Equestria Divided: Humans Expac

Starlight Singer had never been so terrified in all her life as she was now as she waited in the antechamber to the throne room of the royal palace in Canterlot. She knew she was not alone in her anxieties, not under the watch full eyes of a dozen Inquisitors and three times that in knights of both Celestia and Luna. They were caught in the web of Canterlot politics and unless she played it smart she would likely not survive this visit to the capital.

It had been two weeks since the escape from Stalliongrad and since then all of those who had escaped with Governor Jet Set had been held as "guests" of the Inquisition. She knew that the rumor mill was already stiring and despite the Inquisitions best efforts at information control it would eventually get out that Stalliongrad had fallen. The formal hearing regarding the fall of the city was due to begin any minute now.

There came the sound of hooves against stones and she glanced over her haunches to see several others arriving. She shuddered at the sight of them. If she and those who had escaped Stalliongrad looked bad then these poor gentlecolts looked worse.

A few were knights of Celestia but others were officers in the Royal legions. Several were wearing layers of bandages. Their once pristine white armor was ruined with rust and dried blood. The worst part however were there eyes, hollow and dead looking.

"Survivors of Twostar's expedition," Hard Barding whispered to her. "Looks like they had it far worse than we did."

"What in Celestia's name is happening?" Starlight replied.

Before they could wonder any further at this the doors to throne room opened and they were ordered on in. Starlight felt fear grip her heart as she realized just who would be handling their interrogation; Archmagister Twilight Sparkle, Prince Shining Armor, Princess Cadence, and Grand Inquisitor Trixie Lulamoon. Nobody said anything as they were ushered into place, all of them bowing before the Royals.

"This hearing is now coming to order," the Grand Inquisitor began. "The accused, Governor Jet Set of Stalliongrad is accused of dereliction of duty in the defense of the northern border, allowing for a wide scale slave revolt, the fall of the city of Stalliongrad, and the loss of more than seven thousand troops. How does the accused plead?"

"N-not guilty my lady," Jet Set stammered.

"Very well then," the Grand Inquisitor replied her eyes narrowing. "Tell us in your own words of the events of the month of October which lead to the fall of Stalliongrad in your own words."

Jet set visibly gulped before starting.

"The first I heard of trouble were reports in mid October attacks upon merchant caravans and homesteads in the Goldenleaf woods. General Twostars forces were wintering in the area and I assume he would handle it. It is due to his incompetence..."

"General Twostar," Shining Armor interrupted, "died on field of battle with his ponies in compliance with an officer of his position. Take care not sully the name of a close friend of mine Governor."

"My apologies," Jet Set said quickly. "But it stands that the late General had command of all military forces in the Goldenleaf woods and failed to halt a growing slave uprising. He sent me a request for reinforcements and I obliged him with more than half my garrison. I thought that would be enough to put down a few slaves."

"But they weren't just slaves were they?" The Archmagister said coolly.

Jet Set said nothing to this.

"The Crown recognizes Knight-Lieutenant Bright Shield," the Grand Inquisitor said.

One of the battered knights was lead forward. It took a moment it seemed to register what was happening and make a rough jerk of a bow.

"Knight-Lieutenant Bright Shield," the Grand Inquisitor said. "You were one of the officers in General Twostar's expedition is that true?"

"Aye," he whispered his voice hollow and dead.

"Tell us in your own words of the events in the Goldenleaf woods," the Grand Inquisitor commanded.

It took him a moment to gather his thoughts before Bright Shield began to speak.

"We received reports of the slaves having been sighted massing to the north of our encampment, roughly two thousand or more of them, on a hill top over looking a large clearing. General Twostar ordered us to march at once, before the slaves could move camp," he paused now for a breath, steadying himself. "All along the path we discovered what had become of our scouts. They'd been massacred and strung up from the trees along the path. Their bodies were desecrated and profaned by the enemy in ways I... I..."

"Calm yourself Knight-Lieutenant," Shining Armor said in a sympathetic tone of voice.

Bright Shield nodded and continued speaking.

"The General ordered the corpses cut down and given a proper burial. We continued the march however until we reached the field. We could see the slaves on top of the hill with some large boulders. They'd plowed up the field and soaked it until it was a swamp of mud. General Twostar ordered Marksmages to lay down covering fire while the vanguard advanced forwards. Then..."

He struggled for words and Starlight could feel only sympathy and pity for the poor stallion.

"Fire," he at last said. "Fire everywhere. They'd soaked the ground with oil and grease then light the boulders on fire and rolled them down the hill at the vanguard. Goddesses I can still hear the screams... We couldn't do anything to help them, it was to big for us and over to quickly."

"If it would please the court I would request that the Knight-Lieutenant be allowed to retire for now," Princess Cadence said.
Bright Shield however shook his head.

"The fires died down," he said. "The whole vanguard was gone and their Pegasi soaked the fields back into mud and ash. General Twostar ordered the next wave forward. As we advanced we got stuck in the mud just like the vanguard and then they started hitting up with sticks with iron tips. We raised shields but a more than a few were cut down. Then we started up the hill and... and..."

He swallowed.

"They came," he whispered. "Screaming down from the hill top in wolf furs, bear pelts, leather, and chain mail. They were huge, with big arms which they used two swing axes, hammers, swords, knives, and spears. They tore through a front lines like they were nothing. For every one of them we killed we lost three of our own. All the time they were howling like beasts, slaughtering us."

"These creatures can you describe them in further detail?" The Archmagister asked abruptly.

