***Day seven***

In the bunkers that were still intact soldiers of the infantry and the Fraternity huddled together as they slept or patrolled the perimeters of the trenches. Nothing other than an occasional skirmish had happened, in the long, slow hours of the day.

Adamantem ordered for the fortifications of the trenches, that made up, the day before, the outer-most circle of the Brass Legion's defenses. The ponemarch stood tall, wearing ornate ivory-colored armor with royal purple trim, the high golden crest and trio of flawless blue diamonds on the helmet signified not only rank, but also the levels of artistry and pomp the legion valued. Captains wore a similar gilded crest on their helmets and a glittering ruby in the center of their foreheads. Lieutenants wore a silver crest and a single garnet on their helmets. Herd commanders wore double bronze crests and sergeants bore only a simple royal crest on their helmets, lesser ranks bore no embellishments on the helmets.

Unicorn marines levitated blocks of stone from the ruined bunkers that were still intact to form crenelations. Soldiers alongside marines used shovels to toss up berms or shore up damaged trenches. The bunkers in the rear-most trenches were torn down and concrete was poured to form new ones as heavy steel bars were sank into the slurry for reinforcement.

As fresh troops were cycled into the trenches, officers lead squads of the rank and file in exercises to stave off boredom.

As the day wore on, Twilight, Flurry Heart, Cadance, Celestia and Luna entered the trenches to observe how the fortifications were going, inspect the troops, or bolster morale.

As the last of the crenelations were erected, earthen ramps and platforms were lain, offering soldiers and marines could easily aim over the fortifications while remaining in cover. As the automated carts carrying the mortars and their three pony teams rolled into the rear trenches, crates of fresh shells were staked nearby.

Throughout the day the forces of the Brass Legion weren't idle. Fresh troops were brought forward, crates of ammunition and new rifles were stacked up. Mountain howitzers were pulled from a third of the bunkers and moved to the rear, the remaining howitzers in their bunkers had their ammo stacked outside to prevent the bunkers from being destroyed, the howitzers that were removed were placed behind berms and had tree branches or old burlap sacks laid over them to offer some rudimentary camouflage.

Throughout the day the air was pregnant with anticipation.

As the shadows lengthened with the onset of evening, two hundred thousand soldiers from the Brass Legion blacked out their faces, wrapped the barrels of their rifles in cloth, slipped padded shoes over feet and hooves, and drapped dark cloaks about the shoulders and withers, iron bombs were loaded into boxes, buckets, satchels and sacks in preparation for a night assault.

As night settled across the land with the quiet that comes with it, tens of thousands of creatures from the Brass Legion crept over the tops of their trenches and into no creature's land.

All was quiet in the trenches as the pony soldiers patrolled along the trenches or posted up on the outermost defenses. A single ivory-armored marine turned their head, the sensor strips in its armor picking up a cluster of anomalous readings. Turning its body and leveling the gun mounted in a shoulder socket, the transequine warrior fired a single mass reaction round. The marine's sensors picked up the dying scream of a creature and it fired of several more mass reaction rounds while simultaneously broadcasting an alert on all channels.

Thousands of ivory-armored transequine marines rushed to the fortifications to add weight of fire, while those already on the line laid down fields of well aimed shots. Soon the darkness was lit up by the brilliant muzzle flashes of shoulder-mounted guns, loud booms of mass reaction rounds leaving muzzles, wet-sounding explosions of bodies being ripped apart and the screams of the wounded and dying disturbed replaced the quiet of the night. Muzzle flashes from the dark where creatures returned fire filled the darkness of no creature's land, orange sparks filled the air where bullets impacted crenelations and armor. Though the return fire from the creatures was intended to make ponies duck for cover, the unicorn marines did not flinch, instead using the muzzle flashes of the enemy rifles to better line up head shots.

Mountain howitzers in the forward-most bunkers traversed their muzzles to maximum altitude and fired a barrage of illumination and smoke rounds to conceal their compatriots. Mortar shells whistled as they arced high into the air before bursting, sending clusters of flares lazily drifting down to the ground.

Though the sensors of the unicorn marines were momentarily confused by the enemy illumination rounds, they stuck to their instincts, returning fire where their initial scans had read while the processing units in their armor worked overtime to compensate.

Out of the haze and glare, the creatures and mutants of the Brass Legion pressed forward hard and fast, many of them carrying various containers of iron bombs, in the hopes of breaching the crenelations.

The unicorn marine's processing unit compensated, allowing their sensors to better get accurate readings. Seeing scores of enemy creatures carrying containers, they quickly adjusted their aim to prioritize them. Some mass reaction rounds ripped the bodies of creatures apart, sending their payloads spilling onto the ground, other mass reaction rounds entered the containers, causing the iron bombs contained within to detonate, shredding the flesh of groups creatures in sprays of shrapnel and the force of explosions.

Whether through luck or dogged determination, here and there small groups of creatures made it to the base of the crenelations, though they paid the ultimate price, other creatures lit fire pots and hurled them at the containers piled up at the base of the fortifications. The accurate fire of the unicorn marines shattered many of the fire pots before they could be hurled, dowsing the creatures in burning liquids, others were successfully shot down by accurate fire or caught in magic fields and hurled back, just enough landed on the piled up containers, setting them alight.

Unicorn marines quickly backed off the line as orders were issued for ponies to seek cover. Sections of stone fortifications heaved, before tumbling into the trenches as gaps were opened up. Anticipation hung thick and heavy in the air, making the seconds tick by like micro-eternities. Muzzle flashes from the recently opened gaps filled the air with hails of bullets, quickly followed by creatures storming through shouting curses and screaming bloody murder. Mass reaction rounds shredded the bodies of enemy creatures, blood splashed on the still standing stone works and soaked into the ground as creatures died by the dozens in the narrow choke points. For every enemy creature died, another took its place, making the rush seem endless. Unicorn marines in ivory armor with purple trim, stood still as statues as they steadily returned fire and sent blasts of magic into the creatures trying to force their way through the gaps in the fortifications.

Soldiers armed with rifles and flame throwers rushed forward to lend aid with hails of bullets and streams of fiery death. Flashes from the rear lines signified the mortar teams opening up. High explosive and fragmentation shells added to the wholesale death being doled out by the bullets, streams of flames and mass reaction rounds, finally breaking the back of the night assault, sending the enemy creatures in full retreat.

Soldiers quickly reloaded magazines and replaced spent tanks on flame throwers. Unicorn marines cycled back in orderly fashions to the rear lines, ejecting spent ammo cassettes from their armor as reload teams hurried forward and inserted fresh cassettes into the loading ports.

Two airships moved forward, their engines droning loudly. One kept its bow guns facing forward as the second rotated to bring its starboard guns to bear. Night turned to day as the artillery guns on the airships thundered, sending a deadly hail onto enemy positions. Creatures of the Brass legion scrambled for any cover as massive shells screamed through the night and sent clouds of shrapnel flying through the air or laying down blankets of burning phosphorus on the ground.

