The war

Now it was just the three Princesses. Unless you count Flurry. The war has hurt so many ponies. Twilight's friends wanted to fight back, and they did, bravely. But has been weeks since we have been able to reach them. Shining armor is heart broke. He barely spoke when he found out he just stared at the wall for hours. And his wife, she was with fluttershy the day we lost contact. We have been looking for so long, but nothing. He doesn't say anything anymore, he just stares around just trying to breath. We have people helping him with Flurry but she misses her mother, and her father at that rate.

Right now it was time for me to do my checks. So I rose from bed and began put on my armor. I picked up a key attached to a necklace and placed it on me. This key could be the only thing between those traitors and the other two Princesses. I didn't care what happened to me i would let nopony get this. I picked up my spear as I watched the purple feather I had tied to it hang from it's small string. I tried to wash out the dark red in it, but you could still see the stain. A knock at the door took my focus off of it.

"Crystal, you ready for rounds?" I heard as my door began to open. In walked a very large stallion who had a long scar across his back. His voice was deep, just like his dark brown eyes. His once golden hair was now a dark brown. With his coat growing a lighter color of blue each day.

"Hey Daniel, yeah I am ready. I answered as I made my way out. I closed my door as i walked out of the once beautiful castle. I made my way into the garden and we began to weave in and out of the maze like structure it had become. With everypony scared it had no one to tend to it, so it has long overgrown. The castle rooms were stuffed to the brim with ponies that were lucky enough to make it to us. The rooms were so full we had to set up camps everywhere, tried to spread them out. But No one was thinking about the enemies attacking them. This castle is the only place that has yet to see the outside enemy. Me, I see them everyday, wandering the city of canterlot, or what is left of it. Someponies were just too stubborn to leave their homes in canterlot. Or other places for that matter. I heard that the apple family in Applelosa finally had to leave after ponies with large tanks and guns invaded. They ran to somewhere they thought was safe, only to be greeted with more tanks. We lost contact after that. Applejack was heartbroke. That was after all her farm they fled too. Her little sister was supposed to be there.

Me and Daniel made Our way out into the city of canterlot to see if we could find anymore survivors. Every now and then we find somepony clinging to life. We bring them back to the castle and try to help them. Most of them make it. But it is never a guarantee. I seen enough now that I gave up crying over the dead. The dead are someplace better than us clinging onto life. Last time i cried was when I was comforting Shining armor after his wife disappeared. See the thing is I am still looking for her, her body was not found at the camp. I actually only found very few bodies, and those belonged to the guards that were there.

We walked down main street, we were completely silent when we heard it. A blood curdling scream came from just the street over. Me and Daniel exchanged glances as we took off running. I preferred a spear over a cannon gun. So when we rounded the corner we saw a young colt being held down, as two stallions stood over him. My spear moved fast as it went after the first stallion who tried to block it from him pushing it to the side only for it to go straight to his partner. I watched as it went straight down the stallion throat. I pulled it from the stallion and stood my ground as I waited for the stallion to make up his mind. Not that he much time to act out his attack. Daniel did prefer a gun, and with a loud bang, a small hole appeared in his head.

I looked over toward the colt they were attacking. WHo seemed utterly terrified. He tried to crawl away as i lit up my horn and picked him up.

"It is ok little colt." I said trying to give him some comfort. He struggled in my magic as he realized he wasn't getting away he began to cry.

"Hey it will be ok, we don't want to hurt you. Do you have parents? Or know where you are?" I placed the colt onto my back as he cried and nodded.

"T-they have my daddy." He cried as he rested on my back. I looked over to Daniel who looked shocked.

"Who does?"

"The bad ponies with the guns, like his." He said as he shivered pointing to Daniel. Daniel looked down and placed the gun into his saddle bag. He had gotten the gun off of one of the stallions that had attacked his family. He used it as a form a revenge I suppose, said he wanted them to die at their own handy work.

"He won't hurt you buddy. Do you know where these bad ponies are?" I asked trying to make sure i didn't drop the little guy with all his moving. Everypony that we had picked up that had family taken knew where they went. That they had gotten out of their homes as their family was dragged off. Some tried to follow them to where their family were taken, but none made it back from there.

