Equestria Aflame.

      Twilight Sparkle roamed the palace halls in search of Princess Celestia. She had to know more about what was going on. Moments ago she saw hundreds of armored soldiers rally in the Canterlot base's muster field. The guards were no help, they knew nothing. None of the letters she had Spike send were being answered. She needed answers, and she had been wandering around the palace for the better part of an hour trying to find her mentor.

      She turned a corner and found her prize, but not in the state she'd rather have found her in. She saw Celestia storming down the hallway, "Twilight. Where have you been?" She asked in a hurried tone.

      Twilight responded, "Looking for you, Princess. What's going on?"

      Celestia shook her head, "It doesn't matter, we need to talk."  Apparent that she didn't hear a word that Twilight said. She continued walking, "Come with me."

      "Where are we going?" Twilight asked, trying to keep up with Celestia's long strides.

      "You'll see." Celestia replied, not so much as turning her head.

      "Umm, alright." Twilight was confused, "What did we need to talk about? Why are there soldiers gathering at the base?"

      "All in good time, Twilight." Celestia and Twilight arrived at the east wing of the castle, a rarely visited portion. They walked  to the end of one hallway to a set of large, ancient doors. The doors were wood coated with a layer of iron and showed signs of decay. The only means of opening them were two large, iron rings. Twilight slightly grimaced from the smell of rust.

      Celestia pulled on both rings with her magic and slowly pulled open the two ton doors with a gravely creak. Celestia motioned Twilight in with a nod and creaked the doors closed again.

      Twilight was awestruck when she stepped hoof into the room. It was much larger than she thought. The walls were adorned with banners and sculpted brass trim. Stain glass artworks depicting ancient battles and victories of Equestrian history lined the walls on both sides. At the far side of the room Twilight could see a massive stain glass window: the sun rising. She had never seen one that big before, she stared in awe at the detail of the artwork. The reds, oranges and yellows blended beautifully to create the very essence of the dawn. Twilight took a deep breath and nearly coughed because of the dust. The dust covered everything, the room was clearly old and had never been visited in a very long time.

      Twilight looked up at Celestia who was also taking in the scenery. Celestia spoke before Twilight could, "Do you know where we are, Twilight?"

      Twilight knew exactly where they were, she studied everything about the the castle and knew every nook and cranny of it. "The Sanctum of the Rising Sun."

      "Correct." Celestia began walking forward, her hooves making hushed clops on the decaying carpet, "What is that?" She shot a hoof forward to the far side of the sanctum.

      "Uuh," Twilight looked ahead where she saw the massive artwork and saw something she didn't notice before. It was a massive stone altar a few feet high with steps leading up. The artwork only served as a background to the centerpiece of the altar. Twilight saw what the entire room was dedicated too: a suit of armor. Twilight didn't have an answer, she knew nothing about the armor.

      Celestia took Twilight's silence for an answer. She turned around to face her and said, "It is the armor of the Forerunner of the Dawn."

      Twilight's eyes widened slightly, "The Forerunner?"

     Celestia walked up the steps and motioned Twilight forward, "Throughout our history, there have been Forerunners. In times of extreme crisis and desperation I have called upon a Forerunner, to spread light and peace throughout the kingdom. Equestria has suffered many wounds throughout time, from foreign invaders, inner turmoil, plague, and chaos." She gazed at the stain glass windows of each event. Her eyes told that she went through every single one of these tragedies.

     Twilight was even further awestruck, "I-I have never heard of these Forerunners." She said in wonder as she made her way up the steps.

     "The exploits of the Forerunners are rarely made public, for the road of the Forerunner is a lonely one, it requires sacrifice for what it bestows." Celestia solemnly replied.

     Twilight closely examined the armor, it was old and dusty, but should no signs of rust or decay. It was beautifully crafted steel, it was coated with brass and gold. The detail was like none Twilight had seen before. The helmet caught her eye the most because a golden star was emblazoned on the front head piece which bore a small resemblance to her cutie mark. Twilight then noticed that the armor could accommodate both wings and a horn.

     "The Forerunner's were ascended alicorns." Celestia said, knowing Twilight's question before she asked it. Twilight shot a quizzical look up at her. "You did not think you and Cadence were the only ones? Did you?"