The intermittent flashes of the airships' artillery revealed armored figures flying through the air. In groups of twos and threes, the Saddle Ragers swooped down picking off loaders sprinting outside the bunkers to pick up shells, or lop the heads off of creatures shouting orders over the din of battle, or prying open the heavy iron doors on the bunkers so their brothers and sisters could quickly get inside to tear apart the crews of the mountain howitzers or creatures who took shelter inside. From the rear of the brass Legion's lines mountain howitzers that had been removed from the bunkers and hidden behind earthen embankments roared to life, lobbing explosive and fragmentation shells into their own compatriot's ranks in a desperate bid to try and kill as many transequine warriors as possible. Papilionem watched for a brief sacond as shells ripped into the chaos of battle, killing enemy creatures and transequine warriors alike. The ponemarch wasted no time, flying fast and hard to the enemy rear ranks to engage the mountain howitzers.

The crew of one gun barely had time to scream as the massive pegasus ponemarch landed in amongst them, killing the creatures outright. The transequine general moved in a blur of focused effort, ripping the breach block of the artillery piece with their hooves and hurled it at another gun, knocking the weapon on its side. Creatures panic fired their lever action rifles in a desperate bid to to kill the attacking ponemarch, to no avail as the few rounds that did find their mark sparked harmlessly off the power armor. Papilionem drove forward in single-minded violence, the ponemarch's sons and daughters were being killed by these guns and there was only way to stop it. The ponemarch threw the bulk of their weight into the side of one howitzer, tipping the gun over and sending several of the crew sprawling helplessly through the air.

As Papilionem bore down on another gun, the crews of two mountain howitzers managed to successfully traverse their guns around, aiming at the ponemarch and slammed an explosive shell home each. The first shell found its mark on the ponemarch's helmet, shattering it as the explosives in the heavy round ripped armor away from the transequine general's neck, withers, shoulders and forelegs, making the warrior reel and stumble from the blast. The second shell went slightly wide, impacting on a pile of shells from a now ruined gun. setting of a chain reaction of explosions that shattered Papilionem's remaining armor and sent the ponemarch tumbling across the ground. Lever action rifles opened fire on the downed ponemarch in a bid to finish it off.

In the trenches and in the air above it, the sons and daughters of the Saddle Ragers felt a tremble in their magic as their ponemarch was seriously wounded. Abandoning all sense of tactics and folding their wings in, the marines let out blood curdling roars filled with rage. They trampled towards the rear lines of the Brass Legion, crushing creatures under armored hooves or ripping them apart in displays of savagery.

Papilionem rose to shaky hooves as fast-clotting blood flowed from the ponemarch's ears, eyes, nose and mouth. As bullets whizzed through the air, impacted on the ground throwing small sprays of dirt or pierced the flesh of the ponemarch staining its dusty yellow coat red with more blood, the transequine warrior seemed to to take no notice. Eyes bugged from the sockets as the ponemarch let out a berserker roar and charged with blinding speed. Creatures panicked as the bloodstained mountain of a pony charged forward letting out howls of bloodlust, it seemed to take no notice if its injuries, some tried to run, others froze like they were suddenly turned to stone, others dropped to their knees in a desperate bid to surrender, others tried to stand and fight.

Papilionem charged forward heedlessly, blind to all but the few visible in its rage fueled tunnel vision, deaf to all but the rushing pulse in its ears. The ponemarch sprung into a group of enemy creatures, the transequine warrior tearing some in half with its bare hooves, tearing others literally limb from limb and biting chucks off of others with its teeth. Everywhere the rampaging ponemarch went, screams filled the air and blood fell like rain, further staining the tranequine warrior's coat a bright crimson until not a patch of yellow fur was visible. Scores of creatures scrambled up the embankments trying to escape the slaughter, only to scream in terrified shock as a wall of armored forms rushed towards them, baying for blood. Several Saddle Ragers leapt over the earthworks as the rest flowed over the tops like an armored flood.

Confused spotters for the crusade forces reported that the Saddle Ragers were storming en mass towards the enemy rear and that remaining enemy forces were rushing in the same direction. Flurry Heart, with her flanged mace held high, ordered the enemy trenches to be taken quickly as the charged forward. A massive, disorganized rush of infantryponies followed her out of the trenches and across open ground. The enemy artillery crews and warriors that stayed behind stared in stunned disbelief as the crusade forces flooded into their trenches. They tried to mount a defense, but were too few. Bullets filled the air from both sides as mountain howitzer crews desperately tried to traverse their guns to get and angle on the charging ponies. Grenades and jets of flames further filled the air with death as the ponies closed in. Creatures braced their bodies against the heavy iron doors in an attempt to hold them closed as ponies outside were trying batter them down. Rifle muzzles and flame thrower nozzles were shoved in through firing slits, filling the bunkers with death, as few ponies tossed several hoof grenades in for good measure afterwards.

In the chaos and bedlam, Flurry Heart strode like a god of war made flesh, her mace being levitated in a golden aura. She swung her mace into creatures, the sharp flanges cleaving through meat and bone as the power field blasted flesh into pink sprays. Several creatures snuck along the tops of the trenches and leapt down to attacker her from above, silver halberds effortlessly cut them to pieces as five Nebula Guard made themselves known. As the five transequine bodyguards leapt down into the trench and formed an armored bulwark around Flurry Heart, their leader spoke softly through its helmet, "Stay with us your majesty and we shall ensure your victory."

Flurry Heart took a quick survey of the battlefield and saw where several creatures were holed up inside a bunker and had even constructed crude fortifications to protect themselves from the bullets, flame throwers and grenades, they seemed to be successfully holding the crusade forces back for now. "I want to make that my forward base of operations.", she said pointing a wing. The five Nebula Guard nodded in unison and the six of them rushed towards the bunker.

"Clear back and lay down covering fire!", Flurry Heart shouted orders as she and the five Nebula Guard neared the heavy iron door of the bunker. The soldiers quickly complied, pulling back and laying down volleys of fire on the gun slit of the bunker. The Nebula Guard formed an orderly line and charged the iron door. The lead transequine bodyguard crashed through the heavy iron slab that as the door for the bunker, ripping it off its hinges, crushing several creatures on the other side of it that were using their bodies to brace the door. Without a moment's pause, the five Nebula Guard turned the bunker into an abattoir. Several creatures tried to scrabble out the gun slit, preferring to brave the bullets, they screamed as they were drug back in, begging for mercy. A minute later the Nebula Guard reemerged from the bunker, their amethyst armor stained with blood and gore, a few scratched denoting where several creatures unsuccessfully tried to fight back. "Clean this place up and get a flag raised, this shall be my forward operating base until the remainder of our forces move up.", Flurry ordered several soldiers.

The remainder of the enemy line disintegrated into a rout as they were being squeezed between the rampaging marines of the Saddle Ragers and the advancing pony infantry. Most threw their rifles away as they scrabbled over or trampled their compatriots in a completely disorganized retreat, many scattered in every direction, a few curled up into balls, rocking back and forth as their minds collapsed in upon themselves. Papilionem collapsed from a combination of exhaustion and injuries sustained, which had the effect of snapping the ponemarch's sons and daughters out of their rage. As several transequine laid the unconscious ponemarch on their backs and carried it to safety, the remainder formed an armored wall with their bodes as they slowly backed up in an orderly retreat.

