I sighed, my breath misted out in front of me in a thick cloud. My flank and back were cold- well colder. Ice didn’t make a good seat. I leaned against the trench wall. The full-body barding I was wearing wasn’t that comfortable, but it did its job. My wings however, felt very uncomfortable inside the sheaths of the wing-blades, and my back ached from my battle-saddle. Why was I still carrying this thing? I didn’t have much ammo left in my flashlight anyway. It’d be easier to go into melee. If only they weren’t so far away, hiding in the pass like the cowards they were.
It had been quiet for days. The caribou were planning something. I could feel it. I got to my hooves, my hoof-claws clicking against the snow covered ice which served as the ground. I turned, took a breath and risked popping my head over the top of the trench.
The blasted-to-Tartarus, as well as frozen, No-Stallion’s-Land greeted me. Beyond that, in the distance, was the trench lines of the caribou The trenches were covered in a gray foggy haze that obscured line of sight. I didn’t like the sickening green glow that was coming off their lines. Made me feel uncomfortable, like something was crawling beneath my skin. Beyond their trenches was the Northern Crystal Mountains and beyond that, the Great Frozen North, home to the Caribou. Ugh, the sooner we get the order to march into that Tartarus-hole, the better. It beats all the waiting that we’ve been doing.
Days without combat made me jittery. Made me want to hit something. I snorted, sliding back down to the trench floor. Bastards didn’t even fight in melee. They let their grotesque summoned creatures do it for them.
“Luna, my Moon, protect me in the darkness. Let my dreams be peaceful. Dragon, Red Victory, let us not fall to our enemies this day. Give me the strength to slay those who oppose us. Pale King, Gravelord, if I should die this day, lead me to the fields of Elysium.” The muffled voice of my trench companion made me glance to my left. The lanky Pegasus stallion was sitting on his flank with his head bowed.
“I never took you for a stallion of faith Zephyr.” I chuckled.
“I’ve just got a bad feeling about today.” The stallion rose to his hooves and trotted over to peak over the top. “Shit! INCOMING!”
I snapped over the the wall and peeked over the top as well. Something was coming out of the mist. Shit! I knew they were trying something!
I heard our lines explode into action as I mentally activated the battle-saddle. I heard it’s dull thrum as it woke up. The joints whirred as the armature moved the weapon to follow my line of sight. A red reticle appeared in my vision. I narrowed my eyes to see if I could get a better view of what was coming out of the haze this time. What I saw made my sphincter clench instinctively.
Horrific bipedal creatures with slimy yellow skin strode forwards from the Caribou lines. Numerous tentacles protruded from their bodies at odd angles and amidst the lashing limbs were heads with bulging eyes like fish and mouths filled with razor sharp teeth. Long tongues snapped in and out of their jaws like some kind of demented snake. The legs of the numerous horrors appeared double-jointed and malformed, giving their strides an uneven gait.
I heard somepony’s hooves slam into the wall next to me. I tore my eyes away from the monstrosities to see our sergeant and commissar. Clad in his black coat and red officer’s hat, Commissar Blueblood hit the wall hard and pulled himself over it, unafraid of whatever those things were. “Right! These Caribou scum have summoned more fodder for us!” His bright blue magic erupted around his horn as he pulled out his sword. The blade ignited in blue flames when he did. “Let us show them the folly of relying on such vile creatures! Send them back to whatever Hell spawned them! Open Fire!”
I smirked as I sighted one of the monstrosities. Our whole line lit up as bolts of angry red light lanced into the oncoming beasts. Tentacles were severed and holes were blasted into their yellow flesh. Yet still they came. The wounds we dealt healed, holes closed and tentacles burst forth from stumps in a welter of grotesque unnatural liquid.
“It seems that guns are ineffective!” Blueblood grinned madly. “All the better! Show them the might of Equestria! Guard, Charge!”
The commissar rushed forward. Taking a half-moment to breathe, I pulled myself over the top and charged. My wings extended as the trenches disgorged our forces. My pulse pounded in my ears as I rushed forward. The sounds of war cries and thundering hooves echoed across the battlefield.
