Thunderspite

This one lives, my lord. What shall we do with it?

Over the side with him. If he lives, his story will make the ponies panic and weaken their magic.

As you wish, my lord.

Thunderspite passed in and out of consciousness. There was the sensation of being dragged, of hearing strange, hissy voices, then falling and extreme cold. A sudden hard impact, hurried and concerned voices, then clear blue sky above him and the sensation of flight.

When he finally came around, he found himself in the hospital wing of the royal palace. He could hear the voices of Star Strider and Princess Celestia just outside his room. Looking over, he saw Boulder Fell sitting in a chair near the door.

“Ughh.” Thunderspite had tried to say Boulder Fell’s name, but it just came out as a groan.

Boulder Hoof jumped in surprise and rushed over to him. “Thunderspite, you’re awake! How do you feel? Wait, I should get the others.” And before Thunderspite could say otherwise, Boulder Hoof rushed outside and spoke hurriedly to the voices he heard in the hallway. Thunderspite felt lightheaded and nearly passed out, but he forced himself to stay awake.

Just a few seconds later, a procession of ponies filed into his little room. Though he dared not try to lift his head again, he could see Boulder Hoof, Star Strider, and Princess Celestia; as well as a doctor and nurse he didn’t recognize. The doctor pushed his way to the front. “Thunderspite, you had an accident, but you’re alright. How do you feel?”

“Mmm.” Thunderspite was still fuzzy, and his mouth felt like it was stuffed with cotton. With great effort, he forced it to form words. “War. Cloud wraiths... ”

“We know,” said Boulder Hoof. “Even though you were unconscious, Star Strider used a memory spell to see what you saw up there.” He paused and looked at the Princess and Star Strider uneasily. “Preparations are already underway.”

Suddenly, Thunderspite remembered, and felt his stomach twist itself in knots. “Dawn Glimmer? Blitzwing?”

The other two Captains and Princess Celestia looked at each other, then shook their heads at him. “I’m very sorry, Thunderspite,” Boulder Hoof said.

Thunderspite shut his eyes tight as tears welled up and rolled down his face. “Alright, everyone,” the nurse pony said. “Thunderspite needs his rest. You’ll have to come back another time.” Thunderspite had already drifted off again before she was done talking, the image of Dawn Glimmer disintegrating in his arms playing again and again in his mind.

* * *

The doctors told Thunderspite that his injuries were relatively minor, given the circumstances. The concussion was the worst of it, suffered from whatever weapon they had used to bring him down in the stadium, and also presumably from the crash landing he made just outside the settler town of Appaloosa. Eyewitnesses in the town said they saw him gliding down in a semi-controlled fashion before he crash landed into an apple orchard, but Thunderspite had no memory of those events. In addition to his concussion, he also suffered frostbite on his legs and wings from the high-altitude cold, and a dislocated wing.

The first day there was an almost constant parade of visitors coming to check on him. A number of his fellow guards, Princess Celestia, with the young Princess Cadenza in tow. There were also a few nice settler ponies from the city of Appaloosa, who had seen him crash into their orchard and had notified the local Guard detachment.

Thunderspite saw them each in turn and politely answered their questions, and politely thanked them for their concern and well-wishes, but aside from that, volunteered no conversation on his own. When they asked how he was, he parroted back whatever the doctors and nurses had told him that day. By the second day, the nurse who was tending to him recognized his desire for solitude, and did a good job of keeping everyone away.

Everyone knew, of course, of his involvement with Dawn Glimmer, thanks to Star Strider’s memory spell. They must have guessed, then, that the death Dawn Glimmer, as well as Blitzwing, would have been very hard on him, but Thunderspite did not allow the others to see his pain. At night, however, he would weep silently to himself, his mind replaying every instant he had ever spent in Dawn Glimmer’s company.

* * *

Thunderspite had spent a total of four days unconscious in the hospital. All that while, the wraith’s cloud city silently and relentlessly continued its approach towards Canterlot. Its presence went largely unnoticed by ponies all over Equestria, being nearly invisible as it was, and Princess Celestia had decided not to announce the news to her subjects, not wishing to cause a panic prematurely. A few Canterlot ponies, who could be distracted from their garden parties and charity auctions long enough, did wonder about unusual amount of Guard activity, but little more than wondering.

The royal doctors were the best in Equestria, and Thunderspite recovered quickly from his injuries. They set his dislocated wing, used their magic to cure his frostbite, and after just a few days the symptoms of his concussion were all but gone. He still had occasional dizzy spells, so the doctors insisted he remain in bed, and Thunderspite obliged them without complaint.

Meanwhile, the Royal Guards scrambled about, making preparations, performing drills, and testing a variety of magical bubble shields to protect the city for the inevitable attack. Every Royal Guard knew that an attack was coming, but only the Captains and their lieutenants knew all the details. All those that did could sense the futility in all their preparations. From what they had seen in Star Strider’s projection of Thunderspite’s memories of the cloud city, they all knew that all their preparations would only stave off the inevitable when the wraiths attacked.

Two days before the cloud city was due to arrive, Princess Celestia convened a war council, the first ever to be held under her reign. Present at the meeting were Captains Boulder Hoof and Star Strider, all their lieutenants, as well as some senior enlisted Guards. For these last, it would be their first time hearing of the wraith’s impending attack, and that night they were to distribute the news to the rest of the Guard.

Princesses Celestia entered the hall, and all the necessary obeisances were made. Princess Celestia asked everyone present to be seated.

Looking around the table, she saw an empty seat. “Where is Captain Thunderspite? It was my understanding that he was well enough to attend.”

Boulder Hoof spoke up. “I sent my aide to fetch him from the hospital, your highness. He hasn’t returned yet.”

Just then, another guard burst into the room, out of breath. “Your highness! Captains!” He quickly bowed and saluted. “We have an intruder at large. There’s been a break-in at the armory. Two guards were injured, and several weapons are missing.”

“What was taken, corporal?” Boulder Hoof asked.

“A full inventory is underway, sir, but the Shield of Caballus is definitely missing.”

Without a word, Star Strider turned and went through a side door to the room’s balcony.

Princess Celestia looked concerned. “Captains, place the guard on full alert. It’s possible the wraith’s have sent an advance party to catch us off guard. I want every corner of the castle and grounds searched.”

“Princess!” Star Strider called from the balcony. Princess Celestia walked outside, and the others followed.

“That won’t be necessary,” Star Strider said, adjusting a mounted telescope and pointing with his hoof. Princess Celestia peered through the eyepiece, and without speaking, motioned for the others to do the same. As they each peered through the eyepiece, they could just make out the form of a familiar pegasus flying directly upwards, towards the cloud city at what must have been a very exhausting pace.