Author's Note

Again, still giving this a shot and hope it's still tolerable. Also still trying to figure out how to properly do Luna/Nightmare Moon's dialogue. Old English style literature is not my strong point.

"War. War never changes"

• Unknown

Chapter 2: Reports

This was unheard of, it was sheer insanity is what it was. Pale skin creatures? Armor that did not break? Instruments that exploded creatures? Ridiculous was the only word that came to the Princess's mind. Yet soon enough that word was destroyed when more reports came in of similar events, but also different. Many of the reports spoke of 'weird dog like creatures that scream like mareshees' or of 'creatures that roar out fire like a dragon'. All of them made no sense to her and caused a headache of all these reports. She was about to burn them as a thud is heard as she sighs and uses her magic to open the door for a grey Pegasus to fly in and land, her yellow eyes looking in two directions as she smiles. Out of all the ponies, she was Nightmare's personal scout since no pony saw her as a threat with that bubbly attitude of hers.

She gives a salute and bow "Scout Hooves reporting with more info Princess!" she says happily. It was odd to find one so happy about her job, but then again the Princess didn't mind it in the bit since nothing would change her attitude. Nightmare stands as she walks over "What news do you bring to me my subject?" she asks as Ditzy grabs her saddlebag. She opens it as it was upside down and what falls out are more soldier reports, but one was on some gold trim parchment "More reports and a intercepted message from Lightbearers" she says. She hands it over as Luna looks over the document and seems to narrow her eyes. Ditzy moves away a bit "Um... Princess?"

"Leave"

"What?"

"Leave!"

With that Ditzy flew out of there as fast as she could to avoid the fearful Nightmare Moon as she sits at her desk. She reads it over and over again as it didn't make sense of why this was their plan. When the war started, a few of the griffons had joined the Moongazers and set up a fort in the Drackenridge Mountains, to warn of a aerial attack from there or of a attack of other Lightbearers. The leader of that fort though was one that many of her loyal subjects know very well and was welcomed with open arms. Nightmare Moon looks over the plan that the Lightbearers plan to take the fort called Fort Evening Claw, the very fort in the Drackenridge Mountains.

Nightmare Moon stops as she stands and yells "Guard!" as the door opens for a pony in black and silver to enter "Yes Princess?"

"Bring me Commander Dash" she says. He nods and leaves as the windows soon open as Dash flies in and lands. She was in the lightweight armor of black and blue to show her commander status as she bows before her. She lets her rise as Rainbow was definitely different. She still had her rainbow like mane and tail, but was more duller like a dying rainbow, but her light blue coat was definitely still lively, even with the scar on her face over her right cheek. On her hips was a longsword and shield as her wings stay folded on her back. Around her neck was her Element of Disharmony, Treason. Her skill was in finding traitors and dealing with them, but also making traitors. It was a black neckband and a light blue flame on it.

Nightmare looks at her as she shows the letter "This has been intercepted from the cursed Lightbearers. I wish of thee to head to the fort and prepare for a attack from thine enemy" she says. Rainbow just chuckles and grins "Don't worry Princess. No pony or gryphon or minotaur going to get past this mare" she says. She soon takes off leaving a dull rainbow in her path as she flies fast and to the fort. It took her only twenty minutes to arrive as she sees the fort still standing. Around it were archer towers for aerial resistance and on the ground guards armed and standing ready as she can hear one particular female's voice down below as she flies down.

A guard gets tossed aside "I want this fort up and armed for anything you hear me losers?" she asks in a commanding tone. She was dressed in black and blue armor as well, but with claw like gauntlets for her claws. She was a griffin with orange eyes and the basic body of a griffin. A eagle's head, wings and talons on a the body of a lion. She had a eyepatch over her right eye as the guards all scramble to improve the defenses as she felt a familiar presence. She turns and grins "Dash. I wondered when old moon butt was going to let you out" she jokes. Dash just smirks as she thwacks the griffon in the back of the head "Thats Nightmare Moon to you Commander Gilda" she says.

The commander of the fort was Gilda, a griffon who lived in Cloudsdale long before the war began and was now the commander of the fort here, the main route between the two kingdoms as she smirks. She walks over to her and offers a hand. The two never were for the whole salute part, but did shake hands, err hand and claw as they walk to the front of the fortress. Dash got a serious look "We have word the Lightbearers are coming to attack this fort. We both know that if they take this fort-"

"-they get a clear path to Equestria I know Dash. Don't worry though, we never lost this fort and that won't start now"

Gilda smirks as they look out before them. The place was littered with arrows and craters from magic as Dash still had a... skeptical look on her. Before she could say anything, a loud horn is heard going off indicating a enemy sighting. Up the path came the Lightbearers, over thirty griffons and a legion of ponies and minotaurs along with some weird machine. It had the read of a ram, or at least that's what it looked like as it was made of metal and rolled on wheels. It was a battering ram, a device not used for centuries, but more modern now as it was being rolled up the path.

As if on cue, the two commanders took parts of the fort to get ready to blow this thing to smithereens to at least deal with one problem. Rainbow took control of the aerial army of griffons and pegasi as they fly up to get ready to attack from above as Gilda kept the ground forces in line. When the army got in range, the two commanders order the archers and spell casters to fire as burning arrows and bolts of magic go flying towards the ram, but had no effect as a magic barrier came up and denied the attacks. The Lightbearers soon started to fire back with arrows and magic as if covering the stallions that were pushing the invention towards gate of Fort Evening Claw as before they were halfway there, a large quake rocks the mountains as Gilda calls out "W-What in the name of Tartarus is going on?!" she yells out. From beneath the ram a large creature emerges. It was spider like, but also like a hand it broke through the shield as it wrapped tightly around the invention and drug it underground.

