The Fall of Equestria: Familial Ties

However unbelievable it had seemed, Jericho, Pink and I were happy to be one family, Mist would be happy to find that he’s an uncle for once.

I will do everything I possibly can to keep my family alive and rejoin my brother so that one day, they will get to meet each other.

We had just finished passing through the remnants of Ponyville.

We had seen some ponies off in the distance, but we didn’t really bother going to them, our priority was the princesses, so we carried on, traveling through what remained of the small forest that was there.

Archie, followed closely by Pink and Jericho, trekked along the long trail to Canterlot, which came into sight just atop the hill they were climbing, it seemed to be… untouched, some how. “Jericho, have you seen anything like this before?”

“Canterlot is still completely intact… that’s not possible… unless they had erected a field to stop the radiation before the nukes dropped, security has been tight there though if that’s happened.”

Archie stopped suddenly when she heard a noise from the forest and some hushed voices, trying to listen to where they were.

“Raiders. We gotta go, now.” Jericho said as he picked up Pink. “Hold on tight up there.”

Pink only nodded and held on like his father was a life tether before Jericho and Archie took off in a sprint down the path, a group of raiders hot on their tails when, not to far down the road, they saw, surprisingly, a military checkpoint.

“There, if we can get to that checkpoint, we’ll be somewhat safe.” Jericho said to Archie as they ran.

“The quicker we get there, the better.” Archie replied.

Before long, the sound of rapid gunfire ripped through the air and bullets ripped past them, but nowhere near them, as the guards at the checkpoint had a mounted machine-gun picking off the raiders that persued them.

Once the gun fire stopped, the raiders had either run or been killed, as there were corpses littering the trail behind them. A guard approached the three and ushered them to a nearby camp. “What business has you all the way out here.”

“We… need to find the princesses… to make sure they were alive…” Archie panted, having gotten slightly winded from all the running.

“Do you have actionable intel on their current state of being?” The guard said.
“No sir… unfortunately we don’t, and we are… without arms at this time… we were on our way to search for them to see if they were still alive or not.” Archie replied. “But we need a place to rest, my family cannot survive another day unless you help us.”

“Yeah… we’ll help you, but we heard reports of a mass movement of undead heading this way and we can’t survive on our own, we’ll be out numbered.” The guard said as he waved to a few ponies guarding a precarious box, which caught Archie’s attention before she looked back at the guard. “You two, I’ve heard reports about you two from the princesses themselves, so they sent us these to give to you, crafted by the princess’ ancestors themselves.”

The two ponies carrying the box, obviously carrying some sort of weapons, set the crate down in front of them and opened it.

Archie couldn’t believe what she had just laid her eyes on. It was a bow… A bow only spoke of in greek legends, blessed by the alicorn ancestors, she had only heard rumors of it as a filly and in her teen years, but now… her she was, about to recieve a legendary weapon… the epirus bow… said to use the very energy around it as an arrow. “This.... This is the Epirus bow… How can this be…”

“Don’t ask, We were given strict orders to see that it got into your hands and your hands only.” The guard said. “But we will need your help if we are to make it through the night in time for reinforcements to arrive.”

“Alright… we’ll help, just make sure our son stays safe, please.” Jericho said as he helped Pink off his shoulders. “I need you to go with the soldiers okay son.”

“But daddy, I wanna stay here with you and mommy.” Pink replied.

“I know son, I know, but it’s getting dark and there’s a lot of zomponies coming and the soldiers need our help, but I need you to be kept safe and the best that can be done is to trust them to keep you as safe as possible, they’ll never leave you by your self, I promise.” Archie said looking to Pink.

“Awww… Mommy…” Pink said, but Archie gave him a look that said he shouldn’t argue. “Okay mommy, promise you’ll come and get me when it’s over?”

“I promise sweetie, I’ll come for you as soon as everything is taken care of and everypony is safe.” Archie said as she hugged the colt before he was escorted to a heavily guarded tent. “He’ll… He’ll be safe… won’t he?”

“Yes ma’am, he’ll be perfectly safe, I assure you.” The guard replied. “We’ve had many families come through here, we’ve even managed to make sure to have entertainment for the young ones in our protection so they aren’t completely intimidated or frightened or… in some cases, bored.”
“Thank you, sir.” Archie said as she looked at Jericho. “I… I know we haven’t kissed yet… but if we don’t make it… I just want you to…” she was cut off as she suddenly felt Jericho’s lips pressed to hers, her eyes wide with shock before she slowly closed her eyes and embraced him.

Jericho broke the kiss moments later, looking Archie in the eyes. “We’ll make it, I can tell you that.”
he said before the alarm suddenly went off and the shouts of “They’re coming.” and the like coming from the soldiers in the camp as Archie picked up the bow.

“Stay back and guard the tent, If I don’t make it, I want you to protect him.” Archie called to him. “And if you see my brother… tell him I’m sorry.”

“I know you’ll make it, you’re too good with a bow to die.” Jericho replied.

“I’m needed on the front line, I’ll see you after the battle.” Archie said as she headed off to join the defense.

“Be careful… I don’t want to lose you or Pink.” Jericho said as he headed over to the tent and went inside where Pink ran up to him. “Daddy, I thought you were going to go and fight the zomponies?”

“I was… but your mother made me promise to stay here and protect you until she returned.” Jericho replied, not telling him that there is a chance that she could die for fear of hurting him.

Archie had just reached the front line when she saw what they were about to face, she had already readied an arrow, but her lack of familiarity with it caused her to slip and loose the arrow accidentally, but went at the targets intended, but… it scattered, launching upward and raining down like a volley of arrows upon the enemy, taking down half of the zomponies in rapid succession before she fired another for the same effect. Shocking all of the soldiers around her and murmuring softly.

“Had I have known this was so powerful… I… I would have come here earlier.” She said as she headed back to the tent, her shocked expression on her face still as she entered, both Pink and Jericho noticing.

“What… What happened out there… Is it over already?” Jericho asked.

“Y… Y-yes… I… I don’t know how… but the power of this bow is more than we imagined… this is the bow of Epirus in all it’s glory.” Archie said as she embraced Jericho and Pink. “We may survive this apocalypse after all.”

Suddenly, a pony in an officers uniform stepped in. “Miss Arrow, a word please.” the stallion said to her as she followed him outside.

“Daddy, what’s going on?” Pink asked as he looked up at Jericho.

“I don’t know son, but I hope it’s not bad.” he replied.