As the crusade forces quickly took control of the next circle of trenches, Cadance stormed through the trenches towards the bunker that now served as the forward operating base. None dared to get in her way as she was in full mother hen mode. Stepping into the bunker, she saw Flurry Heart sitting at a makeshift desk made of empty crates, looking over reports and she quickly slipped her right forehoof out of its armor.

Flurry Heart looked up from the reports to see her mother and stood up. "Moth-I mean Princess Cadance, I sit here awaiting you and the other princesses on a field of--" Her words were cut off by a hoof smacking her across the the cheek and then being pulled into a hug.

Parting from the hug, Cadance spoke,"I'm glad you're safe, but what you did was foolish. If your father was he wo--", Her words were cut off by a backhoof to the mouth, she licked her lip where it was split as a small trickle of golden blood oozed out.

"That's for daring to strike a princess of Equestria!", Flurry snapped, her eyes blazing with fury, "And this is for thinking you can use dad's name in vain!" Rearing back, she punched Cadance in the jaw, sending the mare falling to the floor, then stomped over, towering over her mother. The ponies that were serving as staff looked on in bewilderment, to them this was not a spat between family members, but a duel of gods.

"How dare you!", Cadance snarled.

"Be quiet and listen for once you old nag!", Flurry snapped back, "I did everything dad taught me! While you spent the last thousand years weeping over his long dead bones, I chose to honor his memory by defending our little ponies!" On the last word, she stamped a hoof.

Twilight stepped through the door of the bunker and cleared her throat. "Bickering like schoolyard fillies and throwing licks is not the way princesses behave. Use your head for something rather than a place to hold your manes." She looked around at the gaping ponies. "Out!" Mortal ponies scrambled out of the bunker. "Flurry help your mother up off the floor and heal her lip."

Flurry gave a glowering stare at Twilight. "She started it when she..."

"I...don't...care!", Twilight snapped, rising to her full height and flaring her wings, "You both are princesses of Equestria and you both will full well act like it!"

Flurry huffed indignantly and narrowed her gave at her aunt. Twilight said nothing as she flared her nostrils.

Flurry Heart considered flaring her wings in aggression at her aunt, but thought better of it. Helping Cadance up off the floor, she lit the tip of her horn and touched it to her mother's lip, healing the minor wound.

Twilight calmly walked over and embraced her niece and sister-in-law in a tight embrace. "You two shouldn't fight, I know you both miss Shining Armor, I miss him too, but we won't honor his memory by bickering like a gaggle of schoolyard fillies."

Celestia and Luna stood silently by the door, the elder sibling held a pleasant and knowing smirk in her lips. "It seems my former student took to her lessons well."

Twilight looked over her withers at he former teacher and blushed slightly before clearing her throat. "If everything is in order, we need to begin preparations for the next day.", she quickly darted her eyes to Cadance and Flurry, "Everything is in order, yes?" The two alicorn mares nodded.

Once the issue between Flurry Heart and Cadance had been settled, Twilight quickly summoned the generals, Sunset Shimmer, the nine uninjured ponemarchs, head preacher of the Fraternity, the war strider princepts, the two minotaur matriarchs and the first captain of the Saddle Ragers, a mare named Ala Forti. A pregnant silence hung over all gathered in the bunker that served as a makeshift forward operating base. "First before we speak on more grave concerns, First Captain of the Saddle Ragers Ala Forti, you sit here in conference as your ponemarch is currently recovering from their injuries, for all intents and purposes, you shall act on the behalf of Papilionem and shall in this counsel, speak as if their voice was yours. Your legion is to be commended for capturing and destroying an enemy artillery battery.", Twilight said as she levitated a golden half-hoop meant to attach to a suit of armor and a large armored hoof along with a scarlet banner ribbon, "Your ponemarch, the captains and lieutenants of your legion will be rewarded with a solar halo that will offer protection and as a symbol of their rank, along with a hammer hoof, your banners shall from this day until the legion no longer exists shall carry a scarlet ribbon."

The first captain humbly bowed as she received the rewards on behalf of her ponemarch.

Twilight then turned to the head preacher of the Fraternity. "For the Fraternity's performance above and beyond their call of duty in taking ground from our enemy and for the lives you lost in doing so, the keep and the lands it sits on, once we take it shall serve as your first monastery."

The preacher bowed his head. "The goddesses are too kind, we are but simple ponies who serve. With bullet, hoof and flame we shall purify those whom seek to profane thy image, words and light."

Twilight's eye twitched slightly at this, she strongly disliked being worshiped like a deity, she didn't let it show as she turned to the generals. "Lastly, the soldiers who have fought to take this land from our enemy shall, upon completion of this campaign, be rewarded unit commendations for their actions and shall be given land to build homes for themselves."

The generals bowed their heads in gratitude.

Twilight took in a deep breath, placed a hoof to her chest, held it for a few seconds and extended it out as she blew out the breath slowly. "We have so far inflicted an estimated one hundred thousand casualties on the enemy forces, captured an estimated three thousand prisoners of war and seized an estimated twenty tons of weapons and ammunition.", she paused to allow murmurs of affirmation went around the table before continuing, "We have suffered an estimated sixty thousand casualties on our side. Though we are gaining ground, at the current rate our losses will nearly triple as the enemy shortens their lines of supply and are able concentrate more fire power on us.", she paused as some of the generals grumbled, then turned to the war strider princepts, "We need to break the back of the defense. How quickly can the sparks be fully awoken for a dozen of your brethren?"

Oak Bough, an earth pony stallion princepts rubbed absentmindedly at the ports and plugs on his neck, barrel and head. "It would take six hours minimum to fully awaken a dozen as our brethren have been kept in a twilight state since this campaign started."

"Then go now and start waking them.", Twilight ordered. After the princepts had filtered out, she turned and asked, "Is Spike near?"

"I'm here Twi.", Spike replied through the gun slit of the bunker, "I'm sorry I can't sit in there with you all, ya know being this big and whatnot."

Twilight chuckled softly at her big little brother. "Spike, I want you to lead the war striders in their march and put the dragon-fear into this self-described Brass Lord and his band."

Spike popped a quick salute. "Can do Twily."

Twilight chuckled softly again and marveled to herself that Spike had not fallen to the dragon-greed. She cleared her throat before continuing, "When the striders march, I want full regiments infantry on their heels. Pomum Ligni, take the rear and when we reach the keep, I want full fields of devastating fire lain down on its defenses."

