Shadowmere

"Why are you sacrificing yourself for us?" Celestia stared across the table at Shadowmere.

"Call it nostalgia. I've done this before, at least twice. Just make sure nopony remains in the city, and that all the guards who volunteer are aware this is practically a suicide mission. Get everypony well away from here, they won't want to see what happens to this city. Too many have died from my actions. I think its time I cleared my conscience once and for all. Go inform your subjects... I'll be overseeing the guards preparations. And no matter what you hear from any of your guards, I will get out of this mess alive and intact. Captain, I'll need you to ask your guards if any pony wishes to volunteer. As for the rest of you..." Shadowmere cast his red-eyed gaze across the table. "Prepare to evacuate." And with that Shadowmere and Shining Armour made their way out of the room.

"So you want me to lend you 300 of my Royal Guard, for a suicide mission?"

"Yes." Shadowmere and Shining Armour began to walk through the corridors of Canterlot Castle towards the guard barracks.

"So you want Equestria's main army to lose half its strength and expect me and the Princess to defend the whole of Equestria not only from this invasion, but also the other kingdoms? They have been looking to take chunks of Equestria soil away from us ever since the Changling Crisis and our army's weakness was shown."

"Calm down Captain, the vast majority of your guard will make it out alive."

"I know a Commander shouldn't get so attached to his troops, but when you knew most of them as you've risen through the ranks..."

"A Commander who has the love and adoration of his troops is a worthy Commander. Just don't get distracted by each loss. You're not fighting to avenge the dead... Well actually you could look at it that way if you wished... You're fighting to keep the ponies that are alive, alive."

Shadowmere began to turn town a side passage. "Just give the orders Captain. The stage is set, the actors are assembled. The first act is about to begin. And I'm the leading actor." Leaving the Captain with those words in his head, Shadowmere began to walk back to his rooms to retrieve the Ebony Blade and the Blade of Woe.

Walking back through the palace took slightly longer than he expected due to the sheer chaos the evacuation was causing throughout the Castle and Canterlot itself. After narrowly avoiding a column of galloping Day Guard, Shadowmere eventually made it to the solitude of his rooms. Picking up the Blade of Woe in his left hoof and the Ebony Blade in his right, Shadowmere began to reflect on how right the two weapons felt together. It was almost like they'd been created as a set, and then separated. And now they were back together, who knows what carnage they could create?

He walked over to his rooms small balcony and looked out onto Canterlot's marble and gold buildings. He stared for a while the lengthy escorted columns of ponies that were steadily leaving the city for places like Fillydelphia and Manehatten, before he looked up at the lava-like sky. "Why did you give us warning, Dagon? Has your small red brain turned to mush? You provided minutes of warning in Tamriel, yet hours here... What are you up to, you sack of Daedra flesh?"

Shadowmere sighed as he watched the Princess's column prepared to leave. For some reason, they seemed to have a blue jewel-encrusted box with them. He concluded it must be some royal regalia or some other trapping of power. He turned as he heard the door open and saw a black bat-winged pony step into the room.

"Spymaster, the guards are ready."

"Thank you, Captain Nighthawk. Are you staying?"

The black Pegasus grinned. "Of course. Ever since we missed out on the Changeling Crisis, me and my stallions have been looking to get in on the action."

Shadowmere smiled at the eagerness of the somewhat green recruit. Or green relative to him, at least.

"Our extraction route is secure?"

"Yes. The last civilians will leave within a quarter of an hour. Are you sure your orders are to kill rather than merely knock out or force the enemy to retreat?"

"Captain, this is not a war that can be won through trickery or diplomacy. This is total war. No mercy, no retreat, no surrender. You cannot negotiate with beasts, and that is what we are going up against. Order the guards to their positions. We must make use of what little time we have left."

The Night Guard captain saluted before trotting out of the room.

"I just hope that fancy armour of theirs actually offers them a measure of protection from Daedra claws..."

Shadowmere walked out of the room and through the now deserted corridors of Canterlot Castle. He eventually arrived at the Astronomy Tower, hastily modified into a command centre for the rearguard. Nightwing was standing by Luna's telescope, using it to keep a eye on the guards around the city as well as the city edges.

Shadowmere walked up and stood next to the captain. The Night Guardsman swung the telescope northwards, obviously having spotted something.

"Spymaster, would you mind taking a look at this?" Nightwing moved his head back from the telescope as Shadowmere pressed his eye to the lens, magnifying the distinctive red and yellow portal that was a Oblivion Gate. He could already see the highly distinctive red and black armour of Dremora and the humanoid shapes of Scamps beginning to walk through the portal, accompanied by the occasional Daedroth.

"And so it begins..." Shadowmere softly whispered. "Captain, divert the reserve column to the gates. Are the civilians clear?"

"Yes, the civilians are clear, Shadowmere. Enemies?"

"On the northern plains and beginning their advance. All ponies, to your positions!"