Everfree Liberation Army

Canterlot

The goddess of the sun walked slowly through the castle that had been her home for more than a thousand years. The walls were brightly colored, the multiple decorations around the rooms were cheerful, the furniture was elegant and finely crafted, all of these things should have added up to a lovely atmosphere and a sense of happiness inside the large castle.

But they didn't.

If the walls were so bright, why did the Princess not smile? Why was her face a mockery of her former joyful self? Why did her thoughts torment her so horribly?

Nightmares plagued her dreams, horrors loomed around every corner, the weight of many a sleepless night showed on her eyes, weary and tired, her mind was lost in the confusion and horrors of her own actions.

And she deserved it, down to the last ounce of pain and suffering.

Or did she?

Did she truly deserve to suffer for what had become a necessity? Her sacrifice had saved so many, did it not justify what she had to do? Had the humans not forced her hoof into such horrible acts?

The Princess reached her throne room after walking slowly through the many empty hallways, two guards stood by the large doors, they opened the gates for their ruler, their kind and merciful ruler.

Rumors had begun to spread, dark rumors, spoken in whispers behind closed doors, nopony would dare speak them out loud in the broad daylight, those foolish enough would end up in the dungeon for treason against the kingdom.

Celestia trotted over to a large table beside her throne, several maps and other papers lay scattered across it.

Her sad gaze fell upon the many maps that had once been used to plan ceremonies, celebrations and royal parties across Equestria, but no more, these maps were now instruments of war, elements of strategy and cunning mental duels between generals, no more would they depict the location for a cheerful party.

Perhaps it was time for the world to burn, perhaps it had come to this because of fate or destiny. Either way, she would no longer stay idle, not while armies ravaged her land and most definitely not while the utopia she had worked so hard to build was destroyed before her very eyes.

Celestia clenched her jaw and looked down at the maps, at the instruments of war. With a swift movement of magical energy, several figurines in the form of equine infantry, pegasi, and unicorns, began to align themselves across the map.

Celestia looked at the map with a look that held no remorse, no pain and no mercy.

If it was war they wanted, it would be war she would deliver.

Fillydelphia

Sugar Cane looked out of her window, towards her childhood street. So many memories having taken place in those calm, safe streets. To see them now was terrifying.

The cream colored unicorn mare gasped as she saw the marching troops approach.

Row after row, formed in rank and file as they marched towards the western gate of the city. On their way to war.

Sugar Cane had many friends who had lost loved ones as the war raged throughout their nation, many who wanted no more than a chance at revenge. And they would have it, now that their goddess had ordered for a draft of a hundred thousand soldiers.

Manehatten had supplied the largest quantity of unicorns in recorded Equestrian history, thirty thousand mares and stallions marched out of their hometown and into the fire, into war.

From Cloudsdale a host of twenty thousand pegasi flew towards Ponyville, covering the sun and plunging the land below them into darkness. So vast were their numbers, that the ponies below them stared agape as they passed over the fields and orchards, over the tall grass and towns.

The world stood still for each and all, young or old, it did not matter. For after seeing the great cloud and hearing the thunder of fifty thousand hooves marching out of Fillydelphia, everypony knew that life as they had known it was over. It was time for brave hearts and courageous deeds. Time for blood to be shed, both friendly and hostile, in order to protect those who needed it.

Sugar Cane felt fear, but not for her. She feared for whomever had been targeted to be destroyed by such mighty army. Fear for the lands and souls of those who would provoke such wrath.

The largest army ever assembled in the history of Equestria- nay, of the world, was on the march. Their hearts of steel, their blood as cold as winter ice. Minds set in one goal, one mission. To see the end of humanity and those vile creatures that crawled from the depths of the forest, to bring their nation to their knees and see their warriors weep for honor lost.

A hundred thousand strong, an army to be reckoned with.

The marching earth ponies continued on their way to the western gate, their officers wearing the royal guard armor and the regulars a simple steel cuirass with a helm of iron. Standards bearing the symbol of the sun waving in the evening winds.

Sugar Cane closed her window and trotted inside her home. It was modest, but it was fine. Her father's last gift before he passed away had been the small apartment where she resided, and Sugar Cane held it dear to her heart.