"They were pale and had lost of exposed skin," Bright Shield said slowly. "And they were strong. Stronger than we were. We fought on for hours and it looked like we might gain the advantage. Then they cut down the General and more of them came out of the woods on massive wolves, larger than most stallions. Discipline broke down and we ran for it. They hunted us all the way back to camp and over ran it before we could regroup. So we kept running and running until our hooves cracked and bleed."

"Thank you Knight-Lieutenant," the Grand Inquisitor said, not unkindly.

Gently Bright Shield was lead away and out of the throne room with his men. All eyes now turned to Jet Set.

"These same creatures as described by the Knight-Lieutenant attacked Stalliongrad at almost the same time?" The Grand Inquisitor half-asked and half-stated.

"Yes," Jet Set spluttered. "Near enough at least. They came under cover of night overwhelmed our naval forces with a fleet of longships and then assaulted the city from land and sea at dawn."

"And within a matter of hours they overwhelmed your depleted garrison and overran the city?"

"There were thousands of them," Jet Set objected, "and Twostar had wasted all of my troops with his debacle."

"At any point during the month of October did you attempt to send a report to Canterlot regarding the situation?" The Grand Inquisitor asked sharply.

"I thought it was just a slave uprising..." Jet Set said weakly. "A trivial matter that..."

"I have heard enough," the Archmagister said cutting him off. "Its clear to me that you're lacks vigilance is at fault. General Twostar did his duty while you sat in your tower and did nothing."

"Agreed," the Grand Inquisitor added. "Governor Twostar, this court hereby finds you guilty of all charges. Guards."

Before Jet Set could say anything in his defense two Inquisitorial troops moved up on either flank of the former Governor.

"Lock him away until such time as he is to be sentenced."

MLP:ED

As soon as the throne room was cleared Twilight shook her head in annoyance.

"Unbelievable," she muttered.

"Something you would like to tell us Archmagister?" Trixie asked tersely.

Twilight frowned at her, organizing her thoughts. She had never liked Trixie nor did she trust her. The power she wielded as High Inquisitor seemed to have gone straight to Trixie's already overly inflated ego. Still she did very well at her job, rooting out traitors and heretics from the land.

"I've once before seen a similar description to what the former Governor described," she explained. "Its unthinkable however that such creatures could be in Equestria."

"I think we are long passed the point of things being unthinkable sister," Shining Armor said.

"The description matches that of Ancient Humans," Twilight said.

Trixie gave a derisive snort at this.

"Ridiculous," she said. "Humans are little more than a myth. I would have thought you would be above such childish notions Archmagister."

"Then how would you describe the Knight-Lieutenant's testimony," Twilight asked?

"A terrified pony may see what he thinks," Trixie answered. "More likely what he saw was a rogue tribe of Diamond Dogs."

"That seems to me to be a very flimsy explanation," Cadance replied. "No one Diamond Dog tribe could make such a wide spread assault. Nor could they do it with such cunning."

"But seriously Humans?" Trixie said with a roll of her eyes. "Even if they did exist there is the ban to consider."

"It has been more than a thousand years since the exile of humanity from Equestria," Twilight replied. "Even the strongest magic can fade in such time."

"So what do we do?" Shining Armor asked. "It won't be long before our foes learn of our recent losses."

"We clamp down on information," Trixie replied. "The less the public knows about what has happened the better. I'll have my ponies work out a cover story. As for the traitors I believe that is your area of expertise."

"I'll deploy additional troops to our northern frontier," Shining Armor said with a nod. "I'll have the Hoofington Garrison go on full alert as well."

"I'll do some further research," Twilight added. "Perhaps learn something useful."

"Then we have our course of action," Cadance said with a nod of her own. "Dismissed."

MLP:ED

In the high towers of the fortress City of Manehattan a similar discussion was underway.

"You are sure of your agents?" Mistress Rarity said the crystals growing from her flesh crackling against one another.

"Beyond a doubt," Lady Fleur De Lis said in her musical tones. "My agents in Stalliongrad all send the same information and given that my agents in St. Trottersburg have been long overdue for checking in."

"Humans in Equestria," General Fancypants muttered, shaking his head. "I never imagined such a thing would happen in my life time. And the Nor Menn at that by the sounds of it."

"You know of these barbarians General?" Rarity asked.

"Just stories," Fancypants replied grimly. "Mostly from the foreign folk in the city. The Nor Menn are by far the most notorious of all the Human peoples in the world. They are vicious raiders, merciless warriors, and shrewd traders."

"My my don't they sound wonderful," Rarity said with a small smile.

"It is no laughing matter my Lady," the General replied seriously. "They've only been here a few months, if our good spy mistress is correct, and they've already taken two of the largest cities in the north."

"My apologies General," Rarity said. "What do you propose?"

The General frowned thinking quietly to himself for several moments. This was why Rarity liked the good General, he was a commander who thought with his brains rather than his ego. It was partly thanks to him that House Whitegold was the power that it was.

When Fancypants had been named Commander of House Whitegold's military and police forces most of the other houses had laughed. The idea of the kindly Canterlot noble leading Ponies into battle had been laughable. That was until he routed three separate and considerably larger armies of Houses Stormwing, Moon and Stars, and Earthborn all in a single day with minimal losses to his own forces. Fancypants had a keen and cautious tactical mind and tended to be more open to promoting officers based on merit rather than paid commisions.

"We need more information before we act," he said grimly. "But that does not mean we wait patiently for them to make the first move. We should increase our forces, both locally recruited and mercenary."

"A sensible first step," Fleur De Lis agreed with a nod. "I'll instruct my agents to gather anything they can about these humans. What their objectives are and what their intent is."

"Oh I think I can guess at those two," Fancypants replied. "Their objectives are conquest and their intent is war."