The Hammer of Celestia

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.

--

"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...