Entry #94
March 9th, 2013

The Griffon Empire fell today.

I'm not sure how they lasted this long, Tartarus I thought they had been wiped out, but the monsters finally broke them. Maybe the ships had just recently reached their empire's borders. Maybe they actually put up a fight. All I can say now, is that the hunger crisis is only getting worse with all the new griffon refugees. Rations have been reduced to either an apple, roll of bread, or some hay. Per pony. There's no need to worry about the Recon Corps, or the Solar and Lunar Guard. I know it's unfair, and cruel to keep our stomachs satisfied while ponies fight for an apple core.

I still haven't heard about the Minotaur Republic, or the Dragon Kingdom. The dragons can hold their own, even if they're all scattered. The miniature having a good chance on the ground, but the ships above make that advantage useless unless they can lure them somehow. If only they would work together, maybe then they could make a push against them. I just hope they can hold out… but then again…

…they're facing an entirely different planet.

~~Twilight Sparkle

"Let's go! Where are those damn boulders I ordered in place?!" Commander Ace shouted, his voice shaking each of us. "Unless you wanna be soldier shit in a couple days, I suggest you move your worthless flanks! What the Tartarus are you staring at?! Lay down those clampers!"

Geez, was he loud. And for a pegasus. He wasn't huge in any way, but his speed, cunning, and loud mouth all made him more than a flankhole. The assigned pegasi grunted as they dropped the boulders in place, blocking off the exit tunnels near us. Around that, unicorns were melting bricks of iron and a few extra steel weapons to mend the boulders together and into place. Around that, were an array of clampers. Sort of like hunting traps, but bigger, and meant for a scout. A soldier would be wounded, giving us a chance to abuse its injury. My horn buzzed as me and Rarity worked on the boulder mending, while Tulip got more into place. Behind us, Rainbow and Fluttershy were placing crossbow launchers between and on top of the nearest homes. Pinkie was quickly loading them, and Applejack was setting up a few oil canister tripwires. Anything got past that: Boom.

"Where's Celestia?" Ace called. "Somepony get over to the southern tunnel and bring her here!"

"Aye, sir!" Rainbow saluted, unclasping herself from the boulder-moving gear as a new pegasus worked with Fluttershy.

At the mention of Celestia, I realized something from before. I hadn't spoken to her about the creature. It was in no condition to move, and General Shadow wasn't capable either. I held my tongue and told Tulip and Rarity to hurry, confusing them as we started to rush through the melding process. Just before I turned to go, I noticed some… someone else carrying a new load of iron. He'd grown up well over the years, and he was slightly taller than me now. It took him a few steps to realized just who I was, and his pace quickened until I met him in an embrace.

"Hey, Twi," Spike chuckled, smiling softly. "It's been a while."

"Yeah… a year, Spike," I chuckled softly. "Short or long version?"

He glanced over to the boulders, shrugging with a laugh. "I'd say we're pressed on time," Spike said.

"Me and the girls went to Canterlot, snuck into a building, freed this weird creature, broke it out, and got back here," I recapped, nodding towards the boulders. "They want him back. Everypony's getting out while we hang back. So… why are you here?"

He smiled softly. "Couldn't leave my sis behind," he said. I nodded warmly, then gestured towards the smaller rocks.

"Think you can get them in place?" I asked.

"Yep," he nodded, going over and quickly hoisting up a large rock. "I can't keep it up forever!"

The girls all looked to him, and I just smiled and went to work with Tulip and Rarity. With another hoo—claw to help, we were speeding through, using up our iron and going over to the launchers and securing their legs. Celestia came back with Rainbow, the two heading over to Ace.

"Good work, Dash," he nodded. "Princess, this tunnel is locked down, but we're short a stallion. We need somepony big to handle that main launcher there."

Celestia nodded. "Applejack," she called, waiting for the farm mare to run over. "I need you to bring your brother here. Quickly."

Applejack hesitated… and I could see she was uncomfortable with having Big Mac at the front lines. "Um… yes, Princess," she nodded, galloping away immediately.

We felt a slight rumble, and everypony stopped and waited. When it calmed down, everypony started for their positions. "Everypony get ready! Stallions to their launchers! Pegasi above the boulders! Unicorns behind the archers! Let's move, let's MOVE!"

