Deja Vu - A Unicorn's Story

The flames about the camp seemed to live against the night sky, lighting up the numerous posted banners depicting a severed torch, the insignia of the Broken Flame. They were within the Crystal Mountains, being directly between the Crystal Empire and Griffon territory, this land had seen much of the battle over the past few years.

After a decade long war, they had formed peace, but only under one law, that all magic was forbidden. Many groups such as this one solely hunted down the last remaining magic users in Equestria, trying to bring them to justice. There was a restless quiet, the soldiers were tense with the anticipation of the upcoming battle.

“You ready for the attack, kye?” Gedrick smirked, fiddling with his issued longbow.

“Cut the kye crap, and yeah I'm ready.” The two were standing in a makeshift watch tower. Every now and then Gedrick would eye the horizon, although it did little good, it was snowing lightly which made visibility poor. “I hate night watch, but it's likely this demon will hit us at night.” Gailic stared intently towards the west.

“Wouldn't he be coming from the north?”

“He'll probably see our flames on the way here and look for a different way to attack, we have the place surrounded so he'll look for the weakest point in our defense and try to just push through.”

“Ye think so eh?”

“It's what I would do, even so he's going to have a hell of a time getting through this, this has to be nearly a battalion of troops.” Gailic peered briefly back across the fortifications.

“Yep, I told you, and we got two commanders here.”

“Any idea why here? I can't see anything special about this area.”

“Well, the commanders have been keeping it quiet, but rumors say it's a ritual ground of some sort. Probably the sort that the demon needs to make some evil ritual.”

“ I wonder what it does.” Gailic scratched his bald head thoughtfully. “Probably summons more demons, or possibly empowers him somehow.”

“Prolly both, kye.” Gedrick fished at his bill with a talon, his bow leaning against the side of the tower.

“Just keep watching that horizon if we're lucky we'll see him coming.”

“Darn right we'd be lucky, ky-”

“Stop saying kye!” An explosion rocked the side of the watch tower, sending the two sprawling to the floor. Gedrick was the first to his claws, making his way quickly to the window that faced back across the camp. Alarm horns sounded off in all corners of the camp, it had begun.

“He's out there.” Gailic pointed south of the camp, cut out against the night sky against the sea of tundra they could see a flame wrapped silhouette overlooking their camp. “ Something's not right.” The seasoned warrior stared south of the camp at their attacker intently, a look of concern growing on his face. “ This demon has always used ambushes, guerrilla tactics. He would never take a fight in the open field unless...” He spun around, quickly slinging up his bow before beginning to descend the ladder out of the watch tower.

“What's going on, Gale?” Gedrick followed suit, quickly collecting his effects as he tailed his comrade.

“It's a damn trap, and they're headed straight into it.”

“So where are we going?” Gailic dropped down the last few feet of the ladder, looking back at the portal they were entrenched around.

“ To stop the actual attack.”