Elysian Fields

Chapters

Prologue - "How the Story Ends"
Part 1 - "Soldiers of the Wasteland"
Part 2 - "Dawn Patrol"
Part 3 - "Decadence"
Part 4 - "Battery"

Prologue - "How the Story Ends"

"Equestria. A land of peace, a land of harmony. A land of war.

Equestria was a war zone. Three separate factions were all fighting for control and victory over the others' land. The ravaged land had been split into three separate territories: that which belonged to the unicorns, that which beloved to the pegasi and that which belonged to the Royal Equestrian Army.

The war had started when a sect of rogue pegasi that wanted superior control broke the treaty which gave each race equality in the lands. Following their actions, a sect of unicorns formed and fought for their superiority over the other races in Equestria. The only remaining group, consisting of earth ponies, loyal pegasi and loyal unicorns remained faithful to the treaty.

Under the leadership of General Starflare, the hostile unicorns claimed their moderately sized territory in the northwest of Equestria. Whereas, under the leadership of Air Marshal Swift Wing, the pegasi controlled the least amount of land; the southern areas of Equestria.

Under Swift Wing's command, each able-bodied pegasus was rigorously trained for combat, making them a small, but elite faction, capable of standing their ground against the others. Despite starting out as a small separatist group from the south, they quickly grew in numbers as they spread their propaganda to nearby villages and towns. Their support quickly grew as they continued to spread their ideas and ideals to further neighbouring towns, leading to more and more supporters joining their cause. Very rarely were they given the chance to move to land owned by the REA. Their takeover was slow at first due to many ponies ignoring the group and labelling their ideas as crazy. However, after a few assassinations, their support increased as pegasi began joining their cause, out of agreement and fear. The group had snowballed, starting off small, but quickly gaining more members as time passed.

The unicorn army had grown in a similar way to the pegasi army. General Starflare's plans were to control Equestria, with unicorns being the superior race, that would lead the land into a new age of prosperity. Unlike the White Army, any earth or pegasus ponies residing on unicorn land were either imprisoned or forced to work under the command of unicorns, with a few exceptions.

Dear Princess Celestia,

I have been researching the old legend of the civil wars and this is what I have found so far. However, I’m having trouble finding out anymore information on this subject, and I was wondering if you had any material I could use to further my research.

Your faithful student,

Twilight Sparkle"

Celestia placed Twilight's letter on her desk in front of her. She was seated in her dimly candle lit study looking through old files when the letter had appeared in a puff of green smoke. She had asked Twilight to compile information about the history of Equestria using any material she had in her library. The essay was not important to her studies, but Celestia had wanted to know Twilight's knowledge about the topic.

Celestia pondered briefly before she rose from her desk and walked over to a large bookcase in the corner of the study. There, on the bottom shelf, rested a small lockable chest. It was blackened from rust that had developed over the years, and gave off a musky metallic smell. Celestia used her magic to lift the chest off the shelf and over to her desk. She pushed Twilight's letter to the side and placed the chest down. It landed with a thud, causing little flecks of the rust to break off and accumulate around it on the desk.

Celestia returned to her seat and rotated the chest so that it faced her. She fumbled with the old padlock for a few moments, trying to remember the combination. Even if she correctly guessed it, there was no guarantee that it would open; the lock had aged to the point of potentially seizing up.

"Think Celestia, think," Celestia mumbled to herself, as she screwed her face up in thought while observing the lock, and continued to fumble with it. After a few moments something clicked and Celestia remembered the combination. She began turning the mechanisms to input the correct code for the lock.

"Two... One... One... Two..." mouthed Celestia as she gently turned the four dials. When all four numbers had been aligned, the lock clicked and slowly opened. Seeing the lock grind open, Celestia's heart beat increased in anticipation of what she might find in the chest. I haven't opened this in a very long time. I can’t even remember what I stored in here... she thought, as she carefully removed the lock from the chest.

She placed the lock next to Twilight's letter and returned her attention to the chest. She paused briefly to take a few calming, deep breaths, then carefully opened the chest to reveal it's contents. Surprisingly, the chest opened without much resistance, despite the hinges and edges being rusted over. The chest was full of old papers and objects that Celestia had put in a very long time ago. Using her magic, she carefully lifted some of the delicate papers and objects out onto the desk. They mainly consisted of old letters and small keepsakes from a time long gone by.

"Just an ‘old legend’, Twilight..." She mumbled as she continued to look through the chest. After removing a few more papers, Celestia uncovered an old flask at the bottom of the chest. It was dented in places and heavily scratched. The inscription had mostly worn away from abrasion it had received over the course of its use. Celestia gently picked it up and gave it a look-over. She then slowly unscrewed the cap and placed it onto the desk with everything else.

A very faint whiff of whisky emanated from the flask; the smell preserved by the silver over the many years. Having unscrewed the cap, Celestia noticed a tightly rolled piece of parchment inside. She tipped the flask upside down and allowed the parchment to drop out onto her hoof, realising it was an old letter as she did so.

"How did I not notice this before? This letter must have been waiting to be read for over a thousand years. I'm sure whoever wrote it is no longer with us."

Using her magic once again, she unrolled the letter to look at it. What she saw next sent a deathly chill down her spine. The letter was covered in old blood stains and the writing scribbled, as if written in a rush.

Despite the state of the writing, Celestia had a faint idea of who had written it.

"No. It can't be..." Celestia whispered shakily, as she rotated the flask and studied the faded inscription more closely. Her eyes grew wide in shock-horror and realisation when she finally realised who the flask had belonged to. She quickly returned her attention to the letter and began to read it. Seeing what was written caused her eyes to well up. A single tear rolled down her cheek as her memories flooded back from another point in her life, the events long forgotten by others through time.

"Dear Princess Celestia..."

….

Part 1 - "Soldiers of the Wasteland"

The sun cast a dim glow across the barren wasteland it overlooked as it slowly set. Darkness was beginning to engulf the area as the moon rose into the sky. A thin layer of fresh snow blanketed the desolate earth which was once covered in vast expanses of forests and meadows. War had ravaged the land for many years, leaving the area almost unrecognisable. Anypony who once roamed this landscape would not believe it was the same area, if it wasn't for a large castle protruding from a nearby mountain.

The war had started in the years prior, when a sect of rogue Pegasi broke the treaty between the three pony races of Equestria. They had formed in secrecy and began by spreading propaganda which promoted their cause. Eventually their actions became more violent, leading to murders and assassinations becoming a frequent event. The group had wanted to revoke the treaty to allow Pegasi control of Equestria, and control over the other Earth and Unicorn ponies. Following the attacks, a Unicorn supremacist group retaliated with their own attacks. Only the Earth ponies and loyalist Unicorns and Pegasi stuck to the treaty.

Due to the actions of the rogue groups being somewhat unorganised and secretive, the Royal Equestrian Army had trouble tracking them down and putting a stop to them. At first, the actions of both rogue groups were considered general nuisances and methods of invoking fear, but as time passed and their group numbers grew, the acts became more damaging as the struggle for power continued. This is due to local police having difficulty in tracking down or finding any of the culprits. The problem eventually escalated to a point where the groups were capable of taking on the military. With the Equestrian Army attempting to subdue both groups, they moved from being on the offence to being on the defense, fighting for the survival of Equestria. Guerrilla warfare became a common attack method between both groups as the fight for power escalated. Eventually, a full scale war broke out between the Pegasi, Unicorns and Royal Equestrian Army. Due to this, Equestria saw the return of the strange, ethereal beings known as Windigos. Sensing the hatred and violence, they whipped up a blizzard that had ravaged the land ever since.

The sun had now fully set, only to be replaced by the moon in its absence. A single earth pony stood atop a rocky mound as he surveyed the surrounding area. The stallion was tall in stature, muscular, bore many scars across his body, and had two golden wings, covered by two crossing horns with the sun on top, decorating his flanks. His coat was a light brown, and his mane a matte black with dark crimson streaks. He wore a dark green jacket, and a beret of the same colour with a Royal Equestrian Army field marshal insignia attached to it. He was also cloaked in a small cape which bore the insignia of his chosen alliance; the Royal Equestrian Army.

"Marshal, is everything alright?" called out another smaller earth pony, who was dressed in a similar manner. "We really should get going."

Marshal slowly turned to face the smaller stallion who called out to him. His face was void of emotion, but there was a look of thoughtfulness present in his eyes. "Alright? When has it ever been alright? Day by day, month by month, year by year, this war continues to rage on. Tell me when it truly is alright; I'll gladly welcome that news."

The smaller stallion stood there, silently watching the marshal get down from the rocky mound. As he did so, the marshal approached him with a somewhat solemn look on his face. A smile then cracked his lips and he chuckled lightly. "Private Coltrane, the answer to your question is yes, everything is alright. There are no White Army squadrons currently occupying the area; a good sign to say the least. Now return to your platoon position at the front of the group, if you would be so kind."

"Yes, Marshal Thunderhorse, sir!" replied the private as he marched off towards the platoon position that he had been assigned to.

Marshal Thunderhorse, or 'Thunder' as he preferred to be known as, took one last look back at the wasteland that was behind him, as he silently thought to himself. Another black winter night... Typical. He turned back towards his platoon and set off towards the mountain palace in the distance, just as the snow started falling again.

“Great, more snow,” grumbled a young stallion at the front of the platoon. “Its not like we need anymore...”

Another earth pony stallion turned to him, and gave him a friendly thump on his shoulder. “Yeah, but at least we’re almost back home,” he said while chuckling lightly.

“I suppose so. At least I’ll be able to see my family again soon. It’s been weeks since I last saw them...” replied the young stallion, smiling at the thought.

“Yeah. Then you can give your mum a big kiss when you see her,” joked one of the two unicorns from a few metres back. The platoon burst into friendly laughter, while the young stallion’s face flushed a dark red with embarrassment.

“Alright, alright, lets keep moving. Otherwise we may never make it back at this rate!” Thunder shouted to his platoon, before he chuckled lightly under his breath at the platoon’s friendly banter.

* * *

Celestia and Luna sat in the palace study, carefully analysing many maps and sheets of information strewn across desks and the floor. As the ruler of Canterlot, Celestia had control of the Royal Equestrian Army and how it operated. It was her job to organise the sub-divisions, battle tactics and territories, and decide when to engage in combat with opposing forces. It was a difficult and demanding role, but she was able to manage it with help from her sister. Luna was the head of the logistical department of the Army.

"Luna, how many losses were reported in the last skirmish?" asked Celestia, as she analysed the maps before her.

"Forty-two, Tia. The attack as a whole was successful," replied Luna as she looked through her notes.

Celestia looked up from the map she was studying. "Not too many then. Although it still saddens me that we lost some honourable ponies. Have their bodies been recovered and identified?"

"So far, thirty-seven have been returned to the barracks here in Canterlot. I don’t have any information on four of them, but the last on I know of is being brought back with the Alpha platoon, who are travelling here now." Luna skimmed through her notes for the details of the platoon she mentioned. "It seems that Alpha platoon is currently being led by Marshal Thunderhooves."

"Thunder? Why is he assigned to the Alpha platoon again?" asked Celestia, with a look of confusion on her face.

Luna once again skimmed through her notes to find the details of the platoon and pony in question. "Ah here it is. Marshal Thunderhooves was transferred to Alpha platoon four months ago, to organise them in fending off the southeast Pegasi attack near the border. As I pointed out earlier, the pre-emptive strike on the outpost situated there was successful."

Celestia returned her attention to the maps in front of her, using her magic to cross-off an enemy camp marked next to the Canterlot border, before looking up towards Luna. "When they return, I wish to speak to Thunder. I do hope they make it back okay..."

* * *

The snow fell heavily as Alpha platoon marched on in the dark night. The wind was fierce, turning the snowfall into a raging blizzard, and the windchill was almost unbearable. It cooled any metal to a point where touching it would be painful, and froze rations solid.