"I'm going to get Luna, you six stay behind cover!" Celestia called, taking flight.

"Princess! What about—"

"I've enchanted a barrier around the castle!" She called back. "I'll be back in a moment! Just stay down!"

I sighed, looking to Spike and nodding. "Come on, grab that crossbow. I'll cover you." He picked up the weapon and ran over to the crude barricades we had made with me.

We leaped over and took aim at the covered tunnel, Rarity and Pinkie to our right in a similar formation. The sounds of launchers loading their enormous bolts reached my ears, and the pegasi above flapped constantly as they waited, Rainbow and Fluttershy closest to the tunnel. We waited… and waited… but nothing happened. Soon, another pair of flapping wings got louder as Luna and Celestia approached. They landed behind us, pulling up their own crossbows. These, however, had been modified to have a belt of arrows feed it before requiring a reload. Around their armored bodies were belts of iron arrows, their personal spears mounted on their backs.

"Spike?" Celestia gasped.

He smiled and waved quickly. "Just came to help," he said.

"Stay near us at all times," Luna sternly ordered.

"Better for me," he nodded.

The ground shook from impact, and then we heard faint roaring. I could picture what was going on: The ladder had been blown up, and soldiers and scouts were starting to pour in, each fighting to get through. Little did they know, the clampers and oil snares were waiting to be tripped. But even with those, thousands more would be behind them, using those who fell to get through. Spike shifted onto a knee, the archers alongside me doing so as well as they nervously awaited for a breach.

"Princess," a stallion called. "Echo and Delta are pulling out."

That would mean… "Tell Charlie and Bravo to be ready to move as soon as possible."

"They're leaving already?" Pinkie asked.

"It seems we were early enough to get everypony out," Luna said. "We need only hold this position for a few more minutes."

A more audible slew of roars echoed in the enclosed tunnel, and then the distinct sound of bodies hitting rock reached our ears. The wall shook with each impact, and I could imagine what they were doing in there. Just aimlessly hitting the wall with their own bodies, unaware that the boulder was solid and practically glued to the walls and ground. More roars, impatient this time, sounded as the number of bodies started to frighten some of the stallions and mares around us. They kept at it for some time, gaining nothing, even as they repeatedly blasted the boulder. That bit was my hoofwork, as I enchanted the boulder with a miniature barrier.

GROOOOOOAAAAAAAAHHHH!

That roar was different from the others. It was louder, more ferocious than the others. And only seven of us knew what had made that roar. Luna stepped forward, her horn lighting up in anxiety.

"What is it, Luna?" Celestia questioned quietly, unsure of the silence and halting of body slamming.

"There was a soldier different from the others," Luna quickly said. "Taller, larger, and very much deformed. It's their leader, and it's behind those rocks."

We each adjusted our aim, waiting to see what could happen. I'll never forget… what it did. The ponies to either of my sides all gasped and dropped their weapons. I was horrified, terrified, fascinated, and confused all at once, just as much as Spike, the girls, and the princesses.

A claw phased through solid rock, the rest of the body coming through as easily as any regular pony walking in the streets. Its ugly face appeared with a smirk, and it took several steps forward, looking down at the traps. We held our breaths in fear, those of us who could grabbed our weapons and shakily took aim, and the princesses each charged powerful blast spells. As if to mock us, it slammed its foot into a trap, driving the metal teeth closed faster than it should have.

The metal bent around its lower leg, not a strand of fur cut nor a scratch baring blood. It kicked that aside and moved on to the tripwires, its claw lowering and cutting three of them, releasing the oil and dropping torches from above. The liquid caught on fire at once, an explosion of flames spreading across the area. That was the moment, I believe, that we found this fight hopeless. It walked out from the flames, unscathed and fully furred. My hooves were numb as I watched it approach, standing in front of the very first barricades. The stallion trembled miserably, frozen in fear and unable to move in any way. The monster smirked at him, then turned around. Its claws opened up as far as they could, and I felt magic being pulled from the air as it pooled into two masses.

Those masses were black spheres growing in its palms.

With a roar it thrusted its arms forward, sending two beams of black into the boulder. The smoke cleared… when dozens of soldiers started pouring in. Few were trapped in the clampers, slightly more getting set ablaze. And still, hundreds more made a dash for us.

