Rise of the Equestrian Empire

Chapter two

1002 AN

Ponyville

“What!” Twilight demanded after her brother explained his reason for coming.

“Twilight I-” Shining Armour began.

“No!” Twilight shouted, magical energy surrounding her. The knot in Shining’s stomach tightened into a noose.

“You do not get to take my little brother away!” She shouted, thrusting her arms behind her, causing the building to spontaneously begin to crack.

“Twily, please listen-” Shining Armour tried.

“No, you listen, you do not get to take my little brother away from me!” She shouted, the cracks spread.

“Twilight, please understand-” Shining tried once again.

“No, you understand!” Twilight shouted back at him. “Spike is only a child, a baby! You do not get to take him away from me!.” Twilight shouted, the cracks grew to a dangerous level.

“ENOUGH!” Shining Armour shouted, leaping to his feet. “I don't want to do this any more than you do. But I have orders. Besides, he’s going to be Bluebloods adjunct. He’s probably never going to see combat, let alone partake in it.” Shining Armour told her.  That seemed to calm Twilight down, a little.

“He won’t go.” Twilight said stubbornly.

“I don't want him to go any more than you do. But you don't have a choice in the matter and I have orders.” Shining Armour told her.

“You don’t care about him, you never did!” Twilight accused him. “All you ever did was chase him around, ignore him, or use him like a tool!”

“How dare you!” Shining Armour shouted. “He is my little brother too and I love him just as much as you!”

Outside the room where Twilight and Shining Armour in the hallway where two Royal Day Guards and Spike. The two guards stood at attention perfectly. Spike looked at them in wonder and awe.

He still had no idea why Shining Armour was here, all he knew was that it was something to do with him. Twilight had cast some sort of anti-eavesdropping spell so Spike couldn't hear what they were talking about.

What if he’s here to take me away from Twilight? Spike thought in panic for a second. But as quickly as it entered the thought was thrown out of his mind. Why would Shining Armour want to take him away? But if that wasn't the reason why he was here because of him then what was?

Panicked questions played through Spikes mind over and over again. Each time it was worse. Eventually he simply sat down, tucked his legs in with his arms, and rested his forehead on his knees.

“No.” Applejack stated when the Guardspony explained why he had knocked on here door.

“Miss Apple, if you let me explain-” The guard tried to say. Applejack simply slammed the door shut and locked it.

Those bastards. They had come to draft any male Apple family members they could. And of course it just had to happen during an Apple family reunion.

Marius sighed as he heard the mare turned the lock. Fine then, have it your way. He thought to himself.

“Maximus.” Marius said.

“Yeah?”

“Break the door down.” Marius ordered in a simple voice. As if he had just asked for a drink of wine.

Maximus nodded. Marius and a few other Guardsponies took a few steps back. A few raised their shields to deflect possible splinters. Maximus breathed deeply. Took half a step back, and kicked. The kick landed squarely to the right of the doorknob. The brass knob was no match for Maximus's strength and it broke like it was made of balsa wood.

The door flew inwards and the top hinge broke.

“What in the name of-?” the orange mare asked and demanded. Marius walked past Maximus and entered the house. Inside he could see a number of family members, everything from newborn foals to wrinkled elders.

“That was not a request. It was an order!” Marius stated with only the slightest hint of malice in his voice.

“Why you little-!” the orange mare began, before a hand was placed itself on her shoulder. Behind her was a large stallion. Not as big as Maximus but still a head taller than Marius. He had a red coat and grain coloured hair. Marius kept any surprise or feelings of intimidation hidden. His only reaction was a faint rising of his right eyebrow.

“Big Mac?” the orange mare asked, sounding shocked with a few sprinkles of worry.

“Careful with the language there sis.” ‘Big Mac’ told his, supposedly, little sister.

Big Mac looked up at Marius, his eye’s having a dull, but intelligent look.

“You are trespassing on private property and we’re gonna have to ask y'all ta leave.” Marius mentally scoffed at the request.

“No.” He answered. “I am here under orders and I do not bow to your authority.”

“Look!” Big Mac said, letting his frustration through. He took a step forward and brought his arms up, clenching his hands into fists.

