It had been three days since the Changeling invasion, there wicked ooze could be seen slowly creeping under the shield that was being maintained by Shining Armour, he was getting weak, a counter attack must be performed soon.
A line guard could be seen slowly patrolling the streets his head hung low, his name was Reqius Captain Of The Luna Guard, but ever since his beloved princess had personally taken it upon herself to stop the changelings she hadn't been spotted, some say she died along with the whole of ponyville others say she was still out there fighting for us, Reqius well he didn't know what to think since her leaving his life had been a mess with no orders to follow he had fallen Into depression thinking for yourself in a time like this was near impossible.
As he slowly crept closer to the edge of the shield he noted that he changeling Ozzie was indeed slowly creeping through, two changelings on the other side taunted him throwing piles of the ooze at the shield and laughing as Reqius winced, each splat I made caused the shield o ripple before his eyes scaring him, "We won't let you do this...the guard always stand ready" he whispered these words, the words he had once stood by we're now the words he clung to in his final hours.
A shrill bell rung out and a voice followed it, the voice was the magnified tones of the withering Princess Celestia, "my dear subjects this may well be the ned of us, my sister is still unheard from and I do not have much more energy to raise the moon alone I may well be gone soon but when I'm gone..." Reqius ignored the rest he had started to sprint tors the castle tears streaming down his face, his armour clanged as he ran digging into his side, he ignored the pain he had to the time to act was now.
"My dear princess" he said sprinting into the royal chamber, the princess waved her hand moving seemed to weaken her further, "I trust you to make the right decision captain" she said, at these words he wiped his tears away with his cloth sleeve, "you have served me and my sister since you were only a filly your dedication is unfailing I trust you" Reqius bowed his head and said "me and my team will depart immediately" his head turned to Shining Armour "we'll get them both back sir" Shining nodded slowly his tired face seemed for a second again, the thought of his wife being recovered was a revelation these days.
Celestia struggled to her feet and took Reqius's hand tightly gripping it "even in failure you'll find victory we will all die here unless you find Luna anyway, just know this captain your team is small your odds even smaller, but you can't give up I know she isn't gone I know she's out there" her voice stuttered and her body trembled asa tear trickled for her still beautiful face "just...just know that if you find my dear sister too late and canterlot h fallen tell...tell her Tia is sorry for everything the moon, everything" Reqius embraced the princess allowing her tears to soak into his shoulder "being late isn't an option we find her soon or die trying" at these words Reqius turned leaving the room.
He slowly made his way down to the town square, here stood five figures this crack team was all that was left not because of there skill but because of there hope, in this war determination is what would decide the outcome.
He turned to them saying all there names out loud "Soarin, Aloe, Trixie, Big Mac and Berry Punch it's good to see you all again" Reqius smiled at his rag tag team, noticing his smile they grinned back "so we finally get to start this victory?" said Soarin confidently as the group began the walk to the shield exit "Ha confidence it's good to be seen" replied Reqius "Eeyup" said Big Mac.
As the armour clad group neared there destination they picked up there filled backpacks that had been laying there for days now, "Trixie looks forward to camping!" said Trixie breaking the silence "well we're headed crystal empire way Trixie expect a lot of it" said Berry Punch adjusting the strap on her leather armour chest plate her bow as slotted neatly over the backpack and the quiver hidden underneath it.
As the group reached the barrier edge they started out onto the less corrupted side of canterlot, there was rolling hill of green and even forests I'm sight after a full minute of staring Aloe said "we've only been in here for a week and look at us completely in love with a sight we use to see every day" Reqius nodded placing his hand on the shield and stepping out sealing himself from returning inside, the group followed each gasping at the fresher air, the rippling of the shield had attracted the attention of some nearby changelings who snarled and took off in flight "Berry you know what to do" said Reqius casually she then proceeded to draw her bow and notch 3 arrows firing them perfectly into the changelings causing all three to fall to the ground, she smiled at herself proud of her success, Reqius dashed over katana drawn and finished them off a quick slash the the throat silenced them, he once again sheathed the weapon and returned to the group holding something he had recovered from the body of one of the changelings "hey Trixie take a look at this" he threw what appeared to be a small ruby to the woman she caught it and started to examine it a the group started to walk again "so where to first to first?" asked Soarin flicking open his map, Reqius pointed to a little X on the map "there that our first night stop it's in the forest with a village near by, I was thinking we could investigate the village" Soarin nodded folding the map.
Hours passed and the group continued there lethal journey to there first stop, however they encountered a very low amount of changing patrols all the while Trixie was admiring the rock and then, "Trixie has deemed that this is some sort of low tier dragon gem, it contains an average amount of potential nothing Trixie would require" ever since her second defeat at the hands of Twilight Trixie had grown more in her magic studies and had dedicated her life to her learning, she was now as a result much stronger now the Mage of the group.
Reqius thanked her and took the gem fashioning it into a a necklace using a metal chain he had, "hm it suits you Reqius" said Trixie.
Another hour past, "Reqius sir I believe this is the opening to the camp site" said Aloe, Reqius sighed as they walked into the open area for the camp "look Aloe I'm not a sir out here I'm no captain now please the names Reqius" Big Mac who was easily the strongest threw down the pack he was carrying he had been carrying three tents for the
Past four hours, Soarin knelt down to the heavy tent bags "doesn't this hurt you mate" he said "nope" replied Big Mac, Soarin simply shrugged and started to unpack his tent "hey Reqius your sleeping with Trixie tonight...no funny business I wanna get some sleep tonight" Said Soarin joking, Trixie who was completely unimpressed by the joke floated a pan out of Aloe's pack and smacked him with it hard, and argument broke out between the two as Big Mac sighed and started to put up the tent, laughing and turning to Aloe, Reqius asked "say Aloe how many days travel are we from the empire" she stood there thinking for a moment her hair drifting lazily in the breeze "at least two months" she said almost upset "the shield will hold for seven we got this" said Reqius happily, Aloe shuffled her feet uncomfortable "can we guarantee Princess Luna is held there?" Reqius at this point grew very serious "Celestia herself can feel Luna's presence there we need both of the princess's to help us in the final fight hell with the six gone we can hardly use the elements" Reqius grew quite at the mention of the six at this point Soarin was sent ironically soaring into a tree by Trixie who had grown tired of him.
