My hoof shook slightly as I bandaged Carrot Top’s flank. Blood was everywhere. Her wound, caused by a gryphon's talon, was inches deep.
The coldness and bareness of the room we had stormed into quickly became apparent. We were surrounded by dirty walls of grey, featureless stone. The roof was barely ten feet high, something uncommon for a stronghold like this. My mind was starting to wander off, while the mare in front of me collapsed to unconsciousness. I knew she’d die in minutes now, as my simple medical skills could be no match for the wounds she had received.
--
I tried to be as silent as possible as I walked down the staircase, desperately hoping that nopony had woken up yet. Sweat had started to build up around my body, and when I entered the kitchen, my fear became true.
“Big brother, what in the hay are ya doing here?” asked Apple Bloom, giving a surprised look at me. I could only hope that she hadn’t seen what I was holding. “It's five in the morning!”
“Uhm… nothing?” I was disappointed at myself for not coming up with a good excuse.
“Big Mac, what are ya holding in your hoof?” she inquired, finally having noticed the obvious. There was nothing I could do now but rely on her judgment, so I decided it was for the best to not hold anything back. I raised my hoof, laying a letter on the dinner table.
“I'm sorry for doing it this way, Apple Bloom. But AJ... You heard what she said last night. I’m leaving: It’s time to take up arms for our country. Our Princess has called upon volunteers, and Ah'm not gonna turn her down.”
To my surprise, Apple Bloom didn’t start to argue with me like Applejack had a couple of days ago, when I had first brought the subject up. Instead, she gave me a warm hug, whispering into my ear: “Good luck, big brother.”
“Eyyup,” I answered, hugging her back. A tear escaped my eye.
--
I was awoken from my slumber-like state by a furious gust of wind from the sole window in the room. This high up, the storm was even more terrible than on the ground. At least the Gryphons would have some serious troubles getting up here. If they’d decide to come and get me, which was likely, I would take many of them with me. After all, I was at this point quite experienced in close combat. The deep cut in Carrot Top’s flank wasn’t exactly reassuring, though—one hit by bullet or talon would probably leave me dead or dying.
Sitting next to the small pile of snow near the window, I grabbed one of the hard and tasteless rations from my saddle bag. I needed to be strong when the Gryphons decided to push up.
--
A majestic and huge warship made of steel by the hooves of Equestria’s best craftsponies idly rested at the dock. It was clear that Narcolt couldn’t fall with that kind of vessels around, but when we were ordered to do something, I was never the first to object. I had complete trust in our superiors.
However, the rest of my platoon wasn’t too excited to be stationed here. While they understood that the city was a very important asset in the defense of our Northern territories, it was unlikely that the Gryphons would ever even consider a direct attack. Effectively, we were mere reserves. I had decided not to tell my comrades that I had secretly wanted this… a moment’s peace from the fighting, a chance to think things over and live to the next day not for the sake of fighting, but for receiving a letter from the one I most cared about.
--
A small explosion shook the tower; I now knew that they were inside the building. I took a small moment to send a silent prayer towards Apple Fritter, my cousin and comrade, who had stayed at the keep’s entrance to fend the most eager Gryphons off. From the sound of the explosion I could conclude that only a miracle could have saved her from the blast. The special-issue alchemical bombs used by our squad didn't have an exactly small blast radius.
The Gryphons would certainly be very careful in their climb up, now that Private Fritter had used our platoon’s last bomb. It was my luck that they had no way of knowing that there were no other ponies besides me left in the building, and that I was out of any explosives or munitions whatsoever. My trust was in the bulky rifle strapped to my back. The bayonet would have to do—and if nothing else was left, I'd still have my strong back legs. Apple bucking was not that much different from crushing Gryphon skulls: a powerful and precise kick to a carefully-calculated spot would do the job perfectly.
--
My head was pounding. I couldn’t feel my legs. Why did this war have to happen? What was the point of this all? I knew the horrid magnitude of the sin I’d just committed. Killing another sentient being wasn’t something I could ever have imagined myself doing just a year back. But for my home, my love, I would do anything, be it killing another or dying at the enemies’ talons.
I peeked at the grey sky over us—the sight of the colorless, lifeless, and cloudless void almost made me throw up. It was as featureless as the rugged hills surrounding the blank plain the fight was taking place at, now devoid of any flora that had ever grown there.
A bullet scratched my cheek, waking me up from the paralyzed state I had been in. I took aim at the Gryphon just twenty feet from me, his eyes now wide of shock after missing an easy kill. He truly was a terrible shot—from this close, there was no chance in Tartarus that I could miss.
