Prelude to Equestria

It was a cloud covered afternoon as the sun filled the day with its light; a thick blanket of fog covered the forest in its cold mist. A cloaked figure galloped through the trees, panting as if there was no air left in his lungs.

He could hear them overhead, flapping their wings. The accursed sound rang in his ears as the thoughts of death clung to his mind. As the sounds drew near, he could run no more. He took refuge in some thick undergrowth.

The sound of the winged beasts stopped abruptly. He could hear their hooves snapping twigs, rustling brush, and snarls of anger, yet could not see any of them. The sounds slowly faded and a feeling of relief eased his tense mind.

The cloaked pony slowly stepped anxiously out from the brush. He heard a faint grunt from behind him and turned. Out from the forest came a hurtling spear which thrusted into his shoulder, pinning him to a nearby tree. Emerging through the fog, a number of pegasi slowly moved to him. His eyes widened with shock and fear.

A large brutish pegasus appeared in front of the pack dressed in captains battle gear. The pegasus drew his great sword and without hesitation swung at the now helpless pony. The sound of bark and bone snapping rang out at the swords powerful force.

Blood spilled along the forest floor as the unfortunate pony’s head rolled off his lifeless body. The pegasus pulled the spear from the limp corpse as it fell loose.

The captain looked to the spearpony and laughed in approval. “Look in that bag, sergeant,” he said, as he returned the spear to its owner.

The sergeant jumped to it. “Yes sir,” he said, quickly opening the satchel. The forest was silent, as if all eyes watched him rummage through the bag.

The sergeant gave a slight chuckle of satisfaction and looked to the large pegasus. “Sir, all I found were some trinkets and these.” The sergeant held out two letters with the seal of Goldhoof upon them.

The captain grinned. “These are messages to the other outposts we took earlier, those pathetic excuses for front line defences. Now it’s time we take their last outpost,” he said in a gruff voice, putting the letters in his bag.

The sergeant looked to his captain in displeasure. “Sir, the men are tired, and those camps were much smaller than our scouts report this one is.”

The captain glared at him. “Warriors do not rest! We’ve pushed this far; by the emperor I will destroy these filthy creatures with every last sword and shield I have! And if you have a problem with that I'll cut you down myself for insubordination! Do you understand me, sergeant?”

The sergeant snarled. “Yes, sir,” he relented, as he prepared for flight. The sound of wings bellowed through the forest and soon silence clung to the trees.

*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

A medium fortification perched on a rocky cliff side overlooking a vast valley of barren wilderness. The watchpost was silent, as the cold winds of the storm nearby barely reached their position.

The ponies stood in their respective towers as the storm drew closer. Exhausted, and with bitter winds now blowing upon their faces, they stood like stones. The walls were cold and grey, made of steel and iron, almost too fitting for this bleak setting on this misty morning.

A young lieutenant with a medium build and a matching black coat and mane sat in his quarters awaiting important information. An officer walked into the room and saluted the lieutenant. “Lieutenant Carvon, we haven't received word from any of the other watch posts. It’s been over an hour and I’m starting to think something has happened to the messenger we sent out,” the officer said, with a worried look upon his face.

The lieutenant looked up at the officer as if he had anticipated this news. “Then we will send out a recovery team. Hurry, we must move quickly,” he said, standing up from his chair and trotting out of his quarters.

The officer looked to the lieutenant. “Sir, you’ve been in your quarters all day, is something troubling you?” he asked, as they moved to the barracks.

The lieutenant looked over to him. “I believe they are coming for us; the signs are all too clear,” he said, as they proceeded into the barracks. A little while passed, and soon the ponies were outfitted and ready to move.

The lieutenant looked towards the officer. “Search not, but call for assistance; our messenger has been gone for far too long,” he whispered, leaving the officer with a puzzled look.

Lieutenant Carvon looked at him dead in the eyes. No words were spoken as silence dropped amongst them. The officer opened his mouth, but no words came out as they slowly trotted out into the winter haze.

