B.C. (before Celestia)

The siege, this account is in several scrolls from that time, yet it seems to be in conflict with other events. I cannot explain this, except to suggest that the source may have been Sombra himself. If so, then this may be a recounting of an actual event, modified by Sombra to embroider his legends. There was indeed a pegasus Lord Damascus.

The peg lord, Damascus, looked down upon his new slaves. A mixed lot of ragged manes and half-starved ponies. Certainly this new purchase did not meet the standards of the other slave trader standing next to him.

That slave trader was not here to trade slaves; rather he had a personal grudge to settle. He mused ‘won’t get much work from this sorry lot’

The peg lord hated to admit it, but the other was correct. He had planned it that way. He knew the dirt ponies were planning to besiege his stone fort and had bought the cheapest slaves for that very reason. As the slaves were herded into the compound, the peg turned to the slave trader and said ‘I know your slaves are worth 2 or 3 times this lot’
With the gates close, the peg said ‘come here Go’

A dirt pony responded ‘yes, my lord’

‘Do you remember when he, pointing to the slaver, sold you to me?’

‘Yes my lord’

‘Hello Odk’ said the slaver

‘His name is Gofer now’ said the peg lord ‘as in go for this, go for that’

‘So you be pleased with him?’ said the slaver

‘Aye, I’d make him my seneschal, if he were not a slave’

Another peg stepped forward ‘my lord the dirts approach’

‘Ah ha, the trap is set’

Coming over the quiet hills were a motley crew of earth ponies, dressed in black, brown and gray armor. Some not even having any armor, all carry wicked and sharp objects

Kukri said ‘badly dress and caring sharp objects seems to be their banner call’ said Kurki, another Pegasus, obliged to lord Damascus.

‘They mean to besiege us, now that we have too many mouths to feed’ said the slaver.

‘That’s the point’ said the peg lord ‘give your enemy the illusion that they can win in order to get them committed to fight’

‘And then what my lord’ said Kukri

‘Break their hearts and crush them without mercy’ said the peg lord

‘Genius’ said the slaver

‘Thank you for the effusive compliment’ said the peg lord ‘but it’s not due me, it was Go’s idea and in that I bought him cheaply from you.’

‘If his plan works, yes, but if it fails’ said the slaver ‘we die’

‘Nay only you and he will die, we be peg, and we could always fly away’ the peg lord chuckled.

‘Dam you Odk. What have you brought down on us?’

‘Only a lesson I learned from you, former master’ sneered Odk

The siege began as the earth ponies set torches to the grain fields about the fort. They would love to have harvested the wheat but they could ill afford the risk as the dirt ponies needed to minimize the perils to their siege towers. The dry wheat burned a gray haze that clouded the skies. This would decrease the peg lord’s air advantage.

Kukri identified some of the dirt commanders among the dirts; Rampage, Massive, Dynamo, Machete, and Spear.
From out of the still smoldering fields emerged the siege towers. The peg defenders fired flaming arrows at the approaching wooden behemoth. Some arrows stuck, the towers were bleach leather covered to reduce burning. The dirt ponies had planned well ahead. The defenders counted 5 towers.

‘We didn’t expect that’ said Kukri

‘Where did they hide them all?’ said Thumper.

‘To your stations’ said the peg lord ‘we won’t quit this fight yet’. ‘Hey slaver, go bloody yourself’. “Gofer come with me’
The peg lord picked up his rig and tackle, ‘secure that’ tossing the thick rope to Gofer, the slave obliged his lord passing the rope through an iron ring in the stone battlements and then tying it to a preset boulder. The peg lord took to the air dragging the rope skyward into the smoke. After a few moments the returned and both he and Odk tied the other end of the rope to a predetermined large stone upon a level. They both grunted as they pushed down upon the device. The boulder tumbled over the edge of the ramparts swinging down in an arch with the pivot point of the ring. As it swung the slack of the rope disappeared and the 2nd of the encroaching towers tipped into the first. The wood in the towers screamed in protest. Dirt ponies panic as it tipped sideways and crashed into the closer tower. Then the stone ring set in the ramparts snapped out to the stone walkway with a crack. The stone partially exploded and a shard struck the peg lord, knocking him unconscious. For the rest of the chaotic battle, Odk took command and protected his lord. The dirts retreated and sought reprieve at dusk.

In the evening, upon recovering, the peg lord summoned his lieutenants, the slaver and Odk. ‘Today’ said the peg lord ‘you have earned your freedom no more will I call you slave. You demonstrated unmatched bravery and protected me from my enemies.’

‘Why didn’t you slay him?’ whispered one of the slaves.

‘Why would you do that Odk?’ asked the slaver ‘you could have escaped admits the confusion of battle’

‘I tell you the truth, slaver, I only kill those I have to, not those that deserve it’ responded Odk

“ha ha ha’ exclaimed the peg lord

Thumper said ‘Those dirt ponies would have murdered us all. They are not here to free our slaves; they want blood, death and fire’

‘So you ignored my plan, Odk’ said the peg lord

‘Yes, my lord’ said Odk ‘there will be other opportunities to do it for our enemy is determined to continue the siege’

‘How do you know that?’ asked the slaver

‘They know you’re here, slaver, they hate you most of all’ said Damascus

For 30 more days the dirt ponies besieged the stone fort. They made other attempts using siege towers but the pegs were able to repel them. Brave acts were done by both sides. Heroes fell such as Torch, Throwing Star, True Colors, Pierce, and Flick. Catapults were constructed by the dirt ponies and the rocks flew. Some defenders were injured and begged their lord for mercy. Odk was given the task of providing that mercy, quick and sharp. The waiting game continued.

The moon grew larger and brighter each evening. Tension rose as food supplies shortened. The regular crack of stone upon stone became rhythmic. Thump. Thump. Thump. Days melted into each other. Ponies counted the moments by when the last hero die. Wild dogs howled, crows gathered and chawed to each other. The peg lord became short of words. The slaver joked with Odk that he had sold him too cheaply. They recounted their tales of growing up together in the village of Ing. All the heroes they had outlived. Both sought a way out of this trap of life. Would ponies ever be free from the threat of sudden death?

Responding to the bombardment of the catapults would only give the enemy ammunition. Only through endurance would this siege end one way or another. How do the endless siege?

The dirts tried a battering ram next. Covered in a boiled leather roof, they cover the device to the gates. It pounded against the iron reinforced oaken door moment by moment. The defenders poured boiling water upon the attackers. For boiling oil may have a shock effect, oil also gives a calorie bonus to the defenders when mixed with rice or grain. The boiling water did the same damage to the attackers as oil would have. Large rocks were also dropped upon the battering ram contraption gorging large holes in the roof. Several times the dirts had to withdraw the ram to repair it. The sickle of death hovered closer seeking its next victim. The Hammer, a dirt pony, who over estimated his importance and encouraged his detail of ponies with grunts took command of the ram.