To Die Another Day: Reclamation

Chapter 1: Rue and Woe

Dear Winter,

The infection is spreading at a rate unprecedented. Most of Cantelrot has already fallen. The only thing holding them back is the doors, now. All the guards are gone.

I fear this is the last time I speak to you, my love, and I hope this reached you.

Love,

Princess Luna

Winter lowered the blood stained note. He had recieved this seconds after Canterlot Castle had fallen to the infection. His closest friend had died there, and he had been powerless to stop it.

As soon as the first cases of the infection began, Winter had closed the borders. Any who tried to enter or leave without prior notification to the guards were killed on sight, and this had happened a lot. Now the guards stood on the walls of Solstice itself, fighting back the oncoming zombie hoard. Winter picked up the last letter he'd recieved and began to read:

Prince Winter,

If you recieve this, I beg of you to send aid to Griffonia. We have the cure, but are hopelessly outnumbered.

We do not have much time left.

Emperor Constantine XV

Winter put down this letter. He had recieved it mere hours ago, but by the time it had arrived, Griffonia had already fallen. He raised his hand as he lowered his head in sorrow.

"How could this happen," asked Winter in a gutteral tone, "How could I let this happen?"

"Sire," said a familliar voice. Winter looked up to see his Field Marshal standing before him.

"What is it, Marshal Stormcry," Winter asked hoarsely.

"The army is ready, as you requested," said Stormcry.

Winter nodded as he rose from his throne, renewed power flowing from him as if he'd rose from the grave. "We march at once. Let the cleansing of Equus begin!"

10 Minutes later, Solstice Square...

Youtube Video

"SOLDIERS OF SOLSTICE," boomed Winter in the Royal Canterlot Voice as he paced before the gates of the Winter Palace, "FOR TOO LONG HAVE WE SAT IDLY BY WHILE EQUUS FALLS TO THIS VIRUS. WE ARE ALL THAT REMAINS OF THE EQUESTRIAN COALITION, AND I AIM TO RECLAIM EVERY INCH WE HAVE LOST!"

Every one of the seven million troops gathered in the square raised their weapons in one temendous uproar of approval.

"AIRMEN, TO YOUR SHIPS," boomed Winter, "SOLDIERS, FORM RANKS AND PREPARE TO MARCH! AS SOON AS THAT GATE OPENS, WE ARE AT WAR!"

A tremendous cheer resonated through the empty landscape, attracting walkers and flyers from all across the kingdom, all now converging on Solstice while the men rushed to form ranks or to the battleships.

"Sir, we have massive ground and air contacts closing in on the wall," said Captain Flynn as he lowered his hand from his ear.

"Let them come," Winter said as in the distance, the fleets could be heard taking off. "The Solstice Fleets will deal with the flyers. OPEN THE GATE! DRAW SWORDS AND FORWARD MARCH! LEAVE NONE ALIVE!"

As the great gates of the city opened, six million men drew their swords and began marching forward in perfect sync. The rear batallions drew bows and readied them as the gates finally stopped as the walkers rushed in.

"GET THAT FILTH OUT OF MY CITY," commanded Winter as front row of guards swung their swords upwards in perfect unison, and the arches fired in a manner that allowed an unending barrage of arrows into the walkers. The Fleet began firing above, effortlessly clearing the skies of flyers.

Nightmare Moon came up beside Winter, along with their daughter, Moonless Midnight.

"I should have done this when the outbreak began," Winter said with a sigh.

"Then we would be dead as well," Nightmare Moon said, nuzzling her husband..

"Still," Winter said, pausing before continuing. "Have your Shadowbolts go with the Fleet. Get them to search for survivors. I know the chances of there being any are slim, but I want to be sure."

Nighmare Moon nodded as a Changeling Queen with the blackest chitin you'll ever see and a mane and tail whiter than snow approached, along with a stallion who's coat matched the Changeling Queen's mane, and had a golden mane and tail. Winter nodded as they stopped beside him.

"Captain Elegance," Winter said, "Once again, I am glad you and your wife made it here in one piece." They had arrived not two weeks ago with a great hoard of zombie changlings and royal guards that had been under Elegance's command were in pursuit. Now, only he, General Valor and a handful of others were all that remained of the Canterlot Guard, though Winter wasn't sure about Valor until a message a few days ago stating he was alive and well, and Castle Rosethorn was holding against the zombie ponies and dragons. He had a small garrison of Canterlot Guards that had made the journey to The Badlands to seek shelter when Canterlot fell, and most were still around thirteen years later.

"Do you have any priority targets," Elegance asked.

"Castle Rosethorn for relief, Canterlot and The Crystal Empire must be taken, and Ponyville must be secured," Winter said.

"What's so important about Ponyville," asked Fate, Elegance's Changeling wife.

"It is where the Elements of Harmony are buried," Winter said. "While Spike took the elements themselves when he went to Equus Prime, he left their bearers behind."

Meanwhile, in Canterlot...

A great white mare stood in Celestia's bedchambers while it burned around her as a continuous stream of golden magic poured from her horn. Her fur had burnt away years ago, back when she'd started this protective gout of fire, and now her white chitin shimmered brilliantly in the flames, sun cutie mark and fangs still leaving her easy to recognize.

Crystalia knew she couldn't hold her spell much longer, and more and more walkers and flyers came in an endless barrage, never tiring or slowing down.

She hoped her old friend would act, and soon.

Elsewhere in Canterlot...

A strange pony paced back and forth in a shop in Canterlot's market district. She appeared to be an alicorn, but had elements of a Changeling Queen, such as the holes in her legs, fangs and her serpetine eyes. She has feathered wings and an actual mane and tail. He coat was midnight blue, and her mane and tail regular blue, with eyes like sapphires.

When the outbreak had reached Canterlot, she had been visiting her mother, Cadence. Once the infected reached the castle, Cadence had ordered her back to her shop and to barricade the door, saying she'd be right behind her.

That was thirteen years ago.

She went up to a window and watched as the walkers moved through the streets, oblivious to her presence there by means of a magical barrier she'd erected with a focus gem. She watched her old friends swaying to and fro, milky white eyes staring blankly ahead.

Midnight Blue sighed. "I hope Winter is okay." 'And if he is, I hope he's coming' she thought.