The winds began to pick up as the officer and his team left the fortification. The clouds became a light grey and rain snailed its way over their watchpost. The lieutenant looked to the sky as droplets of water ran down his face. The sound of water clinked against his armor as it fell.

Carvon stood in front of the barracks wondering if anything was worth the fight anymore. He closed his eyes, tired from the long nights, cold harsh winds, and the seemingly restless enemy whose eyes were always upon them.

His mind began to fade into a place he had once cherished long before the dark times of the world. He remembered when he was a young colt working with his father, the cool weather of spring and luscious grasses to rest upon. His mother grooming him and his father so joyful to see his son. The world had taken his light, the world had taken his love.

He could never understand why they hated the other races so much, why they destroyed his perfect world. He had always wondered if they even could love or if they had ever loved at all. His thoughts were cut clean from the sound of a horrific chant which thundered through the sky.

He opened his eyes as a dark unnatural mass formed high above them in the clouds. His eyes widened as he shouted to his warriors. “Everyone, bolters, now!” The sound of metal smashing into metal tearing open their fortifications.

Spears rained down from the heavens as the soldiers scrambled about the camp. The unfortunate ponies who didn't make it to an overhang were punctured like pin cushions. Blood curdling screams now filled the watchpost.

The spears stopped falling and littered the camp with dead and wounded troops. Carvon dashed for one of the bolters made of earth pony ingenuity and unicorn magic, on the fortress wall and jumped in. As he looked up to the sky he could see hundreds of pegasi warriors descend from the rain clouds.

He pulled the trigger and hundreds of bolts darted towards the diving warriors. The sharp bolts cut through the air, ripping through the wings of the attackers and tearing them open. Their lifeless bodies dropped like flies. Carvon grew numb to his own fear as blind rage took over.

The winged beasts were soon upon the fortress walls as their iron boots slammed down. Carvon jumped out of his bolter and unsheathed his sword. The pegasus in front of him looked him dead in the eyes and drew his weapon. Their eyes narrowed, glaring to one another only to focus on their adversaries, snouts crunching under their helms in rage, and teeth grounded for the coming clash.

Steel to steel, blades rang and muscles tensed as Carvon swiped his blade at his enemy. The pegasus drew back and stumbled on a fallen soldier, dropping his blade. Carvon lifted his sword and struck the fallen soldier deep in the gut.

Blood spewed across Carvon’s hooves and face as the pegasus squirmed in his bloody mess. Carvon retracted his sword and looked to the court yard only to find that they were outnumbered. The sound of iron hooves thumped behind him and he turned.

A pegasus with his blade drawn charged him. Carvon lifted his sword and they began to fight on the wall. The pegasus looked bloodthirsty and filled with hate, swinging wildly and recklessly. Carvon saw his opportunity and cut his opponent clean across the neck.

Carvon saw a young soldier fighting off three pegasi along the wall and rushed to his aid. Sword at point, he ripped straight through one of the pegasus’ back, tearing through his heart. He pulled his sword out from the dead pegasus as one of the others turned to face him.

Carvon ducked as the soldier flailed his sword over his head, just barely grazing his mane. He recovered from his crouch and arose to a kick in the snout, pushing him over the fortress wall down into the courtyard. He smashed into a cart, landing on the cold wet dirt, pain instantly filling his body. He could see the young soldier fighting on the wall, thrusting his blade into one of the pegasi, as the other rushed to its aid.

He could hear muffled screams and swords clanging together. He looked across the ground for his sword, but could not see his. The closest one was under a fallen pegasus. Carvon crawled towards the weapon as pain jolted through his bones. He lifted the pegasus off the weapon and as the body rolled over Carvon caught a glimpse of its face.

The seemingly soulless eyes gazed deeply, his face scarred and blood washed coat. Carvon felt an uneasy presence and staggered to his hooves. He had seen something more than just an empty shell of a soldier. He saw a look of sadness in the soldier's eyes, a look of failure. Something he had seen in his parent’s eyes long ago. He had never seen this from them, nor had he ever bothered to look.

