A Final Life

by IronSights

Rating: teen
Tags: Tragedy, Slice of Life, Dark
Length: 2047

How much is too much too much to end a war with a tyrannical leader? One life? a Hundred? a Thousand?

How much is too much too much to end a war with a tyrannical leader? One life? a Hundred? a Thousand? What would a pony risk to stop a war that has raged for more than 10 years? And what consequences would it have for the future? Will this war end with Sombra's demise, Celestia and Luna's defeat. Spear Shield, a loyal Sergeant in the Canterlot Royal Guard and friend of Princess' Celestia and Luna may have to make the ultimate sacrifice to make sure that this war comes to its violent end.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2014-05-13 06:50:03 UTC

A long War

Crystal Kingdom 578 years BLB (Before Luna's Banishment)

A battle in a far off desert, the sounds of magic and arrows; of hooves and screams. Explosions rocked the ground in every direction, in that chaos ran a pony with a Shield on one side, held on by his Saddle; and a Spear in a hoof. His name was Spear Shield, a loyal Sergeant of the Guard in the Canterlot Royal Guard. "This war has gone on long enough!" He thought as he charged the shadowed figure of King Sombra. In the distance he could see that he was gaining the upper hand over Princess' Luna and Celestia. Before this battle, before this ugly, ugly war, he was just a regular farm pony from the deserts of Equestria,

He’d never believed in war. He never wanted a war, but when his Princess' and fellow ponies needed him, he enlisted in the Canterlot Royal Guard. Even though he needed his parents’ permission to even go into the Recruitment office, after all he was still only 17 years old and still didn't have his Cutie Mark. But that changed one day, when he entered his first battlefield, he was terrified and nervous as a young foul or filly when they take their first step or a young pegasi when they first fly. This was his first fight, he had only gotten the very basics of self-defense in the Guard Boot Camp, but as he stood with the other colts he met a small, skinny colt named Feather Dust. He had upon his first glance he caught himself thinking "this small colt will never last in this battle, he's too weak."

However on numerous occasions he was proven wrong, Feather Dust had actually saved his life on more than one occasion. And the two had actually become good friends throughout the war. However it was this fateful day, while he ran, his hooves pounded into the soil, his lungs ready to burst with air. He saw Princess Luna fall, slamming into the ground with an earth shattering crash, he reached Luna as she slid to a stop in front of him, she was cut, bruised and barely breathing. "MEDIC!!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, and a short, stocky mare ran at top speed to him, and set to work on Luna's Wounds, Spear Shield looked up and Celestia was near her end as well. When they touched the ground, he took off as fast as he could; his hooved beating the ground, his wings outstretched, his body protected by a thick covering of Bronze armor, his wings were framed in what seemed to be an armor covering that had the appearance of a metal frame with sharp edges. Almost like sword, this had turned his once harmless wings into lethal weapons of war, and his sights were dead set on Sombra. He would kill the king, or die trying.

King Sombra he tyrannical leader of the Crystal Empire, had cost the lives of many ponies throughout this long 15 year war. He wanted nothing but to plunge the tip of his spear into his heart, end the war and return home. He charged, hard and fast; his armor began to glow as he picked up speed, before the battle Princess Luna had blessed his armor with a spell of speed, granting him lightning fast reflexes, he picked up his spear, aiming for Sombra as he approached from the side. He swung his spear, forcing the king to jump back from pursuing a lethal blow on Princess Celestia. "SOMBRA!!!" He screamed, expelling all of his hate, rage and anger at the king, this would most likely be his final battle; after all he was just a regular Pegasus pony who chose to live as a farmer near the Ever Free forest. He had never really cared for the high and mighty types of other Pegasi.

All he wanted was a soft, quiet life of tilling fields, collecting fruit and enjoying nature. And now, instead he was a pony of war; even his cutie mark was given to him by his tenacity and diligence on the battlefield. As Sombra deftly evaded the attack, Spear Shield landed between him and Celestia, his shield and spear raised in defense. He wasn't what you would call a large pony, sure he was bigger than the average pegasi, He stood at nearly 5 foot 6, and he wasn't all muscle per se but was well defined. The last time he was magically weighed by the Unicorns, they weighed him at around 215 pounds. But even being light on his feet, he would not allow anyone to get near Celestia. He stood his ground like an unmovable brick wall; his shield was round, with a small half circle carved out of the top that allowed his spear to sit perfectly for a stable, unmoving stance.

"Just try it you maniac" He said, standing his ground; Sombra's horn glowed a green and black; if any normal pony had seen this magic it is likely they would have gone mad from fear. But not Spear Shield, he stood his ground, unafraid and unmovable. He would die before letting this psycho near his Princess. Sombra smiled, laughing with a tone that would cause the most hardened soldier to fleet. Spear Shields heart jumped into his throat, but still he stood; not wavering, ready for any attack this so called "King" would pursue. When Sombra lowered his head, a beam of magic of the darkest kind, shot out from his horn. Hitting Spear Shield with full force, knocking him off his feet to slide into Celestia; his once faithful shield, given to him by Princess Luna now laid on the ground in too many pieces to count.

