They came for Celestia just after she had raised the sun on the fourth day. Seven ponies all bearing burdens of burnished golden metal surrounded the Solar Princess. Celestia took her eyes from the golden glowing sun, breathed a heavy sigh and nodded to the seven. With swift, practiced motions that they had never expected to use in earnest, the ponies approached her and began locking gilded metal plates around their sovereign.
One pony for each leg, one for her rear torso, and one for her front. The seventh pony worked directly under Celestia’s muzzle, securing the ancient, ornate, and heavily enspelled barding that had been created over a millenia ago to protect the Solar Diarch in the thick of any battle, be it mundane or magical. The ponies worked at their task in silence. They had no need to speak, having practiced this duty, which had been a ceremonial one honoring Equestria’s past until today. Celestia stood in silence as well, staring off into the middle distance, while her ponies garbed her in steel and sorcery.
Celestia was a large pony, so the task took more than a few minutes, but at last it was done. The Solar Alicorn shifted herself from one side to the other, settling the barding while the last pony handed Celestia her golden helmet. The helm Itself was a work of art and enchantment from a forgotten age, able to turn all but the mightiest blows and spells, particularly spells that attacked the mind. Celestia settled the helmet on her head, threading her mane through the slot meant for it, and drew her sword from its sheath, examining it for nicks or rust.
As Celestia held up the blade, it caught the golden light of the dawning sun and it seemed to turn itself into a blazing brand. Celestia gave it a few test swings as Luna approached, already garbed in her own barding consisting of interlocking plates of ebon enameled steel.
“Sister, how are you?” Luna asked, stopping some feet away from her sister, the shining blade between them.
“I’m going to kill him, Luna,” Celestia said, sheathing her blade, and the calm, matter of fact tone in Celestia’s voice sent a shiver of pure fear down Luna’s spine. “I’m going to rip out his heart with my bare hooves, just so he can see how black it is before he dies. Then I’m going to toss his body into the closest volcano just to make sure he is really, really dead this time.”
“Sister… ‘Tia, you cannot allow yourself to give in to hate,” Luna said, carefully making sure her own blade was sheathed and out of reach. “I, more than any other pony living know how dangerous, how terrible we can be if we give in, if we allow ourselves the luxury of hate and vengeance.” Luna looked down at the ground, and walked the last few steps to lay her head against her sister’s chest. “Don’t become like I was,” Luna said, very quietly.
“How are they Luna?” Celestia said, still in that same, dead calm voice. “I know you were at the hospital last night. Tell me, what is the latest update on Twilight, Cadance and the others.” Luna gulped and took a step back, looking like she wanted to throw up.
“Twilight and Cadance are both with foal,” Luna began, her teeth gritted. “It is assumed by him. Also, all of their limbs have been broken, save their left front legs. Their horns have been broken as well.”
“That bastard wanted to leave them just enough mobility so they could drag themselves around for his amusement,” Celestia growled, heat rising from her mane in a shimmer. “What of the others?”
“Shining Armor’s condition is terminal,” Luna continued, her own voice flattening. “The black crystal poisoning is slow, but sure. His descent into madness and death is only weeks away, and all we can do is to try to ease his suffering somewhat. So, with Cadance’s blessing, he intends to seek a warrior’s death this day.”
“And what of Twilight’s friends? Applejack, Fluttershy and the rest?” Celestia demanded. “The other good ponies I offered up as sacrifices to a tyrant’s greed. They went to the Crystal Empire expecting to help a friend, not to suffer at the hooves of King Sombra!”
“No pony could have known that Sombra had already returned and had captured Shining Armor and Princess Cadance when you sent Twilight and the others,” Luna said, shaking off her anger and once again trying to calm her sister. “It’s not your fault. Sister, if you truly want justice for Twilight and the others, you must control yourself.”
“I saw them just after they made it to Canterlot General, you know Luna,” Celestia said, visibly trying to bring herself under control. “I saw what he did to them. I hear what you are saying Luna, but it’s hard not to just bring down the sun itself on his head.”
