All Hail The Empress

“So it seems the Empress was right about you coming by here, ‘Princess,’” said a dark gray Bat Pony that was standing amongst a group of fourteen others of his kind, which had formed a circle around the group, “I am Commander Umbra. By order of the Empress, I am to take you to Canterlot where you are to face justice for your treason. I suggest you come quietly, seeing as how you are surrounded and all.”

“Never,” replied Artemis angrily. They’d spent the morning traveling from the Castle to the edge of the San Palomino Desert. The group was less than a mile out of there when the Bat Ponies descended from the sky. Although they were not yet even to the river, the area they were in was  a small forest in its own right.

“I was hoping that would be your answer,” stated the Bat Pony, smiling smugly, “The Empress’s orders were quite clear. I am to bring you to Canterlot, alive if possible but dead if needed. And it looks like I need to do the latter of the two.”

“Look, why don’t you just go and tell your precious ‘Empress’ that you didn’t find us?” suggested Artemis, “I mean, it’s not like you’ll actually be able to take us in a battle.”

“Such arrogance,” stated Commander Umbra, glaring at the Princess. The Bat Pony looked at his companions, “Leave none of them alive. Dispose of the bodies of all but the Alicorn in any way you see fit.”

“Ruby, Wild Blitz, behind me now!” shouted Sapphire as she turned to face the opposite direction and her horns lit up. The two foals did as they were told while Sky Blazer and Fire Comet covered the sides that were left open. The four adults had formed a crude perimeter around the younger members of the group. In unison, the Bat Ponies took flight and closed in on the group. This uniformity soon vanished as the Bat Ponies swirled around the group while lashing at them. Sapphire shot several fire balls at the attacks, clipping one’s wing but missing the others, “I guess it’s been too long since I last fought these things. Forgot they were this agile.”

“I know, right?” asked Fire Comet as he used a spell to try and drop small meteors on the enemy, “Then again, I am using a spell that doesn’t have a whole lotta wiggle room.”

“Hi-yah!” shouted Sky Blazer as she slammed her back right leg into the stomach of a Bat Pony with enough force that it was knocked into one of its comrades. The two then lashed out at the Pegasus, who delivered what amounted to twin punches directly to their faces.

Artemis was busy firing energy blasts at the attackers, who kept narrowly avoiding them as the constantly took swipes at her. After several attempts, she ultimately decided to simply use brute force rather than magical powers and straight-armed one of the Bat Ponies, before what was basically elbowing it in the chest and upper-cutting it.

Sapphire’s fireballs were still very inaccurate, but she did manage to land a few, even landing one on Commander Umbra. However, the resilience of their foes proved to be extreme as none of the ones who had been hurt at this point so much as faltered from their goal.

Sky Blazer at this point had gotten into the heat of battle and broken away from the rest of the group as she pursued the pair of Bat Ponies that she’d already been fighting. The Pegasus gained altitude as quickly as possible and slammed down upon the first one with her hind legs, which crashed into the ground below. The other, however, had taken the time that she’d been performing that maneuver to return to the group.

“Try this one on for size!” shouted Fire Comet as he readied his spell. From a spot less than three feet away, a spiral of fire erupted and engulfed one of the Bat Ponies. The fire shot upwards high into the air to the point where the Bat Pony did not fall near where it had started.

Artemis, meanwhile, was now using a combination of magic and brute force against her attackers. She’d finally managed to subdue and defeat one of them, but the others were making it harder for her to hit them.

“Let’s go!” shouted Sky Blazer as she grabbed a Bat Pony from behind and began to drag it higher into the air. Though it was struggling, the Pegasus managed to keep her grip until they were very near a mile in the air. She released her captive and, with two sharp kicks, made its wings unusable. With a third kick, Sky Blazer sent the Bat Pony spiraling to the ground away from the battle below, “Too easy.” The Pegasus dived down as fast as possible to return to the battle.

Fire Comet, noting how effective his last spell had been, cast it again in the hopes of catching another of the Bat Ponies in the vortex. When that failed, he made the quick decision to switch to brute force, like Artemis had, and stunned a Bat Pony. The Unicorn then used his magic to levitate the stunned foe into the air. He quickly got the attention of his wife.

