The pointlessness of recording this mounts, as I know I have little time to waste writing down my story.

Today, the entirety of Equus fell to its knees from the Stygian horde of the changeling queen. The war had raged for years, drying up resources, money, and trade routes. These hard years left many orchards barren and many countrysides bloodied. Finally, after over ten years of these hard wars, a plague struck, causing both sides to weaken. The armies of the diarchs were weakened more than the queen's, so that many trade routes were quickly cut, and many forts' forces routed.

When the time came, Canterlot sallied out a force of one hundred thousand weakened ponies, only to be easily crushed. The city's defenses held for a time, but were quickly overrun. It is now, a year later, that my tale takes place...