Marius took half a pace and leveled his spear with the man's throat.

“I am an officer of their Holinesses Royal Guard. Striking, refusing or in any way resisting and, or assaulting me is a hanging offense.” Marius lied through his teeth. The practice of hanging had been cast out several centuries ago. Marius simply put on a threateningly serious face and hoped that he had a better understanding of Equestrian law then these farmers did.

The red stallion hesitated. Seeming unsure on how to proceed. Marius pressed his advantage.

“Furthermore I am here on the orders of the Chief Magistrate of War who acts with the authority of their Eternal Holinesses Celestia and Luna. You will cease all hostile actions or I will skewer you where you stand.” It was another lie. Marius highly doubted the he could simply kill a civilian and get away with it.

There was a tense stare off, until, finally, the red stallion backed down.

“Alright, fine. What are ya here for anyway?” The stallion asked.

“On the authority of their majesties Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, any male Apple family members of adult age are to be drafted into service.” Marius told him. For the first time he noticed everyone was staring at him.

“You are not taking my brother, my cousin, or any member of my family off to your war!” the orange mare bristled.

“You misunderstand. Your brother is not going to become a soldier. He is going to become part of supply and support. In other words, he’s going to be assigned kitchen duty. I doubt he'll even see combat.” Marius said, hoping to placate the mare. It seemed to work, slightly.

“I’ll go.” Big Mac said. There was a second of silence.

“Are you sure about this?” The orange mare asked her older brother.

“Yup.” Big Mac answered.

“So am I.” A Stallion with a golden-yellow coat and mane and green eyes.

“While that’s all very well and good that you're volunteering, but it doesn't matter because you don’t have a choice.” Marius told them. “Regulus, bring up the list!”

Another guard walked in and handed Marius the list of names. Marius cleared his throat and began to read.

“The following ponies are to be put on kitchen staff for the expedition; Apple Cinnamon, Apple Split, Bushel, Golden Delicious, Half Baked, Apple Happy, Trails Red, Delicious Wensley, Apple Bread, Apple Slice, Macintosh Apple, Braeburn. Those whose names have been called say your goodbyes and gather outside in ten minutes. If after ten minutes you are not outside we will come inside and drag you with us.”

Marius then turned around and walked out of the house, leaving the family to their teary eyed farewells.

November 18

2nd Day on the March

Marius trudged alongside his comrades. They had left Canterlot two days ago, first heading North for roughly half a day, before turning North-East for the other half of the day before stopping for the night. The next day they continued on their North-East heading.

Currently, they had stopped for the night to rest and eat. Unlike many of his comrades, who opted to keep their armour and kit on the wagons, Marius currently wore his armour, and had ordered his squad to do the same. A few ponies thought to ridicule them, but Marius had learned long ago not to care about the opinions of fools and idiots.

Marius walked briskly through the camp, hailing friends or greeting familiar faces when he saw them. Marius was heading to the mess, where they were serving up supper. Thankfully the line wasn't very long. Marius joined the line and waited silently for his meal. To his right there was a stack of bowls and spoons. Marius picked up a bowl and spoon. The food was known as "soldiers sludge". It consisted of oats, ground into a powder, flour, and water. It was cold and had the same consistency as mud.

"Here you are." the kitchen pony said as he scooped the food into Marius' bowl. Marius recognized the stallion as "Big Mac". Marius simply shrugged the realization off, what did it matter?

"Thanks." Marius told him.

"Do I know you from somewhere?" Mac asked Marius.

"I shouldn't think so." Marius told Mac.

"Are you- wait, I do. You're that Guard from my farm!" Mac exclaimed.

"I can assure you I am not." Marius told him.

"You look mighty similar to him." Mac stated.

Marius simply smiled and said, "You know how it is, we all look the same."  Before walking away.

Marius went to join his squad around their campfire. The mood was solemn. There wasn't much talking. Marius sat down on one of the logs they had managed to drag over to use as seats. He looked down and the sludge in his hands, and sighed.

"Food that bad sergeant?" one of Marius' troopers, Milo, asked.