"The blizzard's getting pretty fierce, and the visibility is near zero. Let's stop here and set up camp!" shouted Marshal Thunderhorse to the rest of the platoon, as they struggled to continue marching in the dead of night.

Hearing the order from their marshal, the platoon came to a halt and started to unpack supplies as fast as they could. The two Loyalist unicorns assigned to the platoon used their magic to set up tents and other supplies for sleeping in. Within a few minutes, the camp was set up and the platoon members began to crawl into the tents, to escape the wrath of the unforgiving blizzard. The tents prevented the wind and snow from contacting the troops, but the icy chill still crept into their shelter, chilling them to the core.

“Coltrane! Get over here,” shouted Thunder, as he waved Coltrane over. “Coltrane, I want you on watch duty tonight. If anything happens, don’t hesitate to shout for us. Got it?”

“Yes sir! Will do,” replied Coltrane, despite knowing that it was going to be a long, cold night, out in the open.

Before he got into is tent for the night, Thunder went to the edge of the camp one last time. He merely stood there, surveying the desolate surroundings. The barren wasteland and darkness combined emanated an aura and feeling of death; enough to make even the most unemotional pony feel scared. It would have been impossible to see anything if it wasn't for a thin sliver of moonlight which sliced through a break in the dark, foreboding clouds. The light illuminated the camp somewhat; a ray of hope for Thunder. Thank you Luna, thank you, he thought to himself as he headed back and entered a tent to shelter from the ongoing blizzard until morning.

Within a few hours morning arrived. The blizzard had died down eventually over night but had left the camp half buried in snow. Thunder was the first to awaken and to leave his tent, already geared-up for the day's travelling. He had struggled to exit his tent and realised that it was fully snowed over when he finally got out. He surveyed the campsite for any equipment damage, and concluded that everything was alright. It's light, which means it's time to get everypony up, he thought to himself.

He opened up his satchel and produced a small bugle. It was dented and discoloured but still worked fine. Thunder sharply inhaled and blew into the mouthpiece. The immense sound produced bombarded the camp and echoed way into the distance. He waited for everypony to awaken and appear out of their tents. Two minutes passed without a single pony appearing. Thunder blew into his bugle again to produce the same ear-splitting sound. Still nothing. "Right, what's going on?" he said out loud, an annoyed look present on his face due to the lack of movement from his platoon.

He walked over the nearest tent and began to unzip the entrance flap. "Come on! Get up you slackers. It's time to..." Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw next. The tent was full of his troops. Dead. Blood was pooled around their rigid bodies, iced over due to the freezing temperatures of the night before. Thunder stumbled backwards. He was a hardened war veteran, but this still shocked him. Frantically, he got up and checked the next nearest tent. More remains. He checked every other tent in the campsite only to find the same thing; they were all full of dead troops. By this point Thunder was seriously panicking. He was in the middle of nowhere surrounded by tents full of dead ponies. What in Celestia's name could have done this!? And where is Coltrane? He was supposed to be on watch duty.

He decided to re-survey the campsite for any clue that could explain the deaths. It a first glance, it looked completely normal to Thunder. Nothing was destroyed or out of place. However, as he looked over towards his tent the answer came to him. Why was it that only he had survived? His tent was set-up next to the embankment. The blizzard during the night had completely covered it in snow leaving it hidden from sight, and from whoever killed the rest of his platoon. The rest of the camp however, was set-up on top of the higher ground. It was left completely exposed and in sight to anypony who may have come across it; a sitting target at best. Thunder didn’t think that it would matter as long as he had somepony on watch. He had set up camp in many places like this before and was fine, but for some reason, Coltrane had gone missing.

“Where in Celestia’s mane is Coltrane? He was supposed to be on watch duty...” Thunder said to himself as he frantically looked around the campsite. Coltrane was nowhere to be found.

I need to get out of here, Thunder thought as the sudden realisation kicked in that he was a lone warrior in potentially hostile territory. Realising it was pointless, he gave up looking for Coltrane and quickly packed any other necessary supplies he might have needed into his satchel bags, and set off towards Canterlot as quickly as he could. His thoughts were racing and a feeling of nervousness washed over him. How could this have happened?

* * *

"Hold it men," a cloaked Pegasus pony whispered to three other stallions with him. The pegasus’s cloak bore the insignia of the White Army; a star with large wings spread on either side. The four stallion group was a fire-team assigned the duty of ‘removing’ any enemy forces within the area. They had been given the task of sweeping the area after an attack on one of their border outposts, when they spotted the returning Royal Equestrian Army platoon in the distance. They had decided to tail them until an opportunity for them to ‘do their job’ arose. "We need to keep our distance for a while, so lay low until the blizzard picks up. That way they won't hear us coming, and our tracks will be covered by the snowfall.

An hour or so passed while the four pegasi waited for the area to become shrouded in darkness, and for the blizzard to worsen. The leader looked towards his men and nodded. "It's time."

The four of them got up from the mound of snow they had hidden behind and started towards the Royal Equestrian Army camp in the distance. The moonlight that caressed the hill acted as the perfect beacon to find the campsite. While it allowed the camp to see oncoming intruders to a certain distance, it also allowed intruders to see it from a distance.

"A double-edged blade cuts both ways..." whispered one of the stallions as they neared their target. “Wait though. There’s a lookout, over there,” whispered the stallion as he gestured towards Coltrane, sitting at the edge of camp.

"We've trained for something like this. Do your job, and keep it quiet. We don't want to wake any of our friends here," commanded the leader.

With that, one of the younger stallions flew into the air, utilising the darkness and snow as cover. Stealthily flying above and over Coltrane, he hovered for a moment as he unsheathed a serrated object. Quietly lowering himself just behind Coltrane, his mind was set on his target. Coltrane had no idea he was there; the pegasus was highly trained in the arts of stealth, and due to the fact that Coltrane was beginning to get tired, he lacked full concentration. The pegasus landed behind Coltrane and silently ran the object along his throat, muffling his mouth with his hoof in the process. Coltrane’s eyes shot wide open as excruciating pain surged through his body, but he quickly faded to black, without a struggle or whimper, his life force spilling out of his body. The pegasus then took flight, holding his crimson blade between his teeth, and carried Coltrane’s body a short distance away from the campsite. He placed it down onto the ground, piled snow on top of it, then headed back and regrouped with the others.

“Good work, now lets continue,” whispered the leader. He and the other two remaining ponies each produced a large serrated object, then all four began to slowly unfasten the tents to themselves. They entered each tent as quietly as possible, utilising the howl of the blizzard as a cover for any sound they made. A few minutes passed, and eventually each one quietly emerged from their chosen tent. A crimson liquid dripped from each of their objects, which quickly froze solid due to the freezing temperatures. Any drops on the ground were immediately covered by fresh snow. Each pony then refastened their chosen tent and moved onto the next. Within a few minutes the actions had been repeated and more lives had been ended. The Pegasi assailants regrouped in the middle of the camp, wiping their blades clean and re-sheathing them.

"Is that all of them?" asked the cloaked stallion as he finished concealing his weapon.

“We think so,” answered one of the pegasi as he looked over his shoulder towards the tents he had just exited.

"Good. Then like lesser birds on the four winds, let us swiftly depart this chilling, haunted area." The four mysterious stallions silently left the artificial Golgotha and disappeared back into the dark night, leaving any emotions they may have had behind with the dead.

* * *

Thunder marched onwards towards Canterlot as fast as he could. He was now a lone warrior, kept company only by the deathly silence that spread across the valley that lay before him. The clouded skies seemed to be an omnipresent being, following and watching him, ready to unleash more fury without warning. Thunder's mind was racing as he tried to work out what he was going to do if he came under attack; a single earth pony couldn't stand up to a pegasus or unicorn squadron.

What am I going to do? What if I don't reach Canterlot by nightfall? Ignoring the images burned into his mind from the camp he had just left, his only goal now was to get back alive, to report everything to his two rulers. I must tell Celestia and Luna what happened. But first I need a plan I can execute, should I come across any hostiles. Thunder thought long and hard for ideas he could use to evade capture, or an attack by any enemies that he may come across. Several ideas came to his mind, all useful in different situations.

What he didn't notice was the slight flurry of snow in the air. He had been so lost in thought that he forgot to keep an eye on the weather. The fresh snowfall was only going to add to the existing snow and ice on the ground, thus slowing his journey even more. His over-packed satchel full of emergency supplies was already slowing him enough, but now even the Windigos were against him. His last major line of defence had turned hostile, and all he could do was watch as more snow blanketed the dead earth before him. Still, there was nothing he could do about it, his only choice was to continue trudging on towards his destination.

Time seemed to pass by slowly as he traversed the terrain which lay out before him. Every second felt like a minute, and an unbearable boredom gripped his mind. Every now and then the images of his dead squadron would infect his thoughts, bringing his fractured mind back to the harsh realm of reality, where death could be just moments away and rescue was just a mad pony's illusions. Thunder had seen many grotesque things during all his years as a field marshal, but nothing quite as severe as waking up to find his entire platoon dead. The sight, the smell, the image of blood pooled around their bodies.

It was enough to make any hardened veteran uneasy. He decided that it was best to try to keep hold of his calmness as long as possible. He tried to focus on reaching Canterlot rather than mulling over past thoughts in his mind, after all, it was in his best interest to get help and inform Celestia and Luna before anything else could happen. But he also wanted revenge on whoever attacked his camp and killed his platoon members, some of whom he had made good friends with. He too, longed to hear the cries of the enemy as he enacted his vengeance upon them.

The negative thoughts continued to plague his mind, only to be countered by positive ones. The clash of positive and nihilistic thoughts didn't help with his weakened mental state. I need to continue... No... I must continue. But what if I'm too late? What if everyone's dead? I may as well just give up here... Thunder stopped to briefly rest and to survey his surroundings. The palace still seemed an eternity away and the terrain was beginning to get worse. What had previously been small hills and holes were now turning into rocky pathways, ditches and craters. The layers of ice that coated the ground didn't help, either. One false move and you could find yourself falling onto jagged piles of sheet rock and ice, which was lethal, or mutilating at the very least. It was something else that Thunder didn't want to think about. Right now, all he wanted to do was to reach safety, warmth and the company of others. I must keep going...

* * *

Dusk was fast approaching as Celestia and Luna sat in the palace study again, analysing more maps and documents. "Has a report been sent through by Alpha squadron today, Luna?" asked Celestia as she finished reviewing the reports on her desk.

"Not as far as I know," replied Luna as she flicked through her piles of documents. Each squadron would send a report to the castle every other day to update them on their locations and current actions. The reports were sent using a unicorn's magic, which each squadron had a minimum of two. However, due to Thunder being the last surviving member of Alpha squadron, and of earth pony nature, he was unable to update the palace.

"The last report from Alpha squadron was three day ago. Do you think something has happened to them?" asked Luna as she neatly re-stacked her piles of paperwork.

"I'm starting to think that. Thunder has never been lax in operations, so sending an update would be one thing he could guarantee. The last report we received from him detailed their victory at the border and how they were heading back here to resupply and await more orders. However, I'm wondering if their choice of route has caused problems. I knew it wasn't a very good idea but I didn't say anything, and I wish I had now." Celestia sighed heavily as she realised her lack of proper judgement on the situation.

"Why? What route did they take?" asked Luna with a blank expression on her face.

"The V.O.T.D...." replied Celestia bluntly.

"The what?" asked a confused Luna, obviously unaware of the acronym's meaning.

"You know, what used to be the Everfree Forest. The desolate wasteland known as the 'Valley Of The Damned' nowadays. Where the first battle took place. Remember?" answered Celestia, with a hint of sarcasm rising in her voice.

"Oh right. Why did they take that route again? Surely the swampland would have been quicker to traverse, even if it is a swamp..." asked Luna as she skimmed through a pile of maps for referencing.

