Sunrise at Moon Watch

Shining was not a happy pony. The fact that his nigh impenetrable shield was being used to flatten and crush down the undergrowth for the others to follow, was no small contributor to his bad mood. The rest was the comparison of a dung beetle's rolled ball. Big Mac gave the shield another push. Shining grumbled inside, as he ran against the front, keeping it going until the growth was too thick, or a tree trunk found itself in the path. When that happened, it took a moment or two for Mac to work his way around to the side, and shove it clear the trunk, or push hard enough to force the shield forward.

“Is it really wise to leave such an easily followed trail behind us?” Sunny asked Robert, as they watched the work.

“Normally, I would say no.” Robert admitted. “But when we free the mares, we will have a huge herd to take home, and need an easy route. I do not know if anypony will have the strength to take them straight home through teleportation. So we prepare a route.”

“Fair enough. Yet what if it attracts our enemy?” Sunny asked.

“Then we know where they are.” the big tiger shrugged, and then a thud came from up ahead.

“Stuck.” Big Mac explained unhelpfully when they inquired what happened. Shining, and his shield was jammed beneath an enormous pile of rocks. He'd rolled into a small fissure in the ground, and brought down the rocks held up by the vegetation. The three outside pushed against the shield, hooves and claws digging into the ground, but it refused to budge.

“Can you release the spell?” Sunny asked. Shining shook his head.

“No, I'm directly under the rocks.” he pointed up with a hoof.

“Spike, you hungry?” Robert asked.

“I don't eat rocks.” Spike shook his head. “I could melt them maybe, but the shield would conduct heat.”

“And pony-b-que Princess.” Robert nodded.

“I think I can get over them.” Pip said, staring at the rock pile. “Maybe I can break them free from the otherside?”

“Worth a try.” Spike said with a shrug.

“It is too dangerous.”Sunny shook his head. Pip's eyes narrowed slightly. “I do not impinge your bravery young colt. But if those who took our mares, should come upon you while you are out of our reach...”

“I'll go with him.” Spike offered. “I can watch his back.”

“Let them.” Mac said.

“Yes.” Shining agreed. “If I have to...” he didn't finish his sentence. There was no need. Spike and Pip began the climb. The slope was not too steep, but each step caused shifting in the rocks, as they rose up the incline. Finally Spike vanished over the top, and then reached a claw over to pull Pip after.

Sliding down the back side of the slide, the pair found themselves fighting the undergrowth on their own. But claws that could dig through solid rock, had no trouble at all carving through the dense brush. Pip studied the rocks. “I think I see it. We need to move that one.” he pointed. The rock was almost as large as he was. “ I need a lever..”

“Right.” Spike found a likely looking tree, and chopped it down. The branches he stripped away.

“Put the big end right here.” Pip pointed, and spike drove the stick in. “Right, stand out of the way.” Spike scrambled to the side, and Pip set himself. Muscles flexed as he strained against his impromptu lever. For a long moment, it didn't seem ready to budge, then all of a sudden it gave way. The rock shifted, hung for a moment, then rolled forward. Pip threw himself clear towards Spike, and the little dragon caught his forelegs and swung him clear. The rock slide wasn't bothered, or slowed by the underbrush, rolling forward as unstoppable as the tides. Shining let his shield fall, and he gathered with the others to watch the wall of boulders roll and crash through the forest.

“Nice job boys.” Shining grinned. “Saved me, and saved me the trouble of clearing path.”

“You needn't have bothered.” Chrysalis voice called out as she hove into view above the trees.

“Isn't she early?” Sunny asked.

“Not at all, we had a late script change..” Discord announced. “My dear Chrysalis, you've made a grave mistake.” Chrysalis laughed. “You shouldn't have taken Fluttershy.” Discord snapped his fingers. A flash of light surrounded Chrysalis. Nothing happened. “What?”

“Oh, poor Discord. I am the very embodiment of Order. Everything within my Hive operates precisely in it's place. There is no chaos in me for you to harness.” she flashed a blast of green magic at him. It skittered harmlessly off his scales. She growled.

“Such protections work both ways.” Discord offered smugly. “So I suppose I just have to stand back and watch.”

“Watch what?” Chrysalis asked, suddenly suspicious.

“This!” Mac kicked Shining's shield, sending him flying through the air, crashing into the startled changeling queen. She kept in the air if not so steadily as before, but lashed out, with a blast that knocked Shining down to the ground. She sneered at him, opened her mouth to speak, but in focusing on him, she missed the fire.

Dragon Fire has many magical properties. It can be used to send things through the mail, be controlled by mere thoughts, and it's also very good at producing lots of heat. Changeling mucous has many fine properties, such as acting as a lubricant for all manner of joints and to protect chitin from itself. And when dried it's a very tough, very hard construction material. Chrysalis mind flashed to a carnivorous mammal for a moment as her wings seized and gravity exerted itself.