"Vent Rapide, Zoccoli di Pietra, your legions will take the flanks. Aster, Mica, your legions will form the point of the spear to break their ranks. Apricus, Empresario, Divinos, your legions will form the second, fourth and sixth ranks to clear out the bunkers, enemy holdouts and clean up any resistance holding out. Adamentem, you will form rear guard and when we reach the keep, you will assist in breaching its defenses. Mortar teams and airships will offer heavy bombardment ahead of our forces. Ala Forti, you are in command of the Saddle Ragers until Papilionem recovers, the legion shall serve as close air support.", she looked around the room at the faces of those gathered, "Questions, comments? Voice them now or forever hold your peace." The gathered ponies and cows shook their heads no. Twilight slapped a hoof to her chest in salute. "Peace through harmony!"

"Harmony through victory!", those gathered replied.

***Day eight***

The Brass Lord scowled as he read through loss reports. Between those who were killed, injured or had deserted their posts, he had lost nearly one hundred and twenty thousand troops, according to the scattered reports from the few scouts that had made it back, it appeared as if the pony forces were massing for another push into his lines...his kingdom...and he would be damned and dropped headlong into an active volcano than allow some pathetic ponies take his rightful lands from him. Though there was a small bit of good news in an otherwise mixed report, what was thought to be metal golems turned out to be ponies, albeit big ponies, in armor. It bothered him that those ponies fought on as if they did not know fear or pain.

"My lord, *baa-aaaah* our forces, though outnumbering this pony army, are *baa-aaah* of low morale.", a goat, who served as one of his commanders, bleated.

The Brass Lord looked across at the goat. "Double chems for all my warriors, also a full day and night with the pleasure stock for any warriors who can bring me any of their big ponies in chains alive."

"What of the massive rectangular structures the pony army is rolling towards our front lines and the rumors that a dragon travels with the pony army?", a griffon asked as it rubbed an old scar on its cheek.

Rumors of a dragon is most distressing. "I will believe the stories of a dragon when I see it with my own eyes.", the Brass Lord replied, "As for those large structures, I believe they're storehouses for weapons and ammo. Have our mountain howitzers focus fire on them when they get close enough." He looked from one commander to another and stifled a snort. This pony army brings a well trained and equipped army and these creatures here are little more than glorified bandits. "I want that army crushed and scattered to the four winds. Let them feel the full force of the Brass Legion. Many self-described 'rightful rulers' have thrown themselves against our bulwarks before and all have been thrown back and crushed. This force is nothing more than a band lead by a petty tyrant, when their army is destroyed, I will personally flay the hides from their leaders for new trophies. We will crush them, cut the throats of their stallions, chop the legs from their mares and use them to brood stronger warriors. Go forth and show them the might of brass!" The creatures all quickly bowed and scrambled out of the room.

The Brass Lord ruminated for a few minutes, it had been nearly thirty years since he had to personally took to the field and the way this battle was going, he may have to take to the field once again. "Bring my battle plate and ax!", he bellowed to several servants.

As the sun peeked above the horizon, the warriors of the Brass Legion looked over the tops of the trenches, watching twelve massive rectangular structures rolled forward on massive treads. Behind the massive structures, the infantry started massing. Mountain howitzers thundered from stone bunkers covered in layers of earth and logs for protection. Explosive shells rang out against the massive structures, most exploded harmlessly, a few knocked away some massive armor plates.

Airships and mortars thundered back in five volleys. Creatures scrambled for cover as the shells whistled through the air. the first three volleys fired explosive shells that dug craters in the soil, the fourth volley unleashed shells filled with burning phosphorus that exploded in the air, scattering their deadly payload on the front ranks of the trenches, the final volley unleashed smoke shells that obscured vision.

As the smoke cleared, the creatures of the Brass Legion stared in dumbfounded shock as a massive purple dragon with green frills and spikes landed at the head of the massive structures and roared. Trickles of yellow ran down the hind legs of several creatures and clumps of brown landed on the ground with wet plaps. The fronts of the massive structures dropped down, forming massive ramps. Gargantuan four legged walking machines stomped forth from the twelve massive structures, the ground trembling with every step they took. Many creatures stared in dumbstruck awe, dozens threw their weapons down and ran away from the futile struggle, a few score simply laid down to await the inevitable.

Spike pointed a claw and started loping forward. Several mountain howitzers fire at him, but their shells exploded harmlessly against his thick scales. The gun crews quickly traversed their guns and fired explosive shells at the advancing war striders. Explosions filled the air as previously invisible shields shimmered when the shells impacted them.

The crew in one of the bunkers stared with stunned awe as their shells exploded harmlessly against war machine's shields. As the massive strider leveled one of its massive guns at them, they quickly scrambled towards the door, they never made it out. The war striders unleashed massive white-hot beams at the bunkers. The creatures inside and the layers of logs near-instantly vaporized as the stone and layers of soil melted into glass, chain reaction explosions of the ammunition sent gouts of super-heated glassed earth sailing through the air, forming a deadly rain. The creatures of the Brass Legion fled from the dragon and war striders as chunks of glassed earth rained down, many disappearing under molten clumps.

As the war striders marched forward, stopping occasionally to fire their main guns, the infantry, lead by the transequine marines, charged into the now emptied trenches and started fanning out to occupy the newly captured lines.

Reaching the edge of the next circle of defenses, the war striders, along with Spike, formed up a wall of heavy armor and guns. New orders were issued and the infantry formed up ranks, preparing to rush the next set of defenses. The war striders spread their legs in a wider stance and started walking forward slower, using their shield to screen the infantry as it rushed towards the next circle of trenches.

The Brass Legion, seeing that the war striders weren't advancing, reformed ranks and prepared to counter attack. As the crusade forces poured into the trenches, quickly overpowering the defenders, the Brass Legion counter attack rolled forward. The creatures and mutants moved through the trenches, using the earthworks as a shield from the massive machines of the crusade.

High above the airships moved into position, rotating to bring the guns on their bows, sterns and broadsides to bear. Massive fragmentation shells were loaded and the guns roared to life, laying down curtains of shrapnel ahead of the crusade's advance. The creatures of the Brass Legion ducked down low as they crawled through the trenches to avoid the lethal rain of sharp metal in the air.

The guns on the airships cut out just before the two sides clashed. A strange device in the shoulder socket of Aster's power armor snapped open, forming three small prongs, a ball of crackling electricity formed between the three prongs until it was the size of a cantaloupe. The crackling ball of electricity sailed forth, turning the first few creatures it encountered into charred skeletons, after a few body lengths the balls of electricity spun, bobbed, weaved, climbed and dove erratically, blueish-white arcs leapt off of it. Creatures screamed as their flesh burst into flames or bubbled from the intense voltage of the electric ball. As the arcs leapt of the ball seeking ground, many of them hit the creatures, some died when the electricity overloaded their internal organs, others fell to the ground thrashing wildly as the electricity overloaded their nervous systems, other creatures were killed when the ammunition in their pouches started cooking off in loud firecracker-like pops. After dozens of body lengths, the electric ball stopped sailing forward and started spinning quickly in place, blueish-white arcs leapt sporadically off of it as the air started to shimmer as the ball grew in heat. The quickly spinning electric ball shrank in size for a few seconds before exploding, filling an area five body lengths around with lightning-like arcs. Spots of fulgurite appeared where the arcs grounded, dozens of creatures that were caught in the blast lay on the ground screaming where the electrical arcs gave them horrendous burns.

