Southern Evinwiir was enveloped in chaos. Shrouded against a backdrop of ethereal flames and towering pillars of smoke, Eradaxis and his veterans fought a desperate battle against Corvalix and the mixed followers of the new regime. The first blows had come nearly simultaneously, a flurry of battle cries, flashing weapons and spraying gore that erupted within seconds of Eradaxis' stalwart refusal to back down. Corvalix responded immediately with an aggressive charge by his numerically superior force, yet it did not impact with the force he had hoped for. Many of his soldiers, whitetail to the last, had been hesitant to lash out against their compatriots. Some had been made an example of, cut down on the spot by redtail enforcers.

"You will fight, or you will die!" he shouted, reaching out with his weapon and stabbing it into the exposed neck of a rebellious guard, then opening his chest with a pair of knee-blade kicks. A fountain of blood was his reward, the sight and sounds of battle invigorating him. He made sure to keep his head on a swivel; after Caethil's treason he was not about to be attacked from behind once again. "Formation -- push!"

A collective grunt of exertion sounded from the line, shoving the whitetail back a few precious inches and letting the second ranks strike with vicious stabs of their conical-tipped spears. The weapons left terrible wounds, ensuring that any who survived the initial attack would bleed out in short order. Half a dozen guards fell , but their positions were quickly filled by reserves.

On the other side of the battle line, Eradaxis hurled a throwing spear with all of his magical might, catching a junior officer in the side and punching through his crystalline armor. The squad of whitetail under his command looked to his dying form in shock.

"Go! Quickly!" Eradaxis shouted, waving to get their attention. They hesitated for a heartbeat, then dropped their weapons and loped away. Two redtail took off after them in pursuit.

It was a small and perhaps temporary victory, but it was the boost his bucks needed to keep fighting. They held no great love for the Equestrians, each of them having engaged in combat numerous times with pegasus scouts and squads of mixed-race soldiers, but they had formed a begrudging respect for the ponies over the months. The stout warriors were tough and well-trained, with exceptional leaders and fine equipment, and he'd seen the enemy show mercy when asked. They were honorable and proud, if sometimes overconfident.

It only made the sting of warring against his own people all the more painful.

The whitetail formation was holding their own, Corvalix's superior numbers meaning nothing in the narrow confines of the city streets. With his secondary line splitting their attention between keeping an eye out for sympathetic whitetail and pushing back against the attackers, Corvalix was having a difficult time keeping control. He gave no ground, but could not gain any, either.

"Capital Guard, fon'd'yyn!" Eradaxis ordered. As one the battle line unleashed a burst of magic, a blast of raw force that sent many of the enemy tumbling back or staggering to their knees. Rather than advance, Eradaxis and the bucks of the 19th fell back, pulling the wounded with them.

Corvalix slammed his armored hoof on the ground as he regained his balance. "After them! Kill them all!" he demanded. The damned traitorous whitetail! Cowards and thieves, that's what they were! Nothing had changed in hundreds of years. He looked forward to the day when he would not have to coddle the pathetic chancellor or his people. If he had it his way, every last whitetail would be put to the blade, starting with everyone who had even heard the names of Caethil or Eradaxis!

He grabbed his second in command by the antlers.

"Bring me Eradaxis' head, or I'll have yours!"

"Staggered defensive line to either side! Quickly, now!" Standard-Commander Eradaxis hastily applied a bandage to a gash on his right foreleg as he surveyed the area. The street had widened somewhat, and he stood at the intersection of it and a minor cross-road that had been roughly paved with river stones. "Stand tall, lads, we don't have much time!" He turned to his sub-commander. "How many have we lost?"

"Twelve dead, eighteen wounded. Twenty, if you count ourselves. Ten of those can still fight." For all of his bluster, Corvalix could kill with the best of them. Given his current strength, Eradaxis wasn't sure how long he could hold out against a superior force, but he had to try. The first of the redtail-led force came into view, the trickle of soldiers becoming a torrent of shouting, bloodied figures.

"Shields up! We make our stand here!"

"Hwah!" the whitetail shouted in unison. The two sides clashed with a furious thunder of metal and crystal, a more desperate battle than the last. Eradaxis struggled at the center of the whitetail line, the focus of at least three different redtail. Their blows came in a constant rain of knee-blades and swords, and he sheltered behind his segmented shield until an opening presented itself. He struck decisively, thrusting his weapon out at the chest of the closest attacker, the point finding purchase on a flat portion of armor and punching through. The redtail cried out in sudden pain, staggering back as he withdrew his sword, and collapsed on the rough ground. Almost immediately another took his place, using the strength given to him by unbridled anger to hack at Eradaxis' defenses.

The old stag could feel his body giving out, slowly but surely. He just had to hold them back for a little longer...

Above the city, Explorator Winter Wind circled his scouting party and implored them to move unpredictably as he watched the bizarre sight below unfold with morbid curiosity. The deer were fighting each other! Hardly anyone seemed to be paying him any attention, their focus firmly on a large group of their own that seemed to be split into two sides. What could possibly be the reason for such a thing? Scattered arrows or heavy darts flitted up at him on occasion, keeping him from dipping any lower to investigate the apparent civil war that had broken out within the walls of the otherwise impenetrable city.

If nothing else, he could now say with relative certainty that it was the deerfolk themselves who were setting fire to their buildings. None of the structures below showed signs of catapult damage, and Equestria lacked the know-how to create aetherflame.

"Winter Wind!" someone shouted. He wheeled around and saw Dalanius hovering in place, a hoof pointing to the west. "More coming from the north!" A burst of speed brought him to the other's side, and they rose higher to avoid drawing the ire of anyone who might notice them. Dalanius pulled a rough map from a pouch. "By the gods, look at them all! I've never seen so many deer in one place."