“You know that would kill everypony, Sister,” Luna said, chiding her sister gently. “Twilight would not want that. Not even Pinkie Pie, who may never be able to laugh again, would want that. For all the ponies who are left, you cannot be the weapon that brings down Sombra. You must be the mind behind that blade.”
“How stands our army, Luna?” Celestia said, changing the subject a bit to help calm herself, and succeeding for the most part. “Sombra and his ally outnumber our ponies over three to one. You were always better at warfare than me, tell me, can our ponies hold back that many?”
“Hold? No, sister, they will not hold,” Luna said, and Celestia felt her heart sink, until Luna continued, “No, they shall be too busy slaughtering and reaving their way to Sombra to do something so small as holding the line of battle.”
“Are they that determined to avenge Twilight and the others?” Celestia asked, beginning to walk toward the command group, Luna falling in beside her. “Do they have that kind of strength?”
“They are like the Titans of old, ‘Tia. I was speaking with the First Ponyville Regiment and—” began Luna, before Celestia interrupted.
“Luna, how can Ponyville have an entire regiment?” Celestia asked, her rage banked somewhat by hope and now bewilderment. “The entire population of Ponyville isn’t much more than the numbers of a regiment, never mind having enough able-bodied ponies to actually man all the posts.”
“Celestia, all of Ponyville is here,” Luna said, grim faced. “If they can hold a weapon, or run messages, or carry water, they are here. And each and every one of them is utterly furious. So is every other pony with us today. They know what Sombra did to their friends and neighbors, and they want bloody hooved justice for it.”
“And they shall have it,” Celestia vowed. “This is my burden then, Luna. To keep myself in control so that we all can have our vengeance on Sombra. Where do you intend to be?”
“Big Mac and I shall be in the ranks following Shining Armor as he charges forward in the vanguard,” Luna said, and her eyes turned hungry for a moment. “We will make sure his sacrifice is not in vain.”
“Big MacIntosh?” Celestia asked, surprised. “Applejack’s brother?”
“The same,” Luna said, as they ducked into the tent to see the map spread out showing their troop dispositions. “He wanted to be at Shining Armor’s side, but I convinced him that with Applejack crippled he needs to survive this battle. Even then the best I could do was to convince him to guard my back during the fight.”
“Can you keep him alive?” Celestia asked Luna. “Granny Smith has already lost her son, and now one of her granddaughters is crippled. To lose her sole grandson as well could very well kill her.”
“Big Mac will survive this fight, sister,” Luna vowed. “Even if I have to make him my consort and bind him to my side, he shall survive this day.” A trumpet sounded nearby.
“It seems the foe is here,” Celestia said, reaching out to hug her sister. “Good luck, Luna.”
“And you, my beloved sister,” Luna said, releasing the hug and putting on her helmet before charging toward the front lines.
“Until then,” Celestia said to nopony, watching her sister leave, and she could just see the lead elements of Sombra’s army coming on to the far side of the plain as she stepped out of the tent. She and her ponies had a good defensive position, but they were heavily outnumbered by the approaching enemy. Worse, Sombra’s troops had no concept of fear or self-preservation. They would willingly throw themselves onto the points of weapons simply because their dark master ordered it.
The solar diarch felt a moment of despair as her memories showed her again the broken forms of Twilight and her friends. Sombra had calculated each of their tortures to wring the most emotional pain he could from their agonies, and he had shaped that suffering into a blade to use against Twilight Sparkle. How the mare had resisted Sombra and kept the secrets of Equestria’s defences, Celestia would never know, but Twilight had done it. More, she had gotten herself and the others out and by doing so, warned her princess and given Equestria a fighting chance.
“A chance we shall not waste,” Celestia said, her anger returning. Celestia heard the drum of her heartbeat, and unbidden words came to her mind, forming a song that said how she felt at that moment. The song rolled around in Celestia’s heart like a living thing, and she had no choice but to give voice and let loose the song, lest it burn her from the inside out.