"Yep, I'm surprised they even call this edible." Marius said, before putting a spoonful into his mouth. It didn't really taste that bad the texture was similar to porridge, but soldiers liked to complain, if it wasn't about the food it was the weather, if it wasn't the weather it was their current orders, if it wasn't their orders if was their officers, and if wasn't their officers it was the food. Sometimes the Royal Guards were more akin to teenage foals rather than soldiers.

Spike sighed once again as he dipped his quill into the inkpot. He and Shinning Armour were sorting through the paper work that had been piled on them after Blueblood had "mysteriously disappeared" into his personal tent to take a nap. Spike silently vowed to never again complain about how much paper work Twilight would make him do. Compared to the great bureaucracy that was military paper work, Twilights workload was nothing.

Spike simply hung his head and went back to work.

November 20th

4th Day on the March

Rain, Marius absolutely hated the rain. Why did he hate the rain? Mud. Marius now hated the rain because he now hated mud. The slippery substance made marching in-line almost impossible. Guardsponies were constantly slipping, falling, crashing, and flying through the air without the aid of a pair of wings. Not to mention that the mud tended to get absolutely everywhere Marius wasn't entirely sure how mud was able to flow up his legs and into his trousers. Not for the first time Marius cursed the incompetence of whoever was in charge of their supplies. Their polished and smooth bronze and leather boots didn't have the necessary traction for this kind of terrain; they also hadn't been given rain-cloaks so they were forced to march without any protection against the rain and wind. Several ponies had already come down with multiple illnesses and were forced to ride in the carts.

That was something else Marius had learned since the beginning of the march. An army may march on its stomach, but their supply wagons and baggage train dictated its pace. They had to constantly be guarded, repaired, cared for, and guided all through the march. It cost time and men, things they didn't have in a great supply.

Marius entered his squad’s tent. It was late in the day and they had just finished setting up their tent. The rest of the men had gone to go get food. Not Marius though, he was too tired to be hungry. Marius simply dropped his sleeping-roll on the floor and fell on top of it. The rain and the mud had sapped all of his strength. Marius was unconscious before he even hit the ground.

12th Day on the March

December 2nd

Now it was snowing. Winter was coming and was making its presence known. They were getting close to the barbarians, they had to be. Marius knew this because of one simple fact; the weather was acting of its own accord. Sure, farther north, in the very northern provinces of Equestria the weather acted on its own, but this far south! It could only mean one thing; they were crossing into enemy territory.

Marius marched in the marching column. They were about thirty kilometers south of the Kenchen Mountains. Ahead of them was a large forest. The trees stretched high into the sky like great spirals of wood. Above them were the clouds. The clouds weren't like the ones in the south over Canterlot, all nicely separated into small chunks. These were absolutely massive; these clouds were kilometers upon kilometers across. Marius, being born in the north, was used to such things, but those from Canterlot and its surrounding areas were not as used to such massive clouds. To them it felt like a massive, overbearing, and as if a disproving presence was watching them. Covering and crushing them under its overbearing presence. The men wanted the Pegasi to move the clouds, but Captain-Prince Shining Armour forbid it. It would take all of the Pegasi in the column to even make that cloud budge. It would be a waste of manpower and time.

The formation approached a forest. The trees blocked out most of what little light penetrated the clouds. Making the trees seem like massive teeth of some gigantic monster, devouring the ponies that entered its maw, disappearing after only a few steps into the shadow of the forest.

As Marius approached the forest his feeling of despair grew. Soon he was right on the cusp. He entered the forest and... nothing happened.  Marius told himself that he was being paranoid, that he should not worry. But the feeling remained.

That night they set up camp among the trees. Due to the uneven terrain and the close proximity of the trees there was no real correlation between tents when they were set up. The men simply pitched their tents and dropped their bags were ever they found room.

Marius and his squad mates were sitting around a campfire they had constructed. They sat in silence eating their rations, their weapons never more than an arms distance away. It was a tense silence. They all knew that they were now in enemy territory and in no way did they want to bring attention to themselves. It was a foolish fear, that a small group of ponies talking would bring the wrath of the enemy to them. That the very act of speaking would gain the enemy's attention was an unfounded fear, a baseless fear, and an innate fear.