    "I guess I never thought about it."Twilight responded.

    "The Forerunner was rarely called upon, only a small few have ascended to be alicorns. The Forerunner hasn't been called upon in over a century." Celestia explained.

    "Why are you showing me this?" Twilight asked.

    "Because the recent events have shown me that I may have to call upon the Forerunner once more, and that Forerunner is you." Celestia said.

    "I would be honored." Twilight said with a look of steel in her face.

    "These are desperate times, Twilight. I am showing you this so that I may know that I can trust you. Too many good ponies have betrayed me. Can I trust you to return light to Equestria?" Celestia asked.

    "I would never betray you, Princess." Twilight said with a voice that could bend a metal pipe, "You have my undying loyalty."

    "That's what I needed to hear." Celestia said with a small smile.

    "This thing is gettin' heavier with each step." Applejack panted. She and Big Mac have been hauling the cart for half a day to Fort Wingstead, they still had another half to go. "I need to stop." Applejack gasped, halting the progress of the wagon. She took a few deep breaths, "I'm sweatin' like a pig in this armor." she said craning her head trying to get some kind of air flow down her neck to cool off. Her blonde mane was so disheveled, Rarity would've passed out, same with Big Mac's. They haven't bathed in a few days and their noses could tell.

    Big Mac was just as hot and tired as Applejack, but he still didn't like the breaking of his rhythm when he worked. He snorted through his nose and pawed at the ground a few times. He liked the feeling of his yoke on again, he never really felt comfortable without it. He also liked the feeling of his armor, he felt less vulnerable with it on, he hated feeling vulnerable.

    "Ya want some water?" Applejack glanced at her brother. She felt this was the perfect time for a break.

    "Eeyup." Mac replied in a dry voice while nodding.

    "Alright, help me get this harness off." Applejack started fumbling with straps tethering her to the wagon. Mac lent a hoof and soon Applejack was free and she made her way around to the side of the wagon where a jug of water resided. She grasped it with her hoof and took a deep swig. The water was warmed by the sun but it didn't matter to her. She took a few more gulps then brought the jug around to her brother who was still hooked up to the wagon. His face held little emotion but his actions said otherwise, he snatched the jug and took several hurried gulps before taking a breath.

     "Don't drink it all." Applejack chuckled. We only have two o' these to last the trip."

     Mac just wiped his mouth dry with his forehoof and handed the jug back with a thankful nod.

     Applejack took the jug and said, "I'm gonna grab an apple or two from the back, you want one?"

     Mac nodded.

     Applejack smiled and went back to the wagon, she put the jug back on it's hook and went behind the wagon to retrieve her produce. She took a quick glance at the payload and suddenly remembered what she was doing. She sighed and stared at the barrels of explosive powder. 'Is this right?' She thought, she knew that this was going to kill others. She recalled the first time she killed another in defense of Fluttershy, it made her a little sick. Then she thought of what the soldiers did to her home and family. She knew what they were capable of. 'I can't let what happened to me happen to anypony else.' she thought to herself, still staring at the ordinance.

    A short "Hey." broke Applejack's concentration, she snapped out of her stupor and looked over at Big Mac who was leaning around to see what was taking so long. "Ya alright?" Mac asked.

    "Uh, yeah. I'm fine." Applejack said shaking her head and returning to her previous objective. She saw the bag of apples in the very back next to their discarded helmets, it was far too hot to wear them in the late summer weather. The sack was thrown in and it was resting next to a crate of shells with the barrels of powder behind it. She reached in with her hoof. She could barely reach across the old, splintery wood and she grunted as she stretched as far as she could. She at last took hold of the bag of juicy apples with her hoof. With a quick yank, Applejack  pulled the sack out of the wagon, she sighed in relief when she finally had the apples in her hoof and a snapping and whipping noise attacked her ear. She looked back at the wagon and heard a faint fizzling noise. Her eyes shot forward and her mind raced, she suddenly remembered Bronze telling her how to set the explosives off. She darted her eyes back to the barrels of powder. "Uh-oh."

