Where is home?

“It’s alright Major. What do you want Chrysalis?” Celestia spat as she, Luna and Cadence stood up and aimed their horns at the changeling queen.

“I did not come here to fight.” Chrysalis said “I came to offer my help.”

“As if, you bastard!” Shining spoke up “What the hell did you come here for?”

“My hive! My hive was destroyed by goblins! They came out of nowhere, in the shadow of the night.” a few tears started running down her face “Most of my subjects died. I could not protect them. *sniff* S-so I came here, to offer what help I could. I want my revenge.”

Celestia’s angry face dropped to be replaced by one of sadness and sympathy.

“I’m sorry for what I did.” she continued “I truly am. Consider this my way to repay you.” Chrysalis looked at the humans “When did you arrive?”

Steiner signaled his men to lower their weapons. “Two or Three days ago, I don’t exactly remember. How many soldiers do you have?”

“About the time they attacked my hive...” she muttered “I have 243 changelings, only a fraction of what we once were.”

Suddenly a pegasus guard bust in the room “Princesses! There are two goblin airships approaching!”

Silky Winds immediately jumped out a window and started flapping her wings as hard as she could until she got to the top of the Canterlot Castle, were the ERA Solar (Equestrian Royal Airship) was docked. The Solar was one of the newest and most modern airships in the world. It had 130 mm of steel armour plating all-round, two new magical powered engines which gave it a cruise speed of 150km/h and a max speed of 180km/h, an anti-gravity system which made it not depend on a balloon and gave it an operational roof of 900 metres and six 155mm cannons on each side which fired HE rounds.
The ERA Solar was actually an identical copy of the VIA Carolus. However the Carolus had three very powerful engines which gave it a cruise speed of 450km/h and a max speed of 490km/h, 100 mm of incredibly strong composite armour all-round, a very good anti-gravitational system called AGS-MKIV (Anti-Gravitational System Mark IV) which gave it a maximum altitude of 2500 metres and had five 100 mm cannons on each side which fired HEAT (High Explosive Anti-Tank) rounds which could penetrate up to 350 mm of flat steel armour. Effectively making it a Heavy Fighter class airship due to its superior maneuverability, speed and powerful guns.
That very same airship made a big difference for the Valyrian Axis in the Battle of Anchorage where it took down thirteen enemy ships and received no damage. Unfortunately, the ship was lost in time.

Silky got into the cabin and started barking out orders. “Increase anti-gravity system! Start propellers, get us into the air now!”. Time to battle.

The ship started elevating and going forwards as a volley of 100 mm shells from the xanthian airships hit were the ERA Solar just was, making the castle shake and spreading shrapnel everywhere.

The xanthian flying machines were as big as the Solar. But were made of wood with no armour plating, and were all covered in moss and vines. They had five 100 mm cannons on each side. On the sides of the balloons, the Xanthian flag, an orcish sword crosse with a goblin one in a black background. The airship was mostly manned by goblins.

“Fire portside cannons!” Silky’s voice echoed, followed by the roar of the 155 mm equestrian ordnance.

“Direct hit! Enemy starboard cannons disabled!” yelled a crewmember. Sure enough, a shell impacted the right side of a goblin airship and exploded, sharpnel made of metal and wood flying everywhere, all enemy guns out of action.

Suddenly, the ERA Solar shook as it was impacted by a volley of five enemy howitzers. One of the shells impacted the room where a cannon was, rendering that gun and the two adjacent useless. A big piece of shrapnel hit the propeller, making it malfunction.

“Commander! We lost three batteries and a propeller!” a crewmember shouted.

“Turn the ship around! Hard portside! Decrease gravity resistance!” Silky commanded, and the airship slowly faced it’s starboard side to the enemies and descended enough to avoid the next volley of hostile fire. “Take us up!” the airship ascended “Halt! Fire!”
Six ‘booms’ were heard as the projectiles left the cannons. One of them hit the engine room of the undamaged enemy airship, making it explode with enough force to rip it apart.
The other xanthian flying contraption had already turned around, and after a few second of aming, fired at the equestrian ship. Only three shells hit and did nothing but injure a few crewmembers thanks to the armour plating.

A few more moments passed by. “Cannons loaded!” shouted a pony. “Fire!” Ordered Commander Winds. The guns roared and the enemy airship was finished off as a projectile hit the balloon and the other ones the middle. What was left of it crashed outside the city walls in flames.

Silky was panting and sweating as her heart raced and she smiled. The mare then ordered the ship to be docked back in the castle roof, where everyone was waiting for her. She flew off to the group, everyone was staring with eyes wide open at her.

“Bloody hell mate!” yelled archie “Clouds you imagine if we had those back on Earth?”

“They’d get ripped apart by planes unless they had AA everywhere.” Jean answered.