"The swampland is home to the hydras, remember? Besides, the valley is the only other route home. I’m sure Thunder is smart enough to lead his men safely back here. After all, he did send us that letter saying that due to hostiles potentially occupying the swamplands, the only other route home was through the valley. If I had to choose between a rocky valley, or a hostile, hydra infested swamp, I’d choose the valley." Celestia returned to her paperwork in front of her.

“But, you could just fly back here. Or teleport with magic,” said Luna bluntly.

Celestia put a hoof to her face and slowly shook her head.

* * *

The sun was once again setting on the horizon. An exhausted and weary Thunder slowly trudged on through the miles of snow that lay before him. He was cold, hungry, and frightened. Despite being an experienced commander for many, many years, he had yet to spend a night alone in the wild, in potentially dangerous territory. In the rush to leave earlier that day he had chosen to take food over his tent, in hopes that he could find natural shelter should he need it. His hopes had payed off. In the distance was a small cave entrance. It was discreet enough to prevent most hostiles from noticing it, but large enough to shelter in. Thunder decided that the cave would be his best bet for a safe night. He trudged over to the ave entrance and inspected it. It was more of a small stone hillock than a cave, being only a couple of metres wide, high and deep, however, to Thunder this was a glorious find.

Perfect, this will do nicely for the night. Now I just need to barricade the entrance. Thunder placed his paraphernalia into the cave and began to pile up snow in front of the entrance. Not much was needed to cover the entire thing, the cave tapered smaller at the entrance making Thunder's task easier. "Perfect," he quietly said to himself as he finished barricading the entrance. He had blocked the only way in with compacted snow, leaving a small gap at the top for airflow. Having done this, he headed back over to his satchels and unpacked his bedding. He laid it out onto the hard stony floor of the cave and climbed into his makeshift bed. It wasn't the comfiest of sleeping places, but at least he had shelter. Maybe some sleep will calm my mind and nerves... He closed his eyes and slowly drifted into the realm of dreams, his exhaustion having taken its toll.

* * *

A blustery wind greeted him. It was pitch black all around and snowfall buffeted his face and body. He looked around; nothing but snow and darkness. In the distance, a light. It crept slowly closer to him, pulsating as it did so. It dimmed slightly and flickered out. A lost hope. A shriek came from behind him in the distance. He turned abruptly, only to be greeted by a ghostly image of a pony flying straight at him, the source of the shrieking. He recoiled in fear as the spectral being dematerialised out of existence. He slowly opened his eyes, only to be greeted by darkness once more. Suddenly, he felt as if he was falling. With a thud he hit the ground. He slowly rose and looked around, he was back at his camp like he was that morning. A voice could be heard faintly in the distance. "You failed us... We trusted you." Thunder spun around, searching for the source of the voice.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" shouted Thunder as he continued to look around.

"Too late..." said the voice as something hard tapped Thunder on the shoulder. He turned around, only to be greeted by a skeletal pony lunging right at his face, a scream echoing into the distance.

* * *

Thunder awoke, abruptly sitting up. A cold sweat ran off his brow as he hyperventilated. He quickly looked around the cave searching for anything that may be there. Seeing nothing he began to calm down.

"A dream..." he whispered quietly to himself as he looked towards the cave entrance. A small amount of light was pouring through the gap at the top, indicating it was morning. Time to get going, he thought to himself as he began to pack away his bedding. He repacked his satchels and rested them against the wall, then headed to the entrance to dig himself out. The cold night air had caused most of the blockade to harden into ice, making his task harder. However, after a few hard bucks most of the iced shattered and collapsed away, revealing the vast valley expanses once again.

Grabbing his satchels, he headed cautiously outside, looking for anything that could be hostile. Deeming the surrounding area safe, he fully emerged from the cave and inhaled a few deep breaths of fresh morning air. The sky was clear and the sun shone down upon the valley, revealing everything in the area. Thunder welcomed this break from the relentless blizzards that had been raging for the past few weeks. However, it did not make his goal any easier. He still had to reach the palace and deliver the news to Celestia and Luna. His destination wasn't too far away at this point, but the terrain still made the journey difficult.

If I try, I can make it to the palace by nightfall, thought Thunder as he checked the cave one last time for any remaining objects he may have missed. Seeing none, he headed off, his mind set on the reaching the palace by nightfall.

I'm almost there, just wait a little longer...

Part 2 - "Dawn Patrol"

Thunder marched slowly onwards. A thick mist smothered the land, turning the area an eerie whitish-grey. It was early morning and still quite dark, and while the heavy snowstorms had subsided for now, other debilitating weather occurrences quickly replaced them, causing endless torment for those who were caught out in it.

He happened to be a victim of these weather problems. I need to get to Canterlot to inform Celestia and Luna as soon as possible,Thunder thought as he slowly continued his journey. Even though it was still early morning, he was constantly on the lookout for hostile forces.

Nothing so far... he thought to himself as he surveyed the area for anything that may help or hinder his journey. I guess I'll take a quick rest while there's nothing in sight. He was exhausted from trekking over the rough terrain for so long.

He removed his satchels from his back and placed them onto a snow covered rock. He then unfastened one and reached inside. After a few seconds of riffling through provisions, he pulled out a hip flask. It was a standard size, military issue flask made of silver, able to hold a decent amount of liquid. While they were typically issued for personal survival provisions, Thunder had filled his with his favourite beverage, whisky.

He unscrewed the cap and took a swig of the strong liquid. He savoured the taste before he swallowed. His drink was now his only companion on his journey, and he wasn't about to waste what little of it he had left. "That will do for now," he said to himself as he screwed the cap back on. He placed the flask back in his satchel and refastened it. He then slung them over his back and headed off again, Canterlot slowly growing bigger in the distance.

* * *

As per usual, Celestia was sat at her desk in her study with Luna assisting her. Despite being early morning, both princesses worked hard to manage their army and kingdom, and they wouldn't let sleep get in their way.

"Another early morning," Celestia managed to mumble as she yawned heavily.

"I know..." mumbled Luna, as the infectious yawn afflicted her too. "Too early if you ask me..."

"Still, it’s important we get these orders out as soon as possible. Lives are at risk," replied Celestia as she began to flick through a small pile of documents and letters.

"Have any letters arrived from Alpha Platoon yet, Luna?"

Luna flicked through her pile of new documents and letters. Again, she was unable to find anything from Thunder's platoon.

"Nothing yet, Tia," Luna replied as she re-stacked her paperwork.

"Odd. Very odd. It's been four days now, a long time for Thunder to not send us an update report. Perhaps I should send out a patrol team to scout for any signs of Thunder and his platoon." Celestia pondered for a moment, staring blankly into the distance, lost in thought. She then rose from her seat and headed for the door.

"I'll be back in a moment, Luna. You carry on with what you're doing." Using her magic, Celestia opened the double doors and exited the study, closing them behind her afterwards. She then headed off down the hallway towards the main hall of the palace.

Since the start of the war, the palace had been converted into a rescue shelter and the barracks for the R.E.A. Only a few areas remained off limits for use by Celestia, Luna and selected royal guards only. Despite the palace bustling with ponies, the hallway Celestia walked down was deathly quiet. Usually a few guards were assigned to be present in case of anything, but since the conversion the guards were given the task of overseeing everything else that happened in the 'public' sections of the palace.

After a few minutes of walking, Celestia came to another large set of double doors. She approached them and knocked on one a few times. A few seconds later, the large doors began to slowly creak open. Two guards that were stationed on the other side each opened a door. They were appointed the position of preventing unauthorised ponies into the private section of the palace, this doorway being the main entrance.

Having fully opened the doors, the guards stood at attention as their princess walked through.

"Thank you very much," Celestia said kindly as she passed. The guards closed the doors behind her. The section of castle she was now in used to be the main hall, but had since been converted into a secondary command room for the R.E.A. as the first had become too busy and overcrowded. Many tables had been set up for numerous piles of paperwork and maps as well as various other objects. As it was still dawn, many of the commanding personel were still either asleep or elsewhere attending to other matters. However, a few ponies were still bustling around the room.

Celestia approached a pegasus seated at the central table. The pegasus was a misty grey colour with a searing orange mane and tail, and had a circle of flaming feathers adorning his flanks, symbolising his love of flying during the peaceful early morning sun. His name was Firecrest, the Air Marshal of the R.E.A. and long time acquaintance of Celestia. He was sat at the table overlooking a large map of Equestria, repositioning groups of different coloured flags used to indicate friendly and hostile forces.

"Good morning Firecrest," greeted Celestia as she approached the table. Firecrest put down the flags he was holding and turned to face Celestia.

"Not today, it's not," he replied with a smug smile on his face. “With all of this fighting and snow, how can I possibly enjoy my early morning flights? Too chilly for my liking.” Firecrest had always enjoyed being awake at the crack of dawn, to see the sun rise and to bask in it's warmth. He also enjoyed the peace and quiet of the early morning, allowing his cares and worries to be lost in a sea of tranquility. However, since the start of the war, the mornings were neither warm due to the heavy snow, nor peaceful due to the fighting or commotion around the palace.

"I have a favour to ask of you, Firecrest," Celestia said as she analysed the large map in front of her.

"What will you have me do?" asked Firecrest, awaiting his princess's orders.

"I need you to send a patrol group to scout this general area," Celestia replied as she pointed to the location of the valley on the large map. "Marshal Thunder was returning here through this area, but for some reason we haven't heard from him or his platoon in days. That's why I need you to send out a patrol group to search for them or anything else they may come across."

Firecrest rose from his seat, acknowledging the order. "I'll get right on it," he said as he walked past Celestia and headed for the doors leading to the barracks. "I'll get back to you with news as soon as possible," he said as he bowed to Celestia before exiting the room through the doors at the back.

Firecrest headed down the hallway towards a very large room at the end. Within the room many ponies bustled around, busy with their daily routine: wake up, get up and prepare for combat or training, whereas others were still fast asleep. The room they were in was full of beds and supplies for the R.E.A., and divided into sections for the four separate divisions: Ground Tacticians, Air Squadrons, Magic Specialists, and General Reserve. Each section was specific to certain types of pony, with General Reserve being the only exception.

Firecrest entered the room and headed towards the Air Squadron section at the back. Once there, he headed over to a group of four pegasi, all geared in lightweight body-armour that was suitable for flying in.

"Delta Team, hustle up and listen closely," Firecrest called out to them. Hearing their superior, the group of highly trained pegasi turned their attention to Firecrest.

"Listen up, Delta Team. I need you to fly out to the V.O.T.D. and scout for Alpha Platoon and Marshal Thunderhorse. We've lost contact with them so it's your job to see if you can find any trace of them. Ready up and get going, this is an extremely important mission." Firecrest's face was stern throughout his speech, indicating the importance of the mission - if his words didn't seem convincing enough.

"We'll get right on it, sir!" replied one of the pegasi, acknowledging the command. The fireteam began to ready up, and, in no time at all, were ready to head out.

"Good luck out there. Report to me only, when you return," said Firecrest as he watched the fireteam pass him on their way to the courtyard to take flight and search for the missing platoon.

* * *

Damn it, when will this fog clear? I can barely see where I'm going, Thunder thought to himself as he slowly continued on towards Canterlot.

The fog had been lingering for hours now and showed no sign of letting up. What had originally been an inconvenience to Thunder was now a full on problem. While he could still see a fair way into the distance, the fog still reduced his vision by a significant amount.

Thunder stopped abruptly, hearing a noise nearby. From what he could tell, the noise sounded like the flapping of pegasi wings in the distance, but he couldn't pinpoint exactly where. What is that noise? This damned fog sure isn’t helping...

He silently drew his sword and prepared for what may appear. He kept quiet and tried to hone his senses in anticipation for what may appear. Despite being an excellent swordspony, he still feared the worst as he was on his own. After a short while, the sound slowly subsided. Thunder lowered his guard somewhat and looked around, searching for anything. Seeing nothing, he sheathed his sword and continued on towards Canterlot. After just a few steps the sound returned, this time louder than before.