“What?!” shouted the Dragon Unicorn, “Oh, I see. On it.” She blew a stream of fire into the air while catching it with a spell. She nodded and Fire Comet launched his captive into the sky. Sapphire shot the large fireball at the Bat Pony before it could recover. It was sent flying by the force of the fireball. The husband and wife team smiled at each other.

“Focus,” advised Artemis, who was simultaneously in a one on one bout with one of the Bat Ponies. She clearly had the advantage because of her magic, which she was using to slow down her opponent. The Bat Pony was still faster than the Alicorn and actually managed to get in several hits. Artemis was able to take it down before being attacked by another.

“Mom!” shouted Wild Blitz, prompting his mother to spin around in the direction of her son’s voice.

“Mom, Dad, help!” cried Ruby, prompting both of her parents to look in her direction. Both she and Wild Blitz were being held by two of the Bat Ponies.

“Surrender now, or the foals die,” stated the Bat Pony holding Ruby. Fire Comet began to charge up a spell before his wife shook her head in disagreement. Though confused, the Unicorn still let his wife go ahead with whatever she was planning. She stepped towards the two Bat Ponies while Sky Blazer landed next to her.

“You know, they say that poking a bear makes you an idiot. They also say that threatening a mama bear’s cubs makes you dead,” said Sapphire, glaring at the captors of her daughter and Wild Blitz.

“And your point is what exactly?” asked the Bat Pony holding Wild Blitz.

“Our group represents the bear, which means that your group is the idiot poking said bear,” explained the Dragon Unicorn, “But there is one thing you fail to comprehend. My friend and I represent the mama bear, or rather bears. And you threatened our cubs.” Sapphire’s mouth now had smoke spilling out of the sides while Sky Blazer popped her neck. Both of the Bat Ponies apparently seemed to realize what Sapphire had meant, since their eyes got rather wide and they looked at each other. Ruby took this moment to bite the Bat Pony holding her, and Wild Blitz took it to kick his captor. Both of the foals were released and ran towards their mothers.

“Why don’t you two go by the Princess?” suggested Sky Blazer, “We certainly wouldn’t want you seeing what’s going to happen next.”

“Going,” said Wild Blitz as he sprinted towards Artemis with Ruby following.

Artemis, thankful that the two younger ponies were safe for now, was in the process of subduing the bat pony who had attacked her. She was currently using her previous tactic of slowing down it down while attempting to hit it. Having already done so previously, it took less time than the last one. Before she could relish in the small victory, the Princess was tackled by Commander Umbra, who’d managed to evade her magic several times by this point.

Fire Comet was now using his spell that caused a spiral of fire to erupt from his horn. He’d managed to catch another Bat Pony in it, sending it into a nearby tree. Because he had complete control over the spiral, he was currently chasing after another Bat Pony with it. Despite its agility, the Bat Pony had gotten hit by the fire several times so far. After a minute or so, the Unicorn ended his spell and charged up a different one. This one, unlike the other spells he’d cast, sent out a blast of icy wind at the Bat Pony. The wind had flowed out fast enough to the point that its target was unable to get out if its reach in time. The Bat Pony fell to the ground, shivering with a thin layer of frost on it.

“What’s the matter? Are you cold?” asked the Unicorn with a smile, “Well, I can help you with that.” He cast another spell, and a plume of fire erupted from beneath the Bat Pony, hoisting it high into the air. It fell down into the forest, barely visible from where it had started.

“Are you ready to give up, Princess?” taunted Commander Umbra as he traded punches and kicks with Artemis. They had been alternating between which one was pinned to the ground, with Umbra being the pinner at the moment.

“We are currently destroying your squad and you have the nerve to ask if we’re finished?” replied Artemis as she kicked the Bat Pony in the stomach and allowing her to pin him instead.

“But at the same time you simply delay the inevitable,” answered Umbra, “Even if you do defeat me here today, legions of my kind still serve the Empress. And you will fail in your efforts to overthrow her.”

