Gods and Kings

Blade was still in shock when he looked at the body of his befallen leader. He thought she would never fail to protect her people.

Blade had lost hope, but then princess Celestia's chest began rising and falling. She was breathing, which meant the princess was still alive, and there was still hope for Equestria.

"Princess Celestia!" Twilight Sparkle exclaimed.

Twilight and her friends rushed towards the fallen princess.

"Ha, Shining Armor's love for you is even stringer than I thought" the queen said to Cadence. "Consuming it has made me even more powerful than Celestia!"

"The Elements of Harmony" whispered the princess in pain to Twilight and her friends, "you must get to them. Use their power to defeat the queen."

The six friends nodded in agreement, tore off their dresses, and left the building. Though just as the six mares left the wedding chapel, the spell that surrounded Canterlot was broken and the changeling army drove in for an assault. Then five changelings broke in through the windows of the wedding chapel.

"Defend the princess!" Blade yelled at Buckler.

The two colts made a dash for the princess. As they did, a changeling swooped down at the princess. Before it could reach the princess though, Blade tackled the changeling to the ground, and slit its throat. Now, as the four changelings came to take revenge on their fallen comrade, Buckler and Blade were standing back to back.

"You ready?" Buckler asked.

"Yea," replied Blade.

"For Equestria!" the two colts roared in unison.

Buckler was the first to strike, cutting vertically across a changeling's chest as it dove for him. Blade finished the changeling off by stabbing it in the head as it tried to hit Buckler from behind. Then, a changeling tackled Blade to the ground. The changeling tried to bite into the white colt's neck, but he punched the changeling in the nose with his right fore-hoof. The changeling backed off of Blade, his nose bleeding. Before the changeling could strike again though, Buckler slit its throat from behind, getting blood on his armor in the process.

When Blade arose he noticed four dead changelings on the floor, the earth pony must of killed another while he was in that brawl.

"Looks like you've been busy," said Blade.

Well, between saving your ass and my own, I was pretty bored," joked Buckler.

"Smart ass," Blade said with a jovial tone. "Wait, there are four dead bodies, where's the fifth?"

"Right here," the changeling said with a hiss as it darted for Buckler.

Blade, by instinct, tackled the changeling to the ground and stabbed it in the chest.

"Guess we're even now," said Buckler with a shocked look on his face.

"Yep," Blade replied. "Let's check on the princess."

The tow colts raced towards their princess. She was seriously injured and needed medical attention.

"Princess Celestia, you need a doctor, let me-"

"No, you need to protect princess Luna" groaned princess Celestia. "Go to the royal bed chambers, they're in the north tower, and wake her up, tell her everything that has happened and protect her with your lives. That is a direct order."

The two colts nodded in agreement and raced towards the bed chambers.

* * *

When the colts arrived at the bed chambers, they were greeted by two changelings at the door to princess Luna's room. They also saw bodies of some of Luna's dead guards. Blade felt his blood boil in anger for his fallen comrades.

"You take the one on the left, I got the other" commanded Blade.

"Got it," replied Buckler.

Blade went to cut down the chest of a changeling, but missed when the changeling darted to the left.. The changeling, then ran behind Blade faster than he could track and bit into the pegasus' left hind leg. Blood poured onto the floor as the white pony cried in pain. Blade then took his sword and stabbed it through the biting changeling's head. Blood painted the floor.

Blood looked up to see the dead body of the other changeling.

"Shit, is your hoof alright?" asked Buckler with worry.

"It'll be okay," replied Blade. "I'll open the door."

The white pegasus opened the door to see the princess of the night still asleep in bed. Blade walked to her bed and tapped her gently on the head until she woke up.

"Arrrgh," groaned Luna. "Why has thou awoken me from slumber?"

"The city my princess, it i under attack by a changeling army, said Blade. "Princess Celestia is injured and we need to find a safe place for you to hold out until we can clear out all the changelings from the city."

"Where is Twilight Sparkle and her friends?" questioned Luna.

"They're off getting the Elements of Harmony," replied Buckler.

"Good," said Luna. "Now, where can I fortify?"

"I would say the armory," said Buckler, "that would be the first place I would go during any disaster."

"Agreed" added Luna.

"Then it's settled," said Blade, "to the armory."

` * * *

The Canterlot armory is west of the north tower, making the trip that of a short one for the three ponies.

"Finally," said Blade. "Buckler open the door."

Buckler opened the door to be surprised by a group of changelings.

"Ambush!" screamed Buckler.

"Unsheathe your sword," said Blade. "Princess Luna, stay back!"

Blade ran in and cut the throat of one of the changeling's by the door. Buckler followed and cut off the head of another changeling. Two the colts were now back to back, defending each other off.

A changeling dove down and made a move for Blade, but Buckler tackled it out of the air and slit its throat, killing the last changeling in the room.

"Hurry, to the bunkers," commanded Blade.

Blade, Luna, and Buckler hurried to the door of the bunker room, stepping over bodies of dead changelings. Princess Luna gauged at the site. Blade had never killed before this day, he didn't like killing, but if his country's leader was at stake, he'd do anything. The three made it to the door to the bunker room.

"Open the door" said Blade.

Buckler opened the door. Then, a changeling jumped out of the dark room, and tackled Buckler to the ground. The changeling bit into the earth ponies neck, gushing blood onto the floor.

Blade didn't hesitate. He pushed the changeling off of Buckler's body and stabbed it in the head with his sword, splattering brain matter onto the floor.

Blade then rushed over to the earth pony, and put the brown pony's head on his lap.

"Medic!" screamed Blade. "Buckler, we're going to get you help, don't die on me damn it."

"No, I have short time in this life," Buckler said in a low voice. "Please my friend, don't be sad about my death. A few weeks is okay, but not forever. I have lived a happy life, full of adventure and friends, including you. You were my comrade, squad mate. My best friend. You defended my honor at the boot camp. You even saved my life a couple of times. Though you couldn't save my life this time, don't blame yourself, because today you showed me what being a true friend really is. Defending till the very end. Not giving up. And for that, I thank you. Defend Equestria and her people for me, as my dieing wish. I'll be watching you in heaven. Good bye my comrade. My.... best.... friend."

Buckler became cold. Blade checked his pulse, he was dead.

"God damn it, no!" said Blade with tears rolling down his cheeks. "No, we were suppose to both make it out of this alive. Please Luna! Is there anything you can do?"

"No my subject, I cannot bring him back, his spirit is already gone from this world. I am truly sorry..."

"We were best friends...," Blade cried.

Suddenly, a flash of light appeared from the wedding chapel and changeling stared flying from the city. Blade looked out the window from where he was sitting and he saw no changelings in the streets. Blade then looked down at his friend.

"Well Buckler, we did it. We defended princess Luna till the end."