The Caribou were ready for us. They’d planned for our inevitable response. Lances of sickening green light spewed from their lines. I watched as dozens of our soldiers fell, their limbs blasted clean off, and holes burned through their hides.
Still I charged on undaunted. Every fallen soldier spurred me on. They shall feel the wrath of the 1st Elysian Guard!
My anger fixated on the monstrosity now only meer meters away. One of its’ tentacles lashed at me and I sliced it off with a flick of a wing-blade. Two more burst forth from the stump in a welter of mucus. I kept my wings moving, slicing at the nearby tentacles as I charged towards its legs.
Before I could get to them, something grabbed me. I was lifted into the air as I felt whatever it was squeeze. I felt ribs break. I screamed out silently as I felt the battle-saddle get torn from my barding. I coughed up blood as the beast lifted me towards its’ head. I smell its’ foul breath but couldn’t gag. It’s unnatural, bloodshot, orange eyes were filled with madness. Its’ mouth opened and was filled with teeth. A long pink tongue lashed out and licked my face, almost in anticipation.
I struggled. I would not die here! Die to a monster like this! I managed to get a wing free. I sliced off the beast’s tongue. It took exception to that as it shrieked in pain and lashed a tentacle around my wing. With a brief wrenching agony followed by a cold numbness, it tore my wing off in a spray of blood.
It..... it took my wing.....
It
Took...
My....
WING!
I roared and somehow managed to rip tentacle that was holding me apart. I smashed into the ground, snorting steam. I charged at the monstrosity, leaping at its’ gut. With a feral cry of pain and rage, I hit its’ stomach and began digging into it like I was some sort of groundhog. It shrieked in agony, causing me to grin. Yellow bile and green blood spilled forth as I hit the organs proper. I felt my barding begin to melt as its internal acids began to eat away at them.
It was for not. A tentacle lashed around my leg and yanked me out of it’s stomach. Then suddenly I was flying. I hit the snow and skipped along the ground a few times before slamming into something spine first. My head exploded with stars. Everything felt fuzzy. Slowly, with blurred vision I looked to see the damage I’d dealt. My heart sank. The monstrosity was regenerating. Organs pulled themselves back into its’ stomach as it locked its’ eyes onto me and slowly began to advance.
A shadow fell over the battlefield and I felt everything grow that much colder. I was going to die. But I was going to die standing! I forced myself to my hooves. I shook. I couldn’t tell if it was the cold or the damage. I couldn’t feel much of anything anyway.
I heard a deep rumbling noise from above and there was an explosion of snow in front of me. When my vision cleared a giant stood before me. Clad in blue-gray metal, he towered over me. The jump pack on his back thrummed loudly. His right arm was a massive fist that crackled with energy and was engulfed in blue flames. Gripped in his left gauntlet was a massive hammer, the head crackled with the same energy and flames.
“Back to the Hell that spawned you Daemon!” The Marine’s deep distorted voice shook the ground. I saw him rush forward. Then everything became fuzzy. I saw vague silhouettes. Flashes of light. Unnatural shrieks. The monster’s death screams sounded muffled.
In what felt like moments I heard heavy hoof falls. My vision managed to focus as the Marine knelt before me. His head was uncovered. The massive minotaur’s crackling eyes of blue fire looked down at me with something resembling pride. “Fear not Guards-stallion. You are going to be alright.”
“Who.... Who are you?” I managed weakly in a voice little more than a whisper.
“I am Smashfucker Prime, Brother-Captain of the Revenants First Company.” Prime rumbled. I felt myself get lifted off of the ground. “How old are you?”
I would have laughed if I had the energy to do so.
“J-just t-turned t-twenty S-sir.” Weird I couldn’t get my voice to work right.
“Good, Good... You will be a fine addition.... What is your name, Guard?”
Everything was cold.
“F-..... Flash....... Flash S-Sentry.....”
“Well Flash Sentry..... It is your lucky day. You have impressed me young colt.”
Everything was gray.
“B-but...... I-I’m dying...... s-sir.....”
I was so tired.
“Oh Flash, When has death ever stopped anyone?”