"I'm going for a piss." Maximus told them. There were a few muttered sounds of acknowledgment and nodding heads.

Maximus stretched his legs as he stood up, stepping over the log he used as a seat he headed towards the bushes. Finding a suitable tree Maximus pulled the front of his trousers down. He cast his head upwards and applied pressure to his bladder muscles. After about half a minute Maximus had relieved himself.

Turning around Maximus tied up his trousers. He was about to head back to the fire when he heard a soft rustling. Anxiety and worry flared. Maximus moved to investigate the noise. Maximus walked hesitantly for about a dozen meters before he found the source of the noise.

There lying on the ground was a Royal Guard. He was wearing a simple tunic with leather boots and his trousers pulled down so he could piss. And with his throat cut open. His blood flowed freely around him, mingling and mixing with his urine. Maximus stood there, transfixed. Maximus' horror was amplified further when he realized he knew the Guardspony on the ground. They were in the same platoon and had worked together in training.

"Quintus?" Maximus gasped in horror, "QUINTUS!"

December 3rd

13th Day on the March.

It was late morning; the men had gathered up camp and had set out about an hour ago. Marius and his squad marched alongside the rest of their platoon. Marius looked behind his shoulder at Maximus. Maximus had changed since last night. Hs eye's had a glazed over, almost glassy look. Any sort of joy or emotion had left his face, save for that of horror.

Shining Armour rode at the head of the column. He was riding a trained lion. Lions were a rarity in Equestria, as they mainly lived in the Gryphon Kingdoms, and having one was considered a sign of status. Despite what most people thought lions were actually sapient and intelligent. Sure they couldn't grasp things like complex magic or complicated math but they could easily comprehend simple things with great ease. Shining Armour didn't pretend to know much about them. He knew how to ride them and that was it.

Up ahead steep hills, rocky outcrops or small ravines surrounded the road. Undaunted the column marched on.

Several dozen meters behind the front of the column Blueblood was riding inside of his own private carriage that was the size of a small apartment. Inside of the chariot he was surrounded by servants who aided him with his every wish and desire, all of them were female. The Chariot itself was guarded by a contingent of Solar Guards, the personal bodyguards and the right hand of Princess Celestia herself. Captain Dawnbringer, the leader of the entire Solar Guard, led the detachment.

Why bringing Dawnbringer on this expedition was a question he frequently asked himself, and frequently failed to answer.

Dawnbringer banished such thoughts from his mind. They were for another place and time. His engraved armour shone as he marched, a long, almost glowing, white cloak flowed from his shoulders adorned with golden highlights. He stepped up to Blueblood's carriage. Jutting out of the back of the carriage was a type of balcony, from which steps were attached to.

Captain Dawnbringer grabbed one of the support rails and hefted himself up onto the balcony. Hearing an unmistakably female giggle emerge from inside the carriage Captain Dawnbringer sighed and then knocked on the door.

"What!" Blueblood's voice demanded from inside the carriage.

"Sir, I require your order to deploy forward scouts." Captain Dawnbringer said.

"No! Now go, leave me to my peace!" Blueblood ordered before the giggling started again.

"But Sir," Captain Dawnbringer protested, " we are entering treacherous territory! It's the perfect location for an ambush-"

"I don't care! Now leave!" Blueblood demanded. Captain Dawnbringer could only shake his head.

"Damnable fool!" He muttered to himself.

Several Hours Later

For three kilometers the line of stallions and supply carts stretched. The march had been slowed. The pathway was becoming increasingly narrow and twisted due to rough and often uneven terrain as well that. Suddenly, the line stopped altogether.

"What's going on up there?" An officer demanded.

"Dunno sir, look's like a log or something is blocking the path." A trooper called back to the officer.

"Then bloody well move it out of the way!" The officer shouted.

"Yes sir." The trooper saluted and ran up to his comrades to try and move the log.

The trooper gathered his squad of earth ponies.

"Alright boys. Lets get this thing moving." The trooper told his squad. They approached the log. As soon as they got within arms reach, hell broke loose. Seemingly out of nowhere an arrow flew through the air and shot the trooper in the neck. Almost instantly dozens of arrows launched themselves into the nearby ranks of the Column.

