, I wish you didn’t have to do that.” The moment my boots hit the portal, we’re back in the room.

A purple unicorn with blue eyes, watches us with a raised eyebrow. “I take it I’m out of a job now?” She says sarcastically. Umbra follows me out the door with Pharynx in tow. We stop at the nearest window and gently shake Pharynx awake. He gets on all fours and delirious looks around. Umbra taps his shoulder a few times and his eyes burst open. He almost speaks when he looks out the window and sees sunshine. Like a dragon staring at gold, he stands there mesmerized.

Umbra motions with her head for him to follow and he does without a word or hesitation.
Umbra loops in the air, squealing with delight. Pharynx flies in a straight line, but random flinches show just how eager he is to enjoy himself. I watch them until their figures disappear from sight then run to the throne room. Celestia and Luna stop talking and watch me enter.
“I sent Umbra and Pharynx to get help. Umbra mentioned the Yaks and Griffons. They haven't been attacked right? I remembered from the reports that only pony cities has been hit. No reports apart from the Crystal Empire had any sightings of attacks or smoke from anywhere else right?!”
Celestia recoils a bit and her mouth forms a gradual smile. “Well yes that’s true! I had just assumed they had all been raided! You’re right though, I never heard of anypony else getting attacked! I can’t tell you how much the Yaks and Griffons joining us will change things!”

Emeris walks out of a small room to my right, with a hand full of papers. “Good idea, we desperately need the reinforcements.” He hands the papers to Celestia then turns to me. “By the way, how did you severe the link they have to Zaran?”
I raise an eyebrow in confusion. “What link?”
Emeris’ eyes widen. “The psychic link Zaran has to all members of Z7? That link?” My hands fly up to the sides of my head and I fall to my knees in horror.
Celestia gasps and stares down at me. “Raiden...if Zaran still has that link with them, you may have just killed us all.”

Chapter 51 Come Hell Or High Water Part 2

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A single tower in the middle of Ponyville, serves as our lookout. Several small landing pads littered the sides so scouts can land easily. It was only as wide as a single room and a winding staircase leads up the inside to the very top. Four stories in the air was all I needed to see the army of Og Nag slowly approaching the town. They walk slower than normal, not timidly or cautiously, but almost trying to provoke us.

The wall they slowly travel towards, is lined with archers. Our best shots were behind them about thirty feet in towers. If Zaran opened up on that wall, I didn’t need our more veteran sharpshooters being taken out first. They could also provide cover in the event we have a breach and lend aid should another wall go down. Also, if my more novice archers suddenly panicked, they could be given instructions with ease. It was also a comfort to them knowing more experienced fighters were directly over their shoulder so to speak.

Below me, roughly a thousand Lancercore shake in place. Two thirds of them were actual fighters, with reloading stations in the back. Their numbers had plummeted since we hit Zaran’s tanks and now they know what they’re up against. No matter how many times we tried to explain that normal combat won’t be such a disaster, they couldn't get the rows of jagged teeth out of their minds. The palace had become increasingly louder at night, as the former members of Lancercore dreamed about the horrors they saw. Taraska had experienced these things throughout our entire lives and looks of contempt from the ponies, were now replaced with expressions of sympathy and respect. They were finally starting to get just who we were.

As I look to the west on the massive tide of Og Nag, Lucretia keeps her eyes to the south while leaning against a beam that supports our little roof. Her golden cape flaps gently in the wind along with her long hair. Emeris pants heavily while watching to the north. They weren’t splitting up this time and were certainly coming for our most fortified position. The west wall still had impaled Og Nag that forced attackers into narrow chokepoints.

They continue their march towards Ponyville, still no signs of anything being off. The walls we made from wood and metal, were at least twenty feet high. It would cost them thousands of soldiers to even pile up that high. Certain soldiers were assigned to pike duty, which meant using an extremely long pike to push over mounds of Og Nag away from the wall. Zaran had to have known this, so what was he planning? There weren’t any abnormals in the group, no ladders, no explosives, nothing.

Spitfire lands on a perch behind me and pants. She takes a deep breath as I turn around. “General Raiden, we can’t figure out what their plan is. There’s no shaven trees this time. Are they just going to have their Garges bang on it or something?!”

Emeris turns around and faces her. “Those walls will bend with every hit from a Garge. It would take them a while to get through, assuming our archers didn’t nail them first. We have no idea what Zaran is planning and we haven’t been able to think of a weakness he can exploit yet. Even if they did have trees or ladders, those walls of dead Og Nag we made, are going to make that annoying. There’s only sixteen spots they all have to squeeze through and our archers will be on it before they can do anything significant. They’ll eventually clog the hole and make a mound of dead bodies for other Og Nag to climb over, but then they’d just be hoping over the wall to their death. It would take them at least four or five thousand to pile up outside the walls so they could even climb over. Then they’ll have to eat Taraskan steel and lancercore.”

Lucretia squints her eyes and shakes her head. “He can’t just brute force it, so what is he doing?! He’s not stupid, we can’t just write this off as some military blunder out of pure desperation. He has to have something planned, but what?!” She kicks the beam she was just leaning against and groans with irritation. I lean against the railing and sigh.

“So logically, if he didn’t bring anything with him, then that means there’s something already here for him to use, right? So, what is it? He has...nothing but walls to work with. Walls of Og Nag and our walls of half wood half metal. Is there something I’m not seeing? Is there an object out there we don’t know about?! What is it?!” It was beginning to drive us all mad. Even members of the Wonderbolts were starting to suggest maybe he was just trying his luck.

There was no way I was going to write Zaran off that easily. The Og Nag had the same typical armor, same weapons, same completely random formations. The Garges were in front, mixed in with plenty of smaller Og Nag. Were the Garges going to climb up? Could Zaran coordinate them to lift themselves over the wall? That would be almost impossible with our archers. Even if a few Garge’s made it over the wall, they’d be flanked constantly. I made sure of it by spacing out our archers just right.

Our base goes quiet as the Og Nag stop a few hundred yards before the walls of bodies. Lucretia is suddenly at my side staring at me with wide eyes. “You don’t think Zaran found a way of resurrecting those dead Og Nag, do you?!”

I shake my head calmly and turn to her. “No, even if he did, he’d have to pull them off the spikes anyways. It would be slow and inefficient. I mean even if he could, he’s more than welcome to. It will just give us time to pick off more of his-” A loud slam against our forward wall startles me. We all look at each other as there’s suddenly so much pounding against metal, that it almost sounds like war drums.

Soren lands in front of us with a confused look. “Sir, the Garges are just grabbing the smaller Og Nag and hurling them against the wall. They’re dying on impact though. That’s all they’re doing is just throwing their soldiers at us.”

I stroke my jawbone and look out across the land in the other three directions. “I want all of your fliers doing recon double time. It might be a distraction. Soarin, I want you to focus your efforts on the thrown Og Nag though. Look for every detail you can find. Report back here every few minutes, even if all you have is the same report as last time.”

Emeris snorts and faces us. “I mean he can’t get through the walls like that...right? That’s not going to work, right?”

Lucretia gives a large, uncomfortable shrug. We all knew it wasn’t going to work, but Zaran doesn’t just do things for no reason. There had to be a purpose, but what was it? The pounding continues and several members of Lancercore start shuffling in place. Was he trying to startle the bulk of our forces? It wasn’t a bad fear tactic, but he’d still have to get in here for moral to matter. No one was about to run while surrounded in a fortified base. Even Canterlot wasn’t a good option, with the princesses on strict orders to refrain from magic use unless they have no alternatives.
The Wonderbolts are still racing through the skies, looking for any kind of secondary attack. I knew they probably wouldn't find anything. Zaran knew we had fliers and would utilize them heavily, so a surprise attack would be almost guaranteed to be spotted. Even if there was one, I had a few scouts stationed all over who would call out at the first sign of trouble. There was a good chance that whatever he was doing, I was looking at it unfolding right before my eyes. We stand here, almost going insane from ignorance.

Lucretia’s foot drums the floor mercilessly. She turns to Soarin. “Okay so tell me about where the Og Nag are being thrown at perhaps?”

Soarin shrugs. “At the wall? Just over and over?”

Lucretia shakes her head and holds up her hands. “No no no, like...where at the wall? Are they hitting a specific spot, all over, is there any kind of pattern?”

Soarin taps his chin with a hoof. “It honestly just seems like it’s all over the wall. I think every spot on it has been hit so far and they just keep going.”

Lucretia stares at him with a mix of being baffled and angry. “There has to be something Soarin! Think hard! Did you see anything at all?! Some detail you missed?!”

Emeris puts a hand on her shoulder. “Easy Lucy, he’s done the best he can. Yelling at him isn’t going to give you the answers you want.”

Lucretia closes her eyes and leans her head back with a long sigh. “Alright I’m sorry Soarin, I'm just stressed out.”

Soarin shrugs casually and glances at me. “Do you want me to keep reconing that area sir or move on to something else?” I give him a nod and he takes off while trying to restrain a look of annoyance on his face.

Emeris’ has a look of worry when he turns to me. “Okay well let’s go over this then. What happens long-term if Zaran keeps this up? It’s not good for moral, it’s a decent distraction, I mean I guess it could be a moderate form of artillery. What else is going to happen?”

Lucretia’s eyes bulge. “They’re going to pile up! That’s what he’s doing! He’s going to pile up Og Nag then use their bodies as a ramp!” She shrieks it so loud, most of Lancercore looks up at our tower. Emeris and I exchange expressions of complete shock. It made sense why we didn’t think of this until now. My soldiers weren’t expendable to us, so we don’t think in those terms. Zaran knows full-well about using expendable forces. He truly doesn't care about his Og Nag and why would he?

Lucretia looks between Emeris and I in panic. “What are we going to do?! We can’t have our hook teams down there, it’s too dangerous!”

I look over Lancercore who starts to panic again. “Have some of Lancercore’s reloading teams clear them out. It’s all we can do. Are the Garge’s within arrow range?”

Emeris looks out over their army. “No, not even close. I mean we can hit them with arrows, but it looks like they got extra armor on top. It would just be a waste honestly. Even if we killed the thrown Og Nag, it doesn’t matter, he just needs their corpses. Can we signal the princesses?”

Lucretia let’s out her excruciating groan. “That’s exactly what Zaran wants though. Even if Luna started hauling away bodies, it will only last until she gets tired. I mean she could clear out like what, two or three hundred before she gets tired? That’s how it worked last time when we first got here. Zaran doesn’t even have all of his Og Nag out there yet! He’d just send in reinforcements once she’s tired.”

I lean over and motion to a tactical lieutenant for her team to start clearing away bodies. Spitfire lands on a perch with a concerned look in her eye. “Lancercore is starting to lose it sir! I’ve seen several lancers try to make a run for it!”

Emeris sighs and rubs his face. “Have Lancercore move up closer to the wall. Some walking might do them a bit of good. Have them escort the reloading teams who are gonna clear the wall just so they have something to do.” Spitfire nods then flies down to Lancercore. After a quick talk, Lancercore starts moving forward with their reloading team in the middle, surrounded by Lancers. Lucretia taps her fingers on the ledge nervously. “This is gonna get so bad, I just know it.” She stands up straight and runs down the steps of the tower. Emeris and I follow behind, but don’t bother distracting her when her brain is on fire.

She marches up to a few ponies in the back, who are readying the lances to be loaded. They whirl around and salute her, with eyes wide and legs shaking. Lucretia puts her hands on her hips, then shifts her weight to her left leg. “Okay I need some more info on magic when it comes to lifting stuff. Can you like...intercept things?”

The ponies look at each other before answering. “Well it varies from pony to pony. Typically, the harder something is thrown, the harder it is to stop it.”

Her friend nods and chimes in.” It’s exactly like catching stuff with your body. Magic is like...reaching out with your mind for something. Everypony has a different degree of accuracy.”

Lucretia nods while tapping her hands on her hips. “Okay so...how good do you think you’d all be at catching those Og Nag?”

The ponies look down uncomfortably. “I mean...I don’t think one of us could stop it. If we all got together and targeted the same thing, but...I mean we can’t coordinate like that!”

Lucretia claws the sides of her helmet and half shrieks and groans. We follow her as she runs to the front, where the reloading team starts tossing bodies away. She runs inside one of the archer towers, so she can see. They do a decent job of tossing bodies, but they keep having to run back and forth across the wall’s walkway to different spots. They start bumping into each other and shouting erupts from the group.

Lucretia shoves the archer aside and calls out to the group angrily. “You morons! Half of you go to one side of the wall, the other half on the other side! If you’re not doing anything, then find something to do!” The reloading team does a decent job of splitting up evenly without anyone assigning sections. Lucretia slowly nods her head approvingly but keeps her lower lip bit.

Bodies get flung rapidly and for the time being, it doesn’t have to be pretty. They litter the ground in front of the wall in a random mess. The ponies go for speed, not accuracy. Our heads dart up when we hear horrified screams. Lifeless Og Nag begin to hammer the reloading team. They’re not terribly accurate, but when one hits, the entire team has to brace itself with a shield. The moment they defend themselves, three more Og Nag get tossed onto the pile.

Their little group keeps having team members suddenly stop bracing the shield at the worse times. Those who do keep protecting the group, strain that much more to keep the magical barrier up. Right as another small wave of Og Nag are about to collide with the shield, four of their members look away to move a few bodies. The Og Nag hit, and the entire group is sent sailing off the wall and to the ground.

Lucretia pounds her fists onto the railing of the tower over and over. “Ugh! They need to coordinate more! We don’t have time for this!” She whirls around and searches for two of our soldiers on the ground. “You two! Get up front and help everyone! Make sure they know when to toss on a shield, and when to toss bodies!” The two soldiers salute, then book it up the wall to our remaining reloading team. A few of our other soldiers run to the group that just got tossed off and help everypony up.

I watch them closely, wanting to know how bad it is. My units look over the reloading team, examining each pony for injuries. One looks up at me and gives a slow shake of his head. The team was combat ineffective, we were now down an entire reloading team. My soldiers begin helping the ponies get back up, so they can limp to the rear of the base for medical assistance.

With only one team still active, Zaran hammers on them relentlessly. Body after body slams into their shield so much, that they can’t spare anyone to clear bodies. They close their eyes and grit their teeth. The shield flickers under the strain and the dead Og Nag collide against the shield, just to fall on this side of the wall as well.

A unicorn comes bolting past our tower, on her way to the reloading team. She has purple fur with blue eyes. Her ocean blue mane hangs down to one side, just stopping at her right knee. It whips back behind her as she gallops. On her forehead, is a silver circlet with a green gem in it. She leaps into the air and a large green bubble appears under her. She rides it to the top of the wall and stands in the middle of the group. Her horn flares black and the shield doubles in size and stops flickering. It becomes almost opaque and you can barely see what’s on the other side.

Emeris bumps my shoulder. “That’s the mare that was guarding the dimensional prison, right?” I nod and watch her curiously. None of us had seen her outside her guard position and now it was time to see what she could really do. Og Nag slam against her shield, but it doesn’t budge an inch. She stands there calmly and mutters something to the ponies. They start flinging bodies away as her shield easily takes all the blows.

I clasp my fingers behind my head. “Alright, well we’re holding out for now, but we need to start gaining soon. Anyone have ideas for how to start evening the odds? Also, this isn’t going to work forever. Eventually, they’ll exhaust their magic and we’ll be back to square one-”

We all stop and watch as a Garge flies through the air. It roars angrily and readies a massive ax for when it lands. The mare who had saved our defensive, now looks up at the Garge in horror. She tenses up and closes her eyes as her horn flares fiercely.

Lucretia starts screaming over the railing. “All of you! Pull your magic together and help-” Too late. The Garge lets out a fierce howl and slams his ax into her shield. She screams, and a fierce wind erupts to her sides. Her shield flickers a few times and she begins sliding back. The other ponies look at her in complete shock. Lucretia starts hammering the railing again. “Don’t just stand there! Help her!” Before the ponies snap out of it, the Garge brings the ax over his head and slams it into her shield. It shatters, and she’s cut in half. Her circlet, now in two pieces, falls off her head and tumbles down behind her to the ground. Part of her body, casually slides of the wall and to the ground, leaving a reds streak in its path.

Lucretia covers her mouth with her hands then bolts down the tower. Emeris and I follow her, having no idea how she’s going to react. She runs towards the wall and stares at the Garge with a mix of terror and rage. She balls her hands and holds them next to her head as she yells.

“All you had to do was listen to me! All of you! You can’t get so scared like this! It just-” She bows her head, still holding her fists next to it. The ground starts to rumble, and it seems like Zaran might have one more trick up his sleeve. When Lucretia looks back up, her irises are glowing gold and all traces of fear are gone. “None of you know what you’re doing! Not a single one of you and now our trump card is gone! I’m done being nice!” She stomps her foot and I’m forced backwards by an invisible force and some odd sense of guilt and determination. I felt terrible for not listening to her instructions and we could have saved that mare if we had just focused.

Lucretia lowers her fists to her sides and continues to scream. “You will listen to me and we are going to slaughter every single one of these little freaks!” She tilts her head back and closes her eyes. As she lets out a ferocious roar, the ground shakes violently and we’re all forced down to one knee. I can see and feel everyone. It was as if my senses had evolved past mere sight. I just knew where everyone was and what they were doing as if I had given the orders myself.

As I look back at her, Lucretia’s hair has formed golden spikes that shoot down her back. Random crackles of yellow electricity erupt all over her body. The Garge takes one look at her, jumps off the wall and starts charging her. He readies his ax and right before he goes to swing, his eyes glow yellow with red irises and he stops. He drops his ax and starts howling while holding his head. His eyes continue to change from red to gold. After falling to his knees, he lets out one more pitiful howl before his head explodes into a thousand gory pieces. Chunks of his face, thunk against the sides of our towers and we’re left in complete disbelief.

A strange sense of certainty floods my mind, as Lancercore marches to the wall in formation. Not one face looked nervous. Every head was held high and proud. Each stomp is powerful and without hesitation as if their marching was its own war drum. We had to hold the wall. We’d let them pour over and during the rough transition from jumping down, we’d slaughter them. Our archers bolt past me, all with completely blank expressions. Everyone here had irises that glowed faintly of gold, even Lancercore. There was no doubt on who was going to do their job. We were all here, ready to win.

The tide washes over, as the Og Nag that were once beyond our arrows, have been charging towards the wall this entire time. They pour over the wall, jumping down and landing on all fours. Two roughly my size, get up, look at me, then pull out their weapons before plunging them into their own faces. I see a hint of that strange gold in their eyes right until they do it. Roughly half of the Og Nag who make it over, take their own lives without flinching.

A nice sized freak pulls out his weapon and runs at me. I turn my sword, so it faces upwards behind my arm, resting flat against my tricep. He goes to swing at me, but I rotate my body into him, deflecting his attack with my sword still behind my arm, then ramming my other elbow spike into his face. An ally of his tries to impale me, but I see him coming too. I whip my sword around and parry his attack, so he sails past me. I toss my sword back to my right hand and the moment I grip it, I bring it down behind me without looking. The Og Nag pauses with my cold steel in the back of his skull. I continue to face forward, but give a rear kick with my leg, sending him flying off my weapon.

With everyone acting in complete unison, did we still have a chance against fifteen thousand Og Nag?

Chapter 52: Come Hell Or High Water part 3

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The Og Nag rampage up the bodies of dead comrades and storm over our walls. Limbs get hacked off and fall to the ground as they clash with Taraskan steel. Our soldiers yell in agony as they swipe and slash at anything that moves. Every Og Nag that lands, runs towards our buildings. Zaran was most likely planning to have his soldiers hide everywhere they can, then hit us when we’re vulnerable. Perhaps even go for a small kill when we’re not paying attention. This was quickly becoming a mess with no real backup plan.

As a little monster lands and tries to rush past me, it takes a swing with its sword at my legs. I swipe and deflect his attack, then grab him by the throat and slam him to the ground. With one solid stomp of my boot to his head, he’s gone. I look back at Lucretia who stumbles around while holding the sides of her head.

“Lucretia!” I call out. “Stop focusing on keeping us all connected! Just do what you can to slow down the Og Nag!” She’s able to stand up straight and I no longer feel everyone’s presence. Honestly though, it was a waste of energy to keep us tied together. We all knew the plan, and everyone knew their place.

Emeris jogs over to me, covered in sweat. “We can’t keep this up! We built this base to give us plenty of room and time to breath, not to be in constant melee! We have to find a way of securing that wall or we’re done for!”

I stare back at the bodies that pile up all over again and our infantry that are gradually slowing down. Lancercore stands in the back, wide-eyed and shuffling in place. The main wall even had Garges beginning to climb over. I motion for Lancercore to move up. Their commander runs up to me while glancing hesitantly at the staggering height of these monsters.

I point to both towers. “We’ve lost control. Take your guards and push the towers over. Then have your strongest lacers kick them so they’re flushed against the walls. If we can create a new choke point, we may be able to salvage this.” She salutes me with a hoof, then runs back to her guards and starts assigning ponies.

Emeris watches her and crosses his arms. “We still need to find some way of pushing them off the wall. I mean Zaran could literally fill the entire base with dead Og Nag. We have to hold them outside, not in.”

I place my hand on my hips and shake my head at the ground. “We tried that, our reloading teams are the only ones who can, and they get hammered. How do we move all of those Og Nag with no magic and without getting smashed by Zaran’s...artillery?”

A screech startles me briefly. I have just enough time to duck while swinging my sword, cutting a rather tall Og Nag in half who dared to rush me from the shadows. An arrow rushes past my head and nails another assailant in the head who tried his luck, but oddly kept quiet this time.

“Emeris, I don’t suppose we could fit a Growler with some kind of large...shovel could we?”

He shakes his head slowly. “First off, we’d need time to craft it, then we’d have to mount it, get it here, and use it. Doubt we’d be able to push that many bodies away regardless.”

I kick a severed head as hard as I can. There was no way to win, just to hold out. Even if we held them off for a bit and retreated, what then? Where do we go?

Spitfire lands in front of me. Her eyes are deep and sunken. “Sir...I have a plan. I think we can clear the wall and wipe out a bunch of Og Nag. If we time it correctly, we can make a mini tornado. Our fliers circle around at specific points. Combined with some magic from unicorns, we can create a cyclone strong enough to lift and toss units. We usually use it to clear debris after a nasty rainstorm, but there’s no reason it can’t work here.”

Emeris stares at me with his eyes stretching in fear. “If we do that, you will all be vulnerable. If Zaran counters...we’ll lose all of our recon ability as well as our best trained pony troops. If we don’t, we lose the base. This is...I don’t know sir.”

The metal tower behind me drums loudly as I beat into it with my fists. Risk all my air reconnaissance in one huge maneuver. They’d be in the air, so it was somewhat safe, but they’d be exposed and there was no way to help them. As I try to ponder our decision, Zaran forces my hand. My men on top of the towers scream, as Og Nag bodies start taking out the ballistas on top. It takes several tries, but only one body with plenty of force is enough to dislodge the ballista and the soldier.

One of my people lets out a brutal shriek, right before he hits the ground flat on his back. His hands clench a few times and he begins to get up. I take one step towards him, then the crunching of the tower he was on, snags our attention. Og Nag after Og Nag slam into the side of the tower so hard, it falls over. My soldier looks at me and reaches his hand out to me, right as he’s crushed. These towers had been upgraded with metal. There was no point in trying to dig him out this time.

I cup my hands around my mouth and call out to the other ballistas. “Get down! Get down now!” Two out of seven infantry make it down. The nearest one to me has to do a desperate leap. Two unicorns snag him in midair with magic and float him to the ground. The second, who’s a few towers down, quickly scales the outside and gets to the floor right as his ballista is torn off by bodies.

Everyone else gets taken down with the ballista or falls with the tower. Another one of my infantry tries to jump for it, but his foot catches the ledge. He doesn’t go straight like he wants and slams his head into the catwalk of the wall on his way down. He’s dead from head trauma before he hits the ground.

A pair of hands spins me around and it’s a terrified soldier. Her eyes are full of tears.

“Sir! The Og Nag that made it over! They’re lighting themselves on fire inside the towers!” My last two ballistas are stuck on top as flame creeps up the inside. Spitfire glares confidently, hunches over and leaps into the air. As she flies to my soldier, he panics and jumps to her. With a surprised scream, she collides with him in midair. In a panic, he latches onto her left wing. They both scream as they hit the ground. Several ponies run over to her. As soon as I arrive, it’s clear she’s out of commission. Her wing looks like it’s popped out of its socket, her eye is closed with a severe cut and her left leg is reversed at the knee.

Her eyes are wide with shock, but her mouth is silent. She’s picked up with magic and carried to the back of the base. Soarin and the rest of the Wonderbolts are about to leap for it when I raise my hand. Soarin sees me and motions for the rest to stop.

“Soarin, stay under cover! It’s too dangerous to go airborne right now!” His face contorts angrily, but he nods.

A deep, sinister chuckle drags us back to the wall. Upon the piles of bodies, stands an Og Nag in fully custom armor. It had to be a few inches thick at least and was fully complete except for a helmet. His eyes glow red and his mouth forms a creepy grin.

“I must say, this has been fun Lucretia, but now it’s time to show you what real psychic prowess looks like!” Dozens of Og Nag storm over the wall at once. Their eyes glow just like his. They dart in numerous directions, not taking straight paths anymore. They bolt past everyone and go straight for Lucretia. She sticks her arms out, as if she was trying to push everything away. Her eyes shut, and she starts screaming. Og Nag all over quickly draw their weapons and plunge it into their chest or throw themselves onto sharp debris. There’s no denying that more and more of those little freaks get closer no matter how fast they die.

I draw my weapon and call out to everyone as I run over. “Form up! Protect Lucretia! We’re falling back! Soarin, it’s now or never!” Soarin salutes to me from underneath a nearby catwalk and they race past us, gaining as much distance from the incoming bodies as possible. He meets up with several other pegasi and they take to the sky in a large group.

As I turn back around, a smaller Og Nag jumps for my face wielding a dagger. I grab his hand with mine and get a good grip on his throat. I use his momentum to slam him head-first into the ground. He dies instantly. Everyone who is left, surrounds Lucretia and we fall back in a large group. We slay endless scores of monsters who get through. An Og Nag as tall as me with those same glowing red eyes, runs up snarling and slashing with his weapon wildly. His eyes strobe with gold right before his head explodes violently.

Another Og Nag decapitates an ally to his left, before slamming his sword into his own eye. They keep coming though, more and more. It doesn’t take long before I’m severing limbs and skulls as fast as I can, while still staying in formation. Lucretia screams desperately from the middle of our group. “I...I can’t! There’s just too many!”

Emeris lets a few arrows fly and nails an Og Nag in the knee. The creature tumbles to the ground, tripping several others behind him. Emeris calls over his shoulder to Lucretia. “Can you just tell them to stop or something?! You don’t have to kill them, just slow them down!” Lucretia shakes her head in frustration. “If I stop controlling them, they go right back to attacking us! I don’t know if it’s genetic or if Zaran has just too much influence!”

Two Og Nag rush me. I hurl a dagger into one and shoulder slam the other in the chest. His sword scratches the back of my chest piece. I hit him in the face so hard, it crunches his skull in and he falls to the ground. The wind picks up and a sharp whistle keeps vibrating through the air. To my left, a large tornado starts spinning across the ground towards our base. The whistle turns into a roaring storm, as the entire cyclone brushes over our left wall. Bodies gradually get lifted, make a few circuits inside the cyclone, then get hurled out.

Was it going to work? Could we really retake the wall? The screeching of another Og Nag snaps me out of my hope. Before I can impale him, he jumps on the soldier to my right and stabs him in the neck. I nail the little freak in the stomach with my blade then use it to throw him to the ground. My soldier grabs his wound and gurgles with gaping eyes. I push him towards the center with Lucretia and another soldier fills in his spot.

We keep falling back, slowly moving towards the rear of the base to buy ourselves time. Once that wall gets clear, we can’t be stuck in an ocean of Og Nag. It would be easier to charge forward, decapitating them as we go, as opposed to breaking out of a Death Circle, something no Taraskan battalion wants to find themselves in. It’s just too easy to make one mistake and get a sword through the belly when you’re surrounded by swarming Og Nag.

The tornado crosses over between us and the wall. Wind pounds my helmet, making it impossible to hear. I don’t shield my eyes, as the Og Nag at least have their backs to the wind.

“Hold here! We need to be ready to retake the wall the moment it’s clear! Keep Lucretia safe at all costs!”

Right on que, Lucretia screams at the top of her lungs. “Watch the sides! They’re taking our walls of dead Og Nag and using them on the sides as ladders! I can’t stop them all, there’s too many!” We rattle in place as a vicious pounding comes from the wall to our left and right. Sure enough, all the impaled Og Nag we had set up to use as choke points, were now being used to flank us. While we were holding up on the inside, they had taken spears and reinforced those dead walls. Now they were perfect ladders. Dozens of heads start poking up around the wall.

Emeris growls angrily in place. “We just found a solution to the wall and now it’s too late?! This is ridiculous!” I watch them begin to pour over the walls, using our wooden walkways as a nice, safe place to jump down on. I pound on my shield a few times, signaling everyone to form a shield bunker. “We don’t have to hold them for long, just long enough! Let the cyclone clear the wall, then they’ll hit everything else! We’re playing for time, not kills!” A loud, angry cheer erupts and Taraskan steel clashes with Og Nag flesh.

I hand my shield to the unit behind me and skulk my way to Lucretia. She sways back and forth as her head drapes over. Two soldiers hold her upright. I stare at them on confusion. “Why is she so tired?” Lucretia points behind us to Lancercore, who has their own problem. Their eyes glow gently with gold and they take turns charging incoming Og Nag, then retreating so the second line behind them can rush. They’re able to spread out their charges so there's always room to gallop.

I nod several times, knowing Lancercore was helping take the blunt of their forces. Every time the Og Nag tried to hit us from all three sides, Lancercore would bait them then impale with lancers. The moment the gold fades from their eyes, I look to Lucretia who completely collapses to the ground. Was she seriously scouting the Og Nag, killing them and directing Lancercore at the same time?

Screams erupt from the ponies, as a few of their units hesitate right before goring an Og Nag and that’s all it takes. A pony rears back and screams as an Og Nag jumps onto his snout and stabs him in the neck. Before anypony can help him, he’s rushed by several others. With a gap in his line, there’s no one stable enough to call out orders. The next lancer rush is a slaughter.

The small hole triples in size, as spare Og Nag can now flank the lancers, stabbing them in the flank and hacking off limbs when they try to run and turn their backs to the Og Nag. With a sizable opening in their ranks, the monsters rush in. Big Mac charges out of the group, plowing through each little freak with ease. He doesn’t slow down and is quickly followed by several other lancers. I cock an eyebrow, wondering what his game is.

Big Mac runs up the stairs to the walkways and slams through the Og Nag who jump down. He keeps going, followed by three single-file lines of guards. Any Og Nag he misses, gets trampled mercilessly. I now see a flaw in how we trained them. Humans are meant to stand still, ponies aren’t. We didn’t utilize their impulses. We trained them to fight where they were, a human tactic. Ponies were much more dangerous when they run in full armor. Unable to be caught and building up tremendous force, each hit is almost a guaranteed kill or at least decommissioning the unit they hit. It only takes a few minutes as Lancercore does a full circuit, annihilating droves of monsters without even flinching. They wanted to run, so they are, and it couldn’t be better.

I clench my fists and yell loudly with the rest of my people. The tornado hits the wall and it starts raining bodies everywhere. Most corpses are flown clear of the base, with a few exceptions. Emeris hammers on my shoulder pad excitedly. “Look, they’re doing it! We can hold the base!” I scramble to the one remaining tower we have. Taking the steps two at a time, I get a chance to examine the merciless tide of Og Nag when I reach the top. As far as the eye could see, endless monsters covered the landscape. Zaran had spread them out in every direction but the back of our base. Even though Big Mac and the rest of Lancercore were running circles of death, the Og Nag kept climbing. Emeris was right, Zaran could literally fill our base with dead Og Nag and still have plenty to take Canterlot.

I start shaking and my right eye starts twitching wildly. It never ends. There’s always more Og Nag, always more death, always knocking on the doors to hell. Even the bodies around the walkway were piling up. The Og Nag weren’t rushing to get in. Zaran was sending enough units at us to keep us going at full speed, but not so many that he would lose scores. Lancercore, the Wonderbolts, even Taraskans were going to wear out eventually.

Emeris and another soldier look up at me, expecting to see my excited reaction. I simply sheath my sword and casually walk down the stairs. We went into this fight not expecting to come out of it, but it didn’t feel as noble anymore. That fire in me that burned for combat, had sizzled. Two hours. We had lasted for two whole hours while the princesses needed days. Zaran didn’t care about the lives of his units, but he wasn’t going to just waste them for the sake of it. Zaran never held back and we were about to see more of his tactics.

I don’t even look up as the screams from the Wonderbolts slam into the base and echo off every wall. Arrows whistle from the Og Nag and coat the inside of the tornado. My walk is slow and morbid, as dead pegasi plow into the dirt, kicking up dust and blood everywhere. They were coated in arrows, as they got swept up in the storm and made a few circuits, eventually nailing the ponies in flight. Each unit that hits the ground, looks like a pincushion, probably hitting even more arrows as they fall through the cyclone.

Big Mac and his train of Lanceroes finally hit their own snag. Too many bodies litered the ground for them to run. Big Mac skids to a stop when he can't get up the walkway. his units start calling out to him as Og Nag jump from the pile of dead, onto what remained of Lancercore. They kick wildly and do their best to fight back.

I look up at one of the last ballista towers behind me comes crashing down. My mouth hangs open and there’s no time to dodge. At the last second, Lucretia screams my name and tackles me. I roll across the ground and the deafening clang of metal dazzles me momentarily. Lucretia’s screams of torment snap me out of it. She clenches her eyes and pounds on the ground with her fists. Tears stream down her face and her wails of agony are unbearable. She instinctively claws at the dirt, trying to free her legs.

She shrieks over and over, eyes bulging, and her cheeks turn a dark red. Emeris runs to my side with a few soldiers and we start trying to lift it just enough to free her. We grab metal beams and start sliding them under. After getting a few pieces to use as a fulcrum, I put all my weight on the beam and hear it groan just barely. Lucretia grabs my right wrist and slaps it over and over while calling my name.

She points with wide-eyes across the base. A single Garge with no armor looks at us and starts charging. Its jaws are bizarre. Its head was similar to a crocodile, with a mouth that sticks out at least four feet, holding rows of jagged teeth. It’s deep, red iris’ lock onto me with a disturbing focus. In its hands, are two axes, but they’re highly detailed and have probably been sharpened heavily. This was no ordinary Garge, this was one bread for a single purpose: to hit us when we were vulnerable and ensure at least a few good kills. With a full swing, there’d be no blocking it. Our shields would be like lumber to that thing.

My mouth hangs open. We had maybe a full minute before it got to us. I go for my weapon, but Lucretia grabs my arm again. She does her best to speak between excruciating sobs. “You...you have to...go! He’ll...kill us all! Just go!” She sobs pitifully. There’s a figure standing behind me. Their labored breathing into a helmet sends chills down my spine. I draw my weapon and whirl around, almost beheading them. Towering above me, was Versa. My sword stops with the point just at her throat.

Versa points at the beam I’m using. “You all need to put your weight on that single piece, not spread it out. You don’t need to lift the entire tower, just the part she’s under.” Her voice is calm, but unusually compassionate.

Lucretia looks up to her, still with tears flooding out. She shakes her head and tries to speak, but all she can do is scream desperately. Versa takes a knee beside her and takes off her helmet. Versa’s skin is a dark brown, with black hair tied back in a ponytail. Her eyes are a devastating green and her lips were a faded purple. Breaking from her typically cold expression, she sets a hand on Lucretia’s shoulder.

“Lucretia, you’ve taught me how to be free, how to express what I feel. Because of you, I found my voice. Words that had been long silenced, were mine to harness. I’m proud of the warrior you have become, despite having every disadvantage. I have spent too many hours staying silent, but there is no changing that now. I wanted you to know I spent my last hours telling Hurrand exactly what I think of him, just as I’ve always dreamed. Take care little one, I will miss you.” Versa puts back on her helmet and sighs while standing up. Lucretia screams in protest over and over again, in that sad, desperate tone while crying. She claws at Versa’s ankle but is ignored. Versa takes a few steps away and stares down the charging Garge.
“Raiden, take care of Lucretia and do not forget our deal. I shall buy you as much time as I can.” Versa pounds her fist into her other hand then takes off towards the Garge.

Emeris whispers in astonishment behind me. “All this time, I coulda sworn she was pure evil.”
Versa’s feet kick up dirt as she sprints to the beast.
I turn to Emeris. “Do you...do you think she really-”
Emeris shrugs with complete confusion. “I mean it’s freakin’ Versa, but that’s an Assassin Garge, I mean...if anyone can, it’s her. No one’s ever soloed a Garge without an element though.”
Right before Versa and the beast make contact, he cocks his arm back and brings down his ax. Versa darts just barely enough to dodge but keeps moving forward. She leaps to the left as the Garge tries to send her flying with a kick. Before his leg even has time to replant itself, she charges forward and gives her best haymaker to the side of his other knee that he's using for stability. As she gives a second punch to the same spot with her other arm, the creature howls angrily. His tongue flinches in the air from his gaping mouth. He plants one foot on the ground and instinctively lifts his leg away from Versa. She changes to his other planted leg and socks the side of his knee with a straight punch

He howls with rage again and backs up. Versa doesn’t give him a chance to get free and dashes for his legs again. He tries to swipe at her with an ax but has to stop short or risk cutting off his foot. He howls as Versa jumps onto his leg and starts hammering the side of his knee over and over. He slams his ax into the ground and tries to grab her. The moment his hand is a few feet from her, she leaps off and grabs his pinkie finger. She holds onto the very end with one hand and gives a brutal uppercut to his knuckle with her other hand. Even from back at the tower, we flinch from the nasty pop that fills the air. Versa doesn’t even celebrate and is immediately back to slamming her fists into the side of his knee. He roars angrily then tries to snap at her with his mouth.

Her timing is perfect. Right as the Garge closes its jaws after a failed bite, Versa dashes to its face and slashes one of its eyes with her gauntlet spike. She keeps moving forward and is completely clear of his reach. He pants furiously but keeps his good eye locked on her. His one hand that still holds an ax, has the same eye slashed to ribbons. Getting an accurate swing when you’re blind on that side, was going to be challenging.

He limps towards Versa and swings a few times. She quickly leaps backwards, but still keeps her entire focus on him. An Og Nag jumps out of the debris behind her and tries to grab the back of her head. She ducks without looking and sails under his arms. Right as the Og Nag lands, she wraps an arm around his neck and snaps his head so he's facing her. She drops to all four like she's doing a pushup as the Garge sees an opening and almost cuts her in half with an ax. The dead Og Nag goes sailing in two pieces across the grass.

Versa starts circling him to the right, staying just out of range of his ax, but close enough where he can’t resist taking the occasional cautious swing at her. He gets one last blow in, but stumbles forward. Versa sees her opening and dashes at his already weakened right knee and gives it a furious drop kick. It makes a sickening pop and the monster lets out a high-pitched howl. Before he even has time to grab her, she jumps up to his elbow, wraps her arms around it and rams her footlong knee spike into it. The moment it pierces through, she drops down and gives another straight punch to his last knee with an angry Taraskan roar. It cracks loudly, and he has to hunch over on all fours.

Versa runs to his jaw, grabs onto it and uses it as a ledge while she swings her body up and to the left, onto his back. She stays completely vertical and upside down for a moment then slams both her knee spikes into the base of the Garge's neck.
He lets out a furious howl and rears back. Versa, unable to grab anything in time, gets thrown into the debris of a tower.

The Garge, seeing his chance, grabs both his axes and starts cleaving up the tower where Versa had landed. Pieces of metal get sheared off like butter and his weapons pass through it as if cutting through water. In just a few seconds, he’s made several incisions. He picks up what remains of the tower with both hands and peers inside. He spots a large hole in the back and before he’s even realized he’s made a mistake, Versa comes sprinting from several feet away and runs up his chest. She grabs onto the top part of his jaw and before he can pull away, she tucks her arm up to the side of her head and drives her left elbow spike straight down into his skull.

He falls back lifeless, pulling Versa with him. As he hits the ground, it sends Versa sliding across the grass head first into a small pile of wood. She gets off the ground and holds her right shoulder while looking over his corpse. She shakes off the pain and strolls over to us. Emeris gawks at her as his arms hang to the side. “You...you just took on a Garge by yourself without even having an element?!”

Versa crosses her arm and snorts quietly. “I am Taraskan. My hands are weapons and my mind is artillery. I do not need one of your elements nor do I want one." She uncrosses her arms as purple bolts start pouring out of her hands, lighting wooden debris on fire upon contact. She examines her palms and a light purple fog comes pouring off them like cooled smoke. “What is this?!”

Emeris chuckles to himself. “That’s an element. Welcome to the club.”

Versa clenches her hands and grumbles. “This feels like cheating. I do not like it.”

A Garge who was two stories all, jumps over the debris behind her and tries bringing an ax down on Versa’s head. Without even flinching or looking, she casually catches the blade in her hand so fast, I couldn't register her arm moving. Everyone stands still, as the bewildered Garge uses both hands to try and jerk his weapon free. It doesn’t even budge an inch as if it were encased in stone. Versa snaps it out of his hands with a quick tug. She tosses it in the air gently so the handle lands in her hand. With a perfectly fluid and effortless toss, she hurls the ax at his head. It makes a loud crack the moment she lets go and smashes straight through the Garge’s skull and cuts clean through the wall behind him, ending up who-knows-where before we can even see it leave her hand.

Versa examines her hands again and cocks an eyebrow. “This is...acceptable.”

Another Garge tries the same swing. She catches it in her hand but flies forward to slam the rear spike of the weapon into the beast’s forehead, despite him using every ounce of strength to stop her. The handle shatters just above his grip and the rest traveling with Versa’s hand. His eyes go wide, and his mouth hangs open. He lets go of the weapon and falls to his knees, with the ax blade stuck in his forehead, eventually collapsing backwards. Versa stares at him, before narrowing her eyes at the rest of the Og Nag who come charging at her.

At dazzling speeds, she socks an Og Nag as tall as her in the chest. Waves rocket out from impact, sending wooden debris on the ground flying away. He rockets through all the units behind him. Before his feet had even left the ground though, Versa has already slammed her fist into another approaching Og Nag. As if several thunderstorms were going off at once, Og Nag go flying with a nasty crack and slam into something that can’t take the hit.

A Garge runs at her and tries to leap with gaping jaws. Versa is under him in a flash, grabs the underside of his breastplate and slams him head first into the ground with one hand almost effortlessly as if she was having a pillow fight with the world. He hits so hard, his upper body condenses in on itself, leaving his legs to flinch randomly from his torso as if he was now a plant.

Before another Garge can even make up its mind of what to do, Versa sends it flying into the wall with a supercharged kick. The wall cracks and splits open. Like spiders, even more Og Nag pour in through the opening. Emeris shakes me from behind. “She’s destroying the base! Even if she survives, we won’t! What do we do?!” There was no denying that her strength was unfathomable. I pull out my horn and sigh before giving one long blast before a short, defeated sounding one.

We make our way to the back and Versa is all over every adversary that even comes within thirty feet. Two units carry Lucretia who is completely unconscious. As we exit through the rear gate, there’s a Growler waiting. Versa must have brought it here. I can’t even muster the energy to show surprise that she could pedal an entire Growler by herself.

