Chapter 1: The Call of War
It's has been a long and bloody year since the end of the Great Northern War. While the Empress claim victory, the peace that so many brave ponies of Equestria gave their life for still not settle on the northern land. The Herds of Chaos now leaderless, but vicious warriors of dark magic still continue raiding caravans, farms and villages of Crystal Empire.
At the first chill of autumn. Prince Shining Armor, now is the King of Crystal Empire, gathered his forces and remain Equestria troops, marching to the east of the Empire to battle Chaos one last time, before the winter come. Among his soldiers is a young Warrior Priest name Cruxader, who has an infamous reputation about his tainted bloodline and bear the Mark of Chaos itself.
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The enemy has rally a huge numbers of Chaos warriors and marauders at the east. Just in one week, they has pillaged five villages and killed many innocent crystal ponies. But their act of evil will stop right now. For now they will feel the Wrath of the Empress. I charge into enemy without fear. For my faith in the Empress gave me strenght to defeat all enemy. And i know i'm not alone. Fight by my side is the bravest soldiers of the Equestria who ready to gave their life for the justice of the Empress. I hit one on the left then another on the right. My hammer guide my hoof to crush their skulls without hesitant. Their head blow like bubble and their blood fall like rain.
And from above, the Crystal Pegasus Knights of the Empire, the pride of Crystal Empire military, strike down enemy like comet with their lance. Pierced everything stand on their way. But that beauty image not stay for long. One of them get slain by a marauder who can warp his hoof into a sharpened spike of bone. Few brave soldiers try to take him out but only get themselves killed, poor souls.
"So you walk the path of Brutality. I pity your soul for what you has done to yourself and what you gonna become. Now let me put an end to your endless nightmare before it can begin !!!" I charge into him, raise my hammer over my head and strike down his head as hard as i can. He dodge away then bite back immediately with his blade-like hand right in my flank. And by Celestia it hurt so much ! Then come with another kick right in my face. For a moment i thought i gonna fall. But no. I can not fall now. I must stand. I must keep fighting. This wound is nothing. It's just a scratch. No big deal.
"That all you got ? I thought your god can do better then that." He angry now, good. This time is he who charge to me. For every steps he make, my heart beat fast, then faster and faster. SLAM!!! I'm not dodge that attack. I block it with my hammer, then push it away and hit him with my head. That is a stupid move i ever make today, for he wear a helmet. But damn it feel so good. Fighting like this make me understand why i exist on this world.
To fight in the name of the Holy Empress and bring her blessing to every living being, nothing more then that. Other is illusion.
I charge at him again, raise my hammer and laugh like a maniac. Some other marauders try to stand on my way but my hammer ask them to leave gently. When i almost reach him, ready to crush his skull and take the stab from his hoof. He die. Being step on by a Bloodthirster come from nowhere, now glaring at me. The giant Daemon tall like a mountain, hold a big axe in hand, it wings spread like want to cover the sky and it skin red like blood. The soldiers start to panic and fear, some already drop their weapon. Fear ? No i don't feel it. But sad is what i feel. That marauder, he not die by my hoof but by a stupid accident !? It's not fair. Even to him. He deserves to dead by my hoof. So i can send his soul to the Holy Empress. Free from the chain of Chaos like i was did.
"You... BLOODY STUPID DAEMON !!! YOU TAKE AWAY HIS CHANCE TO REDEEM. HOW DARE YOU !?" I can feel the anger grow fast in my soul. Suddenly the pain is gone, instead is another kind of feel that i'm not so strange with anymore. It's the blessing of the Empress, she share the pain with me. Her Divine power took control of my body, charge into that giant daemon without thinking. The Daemon make his move, try to chop me with his big axe but miss. I jump on his axe, run along to his hand. Then i make an amazing jump, with my hammer in my hoof, hit right on his head with all power the Empress gave me. The Daemon screaming in pain. His wound not stop bleeding.
"The Bloodthirster is wounded. Come on brothers, LET'S FINISH IT !!!" The soldiers moral is high again. They drive back the enemy with bravery and faith in the Empress. The Pegasus Knight chase the marauders until they get out of the Empire territory. Pray to Celestia, victory it's our. But i can't cheer with them. I don't feel anything. My body, i can't move. I'm falling down and hit the ground. I feel warm. My flank feel warm. Probably i lost too much blood now. My eyes become so heavy. But it won't be a matter now. At least i died for the Holy Empress......
............I miss you Mom...