The First Night Is Always The Worse...Hopefully
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The First Night Is Always The Worse...Hopefully
After almost no time the tents were set up and a campfire had been lit by Berry Punch using her flint and steel, the group gathered around it warming themselves as the colder night set in.
"you know I always loved camping" said Aloe trying to spark conversation, "hey me too" replied Soarin to everyone's surprise, it was surprising seeing as soarin was a very high class person, not he kind of chap who would like to indulge in camping.
"oh your just saying that aren't you" said Aloe, Soarin shook his head explaining how it was always nice to get out in the open.
Since the group was talking amongst themselves Big Mac has wondered off to gather more wood.
"why do I get so nervous around others" he whined to himself he trudged slowly over to a tree and took out a logging axe and hacked at the tree after a few swings there was a huge shock wave from the ground knocking Mac to the ground, he looked up to see the tree...emerging from the ground "Ent!" shouted Mac drawing his weapons he wielded a huge kite shield and a spiked mace, after fully emerging the tree like being turned slowly to Mac noticing the axe that lay by Mac's side in one terrifyingly quick move the Ent smashed it's wooden hand down onto Mac who just managed to dodge roll it.
"wait guys did you hear that?" piped up Reqius interrupting Trixie who had been explaining how good she was at magic, the grouped shrugged.
Reqius who was bored of Trixie at this point decided to investigate the noise he heard and walked off into the forest.
Again the Ent lunged at mac its gnarled fist smashed that tiny bit closer the twigs sticking out of its fist scratched big macs face leaving a deep cut in his cheek, he grunted at the pain doing what he did best and shaking the most it, he raised his mace up high and in one swift movement brought it down hard on the ent's trunk like wrist, the blow shatterd the first layer of the wood the spikes digging deep into the wood as the ent reeled back clutching it's 'wound'.
At this point Reqius came charging out his katana drawn "mac..." he peered up at the massive creature that was seemingly hurt and then down to the cut big mac his shield and mace in hand the stunned Reqius quickly cast around for something witty to say but big mac simply replied with "eeyup" Reqius laughed patting his friend on the back as they both turned to face the now advancing giant "legs to upper?" said Reqius clearly Big Mac understood as he nodded dashing forwards mace once again raised, Reqius followed behind him as the ent went to stamp on the duo, Reqius dodged while Big Mac simply blocked it with his shield struggling to keep the ent stable Reqius saw Big Macs movement and took up his role running up the leg of the beast laughing as he jumped into the face of the beast stabbing his blade into the forehead, whimpering the monster once again fell backwards throwing Reqius off as he fell he panicked grabbing wildly he gripped on to a chunk of bark as he did it crumbled the rotten wood cracking off as he continued to fall.
He landed hard onto the ground his leg being crushed beneath him, wincing through the pain he looked up to notice the huge foot of the beast rushing to him "well...shit" he murmured trying to scramble away but with a second warning a huge shattering sound ripped through the air as Big Mac charged out of no where smashed straight through the injured leg completely smashing it off completely, the monster fell back for a final time laying there on the the earth parting as its huge ms shattered through the ground.
Completely shook up Reqius stood up taking his blade from the creature wiping bark off of him "so why'd you come out here anyway" said Big Mac casually staring at Reqius, this of course put Reqius into a huge rant about how that question was complete crap compared the situation they'd just been in, his rant continued all the way back to the trip to the camp.
A they returned the fireside grew silent as the group observed the two slightly wounded fighter "we asked Big Mac to get wood...what did you two get up to?" asked Aloe curious Reqius explained the story of course he bigger up his role in the short fight big mac simpy nodding every so often, "very well done then Reqius Trixie congratulates you on this victory" she says this passing him some soup that Aloe had cooked up, it looked dreadful but tasted amazing rich in flavour "eeyup Reqius here was a right good fighter" said Big Mac, Reqius nodded as he gulped down more soup "well that sounds fun and all but we'd all best get some sleep" said Berry Punch thus ending this nights tale
It was a bright Mormon as Reqius lazily crawled out of his and Trixies tent he had woke up with her door In his face so wasn't in the best of moods Soarin was already out stretching "never again" murdered Reqius as Soarin noticed him "ha she kick you or something?" Reqius nodded pulling himself out and stretching too his arms clicking as he did so "today's the raid on the village right?" asked Soarin Reqius sighed "raid is such a strong word" the two friends discussed the plans for a while waiting for the rest of the party to join them.
It didn't take to long for Trixie to get up she was quickly followed by the others as when Trixie woke up everyone just had too, "morning other the great and powerful is summoning you all for breakfast!" she shouted hitting a pan, by this point Reqius and Soarin and already eaten and just laughed as the disgruntled group met up, it was a short breakfast somehow prepared by Trixie would claimed cooking with magic was the best meal someone could ever have "right so me and Reqius were thinking the best thing we could do is split up we can cover more homes then and get it done in less time" Soarin said through a mouthful, they all agreed with Soarin for once and packed up, Big Mac did his usual by carrying the most whilst Trixie demanded to carry the least