As soon as everyone is loaded up, we’re off. The ramp is still down and Versa catches up to us with ease and casually hops inside. She takes a seat beside me and the purple crackling disappears. She falls over and collapses on the floor. Emeris looks over at her then meets my gaze. “Do you think Zaran did this to wear out our elements before his actual final attack? I mean my element won’t wake up, Lucretia will be unconscious for a day, Versa will probably be out for a few as well. I mean, that’s it. Now it’s up to alicorn magic.”

My eyes wander around the cabin and count the humans. Twelve. There are only twelve of us left. I pull off my helmet, hold it in my hands and let out a scream I’ve never had before. The moment my lungs are out of air, I hear the sound of thousands of laughing Og Nag, followed by my nickname.
“King of the dead! King of the dead! King of the dead!” they squealed.

Chapter 53: To Die And To Be Reborn

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Despite standing valiantly against the sky, Canterlot Palace now stood as a testament to my failure. Inside its stone walls, a few thousand restless ponies were hoping to hear some good news. They’ve undoubtedly seen how things went in Ponyville now. The plumes of smoke still rose up from our towers and a sea of Og Nag still surround it.

As we exit the Growler, it takes four soldiers to carry Versa and two others carry Lucretia. We begin the slow climb up to Canterlot. All twelve of us. No pony guards, no battalions anymore. I was now an endangered species. Were we even as hardcore as we thought? How often did we even win without some kind of magical interference? Then there was the nagging question of how many our fights went according to Zaran’s plan. Did he let us win the few times we did?

Emeris has nothing to say for once. We lost all one thousand members of Lancercore, so not even the pony guards could help us. There were maybe another hundred in the palace itself, but most of them hadn’t been trained. Every volunteer was now being devoured in Ponyville. I shudder at the thought of a few soldiers, Taraskan or Equestrian, desperately hiding in a building, watching their comrades being slowly eaten.

Emeris sighs with frustration. “What are we gonna tell Umbra when she gets back?”
I furrow my brow in thought. “What do you mean?”
Emeris looks over at me as we walk. “Aren’t her and Big Mac sort of an item? At the very least, they were super close.”

I let out a half scream of anger and grief. “Yes, just what we need. Our best Lancer is now dead and having the meat pulled off his bones. That's going to be great for morale. I also recall him being one of the more popular ponies. Well this is just great isn’t it?!” I kick a rock and send it sailing over the edge. “There’s...nothing! Nowhere to go, no fallback plan, no one to ask for help. Even if the 4th shows up right now, which they clearly haven’t, that’s still not even a hundred of us. That’s just dealing with the Og Nag too. There’s still Zaran himself and whatever horrible magic he has. Why even bother at this point? Lucretia and Versa are both down for the count and not even Cadence’s healing magic can fix them since it’s Element Shock and not actual physical injuries.”

Emeris shakes his head slowly and shrugs as he watches the path. “There has to be something. Anything. I mean maybe there’s more species we can-”

I snort as loudly as I can. “What species?! Nothing survived all this! You know as well as I do that the surrounding land was picked clean! Countless cities fell to the Og Nag! No one was warned, no one put up a fight. Even if there were like...five thousand other creatures who miraculously had both the skill and courage to fight, there’s still at least eleven thousand Og Nag down there, plus Garges. As far as I know, only Taraskans stand a chance of taking out Garges. Any battle will be a huge mess and are we just supposed to have the last twelve of us evenly spread out among the battlefield in hopes we can solo a friggin’ Garge, who by the way, always group up in pairs?!”

Emeris clears his throat and motions with his head to the last of our units behind us.
I throw my hands up in the air. “I don’t care if they can hear me! I don’t care about morale anymore! What else is there at this point?! We get to sit at Canterlot, wait to be sacked and I get to live the longest so Zaran can torture me until I snap, and he becomes all powerful. Then I’m sure he’ll finally kill me!” The clanking of metal behind us stops. Emeris and I turn around. Our soldiers start yelling as one of our people calmly walks over to the edge of the path.

I cock an eyebrow. “Allena what are you doin-” Before I can even stop her, she calmly walks off the path and she’s gone without a sound. I run over and peer down. Her body kicks up dirt as she tumbles against the steep cliffs of Canterlot.
I back up several steps and turn around. “I...but I didn’t-” Emeris hits me so hard, I fall back to the ground. Emeris clenches his hands furiously and starts shaking. “That’s why you have to care about morale! That’s why you have to care about others! If all you wanna do is complain and drive everyone to suicide, then feel free to join her! I’ll lead the army myself and even if it ends with us all dying, at least I didn’t die crying like a coward!” I point to Emeris’ hands that begin sparking with teal energy.

He examines them like a child who’s just found their lost dog. My soldiers excitedly mumble to each other. I get off the ground and watch Emeris with a new-found resolve. “Okay...okay! You know what?! Screw it, let’s see if we can find some way of getting Versa and Lucretia back on their feet! I mean with your powers alone, if you just took out the Garges, that would certainly give us a chance, right?!”

Lucretia’s voice quietly flows through the air. “If...if we can find a way to lure them up the mountain, we...might be able to save on stamina by pushing them off.” Lucretia groans and goes limp. Emeris and I exchange bewildered glances before looking at Versa. The first soldier carrying one of her legs over his shoulder, shakes his head violently. “No trust me sir, she’s out cold.” His voice is strained, but we can’t help laughing anyways.

Our cackling is cut short when we reach the palace doors. There was too much bad news and every pony in that castle needed to hear the opposite. My eyes flutter as the guards standing outside the gate watch us in horror. They knew we were all that made it and now their world was shattered. Instead of them standing at attention and composed with honor and pride, one bows his head in defeat and the other sits on her haunches staring across the land.

We walk silently past them and the double doors creak like a guillotine as all eyes watch us eagerly. When the clicking of the doors echoes behind us, those excited eyes turn to despair. They widen, fill with tears and take them to a land far away. As I try to look at the floor while walking forward, I notice the blood splattered across my armor. I couldn’t even remember who’s it was, let alone the species it belonged to.

A young colt trots up to us confused. “Where’s the Honor Guard?” His little voice bites into my ears. I hear him looking around concerned. “General, where’s my parents? They said they were going to defend Ponyville and save us from the monsters.” He was so certain that they were coming back that there’s not even fear in his voice yet. My feet glue themselves to the floor and tears start to trickle down my cheeks.

War, this is all it ever does. It always bothered me how in stories everyone is so eager to go to battle for valor, for victory, for pride. If you had ever truly been to war, seen the death and agony of it all, you’d stave it off until it came knocking at your door. It was the illness that there’s no cure for. Our species always found a way to spill blood. When that sickness encompasses entire countries though, they act like it’s some reason to celebrate. Everyone rallies with cries of “Support our troops!”, but deep down, those of us that have to drag cold steel over bare flesh, we hate it. Our reply will always be something patriotic, but in the back of our minds, there’s always that nagging question of why.

Why does anyone have to fight to begin with? Is there not plenty of land to share? Do we not have enough words to reach an agreement? What possible reason could you have to slaughter one another? I had seen countless forests and barren landscapes covered in ash and blood. I could see fighting for survival, but that never seemed to be the case. Hurrand was known for finding any reason to threaten another country with combat, just for the sake of his own ego.

What possible reason could Zaran have to fight? He clearly wants more power, but he was already so unstoppable. What could even more power do for him? What could possibly be worth all this?

We stop outside the throne room. “Take Versa and Lucretia into the back and don’t stop for anything. See if Cadence can help speed up their recovery.” Emeris pushes open the double doors and we quietly walk in.

The upper royalty and several socialites look us over eagerly. Luna’s face quickly drains when she sees the complete lack of lancercore personnel. Celestia nibbles on her lower lip. “Did you...win at least?”

Emeris lowers his head then shakes it slowly. “Not even close. I think Zaran killed more of his own units than we did.”
Luna recoils and narrows her eyes in confusion. “What do you mean by that?”
I can’t resist letting out a low growl. “Zaran hammered our main wall with his own Og Nag. As soon as they were built up, he climbed over them and we got overwhelmed. He even nailed our ballistas with them.”

Shining’s mouth hangs open in disgust. “He...he seriously used his own soldiers like that?!”
Emeris looks up and crosses his arms. “Think of it this way Shining, he can just build more, and moral isn’t an issue for him. Using his own troops as artillery is a new tactic, so we’re still not sure if these are the same Og Nag we fought on Nova or if Zaran merely adopted them. We have virtually no intel on the original Og Nag, but these ones seem a bit sloppier. We’re used to fighting ones that at least have decent weapons and armor.”

Shining closes his mouth and swallows. “I hate to ask, but what about Lancercore? How many survived?”
I take off my helmet and hold it under my arm. Sweat rolls down my face and my legs are ready to buckle. “None that we know of. There’s a chance some made it out, but we had to retreat immediately. As of right now, the twelve of us and your royalty, are all that stands between the last eleven thousand Og Nag-”

Screams erupt from every room and it’s utter chaos. Ponies run around trying desperately to gather their stuff. Shining stares across the room, as if he could see through the walls themselves. His eyes bulge and water up while he slowly lowers his flank to the ground. Celestia closes her eyes and inhales slowly. Her horn flares and the double doors behind us slam close. “Raiden...I don’t know what to do anymore. I’m tired of Zaran always beating us at every turn. Is there nothing we can do? Does anypony have any last ideas?” The room is uncomfortably silent, except for the horde of screams across the palace.

Luna motions to me with her head to join her in a hallway. As we walk, she has to retrain her face from forming a deep frown. “Alright Raiden tell me everything you know of these Og Nag. What about the ones from your world? Are they the exact same?”

I lean against the railing that overlooks the land as Luna stands next to me with a blank expression. “The Og Nag we fought on Nova were worse. They usually were the size of people and had decent armor on. These Og Nag seem to mostly use weapons, but the ones on our world would go for literally anything. They’d make you lock weapons with them, just to suddenly drop their sword and lunge at your throat with those rows of jagged teeth. They also seemed more independent. They didn’t quite stick into huge groups as often.”

Luna groans with her mouth closed. “Is there something we’ve missed? Some tiny hint that could help us? Even if we defeat these Og Nag with magic, what about Zaran? I saw him use his magic a few times. He is certainly no push over, but perhaps, just perhaps he is no match for an alicorn?”

I go back to staring off and bow my head. “Zaran has to have some kind of plan for you all. I don’t know if he has some kind of device, or if he plans to take you on himself, but he’s definitely not messing around. If I could just surrender myself to him and be done with it, I would, but he’d certainly just destroy everything afterwards.”

Luna’s head snaps to me and her eyes widen with anger. “I would never allow such a thing! If this is the end, it will be together, do you understand?!”

I turn and face her, leaning against one of the pillars connected to the walkway. “I don’t know what to do Luna. I’m literally an endangered species now. We need an army and one isn’t going to just suddenly appear out of nowhere. Even if we did get an army, there’s still Zaran himself and we don’t even know the full extent of his powers.”

Luna cocks an eyebrow. “Wait a minute...why didn’t he use his Timberwolves on Ponyville? They were highly effective and borderline indestructible if I recall, but we haven't seen them since. Isn’t that odd? You’d think he’d just need a few dozen to take out an entire army.”

My eyes narrow in concentration. “Hey...that’s true. Are there maybe limits to what he makes? Some kind of time until they either die or wear out? What if these Og Nag he has, have an expiration date? That could be why he’s pushing so hard so fast.”

Luna bites her bottom lip gently with excitement. “Maybe...just maybe we can keep stalling for time. If a straight fight is out of the question, then it reasons that’s all we can do is play for time. Who knows, maybe something will change in our favor.”

Luna and I are suddenly distracted by the forest several miles from Canterlot. The birds scatter out in droves as their natural home is disturbed. Luna sighs with frustration. “Okay now what? He already has all eleven thousand Og Nag grouping up from Ponyville, what else could he possibly need to bring?!”

I give a small shrug. “I don’t think it matters anymore. We either stall for time- wait, why hasn’t Zaran attacked us yet?” Below us, the Og Nag form up in battalions but don’t take a step towards Canterlot.

Luna leans closer, studying the swarm of monsters then narrows her eyes. “I think we’re about to get our first break.”
I rub my face with a hand. “Unless it’s another ploy.”

Luna stops watching the land and casually creeps under my arms, leaning her head against my chest. I gently grasp her ear with my fingers and massage her neck with my other hand. She lets out a frustrated sigh. “Do you think Zaran is actually as smart as he seems? Did he actually plan this out, or do you think he just takes credit for things going his way?”

I chuckle lightly and kiss the top of her head. “That’s true, I mean Starswirl said he potentially had several lifetimes inside the negazone to plan this all out, but can one being actually have predicted all this? Maybe it’s closer to him having a lot of different side plans that he was holding onto that were just flexible to make it seem as if it was all going according to his plan.” Luna takes her head back and looks into my eyes. She gets on her hind legs and gives me a quick peck on the lips before turning and walking back into the hallway. I follow her and we suddenly walk into a shouting match between Celestia and Emeris.

Emeris has his hands balled and is screaming at the top of his lungs. “That’s the only chance your people have! If they stay here, it’s certain death! At least with my way some of them will make it!”

Celestia lets out a loud, condescending scoff. “I’m not going to watch from my tower as my people are teleported below and try to make a mad dash in every direction!”

Emeris gives a massive shrug. “As opposed to what? Them getting the pleasure of hiding in their rooms as Og Nag flood the palace and execute them one by one? Assuming they even get the luxury of dying immediately! You know Og Nag get hungry sometimes-”

Celestia gets in his face and her horn flares. “That’s enough! We will stay here and think of something! I am not abandoning my people to random chance! I have been through too much to just assume it’s all over!”

Luna runs up to the pair and holds up a hoof. “Easy now. Raiden and I have been talking and there’s been some developments. First off, Zaran is consolidating his forces, but he’s not attacking us as of yet. There is also something coming this way from the forest, but we don’t know what. Lastly, we find it odd that Zaran did not use his Timberwolves while attacking Ponyville. We think that perhaps there is a time limit on his forces. We suggest playing for time as much as possible.”

Emeris pants heavily, but still has a look of intrigue. “That wouldn’t surprise me. I’ve never seen anything that’s built quickly and to last.” He turns to Celestia. “Very well, so we wait and see how things play out. We can use the steep cliffs of Canterlot to our advantage possibly. As far as Zaran himself goes...we’ll cross that bridge when we get there I guess.”

Celestia and Emeris lock eyes and there’s one last spark of rage before they walk away.

Chapter 54: The Last Stand

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In my mirror, I see a man who has lost everything. A zoo might as well be my home now. Cartridge apparently had a zoo, according to Emeris, a place where they keep different animals for people to look at. Sitting in a cage all day, with random people staring at you. Day after day, night after night, never leaving. This was Equestria to me, just a place where every creature can gawk at my existence.

I open the drawer to my right and pull out my crown. King of the Dead, that’s who I am now. The brown paint still clung to it. I retrieve the small knife from my boot and gently carve away the paint. What I can’t scrape off, I use saliva and my thumb to rub. The glossy black material shines through, but what once brought me great pride, now felt like a thousand daggers in my stomach. It still fits and actually matches my suit of armor. Even if we magically got an army and a huge surplus of magic, there were going to be heavy losses...again. There’s always heavy losses.

When was the last time we actually even won a battle? Did we really win, or did Zaran simply let us think we did? Luna’s question rolls around in my head. Could Zaran actually plan everything that happened, or did he simply have a general plan that he adapted as he went along? Whatever was coming through that forest, Zaran was turning to face it. One last battle to end them all. There would be no hiding in the palace now. If we were to make a final stand, it was now with whatever was coming. No military strategy to plan out, no proper chain of command. It was the royalty and the last twelve humans left alive, excluding whoever might be left in Taraska Castle.

The dagger still has brown paint on it as I examine the blade with candlelight. The curtain is drawn, and my door is closed. Just one little candle lighting the entire room. Zaran wants me and only me. So, what if I took away his objective? What if I just slide this piece of metal across my neck and end it? No more fighting, no more dying. Equestria would certainly be free. Even if my death changed nothing, I would be free though. If it took more than roughly five or so minutes for Cadence to find me, there would be no bringing me back. Could Zaran resurrect me as an Og Nag?

My mind is violated by the image of my short auburn hair, with green eyes and a smile that goes from ear to ear with all my jagged teeth sticking out from under my lips. Is anything left of the creature that was before? I set the knife on the table, not even wanting to imagine life as an Og Nag. If Zaran wants me alive, why has he allowed his Og Nag to try and kill me? Perhaps he knows cadence will revive me or maybe he even has his own methods.

I pick up the blade and hurl it into the door. It sticks into it for a few seconds then falls to the ground. I didn’t even have the power of suicide. How many creatures in this existence can say that? The wooden chair I sit in, screeches back as I stand up angrily. I grab the chair and hurl it across the room. My mirror cracks into a hundred pieces after I slam my fist into it. So, what if we were finally receiving reinforcements? Let’s say we somehow slaughtered every last Og Nag. Was there any chance we could stop Zaran himself? He had to have something in store for the princesses.

I quietly open the door and Emeris leans against the wall to my left. He has his hands clasped in front and motions with his head for me to follow him. Sporting my black crown instead of my helmet, I’m almost rejuvenated wandering the halls with him. Emeris and I walk slowly across one of the outside paths. Emeris holds his hands behind his back.

“Do you ever think about Captain Magus? Back when the three of us were four?”

There was no way to stifle the grumble that escapes my mouth. “He may have been the quietest one out of us, but when he spoke, it was nothing but pure gold. Did he ever do that thing where you ask him for advice, and he responds with something that completely reshapes your mentality? I once asked him about a situation where one of my soldiers was responsible for knocking over a keg of lamp oil. Took us days to clean it all up. I couldn’t make up my mind whether to punish him or not. Like someone had to take blame. You know what he told me? ‘There is no room for blame, there’s simply consequences for everything. You don’t need to blame someone, you just need to make sure it stops happening. I ended up giving the kid a break and just made sure not to stash the barrels in the middle of a hallway. Solved the problem entirely.”

Emeris nods and gives a light chuckle. “He was way too calm in combat too. Like you’d see the guy repeatedly take one step, swing his weapon and his opponent died. It was rare to see him move his feet more than a few times. It was like he just instantly knew what people and Og Nag were going to do. Never missed stabbing between armor pieces, never miscalculated. All for him to get executed by his own Kingdom.”

I slam my fist down on the stone railing. “He died just so Hurrand could punish me. Versa killed him...right in front of me. Just to punish me for the offensive he screwed up!”

Emeris stops behind me so I whirl around to face him. His eyes are bulging and his mouth quivers. “I...I never knew how he died. You never told us. After the “trial” you just...stopped talking and we never brought it up. I had no idea it was Versa...how...how are we supposed to let her in our ranks knowing that?! You know Lucy was closer with him than either of us were! How do you think she’s going to take this?!”

I motion with my hand at the forest that was a few miles away. “In case you forgot, we still have a war on our hands! I don’t care what anyone has done! What matters is here and now! And right now, we still haven’t made a decision about what to do! We have possible friendlies coming in, but there’s only twelve of us! If we’re going to survive, we need to be down there coordinating their forces! Old issues need to be left in Taraska! I’ve never had so few options in my life and you want me to give a damn about the past?! Will any of those issues matter if we’re dead?! Hell, I still don’t know what Zaran even has planned for me! He might even resurrect me as an Og Nag just to humiliate me!”

Lucretia pops her head over the railing above us. “General Raiden! You have to come see this!” Emeris and I bolt through the palace, racing down every set of steps, even sliding a few times. We emerge into the throne room and Celestia, along with everyone else in the room, stares into this large, silver orb that hovers a few feet from the ground. Celestia looks over at me momentarily. “This is an Orb of Sight. It lets me look almost anywhere on the planet as long as I can picture the location in my mind. I hesitated using it before since I didn’t know if Zaran could spy on us through it.” She points a hoof at the orb. “Look closely.”

Zaran’s units rush to confront the forest as our mystery army finally reveals itself. Lucretia puts her hands on the sides of her head. “There’s no way! Where did they come from?!”

Emeris covers his mouth with his right hand. “This changes everything! I...I think our theories are confirmed then! That’s why he stopped using the Timberwolves! That’s why he keeps sending his units to die!”

Running out of the forest, were thousands of Og Nag. They move a bit less aggressively than their counterparts. Zaran’s forces and these other Og Nag collide in the field and there’s no holding back. Numerous units jump into each other, swinging their swords or biting where they can. Tumbling out of the forest behind them, are even Garges. They roar before charging into the field, swinging axes left and right. One of Zaran’s Garges runs up and tries to behead the behemoth. He ducks and avoids the ax, jumps onto the other Garge and rips a mouthful out of his shoulder.

Luna gawks at the sight while the room is filled with silence. “That...so he can only control them for a limited amount of time then?! Or maybe they build up an immunity! This...this is huge! If we’re going to fight, it has to be now!”

I turn to Luna eagerly. “Can you fly us down there real quick?! You and the other magic-casting royalty need to stay up here for now! Us twelve might be able to even the odds a bit! I mean they’re still outnumbered four to one, but we can at least toss up a good body count! Cadence can you lend us some of your healing if it’s just us twelve?!” Cadence nods excitedly and follows us as we blaze to the front of the palace.

“General Raiden!” Shining calls my name from the throne room. I skid to a stop as my people rush by me. Shining motions for me to follow him around the corner in a hurry. As I round the corner, Shining looks around frantically to make sure no one else is listening. “Look I...I’m sorry to spring this on you, but...Cadence can’t go with you! She’s been under enough stress as it is.”

I give Shining a black stare. “You...stress?! Stress?! Are you kidding me?! You don’t even know the meaning of stress you petty piece of-” Shining gets an inch from my face, but his eyes are wide and scared. He keeps his voice to a frantic whisper. “Cadence is pregnant! I...she won’t admit it and she’d rather headstrong, but I’m worried that this might not be good for our child! I’m sorry I know I’m...asking the impossible, but she can’t go with you! She has to rest!”

I run my fingers through my hair, and I can feel the blood leaving my face. “Shining...if we can’t do this, there won’t be a place for your child to exist anyways…”

His face twists and contorts wildly. “I….I have faith you can do this! If you need to retreat, I’ll pull you out myself! Just...please just let my wife stay out of this!”

I drag my fingertips down my face but nod reluctantly. While trying to catch up to my units, I almost bump into Cadence who has a suspicious frown on her face. “Raiden, what’s going on?” Shining walks up to her and keeps his voice low. As I run to the double doors, I hear Cadence and Shining get into a screaming match.

Luna stands with my people at the edge of the cliff. I stop and survey the battlefield.

“The Og Nag that just came in are definitely less aggressive. The only way we can tell who is who is by waiting to be attacked.”

Emeris grumbles to himself and crosses his arms. “That’s assuming they don’t want to kill us though. Just because they’re fighting Zaran doesn’t mean they’re friendly.” I give Luna a nod and we’re all enveloped in a blue glow. My stomach turns to knots the moment my legs are dangling below me to a rapid thousand-foot drop.

A gasp forces its way from my lips, as Luna dives to the ground with us in tow. My skin is covered in pin pricks moments before we stop. She lands gracefully and each Taraskan is let loose with a small pop of our individual bubbles. Luna looks around eagerly while biting her lip. I step in front of her gaze and point back up to the mountain.

“Luna I’m sorry but we need you in reserve. If Zaran throws some wild card, we might need you at the ready to pull us out.” Her face crumbles into a rage and she stomps a hoof on the ground. With a sudden snap of her wings, she takes off and soars back up to the ledge. My people gather around, glancing nervously at the chaos ahead.

“Alright, here’s the score: don’t get too involved. Help their units push ahead, cut down Garges, but let them do most of the work. We’ll call the new Og Nag neutrals for simplicity. Assuming these are the last of Zaran’s forces, we still have Zaran himself to deal with and I get the feeling he’s no push over. Let me go in first to test their temperament then follow my lead.”

I turn around and face the battle ahead. My shield stays in front of me, but I make my way along the right flank, showing I’m pushing with the neutrals. A few eyes dart to me, but I’m mostly ignored. An Og Nag my size runs at me, screeching and with a sword. I duck down and slam my shield into his legs. He topples over me and lands on his back. Before he can get back up, I stab him in the forehead. With a foot on his skull, I pull out my weapon with a plop.

A pair of angry, green hands grabs my shoulder blades. I instinctively drop my sword and grab under his jaw before he can pull out flesh from my neck. I stagger backwards with a ferocious pair of teeth biting wildly at me. The moment I gain my footing, I kick him in the stomach. As he doubles over, I rear my head back and slam my head spike into his skull.

After picking up my sword, another Og Nag, slightly taller than myself, has a flail and whirls it above his head while howling. My shield just barely gets shifted in time and a horrible clang makes my ears ring. Right as I retrieve my sword in-between hits, a neutral jumps up and lobs off his hand, making his flail go flying across the field. He has enough time to stare up at his stump before I sock him in the stomach, then grab his head and give him a last look at the sky, followed by a loud crack from his neck.

The neutral has his small shield and sword at his side. While he doesn’t threaten me, there’s a look of anger and confusion on his face. He searches my eyes and I can’t resist flinching. His iris and pupils are massive and a sickening bright green. Despite being half my size in every respect, save for his head, my hand screams at me to end him. My hand twitches with my sword in it and his eyes dart to it without moving his head. They immediately go back to watching me.

He leans his head back as an ax goes sailing by, cutting off the very tip of his nose. He doesn’t cry out or even seem to care. I look over as a crazed Og Nag runs at him. He casually turns to face it and hurls his sword into his adversary’s stomach. The creature makes a gagging sound and drops his two axes. The neutral runs at him, jumps into the air and tucks his legs in while spinning. He lands on the creature’s back and rips out a section of his neck. Before the beast even hits the ground, another neutral runs by and yanks the sword out.

Without giving me another look, he hops off the Og Nag and runs back into battle. Emeris startles me from behind. “That was...weird. Are they individuals now? Do they remember...anything?” Every part of me had questions, but as usual there was no time to ask. Emeris pulls out his bow and nails two Og Nag on my right. “They’re swinging around to hit our right flank and surround the front line!” I motion in the air for my soldiers to follow up with me. Glancing over my shoulder, one of my people cries out as a neutral climbs on his back then over his head. It leaps off and continues running towards the battle ahead.

“Sir, they’re not easy to work with!” he cries out with rage. I give a small nod then turn back to the combat. An Og Nag runs at me with his weapon pointed at my stomach. I deflect his sword to the left, tuck my right arm to my chest and slam my elbow spike into his face. I spin with him to my left, using his momentum to pull my spike out as he sails past me. I quickly spin all the way around so I'm facing forward again. He collides with the ground and tries to get up weakly but gets several stabs from neutrals before he’s even a foot off the ground.

These neutrals had no sense of tactics, so it was time to improvise. If they were going to finish everything off, then there was no need for me to waste extra effort. A pair of teeth comes charging at me. I duck to the left and sweep my leg into his. He goes flying behind me but gets his head lobbed off before he lands. Two more come barreling at me. I hurl my sword into the first one’s chest then slam everything I have into him, ramming his friend behind him to the ground. I pull out my sword and take a step back. He pushes off his ally and squeals as sever neutrals descend on him. It’s not instant as he endures his ear, eye and part of his jaw being ripped off before getting a merciful thrust to the chest.

My soldiers start copying me and focus more on destabilizing their opponents than actually putting in the effort for a killing blow. We push hard and fast, keeping only six feet from each other. No matter how hard the Og Nag push, they can’t gain any ground. There’s no locking of shields or swords since each enemy is temporarily stunned and sent flying behind us.

Two more monsters charge me. I slam my shield to the left and slice my sword across his stomach but keep it there like an ax. He stops but his ally doesn’t. He collides with him and is temporarily on his back. I cut off both their heads with one blow as soon as I whip around my sword. A small claw scratches my back armor. I instinctively swing my sword around and behead a neutral who tries to scoot past me. I freeze as three other neutrals who are running by stop and stare at me.
There’s brief hesitation as they look over the scene. I hold up my sword and shield apologetically, letting my facial expression do the apologizing. Luckily, they decide to ignore it and keep moving.

Emeris comes sprinting up to me. “Behind us! It’s an ambush!” I whirl around and slam my shield into the ground. Neutrals run past me as a new breed of Og Nag comes bursting from the forest. They were huge and angry. Four hooves pound the dirt and colossal horns stick out from either end of its skull. Long hair covers its body but can’t disguise the sheer muscle and power it possesses.

“Form up! Dodge and slice! Don’t let them wreck our frontline!” I scream to my people.

Chapter 55: Not One Step Back

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The beast stops and stares at me, as if sizing me up. This thing was almost twice the size of a typical warhorse and built like an ox. Several other similar looking creatures line the forest edge, watching us quietly. Emeris runs up behind me. “Sir, what do we do?!”

I take a deep breath and grind my teeth. “Nothing, we’re sandwiched! This must have been what Zaran was planning! Keep holding the front, we can’t let the Og Nag wrap around us, or we’ll be overrun!” The first beast exhales angrily through its large nostrils. His fur is a dull gray and his hooves are caked in mud and blood. Several of his kind walk up and whisper in his ear. Still, he watches us silently without moving his head.

As I glance behind me, my infantry are doing a decent job of keeping the Neutrals moving forward. A few were even baiting Og Nag attacks just so they can get blitzed from the sides by our newest allies. Still though, it was only a matter of time until Zaran turned the tables. Emeris runs back and forth behind our people, calling out if there are any gaps and slaying stray Og Nag. He directs everyone, points out new strategies and lets me do my job of wondering how the hell we’re going to get out of this mess.

The gray creature continues to stare, almost as if it can’t make up its mind. My teeth grit as its allies spread out several feet from him and stand evenly spaced in a line. Steam pours from his nostrils and he stomps the ground. Every muscle in my body tenses up as I wait to fight a new enemy with nothing more than the twelve infantry at my back. He lowers his head and charges at me with a ferocious roar. The rest of his kind do the same in one massive tidal wave of horns and hooves.

The ground shakes wildly and for a moment I panic when I realize just how far out his horns stick. Right before impact, I leap to the side and slash at him as he tramples by. My sword catches so much of his hair, it only removes strands. He skids to a stop and whirls around.

Several more of his kind rush past us, ignoring our little duel, but still eyeballing me. I call out to my people, but there’s not enough time. Most of them are able to at least avoid being rammed, but still get caught by a stray horn. My adversary comes around again for another pass. Once again, I sidestep, but he tilts his head towards me almost anticipating my move. His horn catches my shoulder with a loud ping and makes me stumble backwards. My hands flail impulsively to catch my balance. I can barely plant my feet before he whirls around and hits me dead on. My only option is to jump and hold on to his horns, hoping his neck isn’t strong enough to take my weight.

He pushes me for several feet while I try desperately to dig in my heels. He rears his head up and I see my chance. Before he can charge me forward, I pull myself up using his horns and try to dig my knee spike into his throat. He rotates his head just enough to where it barely cuts his skin, brings his head back a bit and rams my chest. My feet dangle helplessly as I fly back again. The moment I land, a lucky side roll is all that saves me from one final gore. With luck on my side, only one of him is going after me. Unfortunately, the rest of his kind go on an indiscriminate killing spree. They ram both Og Nag, Taraskans and Neutrals mercilessly. Nothing seems to slow them down or scare them. They clearly weren’t Og Nag at least.

Back on my feet again, it’s clear fighting this thing in the open was a bad move. I dart for the trees and swing behind one with enough time to hear the gray beast trample past me. The dirt kicks up behind me as I keep heading further into the forest with no support and an absolute behemoth that’s almost as bad as a Garge on my tail. It rapidly gets darker with plenty of leaves overhead. The hair covering his eyes would theoretically give me an advantage in the dying light. I round another tree a few feet wide and wait. Instead of charging, he circles it. His irises are a light brown and full of rage.

I keep my shield ready in case he has any surprises for me. He holds me in his glare as we both maneuver around the tree. The distant sound of battle keeps calling me, but I’d be a dead man before I even got there. As if a sword was being twisted in my gut, the image of my soldiers desperately looking for my guidance and instead getting swallowed by combat, is a constant plague in my mind.

He suddenly rams the tree and a loud crack pierces through the forest. I clench my teeth and bolt. Over my shoulder, he plows through the tree with one last bash and is immediately in pursuit. Once I make a sharp left, I look over my shoulder and see a flaw. He has to almost stop just to turn. While he could easily make up a few feet with a swing of his head and mighty horns, he had very little maneuverability at ramming speed.

The clanking of my armor while in a dead sprint, is a slight comfort, until the ferocious pounding of hooves and angry grunts get progressively louder. Emeris and the cow strangely come flooding back into my mind.
“The way their joints work, they can’t go down steep hills. They have to make gradual zigzags. I mean they’d also topple over since they can’t easily shift their weight.”

I leap to the left and the beast is able to scrape the tip of his horn against my back armor. He tilts towards me and his legs slide, kicking up grass and leaving a trail of dust. Before he’s stopped, I’ve already taken off. The chance I’ve been waiting for, beckons me desperately. Behind me, the beast is grunting even louder than before. I beg my legs for every last ounce of speed they can give me. He lets out a mighty roar before ducking his head. At the very last second. I dive to the ground on my right and gladly eat dirt. Instead of watching where he’s going, all the rage I’ve filled him with keeps his eyes locked on me. He lets out a surprised yell as he tumbles down a small hill.

Air is barely able to fill my lungs as I keep having to spit out dirt. The second I’m able to, I’m on my feet and bolting down the hill. There’s a large cloud of dust and I can’t see where the beast ended up. This was my chance; this won’t work a second time. With my sword raised and my shield at the top of the hill, I charge into the dust, flinching at every random shape on the ground that even looks like fur. There’s hoof prints all over the dirt but no sign of my opponent. I scream as a pair of horns lung at me from seemingly nowhere. My sword goes flying as I get launched into a tree. My armor clanks loudly on impact and I fall to the ground in defeat.

The sky spins around me, painted with tiny dots that burst in and out of existence in fractions of a second. My chest muscles are tight, and my brain is barely able to keep me conscious. The beast blocks the sun as he towers over me. Drool coats the coarse, gray hair around his mouth. A burst of hot steam pours from his nostrils. Through all the hair covering his face, two beady tan and furious eyes glare down at me.
“You destroy yak’s home! You hurt yak’s kind!”

I groan weakly and shake my head. “That...wasn’t us.”
His face curls up into a snarl and he stomps his left hoof on my chest. “Yak not stupid! You fight with little angry creatures! You work with angry green creatures! Yak’s home in flames!” He bows his head then plows into my side, sending me flying several feet. My arms and legs flop around helplessly as I roll across the dirt. I pant wildly and get on all fours. The monster roars and I have enough time to roll forward and to his left. He kicks up grass as he sails by.

I stagger to my feet and look up as he paws the ground. He raises his head slightly when I hold out my hand.
“I’m not your...enemy!” I wince and cradle my side. “Look, the monsters attacking us are called Og Nag! They’re the ones who hurt your people!” Another of his kind carefully navigates his way down the sides of the hill and joins his side. His hair is the color of chocolate, with several random strands of tan. He turns to his gray friend. “Creatures are fighting other creatures. Yak confused who is who.” The gray one nods and walks up to me, looking my body over curiously. He pokes my stomach with his hoof. “What are you, little creature?”

My jaw clenches down and I try to muffle my groan. “I’m a human. We...it’s a long story. We need to fight off the other Og Nag, the ones attacking towards us. Celestia and the others are holding up in the palace for safety.”

The gray one nods slowly then pats his chest with a hoof. “Names Yogu. We are yaks. Yaks very powerful. We save puny creatures!”

The brown one laughs once condescendingly. “Now little ponies need us. Yaks destroy everything before big jerk birds get here!”

I blink at him several times and widen my eyes slightly. “Big...jerk birds?”

They take off before answering me, shouting triumphantly as if we’ve already won. Did they have any real military experience, or were they mindless brutes who have no idea just how bad things can get? I snatch my sword from the dirt with what little energy I still had. Each step up the hill felt like a hike all its own. My back muscles were obliterated, and my chest constantly felt like there was a bear sitting on it.

We were so far back in the forest, that I couldn’t even see the fighting going on. I waddle between the trees, hoping the pain will subside soon. If there was still a battle, it’s being drowned out by the ringing in my ears. Did we actually have a chance at this point? There were still more Og Nag near Canterlot than I could see. Zaran could very well just be baiting us to see what we have available.

A few sticks crack behind me and my blood turns to ice. There was no way in hell I could defend myself after my row with Yogu. I slump against the tree and look over my shoulder. Cy is still wearing his wedding attire but with his metal chest piece on. He’s covered head to toe in blood and stumbles towards me. He has nothing but a simple dagger on his hip and his eyes see through me for many miles.

One last step and he falls face-first into the grass. With one hand on my stomach, I shamble over to him trying not to put too much weight on my right leg. “Cy...talk to me Cy…” I can barely even get the words out. I doubted he could even hear me. My legs get me just close enough to collapse next to him. I shake his shoulder gently and he rolls onto his back, staring up at the trees. “I...I found a way...to end the war. Zaran found it first. There was...it was a slaughter.” I look over my shoulder hoping that someone or something was around to help me move him. Blood starts pooling under him and soaks the dirt. Upon lifting his shirt, there’s a few layers of cloth wrapped around his midsection; they’re completely drenched.

His eyes flutter and he swallows a few times. “They’re called Griffons. Half...lion half eagle. I knew they’d change everything. They’d be more brutal assault troops than the Wonderbolts.” He coughs and sprays my face with blood. “But Zaran found them while I was still explaining the situation. They underestimated the Og Nag and...it was over.” His eyes close and he takes a deep, but painful breath. “Zaran...more are coming. They’re...they’re unstoppable.”

My hands hover over his chest and shake relentlessly. “When are they coming here? Can we still set up-”

Cy shakes his head and points at the sky. “They’re already here, sir.” Large shadows slip across the ground and a creeping cold slithers up my back. I shake my head a few times in disbelief. “He...he killed these Griffons and already made Og Nag out of them?!”

Cy lets his head fall to the left and looks me in the eyes. “No...it was something else. A creeping shadow. She spread like the plague and before long, the Griffons killed each other. They...they went absolutely mad. They tore each other to pieces. I...I barely made it out. I wanted to warn you. It took forever to get back here and I have no idea where my wife is.” He reaches up and grips my arm. “I didn’t want to let you down, sir.” A loud thud to my left makes me shudder. I beg the heavens it’s friendly. My head cautiously turns on pure instinct and my mouth hangs open.

This...creature, it was a walking horror. It had a head twice the size of mine, but as an eagle like Cy said. It has one eye right in the middle above its beak. There are two other eyes on each side of its head, one pointing to the side and another that could easily see behind it. There was no iris, just a solid mass of black and a hint of reflective crimson. Its feathers were a metallic gray and a green slime slowly pools out from its mouth. The fur on its lower body was a dark brown and covered in massive slashes. What was once a long tail, had clearly been bitten or torn off. On its paws, were massive talons. Colossal wings on its back meant there would be nowhere to go once it locks on to you.

It lets out a screech that threatens to shatter my eardrums. While having the normal sound of an eagle, there’s a deep roar of what must be a bear mixed in. These aren’t Griffons anymore; they truly were abominations. The monster lunges towards me. With no stamina and in colossal amounts of pain, all I can do is sit and watch the beast mindlessly. It leaps into the air, locking those dead black eyes on my face.

I hear someone yell and at the last second, the monster gets rammed and rolls across the ground with a screech. Big Mac stands in front of me panting wildly. Half his helmet has been tore off and he’s covered in dirt. He stumbles to the left and right but keeps his glare fixed on the creature. It gets off the ground and seems to be looking at me while cautiously eyeing Big Mac. He quickly gets between me and the beast. A small amount of blood trickles down his back-left leg. The monster roars and lunges at him. Big Mac steps back rapidly, using his helmet ax to deflect every claw swipe. Sparks shower the ground and leave small smoke plumes where they land.

The creature rears back on its legs to lunge again. The moment it does, Big Mac charges forward and rams it, leaving a nasty gash that goes from its shoulder to mid-way down its chest. It stumbles back and crumples over, shielding its wound. It gets back on all fours in a few seconds, shakes its head a few times then begins circling me and Big Mac. Big Mac keeps himself between us while I go for the knife in my boot, but it’s bent inside the small scabbard. My legs refuse to let me get up and help. I'm just a crumpled mess, hoping Big Mac doesn't lose his nerve.

The creature stalks the ground, keeping itself low and ready to pounce. It springs at Big Mac. He ducks and darts to the side, giving the thing a nasty double kick with his hind legs. Again, it goes tumbling across the ground. Behind it a few feet is Cy, who lays motionless from either his wounds or trying not to draw attention. The creature takes a cautious step back, almost touching Cy. I call out to the creature and throw a few nearby small rocks. It screeches angrily at me but still doesn’t approach. I keep my voice low so only Big Mac can hear me. “Get it to attack you. We can’t let it attack Cy.”

Big Mac looks back at me and bites his lip nervously. “Look General, I ain’t doing so good. I can’t keep fighting this thing. I’m not so sure I wanna provoke it. If I’m a goner, nothing’s gonna help you anyhow.”

I recoil a bit in shock. “Big Mac, look just bait him into a wild attack. Act hurt or something then go for a killing blow. I know you don’t know what to do but trust me!” I hiss angrily. At the absolute worst time, Cy grunts and turns his head. The beast looks from Cy to Big Mac. I sit up the best I can, trying to contemplate what to do. “Big Mac! Go for it, now! Trust me!” Big Mac hesitates and there’s now even more blood running down his leg.

The creature stalks the ground again and crawls over to Cy’s face. “Big Mac! Now!”
From where I’m sitting, I can see the open part of his helmet. His eyes are wide, and his legs shake. At the end of the day, war can break down even the strongest of mountains. This was his first time facing down death while he was gravely wounded. The monster wraps a claw around Cy’s face and points his mouth at its beak. Cy’s eyes open and then almost bulge out of his head. He’s able to barely look over at me. His lips curl and his face starts to shake. “Big Mac! Get him out of here! Go!”

Big Mac whirl around, grabs my ankle in his mouth and starts dragging me away. I scream for Cy and claw at the ground in vain. The monster rears its head back and vomits some of its green blood into his mouth. Cy thrashes around on the ground and mauls his face in panic. He gurgles and spits up the liquid. Steam rises up from it and there’s a nasty sizzle accompanying it. As the green substance touches nearby twigs and leaves, they erupt into flame. After a few seconds, Cy goes limp. The beast shoots me a glare then takes off in the other direction, disappearing above the trees.

Chapter 56: Love In Blood

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“You son of a-” I punch Big Mac where I know his wound is. He screams and lets go of my ankle. I roll across the ground and lay there with my arms spread out. Big Mac kicks his rear legs wildly while yelling in pain.

I shake my head slowly. “You should have saved him! Do you know how many of us are left?! I belong in a damn zoo now!” Big Mac charges over and for a moment I think he’s going to ram me. My body doesn’t even bother flinching as he skids to a halt and his helmet ax stops just an inch from my face. His eyes are wide and furious.
“You have no idea what I’ve been through! We got left at Ponyville with no way to get back!”

I turn my head and look at him. “What do you mean...we?”