"FIRE EVERYTHING!" Ace screamed, fear overwhelming even him.

Dozens of launchers fired, the entire platoon letting loose combinations of arrows and beams. The monsters' leader stood motionless as its kind were hit all around, some beams and arrows deflecting off its chest and face. The launchers had made a gap in the advance, but the rest rammed the barricades, trapping some ponies beneath them. Spike reloaded as quickly as possible, as well as the launcher teams behind us. I sent beam after beam into face after face, Celestia's and Luna's beams piercing their skulls easily.

The pegasi above dropped the rocks they had been carrying, crushing a few but drawing attention to themselves. Blaster lasers hit many of them, but what shocked me was the fact that some of the soldiers climbed the wall and tackled them out of the sky. Rainbow and Fluttershy made sure to keep away from the chaos, swooping down with daggers and burying them into the heads of soldiers. The narrow walls leading to the hole gave us scattered shots at them, and by now I could hear screams of the living being eaten. Another barrage of launcher arrows were sent flying, hitting a few square in the chest and piking some together. Even with lost limbs and arrows sticking out of their bodies, they charged forward.

"SECONDARY POSITIONS!" Ace screamed, a scout pouncing on top of him. "G-AAAHHH!"

His scream was joined with several others as the number of them already overwhelmed us. Celestia grabbed me and Spike, and Luna grabbed Pinkie and Rarity. Rainbow swooped down to get Applejack out of the front lines, but she screamed down to her brother to fall back.

Half of the platoon was left as we headed back, reaching the crossbow pelters. They were like the princesses' crossbows, except they were mounted and had much longer belts. Spike took the handle while I rose the belt, Pinkie and Rarity doing the same, and we fired immediately. The soldiers had stopped briefly for a quick taste at the bodies, but our hail of steel arrows drew their attention. The pegasi still alive tried beaming spears from above, which was sort of helpful, but it drew more attention to them again. Blasters started picking off our gunners and support easily, forcing the unicorns to focus on setting up magic barricades to protect the crossbow gunners. I gasped as a shot hit Spike's arm, but I realized that it hadn't penetrated or even dug in.

"Princess!" The same stallion from before shouted, dodging blaster fire as he dashed behind cover. "Bravo and Charlie pulled out! It's just us!"

"Everypony! Fall back to the eastern—!"

BANG! BANG!

The cavern shook violently, pieces of rock falling from the ceiling as it gradually eased. "Rainbow, go see what those explosions were!" I shouted above the laser fire.

She pulled out, but she didn't go far before zooming back over. "WE HAVE TO RUN!" Rainbow screamed. "THEY BROKE THROUGH THE EAST AND WEST TUNNELS!"

I turned my attention back to the front, where the soldiers had started slaughtering the vanguards. "We have to find somewhere else to hold out!" Spike shouted, running out of arrows in that moment. "Now!"

My mind raced for any backup plan, one particular image sprouting to thought. "The castle! We can collapse the arches and funnel them in!" I exclaimed.

"Everypony, retreat to the castle!" Luna ordered, her and her sister's horn brightening as they sent several volleys of paralysis spells into the oncoming horde.

The princesses stayed behind as the last few squadrons retreated to the castle, each group half of what their original numbers were. Spike grabbed a spear and ran alongside me, just as Rainbow and Fluttershy landed and joined us. We ran back into the city, seeing the soldiers approaching from the opposite streets. I glanced over my shoulder and saw the rest of the soldiers sprinting toward us, their weapons slung over their backs as they ran on all fours. My legs pumped harder in response, begging for a break as we approached the castle. A pack of scouts redirected their attention to us, pouncing into our lines. Applejack and Big Mac met them head on, literally, just as the rest of us joined in. The two that had been head-butted fell to the ground, while the rest tried going for the others.

A few tussles ensued, but we all ganged up on them hastily, messily piking them with spears and daggers. Applejack and Big Mac ran ahead, going to the arch supports and bucking at them. The rest of us poured into the castle between the pillars, unicorns and archers with ammo stopping to hold off any soldiers that weren't part of the main force. Rainbow flew in through a higher arch, but a blaster blew past her wing and sent her into a crash landing. I ran over and pulled her away, looking at the sear along the fragile vertebrae.