The unicorn mare entered her kitchen and prepared herself a daisy sandwich, more to ease her nerves than to appease her hunger. The constant political wars among the nobility were preoccupying her constantly. How was a nation going to wage war when it's leaders could not agree on a single issue?

'Princess Luna isn't taking a part of this new army. Her night guards aren't officers in it and the soldiers don't have her symbol on their flags... This is weird...' Sugar Cane took a bite out of her sandwich and thought deeply of the state of events, of the war.

It was well known that Celestia had begun to fall in popularity among her subjects, being unable to protect her frontiers and keep everypony safe. Many nobles had begun to openly oppose her plans and strategies, emboldened by the fact that a certain someone had also voiced her objections.

Princess Luna had once disagreed with her sister during a public speech. The wave of commotion that followed was unlike anything the peaceful nation had ever seen.

It had been a calm sunday morning...

Princess Celestia stood in front of a multitude of her subjects, all were angry, all were afraid. It had been but a month after the massacre of the Fillydelphia fields, where a leaderless Equestrian force of four thousand earth ponies had been ambushed and destroyed, all survivors executed and displayed along the dirt roads.

Fear was thick in the air, but so was helplessness. The ponies of Equestria were terrified, numb with fright as the war turned grislier with every battle that was fought. Even their sovereign seemed shaken.

But she would not show it. She had to remain strong for her subjects, she had to be the pillar on which they leaned as the walls came crumbling down.

With an air of authority, Celestia approached the crowds.

"My little ponies, I am here to say that the situation is dire. Many have been lost in this war and many more are yet to fall should we falter. But we will not give up, and we will not surrender. I address you all here today, to announce the appliance of a mandatory draft for all large cities near enemy territory, of a number no less than ten thousand soldiers before the week's end."

Murmured whispers of approval and indignation alike rushed throughout the crowd, arguments and quarrels commenced to form as different points of view were forced into coexistence.

None wanted more to die, and there were some who thought of this draft as nothing more than forcing sheep into a slaughterhouse. But there were those who still held faith in their princess, and were willing to sacrifice more for crown and country.

Oddly enough, there was one in particular whom didn't agree, but did not voice her protests either. She sat in silence beside her sister, remaining quiet and idle, just as she had ever since her return. As she was meant to be.

"All forces will be positioned on strategic positions along the border with the Everfree forest, and help patrol it to keep marauding bands of enemies from infiltrating our territory. Captured prisoners will be held for interrogation and-"

"You mean torture! Torturer!"

Celestia's eyes widened in anger, but she managed to restrain it. Never in all her years had she been publicly accused of anything. Much less torture.

The goddess gave a quick nod to one of her guards and the offender was quickly dragged out of the assembly, kicking and screaming accusations.

"...questioning. Raids will be organized into enemy territory to stop their armies before they reach our land."

The crowd had fallen silent, none dared interrupt their leader. But the air was still stinking of insecurity and uncertainty, and it would take but two words to set the mighty oak tree that was Celestia's authority, aflame.

"I disagree."

The words were softly spoken, almost a whisper. And yet they turned heads, shattered alliances, shifted loyalties and screamed 'Anarchy'. It was the strength they held, the authority, the might and certainty. All were shared by both rulers, but it was obvious who spoke with the most conviction under the pressure of war.

Two words to change a nation, two words to shatter a world.

"I'm sorry, sister. What did you say?" Celestia stared at her sister, slightly stunned by what she had heard. Not believing it to be true. Not wanting it to be true.

"Thou hast heard us. We do not agree to continue enforcing a defensive strategy, as we believe it to be time for an Equestrian offensive to be taken into planning." Luna stood and walked closer to the podium's edge, eyeing the public she had now captivated through her words.

"Equines of Equestria, our beloved nation. Today thou find thine selves amidst the fires of a war that, through bloodshed and horror, has scarred thou deeply, and permanently. And it does seem as if the horror may never fade, as if the fears thou hath experienced as of late may never truly heal."

The crowd nodded somberly and gave their princess a look that pleaded for a solution, as if they feared all she had to say were the harsh truths they had been forced to experience.

Luna scanned her public and weighed her next words carefully, knowing full well the magnitude they would have on the political world of Equestria.

