Prologue, Part 1: Anger shows
A pegasus clad in officer's armor was looking down at the once peaceful city of New Hoofton, his face expressing worry and suppressed anger.
"General, you can't possibly think we can hold this position" He talked to his magic powered comm device. "They outnumber us two to one. I know the importance of this city but-"
"I'm sorry Starshield, but this is no topic to discuss. You have to keep this town in our hooves. Our reinforcements can only arrive in a week time."
"Understood, sir." This time he barely held his anger inside him, shutting off the comm device.
He put a hoof up to his head, thinking about the possible ways to solve this. He was looking at the floor, his green eyes revealing exhaustion. The city was well fortified, but fighting would take a lot of casualties for both sides...
"This may be it" He thought. "They know we're dug in here good, and will avoid losing manpower here if they can."
He was amazed at his own ability to still think after 50 hours of no sleep at all.
"Sergeant Stock, tell the lieutenant that I need her here in ten minutes." The grey guardspony nodded his head and left the room, while Starshield adressed the other companion. "Sergeant major? I'll need you here too."
"What is it, sir?"
"Just another one of my brilliant ideas. And get me a coffee, please. A dead captain is no good for talking."
"Right, chief." the purple pegasus turned away. "Just make sure it's not another one of those where we end up surrounded by explosions, will you?" he added, before trotting through the door. If this was any other, regular Guard unit, he'd probably be reprimanded.
The captain wrapped his red scarf around his neck, contrasting with his white mane, azure coat and grey armor. He tried to shake off the sleep and get ready to tell his advisors about his plan. The sergeant major came back with the promised coffee and, in that certain time, the black fluid felt like a wonderful stream of good feelings and awakening. Just as he finished drinking, lieutenant Shadow Breeze came into the room.
"Good morning, captain"
"Morning, Breeze. Right, we can start now" Starshield smiled a little, before talking again. "I wanted to tell you about my plan, so you can call me insane again."
"Does it include blowing up a building we're still in?"
"Well, not this time. We all know they outnumber us. And I think I've got a solution. They will avoid high casualties, and perhaps they will agree for an alternative. Major Storm is an honorable warrior, and he values his griffons' lifes. Basically, I'm going to challenge him to a duel. If he loses, the griffons will halt their assault. If I don't make it out on my own, we'll pull back from the city. Questions?"
"You are bucking insane."
"I just love when you say that, Shade."
"You really think that he'll agree?" The grey mare didn't look convinced at all.
"I've met him before the war, he won't say no to a challenge. What troubles me more is if I can actually win."
"It's not like we have other ideas, Shadow. If we try to hold here, they'll tear us apart." The purple stallion voiced his opinion.
"Right!" Starshield decided to cut the conversation "You'll be my escort to the griffon camp. Only the three of us, we don't want the birdies to think they're under attack. Get ready to fly there in 15 minutes."
Soon after that, the captain was left alone in the observation room again. Shadow Breeze's doubts were not unwarranted; Major Storm was one of the finest griffon warriors, and Starshield knew that very well. But his pride was a double edged sword, he wouldn't decline a challenge. Starshield was an ace among the Royal Guard, and everyone under his command knew that he'd win this fight no matter what. For his kind. For Equestria.
Half an hour later, they were gliding down to the griffon camp. They were unarmed, and were allowed to see the leader. He was wearing silver armor with gold elements, similar to the Solar Guards of their own kind. Starshield explained the cause of their visit, and the major was visibly surprised. He'd rather expect them to surrender, but there was a lot of truth in the pony's words. As a griffon of honour, Storm agreed to take up the challenge. It's just a single pegasus, he thought.
Starshield woke up to the sound of rain hitting the windows. After what he went through during the last week, eight hours of sleep on an old mattress felt like a holiday spent in a luxurious hotel. He still had two hours before the duel. He got up to prepare himself a breakfast, as he heard a knock on the door. He opened the door, revealing Shadow Breeze.
"Can I come in?" There was a slight tone of distress in her voice.
"Sure, Shade. I was just making breakfast, are you hungry?"
"No, thanks. I just came to talk."
"Alright, I'm listening."
The grey mare sighed a little.
