Screaming, crying, the clashing of swords, sounds of magic and pegasi wing blades and the horrible smell of death. Our first battle and it already sucks.

“SILVER! WHERE ARE YOU!?!” I cried as I looked everywhere for my friend.

"OVER *cough* HERE!"

I see a flash of her mane as a magic explosion strikes near my head. I start to hear a ringing in my ears as the shockwave disorients me. A buddy of mine suddenly flops down next to me, how he managed to escape the explosion eludes me, “Have you seen where Silver is?” I scream hoping to be heard over the ever persistent ringing in my ears.

"Sorry mate, can't say I 'ave" he said. As much of a pain he was, Old Thunder Wing always knew where to find somepony. And that includes being on the battlefield, an uncanny ability that never ceases to amaze me, but a great asset to have nonetheless. "Damn, those Solar’s know how to fight. Much better then the other ones I've fought" said my commanding officer, Lieutenant Night Shade. He was not the largest pegasus, but he could fight better than any of us.

“That’s because they used to fight with us Lt. Those damned traitors deserve the death we will bring them." Another one of my squad mates, a unicorn corporal named Black Tide, was just seething with rage as he saw old friends become enemies. I swear that stallion would pop a blood vessel if he contorts his face anymore than what it is now.

“LORE!!!” I hear Silver scream somewhere nearby. I looked around frantically as I just regained my sense of direction. All around me were bodies and blood but I couldn’t see the light blue and white mane I was desperately searching for. The colors of the fallen sent my brain into a frenzy of panic and soon enough, I was mixing colors. Red turned to orange, blue into black, and green into red. My head began to hurt as I tried, and failed, to sort colors into similar shades and continue my search for my best friend.

“Luna dammit Lore, get your head into the battle before you lose it” screamed the Lt.

"Y-yes sir!" I couldn't take it much longer as my world seemed to fade in and out of a grayscale coloring.

“I’m sure Silver Lining is fine, she’s just being a normal dramatic mare” Old Thunder whispers into my ear as we got ready to move forward. It was the final push we had to drive the Solar Army from Fillydelphia, and our chances of success were slim. However, we have pegasi still in the air as well as a few ships left to bombard the enemy forward camp. And yet here I am on the ground, totally fucked and fighting building to building. I knew I should have paid attention to close quarters combat in basic. This is my first fight, I lost my best friend in the chaos and I'm sitting in the kill zone. It doesn't help that is raining (Luna, I hope its rain), fighting through mud prevents me from flying for a while.

"INCOMING MAGIC GRENADE!" My world tilts again as the blast hits to close to home. This time, however, the building that was hit decided to lean towards my squad, threatening to crush us at any moment.

“Oh fucking Tartarus! These bastard Solar’s are destroying the city! It will take years to rebuild everything."

“Old Thunder, I think we have better things to worry about then the buildings!” Screamed the Lt. All of a sudden, a bright red liquid is all over my black and silver armour. I looked around and saw Black Tide's leg by my front. My eyes were as wide as dinner plates as I turned my head. It was one of the worst sights I've ever seen. The corporal was laying there, his horn missing as well as his hind left leg and right foreleg. His mouth was hung open, like his jaw unhinged itself, and his left eye was missing. I couldn't hold it in any longer, I turned my head and proceeded to empty my stomach of its contents. My was mind unable to process this horror as I flashback to a simpler time.

*****

“Lore! Lore! Folk Lore!” I hear Silver call. Looking around I see she is a filly once again and looking down I realize I’m a colt as well.

*Laughter* “What are you doing reading on a day like this Lore? You should come out and fly with us!” she says with a smile. I wasn't a good flyer as a colt, my wings were weak from an accident as a foal, and as a result the others made fun of me, but never Silver. She was always kind to me and we always played together, even as we grew older.

"But I'll just slow you all down, like usual." I replied back, still hiding behind my book.

“So what! I don’t care! And if Black Hawk picks on you i’ll buck him to next week!” She was always talking tough, but she could never go through with it, it wasn’t in her nature.

I smile and reply with a yes and realize I’m okay with whatever happens as long as I got Silver covering my back and I have hers.

*****

“LORE! Wake up and move it!” somepony yells into my ear as the world comes rushing back. I look up to see Old Thunder dragging me through the remains of Broad Street, oh how I missed watching the hoofball games every Sunday evening with my father and brother. But as I looked around, the glare of his armour blinded me even farther.

“One more push lad then you can sleep. We're almost to the medical tent, just hang in there." Confusion and curiosity began to boil in my mind. Why was I going to the medical tent? Then I felt it, a sharp pain jolted through my sides as I realized I've been hit.

I feel weak, tired, my world fading farther away. Then an image of Silver appears in my minds eye, she’s smiling and calling my name, I try to respond back...Silver Lining...Silver...Sil...then the world fades to black.

Author's Note

Please leave a comment and/or a NICE critique, and some suggestions to make the story better. Also, thanks to my co-author for ideas and help with the writings.