Aster smiled like a maniac under their helmet and the ponemarch charged the mad science weapon again. When the electric ball fired, it immediately burst into a shotgun spray of electrical arcs, sending a score of creatures to the ground screaming with terrible burns. The ponemarch cackled at the data it was gathering on the new experimental weapon and charged it again. The weapon sputtered and seemed to shut down before unleashing dozens of grape-sized balls of electricity that burned holes in creatures and the ground before dissipating. The ponemarch started laughing like a mad scientist from a bad movie and shunted all available power to the weapon. A solid beam of electricity, as big around as a pony's hoof, ripped through the air. As the beam intersected the creatures, it initially seemed to do no damage, until they fell to the ground dead, their central nervous systems shorted out and fried. Aster made a note for further study and experimentation as the ponemarch shut down the weapon and engaged the oncoming enemies in close quarters combat.

Mica charged forward, the ponemarch's armored form crushing scores of enemy creatures under its transequine bulk. The the transequine unicorn general rushed forward, the sons and daughters of the legion followed close behind in a massed triangular formation. Blast of magic ripped apart enemy combatants, as armored hooves shattered the bodies of those who got too close.

The infantry poured into the trenches and spread out, laying down covering fire as they pushed forward. The mountain howitzer crews in the stone bunkers traversed their weapons down as low as they could, set the fuses on the canister shells as short as they could and slammed the rounds home. In other bunkers that the creatures of the Brass Legion were using as cover, they aimed their lever action rifles out the firing slits and fired. Bullets and shrapnel whizzed back and forth across the trenches, creating fields of bleeding bodies where they cut into flesh. Creatures in the bunkers dove for cover as bullets and mass reaction rounds sailed through the firing slits and ricocheted of the interior walls, creating a lethal hail. Grenades and streams of liquid fire added to the death in the trenches as the infantry closed ranks.

The Sky Ranger legion on the crusade's left flank, stayed low to the ground as the flew fast and hard, cutting down clusters of enemy fighters with wing blades, twin chain blades and ripper hooves. As the marines reached the bunkers, they chucked blocks of explosives through the firing slits. The structures that housed artillery ripped themselves apart from the inside out as chain reaction explosions from powerful shells detonating turned them into craters. The Stone Legion rushed along the right flank as an armored flood, filling the air with mass reaction rounds that shredded the flesh of enemy creatures and barrels of artillery guns.

As the Brass Legion started massing for a counter attack, Spike leapt into the air and flapped his wings hard. Landing in the front ranks of the massing enemy counter attack, he took in a deep breath as he swung his head side-to-side, flames hot enough to turn hardened steel to slag poured across the ground, turning hundreds of creatures into ash almost instantly and breaking the back of the forming counter attack as they fled in dragon-fear fueled panic. Shells from mountain howitzers and bullets from rifles bounced harmlessly off him, a few explosions knocking some scales from his hide. Rearing up on his hind legs to his full height, he unleashed a deafening roar that made the very ground shake like an earthquake. The creatures in the remaining circles of trenches felt the dragon-fear take hold of them. Screaming in terror, the creatures fled from their defenses, thousands of them ran in a panicked stampede back to the keep, trampling over their comrades who were too slow or paralyzed in fear, hundreds more scattered in random directions, their most ancient instincts sending them into a blind panic.

Chuckling to himself, Spike casually strolled forward as he buffed his foreclaws against his chest. "Yes! Yes! Flee before the big and scary dragon!", he bellowed, occasionally spitting out a gout of flame to further reinforce the enemy's fear. He finally stopped at the last circle of trenches, recently abandoned and sat down. As he waited for the crusade forces to catch up, he pawed at the ground and wished he had brought some gems to snack on.

The Brass Lord, along with his bodyguards and advisers ducked down, covering their heads, trembling in fright as the massive dragon stroll casually across the circles of defense. Though none near him would admit it, they all knew by the smell that he had soiled his armor, of course they would never admit that they had soiled themselves too. The Brass Lord opened his mouth to speak, but no words would come out, only a strangled gurgle.

As the crusade forces rushed forward unbidden to occupy the now-abandoned trenches, they came across small pockets of creatures frozen in panic. The creatures were summarily executed or were tied up and drug back for interrogation. Once the infantry and marines made their way to in inner-most circle of trenches where Spike was sitting awaiting them, he made his way back to the rear for a much deserved (at least in his own opinion) nap. As banners were raised above the trenches and the crusade forces started fortifying their newly captured positions, the tech monks started hurriedly gathering up rifles, artillery pieces and ammunition the fleeing creatures left behind to be taken back to the forges for disassembly.

Once the Brass Lord has regained his wits, he quickly took stock of the situation. The pony forces now surrounded his forces on three sides and were within striking distance of the keep, though they had to make a dash across open ground to do so. Clearing his throat, he started barking orders, "Consolidate all warriors and artillery, if they want to take this keep, they'll have to bleed for every step." He turned and walk away to his private quarters to clean himself up.

An aide scrambled up just before he entered into his quarters. "My lord! What are your orders for when they attack?"

"They won't do it right now, they need to consolidate their forces first. By my best guess, we have until the morning before they do so. This keep has weathered sieges before and has yet to be breached, it will stand against the forces of those pathetic ponies." With that, he stepped into his quarters, shut the door and ordered for a bath to be drawn.

As the day drew on, high altitude pegasi scouts filled the sky over the enemy-held keep, taking images with various recording devices. A pair of pegasi hovered high in the air as they recorded slaves being drug from their pens by the Brass Legion, the females being subjected to brutal gang rape before being executed alongside the males. "Cirrus, are you seeing this?", Cumulus asked his brother. "Unfortunately, yeah.", Cirrus replied drawing his rifle, "I'm going to stop them!" The pegasus dove down . "Dammit!", Cumulus exclaimed before hitting the transmit button on his recording device, then drew his rifle and followed his brother down. A firefight broke out between the two pegasi and the gathered creatures. The handful of slaves that were in the progress of being drug from their pens ran away from the firefight into the nearby forest.

The two pegasi swooped, dove and looped as they fired on the dozens of gathering enemy creatures. Cumulus cried out in pain as a bullet tore through his wing and he went crashing down to the ground hard. Cirrus dove down to his brother and quickly opened fire, driving back the few charging creatures. Cirrus quickly helped his brother up to his hooves. "Can you fly?" "No.", Cumulus replied shaking his head, "My wing's ruined. Give me any spare ammunition you can, get into the forest, find those slaves that got away and get them back to our lines. I'll cover you as best I can."

"But you'll die! I can get you out of here alive."

"Too late for that now. I'll bleed out before you get ten body lengths, I'd rather go out fighting."

Cirrus went to say something back, but the look in his brother's eyes cut his words off and he pulled the bandoleer holding his remain magazines off and draped it over Cumulus' neck. "May the goddesses guide you to your rest."

