Three days past since the raid on Ponyville and much of the town was still in need of repair and there were families who needed to bury their loved ones.

A cremation ceremony was held in the town square where all of Ponyville was gathered, many being families of the fallen soldiers. Valiant stood before the numerous funeral pyres with a mournful expression upon him as he began to ignite them. Twilight and her friends also partook in the ceremony along with Celestia and Luna who had arrived a day after the attack.

"I am sorry Sir Valiant. I wish we had come sooner." Luna apologized as the ceremony neared it's end.

"There is nothing to apologize for your majesty. These men died the way any soldier should; defending their homes and their loved ones. May Sigmar guide them to paradise."

With their dead now put to rest the town broke out in a full victory celebration. Pinkie and Applejack provided the refreshments and entertainment while the rest of the town brought music and games for the children to play yet despite the joyful atmosphere some could not bring themselves to laugh or even smile and sat quietly while giving a toast to their fallen comrades.

Twilight was sitting next to Flash as the party went on but she did not eat or drink or smile the sights of the battle were still fresh in her mind and could not help but weep for those who gave their lives while she just stood by cowering like a frightened foal.

"Twilight? You okay?" Her fiance asked as he took her hand. Twilight quickly snapped out of it and began to dry her eyes, feeling ashamed when he held her hand.

"It's alright."

"No. No it's not Flash....I'm a princess, I'm supposed to protect my subjects but I stood by and watched others do the fighting for me!"

"That is nothing to be ashamed of Twilight Sparkle." Princess Luna butted in on the conversation.

"These soldiers are willing to fight for their friends and family just as you would. You cannot expect to be the only one who saves the day."

"But you and Celestia have done that countless times!"

"And each time their was a cost. Discord, The Crystal Empire, even Nightmare Moon were all great and terrible battles as you've read in the stories but what the stories won't tell you is the casualties that came with those battles."

"Casualties?!?" Twilight never realized it but Luna was right, Though the stories told of the defeat of all those villains they never once spoke of the countless lives that were lost in those conflicts.

"War brings sacrifice Twilight. Some we are willing to make and some we are not but the real trial is being prepared to make those sacrifices."

Next Day

That morning, as the sun rose. The Iron Wolves were assembled at the town gates with Princess Twilight and her friends leading the way in order to give morale support.

"Princess. We await your orders." Flash declared as he saluted her. When Twilight turned to see the soldiers she began to worry knowing that most would never return home alive.

"How about a speech? That's what's supposed to happen in scenes like this right?" Rainbow Dash suggested to her friend yet the princess could not find the words to speak when Valiant rode up on Fenrir.

"Allow me." He offered with a smile.

"Men! As you all are aware, The minotaurs have brought themselves into this fight. Yesterdays raid was no coincidence! These brutes are under the employ of the tyrant; King Dain Stone Hoof!!!"

The men shouted in outrage before allowing their leader to continue his speech.

"As we speak! these savages now lay siege to the city of Griffonstone, the crown jewel of the griffon kingdom! and they are lead by an enemy we have faced before and I'm sure you all remember his name. Grimgore Ironhide! But I see this as an opportunity."

The troops began to mumble among themselves while Twilight and the others watched in confusion.

"Long ago the first emperor of Equestria fought against both foes and triumphed over them. Now the time has come for us to fulfill his legacy! We will become part of the legend! WE WILL WIPE THESE SAVAGE FROM OUR HOMELAND!!"

Slowly the men broke out in a mighty roar with the sound of their weapons rumbling like thunder.

"Once that has been done our names will be remembered, our families kept safe and ALL will know who it was that faced the darkness when all others would run! For Equestria! For The Empire!! FOR SIGMAR!!" Valiant raised Blood Bringer high into the air with his soldiers shouting louder than ever as they marched out the gates, the town seeing them off.

"Not a bad speech there wolf boy." Emelyn praised her husband as he grinned with some of the soldiers chuckling.

When the sun had reached high noon, the road in which the army traveled came into a dense forest known as "Hollow Shades" which gave off an almost spooky presence had it not been for Applejack telling them that they were safe so long as they stuck to the road. For a while things seemed calm when the soldiers heard the sound of a child screaming. A scout came riding down the road.

"SIR!! A merchant caravan is up ahead and they're under attack!!"

"Minotaurs. Three of you with me and Emelyn! the rest of you stay here and wait for my command!" The small group rode towards the caravan where the minotaurs began to trash the cargo and among the wreckage was a frightened filly trying to wake her parents.

"Mama! Papa! Please get up!" The crying foal begged when one of the brutes grabbed her from behind. Emelyn was first on the scene with Valiant close behind her.

"UNHAND HER YOU SAVAGE!!" She swung at the minotaur with her staff while Valiant snatched the filly away before giving the signal to attack. Despite their immense size, the minotaurs were no match for the speed of the wolf riders and were instantly cut down to the last man. The filly clinged to Valiants chest as she cried out from the horrible experience while he did his best to comfort her.

"Shhh it's alright now little one. You're safe." Valiant spoke gently to the child while hiding his now blood stained sword as he looked at the wreckage of the caravan.