I must contain my anger, or I won't control my power-
But gods! How long I've waited just to see this very hour!
It's just as well I'm not the one who calls the song of fire
Or I would turn this battle plain into your funeral pyre!
Luna says I must not hate--- but I will not pretend.
I saw the wreck you made of her, my student and my friend.
The scars you left in flesh and soul will be so slow to fade.
Oh, would I had your coward heart beneath my naked blade!
I must control my rage, or lose ability to plan,
I must direct the fight from here, not charging in the van.
As you will likewise do, no doubt, for all that you are cruel
And revel in shed blood and pain, I think you are no fool.
But in the name of all the gods, you're all that I despise,
Who planned to take by sorcery my kingdom as your prize.
My throne, my friends, my ponies. All, you plotted to despoil.
Through powers only miracles enabled us to foil.
I must control my fury or let slip all that I've sought-
But vengeance would not be enough for all the grief you've wrought.
Gods grant this day you fall beneath the steel of me and mine.
And drink full deeply of defeat, that cold and bitter wine.
My crown is on my brow, my blazing sword shining grand.
My army like an eager hound lies waiting my command.
With how you tortured, killed and lied revealed to them this day.
By all the stars that ever shone,
By all the gods, known and unknown,
For Shiny, Cadance and Twilight’s own---
I swear that you will pay!
It wasn’t until the last word passed her lips that Celestia realized that she hadn’t just been singing out loud, but that she had been using the full power of the Canterlot Voice to project her rage through her song. That isn’t what startled Celestia the most though. That was reserved for the answering growl from her ponies, and Celestia realised that Luna was right. Each and every one of them felt every ounce of the fury that coursed through Celestia at that moment, and unlike Celestia, they were going to be able to vent that fury onto the unsuspecting armies of King Sombra.
“Sombra won’t know what hit him,” Celestia murmured, a grim smile on her lips.
Five miles away, King Sombra rode on a palanquin as he watched his troops pour onto the edge of what was shortly going to be a battle plain. His lip curled in a sneer as he compared the size of the Equestrian forces to his own. Or at least, those of his own and his ally.
“Well, Queen Chrysalis, what do you think of our chances this day?” Sombra said, confidently looking over to his ally. Queen Chrysalis, unlike Sombra, had been consulting with messengers and advisors on an almost constant basis since she and Sombra had joined forces. Sombra found it mildly insulting that his ally seemed to lack confidence in him.
“They appear to be good, Sombra,” Chrysalis said, turning away from a scout who had brought her yet another report. “It does seem however, that there are quite a few more ponies than you said there would be.”
“So, there are a few more than planned for,” Sombra said dismissively. “With how I have crushed their spirits they could have twice their numbers and they would be no challenge for us.”
“Crushed their spirits, you say?” Chrysalis said, with a sidelong look at her companion. “You had mentioned before something about breaking their morale, what did you do?”
“I broke the ponies Celestia sent to usurp my kingdom,” Sombra gloated, mirth wreathing his voice. “I broke them in body and spirit, then allowed them to escape, so that they could be the heralds of how we shall bring the Sisters down. The Equestrians are no doubt shaking in terror at our approach. Their defeat is a mere matter of marching.”
“You let them—” Chrysalis broke off her reply and lifted her head, closing her eyes as she spread her empathic senses wide to take in the mood of the Equestrian forces, who could be seen deploying into a battle line. A minute later her eyes reopened and her expression was one of determination as she summoned a changeling messenger to her side. “Go to the field commanders, tell them to spread the word that it is ‘Case Thorax,’ understood?”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” the drone said. “Case Thorax. I will spread the word immediately.” The drone disappeared in a flash of green magic as he vanished in a teleport. Sombra looked over in alarm as flashes of green light appeared amongst his troops as Chrysalis’ forces began teleporting away.