     Big Mac heard Applejack's words and craned his head around to see what was going on.

     Applejack's face filled with panic and Mac's eyes widened in confusion. "I-I uh I think I just set it off!" She stammered and galloped to Mac's side and shouted, "Run!"

     Mac then gasped and reared up on his hind legs and tried to take off, he grunted in surprise when he lurched backwards by the harness still tethering him to the cart. "AJ!"

     Applejack stopped mid gallop a few yards away at the sudden realization that Mac was still hooked up. She spun around on the dirt and sprinted back, her armor clanked with each hoofstep.

     It took no more than a second before Applejack was frantically trying to get her brother out of the death trap that chained him to the cart. Big Mac was trying his best too stay calm and get out but his composure was failing fast.

     Applejack quickly fumbled with the straps but her panic didn't allow her to undo them fast enough, and Big Mac was starting to panic and was trying to break the bonds by pulling as hard as he could. It wasn't working.

     Applejack frantically looked down at her bladed hooves then reared back and, with a yell, sliced clean through the straps, she hopped to the other side and did the same. Once Big Mac was freed they sprinted for their lives. The loudest noise they ever hear or felt propelled them head over hooves across the dirt road. The cannon shells provided excellent shrapnel as did the cheap, splintery wood of the wagon.  A white inferno engulfed the cart and sent the shrapnel rocketing in all directions in a fiery display.

     Many pieces of debris bounced off their armor as they were blasted away. They hit the dirt with sickening crunches. Applejack and Big Mac both blacked out.

     The final battlements of Fort Artemis were being put in place, the wood from the wagons and crates provided adequate cover and building materials. Traps made by pyro, and cryomages, were set in choke points up the hill. Any enemy soldier charging up would get a face full of fire or have their face frozen off. The magical cloak kept their position hidden for the time being.

     Princess Luna was wearing her armor, it had been so long since she had felt the cold metal. She liked it. Her helmet rested on the planning table in front of her. The wind could still be heard whipping against the walls of the tent. The afternoon sun was beating down upon the camp.

     "We'll move under cover of darkness. We should arrive at the fort in the morning." Princess Luna was planning the trip to Fort Wingstead for support. "We'll need a sizable force in case the situation does turn hostile."

     "We can send 150 elites and leave 50 to keep the fort secure." Brave Hooves suggested.

     "That sounds acceptable. We'll outnumber the fort and still be able to defend this fort if an attack does come." Luna agreed. "I'll lead the outgoing force, you should accompany me, Captain."

     "Of course, Princess." Brave nodded.

     "Lieutenant." Luna looked across the planning table with the same old map spread across it, "You'll be in charge of the fort garrison while we're absent."

     The lieutenant nodded and said with young voice, "Yes, Princess."

     "Choose your troops, Captain. Tell them to rest up and be fully equipped and ready to mobilize when the sun has left the sky." Luna ordered.

     When the moon rose in the east, the Lunar Elites marched south. The silent warriors were nearly invisible in their journey to Fort Wingstead. Luna led the column, her armor seemed to drip darkness onto the path she was walking. The night was clearly controlled by her.

"Hey." Applejack heard a voice through a fog. She slurred and tried to ask what happened and where she was. "Hey! You alright?" She heard the same voice, her vision began to clear and light made it's way through her eyelids. She coughed and lifted her aching head and tried to see who was speaking. "What happened, soldier?" She distinctively heard a male voice, but it wasn't Mac's. No, it wasn't as deep.

     "Uuh." Was all Applejack could say. Consciousness  was returning and she was somewhat awake now. she licked her lips and noticed that most of her face was wet, but she didn't taste water. The subtle, metallic taste of blood made itself known on her tongue. She grimaced from the taste and her entire face hurt from the gesture.

     "Whoa, whoa. Take it easy, you're gonna be fine. Hey, doc! Hurry it up!" The same voice said in a assuring tone.

     "One sec!" another male voice shot out. "I'm still patchin' up the other one, he doesn't seem to be awake yet."

     Applejack was now fully conscious but still a little bewildered. She slowly looked up to see the helmeted head of an Equestrian soldier silhouetted against the moon. 'Oh no.'