The thought was cut short when an officer ran to his aid. “Lieutenant! We need to fall back into the inner fortress! What are your orders?” he shouted with most trepidation.

Carvon looked to him and gave him a quick nod. ”Hurry, give the signal; we must get inside!” The officer took out his horn and gave the call. The sound bellowed through the fortress as many of his warriors fled to the inner gate. They made a charge for the entrance.

As they neared it they could see in the thick of the fight of his soldiers holding the gate to the fortress. One of the soldiers at the gate shouted out. “Look, it’s the lieutenant, help him now!” They rallied to him as fast as they could, pushing through the wall of pegasi with all of their might.

Carvon and the officer stopped in their tracks as two pegasi turned from the gate and charged them. The officer pulled a spear from the ground and hurled it towards one of the charging pegasi. The spear jammed through the soldier’s helm, tearing through his eye, clear through to the back of his skull. His corpse crashed into the mud with the heavy sound of metal and armor plates shifting to an abrupt stop.

Carvon dodged the sword of his enemy, shouldering him into the blackened mud. The officer yelled to him. “Hurry, they’ve created a gap, we must go now!” he said, pushing Carvon through the mass of casualties, cutting down any obstacles in their path.

Eventually, Carvon stood at the gate behind his fellow warriors. He could see the mass of carcasses in the courtyard, which seemed to have no end. A splinter of fear nipped him like a pin. “Fall back into the gate!” he shouted with distress.

The soldiers began to pull back as they filtered through the gate. Spears and arrows peppered the iron and wood wedges as they began to close the heavily fortified doors. Carvon looked upon the gates of iron, wood, and steel, but he knew that the gates would not hold them back forever. The pegasi bloodlust would soon break their bindings.

He looked to his fellow soldiers, their faces rinsed in mud, scarred with terror. Despite this, they were still filled with blind pride, strength, and prowess. All were willing to die for their cause, for their families, and for the greater good. The sounds of the hellish choir of pegasi chanting around the keep that was to be their grave permeated through the outer walls and into their ears.

Carvon looked into his warriors eyes, the fathers, sons, and grandsons he had come to know, as he struggled to gather the words to speak. He took a deep and long breath and exhaled, looking to them. “Though we have lost this fortress, this battle will have meant nothing if we all fall. Take it upon yourselves to live, for your families and loved ones, for this is not your last fight. This is not your time to fall.” He moved a large chest across the floor revealing an iron hatch.

The officer grimaced him. “Sir, what honor is their in leaving, for if we leave, honor will not follow,” he said, looking Carvon in the eyes with discontent.

“Then I will leave you with your wish,” Carvon said, pulling his badge off and hoofing it to the officer.

The officer’s eyes glazed over with held back tears, but could say no more. “Sir?” the officer questioned in disbelief.

Carvon looked to his soldiers once more with gratitude. “My last orders to my brothers: take them and there will be honor,” Carvon said, as the officer put the medal in his pouch and saluted him.

The officer’s face, cold and drained, faded down into the dark and hollow gap with the rest of his soldiers. Their hooves echoed in the darkness, finally fading along with all of their sorrow. There Carvon stood alone. With the loud bashing of the door and chants of devils at his doorstep, he could only wait.

He shut the iron hatch and pushed the large chest over it. A heavy feeling pressed his hooves to the floor. He stood staring at the door as it began to give way. He could see the pegasi on the other side bashing the door in. The thoughts of his mother and father ran through his head over and over as his eyes narrowed at the sight of his enemies.

Out of anger he shouted to them. “Come to me! Show your worth!” The gate was being broken apart rapidly now.

Carvon galloped to his bunk, picking up his shield and spear, and went to stand near the entrance. He could see them now, much more clearly than before through the holes in the gate. Their bodies were muddy and soaked in rainwater, their faces darkened with rage and hostility. Carvon took up his spear and jabbed it through one of the large holes.

