Cloud Tipper, leader of the Pegasi Nation, stood with his fellow pegasi on top of a hill. 300,000 strong. Behind them lay the Pegasus City of Contrail. In front of them lay the opposing army, the Griffon Empire, estimated force is around 600,000. They've been skirting battle for the past five years, but it has inevitably arrived. Cloud Tipper had tried his best to prepare for this. Trained those who were willing to fight, to spill blood, to take a life. Prepared an escape plan for the citizens at Contrail if the Pegasi were to fall. Bolstered morale as best he could.

He sighed as he took front position. He kept his head up high and his spear wrapped tight in his wing. Cloud Tipper and his fellow pegasi were lightly dressed, barely any armor. It allowed for quicker movements, but if they were hit once, that's it for them. These 300,000 all volunteered and Tipper could barely keep it in. He turned on a dime and raised his spear into the air.

"Children of Wing and Cloud! The fated day has arrived! If you wish, you are free to turn back to Contrail, I promise none of us will hold it against you." Tipper paused and scanned the crowd of nervous and scared pegasi, but none turned back. "Alright. ALRIGHT! PEGASI! TODAY WE WILL BE REMEMBERED! TODAY WE WILL FIGHT! TODAY WE WILL WIN!"

The resounding roar echoed throughout the canyon. Encouraged, Tipper turned back with narrowed eyes. He took a few calming breaths and then picked up his spear with his mouth. Then, with a muffled war cry, he jumped and dove, skimming across the hillside. Behind him, his pegasi followed. It must've been a beautiful sight, Tipper mused as time started to slow down. 300,000 pegasi, wings outstretched, flowing down a hill side.

Then, without warning, time snapped back to normal and Tipper clashed into the leading griffon.

He ducked and rammed his spear into the gut of the griffon.

He flew up, breathing heavily, scanning everything.

He tackled a griffon that was hounding a pegasus mare.

He grabbed for his spear, but realized he was mouthing empty air.

He twisted away from the claws of a griffon.

He got hit on the head from a falling pegasus corpse.

He got body slammed from something and fell some distance.

He roared with frustration as his blows glanced off the griffon he was fighting.

He gasped in pain as claws raked his side.

He bucked a griffon out of the air, his hooves making a satisfying crunch.

He spat blood out of his mouth as he took a second of respite.

He screamed in agony as he felt his right wing get shredded.

He breathed heavily and wetly as he tried to escape.

He spotted a familiar looking pegasus and his eyes widened.

With the last of Tipper's strength, he hauled his broken form at the griffon that was about to deal a deadly blow. The pegasus looked up in surprise, then gasped in shock.

"Tipper!"

"Shh. Contour...you must..." Tipper started spiralling down, the sounds of the battle fading in and out. His breathing was coming in erratic gasps. Thankfully, Contour followed him down. "You must...begin the..." He coughed up a lot of blood. Bless Contour, he knew exactly what Tipper was thinking.

"The evacuation, Tipper?" Contour looked up with sorrowful eyes. All around them, pegasi and griffons were falling out of the sky. There were even those who lost their wings, still fighting on the floor. "We've lost then."

"No..." Tipper took a deep gulp of air and continued. "No, if we can stall until Contrail evacuates, then we win."

Contour straightened himself and nodded with determination. "Till we meet again."

"Till then." And with that, Tipper's closest friend and confidant flew away, up the hill and over the horizon. He shook his head, trying to clear himself of his pain and bunched his muscles. If he were to die, it would be until after he had taken down many griffons. With a guttural roar, he flapped his broken wings and charged at high speeds, slamming into the griffon front.

"FOR CONTRAIL!"

With a mighty cheer, the pegasi redoubled their effort to fight the good fight.

***

Contour flapped his wings as fast as he could. He instinctively angled his body in a way that the air would flow around him. His eyes stung as the cheer behind him faded into the roaring of the wind. He needed to make sure that their sacrifice would not be in vain.

It was halfway back, did Contour realize that there was a gash along his side and his blood was leaving him quite rapidly. He shook his head viciously, trying to shake the numbness that was starting to take hold. He could rest when he made it. Contrail needed to know! He picked up the pace as much as he could.

The city was in sight now and Contour was getting very tired. His wings felt heavy and he couldn't feel his hooves at all. But he kept at it. Kept pumping those wings, pure determination on his face. He had accepted his death at this point but he sure wasn't going to die before he delivered his message.

There were cries as he literally crashed into the pavement that led to the Middle House that had the appointed second in command. He could vaguely hear pegasi around him, yelling his name, yelling for Coriolis, just yelling in general. He was sure his blood was scattered all along the cloud bricks and his battered body must've been a sight for the foals. He apologized in his head. All he could do right now was keep on breathing, just until Coriolis arrives.

"Contour."

"Coriolis. Evacuate." And with that, Contour was no more.

***

Legend has it that Cloud Tipper and his pegasi held the griffons at bay for four hours, fighting till their last breath, and their efforts were not in vain. When the griffons finally made it to Contrail, they had lost 500,000 of their number and was only met with an empty city and a single body laid out in the middle.

Legend has it that Contour flew so fast that clouds gathered behind him, creating the phenomenon now known as a Contrail, in honor of the city the pegasi defended and abandoned. It became one of the highest honors to be able to fly as fast as Contour to generate a contrail of their own.

Legend has it that Coriolis succesfully evacuated everypony within a matter of one hour. He made sure nopony was left behind, sacrificing his own food and water so others could make it. Whenever a pegasus dropped out of the sky, it was him who held them aloft until they could flap their wings again.

The bravery of these three are still told to this day.

Author's Note

Inspired by the Battle of Marathon. The legendary battle in which a messenger ran 26.2 Miles to deliver the news of Athens' victory and promptly died.