“...and increase the security everywhere.” Celestia finished talking to one of her guards. “Well, everypony, I believe that given the current circumstances the meeting will have to be moved for tomorrow.”

The griffin, minotaur, zebra and diamond dog agreed and began to making their way to the staircase that led into the castle. However the minotaur purposely bumped into Steiner and made him fall backwards. The German stood up, put his hand in his Luger and was about to unholster it when a hoof stopped him.

“It’s not worth it.” said Silky in a comforting tone.
Wenck sighed, grabbed Silky’s hoof and smiled. He then, along with the other two humans started to make his way to the staircase too.

“Hold on dear!” said Rarity “I made you all some casual clothes so you don’t have to wear those uniforms all the time.” she told the humans “You each have three of the same white t-shirts, black trousers and underwear. I’m sorry but I didn’t have much time to make something more creative.”

“It’s quite alright Rarity. I don’t know how to repay you.” Archie said.

“There is no need darling. What you did in Ponyville is more than enough.”

----------------------------------------------------------<>----------------------------------------------------------

*BOOM*

“Scheiße!” Major Steiner yelled as another HE shell impacted near him, this one sending two bits of shrapnel into his left arm. “AAAH!”

The 3rd Panzerjäger battalion was almost completely surrounded by americans. They were ordered to hold the line against an american tank regiment, instead, they encountered an infantry and an armoured division. The little cluster of trees where they were entrenched was being blown to bits. The German morale was low.

“Sagen sie dem Jagtpantherer soll hier her kommen! (Tell that Jagdpanther to get over here)” He ordered a soldier nearby him. The young german complied and went to get the tank destroyer.

Another soldier approached him “Kommandant sollen wir zurück fallen?! (Sir! Do we fall back?!)” they had to yell to be able to hear each other through the gunfire and explosions.

“Ich habe nicht das Kommando! Bitten Sie den Oberleutnant! (I am not in charge! Ask the Lieutenant Colonel!)”

“Er ist tot! (He is dead!)”

Wenck looked at him in disbelief for a second. “Scheiße! kontaktieren Sie das Hauptquartier! (Shit! Contact headquarters!)”

“Das Radio funktioniert nicht! (The radio doesn't work!)”

“AAH!...Entweder Sie ziehen sich zurück oder wir werden Kämpfend sterben! (We're staying here. Either they retreat, or we die fighting!)”

“Jawohl herr Kommandant! (Yes sir!)”

Steiner turned to look at a squad of soldiers ten metres to his left. “Hans!” he called the squad leader “Nehmen Sie diesen Graben und beschützen sie ihn! (Take this trench and protect it!). “Ich verspreche, dir das Geld zurück zugeben,das ich dir Schulde,wenn wir die Alliierten zurück ins meer gedrängt haben! (I promise to give you back the money I owe you, when we push the Allies back into the sea!)”

“Jawohl kommandant! Denken sie daran, dass sie meiner Frau auch Geld schuldest! Haha! (Yes sir! Remember you also owe money to my wife! Haha!)” Hans said as he and his squad took their positions in the trench in front of Wenck. The Major started sprinting towards the radio man, when suddenly he felt three powerful explosions behind him. He turned around and saw the trench his friend previously occupied was was reduced to shellholes and a few sandbags scattered everywhere.

He bolted to the trench, guts and limbs everywhere, small pools of blood, it was like a butcher's shop. Everyone was dead except for Hans who was missing his left leg, he was shivering violently.

“HANS!” Wenck yelled as he kneeled down next to his friend.

“Sie schulden *cough* mir noch Geld. Hehe...(You still owe me money.)” Hans slightly smiled as he received death’s cold, dark embrace.

“HANS! NEIN!”

Hans’s breathing slowly stopped. He was dead.

“HAAAANS!” Wenck was filled with rage. As he heard some americans soldiers approach, he jumped out of cover and sprayed them with fire from his mp40. One was left alive, he fired his rifle but missed, Steiner then charged him with his knife and embedded it right into his heart.

Upon seeing their Major perform such actions, the German soldiers started fighting with a renovated vigor.
And the American moral started to falter. Eventually the allies retreated from the field.

After the battle Wenck ran back to where his comrades had died. “Nein...Nein! NEEEEEEEEEEEE

----------------------------------------------------------<>----------------------------------------------------------

EEEEEEIN!” Wenck woke up. His heart racing, he was covered in sweat and a torrent of tears was runnings down his eyes. He reached for his uniform and took his Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds out one of the pockets.
“I’m sorry.” he muttedred “Hans, Schultz, Manfred, Albert...I’m sorry...”

He started whispering a song.