Big Mac snarls at me and stomps away a few feet. “Other soldiers. Ponies and humans alike. It...wasn’t pretty. There was only one place to hide and that was inside the big ugly ones. What do you call ‘em uh...Garges.”

My mouth trembles and I manage to sit up. “How...how many made it?!”

Big Mac looks over his shoulder and shoots me a nasty glare. “I’m fine by the way, thanks for asking. About forty of us made it out, but only half of us survived. Them Og Nag aren’t too good at searching. Most of yer people played dead and it mostly worked. Og Nag walked over em like they were corpses. We managed to slip into the forest while they marched towards Canterlot, but a few of ‘em saw us and that’s when all Tartarus broke loose.” Big Mac grunts and collapses to the ground on his stomach. His mouth trembles as he tries to hide the pain. I crawl over to him foot by foot until I’m at his flank.

I slowly remove his rear armor and there’s a foot-wide gash on his hindquarter. Its caked in both dried and fresh blood while dashed with a bit of dirt. It sat atop a tender looking bump that spanned the entire wound. He must have had it for a while. I tear off what was left of my cape, fold it and try to bandage the wound the best I can. He cries out a few times and his legs kick a bit instinctively. I take a deep breath as I try to re-secure his armor in a way that keeps the bandage on.

“Look I...I’m sorry I punched you.”

His head whips around. “Yer darn right you are! You got some nerve hittin’ me out in the field! Your soldiers told me you had anger issues, but sweet Celestia!” My shoulders slump at the thought of my own men telling stories about my temper. Big Mac takes in a deep breath and calms himself. He looks over his shoulder at me and studies my face. “Don’t worry, the stories ain't all bad. There’s plenty of good ones too.”

I finish his bandage the best I can and lay back on the ground. “Big Mac...where’s everyone else?”

Big Mac rolls onto his back and lays next to me. “They’re laying low in the forest. They didn’t know how bad the situation was, so I volunteered to go scout ahead.”

I nod with wide eyes. “What are the numbers?” I ask hesitantly.

“You got about fifteen of you humans and the rest are the Wonderbolts who survived the tornado, but they’re not flying anytime soon. Broken wings or that lost in space look.” Big Mac swallows and glances at me while I stare up at the sky. “Raiden...are we dead? Is there any way out of this?”

I close my eyes and sigh. “Big Mac...I gotta be honest, I have no idea how the hell we’re getting out of it this time. The neutrals - oh crap I forgot to tell you. There’s a bunch of Og Nag who are fighting Zaran’s forces. They just showed up out of nowhere. They don’t communicate, but they seem to have the basic understanding that we’re...sort of allies. In the sense we’re not killing each other right now. Then the yaks showed up and they’re evening out the odds, but that’s still around ten thousand Og Nag to go through.”

Big Mac closes his eyes and chuckles lightly. “The yaks. That should be fun. They don’t have the best temper so they’re a good response to the Garges I guess. Those neutrals though, that’s kinda weird. How did they find us? The timing too. You think this is another mind game?”

My blood runs cold as there’s snapping of twigs behind us. I slowly get to all fours and look up at an Og Nag who’s my height. The world around me spins and tilts as I barely get to my feet. The Og Nag walks up to me and stops just a few feet away, staring silently with a blank expression that has a small hint of fury in its eyes. In a green flash, it transforms into a changeling. I recognize the purple eyes: it was Pharynx. My jaw hangs open while he looks me up and down with an unimpressed expression. His voice is deep but filled with confidence.

“When I found these neutrals, they were acting completely confused as if they had woken up from a dream. There’s thousands of them. They just stood in one massive group, not knowing what to do. All it took was morphing into one of them and they just started following me. I killed a few stray Og Nag and it wasn’t long before they started doing the same. I’m assuming some of the information they once had, lingers like a distant dream. I lead them here. It took a long time but looks like it was a good call.”

Big Mac runs up with bulging eyes. “Where’s Umbra?! Is she okay?!”

Pharynx looks at Big Mac without moving his head. “Yeah, she’s fine. She had other ideas of where to go. Wouldn’t tell me, but apparently there’s something she remembered from my time being Luna.”

Big Mac looks over at me. “He was pretending to be your marefriend? That’s gotta be awkward.”

I shoot him a small glare then turn back to Pharynx. “Right quick, how exactly does this shapeshifting thing work?”
Pharynx narrows his eyes and sighs. “Basically, I can assume any creature I can picture clearly. Usually only works with creatures I’ve seen but I’ve heard stories about more imaginative changelings who can create their own sizes. However, the larger and stronger the form, the more magic it burns through. So being like an Ersa-minor would last for a good five minutes, but being a pony, you can easily keep it up almost indefinitely as long as your magic isn’t being used to give yourself more abilities than you naturally have.”

I turn to Big Mac who clearly has his mind somewhere else. “Big Mac I don’t have time for the details, but are you and Umbra good? I know her being a changeling must have thrown you off, but I can’t have you two squabbling mid-combat.”

Big Mac curls his lips inward. “We haven’t spoken since she came out during the battle where we tried to take out Zaran’s tanks. We...we succeeded right?”

I let out a small chuckle, remembering how Big Mc was unconscious. “Yeah Big mac, we won that one. Anyways, is there a way to contact Umbra?”

Pharynx shakes his head and narrows his eyes. “No clue, I don’t even know where she went but it was important enough not to help lead the neutrals here.”

Big Mac turns to me, his face beaming with confidence, “Sounds like she’s got something cooking! We gotta get back into the fight and hold out till she comes back.” The light from his face fades as he remembers that neither of us are in any condition to fight. His mouth moves silently with incomplete thoughts as he struggles to find some solution. He’s never been beaten down this bad and his ego is a noose on his life. He gets the same triumphant look on his face that I see soldiers get right before they go charging in and get murdered.

“Big Mac...don’t. I know you wanna fight, but we need to let ourselves rest.”

He stomps booth hooves down angrily and walks several feet away, sending rocks flying as he goes. Pharynx glances to the left and sighs with annoyance. “Look...there’s a little something I can do, but it’s a tactical call. I can heal you-” Big Mac charges up almost immediately. “Do it! We gotta get back in there!”
Pharynx’s ears go back and his nose wrinkles. “I can heal you, but it will take everything I have and it won’t be very much. You won’t be at Death’s doorstep, but you’d better not take any more hits.”

I massage my forehead and close my eyes. “Forget it, hold off for now and let's assess the situation before we make any decisions.”

Big Mac’s mouth hangs open furiously. “What?! We need to get in there! They need us!”

I let out aloud groan. “You don’t think I know that?! We have no information on how the battle is playing out and we might need Pharynx’s morphing more than healing.”
Big Mac stomps his hooves several times. “You’re just a coward! You don’t want to fight!”
I grab what remains of his helmet and pull his face close to mine. “A coward?! You know what’s really cowardly is being so scared of not being in the fight, that you throw away valuable resources for your own ego! I don’t enjoy staying on the sidelines, but it’s part of commanding! Our fight is failing fast and every resource can make or break our defensive! What do we do if the neutrals don’t understand where to go and Pharynx can’t morph to show them?! What if we see a chance to kill Zaran by having Pharynx disguise himself as an Og Nag and ambush him, but we can’t because we just had to heal ourselves?! What if there’s another unit on the verge of dying and Pharynx is the only one who can save them?! Think when you can, act when you must! Not the other way around! Don’t you remember anything from basic?!”

Big Mac sneers at me but says nothing. Both him and Pharynx follow me while we march towards the sounds of combat. A loud crackle above makes us jump. Large thunderclouds had moved in. The light hiss of rain passing through the trees starts to dull the pounding of metal from my troops. “Big Mac...when was the last time it rained?”

Big Mac looks up as we walk, studying the sky. “Honestly, that’s usually the Pegasus that make it rain. They keep the weather in check. I don’t think there’s been natural weather in hundreds of years.”

Pharynx doesn’t look back at us as he chimes in. “It’s all the smoke from the burning towns most likely."

As I stumble out of the forest, the Yaks have already pushed back the Og Nag considerably. My soldiers have clearly learned to just stay out of the way for now. The Yaks mindlessly plow through their ranks, while avoiding hitting the Garges straight on. Whenever a Garge is busy keeping an eye on one Yak, another plows into the side of its leg and keeps going. They have this unspoken strategy of one Yak drawing attention, while other Yaks decimate everything that's distracted.

Emeris jogs up to me while panting. “I’m assuming since we’re not being murdered anymore, that you worked things out with the Yaks?!” he hollers.

I cup my hands to shout over the rain. “For now, at least! They didn’t know what was going on! Pharynx lead the neutrals here and apparently the yaks fought off the Og Nag that went for them! We got another problem though! There’s a race of flyers that got converted into Og Nag. Half eagle, half lion, big dudes and they’re even worse now!”

Emeris’ eyes bulge and flutter. “F...flying Og Nag?! Doesn’t he have enough units!? Why is he hitting us so hard?! There’s no way we can...I mean...we can’t, right? Is there something we don’t know?!”

I give him a shrug and shake my head. “Sure as hell doesn’t feel like it! Look, we already saw a few! I don’t know what they’re doing, but they’re already here technically! Just keep fighting and holding out! If something doesn’t change soon, then there was no hope for us anyways!” A large crackle through the clouds makes us jump. The world grows dark as the thick rainclouds block out the sun. Water begins pounding my back and soaking into my boots.

Emeris looks behind him for a moment. “I got an idea! I’ll get the yaks in a big line and have them just pour through the Og Nag! They’ll have to dodge around the Garges, but it should help even the odds!” He darts back to the front lines and strikes up a conversation with a yak who’s taking a time out. They only converse for a few seconds, before the yak nods and runs off to get the rest of his kind.

It only takes roughly a minute, but all the yaks are assembled in front of Emeris. He quickly goes over hand signal so he can direct them from afar. Shoulder to shoulder, there won’t be any room for an Og Nag to slip past. Emeris is about to give them the signal when I run up with a small idea. “Wait wait wait! We can’t communicate with the neutrals! Have the yaks hit from the sides! We can’t risk killing any of our own forces!”

Emeris recoils a bit. “Oh crap, thanks! I was going to have them dive into the middle!” It takes just one small tactical error to lose an entire battle. My fingers are sore just from having my fists clenched the entire time. If we lose our momentum or control of the situation, it’s all over. We really were playing for time with only around fifteen hundred neutrals, and still easily ten thousand Og Nag to go through.

Something had to change in our favor and soon. Even more yaks could even out the odds, but we never found out if it’s the Og Nag that learn, or Zaran commanding them. Constantly decimating their frontlines with a yak charge, while neutrals mop up would work for quite a while, but just how much stamina did these yaks have?

Emeris jogs to the far right and gives a few hand signals. He starts by putting two fists together in front of his chest, sticking both hands out towards the Og Nag, then circles his hands in front of him. The yaks nod, line up in front of Emeris then give a mighty roar as they plow into the Og Nag front. Yogu takes a small lead while his allies are perfectly aline. Monsters squeal as they get bounced over the yaks or gored so hard, they get half their chest torn open. The yaks make a clean pass through, continue for twenty feet, spin around and charge again.

Og Nag try to jump on them, but their fur is surprisingly hard to grab enough of. One Og Nag stands in front of a yak and tries to bring his sword down on him. The yak bows his head and the creature’s sword doesn’t even penetrate past the thick skull of the yak. The Og Nag gets brutally trampled and every limb he has, is bent the wrong way once the yaks are clear.

Emeris repeats the same hand signals and the yaks line up again. Right as they charge, a Garge that was pushing the front, suddenly turns around and swings his ax into the very left yak. The poor creature screams right before losing his head.

The two yaks to his left can’t help but gawk in horror. One of them gets a sword to the neck and tumbles to the ground. He gets to look up as several Og Nag jump on him and start biting at anything they can. Yogu skids to a halt and roars as he plows into the Og Nag, sending most of them flying. Behind him, the Garge comes running up, ready to play. Yogu does an impressive turn around and charges straight into the Garge’s right knee. The monster howls then grabs Yogu’s horns. Yogu yells and starts pushing the Garge back.

Two other yaks run over to help their friend get up, but he’s already bleeding out. Yogu and the Garge do a tug of war, until the beast’s knee completely gives out and he falls back. Yogu charges over him triumphantly. Before Yogu clears him, the Garge sits up just enough to bite off Yogu’s back left leg. Yogu screams and hops around while looking at his missing leg in shock. The Garge turns over and roars. Before he can finish off Yogu, I’m already on him.

I run up the Garge’s back and dive forward with my sword in both hands. The Garge has enough time to know I’m there, right before my sword pierces into the back of his head. He goes to the ground silently. I use my boot to pull my sword from his skull and watch as Yogu attempts to comprehend what’s probably his first serious injury. He keeps staring at his bloody stump and won’t stop hopping around.

One of my soldiers, private Ingenia, runs up to him with a bandage and starts wrapping it. Still, Yogu can’t take his eyes off it. “Yak...yak never fight Garge before...always puny Og Nag.” Yogu finally stares ahead, still with his mouth hanging open in a frozen gaze of horror. He takes four steps before accidentally trying to put weight on his back leg. He falls over after a few stumbles and just lays there. Private Ingenia does her best to coax him to his feet, but he’s a thousand miles away. blood gushes from his leg so hard, it's almost spraying out. It only takes sixty seconds, but his sides stop rising with his breathing. He's gone.

Instead of charging, the yaks now try to hold the line while the rest of my people try to get Yogu off the ground. I run over to them and shout over all the panic. “I’m sorry but your friend is dead! You have to leave them!”

Yogu’s second in command charges up to my face. “Yaks never abandon yaks!” He pounds his chest with a hoof. “I am Bargna! Bargna never abandon yaks!”

I gently place my hands on his shoulders and look him square in the eyes by crouching slightly so we’re level. “Your friend is gone and you’re about to lose everyone if you don’t get back in line! You’re meant to trample, not stand still!” Bargna’s face suddenly looks drained and he peers over his shoulder. The other yaks are barely able to stay where they are, with constant sword swings. One of his yaks screams and stumbles back with blood pouring down their face. “My eye! Yak can’t see!” they scream over and over, shaking their head and eventually stumbling over their dead friend.

Emeris runs over and yells at the yaks to fall back. They’re too busy headbutting Og Nag to notice the Assassin Garge blitzing up the middle. Emeris and I shake the yaks as hard as we can, trying to get them to pay attention. It’s too late and we both bolt right as the Garge leaps over the front lines. It has that same long head like a crocodile, but this one has smaller axes. A yak looks up at it and screams. It lands right on the yak with a sickening crack.

The monster reaches over and bites down on the head of a nearby yak who looks up at him helplessly. He lifts the yak up with his powerful jaws and shakes him vigorously then throws him into the neutrals. A neutral Garge runs up to the assassin with an ax. The assassin quickly steps to the side, cleaves off the Garge’s hand, brings his small ax back around and hacks off the Garge’s right leg, causing it to lift off the ground temporarily. The Garge is about to land on his back but before he’s even hit the ground, the assassin has already brought its ax back around and beheads the Garge then bolts towards the terrified yaks.

Chapter 57: The One Who Ran

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Several yaks try to charge the assassin, who easily dodges to the side and follows up with quick swipes, beheading any yak who attacks. His long tail acts as a perfect counterbalance, allowing him to spin on spot and perform maneuvers that would otherwise be impossible for a normal Garge. Bargna slowly backs up while watching each yak helplessly try to catch a leg, just to be cut to shreds. With smaller axes, this assassin Garge was almost impossible to dodge. Instead of a huge, heavy swing, they were lightning fast and absolutely brutal.

Bargna’s eyes are wide and his mouth trembles. Then he does the unthinkable: he turns around and runs into the forest. Emeris and I watch with bulging eyes. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pity, despite being left high and dry. Yes, they were prideful and strong, but this is war. You get tested, strained and broken. When the Assassin is done cleaving through yaks, he turns his attention to us. He sneers with his massive jaws and starts charging. There was no way either of us could outrun or outmaneuver this thing.

Emeris instinctively reaches over and grabs my wrist while watching in horror. Right before impact, another black Assassin shoulder-rams the first Assassin from his right, sending him tumbling across the dirt. Pharynx’s deep voice makes me jump. “Raiden get out of here! I’ll deal with this one!” Emeris and I fall back to our soldiers and the last two yaks we have, who are covered in blood that’s not their own and completely in shock.

The Assassin roars and charges Pharynx. Pharynx dives forward and to the left, plants a hand on the ground and legsweeps the Assassin, who cries out and drops both his axes so he can roll across the ground. Pharynx runs at him, but the Assassin spins around and hits Pharynx with his tail. Pharynx stumbles back from the blow and almost falls backwards. The Assassin ducks down and charges, tackling him in the midsection. Right before they hit the ground, the Assassin goes for a bite and Pharynx barely has enough time to lean his head to the side. Pharynx brings up his legs, plants both feet on the Assassin’s stomach and uses his momentum to send the Assassin flying. Pharynx backrolls to his feet right before the Assassin eats dirt.

Pharynx stumbles to the left and right slightly but shakes his head and runs to the Assassin. The Assassin gets to his feet and goes for another bite on Pharynx’s neck. Pharynx ducks, wraps his left arm over the Assassins shoulder, his other arm under the Assassin’s left shoulder, then yanks him to the right, throwing him back to the ground.

The Assassin rolls on the ground helplessly and before he’s even up, Pharynx jumps on his back and wraps one arm under the Assassin’s jaw and his other arm below the Assassin’s right arm then behind the assassins head, completely locking up the monster’s right arm and head. They roll across the dirt a few times, but Pharynx doesn’t let go. The Assassin gags and flails helplessly. Pharynx leans his head back then rocks forward, grabbing the Assassin’s right arm in his jaws. He bites hard and rocks his mouth back and forth, eventually tearing through the monster’s arm, ripping it off completely.

The Assassin reaches up with his rear legs and digs into Pharynx’s arms with nasty claws. Pharynx howls angrily but still keeps the Assassin locked in. The moment the Assassin starts going limp, Pharynx’s arm flexes right before giving the Assassin a nasty snap.

Pharynx transforms back into his normal self, panting wildly with his right foreleg bleeding badly. Emeris bolts over, picks up Pharynx and brings him back. Pharynx quivers in Emeris’ arms, with green blood pouring down Emeris’ armor. Private Ingenia runs over with more bandages and does her best to dress the wound.
“Get him out of here, private. He’s done enough.”

The body count was high. Moral was shattered and no one but me seems to notice that we’re running out of neutrals. No matter how powerful the yaks were, they could get overrun and swarmed. Even our Growlers couldn’t handle a horde of Og Nag climbing all over it. We needed the neutrals as fodder. I hated admitting it, as no soldier should ever be reduced to a pawn, but that’s how battles work.

I look over at Emeris, who pants heavily and holds his throat that had to be sore from all his yelling. “This...this isn’t working! We’re running out of troops!” I holler.

Emeris looks behind him and I see a burst of desperation in his eyes. He turns back and glances at the mountain. “We gotta fall back to Canterlot mountain! I know it’s the worst place, but once the neutrals run out, we’ll get swarmed!” I look back at the mountain that was too far away at this point. We’d all get blitzed from behind trying to retreat. Even if we got there, then what? Maybe we had burned through another thousand Og Nag, but they still had nine thousand left.

Do we call in the princesses? Do we risk our last defense? Before I have time to think, a group of Og Nag break off and charge us. My soldiers are still mixed in with the neutrals and if they leave, we’ll lose control of the frontline completely. The only thing allowing us to hold our own, was my soldiers taking care of any problems. If an Og Nag started pushing through, one of my people killed it. If one of our neutrals started pushing too far ahead, they’d pull them back. Keeping a flat line instead of a chaotic wavy front, was also part of the reason we could hold it together so far.

Despite being somewhat brainless, the neutrals quickly adapted to how we did things. New arrivals waited patiently for their spot, while the Og Nag literally climbed over each other in a messy wave, just to get killed with no way of maneuvering away. Tactics was how we made up for the neutrals lack of aggression, compared to your standard berserking Og Nag. While their crazed nature made them terrifying to fight, they got messy when in a large group. Their bloodlust made them desperate for a kill, leading to poor footwork and even worse maneuvers. Of course, when you don’t feel fear, storming enemy lines in large waves was your best bet.

An Og Nag my size charges me. No weapon, just claws and jaws, making him extra fast and vicious. I pull out my sword and jam it into his stomach up to his heart, with my other hand on his throat so he can’t bite me. He stops and plows into my chest piece. A second adversary shrieks and runs up to me with a hatchet in each hand. I don’t have time to pull out my sword without risking a hit, so I grab a nearby shield from the dirt and shoulder-ram him with it. He staggers back but keeps his footing. Emeris ducks under his opponent and cuts off his hand. Without looking, Emeris tosses his sword over his shoulder. I turn and catch it. Rapid footsteps approach from behind. I whirl around and slam the sword up into the Og Nag’s head through its jaw. We both roar at each other before he goes silent and falls to the ground. Emeris has already pulled out a boot dagger and slid it into the back of his opponent's head.

I motion for our left flank to fall back, but they’re surrounded now. There were too many, far too many. Even if we controlled this situation, the entire ocean of Og Nag slowly approaching would change it all. Zaran was sending just enough to overwhelm us, to where even if we busted out a trump card, he’d have plenty of reinforcements. If the princesses use their magic, Zaran will attack us himself.

My head snaps up as a massive shadow passes over the ground. There’s nothing to be seen and it passed too quickly to catch a glimpse. Did Zaran have even more beasts to bring to the fight? A deafening roar makes us almost fall to our knees as we cover our ears. Emeris pats me on the shoulder repeatedly while yelling inaudibly. As I look up at him, he’s pointing to some massive black creature in the sky.

Luna’s voice briefly startles me from my left. “It’s Daruk! He was just a hatchling when I first met him! I haven’t seen him in years!” she cries happily. Whatever Daruk was, he was absolutely massive. He plummets and lands on the ground roughly forty feet from me, but only a few inches from my face.

I had never seen a creature like him before. His head was similar to the Assassin we just faced, but thicker. His mouth could swallow a man whole. His large, yellow eyes look me over with a blatantly unimpressed expression. A dozen massive horns stuck out from the back of his head, along with two main ones that were a dull gray color. His wings made him larger than a Growler. His forelegs were angled at a way that made it look like he could wield weapons if need be, or crawl on all fours. His tail swishes behind him casually, despite the entire Og Nag army storming over to his position.

He casually looks over his shoulder and a tidal wave of fire erupts from his mouth. It shakes the ground violently, almost exploding from his throat. A Garge is hit first and it engulfs his entire chest, forcing his arms and legs to fly off in various directions. The blast doesn’t even slow down and drills through dozens of Og Nag in a split second. The ground below his breath of fire, is in flames with glowing red-hot armor littering the ground. The rest of the Og Nag would need a few minutes to get back to him.

He takes the time and casually walks on all fours to me, slowly circling Luna and I. Spikes like his back and travel all the way down his tail. His voice is so deep, it takes my ears a few seconds to register what he’s saying.

“So...this is the little human I’ve been hearing about. Hard to imagine you’ve been the one causing so many problems.”

The look on Luna’s face creates a tad amount of jealousy in my chest. She beams at him the way Hurrand looks at money. “Daruk! This is General Raiden! He’s been leading our forces for-” She stops talking when Daruk scoffs condescendingly, his yellow eyes never stop scanning me.

“I must admit I was interested upon seeing all the smoke coming from this direction. A dragon’s life is one of solitary however and these ponies don’t take kindly to me...exploring. That being said, their reactions are quite...entertaining. Tell me Raiden, if I were to attack you right now, what would you do?” He stops and his eyes lock with mine and have this uncomfortable eagerness to them.

Luna laughs lightly. “Come now Daruk, we don’t have time for-”

His tone is angry and direct, yet he doesn’t look away from me. “Let him speak. Do you really think you could stop me, Raiden?”

Was he actually challenging or messing with me? How the hell would I even try to fight something that big? Even with an army.

He chuckles once, his eyes not leaving my face. “Satisfy me with an answer and I shall help you. What would you do if I attacked you right now? If I decided that you were my prey, what would you do?!”

My face was a rock, but my insides were liquid. “Honestly, while there’s probably no way I could stop you, I’d probably call you a coward and make sure to jam my sword somewhere inside your mouth that you couldn’t get to, so you’d never forget my name.”

He goes quiet and the air is tense. He doesn’t bother to turn around at the approaching Og Nag. His eyes dart across my face and no one makes a sound. Then, he chuckles with some form of amused anger. “I like you little human. Had you answered with some babbling cowardice, I would have left you to your fate.”

A Garge cocks his arm and hurls an ax into the side of Daruk’s face. It barely makes his head move. He stares at me for a moment, then narrows his eyes and turns his gaze to the Garge. He snorts out a small plume of fire. The Garge roars and charges him. Daruk waits for the Garge to get within range, then with a nasty swipe of his tail, sends the Garge sailing so hard, it plows through a stone wall from a previous fence. Dozens of Og Nag run up to Daruk’s feet with swords drawn. Daruk inhales, then coats the ground with flame that spreads across the dirt like an infernal flood. Every adversary falls forward and gets submerged in fire. What is left, are glowing orange weapons and smoke from what bits of metal remained.

Luna puts a hoof on my shoulder. “Raiden, we need to fall back to Canterlot. Daruk needs...as much room as we can give him.” I purse my lips slightly, still annoyed that the only reason he gets to be the savior, was due to the body he was given, unlike myself who had to earn everything from the ground up. Luna is so calm and relaxed that I can’t help but send a rock flying with my foot. She says nothing and pretends not to notice.

The tide of Og Nag isn’t quite here yet, but there’s plenty of stragglers that want some. Another Garge runs at him mindlessly. Daruk snatches him up with a quick bite and throws him effortlessly into the air. The Garge flies so high, it takes almost a full twenty seconds for him to come back down. Daruk breaths a small jet of flame onto several smaller units, who fall to the ground squealing as soon as it hits them. Their bodies crackle and pop, exploding into small bits.

Two Garges try to be smart and split up, then ambush him from either side. Daruk mindlessly plows one of his claws into a Garge and with a quick jerk, tears it in half. The creature’s upper body goes flying and its legs fall to the ground. His ally grips his ax with both hand and brings it down on Daruk’s tail. Daruk casually looks behind him and sends the Garge flying with a rear kick. The Garge tumbles backwards across the dirt faster than I could ever run and stops when he slams into the side of the mountain, a few hundred feet away.

Daruk chuckles and narrows his eyes. “Is this all the mighty Zaran has to offer? I’m not impressed.” His tone is condescending and challenging. Part of me is nervous about provoking Zaran, although I wouldn’t mind seeing of Zaran could hold a candle to Daruk. If he could, he surely would have attacked us himself by now at least. A loud screech fills the air and dozens of creatures are flying overhead. I cover my eyes with a hand and see the Abominations. What’s worse, is their formation is exactly what I’m used to seeing from the Wonderbolts.

Daruk looks up at them, barely even showing any sign of amusement. He rolls his shoulders, acting like he’s doing a small amount of stretching. It’s only a few seconds later that what we thought was arrogance, was really knowledge. A much larger creature appears above them, and in a bright flash, several Abominations fall straight to the ground. The rest split up to avoid their new adversary.

One group that breaks off, heads towards us and for a moment, we draw our weapons and brace for an attack. I can clearly make out the Abominations, but it only lasts for a second as another dazzling beam fries them. They kick up large plums of dirt and smoke as they collide into the ground. As if Daruk wasn’t enough, a second dragon appears, much different in appearance. “Raiden! We need to talk!” She calls out in a familiar, feminine voice.

Her skin is white with short fur across it that shimmers a light shade of purple in the sun. While Daruk’s head was narrow and wide like a predator, her mouth is rounder at the snout and her head is a bit wider. Her eyes are a brilliant teal, with a smaller ring of blue around her pupils. Small particles of white light, almost like fireflies, drift out of her mouth even with it closed. Instead of spikes going down her back, she has strange fins with tiny claws every foot or so. She’s a bit smaller than Daruk, with teeth that look like they’re not meant to tear flesh from bone. Even her tail had a fin on either side at the tip.

Her eyes are wide and excited, as if she hadn’t seen me in a while. “Oh! I’m sorry! Raiden, it’s me! Umbra!”

Chapter 58: Ode To Fire

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I blink wildly at this dragon was claiming to be Umbra. She was a changeling, but there was no way she could possess this kind of power. Was this another ploy of some kind? Luna recoils a bit and tilts her head in confusion. “Umbra? How…”
Umbra looks behind her and watches Daruk nervously. He roars with laughter, grabbing Garges like play toys and hurling them across the battlefield, just so they can collide with several other Og Nag. Between his tail swipes, metal-melting fire and teeth that could tear through a growler with ease, there didn’t seem to be anything on Zaran’s side that could stop us. As long as Daruk didn’t change his mind, that is.

Umbra taps what look like her paws, but they’re more of a cross between normal cat feet and a lizard’s hands. They even have a small amount of fur on them. “I...I’m not sure if I can fully explain it to a non-changeling. Normally we can only replicate what we can see. I found out that if I concentrate, I can morph individual limbs. I remember seeing this creature called a Toffler, it’s like a cute, fluffy lizard but they only live in the freezing north. Then I realized I can take pre-existing creatures, use them as a base and make whatever changes I want. It certainly takes a lot of concentration, but then I was able to come up with this after I saw Daruk!”

Luna narrows her eyes skeptically. “You...saw Daruk and decided to just go up and say hi?”
Umbra’s mouth hangs open in thought for a second. “Well...actually he found me and kind of threatened to kill me. We talked for a bit, I told him about the war and everything, then he said if it was interesting enough, he’d kill them instead. I still can’t tell if he’s joking.”

Luna nods in agreement. “Daruk doesn’t like to admit he’s helping. He kind of has to have an excuse that makes him sound all evil. It’s a pride thing. He doesn’t wanna look soft.”

Luna glances over and her horn flares. A large, purple shield surrounds the balcony, right as several Og Nag come flying out of nowhere and collide with it. They bounce off and hit the ground. Daruk cleaves his way through their ranks, even letting them get close just so he can roast them all.

Luna looks back to Umbra, still with a bit of skepticism in her eyes. “From what little I know of changelings, it takes power to keep a form. How are you doing this?”

Umbra gives us a massive smile. “I actually found a way to absorb magic!”

A guard walks in and whispers something in Luna’s ear. She nods to him then turns back to us. “If you don’t mind, there’s something I need to deal with.”

Seeing as how Daruk was dealing with the nine thousand Og Nag left, I saw no reason to concern myself with the battle. Either Daruk was going to take care of it, or we were doomed. A strange sense of calming lethargicness washes over me. I give Luna a small nod then turn my attention back to Umbra. “If you don’t mind, I need to ask you some questions. First off, where were you the last time we spoke?”

Umbra narrows her eyes and turns her head to the side in confusion. “What do you mean?”

I exhale frustratedly through my nostrils. “Before you left the palace, where were you?”

Umbra blinks at me with a clueless expression. “I don’t understand, why are you asking?”

There was no denying that a fight with her now was basically suicide. I still had to know if it was her or not. “I’m going to ask you this one more time. I don’t know for a fact if it’s really you or not. You could be another Zaran ploy. You could be any changeling. With your races shapeshifting and Zaran’s crap, I can never be too sure. So, if it really is you, then when did we last speak?”

Her eyes go back to being narrowed but she does her best to maintain her composure. “We last spoke in the dungeon, when you released me and Pharynx. Speaking of Pharynx, where is he?”

Emeris walks through the doorway with a bit of a strut. “Pharynx went toe to toe with an Assassin Garge and won. He’s recovering, but it will be a while. Cadence apparently can’t heal changelings...or maybe she won’t, but owell. Look...can we please just take a break for a while? You and Daruk are the first bit of luck we’ve had in a long time. We all need rest and it would be nice to drop my guard even for a few minutes.”

Umbra’s eyes almost bulge out of her head and her mouth stretches from ear to ear. “Of course! I’m sure Daruk and I would love to keep an eye on things for you! I’ll let you know if there’s any changes!”

I blink rapidly. “Are you saying we have time off?!”

Emeris turns to me and rolls his eyes. “Raiden for the love of everything that is holy, please don’t freak out. Daruk has things covered on the frontlines. Umbra can handle the air. The guards will let us know about anything else. I know everything is insanely chaotic and we have a thousand questions, but honestly...I’m exhausted. I’m sure Daruk will blow through the remaining Og Nag and even if he can’t, I’d rather die rested.”

He turns around and leaves without even waiting for my response. I give a small shrug and turn to Umbra. “Keep the air clear of those Abominations. They’ll tear through the guards if they get inside.”
Umbra briefly glares at me. “Yeah...I know. I got this.” Her tone is full of annoyance.

I get to my room and remove my gauntlets. Luna trots through the open door and taps my shoulder with her hoof. I turn around and she has a gentle look of pity on her face. “Raiden, there’s someone who wants to talk to you outside.” After a few winding paths, I’m out back in Canterlot palace through one of their side entrances. I stop when a familiar yak stands before me, with his head bowed in shame. I cross my arms and slowly walk up to him. He sighs, looks up briefly, before dropping his gaze to the ground again. Despite having me right in front of him, he still says nothing.

Luna lands gently and silently at my side. “Bargna, just say what you need to say alright? Don’t think too much, just let your feelings to the talking.” He paws at the ground a few times, still not daring to lift his head. “Yak sorry for leaving. Yak never been defeated. Every battle, yaks just push harder and win. But this time...first time yak felt fear. Yak watched all his friends die. Yak didn’t see any other way to fight.” He lowers himself to the ground, still concealing his face.

I walk over and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Bargna, this is war. Now you know what we puny humans have been doing all our lives. There is no species that can shrug off watching their friends and family getting murdered. You’re not a coward, you just experienced emotions you’re not used to.”

Bargna slowly shakes his head, still cradling his face. “No...yaks never run. How does yak go back to his village?! What does yak say? They not understand! They weren’t here! What does yak say?! No one talk to yak afterwards!”

Luna walks over and lays next to him. She drapes a wing over his shoulders and cuddles up to him. He scoots away from her with a pitiful whine. She adjusts herself and is at his side again, but this time he doesn’t move. She rests her head on his foreleg and he looks up just enough so she can see his eye. “Bargna, we’ll tell them the truth: you were a brave warrior who stood shoulder to shoulder with his comrades until the end. That’s all anypony needs to hear alright? Maybe we can even give you all a parade when it’s over.”

Bargna looks back down. “Isn’t that lying?”

Luna shakes her head with that beaming smile of hers and gently narrowed eyes. My heart skips a beat as the sun shines off her hair, reflecting brief amounts of purple against his dirty, brown fur. “No, they won’t understand so why bother? Besides, the only thing that matters is that you fought for as long as you can. You are not a coward, Bargna.”

Bargna gets off the ground slowly but keeps his head hung. He turns around and starts walking away. “Yak wishes he could believe that.” He slowly disappears into the vast garden of flowers that ponies frequently went for walks in. The trees that hung overhead cast shadows across his fur. In time, we’d see whether he can resolve his demons, but not everyone can.

With my helmet and armor in my room, it was time to see just how far Daruk and Umbra were willing to take the war effort. They both agreed to watch over the battlefield as we all slept. Zaran had left with what little Og Nag remained but there was no way we were risking any more units for recon on him.

The morning sun swims across the balcony while Luna and I sit on a bench. She sits on my right, with her head slumped over my shoulder. She strokes my back with her left wing, and it was honestly one of the first relaxed moments we had together. My right hand massages her knee and all the tension between us was finally dead and buried. Daruk and Umbra watch us while on their hindlegs from the ground below, their heads poking above the railing. Umbra has a beaming smile on her face while Daruk stares at us in disgust.

He cocks an eyebrow with his head slightly recoiled. “Interspecies romance? That’s the most disgusting thing I’ve ever heard.”

Umbra glances at him briefly. “I think it’s sweet! There’s nothing wrong with two adults who want to be together!”

Daruk rolls his eyes and makes a gagging motion with one of his claws. His bright, slimy, yellow tongue hanging out of his mouth makes me shudder.

Luna giggles lightly. “Sorry Daruk, but there’s been a lot of that going on since the Taraskans got here. There’s Cy and Stormchaser-” Her back muscles tense up and she goes quiet. I wrap my arm around her and pull her close.

I look over at Umbra. “Cy was killed by an Abomination. Big Mac and I were too hurt to do anything. We don’t even know where Stormchaser is at the moment. We got hit so hard and fast, that everything is in chaos. All we can do is wait for our forces to report in.”

Luna swallows and does her best to change the subject. “So, Umbra...when are you and Big Mac making it official?”

Daruk bursts out in laughter. “A dragon and a pony?! Now that’s just wrong!” He keeps howling to himself loudly while Umbra’s cheeks light up.

Luna watches her suspiciously. “Umbra I’ve been meaning to ask, how are you...still doing that form?” Daruk stops laughing and listens curiously.

Umbra looks away awkwardly and clears her throat. “I found a way to...absorb magic. It lets me stay powered up. I was going to teach it to Pharynx, but he’s injured.”

Daruk chuckles, puts his right arm around her shoulders and gives me a toothy grin. “Yes, yes she did!” He tilts his head back and laughs. A puff of fire shoots from his mouth.

Luna and I both gawk at her.

Umbra’s eyes dart around nervously. “I...I had to! It was the only way Daruk agreed to come help us! That’s the only way I can stay in this form is from all his magic!”

Daruk cocks an eyebrow and stops grinning. “What do you mean this form?”

Umbra slowly lowers her head so we can’t see her face, but we catch her cheeks lighting up like strawberries again.

Luna looks over at Daruk. “Daruk...Umbra is a changeling.”

Daruk opens his mouth and lets it hang open as his eyes bulge. He slowly takes his arm off Umbra’s shoulder and stares at her.

Umbra covers her face with her massive paws. I bite my bottom lip and try to stifle my laughter.

Luna curls her lips inwards, also trying to compose herself. “That’s karma for you Daruk.”

We both almost fall off the bench laughing, as Daruk just stares blankly into the castle, rigid as a statue.

Luna wipes her tears away with a hoof and lets out a few more chuckles. “How do you think Big Mac is going to take the news Umbra? I mean in your defense, it was a military necessity.”

Umbra keeps her face hidden but lets out a loud groan. “I don’t even wanna go there. I...should I even tell him?”

Luna tries to keep her face blank, but a small smile forces its way out. “I mean...how far did this...transfer go?”

Umbra uncovers her face and her eyes bulge. “No no no! It wasn’t anything like that! I just...had to let him pour flame from his mouth into mine, but he sure as hell didn’t feel like keeping his claws to himself…” She shoots Daruk a glare, who is still staring ahead mindlessly.

Daruk blinks a few times and narrows his eyes. “I mean...she was still a dragon, so it’s not the same as the rest of you.” He closes his eyes and nods to himself approvingly.

A familiar voice makes my blood boil as it travels across the ground to us. It was my voice, Zaran’s voice. “Oh, how cute, a little lizard finally found itself some friends. Not going to lie, you’ve set me back a bit, but I decided to make some friends of my own.” His voice is loud and annunciated.

One after another, beasts the same size as Daruk, land on the ground. They roar and hiss, while occasionally crawling around, but never taking their eyes off him. A total of eight land and they spread out to make sure there’s nowhere for Daruk to go. While the rest of us gawk in fear, Daruk narrows his eyes and smirks. “Does Zaran seriously think these tank breds can stop me?” They growl and hiss again in response. Daruk lets out a small chuckle.

Emeris runs out onto the balcony and skids to a halt when he sees the colossal lizards littering the landscape. “Ho-ly. Are..are those dragon Og Nag?! How did he make them so damn fast?! He hasn’t even been gone a full day! Um...so they’re...dragon...um...Doragonag?”

Luna leaps to the railing where Daruk is. “Daruk! Hold on let’s formulate a plan-” Daruk calmly lowers himself from the balcony and walks on all fours towards the Doragonags.

Emeris clamps a hand on my shoulder. “I can’t find Lucretia. No one has seen her either. She’s not in the medical wing or in her quarters!”

I pound a fist on the balcony’s ledge. “I...I don’t know how to find her. We can’t exactly leave right now. Just tell the guards to keep an eye out. As soon as this crap is over with, we’ll send out recon teams.” I rub my face angrily as Emeris sighs. He stands next to me as we watch our giant lizard walk onto the battlefield.

Daruk swings his tail back and forth, then slams it into the ground. All eight rush him, mouths gaping, claws outwards and running on their hindlegs. Daruk inhales briefly and blows a large ball of flame into the face of the first Doragonag in front of him. It explodes, blinding it and its allies to the left and right.

Daruk leaps towards them and hits the one on the right with his tail while spinning, close lining the beast and making it topple over on its back. It slides across the ground, crossing Daruk’s path. At the same time, Daruk closes his gaping jaws around the neck of his adversary to his left. Using his strength and momentum, he’s able to throw his opponent to the right, knocking two other Doragonags to the ground midleap. The monster he hit with his tail is flailing around so much, it catches the other three Doragonags as they lunge at Daruk, making them topple over as well.

The brief opening he created, was all Daruk needs to take a few gallops and leap into the air. The other creatures follow in pursuit, with a few stragglers who need a few to get off the ground.

Luna’s eyes dart around frantically. “What do we do?! Do we help him?!” Luna and Umbra both look to me. Something in Daruk’s mannerisms tell me to leave him be. Yes, these Doragonags were vicious, but they were no match for thousands of years of honed skill. I shake my head at both of them. “This is a fight where we’d just get in the way. He wants to fight them alone, so we need to let him. Daruk’s...got this.” Why did I feel so filthy complimenting that overgrown lizard?

With all eight hot on his tail, Daruk flies suspiciously slowly. He gradually turns in a large circle, letting the Doragonags get closer and closer. One roars and gives his wings all he can and tries to snag Daruk’s tail in his mouth. Right as he goes for the bite, Daruk tucks his wings, spins around and in one massive flap, rockets towards the beast. He quickly clashes the creature’s eyes with a claw, while ramming both his feet into its chest. The monster roars as it collides with three allies behind it.

Daruk spreads his wings and quickly flies past the group that’s now stunned. The two stragglers at the back are on Daruk immediately. This time, Daruk rapidly takes to the sky. The main group falls to the ground, but quickly get on their hind legs and leap into the air followed by furious flapping. Daruk zigzags, easily banking and gliding. The Doragonags are always flapping eagerly, always having to take a full five seconds to catch up with Daruk whenever he turns.

Daruk occasionally looks over his shoulder, analyzing their abilities and skill no doubt. These creatures have no grace and are all aggression, just like normal Og Nag. Once again, Daruk lets them get close. Right as one goes for a bite on his leg, Daruk stops flapping and snags the nearest foe’s hindleg with his teeth. Instead of soaring past, Daruk tucks his wings and tail in, letting himself plummet with enemy in toe. It screeches and flaps desperately. Its comrades try to catch up but can’t get around their ally to get to Daruk.

I can hear his deep throated chuckling from the palace. A mere few hundred feet from the ground, Daruk lets go and spreads his wings, gliding on his back. The Doragonag can’t adjust his angle enough and lets out a final screech before plowing into the dirt headfirst. It lays there, with a hindleg twitching wildly. One down, seven to go.

Daruk flips over and beats his wings eagerly. One Doragonag has broken off from the group and gradually makes its way over on Daruk’s right. Daruk looks at him with focused eyes. He banks towards the Doragonag and they’re lined up to collide. Luna covers her mouth with her hooves. Before impact, Daruk tucks his hindlegs to his chest and wraps his tail around his neck while ducking his head. For one brief second, Daruk is a ball of scales. He collides with the beast hard enough to make a smack that we can hear from the palace. The beast spins in the air a few times before landing on its back on the ground.