Thunder quickly drew his sword again. "Who's there?" he shouted intimidatingly, trying to make the source of the sound reveal itself. He quickly looked around in all directions for anything. "Show yourself!" he shouted aggressively at the unknown source of noise. He turned around abruptly, only to be met with a powerful hoof hit to his face, knocking him unconscious. He could just about make out the silhouette of a pegasus before he blacked out and collapsed to the ground. The last thing he felt was the cool trickle of blood down his face.

* * *

Delta Team soared high above the war-torn land, searching for any sign of Thunder or his platoon. Even though they were flying high above the fog blanketing the land, it was still hard to spot anything specific on the ground. It was past midday, however due to the clouds covering the sky, the sun wasn't able to shine through, making it still seem like morning.

"It's going to be tough to look for Thunder with all this fog," stated the team leader. "We need to fly lower," he ordered.

The fireteam descended to try and get a more accurate view of the land. It was a mix of white and grey blurs due to the snow merging with the rocky landscape to create what seemed like a stained canvas. However, the mountainous region allowed them to keep their bearing, the mountains and rolling hills acting as noticeable landmarks that they could follow.

After a few more minutes of flying, the land began to flatten out, the hills and peaks slowly becoming gentler. As campsite that was resting atop a small hill came into view in the distance.

"You think that's a hostile camp?" asked a team member as he gestured towards the campsite.

"Only one way to find out. Be ready for anything," replied the team leader as he unsheathed his short sword.

The rest of the fireteam followed suit and unsheathed their swords too. As they drew nearer, they noticed that the camp seemed abnormally quiet for it's size.

"Looks abandoned, still want to check it out?" asked a team member, looking towards his leader for the answer.

"No going back now," replied the leader as they reached the campsite. The fireteam cautiously descended to the ground just a few metres away from the hill. They looked around for any sign of activity before slowly approaching the tents.

"Don't let your guard down, boys," whispered the leader as they neared the first lot of tents.

When they reached the tents, they split up and looked around the campsite to check for anything they may have missed. They figured that the camp was abandoned and finished looking around, having not found anything of interest. Three of them regrouped in the middle of the campsite, waiting for the last to return.

"What you got over there?" shouted the leader to the separate team member. "Somepony in there?" The team leader walked over to the pegasus who hadn’t regrouped to see what was going on. The team member was simply standing outside a tent, his gaze affixed on something inside.

"What's up?" asked the team leader as he peaked inside the tent. As he did a nauseating smell assaulted his nostrils, and a horrific image greeted his sight. Numerous dead ponies lay in an icy pool of blood, their bodies stiff and discoloured. "Holy... crap. They're... all from Alpha Platoon. Look at their uniforms," he quietly said as he backed away from the tent. He fell silent for a few moments as the other two team members came over. They both took a peek inside and ended up mimicking their leader's reaction.

All four team members stood still, exchanging confused and fearful expressions with each other. The team leader was the first to snap back to reality. "Check the other tents," he quietly ordered. The team members did as they were told, only to be greeted with similar sights for each tent they checked.

Having finished checking the tents, they regrouped once more to discuss their next plan of action. "We need to report this back to Firecrest immediately," stated the team leader.

"But what about Marshal Thunder?" asked a team member. "He's not among the bodies, so he must be elsewhere."

"Something may have happened to him. He's very tough though. I'm sure he can hold out a little longer while we report this back to base. Let's move. Now," stated the leader as he took flight. The rest obliged and took flight along with their leader, headed back towards Canterlot.

* * *

The day passed by and the sun was slowly beginning to set. Thunder stirred and slowly opened his eyes. His head throbbed from the hit he received and felt numb from the pain. He rubbed his head and face with his hoof, blood covering it in the process. My head... What happened? thoughtThunder, as he groaned from the throbbing pain that pulsated through his head.

He looked around for any sign of activity but found none. He was in some sort of cell with a small room on the other side of the bars. The room was lit by a burning sconce that illuminated everything brightly. Across from the cell, Thunder spotted his satchels and weapon on a small table in the corner, too far away to even try and reach. A heavy iron door was positioned opposite the cell across the room. There were no windows in the room so Thunder couldn't estimate the time, instead he focused his attention on the cell he was locked in. The cell was very small, and almost empty aside from a small pile of hay in the corner for resting on.

Where the hell am I? Thunder thought to himself while continuing to rub his head. The last thing I remember is seeing a silhouette of a pegasus... He was cut off from his thoughts as a noise came from the other side of the heavy iron door. The door slowly swung open and two White Army guards stepped through. They were both equipped with swords and wore body armour, whereas Thunder was left defenceless with only his army jacket. Any violence would surely result in Thunder being the overall victim. The two guards approached the cells, and one pulled out a set of keys.

“You’re coming with us. Don’t try any funny business, got it?” stated one of the guards with menace in his voice, as he began to unlock the cell door. The lock clicked, and the door swung open. Thunder knew he should comply for now, as any wrong moves could get him killed. He got up and slowly exited the cell. He discreetly glanced over to the table where his satchels and sword were. They were too far away to reach without being cut down first by the guards, so he ruled out the possibility of a counter-attack - at this point. Maybe though... at some point.

“Get moving,” ordered one of the guards as he brandished his sword. Reluctantly, Thunder began to walk slowly out of the room and along the cold stone corridor. There were no other doorways along the corridor, so Thunder knew he was headed for the large wooden double doors at the end. He kept a close eye on the guards’ actions behind him, ready to defend himself should they try anything. As they neared the large doors, one of the guards walked in front and pushed them open. Through the doorway Thunder could see a room much like the previous one. However, this one was full of other objects and a large chair along the back wall. The guard behind Thunder nudged him to continue walking. What the hell are they going to do with me in there? he thought as he entered the large room.

Looking around, he saw that the room was slightly larger than where he was locked up and was illuminated by many wall-torches on either side. There were many tables in the room, all covered with various objects that Thunder couldn’t identify. Even though the room had many torches, it still emanated a deathly chill that gave off the feeling of impending danger. The situation made his usual nerves of steel falter as he was now a prisoner of war in an unknown location.

“Bring him over here,” ordered a pegasus seated on the large chair. The guards followed the order and pushed Thunder into the centre of the room. They then closed the large wooden doors and stood guard in front of them. “Greetings, Marshal Thunder,” said the seated pegasus, almost too politely. The pegasus was a charcoal grey colour with a sky blue mane and tail - typical colours for many White Army militants. His cutie mark was a pair of crossed swords that indicated his skill in armed combat.

“Who are you and what do you want with me?” Thunder asked calmly as he stared up at the pegasus. The pegasus looked vaguely familiar, but Thunder couldn’t tell why.

“My name is Skyfrost. I’m in charge of this outpost, orders from our leader Swift Wing himself. Do you know where we are, Thunder?” asked Skyfrost with a blank expression on his face. Thunder shook his head; he had absolutely no idea where in Equestria he was.

“We’re currently in a small outpost near the border where you stopped our last attack. I lost a lot of good stallions from that and failed an important job Swift Wing had asked me to carry out. I thought the little revenge massacre that I ordered would have got you, but it seems I was wrong. So, when the pegasi that I sent out reported that they had not seen you, I personally flew out to hunt you down. Luckily, the morning fog allowed me to trail you without being seen, then, well, you know what happened next. How’s your head?” A sadistic smile crossed Skyfrost expressionless face as he pointed at the dried blood covering Thunder’s head.

“Just tell me what you want with me,” Thunder added, his anger slowly rising at the pitiful display of dominance. Skyfrost stood up and slowly walked over to Thunder. They met eye-to-eye, a silent war ensuing between their stares, neither of which would surrender.

“You see Thunder. Since you weren’t killed, and it did slightly disappoint me that you weren’t, I’ve decided that I’ll let you live. However, as soon as I get enough information from you about the R.E.A.’s future plans of attack, I’m going to kill you; something I’ll definitely enjoy doing. Hopefully that should redeem myself in the eyes of our great leader.” Skyfrost gestured to the pegasi standing guard, who then came over and stood behind Thunder, effectively blocking his movement.

“Lock him in,” ordered Skyfrost, his face returning to the steely visage he had before. In one swift movement, the guards knocked Thunder to the ground and then dragged him over to a wooden frame at the side of the room. From the frame hung multiple chains, and ankle shackles were affixed to the floor. Thunder was stunned from another impact to his head, meaning he wasn’t able to resist the guards’ actions. The guards locked Thunder’s back hooves into the shackles and tied his front hooves to the top of the frame, leaving him upright and splayed out, completely helpless.

“Well, let’s get started. This is going to be fun,” Skyfrost stated somewhat sarcastically. He walked over to a table near the frame and examined the many tools that lay out on it. He then looked over towards Thunder with sadistic grin spread across his face.

“Let the games... begin.”

Part 3 - "Decadence"

Blood continued to slowly trickle down Thunder's face from the trauma he had received to his head. It ran down his chin and dripped onto the floor into a small recess where it had pooled.

"Don't bleed out out too quickly, Thunder," Skyfrost sarcastically suggested as he looked over the tools on the tables. He picked a few up and placed them to the side for later use, then walked over to where Thunder was tied up.

What's he going to do? Thunder thought as the pegasus approached. Skyfrost walked up to Thunder and pulled his army jacket open to reveal his underside.

"Now then, tell me, what are the R.E.A. trying to accomplish by attacking this section of the border?" Skyfrost demanded as he stared into Thunder's eyes intimidatingly. Thunder chuckled and shook his head.

"You think I'd just tell you what we are planning? That's not how war works you pinioned clip-wing," replied Thunder insultingly, his infallible will to survive evident.

"Well then, If you're going to be rude, I guess we'll use the traditional method of information acquisition. You know what that entails, right?" Skyfrost slammed his hoof into Thunder's stomach, causing him to groan in pain at the sudden impact. "Now, speak, or I guarantee that it will get even worse."

Thunder chuckled once more. "Nice try, but no." He spat at Skyfrost's face, leaving a mixture of saliva and blood dripping down it. Skyfrost wiped the liquid off his face and turned away from Thunder. In one quick motion he bucked his hind legs and hit Thunder again in the stomach, the impact causing Thunder to instantly cough up large amounts of blood that spilled onto his traumatised belly and the floor.

"You know, I was planning on using those instruments over there, but this is much more satisfying," Skyfrost said as he turned to face Thunder again. He gestured to the guards to leave the room. They obeyed the order and exited through a door opposite the ones they had entered with Thunder. "Now we can keep this private," stated Skyfrost as the door across the room closed.

Thunder choked and coughed up more blood which he spat onto the floor. "Try all you want, it's not like I'm going to tell you anything. You'll die of old age before you break my will," stated Thunder with a slight grin on his face.

"Well then, we'll see about that." Skyfrost raised his hoof in preparation for another punch.

* * *

Delta Team were nearing Canterlot. It was almost nighttime and they were exhausted from flying all day. Canterlot slowly grew bigger and bigger as they flew towards it. They eventually reached the area where they had left earlier that day and descended to land. After landing they headed inside the palace back towards the main room where Firecrest could be found.

"Now to find Firecrest. If you spot him, tell me," stated the team leader as they travelled down the hallways towards their destination. Due to the time, the hallways were fairly empty with only a few ponies running errands here and there. However, as the squad neared the room where they expected to find Firecrest, they could see many high ranking officers bustling around the room. They rushed into the room to see what was going on and spotted Firecrest sitting at the central table.

"What's going on here, sir?" asked the team leader as he approached Firecrest.

"There's been an advancement of the large unicorn force to the northwest. They're dangerously close to the border now and we believe they will attempt an attack within the next forty-eight hours," replied Firecrest as he pointed out a collection of flags representing hostile unicorns on the large map that lay before them.