He stood up, grabbing his spear; he threw off his helmet and again stood in front of Sombra, now it was his turn. Spear Shield, took off running, dashing from side to side. Briefly attacking Sombra at various locations. Testing his resolve and his guard, the clashing of metal against metal and shielded wings against magic. After several hard minutes of fighting, he landed in front of Celestia; his chest heaving, covered in more bruises, cuts and scrapes from Sombra's scythe. He knelt down to catch what little breath he could; he clenched his chest with his hoof as a steady flow of blood poured from a deep wound. He turned back to Celestia who was struggling to keep her eyes open, he smiled; bowing his head. "For you my Princess, i would give my everything, do not waste the chance i am about to give you..." He said, gasping for air; his lunged heaving, his hoof covered in blood. His armor, once shining of Gold and Emeralds, now lay broken and scarred upon the land of the once beautiful Crystal Kingdom. "With my sacrifice, i will give the Crystal Ponies and my Princess. The chance to defeat you!!" He screamed, charging Sombra; with his armor gone, his spear near broke, his shattered shield that now lay upon the Earth.

He had but once chance and once chance only, he ran right into Sombra, deftly dodging his scythe as he swung his spear straight and true into his chest. He bared his teeth, his face showing the signs of a tired soldier, a colt who wanted nothing but to see the setting sun and the rising moon. A colt who valued the lives of his Princess' far above his own had lurched forward, coughing as blood poured from his mouth; he looked down as his spear fell from his grasp; clanging as it hit the ground beneath him. He saw the scythe that was Sombra's scythe was piercing his chest.

Princess Celestia's eyes fluttered open, seeing King Sombra lift the lifeless body of Spear Shield high above his head, laughing manically, She struggled to charge her horn with magic as Sombra walked over slowly, "Your personal guard is dead, your army is broken; the Crystal Ponies now submit to my rule without question and soon; so will all of Equestria!!" He laughed again, tossing Spear Shields body aside, stepping on Celestia's horn, "My people will never bow to you Sombra!" She yelled as Sombra was suddenly thrown to his side, a dark flash connecting with his flank. "Luna?"

Luna smiled, reaching her hoof down. "What dost thou think she is doing dear Sister? We must now cast the spell with the help of the Crystal Ponies and their Heart" Luna and Celestia's Eyes glowed and their magic exploded. Sending a ray of raw magic to shoot towards the Crystal City, it contacted with the Crystal Heart that lay under the palace. The heart began to spin, glowing a bright blue and pink as it too shot a beam of light and magic back towards the Princess' Luna and Celestia, they concentrated the magic and used it to lift Sombra up off the ground, "You shall never harm another pony in any land across our world Sombra! You shall spend the rest of eternity in the empty frozen north!" They said in unison as they fired a beam of red magic towards Sombra, sending him flying through the air and towards the Frozen Mountains of the North.

With the battle won, and Sombra's troops routed to the south, Luna and Celestia lowered themselves to the ground. They walked over and gently eased his body onto Celestia's back, all of the pony's they passed were shocked at who the princess' carried. The two of them were blood, broken and bruised but still had the strength to carry this nearly oversized colt on their shoulders. The soldiers bowed their heads and kneeled as they passed, many with tears of sadness and honor. Celestia had taken Spear Shield to a small field nearby, the soldiers followed and gather wood and underbrush; they made a large wooden alter that Celestia had laid Spear Shield on. "If it was not for this colt, we would have lost this battle today." Luna stepped forward, "The sacrifice he has made, will live on forever inside us all," Luna spoke in her less demanding tone, instead speaking softly and with kindness. "It is because of him, that my sister is still alive, it is because of him that we all still draw breath...”

Luna said, bowing; Celestia followed suit as did everypony behind and around them. "May you find peace where ever you reside, you are a friend, a hero; a pinnacle of the Canterlot Royal Guard." Celestia and Luna's horn glowed as they sparked a flame below the wood; within minutes there was a large fire that engulfed Spear Shields body. In the smoke and flame, the ponies that surrounded the flame saw a small, Blue sphere float above the flame. "Everypony!" Celestia and Luna said together "Let’s give this hero a sendoff he will always remember!" Within minutes all of the Earth Ponies, Pegasi and Unicorns erupted with warrior shouts of pride and honor, the Earth Ponies shook the ground with their strength, the Unicorns charged their horns as the Pegasi encircled the soul of Spear Shield, magnificent lights of many different colors lit up the skies as the three races gave their final sendoff to the Hero of Equestria.

410 years later

The fillies Twilight and Shining Armor stood with Celestia and Cadence in front of a stain glass window depicted Spear Shield in his armor, fighting Sombra. Below that were smaller pictures depicting his final injuries and burial by flame. “This colt was a true hero to Equestria. He saved not only me, but also Luna and all of the Ponies that day." Shining Armor, smiled looking at the huge window. "When i grow up, i want to be a Captain of the Royal Guard, and be a great colt like Spear Shield!" Shining armor said, a look of seriousness in his eyes. Bowing to the princess' "If you would have me." Celestia and Cadence both laughed a bit, "You are still quiet young Shining Armor, but i will say this. If you still feel this way in a few years; then i would be honored to see you as a royal guard.