The Lightbearers keep up the attack as they don't see something pop out of the hole from the ground. It was fast, it was quick and it was monstrous as it simply dodged attacks on it like nothing. It's size was seven feet even and attired with not a lot of armor, as if built for speed. Its helmet was more of a headdress, with reddish-brown leather straps, giving it the appearance of dreadlocks. Its armor consisted of spiked armor plates on its forearms and thighs, giving it a more menacing and monstrous look. It also wore armor on his chest, leaving most of his torso bare. In its hands was a large staff like weapon, but with curved blades on both sides. It pulled some kind of curved part on the staff as the curved blades moved with the roar of a manticore, much like the reports of similar instruments. It spins the weapon around, cutting down ponies and minotaurs as if it was some kind of ceremonial dance.

The griffins above focused firing on Rainbow and the aerial army of the fort as Rainbow as too fast to hit for them, being cut down one by one. From the ground more creatures came up, but with different instruments. Some making loud bangs as the instruments fired something at the ground troops, yet one of them was near the rocks as it's weapon was more like thunder. What It fired left a stream of smoke that went straight through the Lightbearer griffins and caused them to plummet. All the commanders could do was watch the slaughter on the ground as the sky was clear. These pale skinned creatures were knocking down and executing Lightbearers like nothing and even when they were retreating, the monsters simply shot them in the back as the few survivors were brought below ground.

A slight difference was the commander, a minotaur, stood up and said "I will not fall! The light will stand!" as that caught the attention of the weird creature. The others wanted to fire, but one hand motion and they lowered their arms, showing his stature was high amongst them. The minotaur commander raised a sword as it soon became a duel between the two and the difference was in speed and strength. As the two circled one another, the creature was simply spinning his weapon slowly in his hands as he looks at the minotaur circling him as well. The two lock eyes before the minotaur charges as he raises his sword, just for the creature to spin around him and dig his staff into the commander's back, making him fall. The fight didn't even last ten seconds as what came next actually inspired a bit of disgust in Rainbow.

The creature walked over to the minotaur and grabbed his arm. It planted a foot on his shoulder and in a swift motion, ripped the arm off the minotaur and started to beat the commander's head in with it, like a club. As it beat the commander's head in, the creatures all seem to roar and yell as if they enjoyed this as before long, the creature stopped, dropping the arm onto the minotaur's now dead head and hissing. The creatures left as quickly as they came as the 'commander' of them looks over. He points a finger at the fort and just hisses as it hops back in the hole. Another quake comes as it blocks up the hole.

The two commanders stood there as they try to take in what just happened. A skirmish began, unforeseen creatures came from the ground, tore apart the Lightbearers, and left. Rainbow was about to say something as Gilda stops her "Go. Make the report. We'll clean up here" she says. Rainbow just nods and left at a fast pace. At the castle, Nightmare Moon was making plans of future wars if they take or fail at taking the fort as Rainbow runs into the room. She kneels as she looks up "Princess... the reports are true. Commander Gilda and I saw it with our own eyes" she says. The Princess turns and with a serious look on her face looks at Rainbow "Tell us everything" she orders.

The information she gave became vital intelligence of how fast these creatures came and went, armor class, organization, and of course power, yet some things troubled her. In one report was of a large creature in black taller then her, yet Rainbow's was of a creature a foot under her and in barely any armor. Perhaps there was more then one power at work here as nevertheless this showed to her a potential ally or a potential threat. She stands and looks at Rainbow "We want all our allies on high alert Commander Rainbow. If we see these creatures we want to be informed of post haste. They might be useful to us" she says. With that, Rainbow left as it was time for Nightmare to lower the sun. As much as she hated to admit it, the sun did have a tactical advantage in the war of sight for those without nightvision.

As night fell though, a small land called Canida was getting ready for bed as well. In one small home, a foal and a mother are reading a story, the story of Daring Doo as the foal had many questions. The young foal looks over "When will da fighting stop?"

"Soon my dear.... I hope"

"Why do dey fight against eachother?"

"I don't know sweetie. Go to bed" she says. She was a motherly mare who ran a flower shop as the foal whimpers "Mommy" she calls out. She enters "Yes dear?"

"What's that?" the young foal asks pointing to some weird creature on the window ceil. It was small, like about three inches long, but with yellow eyes and black skin. On it were only seven fin like limbs as she looked at it confusingly "I don't know sweetie, probably just a night animal. Now good night" she says. As she puts the light out the apparent sound of buzzing as it was best described as before long hundreds descended onto the window as they broke through with sheer numbers. All that night screaming was heard of ponies getting swarmed and eaten by the large mass as one of the only ponies got outside and looked up as of how he survived. He saw a large black cloud up above, made up of millions of these things as the last thing he saw were yellow teeth.

When the morning came, Nightmare Moon got a knock on the door. She opened it to find a very down Ditzy as she handed a letter to her. It was black with a red trim, the sign of horrid news. When she opened it, she could not believe her eyes of what she was reading. It was a report that the nation of Canida had been completely wiped out over night.