Star-Strider

The demo team was gathered just outside of the rows of tents that the royal units had been living in. Star Strider was in the middle of two flaming-red coated unicorns, a brown pegasi and a turquoise earth pony, all clad in royal gold. Flash Magnus stood next to him, and Princess Luna walked slowly out of the town hall. The guards all saluted her as she approached, and she waved them away with a hoof.

“No need for formality. We all may be dead soon enough anyway.” She dismissed. Flash Magnus cleared his throat at her as she turned to see the young purple and green dragon accompanied by Rainbow Dash and Rarity with Fluttershy close behind. They both crossed their hooves as they heard what she said. Luna flushed with embarrassment. Star Strider had told her how hard it was to let the young dragon come on the promise he would return.

“Ahem, or we will all return safely as you promised.” Rarity huffed at Star Strider who lowered his eyes from hers.

“Ladies, I presume you’ll be joining us? Seeing as how dedicated you are to the boy’s safety?” Flash poked at them. Rainbow did a flip in the air and landed in front of the general. They hoof-bumped as she grinned at him.

“You bet! I wouldn’t miss this for the world! Scary monsters, evil mind-controlled ponies; I mean, what isn’t there to like!”

“The fact that little Spikey here may be in the worst danger ever!” Rarity huffed as she patted Spike’s head. He flinched and shooed her hoof away.

“Come on guys, I’ll be fine. We’ve all made it through worse, and we’re with some of the most powerful ponies in Equestria. Would you all just calm down?” He fastened the straps on his small backpack around his shoulders.

“The boy is right; no harm shall befall any of you much less Spike. You have my word.” Star Strider spoke. Flash turned to his other four ponies and addressed them.

“Sear and Blaze, you two are on pyro duty with Spike. Stay by him and keep your fire magic ready to go. Hardy Gem, you’re with the unicorn lady. Her life is your life. See to it she makes it. Quiet Storm, Rainbow, Fluttershy; you are flying recon. Scout this path.” He handed Storm a map copied from Starswirl’s journal. “Make sure we can run relatively unopposed. At best pace, we make it to the target zone a couple hours before midday. Move out soldiers!” They saluted their general and began sorting off. The pegasi took off after examining the map for a few moments. The rest of the team filed into a defensive form with Spike and the Marking siblings in the middle. Star Strider and Luna were the only two out of formation.

“We will have to be on our best alert. You take up the rear, I will lead point. Stay safe my love.” He raised her hoof and kissed it as he took his place up front. Luna smiled and fell into the back of the formation, a good ten meters behind where Star Strider was positioned with Flash at his side. Rarity and the unicorn were in front of the princess with a small gap between them forming a window that Luna could see the rest of them. They all began marching towards a small opening in the forest. Their pace was a little faster than a trot so they could maintain it for a few hours rather than resting. It apparently wasn’t enough of a pace to wear out the white unicorn in front of Luna from asking her prying questions.

“Princess,” Rarity said. “You and that Star Strider fellow have become awfully close. Tell me what he’s like? He surely is the stallion of anypony’s dreams.” Luna huffed in annoyance. She caught sight of the earth pony… Gem? Also glancing back for a moment in curiosity.

“He’s… amazing.” Luna caved in. “He makes me feel like I’m just a pony. I’m not some idle that everyone is afraid of or worships. He just makes me feel like I belong. He’s kind and wise, far more than I. There are no expectations when we’re together. He’s unashamed to be with me, and he makes me feel like a little girl on the best ride of her life.” The two mares in front of Luna were slowing down to walk by her side, both completely silent and wrapped up in her description. Luna decided to keep going. “I mean, I think he’s the most handsome stallion I’ve seen.”

“Oh no doubt darling. He is quite the eye-catcher. I have a new piece inspired by when I first saw him. I call it Walking with the Stars. A beautiful dress that ties the elegance of the night sky in with the purple majesties visible by the setting sun.” Luna was impressed that Rarity always had a new dress idea based on the littlest things.

“Yea he’s really…” The earth pony guard started. Her cheeks flushed red as she realized she was in the presence of her commander-in-chief and should not be saying such things. Luna noticed her discomfort.