Cumulus took up position behind a pile of rocks and laid down suppressing fire on the gathering enemies, while Cirrus flapped his wings as he leapt over a fence that surrounded several slave pens. Raising up the butt of his rifle he smashed the locks off several pens. "C'mon! Hurry hurry hurry! Get to the forest!" As the slaves poured out of their pens and started running to the forest, Cirrus covered them with well aimed shots.

Cumulus pulled the empty magazine from his rifle and slapped a fresh one in. As bullets whizzed around his ears, he blind fired several shots, then broke cover, scrambling to a nearby boulder and laid down more fire. Pulling out the empty mag, he inserted a fresh one and pulled back the charging lever. Rushing to a nearby clump of trees, he fired wildly on the run. Just before he reached the trees, several bullets impacted his armor, making him stagger from the impact and he yelped in pain as a bullet tore through his hips, shattering the bone. He fired wildly as he drug himself to a nearby tree and propped himself up to the best of his ability. Bright red blood pooled underneath his hind quarters and soaked into the soil. As his reactions became slower, he reached for a small magical rune on his rifle and activated it. More bullets tore through the air and slipped through gaps in that pegasus' armor. Cumulus slumped forward as the last breath left his body. Enemy creatures surround the now dead stallion's body, some putting rounds into his head and body to ensure he was dead. As they drew blades to carve his body up, the self-destruct rune activated. The rifle vanished in a magic-fueled explosion and killed the five nearest creatures. As the explosion ripped Cumulus's dead body apart, the unspent ammunition in the magazines cooked off in firecracker-like explosions.

Cirrus paused for a second hearing the explosion from the self-destruct rune, followed by the sound of ammunition cooking off and he closed his eyes, mourning the loss of his brother before continuing back towards friendly lines leading the escaped slaves. Upon reaching the first friendly patrols, he quickly surrendered his rifle, ammunition, armor and allowed himself to be arrested.

Cirrus stared up at the princesses and Sunset as he sat bound in shackles. The court-marshal had been quick, starting two hours after being taken into custody, he had refused any representation.

"Sergeant Cirrus, do you have anything to say for yourself before I pass judgement?", Sunset asked, levitating the gavel in her magic.

"No ma'am."

"Very well. I Sunset Shimmer, Grand Maestro of the Ponyhood of Steel and second-in-command of the forces of the New Empire of Equestria hereby strip you of the rank of sergeant and all the privileges it confers and sent back to the rank of private. You shall also be sentenced to one thousand hours labor in the scullery. Let the court mark in your record of your rescue of two score slaves that have provided us with valuable intelligence shall be considered for your next evaluation. Come before this court again and your punishment shall be more severe." The gavel came down with a loud clack.

"Yes ma'am, thank you ma'am.", Cirrus said morosely as the bailiffs came over to unlock the shackles.

***Day nine***

The muzzles of the remaining mountain howitzers peeked out through the firing slits of the towers, over the edges of the crenelations of the keep and between the hastily constructed berms and barricades. The remaining warriors of the Brass Legion bristled with a mixture of anticipation and fear as they watched from the walls of the keep, from the firing slits and over the hastily constructed fortifications in the remaining darkness before dawn. Creatures sniffed powdered amphetamines to keep themselves on edge and ready, as others swilled down bottles of crude alcohol to steady their nerves. The drugs had the desired effects, but also blunted their senses.

As the sky began to lighten in false dawn, flashes of light signaled where pony artillery was firing. Shells from heavy guns on the airships and mortars in the trenches screamed through air. The shells exploded among the hastily constructed fortifications on the ground and on the tops of the walls, sending broken bodies and destroyed guns flying through the air.

Pomum Ligni ordered their legion out of the trenches. The marines marched slowly across the ground, their thick armor leaving deep hoofprints in the ground as heavy guns spun up to speed in preparation to fire. High above three airships, heavily laden with marines, hovered in the cloud covers as pegasi marines and soldiers circled.

In the forest around the keep, thestral snipers sighted in their bolt action rifles as they perched or hung from branches, and the marines of the Night Hunters crept forward.

The ground shook as the war striders stomped forward from the right. Soldiers stood atop the massive war machines that were serving as impromptu siege towers. Fluffy stomped forward at the lead, with Dew Drop and Apple Pie standing atop its armored command deck.

Dew Drop shouted and cheered as she waved her saber over her head. Apple Pie hunkered down on her belly, covering her eyes.

"C'mon Appie!", Dew Drop said poking the young mare with a hoof, "Look around will ya?! Witness the beauty as we claim this land for the glory of the goddesses!"

"No thank you!", Apple Pie replied.

Dew Drop smacked Apple Pie in the flank with the flat of her saber. "C'mon, this is the safest place right now!"

"Leave her alone Dew.", the princepts of Fluffy said through a loud speaker, "I think she's scared of heights."

"I'm not scared of heights, I'm scared of falling!", Apple Pie shouted back.

Dew Drop blew a raspberry at them both. "You two are no fun."

Just as Pomum Lingni's legion reached within ten body lengths of the now ruined berms and barricades, the artillery cut out. Steel-jacketed bullets filled the air, ripping apart creatures still alive on the ground and on top of the walls. Mountain howitzers in the towers opened fire, sending explosive shells down on the heavily armored ponies. The explosive shells rang out against the their thick power armor, making the heavily armored transequine marines stagger as it left dents, but failed to to breach the armor. The heavily armored earth pony marines split into five columns as they implacably marched forward. Out of the trenches, four-legged machines holding armored coffins that contained ancient, centuries old marines hooked up to life support, marched forward in waddling steps, a pair of artillery guns mounted one each side leveled at the towers. As the mountain howitzers traversed to take aim at the new threats, rocket-assisted shells fired from the guns and impacted against the towers, tearing gaping holes and killing many creatures inside. The roofs ripped off the towers as the artillery ammunition inside cooked off, sending shrapnel bouncing around.

Vent Rapide and the Sky Rangers folded in their wings as they nosed down in steep dives, leaving multicolored contrails and sonic rainbooms in their wakes. The armored pegasi crashed through the destroyed floors, gaining access to the interior of the keep. Doors and walls disintegrated as explosive were planted and the pegasi marines swarmed through the defenses and on onto the walls.

As creatures in the courtyard set up firing lines and traversed mountain howitzers to engage the Sky Rangers, the Saddle Ragers descended from above. The hallways, courtyard and wall tops became awash with blood as scores of creatures of the Brass Legion were cut down and the defenses were quickly overrun.

In nearby hidden bunkers, creatures prepared to rush out and take the attacking crusade forces by surprise. As they opened the doors, explosives that had been rigged by the Night Hunters went off, filling the interiors of the concealed structures with deadly shrapnel. Black armored marines rushed into the bunkers, as the threw grenades and fired mass reaction rounds. Inside the bunkers, the Brass Legion died to a creature.

The war striders reached the walls and lowered their powered down guns to serve as boarding ramps as soldiers poured off the massive war machines and started occupying the keep with shouts of "For Equestria!", "For harmony!" and "In the names of the goddesses!".