Ich hatt' einen Kameraden,
Einen bessern findst du nit.
Die Trommel schlug zum Streite,
Er ging an meiner Seite
In gleichem Schritt und Tritt.

(I once had a comrade,
You will find no better.
The drum sounded for battle,
He walked at my side,
In the same pace and step.)

Eine Kugel kam geflogen:
Gilt’s mir oder gilt es dir?
Sie hat ihn weggerissen,
Er liegt zu meinen Füßen
Als wär's ein Stück von mir.

(A bullet came flying towards us,
Was it meant for me or you?
It tore him away,
He now lays at my feet,
As if he was a part of me.)

Will mir die Hand noch reichen,
Derweil ich eben lad'.
"Kann dir die Hand nicht geben,
Bleib du im ew'gen Leben
Mein guter Kamerad!"

(His hand reaches out to me,
Meanwhile I am reloading.
"I cannot take your hand now,
You must rest in eternal life,
My fine comrade.")

“Mein guter kamerad...” Wenck slowly drifted back to sleep as he wept in silence.

----------------------------------------------------------<>----------------------------------------------------------

Tears were running down Luna’s cheeks. How could someone go through that? In what world was once force to see all his friends and family die around them? In Wenck’s world. That man had gone through such horrible things, he only had nightmares now.

And what’s worse, that was going to happen in Equestria now. Fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, grandmas, grandpas, sons and daughters would die. And there was nothing that could be done about it.

War, that is what was ahead, war.

Luna looked up to the sky. “Help us Faust.” she whispered.

----------------------------------------------------------<>----------------------------------------------------------

The three humans stood on the training grounds, in the archery range section firing their weapons along some bowman and combat mages who were also trying their accuracy.
Steiner had asked Celestia and Luna to make them ammo for their weapons, which they did, but also gave them a melee weapon each.
Wenck had a short katana-like sword which was made for one hand, while the other held his pistol. Jean choose a regular royal guard shortsword, and Archie went for a spiked mace and a dagger.

There were ten royal guard armours scattered around the range that served as targets, all of them were riddled with holes.

“Archie! Move!” Steiner yelled and the British soldier moved forwards and ducked under some hay he used as cover as the two other humans provided cover fire against the lifeless enemies. The next to move was Jean who took cover behind a carriage, and then Wenck who hid behind a tree.

“Major! Hostile fifty metres away!” Pierre shouted.

“Archie, take him out. Jean, we provide cover!” Jean and Archie acknowledged the order and it was executed flawlessly. Archie hit the target fifty metres away dead centre as Wenck and Jean sprayed the nearby sets of armour.

“Melee weapons! Charge!” the three humans charged the armours and, unsurprisingly, took them down quickly and effectively. “Great work soldat. That is enough for today, go get some rest.” the two soldiers saluted and walked off.

Wenck went to his room and changed into the clothes Rarity had made for him before heading for Silky’s office.

*knock knock*

“Come in.” Winds said and Steiner walked in. “Oh hey you. How is my little human?”

“We have to talk Silky.” Wenck said in a stern voice.

“What’s going on?” the mare said worriedly.

“We...We can’t be together.”

“W-WHAT?! Why not?”

“It’s that..I..It’s just...It won't work.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t like you.”

“That’s a lie, tell me the truth.”

Wenck took out a photo of his family and his Knight’s Cross and just stared at them.

“Wenck...”

“I like you...But everyone around me dies, a-and” his eyes started to water “I don’t want you to die.”

The mare felt tears coming to her eyes as she hugged Wenck, who returned the gesture.

A single tear hit the ground. The couple continue to hug for what seemed like an eternity until Silky pulled away from the embrace and said “Come, let’s go to my room.”

Wenck nodded and followed her after composing himself.

----------------------------------------------------------<>----------------------------------------------------------

Hundreds, no, thousands of legions of orcs and goblins marched towards Canterlot following the Express Line South which passed through ponyville. Novenor wanted to send a little gift to Celestia and Luna before he stormed Canterlot. He would burn that village to the ground, torture, rape and then mercilessly slaughter the ponies. He wanted revenge from his defeat in the Great War. And he was going to get it.

The ground shook due to the sheer quantity of Xanthian troops. Mails and swords clanking, commanders barking orders, Novenor watched silently from the top of his warg.
The Warg was a beast to be feared. It was like a wolf, but bigger, and pure muscle. Cream-ish fur, and eyes devolic green. Claws razors sharp, teeth that could rip flesh from bone with ease.

But they were unaware of a figure watching them. High above the clouds, a tall white alicorn with dull red mane and a quill and inkpot cutie mark.
A human walked up to her and topped to her right. A gray uniform, with the alicorn's cutie mark patched in his left arm.

They both regarded the army of hellspawns for a while until the alicorn turned to him and nodded. Then the human saluted and walked away.