“You can speak. I’m not as strict as your commander or my sister. Speak freely.” The small pony sighed in relief.

“If I may, most of the royal regiments find him inspirational in some manner. The males all either want to be him or hate him. Us mares can’t get enough of him. We would actually look forward to the long and early training sessions he would give us.” The soldier was blushing even harder now. Such speak was so unfitting of a royal soldier. Everyone knew the soldiers gossiped, but they never did in front of anypony higher than the rank of Sergeant. Luna laughed at her awkwardness.

“It’s quite alright. He is… something.” She looked up at him in the front of the pack. His head held high on alert for any danger. His massive frame stood above everypony around him. “Meeting a stallion bigger than me is something I never expected to find.”

“I imagine it has it’s ‘perks’ as well.” Rarity winked up at the princess. Luna reddened as much as Gem had.

“Wha— whatever do you mean?” Luna laughed out the words nervously.

“Princess, everypony has a sex life. Not to mention Starlight did inform us of your little desecration in the throne room. You didn’t even have to touch him?” Luna felt her throat close up from embarrassment.

“We haven’t— I mean it’s… listen we haven’t had sex yet. That one incident was because we needed to try something to reawaken his emotion.”

“I understand darling. But Starlight did say how loud you two were, and you both were clearly enjoying it. Sounds like a pretty good stallion to me.” Luna could barely speak now. She had never felt so awkward in her life. She was grateful when the subject was forcefully changed by the Spike turning back and interjecting.

“Hey! Why are you all going so slow? Hurry up!” The two mares picked up their positions again. Luna was glad for the solitude again.

The group traveled for another hour in silence. Luna began noticing the trees were becoming larger and fewer of them were growing. The forest had become darker as the canopy had grown thick above them. Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Quiet Storm had rejoined them after they made it to the thick parts. Passing a pair of large trees, they all came to a grove with a giant and thick trunk reaching up far past the canopy. The base of the tree shot roots out in all directions. Star Strider slowed up and the group spread in a semicircle around him.

“This… is one of the elder trees of the Everfree forest. Fluttershy? Make haste to get the creatures gone. We need to start as soon as we can.” The quiet Pegasus nodded and flew up to the branches, coaxing out the sleeping critters. “Spike? Warm your fires. This tree is resilient and old. It will take great effort to catch it. Markings, accompany him and concentrate your pyro spells wherever he blasts. The rest of us will be watching the edges of the grove for any signs of hostility. Begin firing when Fluttershy gives you the all-clear. Divine’s speed.” They group broke up into their posts.

Luna took watch at the part of the grove they had come from, peering into the dark pathways they had walked. What are we supposed to look for if we can’t see? She turned back to see Fluttershy descend and talk to Spike and the unicorns. The three of them approached the large tree. Its sheer scale made them look like little more than blades of grass at the base of it. Spike began inhaling deeply as the unicorns readied their horns. With a whoomp of air, Spike released a huge ball of continuous flame onto the base of the tree. The unicorns quickly followed suit. As the fire came closer to the tree, a horrible shrieking noise pierced the empty space of the grove. Everyone reeled from the sound and Luna reached to cover her ears.

“EVERYONE! Continue watch! Pyros keep blasting it! Expect company soon!” Star Strider yelled, barely audible above the horrid cry. It was as if the forest itself was screaming in pain. Luna turned pack to her corridor, covering her ears and wincing. She looked out and saw something off in the distance. It was small and looked like a glowing dot. It was getting closer. She squinted to see better in the darkness, and saw the dot split into two. And then four. It kept multiplying.

“Star Strider? Something is coming!”

“I see it! They are here too. Everypony! Be ready to fight! Defend the pyros until that tree comes down!”

Luna looked back to see the base of the tree still engulfed in huge flames. They were becoming white-hot from the amount of fire blasting at it. The grass was reduced to scorched earth in front of them.

Luna backed up from her watch and focused back on the approaching orbs. The first pair stepped into the light of the grove to reveal a guard of the night battalion… possessed by the Lichen. Luna reared back as six more of them gathered around her. Most of them were unicorns, with only two being earth ponies. She looked around to her friends and saw them all facing their own group of night guards. She was on her own. Luna began conjuring a repulsion spell and spoke.