“What are you playing at, Chrysalis?” Sombra demanded, sudden anger flaring in his eyes. “What is this ‘Case Thorax?’”
“One of my drones by the name of 'Thorax' predicted what you might do,” Chrysalis said, looking back at Sombra with disdain. “He also predicted how the Equestrians would react, and it seems he was accurate. To quote, ‘King Sombra runs the risk of awakening a sleeping giant and provoking her into a terrible rage.’ Which is exactly what you’ve done.”
“What do you mean?” Sombra said, leaning forward. “I have crushed their will and their resistance. Besides, together we outnumber them over three to one.”
“We could outnumber them by ten to one and it wouldn’t matter,” Chrysalis shot back, noting with satisfaction that her troops were getting clear of Sombra’s in good order. “You idiot. Don’t you realize that you haven’t broken their will at all. You’ve strengthened it and enraged them. You’ve turned what were peaceful and loving ponies into engines of rage and destruction. They have just one thought on their minds now. ‘Kill Sombra and crush anything in our way.’ I’ve already lost once to Equestria. I don’t intend to do so again.”
“You cannot do this to me!” Sombra shouted, his horn glowing with his power.
“Goodbye Sombra,” Chrysalis said simply, as she teleported away herself. Sombra growled at Chrysalis’ betrayal, but satisfied himself with overseeing his forces settling into formation.
“I will settle accounts with you later, Chrysalis,” Sombra said to himself. “I still outnumber the Sisters, and once they wear my chains, you will be next.” He looked around and saw that his forces were ready. “Prepare to attack!”
“Sire!” one of his minions said a few moments later, “The Equestrians are deploying to charge.”
“The fools,” Sombra said, gloating. “They are deliberately throwing themselves away in their despair. Chrysalis, you were a fool not to stay at my side.” The Equestrians began moving forward at a walk, as all charges do, and as they did Sombra could hear them singing. He concentrated on the song, expecting to hear something about the power of friendship, of love, or of Harmony. What he heard instead sent a chill into his black heart.
Axes flash, broadswords swing,
Shining Armour's piercing ring
Ponies run with polished shields,
Fight those bastards till they yield
Midnight Mare and Blood Red Roan,
Fight to keep this land our own
Sound the horn and call the cry,
How many of them can we make die!
Follow orders as you're told,
Make their yellow blood run cold
Fight until you die or drop,
A force like ours is hard to stop.
Close your mind to stress and pain,
Fight till you're no longer sane
Let not a one damn cur pass by,
How many of them can we make die!
Guard your mares and fillies well,
Send these bastards back to hell
We'll teach them the ways of war,
They won't come here any more
Use your shield and use your head,
Fight till all of them are DEAD
Raise the flag up to the sky,
How many of them can we make die!
Dawn has broke, the time has come,
Move your hooves to a marching drum
We'll win the war and pay the toll,
We'll fight as one in heart and soul
Midnight Mare and Blood Red Roan,
Fight to keep this land our own
Sound the horn and call the cry,
How many of them can we make Die!
Sombra’s face went pale as the Equestrians broke into a gallop, charging headlong toward his troops. Every face in that onrushing line of battle was set into a mask of fury, and as the power in the hooves of those ponies began to shake the earth beneath him, Sombra realized just how badly he’d underestimated the power of outrage.
Author's Note
So, this time I went for a two-for. The lead song is the wonderful "Battle Dawn" by Mercedes Lackey set in the "Heralds of Valdemar" book series. It is very much worth reading if you are at all into fantasy.
Battle Dawn (MLP) by Mercedes Lackey.
The second song jumped up and attacked later on while I was writing. The March of Cambreadth is a song of terrible power and vengeance, and I've always been impressed by how a song created before G4 MLP manages to distinctly refer to three separate ponies in the series itself. Call carefully on its power for I have literally seen the song turn a rabble into something that made the minions of orthodoxy falter in fear.
March of Cambreadth by Heather Alexander