"I'm fine!" She strained through gritted teeth. "Just… come on!"

I dragged her to the barricades, turning to Applejack as she and her brother kept bucking. "Hurry up!" I screamed.

"We're trying!" Applejack shouted. "Put your back into it, Mac!"

"This ain't… like… buckin' trees…" He grunted between kicks.

The soldiers reached the stairs, forcing the two siblings and the others to fall back. I made way to the barricades, the rest of our force running away. Rainbow was fussing as she repeatedly hit a small cylinder against the ground.

"What are you doing?!" I shouted, pulling her away.

"I found this in Canterlot!" She shouted, glancing to the approaching soldiers. "It has to do something!"

"We don't have time, come on!" I started pulling her along, and she ultimately gave up on it, throwing it into a soldier's eye.

They instantly backpedaled, some tumbling and tripping over each other. I didn't understand why, until the cylinder Rainbow had thrown started beeping wildly. It broke apart, five small marble-sized objects rolling out. The soldiers ran back, but many were caught in the powerful explosion that tossed me, Rainbow, and Spike backwards. The arches weren't sent flying, more like they were vaporized instantly. Once I gathered my bearings, I glanced to Rainbow, who was smirking evilly as she reached into her satchel and produced five more.

"Time for some payback," she grinned. Spike grabbed two, I took the rest, and we threw them over to the dazed soldiers.

We retreated back into the castle, just as twenty-five explosions rocked the cavern. I couldn't help but smirk as we managed to make it back to the throne room, the doors slamming shut as the unicorns melted down the edges to mend it in place. I realized one flaw to this plan.

This was the last room.

I took a glance around myself, counting how many of us remained.

Aside from the girls, Spike, and Big Mac… only ten others survived. The stallions were shaking violently, their spears raised as they waited for an attack. A flash of gold and indigo prompted us to look to the side, watching as Celestia and Luna trotted over with slight limps.

"They've… blocked off every tunnel," Celestia grunted, silver blood trailing down her left foreleg. "There's… no way out."

"Even the main tunnels… were collapsed," Luna strained, her right hoof lifted from the floor, undeniably broken or fractured. A bit of blood hung at the corner of her mouth, even more coming from her side.

"Is this it?" A Solar questioned.

The doors were being attacked again, and the guards snapped back to attention. Big Mac, Applejack, Pinkie, and Fluttershy each moved up, followed by Celestia and Luna. Spike too, Rarity keeping back to look after Rainbow. I trudged over to the line, my horn fizzling as it tried to light itself. I would only last a couple of shots, then I would have to rely on my own hooves. The roars and growls didn't cease, even as the metal started to crack around the edges. We each breathed with growing anticipation, my leg wobbling out of fear.

"Didn't think Ah'd go out like this." I glanced at Applejack, who bore a small smile. "Thought Ah'd get old like Granny an' pass in mah sleep."

The cracks worsened, and the roars became more audible.

"I… I thought I'd die out there," Fluttershy sighed. "With… Angel Bunny… and some others."

Rainbow chuckled grimly, wincing as her wing throbbed in pain. "Tank's gonna kill me if I don't come back," she said, getting onto her hooves and limping to us. "Didn't even feed him today."

Some of laughed softly, the slow realization of our imminent deaths setting in. "I thought… maybe one day…" Spike lowered his head and sighed, glimpsing over to Rarity. "I could… get Rarity's attention. More than just a friend, I mean."

It had to take a lot of courage for him to say that. Then again, it wouldn't matter after that door, bending against their skulls now, broke down.

"I'm not going back," Tulip sniffled, a spear too heavy for her grasped in her hooves. "I'm not going through any of it again." Tears fell freely as she glared at the door, ready to die if need be.

None of us said any more, instead waiting for the final hit. And when that door fell, we charged forward, bellowing in pure madness as we went to meet them.

GRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!

The soldiers skidded to a halt, and the rest of us stopped immediately, fear kicking back in. The soldiers turned around, but their height allowed them to see what we couldn't. But… we could still see one thing from their body language.

…

…

Fear.

"Rah! Ngh! GRAAAAAAAHHHH!"