“My guards, please. I don’t want to do this. Fight it!” The six ponies around her all shuddered for a moment. Maybe something had gotten through to them. They all began walking towards her, horns glowing. Or maybe not.

Luna rolled off to her side as a blast came from the unicorn in front of her. She released her spell, knocking over an earth pony next to her and sending two of the unicorns skidding backwards. Luna flew up above the enemies and shot at the downed earth pony. It quickly regained its footing and jumped away from the blast, snarling at the princess. Luna felt her sprained wing give way as she forgot about her previous injury. She yelped out and crashed into the ground. The ponies wasted no time in springing onto her. A unicorn pinned her hooves against the dirt and its horn began glowing. Luna kicked with her legs, catching some poor pony in the jaw. She shot her own magic before the unicorn could, searing off part of his face. The unicorn fell backwards, grasping at its face and screaming in pain. Luna realized she couldn’t see these ponies as her old soldiers anymore. She needed to survive.

She got up from her downed position and readied her spell again. One of the earth ponies tackled her from behind. They tumbled over as Luna wrestled for control. She emerged on top of the earth pony struggling under her. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, blasting the struggling earth pony right in the chest. Opening her eyes and pushing back off the corpse, Luna tried to hold her stomach in. Focus up, there’s still four more to deal with.

She saw a flick of motion behind her and kicked back with her legs. They struck a jumping unicorn in the ribs as a wet crack sounded. The body crumpled to the ground as Luna dodged a beam of magic. She failed to notice another unicorn casting a rope around the spot she landed. The magical rope quickly tightened around her hooves, hogtying her in front of the ponies. She writhed under the spell, but another unicorn cast a muzzle around her and suppressed her horn.

The remaining earth pony grabbed her and lifted her onto its back. The three surviving unicorns gathered around, holding their restraining magic on her. Luna cried out from the muzzle but was unable to muster enough noise to reach anypony. She began realizing that she was being taken, not killed. She tried to look around the grove to see Rarity and Gem driving back their assailants. On the far side, she saw Fluttershy cowering behind a giant root as Rainbow Dash was fighting some pegasi. Quiet Storm lay unconscious or dead on the ground.

Straining her held neck, she saw Star Strider and Flash Magnus rushing towards her. They had clearly dealt with their attackers. She struggled harder, trying to delay her captors long enough for them to reach her. Flash took flight and sped up ahead of Star Strider, who was still able to keep a good pace with him. Flash tackled the unicorn holding Luna’s mouth and horn, releasing her magic. She cast a flame spell that burned the earth pony hauling her on his back. She fell to the ground hard and felt her teeth scrape against one another.

She struggled to her feet as Star Strider skidded up next to her. He raised a hoof, his blue magic tinting the end. Tendrils shot out and wrapped around the other two unicorns’ heads. A sphere formed over them, and they began gasping for air. Luna looked to Star Strider as his eyebrows narrowed in an angry look. Luna was becoming scared of him.

“Star Strider, that’s enough.” She tugged on his shoulder. He didn’t break his gaze. “Star Strider!” She slapped him and he grit his teeth. Closing his eyes, he released the spell. The two unicorns collapsed, unconscious from the lack of oxygen. He looked at Luna with a face of regret.

“I am… sorry. I could not let them get to you.” Luna stroked his cheek.

“That was… too much. I thought you couldn’t feel like that without the Lichen?”

“Clearly, your restoration of my emotion brought back all of them. This revelation is... disconcerting.” He glanced down at the ponies in concern.

“Hey! You two! Figure it out later, Gem and Rarity need our help!” Flash interrupted them as he raced towards the others still locked in combat. Luna glanced back at the dead and unconscious assailants and then to Star Strider. His face changed to one of frustration and he ran after Flash. Luna followed close behind, slightly more terrified of the powerful pony.

They cleared off the rest of the attackers with more ease as they regrouped. Gem handled Quiet Storm. Luckily, the pegasi had only suffered a blow to the back of the head. Gem analyzed her case and determined she would have a concussion and a headache worse than death for a while, but otherwise make a full recovery.

