Ancient evils

Chapter 15: Dead on impact.

The soldiers got back to the camp, where Shining Armor and his soldiers were waiting. He was wearing his purple captain's armor, When he saw Rainbow, he lightened up a bit, and went to go speak with her.

"You're one of my sister's friends, right?" he asked.

Rainbow nodded

"Have you seen her? She's been missing for months." he said.

"No, I've been looking for her and the rest of my friends, but haven't found anything."

Shining Armor looked dissapointed, but almost as if he expected it.

So she was missing too. Rainbow had thought maybe she was in Canterlot with her family, but now she had no idea.

"Is Cadance okay?" asked Rainbow.

"She's helping her Aunt Celestia the best she can with her royal duties." said Armor

Shield had to discuss plans with Armor, so this was as far as she got talking to him. It was still good to see a familiar face, even if it wasn't one she was looking for. They seemed to be like old friends, Shield and Armor. They talked very informally, like two young colts. This was very different compared to Shield's usual toughness and serious look. Then came business. The two of them instantly became serious,  and talked about the upcoming battle as formally as if they had never met. They both gave a salute, then walked towards their respective armies. Shield spoke to the his forces about what was going to go down. Armor did something similar, but Rainbow couldn't hear it.

"We're going to be storming the city from the industrial area. We'll do little damage to non-military residents, while being able to crush the soldiers. We have superior equipment, so we should be able to take them down. Armor and his soldiers are entering through the agricultural district. They think they reach the palace before us, and I want to prove him wrong." A grin appeared on Shield's face when he said that. "So let's get moving!" he exclaimed.

The unicorns all cast spell which allowed them to walk on clouds. Next, the pegasi lifted the unicorns, while the unicorns used levitation spells to make themselves lighter. The pegasi dropped the unicorns on the edge of the clouds. Next the pegasi had to lift the earth ponies, but the unicorns could cast spells on them from up on the clouds that made them lighter. The team of pegasi and unicorns lifted the earth ponies quite quickly, and the pegasi dropped the earth ponies next to the unicorns. Shield was being carried by a large yellow pegasus, and he was dropped at the front of the group. Rainbow and the other pegasi then landed wherever they could fit in in the crowd.

"We aren't close enough to the city to be noticed yet," said  Shield  "but i'm sure some scouts will find us. There's no use in trying to be stealthy while they have fliers surrounding the city, so we're going to have to charge the industries straight on."

They readied blades, and charged into the first factory. The few weather workers inside ran, and Shield gave a signal not to attack. They were innocent workers, the soldiers were who they were after.

"Cowards!" yelled a Cloudsdale guard. "You will stand and fight for Cloudsdale, or die a pitiful death!"

The workers tried to run, but more guards poured in, and began to slaughter their own workers. They were quickly killed, as there were very few, with no fighting experience.

"Such is the fate of a coward." said the guard who killed the last one.

On the outside, New Cloudsdale looked like a ragtag bunch of raiders, but now that they had seen the inside of the city, it was actually a large police state. Guards instilled fear by murdering any who opposed their will. The alliance unicorns blasted the guards with stun spells, which stunned them long enough for the pegasi and earth ponies the get the first attack, taking down quite a few guards. One of the hit a button on the wall, which sounded an alarm through the city. A cannon fired, and the windows of the factory were shattered by a cannonball, which hit a few alliance soldiers. This also allowed more pegasi to come flying in through the windows, surrounding the soldiers.

"We just need to break through one side." thought Rainbow. She looked around, and saw the south door was the least defended. She began to fly to the north, and the guards prepared to attack. She then quickly whipped around and flew south, and knocked back the guards. Shield saw what she was doing, and ordered his ponies to charge that door. As the guards on that side were getting up, they were taken down by soldiers. Now the alliance could force their enemies to all come from one direction. The guards charged, and their blades clashed against those of the front line. Shield took out one of the chargers, then managed to break the charge, getting inside and taking out guards. Alliance soldiers flooded in the gap in the line, and slashed down the lesser trained and poorly equipped cloudsdale soldiers. A pegasus in white armor came flying in through the windows. This armor was quite different, and covered him entirely. The only parts that were exposed were his wings and his eyes, and even the eyes had goggles to protect them. He flew slowly over the line, with no readable expression under his helmet. The unicorns fired spells at him, some stun, some knockback. neither seemed to harm him that much, but he was taken back. Rainbow charged at him, and he parried the blow, followed by a jab of his own, which sunk into Rainbow's flank. He was moving with incredible speed, and knocked her back down to the floor with his hooves. The Cloudsdale guards were being routed by the alliance, but were also dealing casualties to the alliance, if much less. The white-armored pegasus swopped down, and with two blades stabbed two different alliance ponies, and flew them to the ceiling, where he let them drop. They fell to the floor with a thud, dead on impact. Rainbow figured some fancy flying would be needed to take him out. There wasn't enough space in the factory, so she gestured him outside. He followed her, if only to humor her. She then bolted into the sky. He could actually fly quite quickly in his armor, and flew upward to catch her, but was slightly slower. She flew downwards, and spiraled around him, slashing his wings on the way down. This slowed him quite a bit. Rainbow then flew back up,but was caught as she flew by the white armored stallion's blade.She continued upwards, but the blade left a large cut across her chest. She prepared both of her blades, flew upwards at max speed, then quickly descended, breaking the sound barrier and creating a sonic rainboom. At such high speeds her blades tore through his armor, sparking the whole way down, revealing his grey skin. This skins was quickly torn by her blades, however. He cried out in pain, and fell down to the ground. Rainbow caught up to him, and slashed both of his wings, which were severed. He crashed to the ground, and Rainbow began to slow down, hovering to the ground. The alliance soldiers had finished off the guards, and shield cam rushing out towards Rainbow.

"Are you alright?" asked Shield.

"I'm fine." she replied. "You should see the other guy." she said jokingly.

Shield hadn't even bothered to look until now. The pegasus was alive and awake, but bleeding out.

"Just kill me and get it over with!" yelled the pegasus. "I'm not useful for anything anymore."

He was talking in between loud breaths, as he found it hard to breathe. Rainbow looked to Shield, who simply nodded. Rainbow removed his helmet, making it easier for him to breathe. His white mane spilled out of the helmet. Shield drove his blade into the pegasus's heart, quickly killing him. The alliance soldiers gave a moment of silence for the fallen. Then the ponies moved into the heart of Cloudsdale.