As the Sky Rangers and Saddle Ragers battled through the hallways, wall tops and courtyard of the keep the pony infantry moved up behind them. Doors to the dungeons were flung open and ponies that had been driven into madness from torture, starvation and over-stimulation from chems, poured out in a mass, driven forward by mindless hunger. Soldiers opened fire with rifles and flame throwers, cutting down scores of the lunatics. The marines didn't pause for a second as the madponies rushed through the hallways, stopping only to rip chunks from the dead or dying and devour their flesh. The crazed and starved ponies shrieked in blind madness as they surged forward in search of whatever could be eaten. Though groups of the lunatics could easily overpower mortal creatures, they served as little more than a nuisance for the transequine warriors armor and greater strength. As the madponies flailed their hooves against and bit the armor of the marines, they were quickly dispatched. The desperation tactic gave the defenders enough time to bar and barricade the doors and windows of the main keep.

Once the last of the madponies were dispatched, the main gates to the keep were flung open, allowing Pomun Ligni, Adamanetem, Zoccili di Pietra and Apricus to lead their respective legions inside. As the pegasi legions took to the air to patrol over the keep, the Solar Flames took the left wing of the keep and the Stone Legion took the right, both legions moving quickly through the hallways to the main keep. The heavily armored earth pony legion in tan armor took up positions on the tops of the walls, keeping their guns trained on the windows as they scanned for signs of the enemy. The ivory and purple-armored unicorn marines marched in perfect lock-step through the courtyard to the heavy outer doors of the main keep.

In a flash of violet light Twilight appeared, surrounded by five Nebula Guard. "WE HAVE YOU SURROUNDED! SURRENDER NOW AND YOU CAN KEEP YOUR LIVES, IF YOU CONTINUE TO RESIST, YOUR LIVES WILL BE FORFEIT! YOU HAVE TEN SECONDS TO DECIDE!", she called out in the Royal Canterot voice.

"You dare to shout at me?!", the Brass Lord called out from a window.

"I DO!"

"Such arrogance! Your guts shall serve as garlands and your hide shall hang from my throne!"

"COME AND CLAIM THEM FOR YOURSELF!"

The Brass Lord snorted in defiance and shouted, "OPEN FIRE!"

The last few remaining mountain howitzers, already traversed down as far as they could go, had their muzzles shoved through the upstairs windows in a clash of shattering glass and fired a volley down into the courtyard. Twilight quickly threw up a bubble shield, deflecting the artillery rounds. As the artillery crews reloaded, creatures smashed windows with the butts of their rifles and fired. On the roof, hatches were flung open and creatures with rifles scrambled out to take up firing positions. Crusade soldiers aimed their rifles through the windows and returned fire as snipers in the trees took aim and fired.

The earth pony legion on the wall top unleashed swarms of steel-jacketed bullets, shredding the creatures at the windows and on the rooftop. The Sky Rangers quickly dove down onto the roof, ripping apart the retreating creatures and slipped into the open hatches. The Solar Fire and Stone Legions started battering down the doors and walls in their perspective wings, as holes were punched through the structures, the muzzles of guns, plasma casters, heat beam weapons and heavy flame throwers were aimed through, unleashing death. Three airships descended just above the roof of the main keep, thick ropes were cast over the sides and three legions of unicorn marines fast-roped down and started prying up sections of roofing or leaping in through the hatches. Cadance and Flurry Heart, accompanied by ten Nebula Guard joined the marines making forced entrance through the roof. The Night Hunters gathered up outside the walls of the keep and started etching transportation matrices on the ground. Luna, accompanied by five Nebula Guard, joined them. In a flash of dark blue light, the gathered transequine warriors and one alicorn vanished in a loud pop and a rush of displaced air.

In a flash of golden light, Celestia, accompanied by five Nubula Guard joined Twilight in the courtyard. As ivory and purple-armored marines planted explosives on the massive double doors, the white alicorn drew her sword, flames licked down the length of its blade, the lavender alicorn readied her massive hammer, the power field crackling as the weapon was activated. The explosive went off, ripping the doors to shreds as they blew inwards, killing the defenders on the other side that were using their bodies to brace them. Before the dust and smoke had time to clear, the two princesses charged in with a loud shout, followed by the ten Nebula Guard and ivory-armored marines. The Stone and Solar Fire legions breached through the doors and walls of the left and right wings. In the basement, Luna, the five Nebula Guard accompanying her and the Night Hunters materialized in a flash of dark blue light. From the roof, Cadance, Flurry Heart, the ten Nebula Guard accompanying them and four legions swarmed down into the main keep. The windows on the rear of the keep burst inwards as the Saddle Ragers joined the battle. From above, below, left, right, behind and in front, creatures died en mass as the Brass Legion made their last desperate stand against the rush of massive armored ponies.

The Brass Lord sat on his throne looking at his collection of hides and skulls of enemies he'd slain as the sounds of his warriors dying rang out about the keep, he knew he was doomed and had decided to go out with dignity rather than some mewling calf scared of a thunderstorm. As the sounds of the last of his warriors dying rang out, a grim smirk crossed his lips. None can ask for a better or more glorious death than this. As he heard the sounds of armored hooves outside the doors of his throne room, he rose to his feet, made sure his armor was properly fastened and picked up his ax. The doors on every side was smashed splinters and armored ponies rushed in aiming their weapons. The door to the throne room snapped open and the five princesses strode through, accompanied by the thirty Nebula Guard.

"Your keep lays in our hooves, your forces are shattered and we control your lands.", Celestia said as the flames on her sword sizzled away the last of the blood on it, "Lay down your weapons and surrender. I will personally assure your death will be painless, continue to resist, your death will be slow and painful. Considering how you treated those you wrongfully imprisoned, please resist."

The Brass Lord spat on the floor in contempt and slammed a fist on his breastplate. "Ha! You think some pretty ponies can take me?!", he mocked, "I am Skull Crusher the Brass Lord! I have slain greater than you!", he gestured to his grisly trophies, "Your hides and skulls will join those I have personally slain!", he pointed his ax, "I challenge your champion for ownership of this keep and command of your army!"

Luna facehoofed. "Why is it always the fools who bluster the most and cannot see when they are vanquished?"

"I accept.", Cadance said stepping forward and drawing her rapier.

A cruel smile spread across the Brass Lord's lips and he ran his tentacle-like tongue across his teeth. "Give me the pleasure of your name. I prefer to know the name of those who I am about to slay so I can immortalize on my trophy wall."

"Mi Amore Cadenza, princess of Equestria and ruler of the Crystal Empire."

"Ah, a princess!", he said in a mocking tone, "I've never slain a princess before. Don't worry, creatures will remember your name for a thousand generations after I slay you and mount your hide on my wall. Maybe I'll mount your pretty face on my breastplate."

"And I will personally ensure that all memory of your name has been scrubbed from this land as your bones rot in an unmarked grave."

The Brass Lord scoffed in defiance and started circling. Cadance circled, matching his steps. With a shout, he charged, raising the ax over his head. With dancer-like grace, she narrowly dodged the ax and thrust her rapier through his heart.