"How can you even take it all so light-hearted?"
"It's not like that" Starshield looked into her eyes. "I've thought a lot about this, and showing that I'm worried would just lower the morale for everyone. I'm not careless, don't worry."
Shadow seemed a little reassured by that, and took a seat in front of the captain.
"Are you sure you can win this?"
"I'm sure. Getting splattered all over the ground in front of everypony wouldn't help my officer's career, would it?"
She laughed, lighting up the atmosphere a bit.
"I should've known you'd say something like this. Just... don't get yourself killed. For me."
"I'll try not to." He said with a smile.
The rain was pouring outside. There was a circular area chosen for the duel already. Major Storm was already waiting with his griffon escort, two columns of griffons and ponies, ready to jump to each other's throats if any of them tried to cheat.
Starshield was waiting with his two advisors, counting the minutes left. His wet mane partially covered his left eye, seemingly not bothering the stallion. He was concentrated on his opponent, observing the way he moved.
It was time. The two officers walked up to each other, drawing their blades. A deadly dance was about to begin.
Storm came out with the first attack. Starshield parried with his own blade. He decided to take this defensively, to see what his enemy is capable of. The griffon quickly followed with a punch, which the pegasus avoided using his wings. The captain countered, his blade dodged by mere centimeters. He flew up to avoid a wide, spinning attack from the griffon, and struck his opponent as he followed into the air, grazing his shoulder. He responded with a powerful right hook, blowing the pegasus off his balance, and tried to finish it with a quick sword stab, but Starshield rolled aside, quickly going airborne again. The griffon flew up to him quicker than the captain would've expected, cutting his face as he tried to dodge again. Before Starshield could retaliate, he was thrown into the ground with a force that would've crippled any other pony. Much to the viewers' surprise, he stood up, and a perceptive observer would've seen a change in his eyes just for a few seconds. He launched into the griffon, piercing him with his sword.
"You will not take our freedom."
He fell to the ground, his blade still stuck in the griffon's lifeless body.
"CAPTAIN!" Shadow shouted.
The pegasus slowly rose from the ground, removing his weapon from the enemy's body.
"I'm fine... just a bit bruised, Shade..." said Starshield, water running down his face, washing the blood off the cut.
Prologue, Part 2: A prelude to descent
The city of Trottingham. A strategically important position, once home to twenty thousand ponies. Now, a theater of war for two armies. Taking it would mean unlocking a way straight into the griffon capital city. Before the main assault was launched, a number of infiltration teams were sent to scout out enemy positions and cripple the chain of command.
The Night Company was to be the first to land in hostile territory.
Starshield was standing right next to the door, ready to breach.
"Team two in position" a voice came out of the comm device.
"Get in on my signal. Keep it quiet." he whispered. "Three... two... one... go!"
He opened the door and went in, stepping lightly on his hooves. Sergeant major followed behind him. A griffon was looking out the window, unaware of the two pegasi. The captain gave Tempest a sign to wait, as he approached the guard. When he was right behind him, he extended his hoof blade and slit the soldier's throat.
"Sweet dreams."
The duo continued to go deeper into the building, ascending a set of stairs. There they encountered two more guards, they were probably getting close to the officer's quarters. Both ponies took up positions on the sides of the door. Starshield took out a single bit and threw it on the other side of the room. The griffons moved towards the source of the sound to investigate, and when both entered the room, the pegasi approached them without a sound. Starshield and Tempest worked in perfect synchronization, breaking the necks of both guards at the same time. They dragged the bodies aside and quickly advanced through the now empty corridor. Tempest put his ear to the door, listening closely.
"They're here." he whispered. "We're going in quiet, or we're going in hard?"
"Keep it quiet. There may still be guards on the ground floor. We don't want to cause trouble for team two."
The purple pony nodded. He opened the door slowly, looking inside.
There were three griffons, one of them bearing a lieutenant's insignia. They were leaning down on a table, studying what seemed to be a map of Seaddle. The Lunar Guards entered the room slowly, when one of the griffons turned around. Before he could let out a sound, a throwing blade pierced his throat. The other two turned back in panic, but the ponies were faster. Starshield smacked the officer's head on the table, letting out a loud thump, while Tempest stabbed the other soldier in the chest. The azure pony whispered something to the griffon lieutenant and ended his life, splattering blood over the map. A few seconds passed, the duo silently letting the adrenaline go out, when a voice came out of the radio.