Though this boy, he was different he nodded his head. I looked back at Daniel who decided at that point that he need to keep a hold on his gun. This colt wouldn't be the first enemy trying to get into the castle.

"They had me too. But my daddy help me escape." I looked toward Daniel as I kneeled down and placed him onto the ground. I wanted to look at him, "Where are these ponies?" I asked him sternly. I didn't want to bring him back to the castle at this point. Not knowing that he could easily betray us all. Though these ponies haven't used a young colt to attack us before, I had seen enough not to doubt them.

The colt lifted his hoof and pointed east. "The train station, or that building that is beside it anyways." He said as his tears began to fade. I looked over to Daniel. As I got up and pulled him aside.

"I don't want him at the castle, not yet anyways. I want to take a group and go over to this place and see if it is true. i need to be sure it is not a trick." I said as Daniel nodded not taking his eyes off the colt.

"I can't take him to my old house. Watch him there until you are sure." He said as he looked off towards his old home. I nodded and we went back over to the colt.

"Ok buddy, you said your dad was at that camp right? Did you see anypony else?" The colt looked up as he tried not to cry again.

"The nice lady. I forget her name, they bad ponies hurt her and her friends. But she was still really nice to me. They lots of ponies there. But she is a nice one."

"Can you tell me what this pony looked like?"

He stared at the ground for a second, as he tried to remember. "She is yellow, with long pink hair. They have her wings tied up, and hurt her cutie mark, I can't see that anymore."

I looked at Daniel. "Was one of her friends pink? And tall? Did she have a wing and horn like Celestia?" I asked as he looked up at me.

He nodded. "How did you know that?"

"Daniel is going to watch after you for a bit while we go get your daddy and the other ponies ok. I need you to listen to every word he says." I said in a hurry as i took off running for the castle. If she was there they would be careful, with this colt getting out they may try to move them. We needed to go now! I ran as hard as i could till i reached the gates. I ran past the guards without a word, and went straight for the Throne Room. I pulled my key from my neck and rushed in. I saw Celestia and Luna sitting on their thrones looking down at Shining who was silently standing over Flurry. Celestia looked my way.

"Crystal Shield, nice to see your face today." She said as she walked off her throne and came at me for a hug.

"I wish i had time to mingle princess. We found a young boy this morning, he had escaped one of their camps."

Celestia looked at me with hope, "My little pony, did he say were it was?"

"Yes, in a building right by the train station. And princess I think they have Cadance there."

Shining armor looked up and began to walk over to me. For a man that was once my captain he was a mess now. But he heard one word of what I just said. That these ponies had Cadance. "Take me." He said. Two simple words, yet the only words that he has spoke in weeks.

Celestia stared at him, and then looked back at me. "Crystal my dear, what do you need we will do everything i can to provide it."

"I need one dozen stallions. And if Shining wants to come he can, I won't say no to help from a good fighter like himself. I believe the other elements are there, well the ponies that wield them at the least. I have no guarantee, I am running off the word of an unknown colt that is scared. But I have a good feeling about this."

Celestia nodded, take your men, try to leave at least three for protecting the castle. But all the others I will gladly loan to you. Oh by the way where is this colt?"

"All though his story seems real;y enough I didn't want to chance him in the castle until I knew. Daniel has his at a safe point in the town, he is watching after him till somepony comes for them."

Celstia nodded and gave me a hug, "you best get going love. We don't want our little "friends" leaving with our dear princess."

I nodded. and motioned for Shining to follow me. Once the door closed behind us I stopped him.

"Look Shining, i know you miss her, but i need you to trust me, I am gonna get your wife, but I am not going to lose you. That baby in there has been through enough and i refuse to make her fatherless. You follow my lead on this one."

He nodded and we made our way down the hall. I grab my dozen ponies and we took off. We ran down the street as we were about a block from the train station i stopped us and we made our way into one of the buildings. I grabbed my binoculars and looked around. There was a tall warehouse next to the train station. Used for exporting goods for other cities.Outside the building there was half a dozen guards. Seems this place was legit.