The Brass Lord choked and sputtered as he looked at the rapier sticking out of chest. As Cadance removed the weapon from his chest, he collapsed to his knees and up into her eyes as a realization came over him. "Truly thou art goddesses."

Cadance placed the blade of the rapier against his throat. "If you have any last words, speak them now."

The Brass Lord coughed up a gob of blood. "Be-beware the undead pony who wears the guise of a goddess, she knows who you are and is the greater threat."

The power field on Cadance's rapier crackled as she drug it across the mutated minotaur's throat, severing his head.

Dew Drop's blood boiled as she walked past the bodies of murdered slaves being prepped for burial. Unwanted memories played through her head from her time as a slave to the sphinx. Even though the soldiers had tried to give the dead some semblance of dignity by closing their eyes and mouths to give the impression of gentle repose, she still recognized the expressions of pain and horror frozen on the victims face faces, the same expression that she wore once on her face. She recognized the signs of rape as bitter tears leaked down her cheeks.

The nearby snickering of a captured griffon snapped Dew Drop out of her grief. An angry snarl escaped her lips as she grit her teeth and drew her saber.

"No Dewy, don't do it!", Apple Pie shouted as she tried to restrain Dew Drop, who simply shrugged her off.

The griffon looked at the approaching Dew Drop. "And what do you think you are going to do little foal with your toy sword?"

Dew Drop said nothing as she slammed the hoofguard into the griffon's beak and he unceremoniously fell to the ground. The griffon screamed as she embedded the point of the saber into his groin. "Did they scream, just like you are screaming now, when you forcibly penetrated them?!" As she began sawing the blade back and forth slowly disemboweling the griffon, he tried to beg, but only gurgling screams came out. "Did they try to beg for their lives, just like you are doing now?!"

Apple Pie covered her ears, squenched her eyes shut and turned away, though she was stranger to violence, she never had the stomach for torture.

Blood and ropy intestines spilled out of the griffon's gut as he screamed and begged for mercy. "Beings like you disgust me!", Dew Drop snarled as she withdrew her saber, "You think it's fun to hurt those weaker than you until those weaker than you hurt you back." She jammed the point of the saber into the griffon's throat, killing it. Wiping the blood from her saber, she slid it back into its scabbard and walked to the nearest tent.

Apple Pie followed the chestnut-colored filly into the tent and tried to comfort the inconsolable earth pony. She began softly singing a song her mother used to sing to her when she was sad or scared about smiling.

Twilight searched through the dead minotaur's office, searching for evidence of any potential allies he may have had. She found in a corner two crumpled up notes. Levitating them in her magic, she spread them out and read them. The first one was asking for aid from New Unicornia, as she read the second her eyes went wide. Rushing out of the office, she called for Celestia, Luna, Cadance and Flurry Heart.

As the five princesses passed the letter back and forth, Cadance asked, "This can't be the same Cozy Glow. If she were alive, she'd be over a thousand years old."

"Not unless she gained access to necromancy or some other form of forbidden magic", Celestia replied.

"I say we worry about that pony when we come across her, if we come across her.", Luna said flicking the other letter with a hoof, "Our concern should be this New Unicornia. It appears this bandit army was supplied by them."

"I agree.", Twilight said still eyeing the letter written by Cozy Glow, "New Unicornia is the bigger threat. Though if Cozy was here, then she knows of them and that further compounds our problem. I find it unsettling that she seems to be at least three steps ahead of us and she'll get even more steps ahead as we're going to be spending at least six weeks consolidating, repairing and rearming."

As the sun set, the remains of the Brass Lord was tossed without pomp or ceremony into a pit atop the piled corpses of the bandits of the now defeated and vanquished Brass Legion. Banners, artwork and heraldry of the destroyed legion here hurled in on top of the bodies. With the whoosh of flame throwers, the once feared tyrant and his warriors, burned away to ash. The princesses watched as the bandits and the tin pot dictator that ruled over them burned away. Within a generation the Brass Legion would become little more than a cautionary tale parents told their foals.

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Cozy Glow perched atop a cloud as she watched farms worked by emaciated earth ponies dressed in rags. An elaborate covered palanquin being carried by large ponies wearing elaborate armor, being escorted by two companies of heavily armed unicorns and two self-propelled armored wagons on treads, with turrets on top brandishing long tube-like guns. She watched as the palanquin stopped by the farms, the heavily armed unicorns took up positions along the road, pointing their weapons, the two armored self-propelled wagons on treads rotated their turrets, pointing their guns to either side of the road.

Cozy watched as the palanquin was lowered to the ground and a set of gilded steps were laid next to it. She watched as a unicorn wearing elaborate scarlet and gold robes, with an elaborate pointed hat on its head. You must be the Grand Pontiff. She watched as the earth ponies laid on their bellies and kowtowed to the unicorn. As the unicorn spoke to the earth ponies, she couldn't make out what was said, but it became quickly apparent when the earth ponies brought out several carts filled with vegetables. The soldiers took the vegetables from the carts and stuffed them into sacks.

Cozy watched as the unicorn turned to walk back to the palanquin, paused, turned back and walked over to a young earth pony mare and ran a hoof across the mare's cheek. With a gesture unicorn soldiers grabbed the earth pony mare in their magic. The mare's family scurried forward, begging and pleading. When the earth pony stallion, obviously the patriarch of the family, tried to pull the mare mare away, unicorn soldiers struck hi over the head with the butts of their rifles, knocking the stallion to the ground. Several unicorn soldiers rushed over to stamp on the stallion with their hooves or beat him with their rifle butts.

Cozy turned her attention back to the unicorn wearing the elaborate scarlet and gold robes as it climbed back into the elaborate covered palanquin. Unicorn soldiers roughly shoved the mare into the palanquin and the ponies in elaborate armor lifted the palanquin by its four poles. With shouts of orders, the unicorn soldiers that were beating the earth pony stallion rejoined the escort convoy, leaving the stallion battered and bloody in the field.

Cozy Glow flitted from cloud to cloud as she followed the column of soldiers escorting the Grand Pontiff down the road, as the two self-propelled armored wagons took up the front and rear. She followed the column to a massive cathedral-like palace. As the palanquin was carried up the gleaming marble steps, the soldiers and armored self-propelled wagons peeled off to the left and right respectively.

Cozy Glow thought back through her memories of the old maps of Equestria, the cathedral-like palace stood where the twin peaks of the Smokey Mountains once stood. She cackled to herself in wicked glee. "It looks like I'll be making some new friends." She paused looking at her undead mummified form. "I'll have to make myself look a little more presentable."

Author's Note

The crusade stands bloodied, but victorious.

New Unicornia joins the game.

Thank you all for reading and I hope you all enjoy.

Like the story? Hate the story? Spot any typos? Have any criticisms? Wanna throw shade or pure bane?

Leave them down in the comment section.

Thanks to New Rebellion for his help in story ideas.

PEACE THROUGH HARMONY! HARMONY THROUGH VICTORY!