"Team one, this is team two. Ground floor is clear. Orders?"
"Wait down there, we'll join you in a moment. We have half an hour till dawn, that's when our main forces strike the city."
He was just lying in the grass on a hill overlooking the town beneath. They had two more days until the company would be relocated to the frontline again, so he figured he could take some time off. He enjoyed each occasion to take the armor off. the blue stallion just staring into the sky. He was about to fade off into daydreams, when a voice coming from behind got him away from his thoughts.
"I knew I'd find you here."
He could probably recognize this voice during a Gala.
"No running away from you Shade, eh?"
"Someone has to keep an eye on you." the gray pegasus smiled at him.
"Well, I guess there's room for two in here."
The mare gently lied down beside him. The way she moved, how her black mane waved on the wind, it all made his mind drift away a little.
"I have to admit, you know where to find a nice view." she turned her head towards him. "It's beautiful here this time of the year, isn't it?"
"It is. I used to spend holidays here when I was younger."
"I'll have to come here when the war's over. Talking about that, what will you do after this ends?"
That hit him like a falling rock.
He never thought what to do when he'd come back home. Since he was eighteen, all there was for him was the military. The perspective of coming back to normal life... He just didn't know.
"I... don't really have any plans."
"Now, that is a surprise. Our great tactical genius doesn't have a plan." she had a mocking smile on her face.
"I don't want to give you that cliche stuff about a nice home and garden."
"Well, it does actually sound nice." she put her head on Starshield's shoulder. "Though, I don't think you could just spend the rest of your life like that. Not you."
"You really can read my mind, Shade. How come you're not a unicorn?"
It was already two hours into the assault. The griffons knew what was at stake, and they were fighting fiercely. The Equestrian forces were making slow, but steady progress.
Starshield's company was split into four groups, making their way deeper into the city, street by street. The group led by the captain himself just took over the Trottingham steel factory, along with a group of unicorns that were to dig in at the site, when a panicked voice came through the radio.
"This is Checkmate 7! We're taking heavy losses at the City Hall! Requesting immediate support! I repeat, requesting immediate support!"
"This is Checkmate 1, we're on our way! Hang in there!" Starshield responded. "We're moving out, GO GO GO!"
Twenty five pegasi flew into the air in one moment. The Night Company was well known for it's speed in combat, and with their friends in danger, it made them even faster. Everypony flew in a perfect formation, flying between the buildings without any room for mistakes.
The group encountered a griffon air patrol on their way, resulting in a short skirmish between the parties. The patrol was outnumbered, retreating after losing two soldiers. The pegasi platoon continued their flight to the City Hall, and saw both sides resuming engagement just as they descended.
There, Starshield saw something that almost made him fall to the ground.
A gray pegasi, lying on the floor, red spilling around her. He landed next to her, ignoring the war around him. He didn't even know when he started to cry. He embraced her, as if he hoped that the warmth would bring her life back. His consciousness started to fade away, as if something deep inside was taking over.
Tempest, along with the rest of the platoon, was trying to hold back the assaulting griffons. In a single moment, he saw Starshield fly by with the corner of his eye. The captain was moving at an insane speed, Tempest could've sworn he could hear a supersonic crack. The azure pony threw himself right into the heat of the battle. Sergeant major has seen him fighting many times before, but this was beyond anything he had seen. Each move was another attack, the pegasi striking every griffon he could reach. The captain was moving through the enemy lines like the reaper himself. What was even more shocking, he came out of it all without a single scratch.
The next thing Starshield knew, he was standing in the middle of the battlefield, his hooves covered in blood. Tears were rolling down from his eyes. He didn't remember what happened while he lost his consciousness... Only a distorted voice, one that he couldn't understand, yet it felt so familiar... Was it calling him? Everything felt so cold... And then... laughing?
"Captain?" It was Tempest calling him.
"Leave me... Just... g-go away."