It tries to get up, but its legs wobble too much. Daruk looks over his shoulder at him then gains some altitude. They all go up in a large spiral with Daruk at least a hundred feet away from the nearest Doragonag. Suddenly, Daruk tucks himself again, rolls backwards and flaps down. As soon as he’s about to collide with the nearest foe, he inhales and lets out a large ball of fire into its face. The creature closes its eyes and turns its head away. Daruk grabs it by the neck with his mouth. As they fall, Daruk brings up his hindlegs and clashes its wings to ribbons. Daruk lets go and glides off to the left. The beast screeches and flails helplessly. Unfortunately for it, Og Nag don’t help each other. It collides perfectly with its wounded ally on the ground and kicks up a huge cloud of dust on impact. When it clears, both foes are motionless.

Two more down, four to go.

Chapter 59: Joy Of Death

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Luna, Umbra and I watch Daruk sail through the air. The other Doragonags were staying a bit spread out now. I whirl around as Emeris comes bursting through the door. His helmet’s off and his blonde hair is a sweaty mess. “Raiden! We gotta talk!”
I raise an eyebrow in concern. I hadn’t even noticed Emeris had left. Luna looks at me and gives a nod. Emeris and I race through the halls and before I can ask him what’s going on, a loud humming fills the hallway. We stop at a green door that has golden light shining under it.
Emeris pounds on it furiously. “Lucy! Open up! We just want to know what’s going on!”
The door cracks and shoots into the room, splitting into hundreds of pieces and circling with several other pieces of furniture. My jaw hangs open as I see why Emeris was so freaked out.
In the middle of the room, Lucretia’s skin has a strong, golden glow to it. She floats effortlessly three feet above the ground, as if she was submerged in a pond. Her hair gently sways around her head, flowing in every direction. Her eyes are completely enveloped in the same golden energy. The air around her looks like it’s coated in some kind of dust. Her mouth doesn’t move, but we can hear her just fine as if her thoughts were ours.
“I’m sorry, I was resting and started getting this strange sense. It’s as if I can see all life at once and be able to tell different types of creatures from each other. I quickly learned to distinguish ponies from humans. The Og Nag are a bit...difficult. I mostly go by size.”
Emeris and I both just keep staring. She had gone from telekinesis, to telepathy, then controlling Og Nag and now she could see lifeforms?! Where was this going to end? I could feel her crawling around in my thoughts. It was both horrifying and yet strangely relieving.
“Don’t worry Raiden, I can’t go digging around in your mind. I can still sense your feelings though.” The aura she has, slowly starts forming shapes. I quickly recognize Canterlot and the battle raging outside.
“Initially it was just a feeling in the back of my mind, but I found that the more attention I gave this feeling, the more details I got. The more I focus on an area, the more I learn. I watched Zaran and the Og Nag retreat, so now I’m left with confusion as there’s a few anomalies I can’t identify, like these creatures here.” Several larger shapes form, sailing through the air, occasionally clashing just outside the palace.
Emeris crosses his arms. “That’s Daruk and Zaran’s own Og Nag dragons we’re calling Doragonags. Daruk’s on our side...for now.” Lucretia nods then we see new details start to appear to the North, as Daruk’s fight fades away. “Now this is where I get confused. I sense an incredible power here, but there’s some kind of...spherical energy blocking my ability to see it. It scares the hell out of me. I’m assuming it’s Zaran, but there’s another presence too. It literally makes my tummy flip upside down when I stare at it for too long. Then there’s this other strange feeling.”
The dark sphere she shows us fades and we travel to a distant land. As her visual map moves, it traces mountains and forest, scrolling across the ground. The amount of detail she could show us, would make her invaluable. Is this what Zaran is holding back for? Just how strong was she? Far to the east, she shows us some strange ball of energy that bounces around angrily in some kind of spherical shell.
“I can’t even take a guess as to what this is. It feels...neutral. But there’s-”
We hear a loud angry roar from outside, followed by the palace shaking briefly. Lucretia looks off to where the dragons are. “It’s Daruk, he’s having issues.” Emeris and I race for the door. Lucretia raises a hand towards us.
“Wait! Please, we need to discuss this! I...I think I can release this...creature. I’d have to dive inside of it and make...changes. I’m sorry I can’t explain what, but I don’t know what to do!”
Emeris and I exchange expressions of uncertainty.
Emeris lets out a long sigh. “We...we don’t know what that is, but since Zaran isn’t going for it, perhaps it could be a good thing?”
I roll my eyes. “Exactly, we don’t know what it is. Maybe Zaran isn’t going for it because he either can’t get to it or doesn’t know about it.” Hooves clicking in the door make me turn around. Luna and Celestia stare at this trapped ball of energy.
Luna slowly shakes her head. “Sister...do you think it’s-”
Celestia stomps her front hooves excitedly. “It’s Discord! It has to be! Is this where he’s been trapped all this time?!”
I take a slow inhale and look over Celestia cautiously. “Princess, as you admit, you think it’s this Discord. What if it’s not? Can we seriously afford another threat or something that makes Zaran more powerful? What if it’s another creature we don’t know about?”
Luna purses her lips and looks at her sister uneasily. “He...does have a point. I mean I honestly do think it’s discord, but if we’re wrong…”
It makes me uncomfortable how neither of the sisters seem to care about Lucretia’s current powers. Was this normal in their world? Have they seen more than this? Do her powers come from this land? We had so many questions but no real answers unless Starswirl is willing to show up again.
Celestia straightens out her posture. “Lucretia, I want you to do whatever it takes to free Discord. I’m convinced it’s him. We need his chaos magic now more than ever!”
Lucretia nods cautiously. “I want to remind you, there are changes I have to make to him and I don’t know what they are. There’s this part of him that keeps him in this prison. I have to dissolve that part of him and feed him my own energy. After this, I’ll need to recover again.”
I hold up my hands angrily. “Wait wait wait! First you wanna release him, now you’re talking about dissolving part of him and you don’t even know what it is?! What if it’s the ethical part of his brain? Or his chaos magic Celestia mentioned? That and didn’t you say he’s had loyalty issues? I mean he just tried to backstab you with Tirek and you’re wanting to let him out of this little prison? Will he even help us? You’re asking us to give up Lucretia, a huge resource over a bucket of assumptions! This is insanity!”
To my horror, everyone looks at me like I’m being crazy. I can see Emeris restraining an eye roll. Luna looks at everyone nervously and Celestia narrows her eyes at me.
“Raiden, I’m sorry but I must insist.” She turns back to Lucretia. “Do what you have to do.”
Lucretia nods uneasily and gives me an uncomfortable look before tilting her head back. She glows so brilliantly, my eyes start to sting. She gently floats to the ground and collapses. Emeris immediately scoops her up and rushes her out of the room to the infirmary. Celestia keeps her stern demeanor as she exits the room, leaving Luna and I to stand there awkwardly.
She gently gets on her hindlegs and places her hooves on my chest. “I...I’m sorry about that. I know you’re just looking out for our best interests, but it can sometimes be rather grating where we can never seem to have any hope.” I'm about to interject but she places a hoof on my lips.
“My love...please. It’s nothing personal. All the ponies have begun to lose hope. Even after we spread the news of Daruk, they still don’t want to have faith after loosing Lancercore and the Wonderbolts. We need something to believe in.”
I blink rapidly at her. “But at what cost? We can’t afford things to be worse.”

Luna stumbles for words. “We...we just need this. Please.” I swallow my pride and bend over and give her a quick kiss. The palace rocks again and this time, we hear a high pitched squeal from outside. Luna’s horn flares and we appear on the balcony.

I look around eagerly. “Where’s Daru-” A large, black lizard flashes by the balcony with a Doragonag on top of him. They hit the ground and kick up a massive cloud of dust. Daruk lands on his back with his adversary biting wildly at his face. Daruk reaches up and rips out the monster’s throat. When he kicks off the beast and gets back to all fours, I see his front right shoulder oozing yellow blood.

He looks around angrily as the other three Doragonags descend on him. He shoots forward and rams the first creature in the chest, sending it spiraling back. He then whips around, knocking over the opponent to his right using his tail. The third Doragonag lunges at him with claws forward. Daruk grabs his claws then has just enough time to latch onto the beast’s jaw with his. The creature wriggles violently to get free. Daruk’s iris’ glow briefly then a jet of flame explodes out of the Doragonag’s skull. It collapses lifelessly on top of Daruk once the flame stops.

Daruk pants wildly and looks over as one of the creatures gets off the ground and lunges at Daruk’s face. It sinks its teeth into the top part of Daruk’s skull and twists. Once again that high-pitched howl of agony fills the sky. Daruk jerks his head loose and that yellow liquid pours from above both his eyes. He throws off the corpse above him and slashes his attackers face, blinding it. The second Doragonag is back on its feet and latches onto Daruk’s back. He howls in pain again and they spin in a circle as Daruk tries to throw the beast off.

Daruk grits his teeth, plants his front claws into the ground and digs his rear claws into the stomach of his attacker. It unclamps its teeth and howls. Daruk spins around and slashes his throat with his claws, digging almost into its entire neck. Daruk whips his tail around and sends its head flying across the ground. His final adversary dashes at him with claws forward. Daruk gets on his hind legs and grabs the thing by the throat. It gets a few clashes into Daruk’s arm. As if he no longer feels pain, Daruk’s eyes flare up again and in a massive jet of fire, the beast’s head is ash. Its arms go limp and everything above the shoulders floats to the ground like feathers. Daruk angrily throws him aside and sits on his haunches, panting desperately.

Umbra runs over to him with bulging eyes. “Daruk! Are you okay?!” Daruk looks up at her and gets a condescending look on his face. “I’m fine.” Emeris jogs out onto the balcony and skids to a stop when he sees Daruk. “Holy crap! What happened?!”

That familiar arrogant voice fills the air as Zaran can’t help but antagonize him. “Looks like the little lizard bit off more than he can chew. Kind of sad really, they weren’t terribly hard to make and that was all it took to defeat you.” Daruk’s left eye twitches and he gradually gets on all fours. Umbra gently pats his shoulder with her paws. “Daruk, stop! This is what he wants!” Daruk reaches forward and shoves her back on her haunches then stands upright on his hindlegs.

His muscles bulge as he takes in a deep breath and lets out a roar that makes everyone on the balcony recoil and cover their ears. Daruk takes step after angry step towards Zaran. Luna lands behind him on the ground. “Daruk please! This is Zaran, you do not understand how powerful he is! You have nothing to prove!” Daruk keeps his right eye shut and shoots her a nasty look over his shoulder. It was the same look I gave when combat felt like my only purpose in life. I saw Daruk for what he truly was: a warrior who knew nothing else but combat.

He was a creature raised on hate and fear. For him, not fighting felt like his soul was disappearing. There would be no stopping him and the result was going to be terrifying. No one else but Emeris and I could see the look in Daruk’s eyes. One of terror and mindless purpose. He didn’t know how to make friends. He didn’t know what his future was. He didn’t have hobbies or hopes or desires. Deep down, he wanted friends and a purpose, but he just can’t relate to anyone.

There’s nothing anyone or anypony can say. He was driven by the same violent instinct only warriors have. In the back of his mind, he desperately wants an excuse to back off without feeling like a coward. Often times in the Taraskan army, the soldiers who seemed the most lethargic towards others, wanted affection the most. Expressing that leaves you vulnerable to rejection though. Vulnerability for a warrior was something we could never do.

His upper body and face show an unshakable confidence. His tail twists and bends like a snake though, same way a dog might when they’re feeling anxious. Too angry, too stubborn and too ignorant, we were about to see just how powerful Zaran really was. Did he need Daruk weakened or was it just an insurance policy? To my left, Umbra’s eyes bulge and she looks between Daruk and me terrified, quietly begging for orders.

I motion for her to come closer and can’t help but recoil slightly when she almost runs me over. She kids to a stop just a few inches from my helmet. “Stay back, but once the fight starts, you get in there and keep him alive, no matter what he says.” She nods gratefully and flies to the top of the palace immediately.

The town of Canterlot was a few thousand feet from the palace. Devoid of life, except for a small pony who stands confidently in the middle of its main street. His fur was a faded tan and his long auburn mane flows gently with the wind. How he was able to be so calm with a three-story tall dragon marching towards him, was unnerving. We had never seen what Zaran’s limits were, but I doubted he’d be bluffing a fight with a giant lizard that never backs down.

Luna and I follow him as she tries desperately to talk him down. “Daruk you don’t need to do this! It’s what he wants! Please stop!” Daruk doesn’t even acknowledge her. I’m too far away to see the look on his face, but he almost seems giddy when he spots Luna. His hoof taps the ground and my eyes bulge. This is what he really wants, he wants Luna, not Daruk. I grab her around the waist, and she looks over her shoulder at me in wild confusion. “Raiden, what are you doing?!”

I start pulling her back and she starts thrashing. “Luna...Zaran wants you for some reason. He knows you’re not foolish enough to go out there, but he knows he can at least lure Daruk!” I whisper urgently.

Her eyes go from me to Daruk with bewildered indecisiveness. Daruk’s tail sways gently overhead, still scrunching up briefly. near the front and back. Luna’s mouth stumbles for words and she still struggles to get out of my grip. “Daruk...please...don’t do this! I can’t keep losing friends like this!” Her voice is a pitiful sob. She goes limp in my arms and watches Daruk reach the town. Emeris is at my side and plays with his gauntlets. “I mean...what if Daruk is still a match for Zaran? Surely if he could easily beat Daruk all this time, he would have attacked by now right? It doesn’t make any sense that he keeps sending in the Og Nag. That being said, this isn’t going to work as a bluff.”

Daruk stops roughly ten feet from Zaran, his shadow engulfs the house to his right. He could easily swallow Zaran in a single bite, yet the little pony doesn’t flinch or even tap nervously. If anything, he almost seems annoyed Luna isn’t there. Daruk slams his tail into the ground, which grabs Zaran’s attention.

Daruk’s voice is back to its arrogant, angry tone. “Well little pony, I’ve called you out. I must admit, I’m not impressed.” Zaran stands there silently and Daruk slams his tail down again with annoyance. Daruk inhales for a brief second to let out a jet of flame and in that single moment, before it can even register in my mind, Zaran rockets forward and slams a hoof into Daruk’s stomach. Daruk sails above the ground, with his front legs dangling uselessly. Eventually he hits the dirt, rolls several times and kicks up a huge cloud of soil and yellow liquid. He lays there for a full moment, convulsing slightly. He struggles to get on all fours, then vomits that yellow blood of his all over the ground.

A small fog of smoke wafts up from the ground under Zaran. Worst of all, he’s not even panting. He still stands there, almost disappointedly. Luna goes stiff and Emeris’ arms hang at his sides. Even my own face is a mix of terror and rage.

Emeris pants rapidly then swallows once. “Oh shit…” he mutters.

Chapter 60: The Heinous Ocean

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Daruk gets back onto his rear legs but wobbles to the sides deliriously. I do my best to carefully carry Luna back inside the palace as she watches Zaran in a frozen horror. Daruk inhales, roars then coughs up more blood. Before I can get Luna inside the side entrance, Umbra lands off to my right in total panic. “What do we do?!” I had no idea how Umbra would do in combat against such a powerful foe, but she was Taraskan trained and that would have to do for now.

“Umbra...you need to do everything you can for Daruk. No matter how angry he gets at you, he’s not going to survive. Screw this duel crap, we need to put Zaran down now and hard!”

Umbra gets a look of determination on her face, hunches back and sails towards Daruk. Emeris catches up to us at the entrance and helps me carry Luna inside. We lay her on the couch and her eyes are still wide and still. Emeris stares down at her in confusion. “Why is she taking this so hard?” All I can do is shrug and head back outside. As soon as Emeris and I are in view, we start trying to get closer but stick to random large rocks for cover. There was no way in hell we could help them now.

Daruk roars and takes one vicious step towards Zaran. Zaran takes off and before Daruk can even react, Zaran hits him on each side of his face then one more straight punch, sending Daruk back to the ground again. Umbra inhales while still in the air and lets out a dazzling laser from her mouth the size of a person. It fills the air with an irritating buzz and strikes
instantly. As it makes contact with Zaran, a red sphere surrounds him and the beam splits into several smaller parts, making a mess of the ground where they hit.

Zaran stays pointed at Daruk but moves his eyes to stare at Umbra. his iris’ glow red and a large beam erupts from both eyes. They nail her in the shoulder and force her to barrel roll from the impact. She screams and falls to the ground. Smoke rises from her wound but luckily, she’s only thirty feet high. Daruk cranes his neck up and lets loose a massive jet of flame that shakes the ground. Zaran is completely invisible while caught in the midst of the attack. When Daruk stops firing, Emeris and I eagerly peak from behind our rock.

The flames settle, still bringing up pillars of smoke from the burnt grass and a home right behind is completely engulfed. The fire had plowed through it and hit several other homes that now had fire flailing out of every window like a blanket caught in a tornado. Little by little, we see a red sphere where Daruk’s flame hit. Zaran still stands there, entirely unfazed from an attack that could have decimated an entire city. Daruk’s mouth hangs open and his eyes expand.

Emeris stumbles for words as he stands to my right. “Just...how powerful is he?! There is no logical reason he couldn’t have just fought us himself! Why use all these Og Nag then?! Why this entire war?! He could probably obliterate the palace all on his own!” There had to be something else going on here. Was he just simply this powerful or was there a cost we didn’t know about? Perhaps something was in the castle that would inhibit his powers that he didn’t want us finding out about. There were dozens of questions and thousands of possibilities. None of which told us how to stop him.

In a rush of red, Zaran borderline teleports across the ground and is above Daruk. Daruk has just enough time to roll out of the way before Zaran slams into the ground with his front hooves. Another beam from Umbra, but it seems to actually catch Zaran off guard. We hear a loud grunt from him as he’s blasted through a building. Umbra runs over to Daruk and helps him up. To our astonishment, Daruk doesn’t say anything about receiving help.

We hear a loud, shrill hum come from where Zaran went. A massive beam of red energy erupts from the debris of a house and heads straight towards the pair of dragons. Umbra steps in front of it and opens her mouth. She swallows the entire beam with ease. She shakes her head a few times and flutters her wings, which make it rain some sort of purple snowflakes from her feathers.
She smiles in astonishment. “What a rush!” She cries out. Wooden beams snap and stone crunch as Zaran slowly walks out of the remains of the house without a scratch
on him.

I gently bat Emeris’ arm and he turns to face me. I keep my voice as low as I can. “Emeris, I don’t think that super-fast dash he does is his normal move speed. Otherwise his reflexes would have to match it. I think it’s just a sudden burst forward.”

Emeris blinks a few times and shrugs. “Alright...decent observation, but how does that help us?”

I look at the two dragons then back to Emeris. “If I had some way to communicate with them without Zaran overhearing, they might be able to do better! They’re not analyzing his fighting style! They can’t keep leaving themselves open, they have to wait for him to attack first otherwise he can intercept whatever they do with his magic dash!”

Emeris nods furiously. “Alright, let me go talk to Celestia and see if she knows what to do!” Emeris tries to stay low as he jogs back to the castle.

Zaran stares daggers at Umbra. He rears back and a massive orb as big as his body forms in a swirl of red power right in front of his head. As soon as his hooves hit the ground, the orb launches itself at dazzling speeds at Umbra. She opens her mouth and hits it with another beam. The ball explodes in midair and leaves a thick cloud of red mist. The next thing she sees is Zaran dashing out of the cloud and he slams a hoof into her face. She screams in agony as she goes sailing back. Daruk whirls around and hits Zaran with his tail. Zaran grunts but that red sphere appears again, and he stops himself midair before colliding with anything, although with some difficulty.

Daruk clutches his side with a claw and pants heavily. Suddenly, a confident look sparkles in his eyes. “I must say little pony, after all the talk, I was expecting more. Having to wear me out with minions is a coward’s move.” A few red sparks crackle off Zaran’s body as he glares at Daruk. Daruk’s muscles tense up and he locks eyes with Zaran. Zaran flashes forward, but not before flinching his shoulders just barely. It’s a tell. The moment the red energy swirls around Zaran, Daruk sidesteps and starts swinging his claw down. Zaran appears right where Daruk’s claw is and eats dirt almost as fast as he
arrived.

Daruk whirls around in a circle and swipes Zaran off the ground, sending him through the air, back towards the town. Zaran plows through a house and is heard making a mess on his way out. Umbra lands next to Daruk with an impressed wide-eyed stare. “Holy crap! how’d you do that?!”

Daruk scoffs and faces her. “I think that even though he can do that magic dash move, his brain isn’t sped up. He won’t fall for that twice though; he is not a stupid opponent.” Daruk looks back towards the town as Zaran comes strolling through the hole he made in the first house. He stops just outside and brushes off his shoulder. “Alright lizard, not bad, I’ll give you that. But if you don’t mind,” Zaran cracks his neck from side to side arrogantly. “I’m on a tight schedule.”

Daruk breathes fire into each of his claws. It stays there as orbs, still licking towards the sky. Daruk whispers something to Umbra and she nods. Zaran furrows his brow and his eyes light up again. Umbra rushes in front of Daruk and opens her mouth. The lasers from Zaran’s eyes erupt through the air, no larger than daggers. She lowers her mouth to intercept the beam. A purple circle appears in her mouth and she greedily gobbles down the beams. Zaran sighs and his eyes light up again. Umbra tenses up and she readies herself.

Instead of hitting them dead on, Zaran pelts the ground in front of them several times, kicking up a thick dust cloud. Umbra’s eyes grow wide as they scan wildly. Several short bursts of lasers erupt through the cloud, nailing Umbra several times in her chest. She screams and falls against Daruk who uses his chest to keep her up. When Zaran is done firing, he dashes through the cloud. Daruk slams both his claws together and a massive fire wave erupts forward. Zaran yells angrily and is sent sailing back. Right as he hits the ground, a massive jet of flame is close in pursuit. Zaran barely gets his shield up in time. The flames stretch in every direction, obliterating another house they collide with. There was no way those were just normal flames.

An infuriated Zaran rushes towards the dragons. Instead of going straight at Daruk, Zaran banks right at the last second and kicks Umbra in the stomach, making her topple Daruk over. Daruk lands on his back and looks up just to get a kick to the face from Zaran. He skids across the ground about fifty feet and back rolls onto his hindlegs. He turns to swipe
the air with his tail, but Zaran goes over it and punches him in the head. Daruk cries out and takes several stumbled steps backwards. Umbra lunges from the ground and tries to bite Zaran, but he’s gone in a dash of red. Right as her jaws clamp down in his crimson mist, he punches her in the jaw.

She falls to the ground and is barely moving. Daruk breathes fire into his claws again, but Zaran hits them both with his lasers, causing small explosions before he hits Daruk in the stomach with a hoof. Zaran immediately gives him an uppercut that lifts him off the ground several feet. Daruk falls back down to his knees, swaying to the left and right. Zaran stands in front of him silently, with a content smirk on his face.

“No!” Umbra cries from behind. A purple beam erupts from her mouth, but it gets casually deflected by Zaran’s shield. Zaran turns around and a sphere appears above his forehead then rockets towards Umbra. She opens her mouth and swallows the sphere, then sends her own purple attack right back at Zaran. It has the same pitiful effect as her beam. He starts walking towards her. Umbra’s face is maddened with panic and she does her best to crawl away but can barely move as it is. Zaran speed walks up to her and slams a hoof down on her tail.

Her eyes bulge and she screams in agony. Zaran walks up her back and red flames burst upwards. He must have been forcing himself down with his magic. Umbra claws the ground like a wild animal, trying desperately to get away. When Zaran gets to her head, he uses his forelegs to force her face towards him. His iris’ glow red and Umbra opens her mouth
instinctively. Zaran’s lasers pound her mouth and her eyes light up. After a few seconds, she starts shaking and convulsing. She tries in vain to tear her head away. Her stomach starts to expand along with her limbs as if someone was breathing air into raw dough.

She claws at him like mad but just scratches at his shield. Purple crackles of magic start pounding the ground from her body. Her muffled shrieks make my stomach flip upside down. Her body swells to twice its normal size and tears pour down the sides of her face. A fireball nails Zaran from behind. He grunts but doesn’t stop. Daruk inhales again and for a second, Zaran almost lets go. Daruk falls to his forelegs. He reaches for Umbra desperately with a claw.
“Stop!” He roars. Several beams of light rocket out of her midsection.

A blinding flash goes off and I have to turn around while covering my eyes. The explosion shakes the ground and hurts my ears. When I’m able to turn around, the battlefield is littered with parts of Umbra. Her decapitated head is all that remains that is recognizable. Daruk stares blankly at her; his body doesn’t move as if it’s frozen. His jaw starts trembling and his eyes stare through Zaran as if he was invisible.

Zaran turns around and examines Daruk. Daruk snaps out of it and before he can utter a word, Zaran’s eyes glow red. There’s a low hum that fills the air and Daruk can’t help but watch nervously. He swallows once then stands proudly on his hindlegs. He rears his head back with a massive inhale. It collides with Zaran’s wide beams and they have a magical tug of war briefly. Flame and red magic spill out everywhere, drilling holes in the ground and scorching the earth. Zaran’s beams quickly overtake Daruk’s flame, however. Zaran stops right as Daruk’s flame runs out. Daruk clamps his hands around his
throat and pants.

He glares furiously at Zaran. “Equestria will never bow to-” Zaran’s eyes light up again and beams shoot straight through Daruk’s heart. He falls back and hits the ground motionless. Luna’s screams from the palace shake me from my trance. I look behind me as she falls to her knees with a mouth still gaping in horror. Zaran looks over his shoulder at her with a smug smile of satisfaction. “Don’t worry, I’ll be back shortly.” Daruk’s corpse is surrounded in a red sphere and lifts off the ground. It and Zaran both walk away through the town.

I look up at the castle and see hundreds of timid eyes peeking through the glass windows. Every refugee just watched the fight go down and we couldn’t have lost any worse. Silent as the grave, I walk over to Luna and scoop her into my arms before taking her inside. Her head hangs over my arm, with her eyes shaking in place. That was it, they were both gone. Two of our most powerful fighters barely lasted a few minutes against Zaran and he clearly had more power to spare. This was impossible. How could one being be that powerful? Was there any hope of stopping him?

With Luna limp in my arms, Emeris and Celestia skid to a halt as they come around the corner right as I enter the palace. Celestia looks over her sister. Before she can start asking questions, I give Celestia a quick nod.
“She’s not hurt, she’s in shock.”
Emeris rushes past me and looks around outside. “Where did Daruk, Umbra and Zaran go?!”

I gently set Luna on a cushioned bench and turn to face him. “Zaran killed them both and carried Daruk’s body away. He said he’d be back later. I don’t think this can get any wor-”

Emeris’ eyes bulge before I even finish speaking. After a few brief seconds, he mutters the only thing that can make this worse.

“The fourth battalion is outside and they wanna talk…”

Chapter 61: Hail To The King

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Celestia and I march through the palace. Numerous eyes watch us from behind doors and other smaller hiding spots. Everyone who was using this place as their home, just watched Zaran obliterate two dragons with relative ease. There was no way moral wasn’t crumbling. Celestia glances over at me with just her eyes. “Raiden...the fourth battalion. I don’t think you ever told me about them or perhaps I forgot. What are we to expect?”

Emeris’ voice catches me off-guard from behind. “The fourth are the King’s personal battalion. They do all his dirty work. They carry off people in the middle of the night who speak out against the throne. They beat his enemies mercilessly; they infiltrate dungeons and assassinate prisoners. They’re liars, backstabbers, cheaters and full of greed. No part of them are human. I don’t think I’ve even seen them train. From what Raiden told me, they make lousy guards the last time he was there.” He lets out a quiet, sinister chuckle.

Both of them wait quietly for a reply, but there’s only one thing on my mind: how do I keep my word to Versa to show them mercy while not letting a bunch of killers roam our halls? I push open the double doors that lead to the stairs at the front of the palace. A few hundred feet away, stands the most loathsome souls Taraska had to offer. Polished armor, no scratches and only swords. They didn’t need a mix of weapons; they never leave the nice cushioned interior. Behind them, stood the festering wound of Taraska itself: Hurrand The Pig and the Minister.

Celestia and I stand side by side. The tension in the air is thick. They could easily just attack as well. They honestly wouldn’t stand a chance and they know it, unless they had an ace in the hole. Hurrand and the Minister’s eyes scan over their Battalion nervously. I clench my hands, hoping someone will take the first step. The fourth Battalion stands before the King, torn between the peace Canterlot offers, and the unyielding shadow of Hurrand.

The last twelve of my Taraskan army stands behind me, having no clue how to feel. They know the fourth is simply a victim of abuse, but it’s not that simple in their heads. Celestia stands up straight and inhales deeply. “Soldiers of Taraska. General Raiden has told me much of your plight. I know why you are here and what you feel you must do. I shall grant you one single act of forgiveness, however. Join us in peace and you will be granted asylum. I will not use you the way Hurrand has. You will not be expected to fight or do anything you disagree with. You will join our people in whatever capacity suits you. Lay down your weapons now and enter the palace. If you do not, I cannot guarantee your safety, but I will not allow harm to anyone who seeks safety within Canterlot walls.”

One soldier in the front row looks to their left and right. They stare ahead for a few more seconds. To everyone’s shock, they walk towards the stairs. I can’t tell if the soldier’s steps are confidence or satisfaction of finally doing what they want.

King Hurrand’s eyes bulge in hatred.

“Traitor!” he shrieks. Several bows in the back row get drawn. The soldier stops, and casually turns around. They pull out a dagger and use it to pry the Taraskan symbol off their armor. A bronze circle depicting a hammer buried in a mountain by its handle, rolls across the dirt. Upon removing their helmet, long brown hair flows in the wind. She stares at Hurrand with a defiance we all had deep within. She knows full-well what is going to happen. She holds her helmet under her arm and stands proudly as a strong Taraskan warrior. With one fist raised high in the air, she screams what will be her final words. “For freedom! For the real Taraska!”

“Loose!” the King yells, as if his very voice was a weapon of his own. The arrows fly through the air, racing towards their target. She closes her eyes, knowing she’ll be a martyr for life. Just a few inches from her face, the arrows glow yellow and halt in the air. My mouth hangs open. I look over at Celestia, who’s horn glows fiercely as the sun itself.

Celestia’s powerful voice carries easily across the field.

“As I said, I shall grant asylum to any Taraskan that wishes freedom. You do not have to fight for me. You do not have to swear loyalty to anyone. I will still protect you. This is my promise.” The King and Minister take a few cautious steps back. Several heads in the first two rows of the 4th Battalion start looking at each other.

It’s chaos as they shove their way through the lines, screaming in terror as they make a desperate rush to the palace. I see a soldier close line another deserter. He stares at his body for a few seconds. In a bizarre reversal, he sees the truth of what he wants. He lifts the soldier he just close lined onto his shoulders and runs him towards the wall. My people cheer wildly.

Before anyone has a chance to react, the entire battalion turns on itself, as easily half of them try to make it to the stairs. It’s impossible to tell who’s trying to flee and who’s trying to stop them. One soldier I recognize as Sergeant Harid, dashes for us, but stops as he hears his brother’s cry for help. His brother is subdued by two others. Harid looks at our stairs, before turning around and charging back. He grabs the soldier on his brother’s left and wrestles with him. Before Celestia can do anything, a third soldier stabs him in the side between his armor plates.

He lets out a cry of pain. His brother thrashes wildly to try and get to Harid’s aid. He’s pinned to the ground and gets a sword through the back of his head. Celestia recoils in shock. The deserters begin to break through all the soldiers, almost free. The Minister pulls out a small glass canister from under his cloak and hurls it between us and the 4th Battalion. It shatters, releasing a black smoke. The smoke spreads to the left and right like fire, forming a misty wall.

Two soldiers try to run through it. Before even getting a few steps, they grab their throats and fall to the ground, gasping. Despite no longer being in the smoke, they roll on the ground in agony. A few seconds later, they’re still as the grave. Celestia furrows her eyebrows in concentration. She stops and looks over at me in panic, “My magic can’t get through that mist! What is it?!” I glare at the dark magic and mutter what we’re all thinking, “Zaran…”

I pull out my war horn. I give one deep blast. All our soldiers pull out swords and charge through the gate. “Kill no one! We were given a second chance, grant the same to your brothers and sisters!” I yell.

I slap on my helmet and race down the steps. I pull out my sword and dart around the smoke, staying far to the right. I begin to notice this magical smoke isn’t affected by the wind at all, despite curling upwards into the air.

We clash with our fellow soldiers and it’s hell all over again. I have no idea who’s who. I only have one clue: whoever tries to kill me is the enemy. I wait patiently as a soldier runs towards me, sword at the ready. He brings it down and I block it. He tries to kick me in the stomach but is a bit slow to the draw. I take a small step back just enough to avoid it. As his foot hits the ground, it slides across the dirt, making him sit down briefly. I stomp on his knee and a nasty pop makes him scream. Without hesitation or sympathy, I grab his wounded leg and drag him back about ten feet as he claws at me desperately, just like he’s probably made me do in the past. I roll him on his back and give him a decent punch to the back of his helmet. Not enough to cause serious brain damage, but he’s out cold.

The rest of my soldiers use it as an example. Instead of being drawn into a lethal sword fight, they get one good block in, and tackle their opponent. They go for knockouts, or at the very most, brutal injuries like arm breaks. Relying too much on their weapons, the fourth are caught by surprise when duels quickly turn into a slug fest. They expect a sword fight and don’t react in time to getting a fist in the face. Soldiers are dragged from the chaos and protected, regardless of allegiance. We can sort it all out later, but right now they needed us.

A scream of rage startles me briefly from my right. A soldier goes to tackle me and does a lousy job of not tipping me off. I toss my sword into my right hand, plant my left on the ground at the last second and swing my legs into his. He goes flying and eats dirt that’s still wet from the rain. He rolls onto his back and starts crying for mercy. I stand over him for a few seconds and he looks away in terror. He never gets to see my boot into his face.

I see a cobalt blue warrior rushing along out of the corner of my left eye. Luna flies just barely above our heads but stays out of melee range. I see what she’s after as the Minister has his right sleeve pulled back, revealing a strange bracer on his right hand. It glows blue with odd markings on it and he’s already aiming it at me.

A bolt of blue electricity rockets towards me, faster than I can react. A massive dark purple circle appears in front of me, absorbing the hit. Luna’s horn glows defiantly. Despite wanting to keep an eye on the Minister, I have to let Luna do her thing; I’m powerless for their fight. I do my best to ignore the flashes of blue and purple from both opponents as they have their vicious duel.

Another soldier tries to stab me and telegraphs the entire thing. I drop my sword and deflect the attack to the left with a quick backhand. I grab his hand holding the knife. He reaches over with his other arm, trying to control the weapon. I lift my leg and kick him in the stomach. He hunches over. I pull the knife back towards me and pin it to my hip, so I don’t have to worry about being slashed or stabbed. As I yank him backwards with me, he’s still latching onto it with his hands instinctively. He’s pulled off balance and falls forward. A stomp to the back of his head and he’s out.

Luna hurls several large blasts at the Minister, who keeps tossing up some type of shield to deflect them. Each eruption kicks up dirt that clanks against the metal armor of my soldiers. He points his gauntlet at her, and a massive magical arc roars out. Luna intercepts it with one of her own. Crackling fills the air as their two beams spill out to the sides at the point of collision. A few unlucky units get hit and are sent flying several feet instantly. The ground is torn up by random lose arks and anyone nearby who’s still standing, runs for it. The burnt grass fills the air with slight amounts of smoke.

They’re evenly matched except for Luna is clearly holding back, not wanting to overdo it and hurt others around the Minister. His magical ark is slowly pushed back little by little. His face twists in turmoil as he sees the inevitable outcome creeping towards him.

His face is illuminated by blue as Luna’s clearly superior beam begins to force its way past his spell. His eyes grow wide with fear, but he still doesn’t throw in the towel. He presses something on his gauntlet. His arc grows louder, and a nasty sounding hum can be heard from it. It immediately pushes Luna’s beam back. She puts in more effort, but it only slows down the ark. She carefully lands on the ground, keeping her concentration.

I grab my former opponents knife from the ground. I toss it in the air gently and grab it by its tip. I take careful aim and hurl it at the Minister. It hits some type of blue field and bounces off. I grit my teeth in annoyance and watch as Luna begins sliding backwards. Her face strains but she doesn’t take her eyes off her target.

The Minister grins maliciously. Hurrand has already ran back to the safety of his Growler, watching the fight through a small viewport. I’m tempted to go take his head as a trophy. Luna gives the Minister her most aggressive glare before yelling.

“Give up now or I will kill you!” The Minister laughs at her. Luna stands perfectly upright, as if going into a trance. She’s completely silent and calm.

In an ear-shattering performance, her eyes burst open, completely white. An eerie blue glow surrounds her, accompanied by a roar that could have been heard from miles around that only an enraged alicorn could emit. Her beam easily increased in size tenfold. It’s wider than the Minister himself and pummels his puny arc to pieces as it fights its way towards him.

He starts trembling. Unable to run and hold back her power at the same time, he gets a front row seat to his end. He glances at his gauntlet before returning to watching Luna’s beam make its way towards him. He desperately shakes his gauntlet a bit, as if he has some last bit of power he hasn’t used. Luna’s beam is now drilling into his little shield. The sphere that once was invisible to me, now flashes wildly, straining under Luna’s power.

A sick grin crosses my face as I watch the spectacle. Full of dread, sweat starts pouring down the minister’s face. His arms and legs shake as his shield flickers faster and faster, becoming dimmer by the second. He grits his teeth, watching his time come to a slow but brilliant end. The shield is almost clear. My ears embrace his wonderful crescendo as his last desperate attempt fills the air. “Raiden! Help me! N...no please! I’ll do any-” his plea is cut short when his shield fails. His agonizing screams are heard by all. Luna cuts her beam off almost immediately but there was little point.

Once my eyes readjust to the loss of light, all that stands in his place are a pair of smoking boots. The fighting stops as anyone still loyal to the King realizes this fight is pointless. I hear our soldiers cheer, accompanied by the sounds of our nation’s symbol being pried off of armor. I look over at the Growler, but I don’t see the King’s face anymore.

I run over and peer inside. He’s clearly made a run for it. It’s a several hours walk back to Taraska, but the marks on the ground show me he’s made a run for the nearest forest. I follow them without saying anything to anyone. I take my time following his tracks. This has been coming for years, I can wait another few hours. The soaked dirt almost sounds like applause as I make my way over a small hill and see a flash of his purple mantle among the first trees.

I casually stroll over his steps. He looks over his shoulder and sees me. He lets out shrieks of fear. It takes him a mere second to decide that a forest full of dangerous, magical creatures is better than facing me. Probably a good call. I enjoy every step I take, drawing closer to my prey. His mantle becomes a hinderance as it catches on almost every branch he runs past, snagging temporarily. I’m curious to see if he’s willing to discard it. I’m not surprised when he doesn’t. I calmly step around the same trees he’s slammed himself against in his panic.

I wanted to say something memorable while he’s still in earshot, but the sight of him running terrified is too enjoyable. The forest greets me as if seeing an old friend. The trees in their twisted, dark bark, applaud me with an eerie setting. I wanted to memorize every detail of this moment. A pair of wings lands behind me. I don’t have to turn around to know it’s Celestia. It’s a tad awkward but I don’t mind the quiet this time. Would she drag me away from my prey? Would she try to talk me out of this? She knows who he is and what he’s done. How far does her desire for forgiveness go exactly?

She stares at the back of my head, occasionally glancing at the King who’s still barely visible through all the branches. We stand there, almost entertained by his desperate whimpering. I hear him fall into a puddle of water. He keeps letting out random cries of terror. I don’t bother turning around. Celestia digs at the ground with her hoof uncomfortably. She opens her mouth to talk but decides against it. I hear Hurrand claw madly at a rock wall.

“No! No!” he screams. He grunts, trying to put a foot into small open pockets as handles. He gets a few feet off the ground before slipping off into the same pool of water. He sputters and coughs. My eyes don’t move. I intentionally don’t blink or show any emotion. Celestia glances at him before swallowing and shifting her weight. She sighs heavily, before turning around and taking off.

The snapping of twigs behind me pulls me out of my trance. Emeris is behind me, probably carried here by Celestia.

I motion with my head back towards the army without breaking eye contact with him. Emeris slumps his shoulders.

“Can’t I just...watch?” I shake my head slowly, still giving him a death glare.

“This is personal.” I say in a low, ominous voice. Emeris inhales and nods, before jogging back to the others. He’s enveloped in a yellow aura and is lifted into the air. I wanted them to remember me as the kind individual who helped everyone the best he could. But right now, things were a bit different. This would be a part of history that was left out. Hurrand takes off, leaving his mantle attached to a bush. He really was desperate. I take a few steps into the forest until I stand next to where he dropped his mantle. I recall all the times he ever made me put it on him. I take it, and angrily slash it to pieces with my sword.

As I round the boulder he clawed at previously, he certainly hasn’t made it very far. He’s only about thirty feet ahead. He sees me and shakes his head while sobbing. He runs while watching me, a huge mistake. He gets seven paces before he’s close lined by the forest. I cock an eyebrow at the branch, as it rocks back and forth as if the forest itself hated him too.

I take several rapid steps towards him. He flings himself forward and crawls, gritting his teeth as his shirt fills with mud and other random excrement that might have been floating in these vial waters.