Luna took a moment to look at her own body and noticed some bruises on her side. Most likely from the time she fell from the sky and off the earth pony. Every other pony seemed alright, a few cuts and scrapes but otherwise unharmed. They gathered back behind the pyros who were all clutching their knees and gasping for breath. The flames had spread on their own up the trunk of the grand tree. The piercing scream had faded as the flames reached inside the tree. The burn was slow, and they remained on watch for what felt like hours. They finally turned and gathered a bit away from the tree and collapsed in exhaustion. There were so many questions, but Luna was too tired to ask. Star Strider began answering some anyway.

“That shrieking… clearly the tree was more conscious than we thought. It is a shame to see such an ancient being disposed, but in times of war, we must act swiftly. The corruption should subside from this region soon. As for our attackers, clearly Cosmic Sunder has his own encampments about. We must be ever watchful on our excursion.” Flash Magnus nodded and stood up.

“Rainbow Dash, you and Fluttershy make your best speed for Ponyville and get the supply convoy underway. We need to set up an F.O.B. as soon as we can. Once we have a base to work from, we can deploy more troops to each clearing. Watch for any signs of Corrupted forces.” The two pegasi sped off in the direction they had all come from. The attackers who hadn’t been killed in the fight were tied together at the edge of their circle. They all lulled their heads and spoke nothing. In all, twenty-four ponies had attacked them and only seven of them survived. Fewer than Luna had hoped. She wanted to save as many of them as possible. Her furrowed brow had given her away as Star Strider approached her side.

“I am sorry. Truly. I should have had more control.”

“It’s… alright. I just wish there was more to be done to save them. War is war, but these are my troops. Killing them can’t be the best option.”

“It may be. They targeted you. They are under the complete control of Cosmic Sunder and Dusk Bringer. If they control all the alicorn magic in the world, there will be little we can do to stop them. Efficiency is key.”

“I thought you had more of a heart than that.” She coldly replied to his statement and turned away from him. She was angry, but she didn’t know at who. Myself for sending them in here to get possessed? Star Strider for killing them indiscriminately? That brought her back to her questions for him. “I also thought you couldn’t have those kinds of feelings. Why were you able to feel such malice?” Star Strider sighed.

“I am unsure, but I suspect that I am returned to a normal state. Your words on emotional connectivity to magic are true, but we may have forgotten that to experience joy is to know sorrow. I cannot be one without the other. The only issue is that since I have separated from the Lichen, I am weaker, but just as susceptible to my negative emotions. My magic is significantly weaker than I had hoped.”

“That didn’t look weak to me.” Luna said.

“Think grander. I believe I will be unable to use advanced magics such as mass teleportation, confinement, or spoken magic. My ancient tongue may not be useful. I had hoped to use it as it is my most powerful.” Star Strider retorted.

“Spoken magic? Like when you broke my shield spell with a word, right?” Luna turned to him as he nodded.

“I was founding it at my disappearance and had hoped to perfect it upon my return. It is very difficult magicka and requires meditation on a single word. I was planning to fight Cosmic Sunder with it. His bonding with the Lichen would most likely grant him access to many of my magic and knowledge. With the return of my emotions, I may be able to reconcile my words, but I have lost a part of myself.” Luna stared into the ground, the roaring blaze filling her mind.

“Teach me.” Star Strider raised a brow at her.

“I hardly know it myself. There is no guarantee you could learn it.” Luna stood up and faced him.

“You said it’s the one magic that Cosmic Sunder would have no idea about. That’s our only advantage right now is whatever he doesn’t know. Which isn’t a lot.” Star Strider stroked his chin in contemplation.

“You may be right. Your natural affinity for magic may be the missing component to make this magic work. Very well princess, I shall share with you the ability of spoken magic.” She brushed his side playfully.

“I told you, you don’t have to call me princess. It feels wrong to have my special somepony address me so formally.” Star Strider smiled at her and pushed her back.

“As you wish… princess.” He laughed as she tackled him. The others in the group looked at them in confusion. It wasn’t public knowledge that Luna and Star Strider were together, and most of them had never seen a princess behave this way. The two of them realized everyone was staring and righted themselves. Luna was blushing but Star Strider was smiling widely at the group. “What? Keeping a light spirit is critical for morale! Come friends, let us share some stories while we await the convoy.”