POW.
The second one to die from the actions of my very hooves. I was already starting to hate myself… but that feeling would have to wait, for there was still a battle to be won. Celestia’s voice boomed once again in my head: “Victory by sacrifice, from death unto a brighter dawn.”
--
A desperate-looking Gryphon bursted inside from the window, readying its talons. I didn’t know how it had managed to dare to storm that raged outside, but frankly, it didn’t matter. I was up for the challenge.
I dodged the beast, and it hid the wall with a loud thud, sending dust flying from between the stones. It was a surprise that it still stood: a hit like that would've knocked your average Gryphon out. However, this one certainly wasn’t an ‘average Gryphon’. I could see numerous scars running on its sides, many of them so long and straight that they had had to come from bullets. But more frightening than the scars were its eyes, filled with hatred and blind bloodlust.
Yet the Gryphon's fate had already been decided. I simply stood my ground, surprising the beast by swiftly raising my rifle as it charged from the other side of the room.
The feeling of blood tickling down my chest was slightly disturbing, but I immediately noticed that most of it couldn’t be my own. I had taken my foe by surprise. Its face had a look of horror on it—the menacing Gryphon had jumped straight onto my bayonet. Slowly turning my weapon inside it, I took a couple of steps forward.
--
“Who are you writing to? Your sister?” asked Carrot Top, one of the ponies assigned to my platoon. She looked quite enthusiastic despite our long day of dull marching. I had hoped to avoid her curious eyes, but there wasn't much privacy in the small tent.
“Nope,” I replied, gazing at the piece of paper on the ground in front of me. My mind was elsewhere.
A grin formed on the mare’s face. “Aha! I knew! I always suspected you had a very special somepony.” She sighed, her grin dying out as quickly as it had formed. "Oh, who am I kidding? Just forget it, Mac."
I blushed slightly, replying nothing.
--
The Gryphon was dead, but so was Carrot Top. The mare had only a moment ago given her last breath; the cause of death was very evident from the large pool of blood under her.
Now I was alone in the room, with only the two dead bodies to keep company with me. I felt strangely serene. The most logical response to a situation like this would have been panic, shock and paralyze, but I wasn’t a pony like that.
The wretched deeds I had committed during the course of the war were starting to haunt my mind, but there was only one mare I really felt sorry for. I could only hope that she could ever forgive me for leaving. All the others could go to Tartarus on my behalf, even my sisters and long-dead parents. They were just ghosts of the past.
Sitting on the terribly cold stone floor, I knew what I thought was wrong and horrible. But no matter what, I could only pray for the one mare that had ever truly cared of me. Thinking of her, I felt a painful stab in my heart… not because of a selfish desire to see her again, but because she’d never have me to protect her during times of strife.
And once tears started blurring my vision, they weren’t going to stop flowing.
--
The magnificent form of Princess Celestia loomed on a large and decorated platform in front of us. The crowd was tightly packed in the courtyard of the Canterlot Castle.
“My sister and I present the most sincere thanks for everypony who has answered our call,” the Princess begun her speech. The alicorn’s face was stoic, but I could sense a hint of sadness in her voice.
“My little ponies, I’m extremely proud of you. You have understood that to keep peace and harmony upon our country, we sometimes have to take up arms. Many of you have left behind wives, husbands and children. But your contribution will be crucial. Every soldier in our army is valuable. The Gryphon forces are too powerful to be repelled by only the Royal Guard. But together, we can prevail!”
We stood silent and still, just waiting for our beloved Princess to continue. Every single pony gave the utmost respect to our sovereign leader.
“My little ponies, you are the backbone of our army. You are the ponies who’ll fight side-by-side with the Royal Guards. But fear not for disrespect or grumblings of incompetence: many of you will hone yourself on the field of battle, and the flame in your hearts is certainly as strong as that of any knight. And while many of you will fall to never rise up, know this: your sacrifice will not be forgotten. For every drop of blood you leak, the enemy shall pay a horrible price.”
--
After crying for a while, I felt a sensation of numbness fill me. It didn’t matter anymore. She’d live to see another day without me, but I would die for Equestria this very afternoon.
I sat completely still in a corner of the room. There still was time, but nothing to do. The wind howled and howled, as I started to become drowsy; a full day of fighting, slight hypothermia and the shallow wound the Gryphon had given me were starting to take their toll.
Not long after, my mind started to feel cloudy, and I fell into a restless sleep.