“And you fail to realize that even if I fail, eventually somepony will rise up against her and prevail.” The two continued their struggle as Sapphire and Sky Blazer began to help out Fire Comet with the last few Bat Ponies that remained. Each of the three took one of them as a target and began to attack them. The Bat Ponies responded by attacking the one who had targeted them.

Fire Comet used his previous tactic of using an ice spell, though this one was basically an ice version of his fire spiral, to somewhat freeze his target. Though it was fast, it didn’t take long for the Bat Pony to slip up and get hit by the Unicorn’s spell. Without even stopping his previous spell, he seamlessly switched from ice to fire and sent the Bat Pony through several trees before deciding it was done for. His wife, on the other hand, had used her magic to keep her target in place in midair for a second before shooting it off into the distance with a stream of fire.

Sky Blazer was engaged in an aerial duel with the final Bat Pony, aside from the Commander. They were trading punches and kicks while also moving away from each other to gain speed in between blows. Neither of them seemed to have an advantage and neither so much as faltered. Their battle went on for a couple minutes, with the rest of the group aside from Artemis, who was still battling the Commander and had told the others to stay out of it, watching. The Bat Pony faked an attempt to kick Sky Blazer’s stomach and slammed into her right wing. There was a loud snap, and a scream from the Pegasus.

“Mom!” shouted her son from below. Sky Blazer fell out of the sky while she attempted to use her uninjured wing to slow her descent. Fire Comet helped her down to the ground while Sapphire used her magic to grab the Bat Pony when it made an attempt at the Pegasus. She shot it away with a single fireball. The Dragon Unicorn then walked over to her injured friend and inspected her wing.

“See that? You’re the only one left of your squad,” said Artemis, “We will let you leave if that is what you desire.”

“You kill the ones who served under me, and then you have the nerve to let ask me if I want to give up?” asked Umbra, glaring at the Princess who currently had him pinned.

“Look, we didn’t want to even fight you in the first place. And they gave us no choice,” explained Artemis, “We’re not cold blooded killers like your Empress. We are actually capable of showing compassion.”

“Fine, I shall let you hold on to your chivalrous ideals,” stated Umbra, which was followed by Artemis allowing him to get up. He was clearly in pain, and put very little weight on his front left leg, “But, I am dead either way.”

The Bat Pony flew off into the air, his wings surprisingly still useable, while Artemis walked over to join the others. By this point, Sapphire was wrapping a bandage around Sky Blazer’s wing.

“Are you going to be all right, Sky Blazer?” asked the Princess while Sapphire finished her work.

“Well, I will be. That Bat Pony broke my wing, so I can’t fly until it heals,” replied the Pegasus, “And I’m at least better off than that one over there.” She pointed towards the body of one of the Bat Ponies, which had its limbs, wings, and head contorted into positions that would not normally be possible.

“W-why would you do something like that?!” questioned the Alicorn, horrified.

“That is what happens when you threaten my son,” replied the Pegasus, “And it’s slightly better than what Sapphire did to the one who threatened Ruby.” She was referring to the pile of ash next to the body.

“Well, that’s what happens when you threaten a Dragon’s young,” admitted Sapphire, “I might only be half Dragon, but that instinct definitely was passed down.”

“Anyway, how bad does your wing hurt, Sky Blazer?” asked the Princess, returning her gaze to the rest of the group.

“It only hurts when I move it.”

“I used a spell that stopped any lingering pain from the wing from being felt,” explained Sapphire, noting confusion from her daughter and Wild Blitz, “The spell will wear off sometime tomorrow, so I’ll need to cast it again, and won’t stop any further pain from being felt.”

“Believe me, I would cast a spell that would heal it instantly if I knew one,” said Artemis, “But, the best I can do is to help with minor injuries. Speaking of which…”

***

“Forgive me, my mistress, I have failed,” said Umbra, “I am ready for whatever punishment you deem necessary.”

“You failed to do what the Empress told me to tell you to do? Hm. Death! By drowning in pudding!” Umbra knew that she always gave the strangest means for execution, and had not expected his to be anything less than confusing.