"Should we be concerned down here?" asked a team member as he studied the map.

Firecrest indicated to a small group of flags situated near the previous hostile group of flags. "These are the forces we have situated at the border edge at the moment. As you can clearly see, the hostile forces greatly outnumber our own. Therefore, we need to plan our next actions quickly due to the sudden advancement."

"I see. However, I bring worse news from our expedition today," stated the team leader, a hint of remorse in his voice. "We flew far south, eventually coming across a small campsite. At first we believed it to be abandoned, however, what we found is serious. Within the tents lay the remains of Alpha Platoon, slaughtered in their sleep. What makes it worse is that we found no sign of Marshal Thunderhorse either."

Firecrest sat with a blank expression plastered across his face as he processed the information. However, he eventually snapped out of his thought-like trance and looked back towards Delta Team. "Are you sure it was Alpha Platoon? If there was no sign of Thunder then..."

"It was definitely Alpha Platoon because of their uniforms, and no, there were absolutely no signs of Marshal Thunder there," replied the team leader, interrupting Firecrest as he did so.

Firecrest rose from his seat and headed towards the constantly guarded door that led to some of the off-limit castle sections. "Come with me, we need to speak with the princesses immediately," ordered Firecrest, looking back as he neared the guards. The team followed and Firecrest gestured to the guards to open the doors. As he was authorised for entry, Firecrest could also bring other ponies with him that weren't authorised.

The group of five pegasi headed through the doors into the ornate corridor; the guards then closed the doors behind them. They walked quickly and quietly down towards the doors that led into Celestia's study. Firecrest approached a door an knocked a few times. After a few more silent moments, a reply came from inside the room.

"Come in," Celesta said, her words barely audible through the thick doors. Receiving the invite, Firecrest opened the doors and led Delta Team inside. Celestia was sat at her desk analysing a map of Equestria and reviewing documents and letters when the group entered. She looked up to see who had entered and, seeing Firecrest, awaited what he had to say.

"Princess, I bring terrible news. We now have an answer to why Alpha Platoon hasn't messages in days. Delta Team here found the whole platoon dead in their overnight camp. And to make it worse, Marshal Thunder is missing."

Celestia was shocked and upset to hear this, but her regal expression didn't convey any of these emotions. She couldn't let her subjects see any weakness from her; it was bad for morale. "Do you have any clue as to where Marshal Thunder is?" Celestia asked as she looked towards the fireteam leader for an answer.

"None, my princess," the team leader replied as he slowly shook his head. "If we did, we would have been able to track him down easier, but that isn't likely at this time. He could be anywhere in the southern half of Equestria by now."

"I see. In that case, Firecrest, I am leaving it up to you to gain any information to Thunder's location, whether he's dead or alive. For Equetria's sake, I hope it's the latter," Celestia ordered, hoping that Firecrest would be able to successfully complete the task.

"Of course, princess. Also, if I may ask, where is Princess Luna?" asked Firecrest as he looked around the room.

"She's has gone to the northwestern border to lead the defence against the unicorn forces. With her help, we may be able to stop the enemy from compromising it and entering our territory. Our forces that are heading out there are in much lower numbers than the enemy’s is estimated to be; so with Luna’s magical abilities, it should even the playing field or even give us the advantage. It’s up to her now, I’m hoping that she will lead our side to victory, because if not, the enemy territory will grow whilst ours will shrink.

"I hope she'll make it back okay. What would we even tell the public if she died while fighting? They would probably be distraught to hear that one of their princesses had died on the battlefield," asked Firecrest, concerned for Luna's safety.

Celestia pondered or a moment before replying. "I'm not too sure, I'm hoping something like that would never happen to my dear sister. If the worst came to the worst, I'd probably have to make something up. Like she went to the moon, or something crazy along those lines. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to attend an important talk about the hostiles at the northwest border." With that, Celestia, Firecrest and Delta Team all headed out of the study and back towards the main hall where they would attend to matters of their own.

* * *

Blood dripped from multiple wounds on Thunder's body. Skyfrost had badly beaten him in an attempt to get information from him, however, Thunder's strong will allowed him to resist the urge to give in. By this point, Skyfrost was becoming annoyed at the lack of information received. His face started contorting with anger and it was as if there was a raging fire of pure anger in his eyes.

Looks like he’ll break before I will... Thunder knew that Skyfrost was inexperienced at torture, as evident by his consistent use of physical violence just for the sake of self-enjoyment, rather than utilising other torture methods which are far more effective.

"You just don't give in, do you? It looks like I won't be getting any information from you today," growled Skyfrost with a harsh tone to his voice. "Guards! Get in here!" he shouted in the direction of the door where the guards had exited through earlier. After a few seconds the door swung open and the two guards walked back into the room, closing the door behind them. "Take this dirt mule back to his cell," ordered Skyfrost.

"Yes sir," replied the guards in unison as they headed towards Thunder. They unshackled his back legs first, then his front, letting him drop to the stone floor and into the small pool of his own blood. They then proceeded to drag the severely weakened marshal back down the corridor and into his cell, locking the door shut again.

"You'll come in handy in the future, but for now you can lay there and rot," jibed one of the guards, eliciting a haughty laugh from his partner. The two guards then left the room and locked the second metal door shut, ensuring Thunder couldn't get out no matter how hard he tried.

Thunder was laid on his back looking up at the stone ceiling. His body and jacket were covered in blood and bruises and his overall morale was very low. What do I do now? I'm messed up and a prisoner of war. How do I expect to try to escape if I don't even know what time of day it is, or what day for that matter... The nihilistic thoughts plagued his mind once again. He knew too well that in his state there was very little he could do.

He rolled onto his side and sat up. He refastened his jacket to cover his exposed belly and to take his mind off of the many wounds that covered it. He then stood up and slowly walked over the the cage door, his belly paining him with every step. Looking around the room he noticed that his supplies and sword were still on the table. A previous thought returned to his mind as he reconsidered potential escape plans.

"Maybe, just maybe. I'll need to rest up and recuperate my energy first, but it might just work..." he quietly mumbled to himself as he thought over the plan. After a few minutes he walked back over to the small hay pile and laid back down onto his least bruised side. The day’s events eventually took it's tole on his body, so he laid his head down and slowly drifted off to sleep, his plan fresh in his mind.

* * *

Celestia entered a small room in an private section of the palace. Within the room was a table with many high ranking R.E.A. ponies seated around it. Firecrest was not present as he had been given separate orders from Celestia moments before. Celestia approached the table and took her seat.

"Welcome princess," greeted an Earth pony R.E.A. general at the head of the table. "With everypony present we may begin."

The general unravelled a large map and placed it in the centre of the table. The map was marked with the locations of the hostile unicorn forces and R.E.A. forces near the northwest border. The general indicated to the hostile forces that were marked on the map by small red flags. "These here are the enemy forces. Now as previously mentioned, due to their movement over the last few days, we have reason to believe they will attempt to cross the border within the next forty-eight or so hours. Their size is estimated to be at least one battalion, with numbers also estimated between six and eight hundred unicorns. The forces we have in that area are a lot smaller than theirs. We have about three hundred unicorns gathered there, so immediately we're at a disadvantage. However, with Luna's presence giving morale support, the playing field should be evened out, or even tipped in our favour. There will be losses, many losses, so I ask you all, do we agree to give the go ahead for the counter-attack, or do we pull back?"

Having finished his speech, many glances were exchanged around the room. The overall ambiance given off was a positive and determined one. One by one each pony in the room gave their verdict, including Celestia. The final verdict reached was that the counter-attack would go ahead, should the enemy attack the border.

"Well then. With that settled, I'll get a message sent out to Luna immediately," Celestia announced. She was met with many approving looks from the rest of the ponies in her company, agreeing with her choice of action.

With the meeting over, each pony left the discussion room and headed back to their previous jobs. Celestia headed back to her study sat back down at her desk. She used her magic to write the important letter that was to be sent to Luna immediately.

"Luna, The overall verdict was positive, the counter-attack will go ahead as planned, should the enemy attack. Please be safe out there.

Celestia."

She used her magic to roll the letter up and seal it closed. She then teleported it to Luna many miles northwest, again using her magic; the letter disappearing in a shimmer of gold light as it did so. I hope it all goes well. If we lose this particular fight it will cause a lot of damage to morale, but worse yet, it will also mean that the enemy will have compromised the border. Please be safe, Luna...

Having sent the letter, Celestia's work was finished for the day. It was now late and night and the days events had tired her. Receiving news about a possible attack to the northwest, Alpha Platoon's slaughter and Thunder missing was enough for one day. She knew that it would most likely get worse over the course of the following days, but for now all she could think about was rest. By now, most of the palace had finished the majority of the operations for the day and had left for sleep. Celestia decided it was her turn for some rest too and subsequently left her study and headed for her bedroom chambers. On her way through the palace towards her chambers she passed a pegasus dressed in a dark cloak with his face mostly obscured. She stopped to find out who it was.

"Excuse me, what is your business in this section of the palace at this time of night?" Celestia asked the cloaked pegasi. The pegasus stopped and turned to face Celestia.

"Apologies my princess, I was sent on an errand by one the generals and I am just returning from it," replied the shady pegasus. Celestia wasn't convinced with the story.

"And what errand would that be? And what's with the cloak?" asked Celestia, the scepticism showing in her tone of voice.

The pegasus shifted about somewhat, as if he felt awkward about answering the question. "I am merely a personal messenger for the general, princess. I was asked to deliver a message a little while ago. As for the cloak; it is cold outside, it keeps me warmer when I have to travel about to deliver messages. Will that be all, princess?"

For some reason, Celestia didn't feel that the story was entirely truthful, but seeing as the pegasus was in the restricted sections in the first place, she accepted his story. "Yes, that is all. Carry on," Celestia said, ignoring the odd thoughts about the pegasi in her mind.

"Very well, my princess. Rest easy," returned the pegasi, bowing to Celestia before he left. Celestia and the pegasi both departed their separate ways down the hallway without second glance back at each other.

Celestia eventually reached her chamber and flashed the two guards outside a formal smiles she passed them. Using her magic she opened the large ornate doors and entered the room, then closed the doors slowly behind her.

I should keep an eye on that cloaked pegasus if I see him again. For some reason, he just strikes me as shady... Celestia thought to herself as she removed her crown and climbed into her large bed, settling down to rest after another hectic day.

* * *

Hours passed as the night went by. It was now the very early hours of the morning and everything was silent except the light crackles of a burning sconce. Thunder stirred in his cell, drifting in and out of sleep constantly. The room was cold and his wounds pained him, but his exhaustion was just as great. The factors both warring against each other affecting his ability to sleep. Eventually his pain got the better of him, causing him to sit up unable to sleep. This is absolute hell; exactly how I though it would be. I'm exhausted but I feel like I can barely sleep. And to make it worse, I'm starving. I really have just been left here to rot.

Thunder shifted and felt his belly tighten from the trauma it had received. It pained him greatly but he knew he would have to put up with it, after all, it could always be worse. What am I going to do? I need to get out of this cell, but I don't have the key. Thunder examined the lock closely, searching for anything about it that he could exploit or manipulate to open it. He was no master lock-pick, but he definitely knew some tricks. He examined the door closer to see how it was constructed. It was attached to the bars by standard barrel-hinges and was locked by a thick deadbolt. Without the key, getting out would be nearly impossible.

Doesn't look like I'll be able to open this easily. I can't pick the lock as I don't have anything on me to use, and trying to break it open would very difficult. Besides, it's not like I even have the energy to attempt to break it open... Thunder turned to face away from the door and bucked one of his hind legs up to hit the lock. The whole set of bars shook slightly, but very little had happened to the lock except for gaining a scratch or two.