He could feel the point drive into his enemy’s flesh. He pushed his hoof on the door, pulling the spear out of his enemy’s body. Just as he had done that, the angered pegasi pulled back from the ravaged gate. Carvon backed up as well, not sure what was going to happen.

The chanting stopped and so did their attempt to break in. The wind and rain were the only sounds he could hear, but then he heard it. A large heavy thud outside the gate. He could hear a large suit of armor clinking towards the door. The snarling snorts and heavy boots rattled in Carvon’s mind as the rain fell slowly and the cool wind blew through the gate. The sound grew nearer as he waited with fear caged in the back of his mind.

The sound of the mass stopped at the gate and all Carvon could see was the silhouette of a large bulk in front of the gate. Without any warning the gate burst open with a loud crash. In strutted a massive pegasus dressed in plate mail which was elegantly decorated in higher ranked attire, draped with war medals and honor badges alike. His coat was grey, and armor covered in blood.

His eyes, the same yellow of tree sap, glared at Carvon as he stopped at the gate. The two stood staring one another down. No soldiers filed in, nor did any of them move from their positions at the gate. It was merely seconds that had passed, but it seemed like hours for Carvon.

The metal warrior finally drew his great sword, which had been sheathed the entire time. A menacing grin fell upon his face as he lifted his sword. A loud battle cry filled the room as the large beast charged Carvon. The great sword swung towards Carvon, barely missing as he rolled to the left. Carvon recovered, swinging his sword at the brute.

The pegasi bashed Carvon’s sword from his hoof, causing him to stagger back, still holding on to his shield. The large sword swung again, but Carvon blocked it with his shield. Another blow came down on the shield, breaking Carvon’s fetlock. Dropping his shield, Carvon gave out a yelp and jumped for his sword.

He managed to swipe up his sword, still cringing in pain, and the large pegasi charged towards him. Carvon swung his blade, breaking his opponent’s charge, but missed his swing. The large pegasus stopped and brandished his sword wildly towards Carvon.

In the midst of their combat, the pegasus’ heavy blade cut Carvon’s hind leg, crippling his step, and causing him to fumble backwards. The armored warrior lifted his sword to strike Carvon down. Carvon jumped to his side as the massive blade came down upon him, the colossal force of the attack striking the ground with such might that the blade embedded itself into the ground.

Carvon stood as fast as he could to take advantage of the situation. He swung for the pegasus’ face, the blade cutting right through the metal helm and splitting the pegasus’ eye right down the center and leaving a nasty scar along his face. Blood spewed from the pegasus’ face as he clasped his eye, shouting in pain. Carvon saw that the other pegasi were now flooding the room, shrouding their leader.

Carvon staggered to his shield as blood ran from his foreleg and hind leg. He stood shaking from pain and weariness. The pegasi slowly surrounded him as he cornered himself. Off to the distance a horn gave way. The hope he had been longing for, the salvation he needed. The soldiers in the room looked about and then to Carvon with fear.

One of the pegasi charged Carvon with his spear. Carvon bashed the spear out of the way with his shield and drove his blade into the soldiers neck. Just before he could pull his sword out, he felt a sharp pain dive into his side, breaking his armor. His grip on his sword loosened as he fell back dropping his shield held on his other foreleg.

Carvon fell to the floor cringing in pain. He could feel the blood gushing out on the inside of his armor, leaking from the puncture point. The pegasi looked to the others and then to him. The pegasi pulled the spear out of Carvon’s side and ran for the gate. Carvon was alone and slowly began to lose consciousness.

He could hear muffled voices from the pegasi shouting to one another in the courtyard. “We need to get out of here, we are outnumbered!” a pegasus exclaimed. The room began to grow brighter as a light from the outside illuminated through the gate.

The sounds slowly faded as he became comfortable in his rest; nothing seemed to matter any more. The pain became lesser as he laid there. His father entered through the gate, and lifted Carvon up off the ground with all of his love, “It is not your time my son,” he said lovingly. Then Carvon’s pain was gone and so was his father.