"Our sister has led this nation through peaceful times, and we are forever grateful for the many bountiful and prosperous years under her guidance..."

"Luna, stop it." Celestia stared at her sister, hoping against hope she wasn't about to say what she thought she would say. Luna looked at her once, and only once.

In her heart, Celestia would always be her big sister, and she loved her deeply...

But love did not win wars.

"... but she has proven herself incapable of leading us through wartime as she did during peacetime. Her failed defensive strategies hath time and again proved useless against such cruel foes, and still she insists on them being implemented in even greater magnitude. The incapacitation of the element of honesty and her sending the element of generosity away on useless negotiations with our enemy's allies proves her inability to lead our military..."

"Those are lies! Applejack's injuries were a cause of mindlessly throwing herself at an enemy far more cunning than her! It was not my fault! I-"

"Do explain to us, what hath been the thought behind sending a farmer to face an experienced warrior captain?"

The crowd was silent. Celestia was furious, the war had taken its toll on her. Far more than she would accept even to herself, and the spreading rumors, the growing opposition... And now her sister...

"We hereby demand our standard to be taken from the banners of this newly drafted army, as we will not condone any more of this faulted stratagem. We also encourage the nobles to endorse an act of 'Revocation of Military Duties' so the control of our armies may befall on better abled hooves."

No more was said that day. Luna departed to the city fortress of Stalliongrad to meet with the nobleponies that supported her claims, and Celestia retreated to Canterlot, shrouded in confusion and doubt.

As Sugar Cane wondered on the situation of the political schemes that must have been forming even as she chewed on her daisy sandwich, the marching thousands continued on their way to war.

It was dark, very dark. The midnight sea breeze blowing softly on a western route, giving the hidden galleys an edge on the battle about to take place.

Three wooden vessels rocked sideways with the current as the moon shone brightly atop their decks. Two of them had human crews. Murderers, rabble and poor peasants in search of a better life.

The third had zebras.

"Are you sure about this Juliana? That is an Equestrian galleon, not an average merchant ship from Camelu." Zareck whispered to his captain as the large warship from Equestria sailed the seas in front of them.

"Our galleys are hidden, we have incendiary ammunition, many more soldiers, and we have the wind on our sails. Yes Zareck, I am sure." Juliana looked at her second in command with her green eyes and an arched eyebrow. "We've done this time and again in the past, and now we have two more ships. Don't you zebras have faith?"

"No, Juliana. We've never attacked a war galleon before, and those men the king gave you are completely inexperienced."

"Meh, they have to earn that experience somehow."

The galleon continued on its patrol, completely unaware of the ambush that was about to be unleashed.

Juliana smiled and nodded for Zareck to get the crew ready. He complied and the Navis soon came alive with movement.

Juliana walked to the bow of her war galley, shouting orders and commands to the zebras around her. The crew answered swiftly and without trouble, knowing full well what it was that they had to do. Having spent a lifetime at sea, plundering and attacking merchant ships had made them masters in war.

The same could not be said for the humans, however. The men of the other galleys stumbled and clumsily attempted to imitate their admiral in skill. The peasants and makeshift sailors did as best as they could, but in the end they lost the element of surprise.

Juliana had already darted forward at full speed, her galley piercing the waves of the sea and shattering the walls of water beneath her bow with mighty strength. She grasped the wheel of the vessel and roared at the zebras around her to prepare for ramming.

The Navis was at war.

The equestrian galleon sprung to life as the Navis emerged from the darkness, eliciting frightened shouts and hollers from the equines aboard it. The stories of destruction and pillaging by which the Navis was known had not gone untold on the galleon's deck.

Ballistas and unicorns aimed to kill at the Navis, but their volleys were too late.

The Navis rammed the galleon fiercely, and its hull was destroyed.

The human galleys joined in the carnage but a few minutes later, as the zebras boarded the galleon and brought the sailors aboard to an end. Humans and zebras ran around the bloodied deck, killing off the equines that had survived the initial attack, and then they delved deep into the vessel.

No equine left alive.

Juliana and Zareck watched as the galleon burned slowly. The Navis retreating into the ocean, waiting to strike again.