The troops tried to raise their shields and get into a defensive formation. Sergeants and officers bellowed orders, straining to be heard over the confusion.  The strategy worked but not for long. Once the guardsponies had gathered into a defensive shield wall a massive crash sounded.

Honored Valor looked up from his kneeling position. There up on the hills, was an avalanche of logs and boulders speeding directly towards their shield wall.

"Hold!' Honored Valor heard someone shout.

The avalanche got closer.

"Stand your ground!"

The Avalanche hit. Ponies were thrust into the ground. Limbs crushed and bones snapped. Honored Valor was thrown belly side down to the ground. He could swear that he heard his bones crack. A boulder rolled over his arm, pulverizing the bone and turning the flesh to pulp. The impact seemed to stretch on for eternity. Honored Valor couldn't feel anything. His brain had shut off all sensory data intake and had retreated in on itself.

As soon as it started, the avalanche ended. Slowly Honored Valor's mind began to work again. He tried to raise himself. His right arm was all but mush. Pushing himself up, Honored looked to his right. He wished he hadn't. There, lying in the mud, lay one of his oldest and closest friends named Forever Faithful. His leg bone had dislocated from his knee, pushing its way out of the skin, and into his eye socket. Honored's stomach twisted and he threw up. Half digested food and stomach acid mixed with blood, piss and mud that was already on the ground.

Behind him Honored Valor heard a loud, barbaric war cry. He turned his head to see a savage looking tribal run up on him.

Marius was about three quarters of a kilometer behind the front of the column. There was a ravine on both sides of his position is his platoon was spared the avalanches that other areas were suffering. They came under a hail of arrows and went into defensive positions. Marius looked out from over his shield, trying to spot where the enemy was firing their arrows. Marius' eye's caught a figure standing on top of a outcrop up above them on the hill.

He was too far away for Marius to see clearly, but from his motions he looked like he was giving a speech of some kind. He motioned towards Marius' platoon, and then fire appeared. Pillars of fire appeared inside of their formation. Tortured screams filled the air as ponies were cooked alive as their armour melted and fused with their flesh. Marius felt the intense heat sear his fur.

Marius forced himself back together. Looking at the hill now, he could see a wave of enemy infantry charging at them.

"Stand to!" Marius shouted. "Stand to and fight!" Ponies picked themselves up and braced for the enemy.

The barbarian infantry slammed into the Royal Guard line like a tidal wave. The line broke almost immediately. Marius tried to stab with his spear, but the intense close quarters forced him to drop it almost immediately. A barbarian slammed into him and grabbed his shield, trying to twist his arm. Marius stepped forward and bashed the barbarian with his shield. The barbarian was dazed for only a second, but a second was all Marius needed. He wrestled the sword from the barbarians hand and, the moment it was his, stabbed his foe in the stomach with it. The enemy gurgled for a second before Marius pushed him to the ground.

The fighting was brutal. Blood, piss, and entrails covered the ground in a great quantity making the ground slick and wet. Marius stabbed and hacked with an animalistic fury. Adrenalin was freely pumping in his blood. The Royal Guard fought hard, but it was not enough. The enemy was savage, cutting, hacking, stabbing, and killing without mercy.

Marius kicked the back of a enemies knee, forcing him to the ground. Marius wrapped his arms around his opponent's neck, having lost his shield some time ago, and split it open. Marius turned coming face to face was a barbarian wielding a massive ax. The barbarian swung, aiming to take of Marius' head. Marius duck. The ax hit him in the head, his helmet thankfully deflecting the blow upwards. Marius' ears rang and he feverishly tried to block the spots from his eyes.

Without warning Marius was launched back. He was airborne for several seconds, before tumbling head over ass down the ravine. Marius stopped at the bottom of a ravine. His helmet had come undone and rolled away a dozen feet in front of him. Marius found it hard to breath as the pain he felt became increasingly all consuming. He dragged himself forwards on his stomach, trying to get his helmet.

Something heavy fell onto Marius, then another and another. Marius could tell they were bodies. Marius tried to push himself up, but the effort was too much. His consciousness fading Marius slumped into the dirt.