--
The rhythm of the familiar Farewell March beat with a deep tone. Drums and trumpets alike resonated beautifully with each other, making the old piece sound truly astounding even to my simple farmpony ears. Countless of ponies stood on the sides of the well-trod road, each giving a respectful salute for the dead comrade. Snow slowly fell from the sky, making the scene even more dramatic. Several ponies were crying, but I wasn’t one of them.
There was nothing left in me. I had been the one to pick up our fallen marshall, or the pieces left of him, just after the Battle of Golden River was over. It had been a great victory—a victory that was won by spilling so much blood, both ours and theirs, that the river had been tinted red.
And as one of our most high-ranking officers was escorted towards the place of his final rest, all I could do was stare at the crowd with empty eyes. Just another dead pony.
--
I was awoken by the sound of careful, hesitant footsteps coming from below. It was time. I staggered as I rose up from the cold floor, once again bracing my trusty rifle.
A Gryphon peeked its head cautiously from the trapdoor, but still not cautiously enough for my battle-hardened reflexes to fail. I thrusted my rifle forwards, slashing the Gryphon's neck open. Giving a gargled screech, it fell back down.
The Gryphons were now enraged. One by one they came, and I gave my best. My kick connected perfectly with the chest of the second – it fell. A stab to the third – down it went. But the fourth was too quick even for me, and it flew up into the room, skillfully parrying my bayonet with its talons.
Yet again, I started to feel horribly tired.
--
Having a lovely picnic was something I’d always enjoyed, especially with ponies I cared about. But this time, it was something special. In the shadow of the young birches of the Whitetail Woods, I enjoyed fine wine and delicately crafted flower sandwiches with the one and only pony who could ever make me trip in my words, waver in my stubbornness or enjoy the small moments life threw in my face. She was truly the most beautiful mare I’d ever met, the grace of her yellow mane matching that of Rarity, the self-declared fashionista of Ponyville.
--
One thrust of the bayonet. A miss.
The Gryphon hit me with full force, its talons horribly piercing inside my chest. The pain was something otherworldly. I saw stars.
--
We spent a wonderful hour together, discussing about our friends and families, the rumors circling around Ponyville and other unimportant but still meaningful things. It didn’t really matter what our subject was; all I wanted was to spend some time together with the wonderful mare. However, I did eventually have to reveal her the reason for such a well-planned trip to the woods.
--
It knew it had won. I was starting to sway back and forth, as blood in its deepest crimson freely flowed down from my gaping wound. It circled me like a predator, waiting for an opening in its prey’s defenses—but I was too experienced to give any, and it was too eager to patiently wait for me to bleed out. It leapt at me.
--
The sun was already setting as I sat face-to-face with the grey pegasus. I saw from her eyes, even the googly one, that she already knew what I was going to tell her. At least I had had the decency to invite her to have one last evening together with me—not that I could have left without doing that, anyway.
--
The Gryphon lay dead in front of me. It had made a critical mistake in thinking the fight was already over. My rifle was stuck in its corpse, the bayonet lodged between some rigid bones my decreasing strength could not break.
--
“Ah’m terribly sorry for this, Ditzy, but... I have to leave."
The pegasus looked shocked. "What?"
"At tomorrow morn, I'll leave this town,” I told her, barely holding back tears. "The Princesses have called upon us to protect our nation. To protect our homes. To protect our loved one. I have to do this. I'm sorry."
--
It was over. All of them were dead. The keep was in our hands now, as it was doubtful that any further Gryphons would dare to face whatever horrible abominations of ponies were inside. My vision was starting to blur, and my breaths had become shallow.
--
“I know that, my love. But thank you for thi… this… won- wonderful evening,” Ditzy told me, her voice shattering mid-sentence. Bursting into tears, she caught me in a deep embrace. “But what if you d- don’t come back? You gave me a life worth living. How would I do without you, Mac?”
--
A bright light shone from the window. The world suddenly became filled with angelic singing, as if the Princesses themselves were giving me a performance, and the ethereal music painted my mind with images of beautiful meadows and astounding landscapes.
I took another breath in the now brightly lit room.
I closed my eyes and collapsed onto the floor, now warm and comfortable.
--
I hadn’t thought about what I would tell her if she asked something like that, but somehow I just knew the right words. “For this little one here,” I said, rubbing her slightly swollen stomach. “Try to remember that no matter what happens, a part of me will always be with ya – both in ya’ll thoughts and the little pony inside you. And if… if Ah won't come back... tell her that I died to keep you safe.”