Thunder paused for a moment as a fresh idea came to his mind. Maybe, just maybe. I'll have to get it exactly right though, but for now I should fully rest, this is going to need all of my energy and I'm in no state to try and escape right now... He walked the few steps back to the hay pile and settled back down. He mulled over the thoughts of his plan as he slowly drifted back off to sleep, ready to execute it once he had properly recuperated.

Part 4 - "Battery"

It had been two days since the R.E.A. battalion had set out from Canterlot. The hundreds of pegasi and unicorns were now congregated in one area at the North-West border. The soldiers awaited the coming battle with baited breath, a sense of impending danger lingering in the air as they did so. They all knew that death was a very likely possibility, but they still stood strong, prepared for whatever the enemy may throw at them. Despite taking two days to reach the border, they were ready for battle, albeit tense from anticipation; however, though some would die, the battalion would not be stopped.

Luna looked towards her battalion. "Whatever the enemy may throw at us, do not back down, and show no weakness. These monsters must be stopped! Fight with courage and ferocity for the sake of your home, your kingdom, for Equestria. Don’t give up without a fight; do not fear death, for those that die, die as heroes!" She shouted to the mass of soldiers. A determined uproar came from the battalion, each and every soldier was ready to fight alongside her.

Each soldier was well equipped. Lightweight armour for the pegasi, suitable for flying in, and more resilient armour for the unicorns, offering greater protection for those less mobile soldiers. Luna wore her own royal armour. Each soldier was equipped with suitable weaponry too. A mid-length sword and dagger for each pegasus, both standard military issue, and the unicorns had use of larger length swords and projectiles such as heavy metal ball-bearings. Luna carried her sword of choice - a mortuary sword. The sword had a fairly long, slightly curved blade and a large, gilded basket hilt, allowing it to be worn on a hoof if necessary. It was mainly a secondary weapon and typically for show as she primarily relied on her immense magical abilities for fighting. However, should she need it, it was ready at her side.

Now we wait for them, Luna thought to herself as she surveyed the area. It was nighttime, her nighttime, cold and windy, with fresh snow covering the ground. The ethereal Windigos had created a new snowstorm in light of the coming battle having sensed the hatred and violence that would arise.

In the distance, a thunderous force could be heard advancing. Hundreds of hostile unicorns were marching slowly towards Luna and her battalion. While the enemy had a much larger force than Luna did, the R.E.A. had the higher ground, giving them a slight advantage. The steep, snow covered rocks would make it difficult for the advancing unicorn hostiles to traverse, allowing the R.E.A. to attack while the enemy tried to get close.

"Prepare yourselves!" boomed Luna in her powerful voice. The battalion took their positions at the crest of the hill and awaited the coming forces - unicorns in formation and pegasi scattered throughout the sky.

The hostile battalion grew larger and larger as it advanced closer, eventually coming to a stop about one-hundred metres from Luna's forces. Each side staring at the other, hundred of eyes locked across the land, a burning tension that complemented the the vast expanse of cold, icy land that the forces had gathered on - Icy cold stares in the frozen landscape, counter-parted with the burning fury each force had towards the other. The atmosphere grew deathly silent as the forces stared at each other, the extreme tension continuing to build between the two. After a few moments an order could just be heard from the opposing leader, beginning the attack. He must be pretty confident he can win this fight, otherwise, why else would he attack with a terrain disadvantage? Luna thought as she looked at the huge enemy forces.

Within seconds, hundreds of small glowing auras appeared within the enemy forces, as their horns began to glowed with magic. Immediately, thousands of heavy metal ball-bearings rocketed into the air, blanketing the sky. They flew in an arc across the land and began to rain down onto the R.E.A. like a vicious halestorm. Luna’s mind worked quickly to analyse the situation. “Pegasi, retreat to avoid the barrage! Unicorns, counter with your own magic!” she ordered. Hearing the order, the pegasi swiftly began to retreat to avoid the artillery that was beginning to rain down on them. The rest of the R.E.A. soldiers used their own magic to attempt to stop the artillery as it neared them. While it was effective, acting as a sort of barrier to shield themselves, some areas of the battalion weren’t quick enough. The artillery hammered down onto the soldiers, killing and maiming many.

This is no good, we need to counter. With artillery still flying, Luna looked towards the ground forces to issue her order. “Counter with your own artillery. Make them know the true power of the R.E.A!” Hearing the order, the soldiers began to launch thousands of ball-bearings back towards the hostile forces. he attack had a similar effect, cutting through the areas of their defences while being blocked in others. Many casualties were now racking up, their death toll steadily rising as each side exchanged wave after wave of relentless artillery. Luna looked towards the pegasi who had retreated to a safe distance and flew over to them. “I want you to stay back here until the artillery barrages begin to slow down. If you attempt to attack now, you’ll be demolished before you manage to get to the enemy.” The pegasi agreed with their princess’ orders. They would wait until the time was right to attack; attacking at this point would be suicidal.

Luna rejoined the unicorns and landed next to the front line at the crest of the hill. “I want you to fire directly at their front line instead of into the air.” The order was simple and to the point. The R.E.A. front line obliged and began to launch hundreds of ball-bearings directly at the opposing front lines. The direct fire caught the enemy off guard; the attack shredded the front lines, slaughtering countless enemy unicorns and sending copious amounts of blood spraying in all directions. “Good work! Keep it up!” Luna ordered the front line as they continue to fire at the enemy.

The success of Luna’s orders was short lived. At once, the hostile forces began to focus their magic, sending small magical blasts towards the R.E.A. The artillery comprised of pure magical energy wasn’t directed at the soldiers though. Instead, it hit the edge of the rocky hill, destroying the rock and sending it and the R.E.A. soldiers atop it tumbling down the snowy incline towards the enemy. Luna barely managed to avoid the environmental hazard, taking to the skies as the ground collapsed beneath her. As more and more of the small magical blasts eroded the cliff edge, more soldiers began to tumble down towards the enemy. This isn’t good. We’re losing our terrain advantage, not to mention countless soldiers too. I need to think of something fast.

Luna flew towards the soldiers who were now at the bottom of the hill, amidst the piles of rubble and snow. Miraculously, none were dead. Many were injured but they all had the strength and will to continue fighting. “I need you to all regroup. We can’t let this cheap tactic phase us!” The soldiers quickly regrouped and got in formation, rebuilding the front lines. Split like this, we’ll have no chance. We need the rest of the forces down here. Luna turned and flew back towards the majority of the soldiers atop the remaining hill. “Advance forward and rejoin the others ahead. While we are split, our strength is weakened. We may have lost our terrain advantage, but we can still win this fight.”

The remaining R.E.A. soldiers advanced down the hill and rejoined the front lines. Now they and the enemy were on the same terrain level, giving neither of them the advantage or disadvantage. However, the hostile forces were still larger, meaning that their advantage was their sheer numbers compared to Luna’s forces.

To Luna’s surprise, the enemy forces began to advance towards her own. This isn’t good. Now they we’ve lost our terrain advantage, they don’t fear rushing straight into physical combat...

Luna flew further back towards the pegasi who had been waiting patiently for a chance to attack. “Listen up. Due to a change in circumstances, I need you all to prepare to attack now. The playing field has been leveled and the enemy are advancing closer. If we don’t act now, we’ll be slaughtered.” The pegasi acknowledged Luna’s words and flew back towards the rest of the soldiers with her.

The enemy was now nearing Luna’s forces, attempting to engage in close combat and use their size to beat the R.E.A. battalion. This is it then. If they want a physical war of attrition, then they can have one. “Hold the line!”

* * *

A dim flame flickered from a sconce across a small, stony room. Thunder sat in his small cell, his mind processing the final stages of his plan. For the last two days he had been left in his cell with only water and small meals brought to him to ensure he didn't die due to a lack of nutrition. His wounds were healing and he felt extremely confident.

Time to put my plan into action. I only have one chance so I had better make this count... Thunder stood up and stretched out his four legs. He then turned to face the back wall and quickly bucked his legs up, smashing them into the cell lock as hard as he could. Having analysed the lock a few times by this point, he could tell that despite being sturdy, it was crudely made with lower grade metals, evident by the marks impurities from forging. After a few more bucks to the lock, Thunder heard a noise he had hoped to hear. The force of his bucks were starting to shear the deadbolt clean off, cracking loudly as it did so. Almost there... With one final buck the deadbolt sheared off, allowing the door to swing freely open.

"Time to go," he whispered to himself, adrenaline coursing through his body in anticipation for the coming events. He rushed over to the table. The corner of the room where his equipment was left. He only grabbed what he considered necessary for escaping - his sword and sheath, a small amount of rations that would fit in his jacket pockets and his flask of whisky.

After he had finished equipping his sword and sheath he swung open the door and peered into the long corridor. Seeing no guards he proceeded cautiously down towards the room where he had been tortured two days prior. He calmed his nerves and took a few deep breaths before throwing the doors open. He was greeted by another guard-less room filled with only the torture devices and wooden 'throne'. So far so good.

He looked around the room as he walked towards the door opposite the ones he entered. He noticed the large red stain where his blood had pooled during the torture, only furthering his thirst for revenge. "Damned clip-wings. I'm going to make them wish they'd never captured me."

Thunder stopped in his tracks, hearing voices from the other side of the door. "...going to spit on him... Stupid mule..." was all Thunder could hear of the muffled voices from the other side aside from their laughter. He quickly galloped to the wall next to the doorway, hoping to hide behind the door as it opened into the room. He drew his sword ready for action as the voices were most likely from guards or other armed pegasi. Come on in then...

The door clicked as it unlocked - something that Thunder had to thank them for doing; he didn't realise that it had been locked and thus saved him the trouble of having to force it open. The heavy wooden door swung open stopping just before it hit Thunder, providing suitable space for him to hide behind. He anxiously peered around the side and saw the same two guards that had been present at his torture walk into the room.

"Did you leave those doors open earlier?" asked one of the guards to his partner as he gestured towards the doors that Thunder had just passed through. Damnit, didn’t think about closing them... Thunder thought to himself as he realised his mistake.

"No. I definitely closed them. Somepony has been through here..." the guard replied, his carefree expression turning into a more stern one as he looked around the room. "Wait here, I'm going to check on the prisoner." The guard headed off down the corridor towards the cell where Thunder had been kept, closing the doors behind him.

The other guard waited in the room for his partner to return. Thunder seized this opportunity and decided to sneak quietly towards the lone guard. Like a silent beast advancing towards its prey, he snuck up behind the guard and in one fluid movement, swung one hoof around the guards' face to muffle his mouth whilst simultaneously thrusting his sword through the guard's body. A gargled groan came from the guard's muffled mouth as his eyes slowly rolled backwards. Thunder pulled his sword out and let the body drop to the floor. Devoid of any remorse, Thunder wiped the blood on his sword off onto the guard's body and headed towards the double doors the second guard had passed through. One down...

After a few minutes the doors swung open and the second guard hurried through. Thunder repeated his strategy and hid behind the open door once again.

"The prisoner has escaped! We need to..." The guard abruptly stopped as he noticed the corpse lying in a pool of blood before him. "Holy S..."

The guard's outburst was cut short as Thunder repeated his actions; dispatching the second guard with ease. He wiped the blood off his sword again and re-sheathed it. "Pathetic," Thunder stated bluntly as he overlooked the guards that had once mocked and tormented him. Thunder was typically a calmer, reserved marshal, who only spoke when he needed too. However, he was capable of killing without remorse should he have to. If he had to kill to survive, then he would - Nothing would phase him when he had his mind set on survival. He wasn't going to sit in a cell until he died. He refused to let his enemies make a fool out of him.

He continued down the planned route without a second glance back at the two corpses. He was now in another generic stone corridor, much the same as the previous one. Again, he reached another door at the end of the corridor with ease. He drew his sword and slowly pushed the door open, revealing a command room much like the one back at Canterlot palace. Noticing the room was devoid of life he sheathed his sword again.