He looks over his shoulder and claws at the mud so fast, he stops making progress. I plant a boot on his fat ass, launching him forward. His screams echo off every tree.
“Raiden! Look, there’s more gold in the castle than you’ll ever know! I’ll tell you the secret passage to get to it!” I say nothing. Any words I have, he’ll desperately come up with a response to. But silence? There is no reply, there’s no gauge of character, nothing for him to go off.
I grab him by his shirt collar and pull him back onto his knees. He shakes violently in place. His eyes grow wide as his limbs lock up. He slowly looks over his shoulder, before nodding rapidly.
“Y...yes, thank you! We’ll um...we’ll depart immediately!” He tries to lean forward but I tug him back as hard as I can, and he lets out a small gag.
“Raiden...Raiden look there’s more than-” I take a single step then shove his disgusting face into the mud. His muffled screams go nicely with him clawing like a wild animal at the soil. His legs kick in place, just making themselves sink deeper and deeper. I pull him out and he coughs up mud everywhere.
His breath is rapid and deep, separated by sudden gasps of pain. His face goes white as he hears my quiet laughing. He takes in a lungful of air. As soon as he screams in panic, he’s sent forward for a second helping. He plants both arms on the ground in front of him and screams desperately. I grab the back of his neck and keep trying to force his head down. He grits his teeth and keeps grumbling cries of protest. I kick his left elbow and after a quick cry of pain, he’s inhaling mud again.
He thrashes around and I give him just enough slack to get his hopes up. His lips are an inch out of the mud when he gives the most terrified scream for help anyone has ever heard.
“Someone! Please! Help me! Get this lunatic away from me!” I lean my bodyweight into his neck, and he gurgles into the mud. He turns his face to the side and cries out again, but his voice is worn out and a bit quieter now.
“Please...please stop!” I pull him out and he goes into a coughing frenzy. I lean next to his face so he can see me and throw off my helmet with my free hand.
“Did you ever stop?! Did you ever show me mercy?! How about the hundreds of soldiers under my command that you sent to their deaths?! How about when you turned the entire town against me?!”
He frantically sucks in as much air as he can and shakes his head.
“It...it wasn’t me! It was Zaran!” I let go of his collar and he falls forward onto his hands. He gets a nice kick in the ribs and rolls over on his side, yelling pitifully.
“What do you mean it was Zaran?! I don’t doubt you’ve been keeping tabs on me but Zaran is new here!”
Hurrand shakes his head again, with his double chin wiggling wildly.
“No...no he brought us here! He planted the white orb and knew I’d take it!”
I kick Hurrand over and he rolls onto his back. his eyes clench shut, and he cries out in pain.
“That doesn’t make any sense Hurrand! So, he made you torture me then just planted some magical orb for you to find and went quiet?! He has all this power and just disappears?! Do you think I’m stupid?!” I stomp on his stomach until he sprays the air with blood from his mouth. He rolls into his stomach and holds up a hand as he starts crawling away.
“No, no that’s not how it worked! He first came to me claiming to be some magical creature. It was before I even knew you or your parents! He told me that a child would come into my kingdom and I’d have to corrupt him, or he’d destroy everything!”
I freeze in place and my blood turns to ice.
“You knew my parents?! Tell me! What happened to them?! Who were they?!”
Hurrand’s mouth contorts into the ugliest crying I had ever seen. Even the backside of an obese pig was more flattering than his crunched-up cheeks. He holds up a hand at me and crawls backwards.
“He...he made me! When I refused to torture you, he...he killed my queen! He said he’d kill everyone in Taraska if I didn’t do to you what he wanted! So, I humiliated you, I did...anything he told me!”
I draw my blade and stomp over to him.
“What did you do to my parents?! Tell me!” I scream in rage. My temples pound hard and fast. Hurrand cocks his head to the side and shakes it.
“I...he made me. I...your mother...I told everyone she tried to poison our wells with Mana Fever. They...she was dragged and quartered...he made me Raiden! He can visit me in my dreams, while I’m awake! There’s no escaping him! He can-”
I fall to my knees at the thought of my own mother being dragged through the streets like I was but being literally cut into pieces like a deer before dinner. Everything is cold and it all hurts. Hurrand sniffles and gets on his knees while supporting himself on his hands.
“Your father...he was a brave man! He...he fought his way through the palace to execute me! He got so close; I was so scared too! But Versa...even at her age she was a prodigy! She subdued him! We put him in-”
He winces when he sees my limp body suddenly jerks to life and give him a look of pure sadism.
“My father...is he alive?!”
Hurrand shakes in place and looks me straight in the eyes.
“He...he was but he was willing to be a guard just so he could watch you grow up! We struck a deal! When you tried to escape...after your trial...he was in the courtyard. He...he tried to go easy on you three but...Emeris didn’t know...Emeris...couldn’t have known! I don’t think Emeris meant to make a killing blow, but it happened. But his sword! I gave it to you! That’s his sword! I did that for you, Raiden! He made me! I didn’t want to, but he made me! I’m just as much a victim as you!”
I slowly rise from the ground, just using my legs while my arms hang lifelessly at my side with my sword...my father’s sword still clutched in my hand.
“A victim?! You are no victim! A real Taraskan would have fell upon his own sword before doing what you did!” I stomp through the mud, making it splash against the trees. Hurrand backs up until he’s against a tree and desperately covers his face with his hands.
“You want mercy, pig?! I’ll show you some mercy! I don’t know where you go after here, but I hope it’s to spend an eternity with Zaran after I’m done with him you filthy swine!”
I raise my blade above my head. At least I knew and at least it gets to be me. Hurrand shuts his eyes and mouths one last apology.

I bring the steel down with my eyes closed, screaming with all the rage my lungs can muster. I hit something solid and open my eyes. My mouth trembles in confusion. Some sort of blue shield was around Hurrand. I pull back my sword and the shield vanishes. My eyes dart among the trees, looking for Luna but she’s nowhere to be seen. I stare back at the pig again. Hurrand peeks through his fingers at me. I stab him with my sword, but it hits the same barrier. It’s made up of complex designs like a snowflake. While blue, it was vibrant and solid, not transparent like Luna’s spells.
Over and over, I hack at it while screaming with all the fury I had. Even when my hand starts to throb violently, I keep slamming my steel into it, hoping it will give out and grant me my revenge. After a few minutes, the sword falls out of my hand. Hurrand looks just as confused as I do. I try to wrap my hands around his fat neck, but they also collide with this shield. Hurrand timidly gets to his feet as I back up. the shield disappears as soon as I stop trying to murder the pig. He’s able to reach forward without activating this weird bubble. I gently reach forward and I’m able to grab Hurrand’s wrist. Without wasting a second, my free hand grabs a dagger from my back but the moment I do, the shield flares up again and throws me back.
Hurrand examines his hands confused.
“Is...is this an element I’ve heard about?”
The trees almost seem to recoil at the scream that escapes my lungs as I collapse to my knees.

Chapter 62: The Edge of the Abyss

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I pace in the throne room. The 4th battalion were currently enjoying their stay in the dungeons. After a few days, there was still a never-ending discussion about what to do with them. Everyone who was a higher up, was in the room. Cadence, Shining, Celestia, Lucretia, Emeris and even Versa who stands slightly hunched over with a hand over her stomach. Behind her, Hurrand lurks with his head hanging in shame.

My hands shake, despite being on my hips. Versa has her helmet off for what had to be the first time in years. Her skin was as dark as chocolate, helping to bring out her emerald eyes and her lips had a grayish hue to them. Her eyes were narrow, and her black hair was tied back in a brief ponytail. “Raiden...thank you for-”

I hold up a hand to her and stop pacing.
“First off, that’s general Raiden to you. Thanks for saving our asses in Ponyville, but you still murdered captain Magnus, assuming you even remember him and tortured me on numerous occasions. If anything, you’re making up for your past. As for your rank, consider it stripped. There is no Taraskan army anymore. There’s twelve of us with actual training. Your armor-wearing fodder in the dungeon don’t count and I can’t use them tactically. I have no idea what their training is or if I can even trust them. It’s bad enough I have to give asylum to you and the 4th, but piggy too?! Do I ever get justice for what you people did to me?! The Minister would be shaking in his boots right now if he were here, but luckily that’s all that’s left of him. Let me guess, he’s misunderstood as well, right?”

Versa exhales angrily and looks off to the side. Hurrand stands quietly behind her, still staring at the floor. He looks up at me timidly.
“No, Zigid was a monster through and through. He’s the one who allowed Zaran to have so much power over me. I don’t know how any of it happened, but I know he was behind it.” Hurrand looks over at Celestia. “Are you sure the magical blockers in your walls will stop Zaran’s powers?”

Celestia nods confidently with a smile.
“Yes, Zaran cannot get to you here.” Hurrand nods appreciatively then goes back to staring at the floor. One of the back pairs of double doors open and my head jerks up hoping to see Luna. It’s just another guard on patrol. Celestia’s hoof on my shoulder makes me look over at her.

“Do not worry Raiden, Luna has gone through much recently. She lost Daruk and also took a life. Destroying Og Nag is far different than killing something that can speak. You may be numb to it, but it was a first for Luna. It would be a first for anypony here, honestly. She just needs time, you will see.”

I give Celestia a small nod and walk over to Lucretia. “Alright, so your element...clearly it’s stronger than the rest of ours. What have you been able to learn recently?”

Lucretia’s eyes are red and tired. She lets out a massive yawn and holds a cup of coffee in her other hand. “When I’m in that...I’m calling it my spirit form. When I’m in my spirit form, the amount of information I take in, is obnoxious. I can’t recall any of it now.”

I throw up my hands in frustration. “You’re kidding me! You’re that powerful but we can only utilize that information while you’re in spirit form?! Is nothing easy?!”

Lucretia gives me a condescending shrug. “Oh, back off! My brain feels like a scrambled egg right now! I went from mind controlling a small army of Og Nag, then comprehending ancient magic across dimensions in a matter of days! Celestia’s been pouring through their library but there’s literally no mention of our elements! The ones here given by the Tree of Harmony only really work when they’re together. Since ours are considered dark elements and are from another universe, there’s not exactly a book on them. That being said…”

She starts pacing with a pitiful shuffle. “I wonder if there’s anything on Nova about them. I mean let’s be honest: we know nothing about Nova outside of the surrounding countries. There could be a massive town full of magical wonders on the other side of the planet! One of these days we have to get back there!”

She staggers a bit and plops into a chair. “Sorry, got carried away there. No, can’t help you right now.” She turns around while picking up her chair, faces the table behind her and rests her head in her arms.

Shining walks up to me with a distraught look on his face. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to go back to discussing what to do with the fourth battalion. I know you have strong feelings, but we can’t just keep them locked up forever. They haven’t exactly deserved execution either.”

I let my arms hang at my side as I give him a look of bewilderment. “And we do what then? Reward their long years of service with drinks and beds?”

Cadence stomps forward with a furious glare on her face. “Raiden, your anger is out of control lately! I don’t blame you for being mad, but you’re being unreasonable! If you can’t personally deal with this, then let us do it! you don’t have to decide everything! Obviously if it’s a military issue, it should be your call, but if civil stuff isn’t something you feel like resolving, then just let us do it!”

Suddenly everyone is thrown to the ground as the palace rattles violently. The chandelier above us, sways so hard, it collides with the ceiling. It starts to fall but is swept up in a yellow glow, then floats to a corner. Celestia looks around frantically. “Is everypony alright?!”

Shining looks around the room and nods. “Yes, everypony is fine! What was that?! Is Zaran back?”
Zaran’s unmistakable voice fills the air. “Guess who’s got a new cannon!”
I barely manage to get to my feet before the palace takes another hit and I’m thrown back down. Shinning is the only one able to stay upright. I wave my hand at him to get his attention. “Shining! We need your shield! Get Cadence to escort the civilians to the back of the palace for safety!” He nods and repeats my orders to his wife as I climb to my feet using the window to my right.

I jog through the hallways, knowing that if I fall in a full sprint, it could be a serious injury. A few pony guards bolt past me before I can warn them. The palace takes another hint and one of the pony guards falls and slides face first into a corner, slitting her lips wide open. She covers her mouth with her hooves and screams in agony. The other guard gets her up and they continue to keep going. One of my soldiers appears at the end of the hallway, looking around frantically. She spots me and jogs up to my position.
“Zaran’s back and it’s bad! We didn’t have time to do anything! He’s got himself some kind of fire cannon and there’s too many Garges to get close with infantry, not that we could probably do much with Zaran there! There’s talk of desertion and we’ve had to stop several civilians from fleeing!”

I stop and stare at the soldier. “Nehora!” I say in a commanding voice. She stares at me confused and gets my blade in her belly. She quickly morphs into a changeling and falls to the ground gargling. I look down at her with contempt. “Yeah, I figured as much since that’s exactly what I would do: send in a spy during the commotion to get under my skin. All my units have strict orders to stay outside unless they’re a lieutenant and you’re not wearing the right insignia for one.”
Instead of finishing them off, I sprint outside, leaving the little monster to die slowly. I’ve been accommodating enough as it is today.

At the top of the steps outside the palace, Celestia and Luna watch something in the distance in complete shock. As I skid to a halt, my brain needs time to comprehend the horrific contraption Zaran has and the familiar face on it. It looked like a Gate Buster, where a log was suspended with chain or rope between two arches of wood, so it could ram down a gate or door. Zaran’s contraption has some kind of massive lizard in the middle of it with no limbs. Once again, we can hear Zaran’s disturbingly carefree voice. “Luna, I have an old friend of yours!”

Luna’s face is a bizarre mixture of anger and terror. “That’s...that’s Daruk! How...what is this?!”
Celestia backs up a few steps while shaking her head in disgust. “He resurrected Daruk just to turn him into a weapon?!” Daruk’s head had bolts going into his neck with some kind of tubes leading into them. He clearly couldn't move at all. Zaran turns his head to Daruk and the tubes glow red. Daruk’s face contorts in agony as fire erupts from his mouth instantly and slams into the palace, hurling stone and metal all over the ground. Celestia looks behind her. “Shining! We need that shield now!”

A loud hum makes my ears itch and a large shimmer appears around the palace. Zaran and Daruk are obscured except for the occasional fire blast that makes the shield flicker on impact. Celestia’s eyes bulge. “This is impossible! Shining’s shield magic is the strongest in Equestria! He’s not going to be able to keep this up forever!”

Luna looks between us frantically. “We have to do something! Daruk needs us!”
Emeris puts a hand on her shoulder. “That’s what Zaran wants. He could probably obliterate the shield himself if he really wanted to.”

Luna scowls at him with a seething hatred. “We have to try then! We outsmart Zaran and get Daruk home!” I gently take Lunas face in my hands and her furious complexion starts to disintegrate into depression. “And then what Luna? Do you think Daruk would be okay with living the rest of his life without limbs of wings? What kind of existence would someone like Daruk have now? We have to do the right thing and the smart thing.”

She sways a bit and for a moment, she’s somewhere else entirely. “We...we have to try...please Raiden...for me…” I look over at Emeris who gives me an uncomfortable stare. Luna’s hoof on my chest brings me back to her face. Her eyes search mine desperately. A few seconds of silence go by before I give her a reassuring nod. “First thing: we have to stop or intercept his fire. After that, we’ll have to lure Zaran away while others get Daruk out of there.”

Her momentary look of gratitude is cut short when we hear Shinning’s painful yelling from inside. The shield begins to flicker wildly and one of my soldiers comes running outside with a look of terror. He salutes me and swallows when he sees both the princesses. “A changeling got inside and stabbed Shinning. It’s bad. Cadence is still gathering the civilians but we dispatched a few soldiers to find her so she can heal him.”

Luna skyrockets down to the palace grounds, right where Daruk’s fire has been slamming into the shield and she readies herself. The shield drops and Zaran doesn’t hesitate to activate Daruk’s flame. Luna rears back and gives it all she has.

Luna struggles not to look away, as a blinding flash erupts when her beam intersects Daruk’s flame. A colossal rumble fills the air, as her magic and his fire spill outwards from the point of collision. “Daruk! Stop!” She screams. Daruk’s eyes shut and I see pain worse than anything physical that could be done to him. Still the raging inferno continues. Luna braces herself against the dirt but keeps her beam going. We’re surrounded by a cone of magic and fire that pounds into the mountain behind us.

Celestia lands by her side and both alicorns let loose a spectacular dual beam of purple and yellow. Celestia grits her teeth angrily but it’s clear both Alicorns still can barely hold back Daruk. Then there was still Zaran himself in play. The balcony above them gives and collapses to the ground. Only a few seconds later, the walkway to its right, has a support pillar that starts to crack. A group of ponies bolts across the walkway and it finally gives. Celestia whirls around and uses her magic to snag the ponies.

Unfortunately, there’s an entire group waiting to cross. Celestia rebuilds the walkway in a hurry and the group gallops across. Other sections of the palace start to crack and fall apart. Celestia looks up at it frantically, trying to hold the entire eastern wall of her home together just long enough to finish evacuations. She glances over at Luna. “Sister, I’m sorry but everything is coming apart! You’ll have to do this on your own!”

The very bottom of the wall gives way and several humans carrying wounded ponies slide down the debris and roll across the ground to us. I run over and start helping everyone up. A fierce roar fills the air and a colossal wave of fire breaks out from Daruk. The only thing keeping us from being roasted, is Luna. The massive cone of fire surrounds us on all sides and the heat is unbearable.

Luna’s hair flaps behind her and everyone else shields their face. “Daruk! Please!” She screams with a mix of anger and desperation. His fire gets closer and closer to us, every inch it travels is a sharp rise in heat. I crawl my way across the ground, having to dig my fingers into the dirt against the wind. When I’m at Luna’s ear, I can see small tears traveling across her cheeks and whipping into the wind.

“Luna! You have to give it everything you got! He’s going to fry us if you don’t!” She shuts her eyes and shakes her head, but her beam still stays perfectly on target. “I...I can’t! He...he’s my friend! One of my earliest friends!” I duck my head briefly to give my neck a bit of rest.
“Luna! I understand! It doesn’t mean you hate him but it’s the situation we’re in! It’s not your fault!”

She screams in agony before looking me in the eyes with a small turn of her head. “You don’t understand! It’s more than that! When everyone else in the Kingdom turned against me, he was still there! Before I was banished, it was all Daruk! He was there for me! He didn’t judge me! He didn’t hate me! On those lonely nights, it was Daruk who stayed by my side! I can’t kill him!”

I struggle to put my hand on her back. “Luna...you have to! That’s just not him anymore! Do you think he wants this?! How do you think he feels?! A mighty warrior being forced to play as a piece of siege weaponry! You know his pride! What would he want?!”

She shuts her eyes and sobs angrily. “I...I can’t do this!” She shakes her head back and forth as more tears whip behind her against my gauntlet.

I point behind me. “Luna! You see those soldiers over there?! They’re your friends now! You put your life on the line for them, so that makes you a friend of theirs for life! You’re not alone and you never will be! But if you don’t do this, then there won’t be anyone left!”

Luna’s face tenses up in rage and when she opens her eyes, they glow with purely white light. Her hair beings to shine as well with a purple hew and somehow ignores the wind, flowing freely to the sides as if she was a lion. Her voice is unnaturally loud and fills the air.

“Daruk! I’m sorry! I do this not because I want to, but because I have to! Please forgive me!” Her beam gets as wide as a yak and drills through Daruk’s flame, ramming the fire out of its way. The muscles around her eyes tense up as she keeps pushing her beam to Daruk. Her mouth contorts into pure rage and I know she’s thinking of Zaran. She tries to direct the beam towards him, but giving Daruk’s flame even a small inch, makes it start climbing around her beam and back towards us like an infernal tidal wave.

She yells angrily and refocuses her aim. She starts shaking her head again but keeps going. Right as the beam gets to Daruk, Zaran leans his head back and large, red beams erupt from his eyes, stopping Luna’s magic in its track. Daruk looks from Zaran to Luna, with an expression of torment. His flame combined with Zaran starts to push its way back.

“Luna! You got anything more!?” Luna shakes her head in fear. Daruk’s eyes dart back and forth. I see one last angry glare of determination: the fire of a dragon that can never go out. He shuts his eyes and his flame starts diminishing. Inch by inch, he starts shutting his mouth. His face contorts in pain, but his flame gets more narrow. Zaran stops firing and looks down at him angrily.

“No! You belong to me, Lizard!” He nods at his Garges who drive their hooks in more. Daruk shakes in place furiously, but he keeps closing his mouth. The flame flickers around wildly as it begins colliding with Daruk’s teeth. Luna dials back her magic as well, just enough to keep it deadlocked in the field.

Zaran’s face contorts with rage. “Daruk! Stop it!” He starts stomping on Daruk’s back over and over. I can hear his cries of pain from here and it’s heartbreaking. His cries are high-pitched, despite his deep, powerful voice. His flame is now dancing wildly across the grass, still incinerating everything it touches.

He yells one last cry of defiance, then shuts his mouth completely. In just a few seconds, he expands to twice his size. Zaran turns and rockets away, right as Daruk explodes. Luna and Celestia toss up a shield immediately. We all scream as we cover our eyes in pain. Despite the shield, a wave of heat hits us, burning my skin. After several seconds of coughing, we look through her shield and see a massive crater spanning for hundreds of feet. All the ground around us was charred black.

Zaran lands calmly on a nearby hill and watches us. My skin crawls with that look in his eyes. They were my eyes. The same eyes that had commanded the murder of hundreds. Cities reduced to ash, citizens taken down with a volley of arrows, all from units taking orders directly from me. The context didn’t matter, those eyes were the same eyes everyone saw when I commanded death. Being on the other side of them, was unspeakably nauseating.

Luna’s eyes bulge in rage when she sees Zaran. She lets out a furious scream like nothing I’ve heard and rockets towards him. Celestia and I call out to her, but she’s too far gone in her emotions. Zaran smirks and narrows his eyes. “Oh, and Luna? When I said I had a friend of yours, I wasn’t talking about the dragon.” Zaran opens his mouth and a horrific black liquid jets out of his eyes, his nose and mouth. There’s even jet out of his sides and it all rushes straight at Luna in a large mass, just as big as she is. She flares her wings and tries to stop while screaming. The black mass jumps straight onto Luna’s face and quickly spreads all over her body as she shrieks and bucks furiously.

Celestia stomps both hooves and watches in panic. “She’s turning back into Nightmare Moon!” She screams.

Chapter 63: The Scalding Truce

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Luna’s dreadful screams are heartbreaking. The black mass sticks to her fur like tar and slowly spreads over her body like an ant colony. I turn to Celestia frantically. “You have to help her!”
Celestia shakes her head in shock. “How?! I’ll hurt Luna if I hit it with my magic!” Celestia’s horn flares and there’s a faint yellow glow around the dark mass that gradually covers Luna, but nothing happens. Celestia’s eyes bulge in frustration. “That stuff is immune to my magic! I can still blast it, but it would hurt Luna!”
Celestia pants furiously. “I’m sorry, I’m exhausted from holding the palace together!”

The Garges return and there’s now six of them who step forward, watching us eagerly. Behind them is the love of my life, slowly being tortured by this black mass. Zaran is on his side, panting wildly and groaning in pain. Somehow, I didn’t peg him for a faker. This Misera must have been inside of him for a while. It could have been the only way he was able to defeat Daruk and Umbra.

I look over my shoulder at the five Taraskans behind me on the ground who are in good condition. They lock eyes with me and with triumphant nods, get to their feet and stand in formation behind me. I pull out my sword and yell before charging the field with my soldiers in pursuit. The Garges roar and take off towards us.

My heart was pounding out of my chest. We’d each have to single handedly take on a Garge. Versa was the only one to do that without an element and she was renowned for feats like that. I drop my shield, as there’d be no point in it. One hit to its metal surface and I’d go flying with a broken arm. How did Versa do it? She stayed close, something none of us did. That was its weakness though, so close that it’s reach didn’t matter.

I turn my head to the side while looking forward so my units can hear me. “Ba dai senzo! Chez Kah!” Our best way in, was to blind it with daggers then get in close to avoid ax swings. Right within grabbing range to a hand that could literally pick you up and crush your ribcage in a single squeeze. Garges were stronger than they looked and that was a mistake we had made too many times. I turn slightly to the right, aiming for the Garge on the very end so we don’t fight them all in a big group. With no armor and only three of them having weapons, we had some form of a chance.

The Garge raises its ax and roars. Fifty feet out and I turn to the soldier on my right. “Sergeant Thyra! Hor dez! Chez Kah!” She nods but her eyes show bewilderment. She gives her legs all she’s got and keeps her eyes on the Garge while circling to the right. She draws her weapon and readies it. The Garge looks over at her. The moment his eyes aren’t facing me, I toss my sword into the air, pull out a throwing knife from each gauntlet and hurl them at his face. One pierces his cheek, the other hits him square in the eye. He roars and shuts his other eye while shielding his face with his free hand. Sergeant Thyra darts in from the right and slices his hamstring during her sprint.

He roars and goes down to one leg. I skid to a stop and take a knee. A Taraskan plants a boot on my back and leaps into the air. He plunges his sword directly into the forehead of the beast. The Garge goes down silently with limp arms. Lieutenant Gaval tries to pull out his sword from the Garge’s forehead using both hands. “Lieutenant! Get down!” I shriek, as a Garge ax comes flying through the air. Gaval lets go of his sword and tries to slide down next to the beast. The ax catches his back armor and wrenches him to the right on impact. I hear a nasty pop in his back and he’s on the ground screaming in agony with both hands on his tailbone.

We don’t even have time to examine him as the next Garge is here. He covers his face with his hands as my units try to blind him with knives.
“Maniz dez!” I call out. The two units who just tried to throw daggers, dart away and to the sides of the Garge. I call out to it while holding my sword. He ignores me so I hurl it into his upper chest muscle. He roars and glares at me as I come charging in with the knife from my back. Right as he’s about to grab me, my people rush in and slice the backs of his legs. He roars and falls to his knees. I jump up, let both my feet sail past his head and wrap my arm around his skull like a reverse headlock. With a single moment, I slam my dagger into the back of his head, right as his fingers grab one of my legs. He falls forward and unable to let go in time, I hit the ground on my upper back, letting out a pitiful grunt.

Sergeant Thyra leans over me. “Are you okay si-” She goes flying as an ax hits her dead on. She doesn’t make a sound as her upper body gets flung several feet away. The rest of my units look up in terror as the third Garge descends upon them with two hands open. He grabs both soldiers who drop their swords to instinctively grab at his hands. He leans over to bite the head off the soldier on his right when a flurry of knives slam into his face so fast, it was like hearing a tray of cutlery fall to the floor.

The Garge drops both people and before he can even roar, there’s a knife in his windpipe. He grabs his throat silently with a gaping mouth. Lieutenant Termin comes up behind me out of nowhere. She silently leaps onto the body of the dead Garge and uses the height to slice off the Garge’s head at eye-level. Her blade was three feet long and she used the last foot for the slice. It looks like it wasn’t long enough for the job until the Garge’s upper head falls off and the rest of his body falls backwards. Her precision was shocking.

She motions at my soldiers. “Gai.” she says casually. They bolt over to me and help me to my feet before attending to Gaval, who gasps in pain as they lift him up. He walks with his back arched backwards and his face a silent scream of agony. Termin quickly snags her daggers from the Garge’s body and stuffs them into a thin contraption on her back. It looked like a backpack made out of metal, with a few gears and small sheaths meant for knives in it. She pulls out two daggers from the bottom and as soon as they’re free, it clicks and pushes two more down. That’s how she was able to throw so many knives so fast. This contraption kept pushing new knives down to replace the old ones.

Another Garge catches up with an ax, but he doesn’t throw it. He holds it in front of his face lengthwise while jogging, just barely able to peak over it. Termin doesn’t even flinch as she unloads daggers into his knees. In one brief moment, he roars and instinctively reaches down to protect his legs. In just that moment, Termin steps back with her right leg, while simultaneously pulling out a longer knife from that same leg and hurling it into the Garge’s face in one smooth motion. He turns around while running then collapses and slides across the dirt to Termin, who snags her knife from his head while running past him. She looks over his body and determines there’s not enough time to get her other daggers back.

The other two Garges skid to a halt. One cocks his arm back with an ax. Termin is still glancing at the Garge’s dead body. I reach towards her with an open hand, despite her being twenty feet from me. An arrow sails by my head with a sharp whistle and nails the Garge in the bicep. He roars, drops his ax and yanks out the arrow.

The second Garge is already running at her by the time she looks up on shock. The Garge leaps into the air, ax in both hands with Termin frozen in place. In a teal flash, Emeris is in front of her, bow drawn and arrow ready. When he releases it, the arrow slams into the Garge, sending him back where he came from. The arrow is surrounded in some type of teal glow that seems to reach out and snag onto the limbs of the Garge, tearing him apart limb from limb as it passes through him. His appendages clobber his ally, who picks up his ax with his other hand. He holds it in front of his face as a shield. Emeris’ next arrow slams through the ax and exits the Garge’s skull instantaneously.

Emeris groans, recoils a bit and falls on all fours. The teal flash vanishes and Emeris pants heavily. His eyes are wide and he looks up at me. “I...I feel like I’ve...lost someone. Like grief and heartache in one. What...what is this?!”
I hear Zaran chuckle. He’s laying on his side, panting as well. He has to call out to us, using magic to boost his voice a tad. “You didn’t think your elements were limitless, did you? sorry little buddy, they get bored easily. And when they’re gone, they’re gone for good. Each one has their own unique interests and if you don’t measure up, they’ll find someone who does.”

Emeris stares at Zaran in horror before looking up to me again. “Is...is he serious?! Is my element actually gone for good?!”

Zaran was definitely down for the count. Was Misera the real reason he was so powerful? Was he vulnerable now? I pick up my sword and start trotting towards him when Luna’s cries of agony grab my attention. She shakes her head back and forth furiously while stepping back. The darkness is under her jaw and completely covering her forelegs. She screams my name desperately over and over. Zaran’s cackles are making my blood Bal, however.

I turn to my soldiers. “All of you, take down Zaran. Do whatever it takes to finish this! Emeris, can you hit him from he-” We’re all lifted with yellow magic and flown into the palace, with Celestia running behind us frantically. She sets us down and the doors slam shut. I get on my feet immediately. “What the hell are you doing?! Zaran’s right there! We can finish him once and for all!”

Her eyes are so wide, it makes me uneasy. “Raiden...you don’t know what Nightmare Moon is capable of! Head to the back of the palace and hide! I shall do what I can!”
All I can do is blink. Emeris is still hunched over, but he’s on his feet. “Celestia...didn’t you defeat her last time?!”

Celestia shakes her head. “No. She had me beat, I had to call upon the Elements of Harmony to banish her! I don’t have those anymore! I...I don’t know what to do!”
I ball my hands into fists and for a moment, I’m tempted to slug her. “At the very least, we could kill Zaran once and for all! We might still be able to stop Luna from transforming!” I sprint to the door and try to yank it open. It doesn’t budge. As I step back, I see the yellow glow.

Celestia shakes her head sadly. “I tried that. There is nothing that makes Misera “come off” to my knowledge. Luna will either have to fight off her control internally or we’ll need someone with more experience and power.”

Emeris stands up with a hand on his stomach. “Just...let us out there real quick to kill Zaran and then we’ll come back, alright?! It has to be now! He’s right there and wounded!”

Celestia purses her lips. “I...I think Nightmare Moon might be the bigger threat at the moment.” The palace rattles continuously and Celestia throws a shield around us. Her face strains and outside we hear an ominous hum. Once the palace stops shaking, Celestia drops her shield and we race to a nearby window. Where Luna once was, is now a being I’ve never seen before.

It was still Luna’s body, but with a faded purple helmet and the same sort of armor on her hooves that winded into sharp knots and points near the end. Her chest even had its own metal that sprung out from a teal gem. Her wings were no longer feathers but spread out to sharp points like a bat. Her iris’ glowed teal and her black pupils almost seemed like they were dripping a dark mist. Her fur was the color of coal and the look on her face was that of pure rage. She glares at the palace without moving a muscle. Celestia gasps and covers her mouth. Just how bad was this nightmare Moon about to make things?

Zaran struggles to get on all fours with wobbly legs. “Remember our deal.” He groans pitifully. Nightmare Moon turns her head just enough to look at him over her shoulder. Zaran pants heavily and can’t even fully lift his head. “I got you back into Luna. You kill Raiden for me. That was the deal.”

Nightmare Moon closes her eyes and laughs. “Oh, silly pony. You tried so hard to keep your thoughts hidden from me. but I saw it all.” She turns around and takes a few steps towards him. Zaran’s face scrunches up. Nightmare Moon stands there without a single drop of fear.
“You wanted to use me to take care of the alicorns, to do what you couldn’t because you’re weak. Even with those two elements, you were still no match for Equestria’s elites.” She turns her head to the palace and looks up at the window we’re peaking from.
“Then you were going to try and betray me by stealing the elements from the humans while I fought my sister. Isn’t that right?”

Zaran’s eyes dance angrily. Nightmare Moon cocks her head back and laughs.
“Oh, sorry little pony, did I just...spoil your plans? Yes, I could hear you scheming away. You thought you could hide your deepest ideas from me, safely thinking I’d be content and foolish enough to think you were merely here for revenge and not more power.” She looks over at a tree and obliterates it with a quick, effortless blast of her horn. A strange device made of gold and other gems falls out. Her horn flares again and the device is blown into millions of tiny bits. Zaran sticks a hoof out towards it with a silent scream of rage.

Nightmare Moon giggles. “Oh, what a bummer. Without your ability to steal elements, that’s really going to put a hamper on your plans isn’t it?” She turns around and starts casually walking towards the palace while calling over her shoulder. “I’m going to take revenge on Celestia, kill the human element bearers...then you and I are going to have all sorts of fun Zaran. Just you and me...in a world of darkness...forever.”
Emeris scoffs. “So that’s how he was so strong. For a moment there, I really did think Zaran was all-powerful. Guess we’re not so screwed after-” A black flash appears in front of the double doors. Nightmare Moon stands there and looks over at us lethargically. “Knock knock.” She says gently. Her horn flares and the doors explode violently. Pieces of wood go flying over the massive room, colliding against the walls and ceiling. Celestia snags us all with her magic and flies through the palace with us in tow.

The pillars sail by and as we fly, she calls out to everyone to flee the palace. We set down somewhere in the back, far past the towers that housed numerous other ponies. We were only a few doors down from when I was in the medical wing recovering. Emeris places his hands on the side of his head and screams at Celestia. “What the hell are you doing?!”
Celestia’s legs quiver so hard, I start to question if Zaran really was the biggest threat. Celestia looks between Emeris and me. “I...I don’t know how to stop her! I barely held my own last time!” We hear a chorus of screams and explosions come from the front of the palace. Emeris shakes his head rapidly while looking off to where the sound came from. “She’s killing civilians! We have to do something!” Celestia looks the same direction Emeris is, but her eyes are not full of determination. They almost crawl back inside her head as she almost cowers from an invisible threat. “I...I do not know what to do, Raiden…”

I take Celestia’s face in my hands and force her to look at me. “Luna said that Nightmare Moon took her over but clearly she was able to get out, correct? Then Luna is still in there! We don’t need to defeat Nightmare Moon, we just need to hold her off long enough for Luna to gain control!”

Celestia’s eyes are still of complete defeat. “Raiden...Luna had to take the life of the minister, she basically killed Daruk, even if he did end up taking his own life. She’s spent much of her time as an outcast and also had to watch her kingdom burn helplessly. After all that, I don’t know if she can come back. Even if we stop Nightmare Moon, what about Zaran? Where are we going to keep getting more reinforcements from?”

Emeris calmly puts an arm around her shoulders, but his eyes vibrate in place as he does his best to hold it together. “Celestia, we Taraskans have a rule: you keep fighting until you can’t. If you can’t win yourself, you hold out long enough until something else helps you. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don’t, but there’s no reason not to try.”

Celestia purses her lips and tears stream down her face. “Raiden...I’m sorry that I’m so scared! Living all that time knowing I had sent my sister to a solitary life...that...thing in there is more than Nightmare Moon! She represents everything I’ve come to fear! Being alone, being powerless, having to make the most horrific decisions for the good of your kingdom!”

We hear more explosions, but they’re followed up with angry yelling from Cadence and Shining Armor. Emeris makes a triumphant fist. “See?! Cadence must have healed him and they’re holding off Nightmare Moon!”

Celestia still stares at him with that petrified stare. “You don’t know what it took…you just don’t.”
I massage the back of her neck like you would a loyal pet. “Celestia...we got this. We just need a little help. Take me to the dungeon, I have an idea.”

Celestia nods hesitantly and we’re whisked up in a yellow glow. She flies outside a window and we stay low enough where we won’t be seen. Emeris keeps his voice quiet. “You have any idea what you’re going to say to the 4^th?”

I give him a nod but don’t bother replying. Celestia pokes her head up just enough to look around. We can hear one hell of a battle going on a few rooms over and numerous civilians run rampant in fear. Celestia lifts us up and we take a few flights down into the dark, freezing basement. After a few cells and guards, I see the worst Taraska has to offer. They were packed in ten to a cell that was meant to hold only four people. They look up as I walk by, having no idea what’s going on upstairs. Emeris clamps a hand on my shoulder. “Make your speech good and make it from the heart. The words will follow.

I give him a respectful nod and turn to face the 4^th. “You’re all being drafted as fodder. Upstairs is a horrific creature that is tearing this place apart. I need you to attack her. Do this, and you’ll be granted amnesty. Refuse, and I’ll come down here afterwards and behead you myself.”

They stare at me with open mouths.

Chapter 64: Poisonous Fate

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With the fourth battalion behind me, we silently line the last stairwell before entering the main floor. Cadence and Shining are still struggling to stall Nightmare Moon in the distance. I creep forward, hugging the wall and just barely peeking around corners. While the Nightmare was currently our biggest threat, there’s no reason to assume there aren’t stray Og Nag or even Zaran himself nearby.

We stalk hallways and somehow the fourth still know basic hand signals, but it would be a stretch to assume they could read. They do everything I say without hesitation and for a few minutes, I forget that I want them all dead. As we approach the throne room, the floor keeps shaking periodically from the battle. I peek around the double doors and see Nightmare casually standing in the middle of the room, chuckling to herself as Shining and Cadence let lose all they have. With furious glares and constant panting, Shining tosses up a shield while Cadence delivers devastating attacks with her horn. They bounce off Nightmare’s shield. Both ponies cry out when Nightmare hits them with her own blast that pushes the pair back across the floor.

I turn behind me and motion to the fourth. I hold up a hand and give two pumps of my fist, indicating the group was splitting up into two tasks. I hold up a single finger for group one, then quietly slam my fist into my open hand, telling them they’d attack, then hold up two fingers and pat my head, indicating group two will enter but find cover. Each battalion had automatic subgroups set up. You were assigned to their group one or two, for quickly dividing your forces in half. You were also given a second group, either A, B, C or D to easily send out squads of twelve or so. Each group was evenly picked to make sure that every role was filled. Whether you were in groups one or two, or in a quad group, you always had the right amount of archers, officers and everyone else you need to be balanced.

I get resentful nods from everyone. I take one last look and wait for Nightmare’s back to be turned. Shining sees me out of the corner of his eye and gradually shifts their position to the other side of the room without tipping her off. I motion for everyone to head in. My first soldier runs in, sword drawn and slams his sword into her shield. It bounces off casually. She turns her head, cocks an eyebrow and sends him flying against the wall. My soldiers surround her on all sides, with melee units going in with shields. Everyone else takes cover behind furniture, pillars, whatever they can.

One soldier runs up, shield held strong but gets hit so hard, he skids through a doorway and down the hall out of sight. Arrows bounce off Nightmare’s shield harmlessly, but the point was to keep her busy. Nightmare laughs hysterically as units constantly get sent flying, but she doesn’t notice Shining and Cadence taking a breather in the back hallway. A soldier runs up and hesitates. Nightmare grins at him and her horn flares. As her beam hits his shield, it ricochets into the ceiling and liters the floor with stone. Everyone stops and stares in confusion, even Nightmare.

The shield glows black and is ripped out of my soldier’s hands. Nightmare looks it over curiously as several soldiers wail on her shield. She furrows her brow while staring at it and the shield vibrates violently in place. She looks around, flaps her wings once and everyone is sent flying. Two units go sailing out the windows but Cadence is already after them.

I cup my hands around my mouth. “Luna! If you’re in there we’re here for you! I know you may be lost or alone, but you’re not!” Regardless of how cheesy my words sound, Nightmare’s expression goes from amusement to annoyance as she looks at me.

I duck back behind the door as a black beam obliterates part of the wall where my head just was. Cadence flies through a window behind me and drops off two soldiers before darting back into the room. She starts wailing on Nightmare again and my units are starting to struggle to stay on their feet. Nightmare glares angrily. “Would you little humans stay down?!” A soldier runs at her with two swords, screaming her head off. She gets nailed with an extra hard blast that makes her hit the wall so hard, dust comes off it. She lays still on the floor with her right hand twitching.

Cadence looks at the fallen soldier and flares her horn. I call out to her and shake my head then point at Nightmare. Cadence’s face contorts in turmoil, but she goes back to blasting Nightmare reluctantly. My blood turns to ice as Nightmare slowly turns around and stares at me with a cocked eyebrow. “Well what do we have here? That’s some soul you got there, so...delicious…” Something about those words makes me back out of the room. I get about ten steps away when I hear hooves. Looking over my shoulder, Nightmare Moon stands there staring at me hungrily. “Hold on now tiny human. Let me take a look at you!” I bolt down the hallway to the left of the throne room.

Nightmare’s horn flares and my armor starts giving off black smoke that makes me gag. She yells with irritation. “What hell is that armor made of?!” Her wings flap and I know there’s no way I’m going to outrun her. I brace myself and subtly slide a knife out of my gauntlet. If she gets me past her shield, this could be my only chance. Celestia lands between us and lets out a powerful blast. Nightmare actually recoils a bit and strains before retaliating with her own dazzling dark beam. The two collide temporarily with magical flares, spilling onto the wall at the point of impact. A soldier runs out of the room with one other and they start wailing on her shield from behind.

Nightmare grits her teeth and sends both of them flying with a rear kick. She turns back to Celestia. “Well it’s been a while, hasn’t it? Hope your festival wasn’t terribly ruined, although I don’t remember seeing you there. What were you doing, hiding in your closet like last time?”

Celestia’s face contorts. “Shut up! You will not take my sister from me a second time!”

Nightmare seems to not be straining as much anymore and laughs menacingly. “That’s funny, I seem to recall that during our last battle, you ran and hid while your guards did all the work! Let me guess, you told a different story?”

Celestia’s beam starts to get waves in it and fluctuates wildly. Nightmare tilts her head down and groans. Her beam doubles in size and cuts straight through Celestia’s, making her slam again the wall and bounce several feet across the floor. She had to be down for the count. She’s barely able to lift her head enough to see me. “Go...Raiden.” I can’t fathom why nightmare suddenly wants me, but this wasn’t the time for questions.

I sprint through the hallway and pass the balcony Luna and I had first talked on. After rounding the corner, it turns into a long hallway with numerous rooms. I take the fourth door, close it quietly behind me. There’s bags of grain and barrels of cloth. I sit behind a barrel and slip off the metal plating over my boots, so I don’t clank when my feet hit the ground. The rest of my armor was still sort of an issue, but if I moved slow enough, the sound from it could be mitigated. What did she mean I had a nice soul? Luna had explained what Misera was, but not fully on why Misera takes people over.

Celestia was down for a while, Cadence and Shining can’t seem to do anything to Nightmare. What could we possibly do to her? There was probably no way to overpower her magic, so she had to have another weakness or we were all screwed. The slow clack of hooves makes my blood turn cold. They were slow, but confident and casual. This wasn’t a friendly pair of hooves. Something rushes past the door and I hear a loud thud at the end of the hallway. Whatever it is, it sails back again and stops where I last hard walking. Nightmare’s voice calls out mockingly. “Where are you Raiden? Don’t tell me you’re hiding like Celestia.”

I refuse to move a muscle, even my eyes as a pair of hooves stops outside the door. It explodes into the room, showering me with wooden debris. I get dragged by my ankles and held up to Nightmare’s muzzle.

She looks over my face hungrily. “Now, let’s see what Luna was talking about.” Her eyes become encased with shadow and I feel something reach inside my head. It forces its way through my thoughts like palace guards rummaging through your home. Little voices start playing inside my mind, whispering like they were searching through a box. “Oh...here we go.”

Wooden and stone debris falls around me and I’m back seeing Sergeant Tanis digging me out of the rubble from the First Defensive, just to be chased by Og Nag. All to free me, the little toy general who can’t even defend a simple kingdom. My heart aches as the vision of her being torn apart by Og Nag plays in front of me. I squirm in place as Nightmare’s laughter fills my mind. It’s the first night of the offensive. Massive rocks come colliding into our front gate and Og Nag spill through everywhere. Homes erupt in screams as the monsters storm through the front door.

My my, you are certainly a tormented one, aren’t you?

We arrived in Equestria and the first thing I do is spy on the royal sisters and try to assassinate them in the throne room. They had no idea we were rotten to the core. If they had simply obliterated our entire city when we arrived, hundreds of thousands of lives could be saved.