The hardened mucous shattered as she crashed to the ground, and she pushed herself back to her feet. She found herself facing half the group, as Pip and Spike rushed to rouse Shining. Sunny moved left, Robert moved to the right, and Big Mac started inexorably forwards. Chrysalis smiled, and sparked magic the length of her horn. Mac threw his head side to side, struggling to fight the effects. Sunny charged, hoping to distract her. Mac's eyes opened, and saw the yellow earth pony charging at Apple Bloom. Mac charged.

Magic built. Slowly, carefully, but it did build. Twilight watched Luna's eyes carefully. The glow was slowly building. The rings only prevented them from expressing magic. Not gathering it. This was the easy part. The dangerous one came next. They approached each other slowly. If this worked, it would destroy the rings. If not? Well, it would hurt. A lot. Yet, every other plan had failed. This one would have to work. Horns touched.

Tiger met stallion in a thunderous crash of bones and muscle, as Robert threw himself against Big Mac. Sunny ducked away from the pair as they struggled, one to crush him, and one to save him. He found himself facing up against Chrysalis.

“And now the retired guard. As useless as all the others.” Chrysalis sneered. “You're barely worth my effort.” Sunny caught her across the snout with a hoof. “But I will destroy you all the same.”

“Celestia!” Sunny threw himself at her. She lowered her horn, intent on skewering him. But a rope wrapped around it, and jerked her off balance, so that Sunny landed on top of her. Chrysalis twisted her head, horn slicing through the rope. She glared down it's length where Pip was hurriedly gathering it for another loop. She twisted around, and shoved Sunny away, from where he'd begun hammering on the base of her wings. Magic flashed out at Sunny, but it slammed into a shield an instant before it hit. Shining shook his head.

“Not today.” The shield twisted, and lashed out at her. She rolled clear as a lance of energy slammed into where she'd been a moment before. All the love in the world wouldn't have saved her there, but the speed did. She smiled.

“So, more followers of useless princesses.” Sunny's face fell from where he was pushing himself up. “How pathetic are they, that they cannot even protect themselves, much less that they need rescuing.”

Robert finally got the upper paw, shifted and threw Big Mac. Chrysalis slapped him to the ground with her magic. The interaction broke her earlier spell, but she paid it no mind. Deep within, she drew on the connection to the hive, drawing on the love they'd harvested. She seemed to get bigger. The group closed in on itself. Shining started forward, but found Sunny in his path.

“I shall deliver your burnt out husks to the pitiful Princesses. That should break them at last.”

“Do not speak so of Celestia.” Sunny ordered. It was an order, there was no mistaking that tone.

“Why? Will the giant cake monster manifest and crush me with her over grown flank?” Chrysalis threw her head back and laughed. She did not see the glow. Shining did. He jabbed Robert in the ribs and pointed. The tiger nodded. Discord wrapped himself around Pip and Spike and the three vanished.

“You will NOT SPEAK of PRINCESS CELESTIA IN SUCH A MANNER.” Though his voice raised, Sunny's manner was still calm.

“And who are you who makes demands of a queen?” The changeling snarled. Robert and Shining threw themselves against a still dazed Big Mac, the three of them falling into the trench in the ground. Shining threw up the strongest shield he had.

“I am SER SUNSTRIKE. KNIGHT ERRANT OF THE ORDER OF THE UNQUENCHABLE SUN. The last living thing you will ever see.” his cutie mark flared.

The horns touched. A blinding flare of light erupted, and sheared through the rings they wore, as if they were tissue paper. It still hurt. As much as expected.

There was light. The dazzling brilliance defied any other definition. There wasn't sound as much because the sheer volume was enough to make other sound cease to be. There was heat, because light and sound and heat exist for no reason but to exist together. Minutes, hours, days seemed to tick by in the presence of that great light and heat and absence of sound. But in truth it was only a few seconds, perhaps a minute before the heat and the light died away, and sound returned, though there was no sound but that of breathing for long minutes. The shield died away, and three ponies stood up.

A mile long scar of burnt vegetation, and melted rock cut through the scrublands before them. Heat rose in waves off the rock as it began to cool, wilting trees to either side, though it seemed nothing left loose to burn had avoided being drawn in.

At the head of the scar, panting with exhaustion, stood an ash grey pony, cutie mark of a yellow sun in glory with a single flare spiraling out from it. He started to fall. Shining reached him a moment before impact.

“Easy brother. At ease.” Shining held him, watching his breathing to ensure it continued.

“Somethin'.” Mac said. Robert just nodded.