The room was full of tables and chairs covered with various items. Many maps and papers were scattered across the tables and a large map of Equestria hung on one of the walls. It was marked with various points showing known R.E.A. locations and had notes written next to certain points to indicate possible attack/defence strategies. Despite the room being a treasure-trove of information, none of it mattered to Thunder; he only needed something that would help him get back to safety. However, all Thunder could find were maps and paperwork that gave him no indication as to where he was. This place must have been built pretty recently; none of these maps indicate this building on them...

Thunder crossed the room and opened the next door revealing the cold, wintry world. A blast of fresh icy air hit him. He took a moment to enjoy the cool, refreshing feeling before he trudged out into the snow.

Doesn't look like much is going on around here. He analysed the scenery around him and deduced that he was in a small courtyard in the centre of the building. The outpost was a large, stone-built square with a tower constructed on one of the corner sections. Snow was piled up thickly on the large ramparts and frosted ice glazed over the walls, giving them an empyrean luster in the bright wintry moonlight. It was mesmerising to behold. Thunder was left temporarily in awe as he looked at the scene before him, the almost divine sight detracting from the knowledge of the gruesome actions that occured within the fortress’ walls.

After a few short moments, Thunder snapped out of his trance-like state and focused on the mission he had in his mind. Doesn't seem to be any other way out besides the door across the courtyard. I shouldn't have to worry for any watchponies in the tower, the darkness should provide adequate cover and I doubt anypony would be up there in this chilling weather at this time of night...

He headed towards the double doors across the courtyard, wary of any movement as he did so. He quietly drew his sword in preparation for what he hoped would be another empty room. He took a few deep breaths of the fresh air before swinging the cold wooden door open. His hopes were crushed at that point; within the dimly lit room sat Skyfrost and three other guards all playing cards at a small wooden table. Celestia help me...

The guards stopped their game of cards and looked up towards the doorway. Skyfrost was the first to recognise Thunder.

"Thunder! I don't know how you got out but you're not getting any further. Guards!" shouted the enraged Skyfrost, standing up to draw his sword. The guards followed and drew their swords too, advancing towards Thunder in unison.

More adrenaline began pumping through Thunder's body. His heart rate had shot up and his mind was completely focused. He slowly backed out into the dark courtyard, the guards following him out too. "Come on, then!" Thunder taunted as the guards started to circle around him.

"Oh Thunder, you jest. Just give up now or die an even more painful death," stated Skyfrost as he stood in the open doorway.

"Try it," replied Thunder confidently, despite being surrounded by three armed pegasi.

"Kill him," ordered Skyfrost, his trademark sadistic smile crossing his face.

Thunder stayed alert for any movement from any guard. The guard to his immediate left was the first to attack, rushing in for a surprise thrust. He was inexperienced and was obvious by his rash decision - His mistake would cost him his life. Thunder deflected the sword and countered easily, slashing the guard across the neck instantly killing him, all the while staying alert for any other guards’ movements. One down, Thunder thought as the guards body collapsed to the ground.

The remaining guards stepped back a few paces to avoid a potential follow-up attack from Thunder. Thunder stepped back a few paces too, putting more distance between him and his opponents. All fell silent for a few moments as each pony eyed-up their targets for an attack.

Eventually, both of the enemy guards advanced simultaneously towards Thunder. He backed-up to keep the distance between them, but found himself nearing the large wall behind him. With nowhere left to move, the guards quickly closed the gap between Thunder and them. “Nowhere left to run...” grunted one of the guards in a low gruff voice, his eyes fixated on Thunder.

The guard was right. Thunder needed a plan immediately or he would be cut down then and there. He could see Skyfrost a short distance away simply standing there and chuckling to himself, amused by Thunder’s imminent death.

The guards continued to advance closer to Thunder, closing him in on both sides. Backed up to a frozen wall, Thunder had to act fast or else it was over for him. He frantically looked around for anything he could see that may aid his escape, but to no avail - The courtyard was bare except for the piles of snow that covered it. Snow... snow...

Thunder focused hard, inhaled deeply and prepared to do what was necessary to escape the situation. He had an idea, but his confidence in it wavered with every passing moment. Now or never...

Quickly, Thunder kicked up a thick amount of snow into one of the guards’ faces, temporarily obscuring their vision. The guard recoiled backwards, trying to wipe snow from his face. Seeing this, his partner charged forward for an attack, swinging his sword forcefully at Thunder. His attack was met by Thunder’s sword mid swing, the two swords impacting each other sending a loud crashing sound into the air. The two struggled for a bit, grating and grinding their blades against each other’s in an attempt to break the other’s defence. However, due to the adrenaline coursing through Thunder’s body, his will to survive and overall strength, he managed to break through the guard’s block, forcefully pushing him backwards at the same time. Got you now...

Thunder slashed at the staggering guard, his blade slicing cleanly through his throat, killing him instantly. A thick spray of blood came off of Thunder’s sword as it swung and splashed onto the icy wall, eventually trickling down it, as it too glimmered in the moonlight. The guard’s body slumped to the ground, blood rapidly spilling out and staining the pure-white snow in the courtyard.

The other guard had just finished wiping his face of snow by the time his partner was dead. He looked over toward the motionless body of his partner slumped on the ground, then back at Thunder, hatred burning in his eyes. “You’re dead,” he stated bluntly as he slowly advanced towards Thunder.

Thunder looked into the distance past the guard and saw Skyfrost still standing at the doorway. His smugness had been replaced by a stern look with a hint of anger mixed in. Thunder knew that Skyfrost would not be happy for losing two of his men, but he stilled revelled in the thought that he had sufficiently embarrassed him by easily disposing of the guards.

“Stand down!” Skyfrost ordered to the final guard. The guard did as he was told and slowly retreated back towards Skyfrost, sword still drawn at the ready. “Go and wake the others. Thunder doesn’t leave this building. Got it?”

The guard sheathed his sword and nodded in agreement. He then quickly ran past Skyfrost into the building and off down one of the corridors to alert the rest of the guards.

“Looks like it’s just you and me now, Thunder,” Skyfrost stated bluntly as he approached Thunder, unsheathing his sword as he as he did so.

Thunder moved slowly back towards the centre of the courtyard, stepping over the guard’s corpse as he did so. He stuck his cold, bloody sword into the snow to speak to Skyfrost momentarily. "Not for long," he replied, his voice now devoid of any emotion. "This ends here."

* * *

Luna soared high above the raging battlefield. The two sides clashed like oncoming waves on the ground below, the front lines now skewed as certain sections pushed forward, whilst others were pushed back.

Luna looked toward the R.E.A. pegasi hovering high above the battle with her. "You need to attack swiftly to break their formation. By striking from the skies, you can catch them off guard and deal massive damage to their forces. Move swiftly and silently, otherwise you’re an easy target for a barrage of artillery." Luna ordered to the couple of hundred pegasi, as they anxiously awaited their princess’ words. The many pegasi flew ahead to soar above the hostile battalion, blanketing the sky above them. They flew down in large numbers, their tactic being to try and take sections of the hostile battalion by surprise. Luna herself flew down and soared just above the front lines of her battalion on the ground.

The front lines continued to clash in a giant bloodbath. Projectiles flew in both directions in massive numbers, incapacitating and killing countless unicorns on either side. One such projectile shot past Luna, grazing her face as it did so. A thin stream of blood trickled out of the minor wound that had been caused. The stinging pain that followed was the wake-up call to Luna that it was time for her to act. She was there for a reason; to help her battalion and win the fight. She looked down at the lines clashing with a steely determinism, her mind focused on the many targets in front of her. Time to do my part. This victory will be ours, for Equestria’s sake, she thought to herself as her horn began to glow luminously with magic.

She soared towards the enemy hoards and unleashed a mighty blast of magical energy into their forces. The immense power hit the enemy with a small but potent explosion, sending bodies, both living and dead, flying in multiple directions across the battlefield. Blood from the bodies rained down onto the enemy combatants, saturating them and staining parts of their bodies a dark red. Let's see how they react to that, Luna thought to herself as she watched groups of unicorns recoil in horror and disgust, some screaming, as the sanguine fluid of their allies left their manes and coats sodden with gore.

Despite the repulsiveness of what had just happened, the enemy forces rushed forwards to fill the gap which was now a small crater filled with copious amounts of blood. As she had expected, many projectiles now rocketed past her as she flew about the skies, the unicorns having taken more notice from her attack. Attempting to avoid barrage of projectiles, she circled around for another attack and unleashed another powerful magical blast into the same area, causing more bodies to fly and the crater to grow in size. That's going to affect their morale pretty badly, Luna thought as she overlooked her destruction and more raining blood. She was like a slayer in the night sky, striking without warning, leaving death and destruction in her wake.

It's all going well so far. The pegasi are breaking up and distracting their forces and the unicorns are slowly pushing forwards. She looked towards the pegasi soaring above the enemy. Every now and then she would see one or two be hit and plummet to the ground lifeless, parts of feathers slowly drifting down behind them. However, if they were going to win then there would be countless deaths; it was common knowledge.

“Time to ensure our victory in this fight,” Luna said to herself as she flew up higher over the torn battlefield. She looked into the distance and surveyed the area. The land was soaked in fresh blood from both sides and bodies lay scattered here and there. She turned and flew West, leaving the battalion to fight without her for a short while - The higher ranking soldiers would take charge while Luna was away temporarily. Eventually, she reached a ridge of land further along the border. As she flew over it, a separate mass of R.E.A. unicorns came into view, patiently awaiting her arrival. As she approached, they cheered in anticipation, as their time to fight had arrived.

Luna hovered above the group of roughly two-hundred unicorns, equipped in the same manner as the others back at the war-zone. “The time has come. It is time to march East and take the enemy by surprise. We must do this now, we must succeed!” Luna boomed to the ponies beneath her. They cheered again in unison and began to charge towards the battlefield, following Luna as she led the way in the dark sky above.

The mass of R.E.A. soldiers sped across the land, neither snow nor rocks slowing them down. As they drew nearer the fight, the sound of metal clashing, screams of agony and thuds grew louder. The secondary group eventually crested over the hill into sight and continued to charge towards the right flank of the hostile army. The unicorn army was now caught in the crossfire from two sides. Shouts and screams of courage and fear could be heard from the enemies as the second R.E.A. group charged forward, the relentless assault demolishing their right flank and breaking their formation.

Hundreds of projectiles now fired laterally and longitudinally into the hostile forces, forming a sort of mesh that killed whatever got in the way. Luna herself continued to fly above the battlefield, analysing it closely while still avoiding the constant projectiles that rocketed towards her. So far, so good. The second group really hit them hard; now it’s a waiting game until they break ranks and completely split.

As the two separate sections of R.E.A. soldiers continued to relentlessly advance further inwards, the hostile forces’ formation began to break, small clusters of unicorns splitting off here and there. Suddenly, a retreat cry could be heard from the enemy force leaders. Hearing the orders, a large majority of the unicorn battalion rapidly began to retreat back, away from the war-zone. Some were cut down as they retreated, but the R.E.A. soldiers had not been ordered to give chase; their role was only to defend the border. Only a small minority of hostile soldiers still remained, their path of retreat cut off by Luna’s forces. Slowly, the remaining enemy forces began to become enclosed as the two R.E.A. ground groups acted as herders, surrounding them and bringing them all together, while the pegasi in the sky picked off any stragglers or escapees attempting to retreat with the others..

In the torrential maelstrom of fighting, the R.E.A. was slowly eating away at the enemy forces, like a beast devouring its prey. Swords clashed and projectiles flew in all directions, the body-count rapidly rising. One enemy unicorn, the last alive in their portion of the remaining front line, started to become surrounded by a swarm of R.E.A. soldiers. The soldier desperately tried to run back to the main body of their remaining battalion but it was no use. A large ball-bearing propelled by magic hurtled straight through the unicorn's skull, sending blood flying and instantly killing them. The unicorn's body fell to the ground and skidded a few inches, left to lie there as just another soon-to-be forgotten victim of war. The body would cover with snow and disappear over time. No one would know, no one would care.