The grunts and roars became louder, and we could hear a battle raging closer. I got on my hind legs, looking over their shoulders. The others tried the same, and our breaths caught in our throats. Soldiers were being sent flying all around, many of which missing limbs. A scout's body was sent across the horde, causing us to jump back as the body landed in front of us. Well… half the body, which included half the torso, one leg, an imploded muzzle, and a pool of blood. We were shocked… but that was moved aside as the rest of the soldiers ran at us. Celestia and Luna fired whatever remained of their magic, me and Rarity included, and we were forced back as Big Mac, Spike, and Applejack kept fighting. A soldier punched Spike to the ground, and my instincts forced the rest of my magic into a single blast that blew the soldier's brains out. Big Mac wrestled with a larger one, and was ultimately thrown backwards, Applejack following after a spear slashed her face and the soldier kicked her away.

Just as they readied to move on to us, their weapons were pulled from their grasp, and they were slammed onto their faces. They whimpered and yelped as they were pulled back, only three left now.

I saw a figure similar to the soldiers tear the others apart, launching them backwards with a single hit. The three in front of us started firing their rifles frantically, hitting their brethren and the figure as well. Three weapons were sent into their chests, knocking them back as a form spun above them and landed in front of us with a shuddering impact.

It… it was the creature. It was awake… snarling… and…

…it made it through all those soldiers.

The remaining three regained their senses and shakily aimed their weapons, even as the creature growled and panted. Several swords and spearheads protruded from its body, which it paid no mind to. The soldiers roared at it, but it let loose a roar far worse than them, so demonic and boisterous it made the Royal Canterlot Voice seem like a whisper. The soldiers dropped their guns and charged, just as their backup arrived. The creature didn't care in the slightest, and it only ran with growing eagerness. It jumped up, kicked one in the face, twirled around, grabbed a sword, and slashed two across the neck, spraying black blood. It snapped one's neck, brought its fist into another's skull, then grabbed their clubs and twirled around.

We watched… shocked… stupefied… afraid… all sorts of things I can't explain, as it just tore through them. It fought with skill they lacked, ferocity they couldn't match, and a roar that shook even them. To think, that this one creature was tearing apart the most horrifying enemy we've ever faced…

…as if they were insects.

But, like a nest of fire ants, their numbers started to overwhelm it. It roared and screamed as they piled on, and it stumbled to carry them all. With a final bellow, it tossed a pile of them back and threw itself toward us, landing on its feet and collapsing to its knees as the soldiers surrounded us. It reached behind itself and pulled the large object on its back in front of itself. It unwrapped the cloths, and we recognized the dark grey coat and scarred left eye.

"Shadow!" Luna exclaimed, grabbing the Lunar general and pulling him away.

The creature looked at each of us, examining us quickly and sniffing loudly. It looked at me, obviously pinpointing my scent. For a moment… I swore I saw a hint of sadness in its eyes… but that was replaced with a snarl as it snatched Rainbow's satchel. "Hey!"

It tore the small bag open, grabbing yet another device Rainbow had taken. This one was a small cube, and it crushed it instantly. Celestia gasped suddenly, clutching her horn as it flashed. An enchantment was broken… but which one?

My answer came, literally, when the soldiers looked behind themselves again. The machine bounded through their lines, leaping up and locking onto the creature in front of us. It latched on, then started changing. The metals flowed over its body, solidifying in familiar patterns and places. When it had fully changed, all that remained uncovered was the creature's face, which was then hidden by the mask of its helmet. The machine… it was living armor. It wasn't here to kill the creature. It came to protect it.

It rose its arms, and I felt a displacement of magic coming from the end of the limb. A shield flew into the room, nestling onto its left arm, and then…

…the blue sword flew in.

It gripped the heavy blade with ONE hand, then lowered itself into a stable stance.

"DERK NOOOOOOK! (COME OOOOOON!)" It bellowed, raising its shield and readying its blade.

That was the day we met.

The day I met the one who would change us all for the better.

He would inspire us with courage, honor, unity, and friendship that we had all forgotten.

That was the day, I met him.

Author's Note

Yes, it is upon us! As always, like, fav, comment, and have an awesome day or night! Peaces!