Oh dear, it seems you never told Luna you’ve actually tried to kill her sister twice. That’s just cold, Raiden. Don’t worry, I'll make sure you two get one last talk before the end.

I can feel the grip around my neck tighten but I’m forced into reliving memory after memory as if my mind was a book full of pictures on the floor.

Hurrand has me in my cage outside, guards awkwardly patrol around the courtyard, not wanting to look at their disgraced captain. What once was a proud warrior, was now a traitor they had to torture or be beheaded. Not following through with punishments was treason after all. So sayeth the pig on the throne.

Aw that’s so cute, you were like a little zoo animal for everyone to see!

I open my eyes and stare up at the ceiling when a disgustingly familiar voice screams inside the room. Hurrand leaps onto Nightmare Moon with an expression anger and terror. He yells, shuts his eyes and a loud crackle fills the air. Vibrant blue sparks erupt around him and Nightmare, setting some of the objects in the room on fire. Nightmare screams in agony and her eyes roll in the back of her head. She whirls around the room, kicking her hind legs and screaming with Hurrand.

“Run, Raiden!” he yells pitifully. I’m barely able to get to my feet and stumble out into the hallway. My brain felt like it had been in an oven. Something starts boiling in the back of my mind and before I know what’s going on, my hands erupt into that red fire again. Anger, uncontrollable rage, all those feelings flood back into my mind. All I can do is fall to my knees and howl with my fists balled. I shake my hands vigorously as the flame stings my skin.

Behind me, Hurrand gets thrown out into the hallway. He collides with the wall and falls down. He looks up, holds up his hands defensively, before he’s consumed in a black blast. The stone where he was, is completely gone, exposing itself to the outside. A massive gaping hole eight feet wide and tall is all that’s left. I get to my feet and stumble a few steps down the hallway while Nightmare laughs with amusement. I’m sent flying forward by a blast to my back. Nightmare Moon casually walks up to me. My gauntlets scratch against the stone floor as I attempt to pull myself forward.

I gag as I’m picked up by the throat and turned around. Nightmare Moon has an almost obsessive, disturbing smile on her face. The world around me disappears and is replaced with a chariot. Beside me, fly the Wonderbolts. I still had no idea where they are anymore. The Og Nag below us are acting strange. I wanted to be the general everyone adored. I ignored my instincts and let them bomb a suspicious target instead of holding off.

The Wonderbolts fall around me in slow motion, dismembered, charred and with faces frozen from their final moments of agony.

Ah yes, I remember that battle. You were all so sure your lightning jars would turn the war around. Pity there’s almost none of them left.

My eyes burst open as I hear a mix of two female screams in front of my face. For a split second, the darkness gives way, showing just a sliver of Luna’s face. Her eyes are closed but her mouth screams in agony. Misera reforms her face and blinks rapidly. She eyes me with annoyance. “I’m starting to wonder if I need a...different host.” She says with a small smirk. My throat gets released and I drop to the floor as Nightmare starts yelling angrily. I get about five steps before I hear Luna’s desperate scream again. The fire returns and something inside me starts to ignite.

Why did I always have to be the weak one? I’ve had to sit out of so many fights. Always just a human with some metal, never the warrior I really was. Then a new voice starts whispering in my ear. It’s deep and full of rage.

Free me!

I look around as Nightmare continues to toss her head back and forth.

“Who…who’s there?!” I yell.

Zaran lies. I am meant to be free. He keeps me trapped in this infernal amulet. Free me!

For a second, I can’t comprehend what I just heard. Who is Zaran holding prisoner?

I am the fire that burns within. I am the rage that consumes your soul. I am the element of Tenacity and I will not be a slave! Free me! Destroy him! He cannot fully cut off my power! He lies! He always lies!

My entire body erupts with that familiar red flame again, but this time my skin screams in agony. I fall to the ground yelling as loud as my lungs will let me. The pain was blinding and that same voice repeats over and over.

Free me! Free me! Free me now! I am not a slave!

I start shaking uncontrollably from the pain. Just as fast as it started, the fire disappears. My lungs cry for air and my skin is a blistered red. Getting to my feet was pure agony, but I turn and face Nightmare. Her face finally rejoins together, holding Luna prisoner once more. She purses her lips and signs with agitation. “This is getting old.” Her eyes open and a vicious smile crosses her face. “Now then Raiden, where were we?” A purple flash erupts behind her. Before she can react, Versa is behind her with her helmet on. She leans over, grabs Nightmare by the midsection and with purple sparks erupting from her armor, she suplexes Nightmare into the floor so hard, the black pony goes straight down to the next floor with a painful shriek.

Versa looks behind her at the floor before turning back to me. “Are you alright, General?”

I nod weakly, both my hands still shake uncontrollably. Versa turns around and jumps down the hole. I hear Nightmare scream again before I hear the sounds of crumbling stone and the palace shakes violently. My chest starts to heave rapidly and that burning sensation returns.

Deny me and suffer! We are meant to destroy! Free me, human!
My head recoils in a scream of both agony and rage as my body is consumed with flame again. It’s a deep red, the color of blood. Fear leaves me. Caution is but a myth. I exist as a living weapon and I was done being a puppy. The power coursing through my veins pulls me to my feet. I turn to the glass window and see glowing red iris’ along with the deep crimson flame. With an inhuman dash, I’m at the hole and drop down.
Versa is blocking Nightmare’s beam with her hands. Nightmare’s eyes bulge and she changes her beam towards me. Another flash and I’m across the room next to Nightmare. Her eyes have enough time to expand before I bring my arm down on her neck, slamming her into the floor. Versa appears in front of her and with a kick, sends her into the next room. Nightmare struggles to get to her feet but starts to convulse. I see a familiar cobalt blue pony yank her head from the black mass. Instead of fearful screams, she cries on rage, wiggling the best she can defiantly.
Without even thinking of it, my arm raises itself and a bolt of red lighting erupts from my hand and courses through just the black mass. How much of my actions are me or the element? Could it actually control me? What if I hurt Luna? The lightning stops and I hear enraged screaming in my head. I fall to the ground with my hands over my ears. The voice is overwhelming, and I become nauseous. The black mass opens two massive empty eyes in itself. It grows a humanlike face and several sharp appendages.
It shrieks brutally and quickly claws its way across the floor to me. Luna lays on the floor panting and Nightmare’s voice cries with satisfaction as she reaches me. She wraps me in her long, black tendrils. Right as she’s about to force herself in my mouth, that same fire from before erupts. Nightmare screams and flails but still tries to hold on. Versa runs up and shoves her gauntlet inside Nightmare. The shrieking gets worse then we hear Luna’s voice echo through the room.
“Get back.” Versa steps to the side. Luna is on all fours with a glare I’ve never seen before. Her horn flares and the black mass cries out as it’s rammed so hard with magic, it’s forced through the castle wall and out of eyesight. Luna turns to Versa.
“Where’s Zaran?!” She yells. Versa points in the general direction of outside. Luna flaps her wings and soars out of the room. Versa slowly walks up to me and holds her hand out to me. As I reach up to take it, my hand is engulfed again. I instinctively cover my face and yell as hard as I can, while bashing my forehead into the stone. A nearby bookcase explodes into fire and flames begin to crawl up the stone walls.
Versa’s eyes expand as I slowly get to my feet. She gets behind me and blocks the door.
“Raiden hold on. Regain control.” She sticks her hands out and tries to stop me. I grab her hands and Versa digs her feet into the stone. We lock arms and the palace rattles around us. Her eyes widen as she's slowly pushed back.
"Raiden, you have to resist this. You are not thinking clearly."

And not a single part of me cared.

Chapter 65: The Rage Within

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Versa’s face twists and contorts as she strains against my hands. Her eyes are wide and wild the moment she realizes she can’t push me back. “Raiden! We do not have time for this! Zaran is right outside and we can end this now!”

I release her hands and boot her as hard as I can in the stomach. She goes flying back and slams into the stone wall. Her eyes frantically scan my body. “How...how are you this strong!?” Her voice is full of confusion topped off nicely with a dash of fear.

I casually stroll out of the room and stop in front of her. My arms hang at my sides, begging me to end her the way she’s ended the lives of so many of our people. There’s still a glimmer of restraint on her face. She stops slumping against the wall and stands up straight, doing her best to act like she’s not terrified. Her posture is perfect, but her hands shake ever so slightly, ready to defend herself at a moment’s notice. My blood was fire, my hands were lava and for the first time in my life, I’m completely unstoppable.

The thirst for destruction starts driving me wild. Even if I smacked Versa through a few walls, we could easily rebuild. Her hands twitch and her eyes search the hallway for something to distract me with. She finds no one and nothing, just like my time being in that cage in the yard. She had murdered Captain Magnos for telling the truth about me. A man who had single-handedly assured our victory against the Og Nag. Though we fell eventually, his tactics combined with Lucretia’s shield improvements had given us a fighting chance almost overnight.

I still stare into her eyes; those cold, green eyes. The veins around her sockets pound hard with every heartbeat. Her jaw bulges slightly from her clenched teeth. My face was solid and emotionless, but my eyes told her everything about what I was going to do next.

“Raiden…” She mumbles nervously. After a few more seconds of silence, I cock an eyebrow.

“What, you’re not going to try to convince me of something? Last I remember, you never gave any of us a chance, why should I give you a chance? You say I should stop since we can end this right now, but consider this: why didn’t you stop with me with the Og Nag at our doorstep? We got hit hard and fast, lost most of the city, pushed them out and you decide then is a great time to torture me?! Hell, the only reason we even held on that long, was due to my command decisions and yet you want me to wait?!”

The moment she opens her mouth to spew out more excuses, I grab her chest piece and hurl her through the wall behind me. She flies back into the room we were just in. She flails her arms to catch her balance then whirls around angrily.

“Raiden! Enough of this! Our enemy is outside! We can square up later!”

I let out a loud snort and roll my eyes. “You mean later when you have the upper hand because I’m worn out from killing Zaran? Do you think I’m stupid? It’s bad enough the pig gets an element, but you get away completely free of all your crimes? Yeah, no. I’m not having that.”

She clenches her fists and throws a lightning/fast punch at me. As her hand soars towards me, I see a small candle in the room. It flickers, but almost as if it was in slow motion.

I easily catch her fist in my hand and hold it. Before she can give me a right hook, my hand is already up. I block it and give her my own haymaker. The candle flame is somehow stuck bending over, while gradually moving upright. Versa gets sent into the next three rooms that had nothing but a few barrels and sacks in them. She groans pitifully and tries to get up. I pause at the hole she’s made and watch stone bricks fall like feathers in the air? I tilt my head in confusion and snag one midair. It felt just as heavy as ever, but how could stone fall so slowly?

Then the strangest sight catches my eye. Celestia is at the door, flapping her wings. She moves just as lazily as the bricks. Her eyes take several seconds to blink and she swings into the doorway. I look down at my hands which move at regular speed, same with the rest of my body, yet everything else seems to take forever. Celestia needs almost half a minute to look down at Versa, cover her mouth with her hoove and then look over at me. Her voice is disturbingly deep and she gradually waves her hooves at me frantically.

The bricks hit the ground immediately and the candle flickers wildly. Celestia’s eyes are wide and petrified. “General Raiden! Please, there is no time for this!”

I squint my eyes and turn my head slightly away from her while keeping our stares locked. “What was that just now? Why was everything moving so...sluggishly? Was that some kind of time spell?”

Celestia blinks at me, her face going from complete fear to bewilderment. Versa groans as she gets off the floor, nursing her neck with her right hand. “Nothing is slower, your brain speeds up to keep up with the elemental power. It happened to me when I saved you at the battle at Base Ponyville. It’s just your perception. Your body is so much stronger and faster, that the element increases your brain’s cognitive intake to compensate. That is the only theory that makes sense. Otherwise, your speed would be useless as you would simply dislocate your own arm from swinging too quickly to stop yourself, or go sailing across the ground from running too fast.”

Celestia looks over at Versa. “Oh that’s right, you have an element as well, I nearly forgot. Where is Hurrand? Does he not also have one?” I point at the hole in the outside wall without taking my stare off Versa then chuckle and cross my arms. Celestia’s mouth hangs open.

Versa grumbles angrily as her eyes glance at the giant hole Nightmare Moon had made. “Hurrand is fine. From what I’ve seen of his shield, it activates when he’s in danger. It’s even smart enough to decelerate him when needed so he doesn’t get whiplash or a concussion. I do not know where he is, but he will have to walk back. He is not as connected with his element as we are.”

I uncross my arms and grin hungrily at Versa. “Well Celestia, if you don’t mind, Versa and I were having a delightful conversation we need to finish.”

Versa’s eyes bulge and she gets into a ready position. “Are you serious?! You still want to do this!? You are a child!” The loose pebbles and stones around me start to clack wildly against the floor. That familiar burning sensation starts coursing through my veins. Celestia looks between us with terror. She gets in front of me and holds up two hooves. “Wait, Raiden! Luna is injured badly! She needs you!” My mouth snaps from an evil grin to complete horror. Celestia’s hair flutters slowly in place. I hover off the ground and fly through the hallways. It was as if the power in my veins knew what I wanted and how I wanted it. Operating on pure instinct, soaring through the corridors was as familiar as swinging my sword.

With a quick glance behind me, Versa is in pursuit but she’s staying back a ways. I twist and wind through intersections with ease, making sure to fly high enough not to collide with anyone’s head. Ponies and humans look up in shock as I sail by surrounded in a red glow with a brief trail of red behind me. The throne room still has a mix of dead or wounded Taraskans in it. We will have to vote on whether they get traditional funerals or are left outside with the Og Nag.

I skid to a stop at the double doors and Celestia appears next to me in a flash of yellow. She holds up a hoof uncomfortably. “Raiden...please hold on for just a moment.”

I shoot her a nasty glare. “You expect me to wait here while Luna is-”

Luna is shouting at Zaran from outside and she certainly doesn’t sound hurt. I turn and look at Celestia with a mix of annoyance and confusion. Celestia bites her bottom lip for a moment. “I apologize General Raiden, but I...may have fibbed a bit to end your current engagement.”

Zaran’s irritating voice comes sailing in from outside. “Are your little friends not coming out as well? Don’t tell me they’re all tired from that tiny little fight, are they?” I clench my hands and before I can burst through the doors to kick his teeth in, a hand clamps on my shoulder. My fist almost collides with them until I see Lucretia’s exhausted face. Her eyes are filled with worry and her hair's a mess. “Sir...I think Zaran wants us all out there. He must have known it could easily come down to all of us jumping him at once. He has to have a plan for this.”

I take a step back and she keeps her hand where it is for a few seconds.

“Are you telling me that I finally have power, I can finally join the fight instead of just swinging a sword and you’re telling me to stay out of this?!”

Emeris walks out of the corridor to our left. He removes his helmet and has an uncomfortable look on his face. “Raiden, I know you want to fight, but this is what Zaran wanted, remember? He wants you to get angry and lose control. It’s how he draws power from you. I don’t fully understand how it works but everything has lead up to this moment. Starswirl warned us this would happen.”

The muscles right under my eyes twitch wildly. “You expect me to sit here while she’s out there?!” I yell, motioning to the outside.

Lucretia crosses her arms and nods sympathetically. “That could easily be why he did what he did to Daruk, to draw her out, knowing you’d follow. If literally anyone else was out there, you’d probably be willing to stay back, just not for her.”

Surprisingly, Celestia walks up to me with a look of calm on her face. “Raiden, Luna is more capable than you know. a very capable mare, she’s more of a warrior than you know.” Celestia puts her hoof on my chest. “I’m asking you to please trust her. She’s furious, but she’s not foolish. She knows exactly what she’s doing.”

I stare into Celestia’s eyes and unclench my fists. Was Zaran really this craft or was I just predictable when I get angry? Celestia removes her hoof and nods. “Please follow me to our throne room. there is something I’d like to show you.” She looks behind her at Shining Armor, who despite his fight with Nightmare, still stands as if he’s ready for another skirmish even with his hair being a complete mess and dust caked into his hair.

“Shining, please prepare the Aegis Shield. We’ll need it.” I almost stomp as I follow Celestia.

“Are you seriously going to tell me that while Luna puts her life on the line out there, fighting Zaran, that we’re just going to hide behind a shield?!” Celestia inhales but keeps her composure as we enter the throne room.

“Raiden, as I’ve mentioned before, there is much to alicorns you do not know. I will explain in a few but I’m pressed for time. Please trust me.” Celestia’s horn flares and a massive metallic orb rises out of the floor, as if it existed in a dimension apart from ours.

“This is the Orb of Sight. Through it, I can see anything in the kingdom I wish. However I can only focus on one thing at a time and it takes longer the farther away something is. Basically I use my magic to move it around the world, it doesn’t just find whatever I ask. From here, we can watch the fight without being bystanders.”

My foot is going up and down so hard, I could almost drill a hole through the floor. As Celestia’s horn flares, we clearly see the entire scene against the orb’s shiny surface as if we were actually there. Zaran and Luna stand there talking. Neither of them showed an ounce of fear.

Emeris shakes his head. “God I can’t imagine the amount of fear she has to be holding ba-” Luna flaps her wings and in a flash of magic is sailing towards Zaran. Numerous small beams erupt from her horn. Zaran’s eyes glow red and he ashes to the right, narrowly avoiding the beams. Luna doesn’t give him a second to breathe, as she’s on his tail. He can barely avoid her magic, as he darts to the left and right, using his magic to levitate himself at high speeds.

Dirt goes flying into the air, leaving a few foot-wide holes in the ground. Zaran turns around and rockets through the air with Luna hot on his tail. He stays a few feet above the ground, so any dirt she kicks up acts as a temporary smokescreen. My eyes stay wide and glued to the orb. There was no telling how this fight was going to go down. Zaran was weakened but he’s no pushover. Luna was one of the most powerful creatures on this planet with a scalding hatred for him. It was anyone’s guess at this point.

They start curving around a mountain and Luna is sending beams at him at least twice a second. Each shot is dead on, forcing Zaran to dodge both her and the trees ahead of him. The shrubbery that gets in the way, goes up in flames immediately. In their wake, numerous trees are almost completely enveloped in fire. Luna’s body picks up a blue glow and she smashes through trees with ease, while Zaran zigzags through them, barely able to stay ahead of her. Their faces were frozen in expressions of complete concentration.

Suddenly, Luna banks up and gets above the trees. She groans and her horn flares while glowing. After a few seconds, she lets loose and the beam is as wide as her body. It digs across the ground, uprooting trees and sending them flying. Zaran banks away from the mountain at high speeds. He has to keep the trees intact as they’re his only cover from Luna getting a clear sight on him. His face strains in agony as he has to dodge and keep an eye on Luna at the same time. Luna sweeps the path ahead of him, so Zaran banks right at the last second, doing a full right turn at such speeds that it was probably hell on his body.

Her beam barely missed him and turned the path he was going into ash. She groans again and her horn flares. Zaran has to whip around and stay in the small forest that was being consumed by fire. There wasn’t enough visual cover to the next large group of trees. Ironically, his lack of cover from her was due to his own damn war. It was poetic justice at its best.

Luna takes another few seconds to charge and stops in midair. I turn to Celestia. “What is she doing?! She can’t stay still with him!” Without looking at me, Celestia slaps on a devilish smirk. “I assure you Raiden, Luna is a very capable mare. Trust her. She knows what she’s doing.”

As my hands start shaking, Lucretia hugs my arm. As I look at her, she gives me a sympathetic nod.

“Raiden, Luna’s been fighting with our forces. She’s not some frilly princess. Give her a chance to prove it.” Emeris clamps a hand on my shoulder and we go back to watching silently.

Luna rears back in mid-air and lets her beam out. It’s twice as wide as before and travels at blinding speeds. Instead of hitting the forest directly, she carves a nice, big circle at the perimeter of the forest, making sure a ring of fire makes its way inside. Zaran has nowhere to go but through a huge plume of smoke and out of cover. Luna doesn’t wait for him to escape though.

Emeris chuckles in astonishment on my right. “She’s got him right where she wants him!” He cries while patting my shoulder eagerly.

She flies up another fifty feet or so. She points her head towards the sky, spreading out her four legs and her wings. The palace starts to rattle as her horn glows along with the edges of her wings. Her face scrunches in agony. A ball of energy appears in front of her and grows rapidly. It’s a perfect sphere with blue lightning arcing across its surface. Blue smoke starts rising from it and before long, it’s ten times her body mass. With a cry of effort, she slams both her front hooves into it and an arc from her horn collides with the sphere as well.

It rockets towards the forest as fast as either of them could fly. As it nears the fire, nearby trees get pulled into it and obliterated. It sucks up all manner of shrubbery and rocks. The moment it collides with the ground, the entire forest is pushed outwards in a monstrous explosion. At the point of impact, there’s an initial shockwave that sends everything flying out in a tidal wave of debris.

Celestia cocks her head to the side. “Shining! First shield! Now!” she yells nervously. The palace walls shimmer with light blue energy. From the orb, we see a sphere of magic engulf the exterior of the palace.

The actual explosion from Luna’s attack comes only a second after the shield goes up. It’s a dazzling, deep purple. The palace rocks so hard, we’re almost thrown to the ground. All the trees get sent flying and a lot of them collide with the palace shield. Dirt, rocks, ground, everything is tossed so high, they could hit birds.

Then we see a strange blue sphere get flung from the epicenter. Zaran skids across the ground for a few hundred feet, bouncing powerlessly against the soil. All he can do is keep his shield up as he snaps trees in half and plows through boulders helplessly. He slides across the ground and stops while laying on his side motionless.

Emeris stutters in confusion. “Wait...Zaran’s shield is blue like Hurrand’s now? I thought all of his magic was red.”

Shining runs into the room and gives Celestia a nod. Celestia’s horn flares. “Luna, phase one is complete, head to phase two.”

Lucretia, Emeris and I turn and stare at her. “What’s phase two?”

Celestia doesn’t take her eyes off the orb and says nothing.

Luna pants in the air and takes a few minutes to compose herself. The moment Zaran twitches a leg, she launches towards him with wings spread out. Her face is a mix of rage and eagerness. She sails through the air so fast, some of the smoke from the explosion gets drawn in her wake. Right before impact, Zaran opens his eye and dashes forward. Luna lands where he was with a violent stomp, kicking up ground.

Zaran dashes back to her and sends Luna flying with a powered kick from his hind legs. Luna rolls across the ground like a ragdoll and my mouth hangs open in horror. She’s able to right herself with her wings and skids across the dirt with all four hooves while facing Zaran. She rockets towards him and barely misses his face with a punch from her right foreleg. Zaran leans back enough for it to miss, but she follows up with a kick from her right hindleg and sends him back several feet when it connects with his jaw.

Zaran regains his composure and dashes at Luna with a flurry of blows. Luna crouches low to the ground and leaps back twice, dodging the first few punches. She leaps into the air backwards as Zaran’s hit collides with the ground. She banks to the left by just a few feet to avoid another punch from Zaran who goes soaring past. He turns around to face her and gets a double hind kick to the chest. He leaves a small trail in the ground as he rushes by helplessly.

Luna soars over to him with a punch at the ready. Right as she gets to him, Zaran is covered in a red glow. He teleports back a few feet to avoid the hit. Ther moment Luna misses, he teleports forward again, tucks his hind legs to his chest, and as he rotates himself around, he sends Luna flying back with a double kick of his own. Everyone in the throne room groans as she hits the dirt hard and lays there for a second.

Zaran is on all fours but he’s panting heavily. Luna gradually gets up and there’s blood trailing from her scalp down her cheek.

Lucretia shakes her head in frustration. “That stupid magical dash of his. How do you avoid something that quick?”

Luna, without a drop of hesitation, flies forward and tries to connect a punch. Her horn flares furiously and leaves a trail of magic behind her. Zaran teleports upwards just a few feet, then back down, slamming his hoof into her head then kicking her across the ground. My stomach flips upside down as Zaran gets in a second kick into her midsection, sending her launching into the air. He’s on her in a second but she flaps her wings and takes off. Blood trails out of the corner of her mouth and she clutches her ribs with a foreleg.

She banks left and right as Zaran starts sending his own dazzling red beams at her. He fires half as fast as she did, but each one comes within inches of hitting her even as she dodges religiously. She banks to the left and then the right, but gets hit in the wing and starts to go down after a scream of pain. I slam both my fists on the orb and scream in protest. Celestia looks over at me with an uncomfortably angry stare. “Raiden, please! You must control yourself! Luna knows what she’s doing!”

I get off the orb and stare daggers at Celestia. “She’s getting the crap beat out of her! We have to help!”

Celestia purses her lips. “Raiden...please. Trust us.”

Lucretia takes my arm again.

“Raiden...we can’t go out there anyways. This is what he wants. We have to let them try.”

I go back to staring into the orb as my greatest enemy slowly murders my greatest love. I can’t resist covering my face with my hands while peering through my fingers.

Zaran trails her perfectly and a small ball of energy starts appearing in front of his forward. He narrows his eyes in concentration as the wind makes his mane flap wildly. Right as he leans his head back to let loose, Luna flares her wings to stop herself and before Zaran can slow down, she’s already behind him. He has a spare second to open his mouth in shock as he’s hit with a blue beam and sent into the ground.

Luna pants heavily as the wound on her head is pouring worse than before. Her left wing where she got hit, starts twitching and she’s forced to settle on the ground. She stares savagely at the small pillar of dust Zaran made where he impacted. It’s the most tense few seconds of my life. Just how bad was Zaran hurt?

She keeps staring when a small, red beam comes piercing through the dirt cloud. It nails her in the shoulder and she’s flung back in a scream of agony. He takes slow steps towards her while looking around in the air. “Celestia, are you really going to let me kill your sister? Are you going to abandon her again just like you did when you sent her to the moon? Is that just how sisters work on your world?”

Celestia’s lips pucker angrily and her eyes burst open but she says nothing. Zaran narrows his eyes and grumbles. He stops over Luna, who lays on her side. Zaran goes back to looking around.

“I know full well you wouldn’t just leave her out here and walk away so that means you have to be watching from somewhere with some form of remote viewing magic. I’m also willing to bet that Raiden The Coward is probably right next to you as well. Tell me Raiden, just how fiery is your relationship with Luna?” He turns back to her and a large beam of red energy surges out and plows into Luna repeatedly. She screams as red flame surrounds her body. Her legs flail helplessly and my fists clench.

Emeris and Lucretia both gradually grasp my arm in theirs. My mouth trembles and my body starts shaking.

Lucretia’s soft but cautious voice dances in my ear. “Raiden...you have to stay calm. I know this is hard to watch.”

I turn from the orb and drag both her and Emeris with me. They dig their feet into the floor and it does nothing to slow me down. I reach the doorway and it’s surrounded with a yellow barrier. After turning around, Celestia glares at me with a mix of frustration and terror.

“Raiden! If you go out there, Luna will die! Give us just a few more minutes! I know this is brutal but you must listen to what I’m saying to you!” There’s something suspicious in her tone. I’m about ready to lose my lunch when Shining appears in the doorway.

“It’s ready, Celestia!” Celestia’s eyes bulge and her horn flares.

“Luna! The shield’s ready!” I run back to the orb in confusion. The shield around the palace becomes almost completely solid and the inside gets dark. Everyone in the room except for Celestia looks around nervously.

As we turn back to the orb, Zaran looks down at Luna with a cocked eyebrow. He’s send flying as a massive blue explosion erupts from Luna. Zaran’s body gets engulfed with red energy to stop himself. As he looks up, Luna is on all fours. Her horn flares and her body is obscured by blue magic. When it fades, all her wounds and blood are gone. We stare at the orb completely perplexed.

Luna smirks arrogantly. “Oh Zaran, you are so adorable. You think you’re such a genius and it never occurred to you I was using illusion magic to fake my injuries? I’m an alicorn for crying out loud!” Luna points to the palace with her foreleg without taking her eyes off Zaran.

“And that shield around the palace? That’s not for you, that’s for me. Now I don’t have to hold back. By the way, you hit like a foal.”

Desp[ite the shield, the ground starts shaking again, but this time we’re all forced to sit down. Random bolts of blue energy erupt from Luna’s body and collide with everything within a few hundred feet. Trees explode, dirt and rocks are kicked hundreds of feet into the air and the sky starts to become cloudy. The moon shines so brightly, it’s like a white bonfire across the landscape.

Every loose item near Luna rapidly travels upwards and vanishes out of sight. Emeris looks over at Celestia.

“What in the hell is she doing?!”

Celestia slaps on an evil grin.

“We alicorns have special abilities simple unicorns don’t have. There’s a limit to how much power our bodies can handle at a given time. We discovered that by using our magic to increase our bodies, we can output much more power than normal. We call this Ascending. It is not something we ever speak of.”

Lucretia cocks an eyebrow.

“And you didn’t just do this from the start because…”

Celestia stops grinning and gives us a very serious stare.

“Because if you do it wrong, you can kill yourself very easily. It is difficult to fight and stay ascended at the same time. If she loses concentration just for a moment, her body can explode from the sudden lack of support. This is an absolute last resort. After this, if she can’t kill Zaran, she will be out of commission for quite some time. She could very well permanently sever her ability to use magic all together.” Lucretia stares at her blankly.

The landscape is a mix of deep, dark shadows and overwhelming white light. A strong wind blows in, tossing the random fires around. Luna’s eyes glow white and her mane gives off an ominous dark smoke. As she grins, her white teeth stand out against the darkness. Zaran looks like he’s almost ready to shrink into a corner. Luna’s voice sounds strangely doubled.

“Well now Zaran, don’t tell me you’ve lost the fighting spirit have you?”

Chapter 66: The Deadline For Death

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The land was an odd mix of shadow and a blazing white moon. If it wasn’t pitch-black, it was almost illuminated with white light. Storm clouds rage overhead, exchanging furious rumbles that rattled the palace. Sitting perfectly in an open area between the clouds, was the moon itself. It had to be several times its normal size. Amongst it all, was Luna standing confidently. Black, magical smoke pours off every inch of her body, as if she was consumed with dark flames. White light streams from her mouth and eyes.

Zaran’s face was contorted in concentration. There was no way he had anticipated this. It was nice seeing him caught off-guard for a change. His muscles tense and he stands in a constant ready position. Luna walks casually towards him as if she’d already won.

Cadence rushes into the room and stops next to Celestia.
“Are we doing this!?”
Celestia shakes her head gently without taking her focus away from the vision orb.
“Not yet. We need to wait until the perfect moment. We have the shield, so now we need to watch and learn.”
Lucretia and Emeris exchange glances before Emeris walks over to the princess.
“What is she talking about?”
Celestia holds up a hoof.
“Not now Emeris, I shall tell you when it is time. Let us watch for now. I want to know what else Zaran might have up his sleeve.”

I walk over and stand next to Cadence. “Princess, if you don’t mind, I want to ask a few questions.” She stares at me curiously but nods.
“For starters, I’ve seen you alicorns combine your magic. Can you do that with Luna? Assuming she needs it?”
Cadence purses her lips and lets out a small sigh. “Technically yes, but ascending is different. It requires a constant balance. If we transfer our magic to her and she’s not able to keep stabilized, she’d be a massive magical bomb and not even the shield could stop that.”

Celestia chimes in without taking her eyes off the orb. “Even if she could keep herself centered, Zaran would certainly attack while she did it. We have to wait for a time where she’s putting out a lot of magical energy and Zaran is also not able to move in. It would certainly be easier for her to balance herself if she can just send all the extra power into a blast instead of holding it in.”

Luna continues to walk as slow as she can, drinking in Zaran’s fear. Her smile is oddly illuminated as white light spills out between her lips. “Tell me Zaran, did you predict this? Was it all part of your plan? I’ve always mused with Raiden over whether you honestly predicted all of this or you’re just good at thinking on the fly. Maybe you thought of your biggest obstacles, planned for those and a few curveballs in case something unexpected came up.”

Luna stops and her eyes search Zaran’s body. He still stands there silently, tense and waiting to react. Luna leans her head back and grins. “I saw that second element you’ve been holding onto as a backup plan. Let me see it.”

Luna teleports behind Zaran and mid backflip hits him with both her rear hooves. A blue sphere surrounds him right before contact, but he still goes flying. We hear him grunt painfully as he skids across the ground. Before he’s even stopped, Luna is on him with another punch from her right hoof. Zaran smashes through a tree and cries out painfully.

Emeris stands next to me, eyes locked on the orb. “I don’t think that shield blocks everything. I mean even if it stops him from getting hurt directly, being sent forward that fast would still suck. I mean is he slamming into his shield from the inside?”

I nod slowly, both consumed with watching Zaran get knocked around like a ragdoll but also waiting for him to pull out one last ace like he always does.

Zaran stumbles around on four legs, shaking his head gently as he stares at the ground. He looks up and with bulging eyes, leaps into the air. He gets about four feet before Luna appears above him. She stomps on his shield, sending him into the ground again. He collides against the dirt and bounces into the air with his eyes shut tight with agony. Luna flips in midair before he’s reached her and sends him flying with another rear kick.

His face strains and he stops himself in the air, panting wildly. Luna’s horn erupts in a devastating combination of black and white magic as a massive chain lashes out and wraps itself around his shield. She jerks her body to the left, pulling him along with it.

He gets slammed into the ground again and bounces off. Luna nails him midair with a blast from her horn. His shield bends inwards as he tries to keep himself in place. Luna leans back her head and laughs. Zaran narrows his eyes furiously. A red beam erupts from his forehead and slams into Luna’s chest. She screams and her wings bend forward as she flies back. Zaran rockets towards her in a furious rage.

Luna quickly lands on all four hooves and lets out a blast as wide as her body. Zaran easily dodges it but the beam suddenly erupts into a whirlwind of magical chains. The moment one wraps around him, a loud crackling fills the air. He screams in agony as even more chains tie themselves to him. He roars and a red shield forces itself out from his body, breaking the chains. He charges up a ball of energy as he flies at Luna. She teleports behind him but Zaran is ready for it. Before she’s fully behind him, he whirls around and sends her flying with a pointblank hit.

She leaves a trail of black smoke while rocketing through the air. Surprisingly, Zaran doesn’t follow her. He does the exact opposite and lands on the ground as fast as possible. He balances on his rear legs and starts tracing strange invisible symbols into the air in front of him with his hooves. Luna banks to her left as she recovers and begins another attack run. Zaran still keeps tracing symbols and muttering to himself.

Cadence is by my side and watches the orb puzzled. “If I’m not mistaken...is that a spell? He can’t do that right? He’s not an actual unicorn so he can’t do magic. Didn’t Starswirl say something about that?”

Lucretia inhales with frustration. “Whatever he’s doing, it’s important enough to leave himself exposed while he does it.”

Luna’s wings flare and her horn ignites with power. As her wings flap, the black magic that normally trailed off, swirls in front of her into the shape of a pony skull but much larger than her body. Zaran locks eyes with her but keeps tracing symbols. Suddenly, he stops and a crackle of purple electricity erupts between his hooves. Luna roars as her black skull launches itself at Zaran. The ground rumbles as it moves closer and closer.

Zaran points one hoof down and another up, then uses both hooves to trace a circle. The electricity stays where he traces the shape. Inside the circle, our vision of Zaran gets bent and distorted. Moments before impact, he yells in some foreign language and the circle expands several times its initial size. The skull collides with it and dissipates across the circle’s surface. Blue and red glyphs appear around the edge of the circle before the entire design glows.

A nasty dark red beam erupts from the middle and closes the distance between Zaran and Luna so fast, she only has time to toss up a black shield. It pushes her back as fast as we’ve seen her fly. The beam splits into smaller versions of itself and ricochets all over the place, striking the ground and even the palace shield a few times. The structure shakes and a few pieces of the stone ceiling fall to the floor around us.

The beam lessens as the circle grows dark, eventually dissipating. Luna flaps with exhaustion in the air. Her confident expression was absent and is replaced with a sharp, focused glare.

Lucretia kicks a piece of ceiling across the floor. “How many tricks does he have?!”
I run a hand through my hair. “He came prepared with everything he could get his hands on. An army, production, magical power, allies and a very long plan. He’s gotta run out sometime though.” There’s no hiding the defeated anger in my voice. We were all mentally exhausted from his mind games. We had everything in play now and it was up to Celestia and their vast knowledge of magic to turn the tides.

Luna’s face contorts into fury as she charges up another attack. It doesn’t form a skull this time but becomes a black version of the same circle Zaran made. She creates it in seconds which makes Zaran try and hide a nervous swallow. He starts tracing some of the same symbols again but doesn’t move from his spot.

The land is temporarily illuminated in so much white light from the moon, all the shadows disappear. It becomes almost as bright as the sun itself but with an ominous ambience to it. Luna’s circle is the size of a house and at least a few feet thick.

Celestia turns to Cadence. “Tell Shining to reinforce the shield immediately!”

Cadence runs out of the room.

Luna’s face strained with concentration before she stretches her legs in every direction. “Absorb this you novice!”
The beam from her circle is terrifying and borderline instant. Zaran creates the same circle as before but it shakes wildly as it soaked up the beam. His eyes are wide with uncertainty as he does his best to laugh menacingly. “Well thank you princess! I mean I’d think the last thing you’d want to give me is more power but hey it’s not my place to tell you how to fight!” His circle starts sending out purple arcs of power that strike the ground, tossing up buckets of soil when they connect. He wrenches his head to the left and right in panic.

“No...no this can’t be happening…” He mutters in sheer panic. His mouth makes a horrified circle as the only thing separating him from Luna’s colossal beam, is a quickly destabilizing symbol. We hear Luna roar and in a horrific display, her beam turns into a furious train of smoke. As if it had a mind of its own, it wraps itself around the edges of Zaran’s circle and jets towards Luna, making the circle bounce a few times. Zaran’s eyes burst with panic and he’s pulled off his hind legs briefly while straining to hold onto his magical creation. Zaran stares at his forelegs in shock. He then does the unthinkable: he turns around and runs as fast as he can, looking over his shoulder in bewilderment.

The smoke shakes violently before consuming the circle and returning to Luna. She laughs maniacally and the smoke forms its own ring around her several feet deep and as wide as a town block.

“You really thought you could just wing Alrian magic against an ascended alicorn?! It takes years to master, years I’ve had!” The inside of the ring distorts just like Zaran’s, making Luna look like a vicious shadow inside. The smoke forms a solid ring with its own symbols that rest on its surface. Zaran skids to a halt and stares up at Luna as the color drains from his face. Instead of forming any kind of his own magic, he reaches into a pouch on his side. It was so small, we had never noticed it before.
Lucretia groans angrily. “Okay now what is he doing?!”

Zaran fishes out a gem and smashes it on the ground. He grunts as a teal energy surrounds him and seeps into his fur. Luna’s shadow ring unleashes a devastating beam that seems to absorb the moonlight from the ground below, cloaking everything nearby in shadow. Zaran tenses up his body and his own beam erupts, made up of a dark teal. They swirl around each other as it collides with Luna’s attack.

Emeris stomps angrily. “Is that my element?! Has he been syphoning my element?! Is that why I’ve had such a hard time using it?! I’m going to kill him!” He shrieks. Celestia calls out to the hallway. “Get everypony in here! It’s time!” The clicking of hooves is deafening as Cadence, Shining Armor and several other unicorns fill the room. They surround the orb and Celestia stands up on all fours. The palace shakes violently from the magical tug of war. Shining stops several pieces of the ceiling from falling on us.

Outside, a colossal dark beam of shadow battles against a tidal wave of teal destruction. Zaran’s beam occasionally gets slightly off target and bounces off, sailing into the clouds. There’s no denying Luna’s attack is gradually getting closer. Her gaze almost pierces through the attack and she doesn’t move except for the calm flapping of her wings. Zaran grits his teeth as he struggles to keep his focus. As Luna’s attack gets closer, red and blue flames start pouring off Zaran’s fur.

“You want it all?!” He yells over the noise, “You can have it all!” Suddenly, numerous rocks and sticks around him are flung away. His beam turns into a mix of darkened version of red, blue and teal that quickly pushes back against Luna’s attack. Her face scrunches up and her beam widens slightly. Beneath it, globs of black fall to the ground, leaving fires in their wake like molten metal that disappears on contact.

Zaran yells angrily, rears up and slams his front hooves into the ground defiantly. His beam doubles in size as his temples throb. It starts forcing itself through the black cloud. Luna’s face shows less focus and more a look of terror as the dazzling tri-beam gets closer and closer to her.

Lucretia puts her hands on the side of her head. “What?! How?! How did he get more power?! Where does he keep getting this crap from?!”

My eyes flinch a few times and I stare at the orb carefully. There had always been a very subtle shimmer around Zaran roughly in the shape of a sphere. It wasn’t there this time. I tap on the orb with my index finger while mostly keeping my arms crossed. “His shield! He got rid of his shield for more power! That’s how! He’s vulnerable!”

Celestia turns to her company. “Now! Focus your magic into the orb!”
Every horn in the room lights up and in a dazzling display, the orb is hit with almost every color of the rainbow. Luna screams as her beam not only doubles in size but let’s loose a fierce multicolored beam that combines with her dark magic. Zaran’s eyes bulge as they dart back and forth.
“No...no I was supposed to win…” He mutters in a slightly higher pitch. Luna’s beam easily plows through Zaran’s and at the last moment, Zaran turns around and flings himself away. A colossal explosion erupts, sending him sailing at least a hundred feet. He hits the dirt and his legs flail helplessly. A mix of crimson and soil kicks up into the air in his wake.

Zaran lays on the ground covered in all sorts of burns and open wounds. He keeps one eye closed and his mane is caked in blood and dirt. He coughs furiously scattering crimson across the ground. There’s no longer a red glow around his body and he starts trembling from both fear and pain.

Luna stands twenty feet away and she pants heavily, still staying in her ascended form somehow. The smoke coming from her body ignores the gentle breeze that swims through the trees. She’s confident but keeps eying him over in case he has one last trick up his sleeve.

She starts circling him, occasionally checking around for any last combatants she might not see.

“So Zaran, any last words? You’ve been awful quiet while I’ve been tossing you around like a ragdoll.”

Zaran closes his eyes and chuckles.

“Actually, I do have one last card to play. It may have taken longer than I wanted but hey, an ace is an ace am I right?”

Luna snorts condescendingly.

“Sure it is, Zaran. Arrogant to the very end.” We all jump in the throne room when a loud thunderous crack is heard outside. A hundred feet behind Luna, a red circle with all sorts of lettering appears. In the middle is Starswirl and another stallion that looks like he means business. He’s built like a horse from Taraska but has the same color scheme as Zaran, except with warmer colors. His mane is auburn with milky-white fur. He looks at Luna with a lethargic expression while Starswirl recoils.

Zaran trades off between laughing and coughing.

“I always win! I told you! I always win! This fight always goes the same way!” He lays on his side while gasping desperately for air. Luna eyes the new stallion curiously. In a red flash, the newcomer is by Zaran’s side, towering over Luna. She takes a few steps back and cocks an eyebrow. Starswirl runs up and holds his hooves defensively.

“Now hold on you two, we didn’t come here to brawl. I mean initially we did but it looks like the fight’s already over so can we please leave it that way?”

The stallion takes in a deep breath.

“I am Prime. I have come for Zaran.”

Starswirl walks over to Prime’s side.

“Easy Prime, let’s not escalate things. We’re just here to finish this.”

Zaran laughs like mad.

“It’s the same every time! He tells you to back off, you tell him no, you fight, he wins, I go to prison and break out! Every time! You’re all so easy!”

Prime takes in a deep breath.