Chapter 2: The Road to Crystal Empire
Am i... still alive ??? Seem like it. My hoofs still here. Not seem like i lost anything. Try to move my body but... urghhh... it's hurt so much... more then i remember. Take a look into the mirror, i got a few more scars on my face. I walk out the medic tent. The moon is now reign on the sky with all the stars, shining on the night sky. Such a beautiful night. But not much pony awake to see it, they all falling into deep sleep now, dreaming about their family, their beloved wife and childrens, or some special pony. After today, they deserved it. Wonder what Luna's doing right now ? Wait... what ? Why did i think about her ? Oh Celestia, forgive my sin.
"Hey, you there. You are Cruxader, right ?" King Shining Armor coming this way.
"Your majesty,... urghhh...please, forgive me for..." I try to knee but the wound not allow me to do so.
"No, you don't need to. Today you fought very impression. I never see anypony dare to fight hoof to hoof like that with a Daemon, alone to say that is a Bloodthirster and you... an earth pony."
"My majesty, that is nothing. I just do my duty like everypony else."
"But not everpony can beat a Bloodthirster." The King give a smile to me. He acknowledge my faith and loyal to the Empress. Despite that i was...being marked. And yet he still here, talking to me like talking with a normal pony.
"Why don't you get straight to the job, Shining Armor ? You don't need to be polite with these..... thing."
"Prince Blue Blood..." How i hate this stallion so much.Every times we meet, he always try to insult me, mock me, denied all good deeds i make in the name of the Empress with his dirty jokes. If killing citizen of Equestria is not a crime, i will kill him first.
"No, i'm prince no more. From now on you must call me Elector Count Blue Blood." WHAT !!! Elector Count, the highest noble rank in the whole Equestria, second only to the Empress and the High Priests of the Churches of Sun and Moon. Now this useless, arrogant, ignorant royal pain is sit on one of those chair !? Euquestria is doom for sure.
"I has a special mission for you, Cruxader and... I know that you are in bad condition now. So if you... " The King scratching his head.
"Please just say it, my majesty. I always ready to do everything for the glory of the Empress."
"Fine words of you, Cruxader. But it's the traitors among our rank is what i concern more then the Chaos warbands out there." Blue Blood say with a sneer on his face.
"IF YOU HAS SOMETHING TO SAY WITH ME THEN SAY IT YOU....."
"ENOUGH ! HOW DARE YOU TWO FIGHTING AGAINST EACH OTHER WHILE YOUR KING'S STILL STANDING HERE !? I will not allow anypony under my command have any internal dissension that can weaken my army. And this time you gone a little too far, Elector Count Blue Blood. I was hope you better then that. Cruxader talk and act like a true servant of the Empress and that is good enough to have my trust."
Those two staring at each other for a while. Then Blue Blood leave first "Fine. Then have it your way, my majesty. I will leave you here with him then." The King turn back to me, sorry for Blue Blood behavior. Then he start to tell me about my mission.
When the King start this campaign, he try to go to the east then head north to clear out all remain warbands in the Empire territory, before the winter come. But he just receive a bad news that from the west, the enemy is forming a new herd and... in many case, they may atack directly to the Crystal Empire. The remain troops there don't have enough strength or numbers to hold it for long. The King can't go back now cause if he does, the enemy will forming many more herds on the north and east regions.
He want me to lead a few of his troops back to defend Crystal Empire right when the sun rise. There are few regiments from his army still patrol on the road, i can gather them under my command to forming an army, i will need many ponies as much as i could get for the coming battle. Sound easy enough. Or...that what i thought when i receive this mission.
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"IT'S COMING !!!" BOOOM*!
Hellcanon, the war machines of the Warriors of Chaos. From the high ground, they firing down the camp of one of the regiments that King Shining Armor has mention. Every ponies are panic, run around, hope will not been crush by the falling stone. What a mess.
"CRYSTAL PONIES OF CRYSTAL EMPIRE HEARED ME !!!" I shout and got their attention now. Good.
"STOP RUNNING AROUND LIKE A FOAL AND RALLY BEHIND ME NOW. PICK UP YOUR WEAPON AND ARMOR. THEN FOLLOW ME TO KILL YOUR ENEMY. FOR THE EMPIRE !!!"
I lead my troops charge head on and the crystal ponies automatically follow us. We charge into enemy without fear or hesitant, only faith in the Empress. Like it inevitable, victory belong to us. But the price for this victory.... is not cheap. I lost nearly half of my troops for this battle. The crystal pony regiment here only has twenty percent troops left.
The road to Crystal Empire's still far. And if every regiments i meet on the way in the same situation like this.... I doubt that we can have a chance of victory against the coming storm.
............May Celestia protect us all...