Luna continued to support her soldiers from the sky, sending more magical blasts flying into the enemy forces, easily destroying anything that they hit. Bodies continued to fly, fall, dismember and even explode. Death moved swiftly over the land, reaping the hordes of the freshly deceased lives that it was continually supplied with. There was no stopping it. It was a gluttonous horror that would never cease its craving for lost lives, silently claiming its harvest as it swept across the land. An unperceivable harvester of sorrow.

The battle had been raging for some time now. The winning side was obvious from the skies and Luna could clearly see that her battalion were succeeding. Her consistent use of powerful powerful magic was starting to take its toll on her body; her energy was diminished and she felt torpid. She wouldn’t be able to fight much longer, but she knew she had to fight on for the good of her soldiers and for Equestria. She circled around the skies in preparation for another magical blast, observing the piles of dead dead bodies that littered the ground as she did so. Countless soldiers from either side lay motionless in the cold snow and pools of blood. The land was stained red like a painted canvas from the blood of hundreds of soldiers, both living and dead. The losses are many, but for the sake of what is good in Equestria, we must succeed. Protecting our land and freedom; It is our call of duty...

Eventually, the last surviving hostile unicorns were now herded into one small group surrounded by Luna's forces, slowly closing in from all sides. Luna used what energy left she could muster and fired one last magical blast at the remaining enemies, slaughtering them in one final grotesque display. Despite most of the enemy soldiers retreating, the ones that remained were now dead. The fight was won, albeit just. Without Luna's help and well-planned tactics it may have been a different outcome, but as it was, the hostile forces had been partially defeated and the R.E.A. claimed another victory in the war. The large amount of surviving hostiles that escaped would live to fight another day, but until that day came, the R.E.A. had protected the border, dealing a heavy blow to the enemy forces and their morale.

Luna, along with any remaining pegasi landed in the less bloody patches of snow. Luna took a moment to rest and review the area. Roughly three hundred soldiers, pegasi and unicorns, from her battalion remained alive; not the majority, but any life spared was a good thing. Some were seriously wounded, but they would have to hold out for the moment. They would be able to receive medical attention soon, but on the battlefield it wasn't possible to treat them at that time. The skies began to rouse once again, bringing more heavy snow that slowly blanketed the bodies that lay dead in the repulsive, bloody snow.

Luna turned her attention to the surviving R.E.A. soldiers. "We have fought and won this battle. It is a great victory for us and let us rejoice knowing this," she boomed, the soldiers acknowledging her words as she spoke. A loud cheer erupted from the remaining soldiers, rejoicing in the knowledge that they had won the important battle and would live to fight another day. They could now return back to Canterlot to see their friends, family, and to prepare for the next fight.

* * *

Skyfrost swung a fierce downwards slash at Thunder. Thunder blocked the powerful attack, their swords crashing together loudly as they collided. Skyfrost followed up with another forceful swing which Thunder barely managed to parry. Seizing the opportunity, Thunder span round with his sword extended out in an effort to horrifically wound Skyfrost. Instead, his sword whistled through the feathers of one of his enemy's lustrous wings, clipping a few and sending the small pieces drifting to the ground.

"You’re going to have to try harder than that, Thunder," taunted Skyfrost through his teeth, having switched positions with Thunder, his back now near the glistening, blood splattered wall.

"You bet I will," Thunder replied through his teeth as well, as he slashed abruptly upwards at his opponent. The attack caught Skyfrost off guard but he still barely managed to defend himself by thrusting his blade out. The two swords rebounded off of one-another, sending minute sparks into the air as they did so. The two exchanged many more crippling blows, each being countered as easily as the last.

Thunder was now beginning to feel exhaustion kicking in, stumbling as he continued to defend himself. He couldn't fight too much longer and he knew this well. He had to find a way to end it or to escape, the latter being the easiest option. Beads of cold sweat had formed on his brow from the intense fighting and his energy was beginning to falter. I need to get away from here. There's no way I can kill this clip-wing in my current condition.

Thunder looked for a means to end the fighting long enough for him to get away. He spotted one of the dead guards' swords and slowly backed over to it. Skyfrost followed him over, still determined to kill him then and there.

"It's over, Thunder. You're exhausted and I can clearly see that. Just give up so I can kill you. Don't make me do it the hard way," growled Skyfrost, his sadistic grin crossing one side of his mouth, exposing the hilt of his sword between his teeth.

Celestia help me. I hope this works... Thunder thought as he threw his sword to the ground a few feet away. "Fine, I give up. How am I supposed to win anyway? I'm in your territory, and your other guards will be here any minute now. Just make it quick," Thunder said as he kneeled down, looking up at Skyfrost.

Skyfrost stepped forwards and began to rotate for a powerful horizontal slash. At the same time, Thunder rotated on the ground, grabbed the dead guard's sword and continued to spin as he rose up to full height. The two combatants' swords connected with each others' body simultaneously. Skyfrost's sword sliced across Thunder's stomach, where his neck had been seconds ago. Thunder's sword swung slightly lower, slicing across Skyfrost’s side as it did so, leaving a grievous laceration along his ribs and down his side. The two combatant collapsed as immense amounts of pain pulsed through their bodies. Blood spilled out of their wounds, and pooled in the snow between them. Like Yin and Yang opposites, their blood mixed; the sanguine life forces of two ponies accepting each other, while their bodies and mind would not.

Thunder and Skyfrost both lay still on the ground, breathing heavily, moaning from pain every now and then. Their minds told them to continue the fight, but their bodies resisted. After a few short moments, Thunder began to push himself up, clutching his wound as he did so. Seeing his movement, Skyfrost attempted to rise too. Thunder was the first on his feet but Skyfrost had almost risen fully too. No you don’t. I’m leaving here tonight!

Thunder mustered up the last of his fighting spirit, turned, and forcefully bucked his back legs into Skyfrost’s head, instantly knocking him unconscious. His body collapsed to the ground and lay still. The light breeze in the air washed over his body, his coat and feathers stirring and rustling in all directions.

"Now what do I do?" Thunder growled under his breath as his belly bled profusely. He limped over to his sword which lay in the blood stained snow, picked it up and re-sheathed it. The pain from his wound burned like fire through his belly, leaving him unable to move easily.

I need to get out of here now. Thunder stood as best he could and headed through the open doors behind him as fast as he could manage. He didn't care about the guards that were on their way, he just wanted to escape. The room he had walked into was fairly large and contained many wooden tables. There were doorways on each side which led into long stone corridors. Seeing another set of double doors across the room, he headed towards them as fast as he could, passing the table with cards on as he did so. He threw the doors open and ran through. He was immediately greeted by the cold outside again - the wide open landscape. He looked back into the building and saw a thin trail of blood on the floor behind him. Knowing he could do nothing about it, he pulled the doors closed hoping it would cover his tracks of where he went.

The outpost was built on a hill which overlooked a small village in the distance. I have no other choice but to try and find shelter and medical attention in that village. This is probably a self-imposed death sentence; I'll probably be killed on sight for not being a pegasus, but for now it's my only option...

Thunder headed off towards the village in the distance. It wasn't very far away, but he was getting weaker and weaker by the minute, making the journey tough. As he trudged slowly through the thick snow, his mind was racing with thoughts about what had happened to him within the past week. First the platoon, then the torture, and now this. I can’t begin to imagine what they are thinking back at Canterlot. Are they even searching for me, or have they simply listed me as KIA for ease? I have no idea how much longer it’s going to be before I can return there, but for now I need to focus on what is going on around me.

Thunder stopped for a quick break and sat in the snow. He turned and looked behind him seeing a red trail of blood leading right to him. “Damnit, that’s probably going to lead them right to me,” he grumbled to himself, his breathe showing in the chilling night air as he did. Disgruntled, he reached into his jacket and pulled out his beloved whisky flask. If I can’t have peace, at least I can have peace of mind. He unscrewed the cap and took a small swig of the remaining nectar. Leaving a small amount left, he screwed the cap back on and placed it back into his jacket, sighing as he did. What I’d give to find some more of that around here...

Thunder stood up and surveyed the land far into the distance. Besides the small village he was headed towards, the land looked desolate and bare, much like the area near Canterlot. The war really has affected Equestria so much. And in such little time too... Ignoring his raging thoughts, he continued on towards the village which was growing closer by the minute. Each step depleted more and more of Thunder’s last remaining energy, causing his body to ache and his vision to blur. Eventually, he reached the outskirts and looked around for any sign of activity. A few houses were lit by lights inside, but the majority of the village was in darkness.

The wound was taking its toll on Thunder now. Every step was a challenge due to his depleted energy. His mind began to feel hazy and clouded, almost euphoric as he stumbled forwards. I... I need to...

He collapsed into the snow just at the edge of the village. His breathing was heavy and his heart-rate rapid. Unable to muster the energy to get up, he laid there as fresh snow began to cover his body. His wound pained him as he lay on it, the blood soaking through his jacket and into the snow beneath him. The feeling was warm and relaxing, but his body was growing colder and weaker by the second. His sight was wavering and his mind was hazy, both of which left him feeling lethargic. Giving in to his body’s demands, Thunder lost consciousness and went limp in the snow.

* * *

Back at the fortress Skyfrost began to stir. He groaned as he rolled onto his back to alleviate some of the pain from the gash along his side. In the distance he could hear the commotion two-dozen guards rushing around inside. “Over there!” shouted one of the distant guards as he pointed towards Skyfrost lying in the snow across the frozen courtyard.

Some of the guards rushed to aid him and to ask questions of what was going on. “Skyfrost, sir, what exactly happened?” asked one of the guards as he knelt down beside his injured leader. Skyfrost looked up at the guard and pulled his face closer to him. He choked up a small amount of blood as he tried to whisper into the guard’s ear. “Search the entire area. I want him dead.”

The guard looked at Skyfrost, his face contorted with confusion. “Who, sir? Who do you want dead?” He immediately regretted asking the question as Skyfrost belted him across the chin with his blood-soaked hoof. The punch dazed the guard, causing him to fall onto his haunches in the snow. Skyfrost slowly rolled over and pushed himself upright so that he was sitting too. He stared into the guard’s eyes, the rage in his own penetrating the guard’s mind and soul, leaving him terrified and fearful of what his leader would do next.

“Thunder. I want Thunder dead. You got it?” Skyfrost barked at the guard who was now rubbing his sore jaw. The guard winced from Skyfrost’s rage and, intimidated by his leader’s harsh commands, nodded and stood up. He and most of the other guards headed back inside to relay the orders to the others whilst a few guards remained to attend to Skyfrost’s wounds. Skyfrost looked at the small pool of blood where his had mixed with Thunder’s. I’ll kill you with my bare hooves, you disgusting mule.

“Sir, we need to move inside to treat your wounds. We can’t treat them out here, it’s too dark and they appear to be quite serious,” advised one of the guards as he pointed towards the large gash which ran across Skyfrost’s ribs and down his side, trailing off just before his flank. Skyfrost slowly rose and limped towards the room where he had been happily playing cards moments earlier. He looked at the bodies of the guards that had been slain by Thunder and chuckled to himself. I would’ve won anyway. You always had the worst poker faces. Doesn’t look like you’ll be needing that money now anyway. Oh well, at least you two have it easy now. I’m sure it’s not too hard being dead. Don’t worry though, I’ll be sure injure Thunder for both of you; it’s the least I can do. He looked down at the icy blood pool as he passed it on his way inside. He grimaced at the sight of it; not because it was blood, but what it meant to him and his pride. Disgusting, just absolutely disgusting. My superior, pure pegasus blood, casually mixed with his like it is equal, and ultimately the same; it makes me feel physically sick. He spat into the blood pool and continued to limp inside, his mind fixated on finding and killing Thunder - His revolting mule-like, earth pony of a nemesis.