"Sir. I'm afraid this girls parents are...." The soldier hesitated knowing the news would break the child's heart

"I see. Give them a proper burial, salvage what you can from the cargo and burn the rest."

"Yes sir!"

A short while after, the army was on the move once again with a new passenger who was now resting in the supply wagon with Emelyn watching over her. The poor filly had finally settled down after crying for some time while Emelyn wrapped her in a blanket.

"There there, you're safe now." Emelyn looked at the child with a warm smile as she snuggled her close.

"Do you have a name?"

"C...Claire." The filly answered nervously.

"Claire. What a pretty name! I'm Emelyn." The filly saw the friendly smile on the mare comforting her and snuggled up when she saw Valiant riding up to the wagon.

"How's our little passenger?"

"Her name is Claire, Claire this is my husband Valiant and our furry friend there is Fenrir."

"Hello!" The little filly seemed unafraid as she leaned over the pet the large wolf who responded with a gentle lick to her face, making her laugh.

"He likes you. Don't worry Claire, you'll be safe with us." Valiant assured her before riding on ahead to speak with Twilight and the others who had spotted Griffon Gorge; The passage leading to Griffonstone but something was amiss.

A company of Griffons had engaged a large number of minotaurs trying to enter the gorge. The griffons were able to withstand the assault but with so many troops against them it was only a matter of time before they were overrun.

"Flash! lead the first and second squad to the left while I take the cavalry to the right! the rest of you will charge down the middle and catch em in a kill box! fifty men will stay with the supply wagons!"

"Understood! First and second squad! with me!!" Flash took to the sky as his troops began to circle the enemy from the left while Valiant and the wolf riders moved in from the right. The rest of the troops prepared to charge while back in the wagon Claire could hear the fighting going on and was starting to grow scared.

"Shh it's alright." Emelyn said gently as she held her close. Twilight was with the remaining soldiers with her friends by her side who seemed eager to get into the fight.

"It's alright sugarcube you don't have to come."

"No Applejack. I won't stand by and watch my friends put themselves in danger!" Twilight argued when the horn call was sounded. The lieutenant leading the division signaled the charge and the battle was in full swing.

All around her, Twilight could see and hear the cries of death filling the air from both enemy and ally alike yet her friends seemed unphased and kept fighting on.

"HA HAA! ya see that?" Rainbow was showing off her new sword skills when a minotuar was impaled by Rarity's sabre.

"Focus darling, this IS a battle!" The unicorn mare lectured her friend while Spike roasted a few with his dragon breath, giving a bellowing roar that seemed to rally the troops. As the fighting went on, Twilight seemed invisible to the other soldiers when she noticed a large minotaur heavily armored and facing Flash Sentry in a one on one duel.

"RRRHYA!!!" Flashes speed gave him the upper hand in this fight but with his opponent wearing thick plates of armor from head to toe he could barely get a hit in and tried to go for the joints where the armor was weak. The minotaur however carried a ginormous shield that blocked each and every blow that came at him.

"Damn! that armor is too strong!" Flash grunted in frustration, having failed to injure his opponent at least once. The minotaur began his assault with a sword that looked like an over sized butcher knife that nearly cleaved flash in two.

"RARGH!! AAH!!"

BANG!! BANG!!

The brute banged his shield, daring Flash to come at him again and come at him he did with a lightning fast thrust of his spear. At that moment the pegasus thought he had him for sure until the large brute quickly stepped to the side and slammed him down with the shield, breaking both wings. As he prepared to deliver the final blow, Twilights body suddenly froze up, her heart began to beat rapidly.

"No..." Twilight whispered in her head as Flash groaned in pain unaware of the large blade preparing to descend on him. Dragon Tooth; Twilights sword began to shine as the princess suddenly took off like a shot and deflected the blade with great strength.

"NOOOOO!!!!"

"Twilight?!?" Pinkie stared in amazement as the princess began forcing back the minotaur while a few soldiers carried Flash off the field. Twilight began darting around her opponent, chipping his armor off piece by piece as though it were made of paper.

"WAAGH!!" The brute roared with his eyes now ablazed with anger as the princess slowly descended back to the ground with her sword at the ready.

"Y'all are seein this right?" Applejack asked, wondering if this was all a big dream.

"I'm seeing it but...I can hardly believe it!!" Spike answered as Twilight went on the attack again. Her strikes were so lightning fast and precise that it almost seemed like the blade was invisible until she had stopped and began to focus her magic into the blade just like Valiant did back in ponyville.

"Please Dragon Tooth, Lend me your power!" Twilight called upon the blade and just like Blood Bringer the runes began to shine as did the princesses eyes. It was just like the time the other princesses gave her their power, Twilight felt an almost cosmic energy flow through her body as an aura of pure light surrounded her.

"Begone! Minions of darkness!!" She shouted in an other worldly voice and with one swing of her sword the entire army was decimated, leaving only her troops spared.

As the energy began to fade, Twilight suddenly felt weak and began to fall out of the air when Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash caught her. Not wanting to waste any more time, Valiant ordered his troops to gather the wounded and immediately make their way through the pass while looking at the devastation caused by Twilight. Nothing was left of the enemy but a field of ashes.

End.

Author's Note

Sorry for the delay! But I wanted this to be good.