"Ok, anypony know where Daniel used to live?" I said as i looked at my small team. A mare raised her hoof. "Good go there, Daniel is waiting, he has a colt with him that is hurt and could use help. Do not let this colt near the throne room, but it is time we got him some help."

I laid out a plan as we begun to put it into action, I looked at Shining once more. "I know she is your wife, but follow the plan, she will get out. We don't want any casualties today."

He nodded as he followed a part of the team to one of the nearby buildings and wait for my signal. I made my way and straight for the warehouse. Time to end this battle.

I waited in the pushes and watched the guards for a small window. I only need one chance. And I saw it, a guard exchange. i made my way straight for them. I pulled my spear and stuck it through two ponies. I then pulled it back and ran for another. A gun went off and barely grazed my ear. It hurt like hello, but I didn't care. Stick to the plan. That was the signal. and my team ran from their cover and began attacking. Shining alone i saw kill four stallions. I made a dart inside and got a quick look. What I saw scared the daylights out of me.

Ponies tied up everywhere. male and female tied to the ground. As other stallion mounted them. If Cadance was her, she wasn't going to be in good shape. Every eye on me now as the stallions in the room went to grab their weapons and head straight for me. I had probably fifty stallions coming right for me. But I only need one window, I ran and started stabbing them with my spear. I watch as each one fell, one by one. The fighting outside must have stopped cause my team made their way in to back me up. I gave them a nod and ran for the back of the warehouse, my spear flying throw ponies as i went. I looked for any sign of Cadence. Though somepony else caught my eye.

"Fluttershy." I said as i ran over to the tied up pegasus. My horn lit up and began to pull at her chains, she was crying as she saw me. Something it seemed like she did a lot of these days. "Fluttershy where is Cadence?" I asked as I freed her. She muttered something i could not hear and then pointed to the males bathroom. I nodded at her and told her to go find and free her friends. I took off towards the bathroom. I slammed the door open as I made my way in. Three stallions were inside, unknown what was going on outside, if they had any, I just caught them with their pants down.

I looked over to Cadence who eyes lit up on seeing me. She was covered in their white cum, as bruised beyond anything i had seen yet. her wings looked horribly damaged and her horn had some kind of magic deflector on it. I sent my spear fly as the stallions fell. I ran over toward the princess and began untying her.

"I am going to help you Cadence. It will be ok, you husband is her. He has been looking for you. I said trying to give her some comfort as I work on pulling the gag from her mouth. She broke into tears a I pulled off the deflector. I heard a click from behind me. And he eyes gave a horrified look. I didn't have time to turn before a sharp pain hit my leg. I fell to the ground trying not to scream. I lit up my horn lifting Cadence into the air. I wasn't sure of my own fate, but I knew what her was going to be.

I threw her from the room over the stallion that had shot me. stood over me as his own horn lit up. I felt my body fly off the floor as I hit the wall. I let out a rush of breath and a grunt as I landed back on the floor. His horn lit up again and pulled me along as he began to run trough the warehouse. He weaved and out of my men. I tried to cry for help but it seemed my voice never left the magical field around me. I saw Shining armor by his wife and his eye landed on me as I was dragged from the warehouse. I tried to light up my horn but it was stopped also. I looked mortified as the stallion made it out of the front door. I watched as Daniel ran into view from the street. He looked at me as I floated in this bubble in the sky.

Daniels horn lit up as he pulled his gun, just a little to slow. I heard a canon once more and watched as my best friend got pierced through the chest. He fell to the ground and rolled over coughing. I screamed, and begged him to stop. I begged for mercy on my friend. But this stallion didn't care. I saw some ponies fly from the air and come pick my captor, and myself. The bubble around myself seemed to pop as i tried to light up my horn once more. But I didn't get far as I felt a incredible pain grow in my horn. I screamed as I felt my magic leave me. And watched in terror as my horn landed on the ground below.

I saw Shining Armor emerge from the building just as I began to lose conscious.