Dusk of Peace

Dusk of Peace

Chapter 6

Darkness disfigured the landscape around the outer walls of Tridonstris. The hills like lumps of coal, and the sky, a shroud of black. Tridonstrian sentries and guards lined the walls waiting for the raiders. Pegasi patrolled the air, watching for movement on the ground.

Game Chaser waited alongside his brother instead of taking air patrol. Clad in the standard army issue Tridonstrian armor, he was ready to fight. Masquerade only wore the standard magic pony helm.

"Do you think Charmer will be okay with Mom and Dad?" asked Chaser.

His brother turned his head to acknowledge him.

"I think so, has she ever been in danger with them." he answered. Chaser nodded in agreement and returned his sights on the horizon. No sooner had he looked, flickering lights of torches began to line the hills.

The lights stretched along the hills almost for miles. Silence caressed the ears of the guards, but it was broken by an unholy screech of a war horn. The torches began to move towards the walls at rapid pace.

"Ready!" yelled the guard commander.

"You should go now." Masquerade ushered.

"That, I should." Chaser replied and took to the dark sky.

Masquerade focused on creating a barrier to hold off the raiders.

"Aim!" yelled the commander. Ponies at the ballistas grabbed hold of the trigger strings. The thunderous roar of hooves ensured them that it was a truly large horde.

"Fire!"

The huge arrows ripped through the air and pained screams mixed with frenzied cries of war rang out. Spells of all types flew out at the quickly approaching mass of raiders. Pegasi ponies dove at the raiders, lashing them with their armor lined wings and tails. Raiders able to reach the walls were brutally cut down by fire magic and aggressive barriers.

Tribals brave enough or perhaps foolish enough, tried to batter down the gate only to be killed off. Pegasi raiders faced even more resistance in the skies. Most were knocked to the ground or shot down by spells. Even so a lucky few managed to break through the line of defense. They terrorized the outlying homes causing hysteria within the deprived ponies.

Shamans bombarded the walls with their magics and allowed the slavers to get past the walls. Inside the walls, the screams of distraught residents echoed. Reserve guards rushed to attack the invading slavers. The tribals lit fires to burn out ponies doomed to be captured or killed. Guards hurriedly escorted those who managed to reach the inner wall.

Within the chaos, many young fillies were seperated from family and taken by raiders. Thunder Runner sprinted to a group of four raiders whom had captured a filly. He took them by surprise, kicking one unconscious while the other three looked for their aggressor. Runner shoved another to the ground and trampled him.

The two remaining tribals charged at Runner. He ducked low, tripping one of them and dodging the other. With a lucky hind kick he knocked the one he'd dodged unconscious and headbutted the one he tripped. The filly watched Thunder Runner as he came to check on her.

"C'mon. We need to get you to a safe place." he stated. The filly nodded and followed him through the chaos. Near the inner wall several volunteer guards were leading people into the gates. Two distraught ponies pushed past many other ponies toward Runner.

They were the filly's parents. They embraced their child furiously.

"Rain Catcher! We thought we'd lost you!" cried the mother.

"Thank you, sir! How can we ever repay you?" asked the father. He looked around to see that his daughter's rescuer was already gone.

Back on the front lines, the tribal forces were dwindling. The slavers retreated, captives or not. Guards and soldiers continued their assault as they began a mass retreat. Slavers were the main targets as a last attempt at saving those captured.

The light of those torch bearers who remained faded into the black horizon. The scuffing of heavy hooves lightened and quiet ensued.

"All right men! Let's get those fires out!" ordered the commander.

"Sir, what of the bodies?" asked a soldier.

"Burn them in a pile upon each hill. Let the raiders know if they want to come back they're welcome to try."