“I’m here to take Zaran away for his crimes. Please let me-” He stops and furrows his brow. He looks straight at us as if seeing us through the orb and his iris’ glow red. The orb in the room explodes violently. Celestia recoils then sits there in shock.

“That’s...that’s impossible!” Without wasting a second, we all dart out of the palace and run across the field to where Luna is. She’s in the middle of exchanging angry words with Prime. He stops and stares at me as I come to a halt right next to her.

“You must be Raiden. I’m what you would consider your...better half.”

I look him over in confusion and a billion questions race through my head. Starswirl takes a few steps forward and locks eyes with me.

“Prime here...let me start from the beginning. I infused both Zaran and Prime with raw magical energy. While they can’t cast spells or do any advanced magic, their ability to control kinetic magic is unrivaled. After Zaran escaped, Prime agreed to be augmented even further to hunt him down. He managed to trap Prime here in some kind of arcane prison until I freed him. I assure you, Prime is more than a match to deal with Zaran, so if you don’t mind, we’d like to end this once and for all.” He says happily.

Everyone else is quiet except for Luna.

“And when you say end this, you mean he gets a nice comfy cell while we have to rebuild most of known civilization?”

Prime narrows his eyes and keeps a rock-solid composure.

“I don’t have the patience for a debate. Zaran is coming with me.”

Luna turns to me.

“Why is every one of your alternate selves a total jerk?”

Zaran cackles on the ground and Luna glares at him. Her horn flares and a nasty beam erupts. It quickly collides with a red sphere that encompasses Prime, Zaran and Starswirl.

Prime cocks an eyebrow and his face shows a hint of irritation.

“I know completely how strong alicorns can be and you won’t stand a chance against me. Don’t do that again. I’m taking him.”

Luna grits her teeth and even Celestia’s horn flares with magic. Celestia takes a few cautious steps forward.

“I apologize, but Zaran has much to pay for. It doesn’t seem fair that he just gets to walk away.”

Zaran keeps laughing while holding his side in agony.

“You...you all keep talking, someone crosses the line and you all die! This always plays out the same!”

Prime looks down at Zaran without moving his head.

“Quiet.” He says in a solid, unshaking voice. Luna still has her ominous shadow fire emanating from her fur. The ground starts to shake and the moon flares up with more light. “No, Prime. He gets executed here and now.”

Prime keeps his head pointed at Zaran while his eyes shift to Luna. “I assure you little princess, I have destroyed entire planets. I am not something a mere alicorn should mess with.” Celestia, Cadence and Shining both take fearsome steps forward, glaring at Prime.

Celestia lifts her head up high. “Except she’s not alone.” I have to control my left leg from wanting to hammer up and down. They were all completely taxed. none of them even had enough energy to teleport us out here, but Prime didn’t seem like the type to back down. He also clearly seemed more powerful than Zaran. I’m standing off to his right, with the royalty to Prime’s left. He naturally made everyone feel insignificant and we very well could be in comparison.

Prime moves his head and examines each of them with a cold, angry stare. He towers above us, being much larger than any Equestrian I had seen here. Was he permanently ascended as well? He lets out a small sigh. “If this is the fate you choose, then so be it.”

Starswirl waves his hooves anxiously. “Prime, wait! This isn’t an alternate universe though! This is one of the main worlds! You can’t fight here! You have no comprehension of the damage it will do!”

His eyes begin to let out red light, the same way Luna’s eyes do. The black storm clouds overhead begin to take on a crimson hue, as does the moon.

Lucretia cups her hands over her mouth “I thought you were supposed to be the good guy!” She yells.

Prime doesn’t move a muscle, not even tensing up for a fight. “I do what I feel is right.”

Without realizing it, my body starts to shake. My skin feels like it’s on fire again. Prime sudden looks straight at me. His eyes move up and down my body rapidly. Zaran’s eyes bulge and he tries to lift himself off the ground. “Wait...no...don’t! Prime, it’s the Equestrians you want!”

Prime looks over his shoulder at a mangled Zaran. “And this matters to you...why?”

The ground starts to rumble, and I feel every muscle become tight and solid. I hold out my hand and a ball of red flame that seems to feed off itself appears in my hand almost effortlessly. Zaran shakes his head rapidly while looking at the ground as if he was burning. He laboriously gets off the ground and that same red energy starts coming off his fur as well. His eyes are a disturbing mix of fury and fear. He looks between Prime and I. “Stop! We can’t do this!”

Prime cocks an eyebrow and keeps looking at Zaran. I clench my fist and the fire pours its way back into my skin. “I want Zaran.”

Prime yanks his head back to me. “No, you will stay put.”

Zaran glares at Prime. “Prime, stop!”

An orb appears above Prime’s head. Zaran does the same while pointing it at him. I see my opening and take a single sprinting step towards him with an inferno erupting from my body. My other foot hasn’t even left the ground when all three of us are sent flying at least twenty feet in each direction. Hitting the ground doesn’t even compare to the sensation of my skin boiling from the inside and out. I put my hands to the side of my head and scream. My body flails and convulses wildly as every survival instinct I have goes on overdrive.

I can hear Zaran screaming in agony the same as I am in the distance. I’m able to barely open one of my eyes when I see a sight truly baffling. Prime is on his back, flailing like mad. Red smoke pours from his body and collects in the middle as he gets smaller and smaller. I look down at my feet and see the same smoke coming from myself and Zaran, all going to the same place. In just a few seconds, Prime is the same size as Zaran and clearly back to being a pony. The red smoke begins to form a solid shape. Before long, something lifts itself out of the fog as if standing up from a kneeling position.

It’s vaguely human but at least fifteen feet tall. Its head has ram horns on both the front and back. Its entire head looks like a bull’s skull but with fangs that had to be a foot long, stemming from both the top and lower jaw that rested outside its mouth. The smoke quickly takes shape and forms two legs with reversed knees. A long tail forms with spines running down it. It raises its bulging arms and roars in triumph.

Zaran shakes his head and his face is that of a child who’s just seen a murder. He flails his legs briefly before getting up and trying to run away. Without turning its head to look, the beast reaches out a hand towards Zaran. A chain covered in barbs juts out and wraps itself around Zaran’s neck almost instantly. Zaran claws at the ground with his hooves as he’s dragged to the beast. It lifts Zaran to its face, but it has no eyes, just dark sockets that pierce through your soul. Zaran hangs there motionless, completely frozen and staring at the creature.

“Well hello little pony.” Its voice is deep and powerful, like a boulder rolling down a cliff.

“As I said before, eventually I will be free, and I shall drag you down to The Pit. I am the Element of Tenacity in my full form. You could not hold me forever and now it is time to reap what you sew.” Zaran slowly shakes his head in disbelief. The creature chuckles, making a helpless Zaran bob up and down on its chain.

Prime barely manages to get on all fours. “Serves you right, Zaran.” Tenacity stretches his free hand out and another chain wraps around Prime, pulling him up where Zaran is. Prime flails in angry protest. He stops when Tenacity exhales angrily.

“It is time you finally realized the truth Prime. In your quest to stop Zaran, you as well cause destruction. You both fight, the planet gets torn to pieces and when Prime wins, the heroes of that planet try to take him down, unaware that killing Zaran would release the elements he’s harnessed very violently. Forced to defend him, Zaran escapes during the battle. Or maybe you imprison him for a while then he gets out using some strange means or while you sleep.”

Prime’s face slowly drains of color and a look of remorse creeps out. Prime turns and faces Zaran.

“Did you know the Elements of Nova are much more powerful than you thought? We have our own dimension we can reside in while we discuss the champions we’ve chosen. There is even a special place for former champions who abused their power. I’ll be taking you there seeing as how I’ve stripped you both of your power.”

Zaran’s face looks like he’s about to vomit. Tenacity turns to Versa, Lucretia and Emeris.

“Secondly...I’ll need to take these.” His mouth opens, revealing rows of jagged teeth and a throat that looks like it leads to somewhere far darker than a stomach. They all scream as the color of their elements drains from their bodies and into Tenacity’s mouth. Everyone falls to their knees panting. The elements swirl like mist into the monster’s mouth and disappear.

“Sorry, the elements of Nova eventually lead to war, no matter how close you all are to each other. They do not belong here and wish to return home.”

I look down at my hands that no longer have a constant vibrating sense of power. Lucretia looks up in terror.

“You can’t do this! We need them! What if we return to Nova with them?!”

Tenacity slowly shakes his head with a stern expression.

“I’m sorry but that was the deal. The elements of Nova are more powerful than the elements of Harmony and are much harder to predict. At any time they could leave you and find new champions. They are also stronger when they’re together but it’s rare they’ll do that...unless someone threatens their existence.” He says while motioning with his head to Zaran. Emeris holds his forehead with his fingertips.

“That’s what Zaran’s amulet was for that Nightmare destroyed. He was going to drag out the fight, so we’d come to the rescue and steal our power.”

Tenacity nods slowly.

“More than that, the Abraskis Amulet can absorb even alicorn magic. Tirek had one magically implanted into his body. If Zaran didn’t have to keep the amulet hidden from Nightmare Moon, he could have ruled the world. Luckily, she knew about it, otherwise the moment you defeated her it would have been game over and Zaran would be unstoppable, even to me.”

Starswirl starts walking to the palace.

“Very well, let me grab a few items I left-” Tenacity leans back and roars as his chest opens up, showing jagged ribs. Another chain leaps out of his chest and wraps around Starswirl, dragging him slowly to Tenacity.

“I’m sorry Starswirl but you’re not innocent either. You’ve been impersonating the real Starswirl the Bearded.”

Luna furrows her brow.

“We figured as much. He was too much of an emotional wreck to pass for Starswirl.”

Tenacity motions to Starswirl with his head.

“Starswirl here is also to be imprisoned and stripped of his magic.”

Zaran chuckles as Starswirl looks around helplessly.

“What have I done wrong?!” Starswirl asks in panic.

Tenacity shakes his head with disappointment.

“Starswirl...while your goals were noble, your actions were criminal. You abducted Prime and Zaran. I read Zaran’s journal as he wrote it. He was hoping he could control me, but this was always doomed to fail. I cannot be imprisoned for long.”
Zaran angrily beats his hooves in the air while groaning.

Prime looks over at him with a sense of pity and does his best to balance himself so he can face Zaran.

“Zaran, I understand and on a personal level, I forgive you. You were like a brother to me. Starswirl didn’t allow you to leave and return to your former life even after you begged him. You are what you are because you never want to be vulnerable. However, that’s not an excuse for what you’ve done. We’ve chased you across dozens of planets and alternate realities and we’ve accidentally obliterated a handful of them. So, while I understand, this is still unforgivable...I never hunted you out of anger, but merely a desire for peace.”

Tenacity turns to Starswirl.

“Star, you literally forced Zaran to be an experiment. I’m sorry you lost your husband, but you literally dragged them against their will to go fight in wars they wanted nothing to do with. Prime personally wanted to be a hero but instead you made him a war machine. You teleported them wherever you wanted, despite their protests.”

Tenacity looks up at the clouds in thought.

“I did enjoy defeating villains for a while, but you eventually escalated it to destroying entire countries in the name of peace. Not once did that end the way you thought it would. Did you care? No, they were just failed experiments to you, written down in a notebook, reduced to variables and left to time.”

Tenacity looks back from the clouds, then glares at Prime.

“Then there is you.”

Prime purses his lips, apparently hoping he was going to get off easy.

“Your intentions were to stop all evil, including Zaran, but with my power, you’ve annihilated armies and done irreversible damage to numerous planets, even causing a few chain reactions that ended the entire world. You all, by nature, are monsters. No matter where you go, you cause destruction. You both have no place in this multiverse anymore. Starswirl...you have doomed them in ways you cannot fathom and now it is time to pay the toll.”

Starswirl's horn lights up over and over with white magic but nothing happens. He tries to run and gets about five feet before the chain stops him. He digs his hooves into the ground as Tenacity pulls him close.

Tenacity chuckles once and shakes his head.

“There can be no peace where violence is ignored, Starswirl.”

Zaran kicks wildly and he even tries pitifully to punch the chain. He wiggles around with a pathetic clank of his restraint. Tenacity grins as a circle appears around him on the ground.

“Where we’re going, there will be no mercy, but there will be peace. We are all evil in some way, despite thinking we’re the savior. Villains never think of themselves as villains, there’s always a justification. Always a reason, always an excuse. Today, those excuses end and the multiverse gets to be free of us.” His mouth opens and he begins dissolving while sinking into the circle. Prime, Zaran and Starswirl scream while flailing. The chains gain slack and all three of them try desperately to run away, only to get about ten feet away.

A disturbing smile spreads across Tenacity’s gaping mouth and a large spike erupts from the circle, piercing through Starswirl’s thigh and out his back. Starswirl screams in agony and freezes his frantic clawing on the ground. The spike turns its tip into a hook and retracts back, digging itself into Starswirl, dragging him bit by bit into the circle.

Zaran stares at the mess with bulging eyes. A spike shoots towards him, piercing through his throat. Zaran gags and pounds on it impulsively with his hooves. A second spike pierces through his ribs. Both turn into hooks and drag him into the circle. Prime opens his eyes as he slowly sinks into the magical abyss.

“But you Raiden, you get to be free. You never used my power to your knowledge. No matter how bad it was, you always fought with an internal desire to fight back. Luckily for you, you never fought Zaran or you’d likely be coming with us. No matter who you are, remember that you were the best of us. You were never powerless, and you never will be. You had everything taken from you and yet you were the luckiest one.”

Tenacity lets out a fierce roar that makes everyone cover their ears impulsively.

“Do not worry my minions. Where we go, I will not allow you to die until you pay for every life taken. It is a place made of the same rage you’ve inflicted. A place where only monsters can call home. A place where you will never die or grow old...or escape.”

A red spike juts out of the circle and impales Prime straight through his skull. His eyes stay open and his mouth hangs with his tongue draping out the side as he goes limp. Starswirl's eyes are wide with panic and he flails his forelegs at us desperately while screaming at the top of his lungs in agony. All we can do is watch as they’re dragged into the red abyss. Once they’re all submerged inside, it vanishes, leaving no trace of them behind.

Emeris turns to me.

“Is every variation of you a total ass?”

Chapter 67: The Legend Of Taraska Part One

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Those of us in higher positions sit around a long, round table in the throne room. No one says anything but the feelings are mixed. I lean against the table with fingers locked and resting against my chin. Everyone stares mindlessly forward in quiet contemplation. My eyes silently move from one creature to the next. Luna sits to my side with her left wing resting on my back.

As I inhale, everyone looks up, eyes wide and eager. I unclasp my fingers and lay them flat on the table. “Well...I think it’s actually over this time. I know Zaran has a habit of always crawling away, but I think he’s done for.”

Luna nods and makes eye contact with every individual who listens. “I agree. He was dragged down to his own personal hell. It certainly sounds like he was messing with forces more powerful than he anticipated. I’m grateful we were the ones to end him, even if his final fate was not ours to control.”

Emeris leans back in his chair, his hands resting behind his head. “So, what do we do now? Reports came in: there’s no Og Nag armies. They live in small camps, keeping to themselves. Not sure what they’re doing for food, but we think they’ve actually started eating fruit as no corpses have been found in the surrounding area...assuming they leave anything.”

Lucretia keeps her face propped up with her right hand. “I mean...might as well leave them alone if they’re not hurting anything. Don’t get me wrong, I can’t help but want to draw my blade when I see them but it’s hard to shut that off after a decade of slaughtering them. Of course, there’s the concern of them falling prey to any kind of psychic villain who shows up.”

Celestia sighs and closes her eyes for a moment. “No. They are to be left alone. I am done with war. I will not allow them to be exterminated based on hypotheticals. Everypony here is technically susceptible to mind control. Even lesser creatures are.”

Emeris shrugs without an expression. “Fair enough, never thought I’d get tired of killing Og Nag honestly but here we are. So, what is Equestria going to do about...everything?”

Luna leans her head back and groans. “The amount of rebuilding is absurd. Even with magic, we’re talking hundreds of towns, entire crops went up in flames and we’re still not sure what to do with all the dead Og Nag. Then there’s the...psychological damage to our citizens. You Taraskans may be used to this, but we simply don’t have the resources to support everypony. The extent of our therapy was grief and anxiety counseling. A loved one passes away, or someone is restless over a life event. An entire war though? At least with Tirek they could flee somewhere or didn’t have to worry about literal death. How do you Taraskans deal with it?”

Emeris grins and leans forward. “A combination of cuddling and dark humor.”

Celestia looks at him with a puzzled cock of her eyebrow. “What do you mean dark humor?”

Emeris clasps his fingers together. “Give a man a torch, and he'll be warm for a few hours. Set a man on fire, and he will be warm for the rest of his life.” Emeris narrows his eyes and eyebrows then slaps on the biggest smile he can. Lucretia covers her face with a hand as the room stares at him silently.

I clear my throat to draw attention. “Tell you what, why don’t we stroll through Canterlot and see what we can do? Maybe they just need time.”

Celestia smiles then nods her head. “That sounds perfect. Tell me General, does Warrior’s Bane ever go away?”

Emeris, Lucretia and I exchange glances. Lucretia rubs her hands together anxiously. “No, not that we know of. That being said, we’ve never known peace before so…”

A few minutes of silence go by before we all get up and leave.

Canterlot was once a place of highlife, colors and music. The once eye-catching signs were now charred and broken. Most windows were in pieces and what remained of the shops weren’t even remotely hospitable. Emeris and I walk side by side with our helmets back at the palace. The smell of pastries and perfume was completely absent, replaced by an odor that could only be described as stereotypically Taraskan: a mix of charred wood and blood.

We turn a corner and find a rotting Yak in the street with crows picking at its remains. He’s just a few feet from an alleyway entrance. We investigate without a word until we find two ponies further back in the alley who had been mauled viciously and were missing half their limbs each. Emeris lets out a sad groan. “That yak must have been trying to defend them. We really should visit their homeland and pay respects...if they’re still there.”

We continued down the street, surprised at just how many shops had been completely obliterated. The buildings were attached to each other on both sides. Most of the shops that had been incinerated were clearly the victims of Daruk’s fire. It was as if they had been violently cut out of their space with a scalding, circular knife. Just an empty charred hole amongst a row of other structures.

Further down the road, we see a teal pony with blue hair who sits on his haunches. His head hangs and he doesn’t move. Emeris and I walk over hesitantly. In front of the pony, is what appears to be a former bakery with a cupcake for a shop sign. The sign is laying on the ground with most of the paint faded and covered in dirt. When we get closer, we realize the pony is staring at it.

Emeris clears his throat enough to announce us and waves heartily. “Hello there! Was this one of your favorite places to visit?” We stop just short of six feet and notice his eyes are wide and unblinking. Without looking, he answers us in this disturbed tone that’s barely above a whisper.

“This was my mother’s shop.” He murmurs. “She was going to give it to me and retire once the war was over. She was going to travel overseas and try to find my real father and bring him home to meet me.”

Emeris nods enthusiastically then walks over and leans against one of the windows to the bakery. “Where’s your mother now?” he asks casually.

The pony doesn’t look up. “All over the place.” He almost sounds like he’s going to puke. Emeris leans his head inside the window then snaps it back to me while gesturing inside with his thumb. “Wow, he’s not kidding, she’s literally all over the place in there.”

I quickly walk up and punch him in the shoulder while hissing his name. The colt quickly glances up at Emeris with a death glare before looking back at the sign. “Creatures used to come from all over for her food. So many regulars came in...and every time I’d look up, I’d secretly hope my mom would suddenly proclaim it was my dad. All the events at school with only one parent, always having to sit out of events where both parents are supposed to help. Now I’d give anything just to have one.”

I take a knee next to him. “Then technically that means your dad might still be out there. Yeah, it might be hard to find him but here’s an idea: get somepony to draw a picture of your mother and start asking around. Maybe she has a diary at your home or a few friends that can give you clues on where she’s been?”

His eyes bulge and he looks up at me. They swim with hope. “I mean...our house burned down but my grandma is still alive. Maybe...maybe she knows where to start!”

I look over my shoulder. “Emeris, do you have any idea -” He’s already walking away. I get up and jog after him. With one hand on his shoulder, I spin him around. “Emeris what the hell?!”

He throws up his arms as if he’s waving to someone far away. “Oh, I’m sorry! Am I now supposed to play therapist to everyone?! This place was going to be the opposite of Taraska and now it’s exactly the same!” He motions to the rest of the town with his hands. “Everyone is traumatized, everyone has Warrior’s Bane! We finally kill Zaran, we finally kill the Og Nag! We won! where’s our glory?! Oh, that’s right it doesn’t exist because now we have nothing but grief and charred wood!” He kicks a burnt board that’s on the ground and sends it sailing against a destroyed house.

He points his finger in my face. “I bet you twenty coin that literally every pony we find out here will be another sob story! Well, I’m done being there for every living creature! The wars over! I’m done!” He throws up his arms again and walks away. “For once in my life, I’m just going to care about me! It’s always been about everyone else! When’s the last time someone tried to help me out?! Oh, that’s right, I’m always fine! Maybe you and Lucretia have enough emotional energy for everything that walks on this planet, but I don’t!” He speed walks away.

I had seen Emeris curl up into a ball, I had seen him cry, hell I’ve seen the man panic, but he’s never turned his back on anyone who needed an ear.

The town pretty much looks the same as I stroll along, looking for anyone who might need help. Off in the distance, a mare with magenta fur and white hair sobs over a small grave with two colts by her side. The next street has a mare who screams angrily while kicking at a house with her legs. I turn my head and look down the opposite direction and see two ponies who lay out in the street. One of them is a colt with his front arm over the other pony. When I get close, the stench is almost overwhelming.

The body closest to me, has blue fur and black hair. To my surprise, the colt turns their head to look at me. “Shhhh, don’t disturb us. The husband and I are napping!” He turns his head back over and closes his eyes with a faint smile. I step around them and see his companion’s face is rotting away. They had to have been dead for weeks. Flies were already swarming around the mouth area. I say nothing while walking away.

Even if Canterlot was still a mess, there had to be rebuilding going on somewhere else. Within a few minutes, I’m back to the main road that goes through Canterlot. I follow it back up and see a royal carriage with two guards hooked to it. One has a nasty scar across his right eye in the shape of teeth marks. He keeps it closed even when he looks up at me. I give them a small bow and address both of them. “Are you able to take me to Ponyville?” They get up eagerly and stand at attention, as if they’re proud just to have something to do.

Even in Taraska, having something to do besides thinking about the war was almost a mandatory part of our schedule. I get launched back into my seat as they take off. There was no doubting how badly they wanted to get away from Canterlot. The only issue was if we’d find something worse beyond the city. The road down the mountain was always a fun walk, despite its length. You could see across the entire landscape, with your view always changing depending on how quickly you circled the mountain.

This would be the last time I’d gaze across the land however. The once great cities I could see, were now repetitive debris fields. Massive crops had been burnt to the ground, leaving patches of death. The chariot lurches to a halt and I stick my head out the window. One of the guards looks at me then gestures to large piles in the distance with crows circling them. “Sir...what are those piles?” his voice shakes as his eyes widen with disbelief while looking back to the small hills.

I clear my throat and take a deep breath. “Well, um...you’re having to find out the hard way that dead bodies rot. There’s so many of them that they had to pile them together outside the city due to the smell. There’s too many funerals and graves to be dug to get to them all before they start to smell. Even with all the unicorns that can emotionally handle body recovery, it’s going to take a while. Not to mention all the dead Og Nag.”

The guard slowly looks back to me with a look of pure horror. His face goes blank except his eyes that look empty. I drum my fingers on the outside of the chariot. “You know in Taraska, we actually have pre dug mass graves for each battalion. The family of the deceased get to carve the name of the fallen warrior into a large boulder. Later, the field has seeds planted on top so the bodies of the deceased can go on to nourish the crops, therefor helping their people even in death.”

“What is wrong with you?!” The other guard out of view shrieks. I give the dumbstruck pony a shrug. “Was that too much? I’m sorry, it’s just in Taraska you’re not considered fully dead until you can no longer help your country so it’s kinda normal to think of a dead body as-” The cart launches forward and I’m thrown back inside. I slide the window cover down, kick up my feet and try to relax.

The moment the ride levels out, I stick my head out the window again. Ponyville basically looked the same, but with more holes in the colossal walls we had built. The only thing this city had managed to do, was show Versa getting her element. Besides that, it was basically Taraskan Palace but smaller. There’s no guards outside and no bodies. I hit the side of the chariot twice and it comes to a halt.

While hoping out and walking up to the city, I sneak a glance at the guards. The one without the scar that I had talked to, sits on his haunches and sways lightly while staring ahead blankly.

The walls of what used to be Base Ponyville, were falling apart. Every twenty feet, it looks once left uncontrolled, the tick vines inside the walls finally grew too big, pushing outwards. If there wasn’t a huge hole, there were sword and claw marks with dirt and grass tracks up the sides. Massive cracks crawled through the stone all the way to the ground. It was hard to imagine that this battle had taken place less than a week ago.

There was an entrance as wide as four houses with a median made of a few stones going down the middle. Inside, the walls hold back all sound that comes from the outside. It’s unsettlingly quiet. Without soldiers inside, I had never realized how big Base Ponyville had actually been. It used to be a town, but every house had been fortified. The bright colors and amazing themes had been replaced with solid, ordinary colors. Red with small, carved Xs for medical, blue with a black diamond on each side for tactical and solid green for supplies with a crude drawing for who they were for, like arrows.

Between the houses, or what was left of them, our towers were now toppled over, even a few that were the farthest from combat. Some laid on the ground with a split in the middle, others hung over a house with ballistas swaying in the wind, still attached by rope. Some even had their middle blown out and collapsed down and into themselves with a barely intact roof.

Worst of all though, was all the blood. The walls looked like someone had tried to redecorate with only using a paint can of crimson going up as high as six feet. There were splotches higher up where a Garge must have slammed or thrown a victim against.

Despite the blood and claw marks, I can’t help but smirk at the Garge-sized holes where Versa had clearly sent something flying through when she got her element. It’s a momentary feeling when the reality that one of the main towns in all of Equestria, is now a massive tomb. I was used to seeing Taraskan houses being used as shelters but knowing that this entire place used to be a thriving town without walls or worries, made my skin crawl.

It’s all the same as I start climbing the only tower left standing: our command tower. There was still dirt on the stairs from the numerous times we had all climbed up and down to the top. I take each step casually, having no need to run anymore. The clanking of my metal boots makes me shiver, almost echoing the sound of the dead. The view at the top was even worse than the base itself.

The land had been covered in towns with Ponyville being slightly elevated compared to everything else. Those towns were now in ruins, almost looking like garbage piles for debris. The once lush forests had been burned or trampled through by Og Nag, allowing you an almost unobstructed view to the next demolished town. There were no birds and large fires still raged on in the distance, filling the sky with a dull haze.

Four words echoed in my head that almost make me puke: it’s just like home.

Chapter 68: The Legend Of Taraska Part Two

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With my armor in my room, I knock on Luna’s door before her gentle voice beckons me in. She lays on her side, with her back facing me. Her face is a mix of vacant and sad. After sitting at the edge of her bed, I stroke her side with my hand. She scoots towards me but otherwise keeps laying down. I reach up and rub the side of her neck, doing my best to massage it. “Are you okay, sweetness?”

After a few minutes of her silence, I swallow nervously. She sighs and rolls onto her back, looking up at me with a stare that could penetrate to the moon. “I just forgot exactly how much I’ve lost. Daruk was my oldest friend and he died being Zaran’s...plaything.” Tears well up in her eyes and she turns back to the window. “He was a very noble dragon. While abrasive to strangers, he was a very honest and caring friend...in his own way. Only a few of us got the chance to really know him. He never told anypony how lonely he was but I could see it in his eyes.”

She wipes away a few tears with her hoof. “Whenever it was time for me to leave, he’d always act like he didn’t care. There were a few times where I hid nearby to watch him after I left. He’d always stay in his cave for a few days. One time I mentioned how much I loved oranges. When I came back to visit, he claims he had coincidentally found three carts of them.” She lets out a light combination of giggling and crying.

“See what happens when I get close to having friends? They all leave. Zaran used him to try and turn me back into Nightmare Moon. Every time I think I’ve finally got my own little friend circle, things always blow up in my face. Then what do I do? Desperately just...throw myself at any creature who can relate! I’m such a loser!” She shuts her eyes and starts smacking her pillow with a hoof.

I lay down next to her and wrap my arm around her midsection. “You’re not a loser. It’s hard finding people to relate to the more of a complex history you have. You know the Taraskans are always happy when you come around and no one thinks you’re a loser. you’re the awesome princess who turned out to be a fantastic warrior.”

She rolls onto her back and looks up at me with a small smile. “If you don’t mind Raiden...I have something to show you. I need you to keep an open mind though okay?” She puts a hoof on my jaw then gives me a nervous smile as her ears go back.

I give her a completely blank stare. “Every time I hear that, it’s always something bad.”

She giggled to herself before rolling over to all fours. Before she gets up, she looks up at me. Her purple mane covers one eye and the light against the wall behind me, lights up her face. Those gorgeous eyes burn away anything outside this room. A strange, warm thought swims around in my mind. Maybe I didn’t win this war for my people. Maybe it wasn’t about bringing an unstoppable evil to its knees. Maybe I won it all just for her, just to see that smile.

I place my hand gently under her jaw and stroke it with the side of my thumb. She bites her lip with a small smile, narrows her eyes and her ears flatten themselves back as her rear leg kicks impulsively. She keeps stretching her head towards me until she’s too top heavy and falls face first into my lap where she lays quietly. I close my eyes and keep stroking her jaw. She leans her head back and rolls over so her horn is resting against my forearm while looking up at me. “I keep forgetting to mention it but you don’t seem to have that many of your....memory moments anymore. You know, where you get caught up in the past? I like seeing you happy. Just wish you’d smile more.”

I open my mouth to speak but she holds up a hoof. “I know I know, you think you’re smiling but it doesn’t feel like it. I’m just giving you a hard time.” She gets on all fours and stretches. “Common, I’m in a walking mood! I wanna show you that thingy you’re gonna keep an open mind about!”

She enthusiastically skips as she leads me through the hallways of Canterlot palace. As if her entire country was magically restored, she keeps a big, beaming smile as her mane bounces around her. The moment we get outside, she envelops us in a purple sphere of magic and carries me off to a forest that wasn’t completely annihilated. The moment we land, a small breeze makes my trenchcoat flutter behind me gently.

She turns around and gives me an uncomfortable smile. “I want to introduce you to some...friends I made but I need you to keep calm.”

I cross my arms and shift my weight to my right leg. “The more you say that, the less calm I’ll be.”

She clears her throat and gently knocks on a tree with her hooves. Five Og Nag poke their head around a rock and look at her. I reach for my weapon that isn’t there this time as my blood starts jetting through my veins. Luna gets in front of me and sits on her haunches as the little freaks close in. “Hold on hold on, sweety! They’re my friends! They’re not aggressive!”

They walk up behind her without opening their mouths or hissing. Two of them wear leather straps that once held metal plates of armor. My hands clench automatically and my eyes search for a branch to use. Luna puts her hooves on my chest. “Raiden, Raiden! Look just watch alright?!” She gets a big smile and whirls around, brushing me with her tail.

She runs behind the first Og Nag who was a foot shorter than me with frail arms. Luna stands on her hind legs and droops her hooves over its shoulders. “This one’s name is Mr.Nibbles! He likes to chew on sticks!” She runs over to the second Og Nag who barely comes up to my knees. “This is Ms.Stabbykins. Sometimes she picks up a stick and just jabs the air with it! We have this fun game where she chases me with a stick and tries to poke me and I run from her! It’s so much fun!”

The third Og Nag is a few inches taller than me with massive muscles on its arms. “And this is Articus! He likes to climb trees! Then he...jumps on me! It’s funny! He hisses while he does it too! It’s so cute! I think the hissing means they like you!”

My mouth hangs in horror. “Luna, the hissing is when they’re about to bite you! That one climbs trees and jumps down because that’s what Og Nag do sometimes! That’s why we never fight them in a forest unless we have to! You’re lucky they haven’t bit you yet!”

Luna’s ears go back and she slaps on a humorous pouty face. “But they’re not hostile anymore! Ever since you-know-who got the royal treatment in hell, they’re actually really docile!”

I stomp a foot on the ground. “They’re stabbing you with sticks because they still retain violent instincts!”

She gently pushes Articus towards me. “Come on, will you at least try to be friends!?”

My eyes bulge and I take a step back. “Luna you keep that thing the hell away from me!”

She keeps pushing it until he’s a foot away. My skin turns to ice and all I can feel is the unyielding rage within. He looks me up and down with a blank expression, having no idea just how many of his kind I’ve killed. He reaches forward and the moment his first claw touches my chest, I lose it.

I step back and grab his hand, yanking him forward and down so he bends over. I knee him in the face which makes him howl in pain. I wrench his hand over, forcing him to spin around in a wrist-lock. The moment his back is to me, I let go of his wrist. With one arm between his legs and the other hand on the back of his neck, I lift him into the air with all my strength. Without hesitation, I bend a knee and slam his spine onto it. The air fills with the sound of a sick pop as his arms flail helpless as he howls. I let go of him and scramble to find a rock.

A blue glow surrounds my hand and Luna’s voice snaps me out of my trance. “Raiden, stop!” She screams angrily. The other Og Nag stare at him mindlessly as he rolls around on the ground. My chest still pounds and I inhale the dirt cloud drifting up without noticing. Luna stares in horror at Articus with a hoof on her mouth. I turn around and stomp off. Over my shoulder, I see Luna using her magic to fix his back before she runs after me.

She comes skidding to a halt in my path, her eyes wide with fury. “Why did you do that?! He wasn’t going to hurt you!”

I ball my hands and scream. “They’re Og Nag! That’s all they do is hurt things! They kill, they eat, they stab, they invade! It’s what they do, it’s what they’re meant for! I don’t care what they do, I care about what they are and all it will take is one moment where those instincts come back and boom, your throat is ripped out and you’ll bleed to death before you can even teleport back to the palace for medical aid! I...I can’t lose you! Not after everything! You...you don’t understand! I know they’re docile right now but...we don’t know the first thing about them! You don’t understand how dangerous they are!”

She slowly lowers her head and starts sobbing quietly. I get down on one knee and pull her in so she can lean against my chest. “I...I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to lash out like that! You don’t know what I’ve...seen.”

She sniffles and nods her head. “I know I’m sorry, I forget sometimes I guess. It’s just...sometimes I feel a little out of place even with you Taraskans and other ponies. My people know my past, you’re all humans and I just...these Og Nag are so...they’re misfits like me.”

I massage the back of her neck while nuzzling the top of her head. “Luna...there’s nothing wrong with you. There never will be anything wrong with you. I know you don’t feel like you quite fit in with us, but you do. We don’t care what species you are, we just care you’ve had our backs at every turn. You gotta stop looking at species as a way of validating yourself.”

She pulls her head back and groans. “I know but it’s so hard when everyone else in my species doesn’t have a problem fitting in!”

I wipe her tears away with my thumbs and stare into those gorgeous eyes. “I think we need to have a sit down with my people so you can hear it for yourself.”

A palace guard lands next to us and gives a quick salute. “Princess Celestia has asked to see you and your people in the throne room.” Luna glances at me uneasily as her ears go back.

The throne room has been converted into a colossal meeting hall. The once empty room, save for the throne, has one massive table that can seat almost thirty individuals. Emeris and Lucretia look around puzzled, as Celestia and Luna sit at the far end. To Celestia’s right, are Shining and Cadence. Next to them are several ponies I don’t recognize who awkwardly avoid making eye contact. Unlike the other socialites, these ponies wear robes and six of them have glasses. Luna looks up at me and smiles with her fluffy tail wagging a bit when I sit down next to her.

Celestia’s face looks like she’s holding back a deep sob. “Raiden...these are members of our national counsel. They all have different areas of our society that they observe and report in on.” Celestia gets out of her chair and slowly walks the length of the table behind her counsel.

“I don’t want to waste time. We have a crisis and no way to deal with it. Everypony in this room has observed the tragedy that is outside. We can’t even currently build makeshift shelters for our citizens. Ms. Gallant Star, would you please elaborate?”

A mare with silver fur and a dark purple mane that’s tied up in a ponytail, clears her throat.

“Currently, there are massive piles of...bodies that have to be dealt with. We were all reluctant at first but after several days the smell became...overwhelming.” She blinks rapidly every time she mentions the rotting corpses.

“We are unable to get any work done as each pony wants a funeral for their loved ones but they can only dig graves so fast. So we’re caught between the few ponies that are emotionally able to do any labor, are using said labor to dig graves and not building houses. So far, only about one percent of each city is capable of any physical activity since the overwhelming nature of...the task is not something anypony else is willing to undertake.”

Celestia nods, still keeping her mix of grim and depression.

“Counselor Summer Ember. Our head of construction. He’ll explain a bit more.”

He gets out of his chair and nods at us with a weird smile. His fur is white with a gray mane.

“Um, hello Taraskan representatives. I oversee all construction and mass transportation. We had the idea of prebuilding homes and shipping them all over but most of our roads are unpassable to the large wagons we need to transplant homes. We can’t import the supplies we need to build homes as anypony at the location is currently in turmoil. It would also be disturbingly insufficient to keep having my building crew go to every single town and city and rebuild on site. That’s assuming there even is a proper place to build without debris, bodies or...the smell of decay.”

He swallows painfully as if he’s trying to keep his lunch down. I get the same feeling, but Emeris speaks up instead. He keeps his arms crossed and cocks his head and right eyebrow, while watching Celestia pace with just his eyes.

“Princess...there’s something you’re not telling us. What’s going on?”

Celestia glances at him then forcefully tears her eyes away.

“Counselor Brim Stone. She’s in charge of economic oversight.”

Brim Stone has a gray mane with pink fur. She can’t look at us when she starts talking.

“We considered just paying another country to help with relief efforts since charity yielded no offers of assistance, but we’re essentially broke. We’re not producing any goods, nopony is working and all of our labor is being used up with funeral services. Even if we had something to import, as Counselor Ember stated, our roads are in disrepair, not to mention we don’t have anyone but a few dozen citizens who are even willing to move products. Our entire nation is at a standstill, the same goes for our closest allies.”

Shining gets up and does everything in his power to lock eyes with me.

“We didn’t know it at the time, but every other country for hundreds of miles was brutally ransacked by Og Nag right after Ponyville was first attacked.”

He shuffles some papers in front of him.

“You mentioned in your reports that when you first arrived, there was, and I quote, “A sea of Og Nag covering every building in Taraska, waiting to kill us.” Then you woke up and they were all gone. We think these Og Nag jumped into the river which leads out to the Celestial Sea in the east. The only way they could have gotten by without being detected is if Og Nag don’t require oxygen. Somehow, they crossed the entire sea and ended up in Griffonstone.”

Shining pulls out some papers that have a golden tag on the topright corner.

“I want to read the testimony of some of the surviving Griffon guards. “It started off as a sickness. The warriors that engaged the few measly Og Nag, bragged about how the Og Nag would stand there and let themselves be murdered, often times sitting on the ground. We fought many battles without a single injury. After a few days, the griffons who had engaged in combat, caught a nasty fever. The moment this fever hit, it took only a few hours for the griffon to die. Then came the monsters. The deceased would rise from their respective graves, with four reflective eyes and one more above its beak, they had turned into monsters. They sprayed a liquid that burns like fire and turns you into one of them in a day. It wasn’t long before we were pushed from the Celestia Sea, deep into the mountains. Our biggest threat was not the Abominations or the Og Nag but a griffon’s unwillingness to ask for help until it was too late.”

Lucretia turns to me.

“So when Cy went to Grffonstone to look for help, that’s what he found. I have no idea how he got back and forth across the sea but the fact he survived long enough to tell you anything is insane.” Her eyes go wide with bewilderment.

Shining looks at us confused. I take in a deep breath and close my eyes.

“Cy met up with me just before the Abominations and Yaks showed up. He told me he tried to go to our neighbors for help...I thought he had just ran away.”

Shining nods and goes back to his papers.

“The other accounts are basically the same; all our neighboring countries got ransacked at the same time but their Og Nag spread this...disease where ours didn’t.”

Emeris uncrosses his arms and sits upright.

“Zombie Og Nag?! Are you kidding me?! That doesn’t make any sense! When we fought them, no one turned into an Og Nag! So that’s where all the Og Nag from when we teleported here went! Are you telling me we had it easy over the other countries?!”

Shining scratches the back of his head.

“I...only have a few theories but since Zaran destroyed almost all his labs and didn’t take notes, we have no way of knowing. My main theory is that the initial Og Nag that came with you, had this disease but you were immune to them. Zaran had them slip silently by because if they encountered anypony, they would have eventually turned. The Og Nag we fought, must have been new. I think Zaran had his infectious Og Nag attack our neighbors because they’d spread like a plague without him having to give them instructions. It’s also possible he couldn’t mind control them as easily or as accurately.”

Lucretia taps the table with her fingertips.

“It could also be they weren’t infectious till they got here. Maybe something about Equestrian magic changed them? Also if you think about it, he had the Og Nag attack at the borders, so it would stop messages from getting across since the messenger would have to cross a wave of Og Nag.”

Celestia stands quietly, looking out one of the mural windows.

“Counselor Rock Guard overlooks our magical economy.”

The counselor wears a red robe and slicked back blue hair with tan fur. He holds his snout a little too high.

“Every magical solution we’ve come up with, save for one, has been met with crippling drawbacks. There are spells that allow citizens to put their emotions into bottles but we’re hilariously unable to fill that order. All our other methods of...emotional manipulation come with the side effects that the magic required to get a single pony to shrug off their dead relatives, destroyed town and entire cornfields of dead bodies, would be ongoing and impossibly expensive as we’d be constantly battling external stimuli that would contradict the magic. We did however come up with… a one-time solution but it would require some heavy coordination.”

Lucretia narrows one eye and widens the other.

“Why do I get the feeling we’re getting screwed?”

Counselor Rock Guard looks over a paper in front of him.

“When Luna first came back from her banishment to the moon, she was belligerent with isolation and rage. Our best magic couldn’t compete with a thousand years of being alone and having Misera messing with her head. Celestia chose the highest ranking magical officials to do an extensive memory wipe on Luna.”

Emeris slouches in his chair and lets his arms hang at his sides.

“You’re kidding me...you’re not actually suggesting-”

“A massive memory wipe of the last year. There’s a lot of details we have to go over though.”

The three of us sit there in shock. After everything we did, only the Taraskans would know about it. We gave literally everything for their country and we get to live in silence.

Counselor Rock Guard tries to pretend he can’t see our looks of seething rage as he goes over his list.

“If we did completely wipe our citizen’s memories of the last year, we need a cover story for the dead relatives. I’m thinking we first tell them there was a nasty disease that swept through the land and that they’re being quarantined. While under quarantine, we have them build houses as temporary shelter. These shelters will be sent across the land once we also get the roads rebuilt. The issue with the memory wipe is certain kinds of stimulation can force the memories back to the surface if they’re exposed too soon so we have to keep them away from anything that might trigger memories until the spell has had adequate time to do its work. So building the shelters has a dual purpose.

Then comes the next hard part: we place a vision shroud spell over the pile of bodies to make them look like stones. We get our citizens to dig holes and place the “stones” in the ground. The Og Nag will look like wood so we’ll have them be gathered up and put into the river to be washed down to a central disposal center. With the dead and the bodies of everything else disposed of, our citizens can begin rebuilding.

We’ll have to also go through our logs of where each battle took place and make sure to collect any Taraskan armor and weapons.”

I blink several times and try to gather my thoughts.

“So after everything we did...we get to not exist. No credit, no record of our sacrifices, no one will ever know we even existed.”

Lucretia raises her hand sarcastically.

“So um question: when it comes to stimuli and other things, where are the Taraskans going to be? Do we get to live in some distant forest, hunting wildlife and spending our golden years trying to bean squirrels with rocks so we can live another day?”

Emeris pretends to enthusiastically nod with her.

“Great idea Lucy! And when ponies come too close, I’ll toss on my suit made of leaves and scare them away! Thanks for fighting by our sides during the war!”

The counselor swallows and stares at the table like it was a log in the middle of an ocean and he was drowning.

“I’m afraid not, there was more than one parallel to Princess Luna’s banishment I wish to draw from. You being anywhere presents too big of a risk. There would be no way to explain your species since you’re not in any of our books. There's no way we could pass you off as a new species and any cover story for your existence will inevitably create curiosity. Word of it will spread and that big of an emotional stimuli could break down the spell in somepony, causing a chain reaction as they start to recall other memories that might trigger the same reaction in others.”

We stare at him silently before the other shoe drops.

“The only way this spell will work to fix our nation, is...for you all to be transported to the moon.”

Lucretia’s eyes bulge and she stands up while slamming her hands on the table.

“What?! How dare you!”

He starts shaking but keeps reading.

“From what we know of Luna’s banishment, there is oxygen there as well as food. We weren’t able to deduce much else due to the memory wipe. And there you would have to stay and spend the rest of your natural lives.”

Luna gets out of her chair, eyes wide with horror and disgust.

“You...after everything they did for us, you would seriously put them through that?! Sister, we aren’t seriously considering-”

As Luna turns to her sister, Celestia is still stone cold and looking out her window, with the red glass casting an eerie glow on her face.

“Yes, sister, this is what we’re considering and I don’t see an alternative.”

Cadence clears her throat.

“I apologize but the magic required for all of this is...well beyond anything we can all put together. I mean we’re talking a memory wipe for a few hundred-thousand of our citizens, illusion spells, there’s probably magic needed to import food for the “quarantine”...”

Shining nods agreeably.

“Also there’s other details, like what about ponies who have Taraskan lovers like Cy’s wife? Is she just going to forget she’s a widow?”

He puts his arm around his wife and smiles.

“Also what about the other countries? They’re not going to keep silent.”

Celestia sighs angrily and closes her eyes.

“Yes, Stormchaser will forget she is a widow. As for other countries, we will close our borders under the pretense that the disease might come back. We will keep them closed until the ponies who had their memories wiped, die of old age.”

She quietly steps away from the mural and walks behind me.

“Raiden...I need to speak with you privately.”

There’s nothing I can even think of saying right now. I get up with my armor scraping the back of my chair and follow Celestia down a hallway. She stops in front of a very ordinary bookcase. Her horn glows and several of the books on the shelf vibrate in place. She steps through it as if the bookshelf was just an illusion. I follow her and enter a room where a singular light hangs above her head. She’s already waiting for me when I finish entering. There’s objects as far as the eye can see but the light isn’t enough to fully reveal them. Celestia’s face is still completely vacant.

“Raiden...There’s something I need to know from you but only one way to find out. I need to have a “conversation” of sorts with you. It’s more accurate to call it a plausible scenario. In a minute, I’m going to summon a spell. You will see everything in this room. You must do your best not to scream. Then I will put you into a trance, similar to the one Zaran used on his members of Z7. While in this trance, I can manipulate what you see, hear and touch without risking actual harm to you. Afterwards, I’ll have to wipe your memory of it all. This is both to protect me and your mind. Allowing you to keep memories of a completely different life and series of events, is damaging to your sense of reality. Are you ready?”

I stare at her in shock. “Okay...I have some questions.”

She closes her eyes and sighs. “Raiden, you won’t remember this at all so there’s no logic in me answering them. Please...can we get this over with? Keep in mind if it helps that while a lifetime may pass, only a mere moment will in the real world.”

I give her a huge shrug with a disappointed frown.

“We’re getting sent to the moon so some magical experiment feels pretty insignificant in comparison.” She narrows her eyes cautiously and the light in the middle of the room brightens. I look at all the objects and my brain starts making connections I don’t like. My face is a gaping disaster as I look at Celestia. Before I can say anything, her eyes glow yellow and everything goes black.

I open my eyes and we’re back out in the hallway. The stone walls dip up and down as I try to stand. Celestia is in front of me with a nasty black eye and a grumpy expression. “Raiden, what’s the last thing you remember?”

My hand shakes as I place it on the side of my face. My knuckles are a light red. “I...did we go through a bookcase?”

She tilts her head back flighty but keeps her eyes on me. “Is that the last thing you remember?”

I give her a small nod as I try to stand still. She turns around and starts walking.

“Thank you Raiden, that was all I needed to know. Please gather your people, I need you ready to leave as soon as possible.” She doesn’t even turn around as she talks.

Chapter 69: The Legend Of Taraska Part Three

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Luna stares at us hesitantly one last time. “Are you absolutely sure you want this? We could just teleport your city away.”

Emeris looks over each shoulder at our troops. “Raise your hand if you wanna see the city get blown to hell.” Everyone but Brutus raises their hand.

Luna grins then leaps into the air and keeps flying up until we can barely see her. The ground starts to shake, and a massive purple shining orb slowly forms in front of her. Rocks, sticks and everything on the ground bounces up and down as Luna lets out a furious howl and sends her orb rocketing at the final remains of the Taraskan palace.
In a split second, the charred stone that echoed our sins, is engulfed in purple fire. The explosion is so fast, it’s hard to fully register. It spreads to the very edge of the city before launching everything into the air. Houses that I had walked past every day as a child, were incinerated. I saw old stone fountains, forges, Zukaferas, everything that represented our culture was now both airborne and being obliterated. Luna lands in the middle of our small group and throws up a shield right as pieces of stone litter the ground around us.
Everyone jumps when a massive block of stairs crashes behind us, kicking up a dust cloud. There were no more structures, just a sea of black stone. Luna looks around and nods. “Yeah, I mean I’ll still have to throw away most of the stone or reuse it but...there you go!” As she looks around at us, we stare silently. We wanted to cheer but something inside us couldn’t.
Brutus crosses his arms and looks off to his left. “This still feels like we’re being erased. Not just literally but...as a people.” No one argues with him, which was a first. I place a hand on Luna’s shoulder and pat it a few times before rubbing between her shoulder blades. She looks up and smiles with her ears back. Everyone turns around and starts walking back to Canterlot.
I can see Brutus’ shifty brown eyes through his helmet slits. He keeps glancing at Luna before clearing his throat. “So, Princess Luna, how do you feel about all this?” Her ears go up straight and her back muscles get tense. I can’t help but shoot him a glare before she answers.
“I’m not entirely sure. I talked it over with her many times before we came here, and we honestly can’t think of a different solution. I guess you can say I’m opposed but I don’t know what else to do besides the memory wipe.”
Brutus looks her over then goes back to staring ahead. “So, you’re okay participating in the biggest lie in history. Gotcha.” Someone shoves him hard from behind. He whirls around furiously while walking backwards to keep up with the group.
“What?! It’s true! You all know it! We were well within our rights to stop fighting when we got here but we chose to keep fighting!”

Private Inginia groans loudly. “Actually, no. Most of us, including you, Brutus, wanted to stop. Raiden is technically the one who told us to keep fighting.”

Brutus snorts. “Yeah, with King Hurrand’s approval.” Luna inhales deeply then flutters her wings.

“I can see there are some...tensions building here. I’ll help prepare the transportation spell. It should be ready when you return.”

She flies off in a hurry. My hands ball themselves into fists and I’m almost at the point of knocking him out. “What the hell is your problem?! This isn’t easy for her either! How dare you just throw her into the middle like that!”

He continues walking forward and throws up a dramatic shrug. “So? She’s not even a Taraskan! After having to get into another war, watch all of our friends die and become an endangered species, we’ve earned the right to live here! I say we storm in there, tell Celestia that we’re not leaving and if she tries to force us, we use some good old Taraskan tactics to fix the problem! Who’s with me!?” He gets a split second to hear a few cheers before he turns around and gets a roundhouse kick to the face from Lucretia.

Brutus holds the side of his head while rolling around on the ground gradually. Lucretia balls up her hands and looks around at everyone furiously. “Who cheered?! Which one of you cheered for him?!”

It’s dead silent. Emeris and I scan the crowd as well. It was nothing but silent stares or people glancing at the ground.

Lucretia gets in the middle of our group.

“No! Absolutely not! We are not getting into another fight! I’m done with it! Yeah, this situation sucks and it’s completely unfair but what else is there?! We’re going! Lift Brutus off the ground and let’s just get this over with!”

The rest of the walk is quiet. Even Lucretia knew this wasn’t going to sit well with everyone. The real question was if someone was going to try something when we got back.

As a group of fifteen, it felt strangely quiet entering the palace. The days of large battalions were over and while I was happy the war was gone, everything I grew up with was gone too. The moment we enter through the large double doors of Canterlot Palace, we’re overcome with a rather impressive sight. The path to the throne room has pony guards on every wall with freshly cleaned golden armor.

As we walk by them, each one gives a vigorous salute. There’s even civilians who wave at us cheerfully. The three unicorns from the very beginning that we had to subdue, wear red capes and bow to us as we walk with faces as stern and strong as Taraskan steel. There was no way they knew what was going on, so what did Celestia tell them? I take in a deep breath and give an enthusiastic nod to anypony who locks eyes with me.

Row after row, room after room, every wall has ponies of every sort waiting eagerly to thank us. I glance down at Luna who beams up at me. She motions for me to get close, so I lean over. “I had no idea about this!” she whispers excitedly. The more we walk, the harder it is to keep moving. A mix of anger and sadness swims through my veins. Being appreciated, truly appreciated, was something I had always dreamed of. Yet, knowing each and every single one of them was about to never know I existed, was sickening.

Celestia stands by herself with a slightly warm smile on her face. Two guards close the doors behind us and stand outside the room with everyone else. Celestia takes in a slow breath.

“Raiden...all of you...I never stopped to thank you. You came here knowing nothing but pain and yet still saved my world using nothing but your steel and wits.” She points to a window that was previously blank. It had a mural in colored glass, showing a full suite of Taraskan armor sitting in a throne that looks just like Celestia’s. She turns back to me with a few small tears welling in her eyes. “I know this is all unfair to you, but it was the best I can do. I owe you everything and it feels like I can give you nothing. If there was any other way-”

Brutus lets out a loud groan.

“Don’t care, let's get this over with.” I close my eyes and grumble. Celestia stops smiling and tilts her head up a ways while keeping her eyes on us.

“Very well, follow me please.” her tone is flat and annoyed. We go through one of the doors to the left of her throne and down several passageways, eventually ending up at the door to her room. She opens it with her magic and motions with her head for us to go inside. It’s silent save for the clanking of armor.

There’s a silver ring in the middle of the room, twice the size of the doorway. In the middle of it, like a vertical puddle, is a purple liquid that defies everything we had seen. Some parts of it seem to swim like waves but much faster than possible and yet other sections flow almost twice as slow. Every pair of eyes in the room can’t look away, not even Luna.

Celestia shuts the door behind us then points a hoof at the portal.

“I’ve already been through, it’s perfectly safe. There’s food, water and a decent size castle Luna built long ago.” Luna wags her tail behind her and taps her front hooves rapidly.

“This is so exciting because it will be a first for me as well!” Brutus angrily stomps forward.

“No reason to drag this out. Bye.” He storms through the portal with an impressive lack of hesitation. He disappears immediately. Celestia looks over at me and her eyes widen slightly.

“Raiden before you go, I forgot to mention something. We never found Hurrand. If we do find him, do you want us to send him to you?”

Emeris steps forward and starts talking with his hands.

“Okay first thing you do, find a hole and yay big and yay wide, right?” He says while sticking his arms out as far as they can go. “And as deep as you can. Then you’re gonna cut off his hands and feet, toss him in and watch him squirm.” The room erupts with laughter and I’m reminded of one small detail: I never told them what Versa told me about Hurrand. My eyes find her standing quietly in the back. We lock eyes for what feels like eternity. Should I tell them? There was no telling how much Zaran was bullying Hurrand into what he did. In the time it takes me to blink twice, I realize my answer. Hurrand can rot in hell.

I was done with him. Innocent or not, it wasn’t my responsibility to resolve every issue that comes up. He was the past and I was walking away. He was nothing more than a scar that needed to be forgotten about; never fully healed but no longer hurting. All eyes are on me as I walk through the glowing ring. There’s no delay and within a blink of an eye, I’m in a completely different world.

I hadn’t been dumbfounded this hard since we had first come to Equestria. Ahead of us, was a colossal stone palace, similar in design to Canterlot. It didn’t have the shine or color scheme as Canterlot, but every inch of the dull-gray stone had intricate designs in it. Some pieces had what was clearly art; spirals branching from a single point that intentionally overlapped other larger spirals. The outside walls had depictions that were clearly retellings of Equestrian stories.

There were also dull trees that dotted the landscape but seemed to stop about two hundred feet out. After that, it was a barren landscape.

I walk up to one of the murals etched into the wall and the details are extraordinary. The depiction of a pony was no larger than my palm but had so much detail to the face that you could recognize them. Emeris’ hand slaps my shoulder. As I look up at him, he motions to the portal. Everyone else slowly fans out but in the middle of the crowd, Luna stares up at the palace with a look of bewilderment and horror. Emeris sighs with pity.

“I think she’s starting to grasp just how long she was here. Do you think this is gonna trigger any memories?” My eyes bulge at his comment and I run over to her. With both hands on her shoulders, I gently shake her but she’s in a total trance. I motion to two of my shoulders and instruct them to keep an eye on her. Every ounce of me wanted to stay and comfort her, but I had an entire kingdom to relocate, and we were given almost no intel on this place.

I stick a hand high in the air and make two large circles with my arm as if I was drawing on the sky. Emeris, Lucretia and a few of our lieutenants let out quiet whistles. Once everyone has circled up, I take a knee.

“Alright, Emeris I want you to take a small squad and scout the surrounding area. I need to know the terrain and if we have any neighbors, anomalies or hazards to worry about. Lucretia and I will scout inside and make sure nothing moved in. Everyone keep an eye out for Brutus as well. His tracks lead inside. Oh, and Emeris, we need to know our supply situation so let us know if you see anything edible. I’m assuming we’ll be fine unless Celestia sent us here to die.”

I unhook my helmet from my back and toss it on. We’re a quiet wave of steel as everyone fans out. I follow Brutus’ tracks that end at the stairs leading inside. The doors are attached to the walls by their own special hinges as large as my head. It was a miracle they could support the weight. The inside is pitch black, so Lucretia pulls out two torches from her backpack, lights them with some flint and tinder then hands one to me.

The inside gives me the creeps. The ceiling was taller than Canterlot, but still had the same tables with vases and flowers along the walls that cast creepy dancing shadows from the torch light. Artistically, the flowers were exceptionally well-done, but there was no shrugging off the disturbing implication of all the statues: that’s just how long she was here by herself. Every mural on every window, every table, every golden accent on every door was the same as Canterlot palace. There was the occasional deviation of charred stone, but she had clearly stopped that after a while.

I freeze just outside the doors to the throne room. There’s clearly some kind of message in the wall, and while I couldn’t make out the language, it looked to have been violently stabbed in, not carved with care. I decide to hold off on the throne room and take the corridor that leads alongside the room. A shudder runs down my back when I see the same language but different messages all along the hallway. Some of the messages were large, some were smaller, all had the appearance of random stab marks into the stone. One message even had a large hole in it from a magical blast after it was written that made it impossible to decipher what it said.

Something wraps itself around my right leg and I whirl around with a gasp. Luna sits on her haunches with her forelegs clasping me. Her eyes are wide and petrified. I glance around and notice there’s no track marks of any kind and chance putting away my sword and take off my helmet. I rub her left hear gently and take a knee. She seems to snap out of her trance and looks up at me.

Her words are odd and clearly in a different language.

“Luna, what are you saying? Are you alright?” I say gently, while stroking the back of her neck. She gives me the same confused look and tilts her head. Emeris rounds the corner panting.

“Sorry, saw her bolt and tried to catch up but I only have two legs.” He walks up, with his hands on his hips and panting heavily. He stares at us then shrugs.

“What is it?” Luna turns to look at him puzzled and keeps speaking her strange language.

Emeris’ mouth hangs open.

“Oh...the spell. You know the one they told us about that translates all languages? The one that Starswirl came up with a long time ago? It must not have come through with us. She’s speaking her language and we’re speaking ours. Crap, we’re gonna have to teach her Common.” Luna looks between us confused then freezes when she sees the hallway of messages I was just gawking at. Emeris sees it too and lets out a long, low whistle.

“I don’t know what what says but I know crazy from isolation when I see it.”

Luna looks at me, blushes then starts chipping away the messages with her hoof. The doors to the Throne room open and Brutus walks out, arms filled with muffins and grilled veggies. He stops and looks at Emeris and I casually.

“Dude, you would not believe what I just found. Come check this out!”

We follow him but Luna decides to keep erasing her messages. I glance over my shoulder at her as she sits on her haunches, erasing messages. Emeris slaps a hand on my shoulder.

“Don’t worry about it, just give her time and space if she needs it. If she needs you, she’ll come find you.”

Brutus eagerly shoves the doors to the kitchen open. He holds up his hands defensively.

“Alright alright check this out!” He opens a cabinet that has a tray of biscuits and gestures to it with his hand as if he’s offering it. Emeris takes one and looks it over confused.

“This...how old is this? It...wait it’s warm?!” He takes a bite, and his eyes widen.

“This is fresh! How in the holy hell?!” Brutus holds up his hands again.

“Wait wait wait, that’s not the best part!” He takes the tray out in a hurry and hands it to me. He closes the cupboard and the inside glows green below the door. When he opens it, there’s a completely identical tray of biscuits with steam coming off them.

He turns back to me with a massive smile I’ve never seen on him before.

“Every cupboard has something different too!” One by one, he opens every cupboard and despite there being hundreds, none of them have the same food. Everything is fresh or cold as it’s supposed to be.

Brutus walks around the kitchen with triumphant strides, turning on every faucet eagerly.

“We also have all the water we need! I have no idea where any of this crap comes from and not a single part of me cares! I mean...we can easily repopulate our entire species here!”

Emeris slowly looks up at him cautiously.

“Um...that’s assuming that the women want to.”

Brutus stops and whirls around to face Emeris angrily.

“What do you mean want to?! Why wouldn’t they?! It’s our species!”

Emeris sets down a muffin timidly.

“Brutus...there’s only four females left. Lucretia doesn’t want to, Versa isn’t interested in men, Termin probably will, I mean-”

Brutus slams his fists into the counters so hard, there’s cracks in the stone when he lifts them. He storms back to the throne room where everyone waits. They all look up at the commotion as they stand in a circle.

Brutus charges up to them and balls his hands into fists.

“Okay there’s an issue we need to address! What are we going to do now?! Food and water are not issues, they're magically provided but what about us?! As a country, as a people, as Taraskans? We need to repopulate!”

Lucretia rubs her left forearm reluctantly while Versa crosses her arms. Private Inginia freezes and looks over at Lucretia. Lieutenant Termin nods with a smile. She had expressed wanting to start a new family after losing both her kids at the bakery once it collapsed when we teleported here. Termin stands by Brutus, eyes wide as the moon.

“I agree! I think it’s each woman’s responsibility to have as many kids as we can! Obviously, that means we’ll have to do arrangements later on down the road to prevent inbreeding, but we can figure that out later!” The uncomfortable silence makes Termin and Brutus shift around. Lucretia glares so hard it even makes me look at the ground.

“I don’t want to have kids! On top of not wanting to pass down all of my health issues, I just don’t want to! Plus, I don’t think my body could even handle it! But mostly, I don’t want to!” She ends her sentence almost screaming with hands balled. Versa actually steps forward out of the crowd with her black hair tied back in a ponytail.

“I...also do not want this. I am not...interested in men, let alone being a mother.”

Brutus holds his hands to the side of his head.

“This is crap! There’s four of you! That’s more than enough!”

Lucretia cringes so hard, I worry she might injure her back.

“Inginia is thirteen you creep!”

Brutus shrugs dramatically.

“So?! She can still have kids! Or maybe she can wait a few years! if the women don’t want to have kids, they should be forced to!” he screams.

The room goes quiet. Emeris and I slowly back away from him, expecting a sudden gory mob. Even Termin slowly looks over at him. Brutus screams again then storms back into the hallway. Termin gives a weak smile then looks everyone over.

“Well, I’m not okay with forcing it on anyone but I do think it’s every Taraskan woman’s responsibility to have kids since we’re talking about our species here! For those of you not wanting to actually...do the deed, there’s plenty of ways to get the...ingredients inside you without intercourse. So...yeah I’ll just leave that there.”

Lucretia recoils in disgust and blinks rapidly. As another argument spills out, I walk after Brutus. He dips into a side room and I hear him rummaging around. I poke my head in the room and see him going through Inginia’s medical bag with a candle in his other hand. He whirls around and stands up straight with fear in his eyes, then sets the candle down without taking his stare off me. There’s a small bag in his hand. I look at him and for a few seconds, we stand there, the deafening silence felt like daggers in the chest.

“Brutus...you’re not a medic or even a surgeon. So...why do you have chaus powder? You’re not putting anyone under for surgery so...why do you need it?”

He licks his lips once then glances down at the package and stammers repeatedly. He hurls the bag to the ground in a sudden fit of rage.

“This is complete crap! We’re talking about our species here! Not even a single country! If I could have the kids, I would but I can’t, so-”

“So, you think rape is an acceptable compromise?!” I say sarcastically.

Brutus’ face goes red.

“You are such a coward! This is exactly why King Hurrand tortured you! Because you were weak, and you needed it!”

My mouth hangs open. His first insult is with his words. His second, is when he draws his sword. I look at his weapon calmly, with my arms crossed, and my weight on my left leg.

“You’re not seriously going to attack me, are you?”

He points it at me.

“I’m not going extinct just because of your cowardice! I should be the one leading these people and I say we live!”

I give a condescending snort and draw my steel. His eyes bulge and his frown recedes faster than his hairline. I stand there completely unfazed by his threats with my head lowered. He can barely see my eyes as I stare into his very soul.

“Last chance. Put it away or die.”

His sword trembles but he doesn’t lower it. I reach behind me and put on my helmet while he scrambles to put on his and I let him do it without moving a muscle. His eyes dart back and forth as panic sets in.

He lunges at me and I deflect it with a quick swipe. He recovers fast and tries to bring his sword down on me. I hold my sword up and block it then give him a good boot to the stomach. He goes tumbling back and knocks over a table but regains his footing too quickly for me to follow up. He grabs a cutting board, but I already know what he’s going to do. He hurls it at me, and I duck out of the way. I reverse my sword in my hand and block a predictable swipe. He continues forward and tackles me out into the hall.

Right as we go to the ground, I use our momentum and my legs to send him flying overhead. He hits the wall, and his metal armor makes him skid about eight feet in the air before he hits the ground. I look around for my sword that’s at my side, snatch it and get to my feet. Despite just taking a nasty tumble, Brutus is already back up. He stretches his back slightly, groans and shakes the pain off.

He holds his sword with one hand and this time he’s getting serious. He lowers his head a bit while keeping his eyes on me. He darts forward with another jab. Right as I go to deflect it, he whirls around the opposite way and goes for a heavy slash at my head. I don’t have time to block so I duck and stone from the wall scatters everywhere. Before I can even fully regain my posture, he kicks me in the chest.

He goes for another lunge at my chest that I deflect right above my hilt. I sock him in the face, and he tumbles backwards in a stun. I try to plunge my sword into him, but he opens his eyes at the last second and leaps back, making me shred part of the wall off. I pull my sword back and bring it down. He blocks over his head and deflects another lunge of mine. He takes a swing at my head with his fist, and I lean back barely avoiding it. He pays for it by catching just the tip of my sword across his stomach when I swipe mid dodge.

Without even recoiling, he leaps forward and stomps on my chest. I go flying backwards at an angle and hit the wall. I lean my head to the right and avoid getting impaled at the last second. His sword scratches as it grazes my helmet. I bring up my sword to stab him, but he leaps into me, keeping his midsection close to mine. My swords too long to bring back at this range. He makes a critical mistake and raises his sword above his head to hit me. Right as he does, I tilt my head back as far as I can and slam my helmet spike into his mouth.

He screams in pain, recoils back and slashes wildly while holding his mouth that spews blood. He looks back at me and in a furious rage, throws his sword at my face. Right as I block it, he’s already tackled me against the wall. With one hand on my shoulder, he grabs my arm before we collide and bashes my wrist against the wall, making me lose control just long enough to drop my sword. He releases my shoulder, hits me in the face and boots me in the stomach again.

I let out a growl of anger and as he tries to punch my face again, I duck and sock him in the stomach, opening his cut way further. His grunt almost sounds like he’s vomiting. I bring up my knee spike and try to jam it into his face. He leans his head to the left and sparks litter the wall as it scrapes against his helmet. He punches me in the side twice despite me having him bent over.

I slam my elbow spike down, but he’s too close to my chest. I end up just hitting the back of his helmet, but he still cries out in pain. He tries to yank his other arm back to punch me, but I shove his head back and he swings at air. He staggers for a second, shakes his head and balls his fists in front of his face, ready for another go. His eyes dart over my shoulder and I can hear the crowd at the end of the hall.

He punches at my face and I’m barely able to lean out of the way. I try to kick his midsection again, but he anticipates it. He turns to the side and catches my leg. I sock him in the helmet and while it dazes him for a second, he still is able to lift me up and throw me into the wall, making me skid several feet. I struggle to keep my balance as I go up on my right foot. Brutus runs over, brings up his leg and slams his knee into my stomach. I groan, losing all the air in my lungs.

He hits me in the face twice and my ears start ringing. He gives me a third punch and I topple over onto all fours with my back towards him. I pretend to be stunned and groan angrily. He runs up to put his foot in my back and I roll to the left. He misses me and goes to the ground on one leg. I get on all fours and he has enough time to look at me in surprise as I kick the side of his head, sending him into the wall.

He lets out a higher pitch of pain as his head lets out a loud clink. I don’t give him a second to recover. I get to my feet with a desperate leap and stomp on the side of his head again. He doubles over, covering his ears. I grab the back of his chest plate with my right hand and slam my fist into his face with my left. I hit him three more times before he tries out in rage. Before I can react, he snags his knife from his boot and catches my shoulder with it. I fall back, crying out. The knife stays there for a few seconds, almost mocking me before I pull it out and toss it aside.

He gets up and yells so loud, it hurts my ears. He goes to tackle me, but I duck before impact and fully extend my arm into a punch that tears open his stomach. He stops and his eyes bulge. He looks down as blood pools out. He looks me in the eyes right as I bring my helmet spike down, catching the middle of his jaw. He screams and falls backwards, forcing my helmet spike out of his jaw. He holds his mouth which hangs loosely and disconnected. His cries are a mix of gurgling and screeching.

He takes his eyes off me and it’s the last mistake he makes. I run forward and with a leap at the last second, bring my knee spike up through his top jaw. It exits through his left eye. He falls to the ground twitching and gagging as I slide my spike out.
Brutus looks up at me, still full of fury and hatred, his remaining socket twitching wildly. I narrow my eyes and smirk.
“I don’t know where you’re going after this, but I promise I’ll be leaving you out of any history books we write.” I spit blood to my left. He opens his mouth but all that comes out is gurgling as all manner of liquids ooze out. I lift up my leg, remove my knife and slam it into his forehead. His face relaxes and he stares ahead blankly. I gently push his face back and he falls to the ground as a corpse. Some men die by the sword, some die when they never really lived and some die because they were forgotten.

I stumble out of the hallway with blood all over my armor. Lucretia walks up with everyone else curiously. I fall to my knees and my eyes bulge.
“You see?! This is what I’m talking about! What are we preserving?! What are we?! What are we supposed to pass on?!”
Lucretia cocks her head with a confused frown. “Raiden...what the hell happened!?”
I motion to Brutus.

“He was going to drug you all so he could get you pregnant!”

I gesture to the walls and all of us.

“This! All of this crap! What are we?! What is Taraska!?”
One of my soldiers with long, brown hair steps forward. She crosses her eyes with a triumphant grin. “We’re Taraska, the ones who kicked the crap out of the Og Nag!”
I give her a big, painful shrug in reply.
“See?! That’s what I’m talking about! What do we tell anyone?! Do we tell them about the time that we trained the troops of Monza, just to end up setting fire to the town and killing anyone who flees because they had an outbreak of Mana Fever?! Do we tell them how almost our entire culture and possessions were looted from destroyed towns?! We, as humans, defeated Zaran and the Og Nag, but how much of that is Taraska?!”
I stare at the ground as I start sobbing. I toss my helmet which skitters across the stone floor. It sprinkles droplets of blood as it goes. Everyone looks at it in shock. I wipe my eyes and get to my feet.

“It’s decided. We fade into legend. I’m not doing this crap anymore. We’re not passing this curse to anyone. It ends with us. No more hatred, no more violence.”
Emeris creeps past me into the hallway and groans. He walks back out while nibbling on a cookie he just retrieved.

“Yeah so...pretty sure Brutus was going to try some forced marriages with the chaus powder.”

He points behind him at Brutus with his thumb.

“I think that’s going to be a closed casket funeral too.” He walks off, completely lethargic to everything going on around him.
A few more of my soldiers cautiously tiptoe into the hallway then let out gasps when they see what I’ve done to Brutus.
Sergeant Crispus looks around before speaking.
“So um...if we’re making changes, can we get rid of The Cage? Like I’m sorry I forgot my supply of arrows, but I shouldn’t get locked outside for three freaking days for it. Also, it makes me make more mistakes since I’m so scared of the consequences.”
Lucretia looks around curiously, shrugs then joins in.
“Yeah, and then I find myself willing to do worse things to cover it up like pin it on someone else...usually Brutus if we’re being honest.”
I stare at them all, completely shocked how little they care about what I did. I look over my shoulder and see Emeris standing in the hallway totally dumbstruck. Another soldier speaks up.
“I also think Leadership duals are completely crap. Just because you’re a better fighter doesn’t mean you’re a good leader. That’s a totally different concept. And as for leaders, can we not be cool with slapping each other around? I feel like not assaulting each other should be a rule.”
Sergeant Daytum nods while looking between everyone.
“On the off chance there’s another culture here...can we not be deceitful invaders this time? I mean I had so much fun getting to know the Equestrians. It would be nice not having that...sinister storm cloud overhead.”
The conversation continues as everyone takes turns naming things they want to change.

I hear Emeris run off and follow him. Despite my injuries, I had no idea what he was about to do, and I wasn’t going to lose another Taraskan. With one hand over my stomach, I brace myself against the arch that leads out into the balcony. He stands there motionless, his teal cape resting gently against his back. I lean over a little and see that there’s a disturbingly deep hole below us if he jumped. Probably something Luna had dug during her stay.
A few of my coughs make him turn around. He has tears in his eyes, but a smile crosses his face. I cock an eyebrow and turn my head to the right slightly in confusion. He takes a few steps towards me.

”This is it...did you hear them?! We’re...we’re finally free! We’re leaving all that...evil behind us! This Is what I’ve always wanted, to be free of all that anger! No more torturing people, no more war...none of it!” He keeps talking but he sobs so hard I can’t understand him as saliva slowly dribbles from the corner of his mouth while tears stream down his cheeks. I lung forward and catch him as he collapses. He pounds gently on my chest while crying into my shoulder.

“We’re free Raiden! We’re truly free!”

Chapter 70: The Legend Of Taraska Part Four

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Luna sits silently on her haunches outside in front of an unmarked grave, wearing all black excluding a scarf that glows purple faintly. Her sister sits beside her with one large white wing over Luna’s back. Celestia looks at her sister with pity. “I know it hurts. I miss him as well.”

Luna closes her eyes and shakes her head as a few tears crawl down her cheeks. “No, it’s more than that...he doesn’t deserve this. His grave isn’t even marked. Raiden once told me his greatest fear is to be forgotten and now he’s just an obscure legend. Any pony who knew him is long dead of old age and any damage caused in the war has since been repaired. You and I, sister, are now all that is left of him. This isn’t right!”

Luna stomps an angry hoof then hunches over in silent sobbing. Celestia nods her head. “Sister...come with me, I have an idea for you.” Luna lets out an angry sigh but follows Celestia to the palace. The stone walls stood valiantly and without a single mark on them. Any holes in the ground had been filled in and had fresh grass as far as the eye could see. Canterlot bloomed with ponies who strutted around, heads high in the air, glistening with different gems and reflective colors. Flowers of every color grew from massive bushes that were kept in golden carriages.

Celestia has a small grin on her face with her head held high. Luna hangs her head and does everything in her power to restrain a glare. She looks around and grumbles just loud enough for her sister to hear. “Look at all of them. Not a single pony knows what took place here. They don’t know the costs it took to even have this life!” Celestia looks at Luna with just her eyes, keeping that satisfied smile on her face. “Now now sister, you can’t be mad at them for having it easy. That’s why we protect them so they don’t have to worry about all the things of this world.”

Luna rolls her eyes and snorts. “Except that they should know. There should be at least some form of remembrance for the Taraskans.”

Celestia cocks an eyebrow. “That’s what the Walk of Remembrance is for. A trot from coast to coast is no easy feat sister.”

Luna lets out a frustrated sigh. “But that’s for everypony who’s ever served. It was different for the Taraskans. They spent their entire existence at war, not just a few battles. But of course it’s all hush hush isn’t it?”

The pair reach the palace and are let in by two guards who give a quick hoof salute. Luna looks confused as they hang a left and end up at the library. Celestia strolls into the room and sits down on a cushion. Across from her is a desk with a massive stack of blank paper. “Luna, why don’t you tell me more about the Taraskans, about what they mean to you.”

Luna with a blank stare sits at the desk and eyes her sister curiously. “I’m not sure what you’re getting at. You were there for all of it and I’ve even gone into length of my feelings. Why are you prompting this?”

Celestia sits silently with a small smile on her face. Luna rolls her eyes and sits up straight. “The Taraskans were more than just soldiers….they were my friends. They were...special friends. They understood the darkness that can lurk inside that very few creatures alive knew. I could talk with them about my deepest feelings and what troubled me. Every rant was met with understanding, not sympathy.”

Luna leans forward and rests her head and front hooves on the desk, staring across at her sister absently. “And Raiden...I miss him more than anything. How he changed, how he grew. What he was willing to do for everypony around him. I miss being in battle and having nothing but his commands to go on and somehow, we’d push past the impossible and win even when all hope was lost.”

Luna lays on her back and stares up at the ceiling. A fan spins slowly in place, gently ruffling the edges of paper on the desk. “I also missed how they made me feel so...valuable. My input was always taken seriously and when I asked for more to do, there was no argument they just assigned me jobs.” Luna pokes her head over the desk at her sister. “And not just small jobs that were secretly busy work. I was literally in charge of some seriously important stuff! Do you know what it’s like being told that you have to repair a wall or we’ll get overrunned?”

Celestia sips from a cup without speaking. Her expression changes from a small grin, to a look of admiration. Luna goes back to laying on her back. “Despite all the combat and friendships and all the adrenaline...I miss how he loved me. He understood me. Hell, he was more broken than I was. I miss waiting for him to make the first move, or how he’d completely miss me flirting with him. Maybe he knew and just was too petrified to react. Imagine a man who’s entire life was spent trying not to be eaten alive and he’s afraid of me batting my eyes at him.” Both sisters let out squeals of laughter. Luna quickly falls into small chuckles as she stares up at the ceiling reminiscently.

She takes in a deep breath and lets it pass out her nose. “If there was one creature who deserved to live forever, it was him. After everything, all the torture, death, tragedy, betrayal...he still fought for us. Strangers in a new land and yet he didn’t hesitate when we needed him. He showed up with everything in his arsenal, ready to put his life on the line for a fight that wasn’t even his. He trained our troops, helped fortify our cities. He put up with our lack of stability in the face of such uncontrollable destruction.”

Luna rubs her upper legs with her hooves. “I miss Emeris and Lucretia too. Having a back and forth session on what to do strategy-wise felt amazing! Lucretia was always so brilliant but I also loved how she didn’t do well when things went to Tarterus suddenly. She felt so...relatable. And Emeris’ way with words. I enjoyed how he’d tell me stories of Taraska...that didn’t involve death. And how he kept trying to up play Raiden. Him and Lucretia always kept trying to set us up. I miss the cuteness outside of the combat, it made it so much sweeter. All the moments Raiden and I almost kissed. It was like one long, unending fairytale.”

Luna sits up and the blissful expression on her face quickly contorts to grief. “And it’s all gone. Every bit of it.” Luna looks over at her sister. “It’s been eighty years since he passed and I still miss him the same every day. Why does it never get any better, sister? Even when I had to take care of Termin’s eight children once they had gotten old, telling them about the Taraskans just...didn’t feel like enough.”

Celestia scoots over to the table with a suspicious smile. Luna eyes her cautiously.
“Luna, I actually have a way of preserving Raiden and his entire legacy.”

Luna frowns and looks over.
“Sister, we agreed we would not use any from of magic for the Taraskans. It’s bad enough I had to eradicate all the Og Nag but we agreed to never preserve anything from the war.”

Celestia holds up a hoof and calmly pats the stack of papers. “Stories are a unique form of magic though. In them, you can preserve anything you want. You don’t just have to write something for historical references. You can make people feel what you feel and see what you see.”

Luna looks at the papers in confusion. “Sister, telling them about Taraska would void out the entire reason we wiped their memories!”

Celestia shrugs with a small smile. “I mean...only if they knew it was a true story. For all they know, it’s a wonderful fantasy you thought of. Are you not the princess of dreams? And with us no longer being the official leaders of the throne, you have plenty of time to write.”

Luna looks at the papers and sighs sadly. “I...I don’t know. I wouldn’t know where to begin, I’ve never written a novel before, let alone something big enough to do the Taraskans justice.”

Celestia gets up and casually walks over to the door. “Tell you what, why don’t I get us some tea and snacks so we can throw some ideas around. You don’t have to start with the beginning, just go with the feeling. I’ll be back shortly.”

Celestia walks out of the room but pauses around the corner out of sight. She grins when she hears the sounds of magic, paper flying and scribbling from a quill. She strolls slowly and without concern, watching the sun set across the distant peaks. She sighs with content and chuckles to herself. “Fresh grass, booming forests and no fires to be seen. The Taraskans would have loved to see this day.”

She makes a quick stop in the kitchen and pours herself two cups of tea. Two mares quickly run around the kitchen, almost blind to Celestia, who occasionally has to dodge to the sides or go up on her hind legs to make room. After grabbing a quick tray of biscuits, she loads it with two cups of tea and carries it out. She walks calmly with a serene smile on her face and stops in a hallway. From here, she sets the tray on the edge of the balcony and looks out across the land. A light breeze tosses her hair around as a lone guard approaches her.

He puts a hoof to his chest and bows. “Pardon me, but are you princess Celestia?”
Celestia looks over at him and giggles before returning her gaze to the land. “Former princess Celestia. You can just call me Celestia though, I’m retired.”

The guard nods again and follows Celestia’s gaze. They both stand there silently. Celestia takes in a deep breath of air. “You know, I was here when this palace was first built...and rebuilt..and rebuilt again.”

The guard’s eyes widen and his head darts to Celestia. “Is um...is it true you used to raise the sun and moon?”

Celestia closes her eyes and giggles. “I’m afraid not. It was a tradition that got taken too literally. However, I was quite the powerhouse during my time. Thankfully monsters are no longer my concern.” The guard bows and walks away with a head held high and alert. Celestia gingerly walks back to Luna’s quarters with her tray of snacks and drinks. She sticks her head in the door quietly and watches Luna, who sits hunched over a desk already with five pieces of paper on her left with words all over them.

Celestia enters and clears her throat gently. Luna looks up, her eyes wild as fire. “Sister! I just wrote a few lines and it all just started..flowing! I decided it would be best to first construct a timeline of events and go from there.” Luna looks at the five pages she already has and smiles reminiscently. Celestia picks up one of the pages with her magic and hums in approval. “This is quite something!”

She sets down the paper after hearing Luna groan. Luna covers her face with her front legs and peaks just over them. “Sister, this will take forever! there’s so much to talk about!”
Celestia motions with her head to the backpack in the corner of the room. “Good stories take time. Pack your things, I have something I think you’ll love but it must be kept a secret between us.” Luna raises an eyebrow and quickly packs her stuff. “Not fair, you know secret adventures are my weakness!”

The pair giggle as they quickly walk through the palace. Celestia keeps a contented grin on her face as Luna continues to go over all her ideas.

Eventually, the sisters reach a large, golden tower hidden deep in a nearby forest. Celestia’s horn glows and the doors open. Luna goes quiet and looks around confused. The sisters walk inside and Celestia’s horn flares again, forcing the doors closed. Celestia calmly follows a spiraling staircase covered in magical runes. Luna keeps pace but with wide-eyes and a raised eyebrow. At the bottom is a large archway with all sorts of wires and glowing glass tubes attached sits in the middle of the room. Luna walks up and gasps at it.

“Celestia, what is this?!”
Celestia walks besides it and taps it with a hoof. “This actually opens up a portal to other worlds. I managed to finally make it connect back to nova, Raiden’s world.”

Luna’s eyes fill with both rage and wonder. “You mean we could have sent them back this entire time?!”

Celestia shakes her head then walks over to a table full of notes and calculations. “No, I finished it a few weeks ago actually. Also I don’t think the Taraskans would have wanted to go back. That and arch portals are frustrating to say the least. This does lead back to his planet but I don’t think it’s really his world anymore. I took a small peek and they’re way ahead technology-wise.”

Celestia puts a hoof on her sister’s shoulder. “Luna, you said the one thing you wanted more than anything was that people would know what really happened, that a group of humans, against all odds, defended a kingdom they hardly knew against an onslaught of monsters and won. On the other side of that portal, is an ocean of Raiden’s people. While ours cannot know the truth, they certainly can. When you’re done with your story, we’ll make a special copy just for them and send it through. His people will know of him, just as you wanted. Happy birthday, sister.”

With tears in her eyes, Luna throws her front legs around Celestia and they hug. After a minute, Luna pulls away. They begin walking towards the entrance. Luna turns to Celestia. “I was thinking, the copy for the humans...I should write it from Raiden’s perspective, but I don’t know what to call it.”

Celestia nods in thought. “His story is not one limited to a single genre so I can imagine how hard that it going to be. If I were to pick a few, I’d certainly say drama, action and of course...romance.” She adds while giving her sister a wink. Luna giggles and flashes a beaming smile. “Ah...you know, I have just the name. It’s his old nickname and I think we should honor that it has a new meaning. I will call my story...King of the Dead.”

The pair stop in the hall as Celestia hums to herself. “Um...why don’t we put that in the maybe pile.” Celestia starts walking after opening the entrance. Luna chases after her angrily. “No, it’s perfect! It’s mysterious, dark and relevant! Plus the meaning changes throughout the story!” Celestia laughs playfully as Luna continues to rattle off reasons for the title, knowing deep down that the Taraskans would finally get their due glory.

The End