From this height they had a clear view of the city below. Winter Wind trained his sharp eyes on the northern sector of the city, where a veritable flood of deer in crystal plate were rushing through the streets.

"More from the south as well, though far fewer in number," Dalanius added. "What in the world is going on down there? You saw those deer killing each other as plain as day."

"Maybe the siege has gotten the best of them at last," Winter Wind answered, a guess at best. "Or perhaps the Cervidaens are tired of playing along."

"If the deer want to kill each other off, you won't find me complaining."

Whatever the whitetail and their cousins were fighting about, he wasn't about to fly down and ask them. "I doubt many would. Still, with numbers that large we can't be too cautious. We should gather the others and report this to the imperator."

Another buck fell, run through by a spear that found a gap in his armor. Eradaxis was beginning to run out of soldiers, and with every loss taken it became easier for Corvalix to advance. He had hoped the whitetail who fought under the banner of the new government would join him, yet hardly anyone had dared to defy the Brother-General's orders. It was difficult to blame them now, with the weight of redtail-led warfare crushing down upon him. If nothing else, he hoped his death would provide time for more civilians to escape retribution and unjust slaughter.

A well-timed block batted away his nearest enemy's quinn-blade. He followed it with a quick thrust to the neck and a solid kick, then wheeled around and sliced another open with the daggers on his knees. There were so many, and even in the midst of battle he could hear the tumultuous quaking of countless redtail soldiers rushing to his position from their stations all over the city.

"Ready...loose!" An unfamiliar voice called out an order from the rooftops, followed a second later by the unmistakable whistle of whitetail arrows raining from above, arcing in from behind the nearby houses. Dozens of them sliced through the air and tore into Corvalix's formation. Some bounced off armor or missed entirely, but many found their targets. Half of the forward-most lines dropped on the spot, clutching at the hafts that stuck out from their bodies and writhing on the ground. Corvalix yelled for them to stand their ground, yet when they raised their shields to defeat a second volley they were quickly counter-attacked by the rebellious whitetail.

A roaring blast of green fire suddenly rushed out along the middle of the enemy's formation, engulfing twenty or more in a cloud of searing flames. Someone had hit the incendiary pots and set off a deadly chain reaction. Eradaxis could feel the heat on his face, almost unbearable even from down the road. The redtail were effectively cut off -- at least momentarily.

"Head for the gate!" the stag standing on the roof shouted, then jumped down before Eradaxis could identify him. He offered a quick prayer for the brave soul who had just bought his bucks precious seconds, then rallied his squad before the redtail could regroup.

"Capital Guard, on me! We move south as one!"

Three more soldiers fell as they turned to follow him down the side street. He glanced behind and saw that less than twenty remained, some of them with crippling wounds being helped along by their comrades. A sizable force of whitetail waited for him along the old market paths, numerous flags of the Evinwiir Capital Guard standing proudly. Soldiers quickly rushed to aid the wounded, and a full contingent of veteran guards formed an impenetrable wall behind him for protection, backed by two squads of archers and spearbucks. An officer stood before him, exuding an air of confidence and purpose.

"Standard-Commander Eradaxis? I'm Brother-Captain Laeolann of the 34th. I believe we've met before."

Eradaxis clutched at a gash on his chest and winced in pain, but still managed a thin smile of recognition. "That's right. You were our relief on the wall last month. By the spirits of the ancestors, you have exceptional timing. Thank you for your assistance, we wouldn't have held out much longer without you."

Laeolann nodded. "My pleasure. When we heard that our people were being summarily executed, we knew the damned redtail had truly taken control of our beloved city. I gladly call myself a traitor if it means standing up to such disgusting acts."

"Then I am in good company," Eradaxis said. "Do you know if there are others who would join us?"

"We have members of the 5th and 17th with us, albeit in smaller numbers thanks to internal conflict. I've heard word of the 37th rebelling as well, though they're too far north to meet up with -- provided the redtail haven't slaughtered them to the last. Caethil's defiance of the false empress was a turning point, it seems."

"Shame that it took his sacrifice to open our eyes. Do you have a plan?"

Laeolann gave a shrug. "Such as it is. Are you aware of the troubles at the southern gate? There is a crowd of civilians trying to flee from the city, nearly all of them from the southern reaches, but the guards are loyal to the new government. If we can hold Corvalix and his bucks here, we might be able to get the gate open. I have a pair of squads heading there as we speak." His expression soured. "Surrendering to the ponies is the only viable strategy here, as much as it pains me to say. I don't intend to throw my life, or more importantly, the lives of my bucks away. Evinwiir is a lost cause."

From the sound of things, southern Evinwiir had become a full-blown riot. Even from his command tent far beyond the wall, General Phalanx could discern a collective panic of clashing soldiers and fleeing civilians, their voices carried on the wind. His scouts had brought back word of a civil war breaking out and fires consuming much of the city -- it seemed the whitetail didn't take kindly to being invaded by their opportunistic cousins.

He'd expected as much for some time. The Cervidaen army had pushed east into Whitetail some time ago, at first attempting to conceal their numbers, then blatantly camping in the open as if daring someone to do something about it. It was hard to be sympathetic towards the whitetail when they had started this damned war in the first place, not to mention the utter callousness of their vaunted chancellor and his puppet senate. If only they'd surrendered when the tide had started to turn against them!

There were rumors that the Cervidaen empress was involved in all of this on more than just a head-of-state level, and it was certainly true that her brother had been seen several times throughout the campaign. Perhaps, he speculated, they would get some useful information from the senator that had deserted a few days ago. Word of that particular capture had spread far and wide, a boon to the Equestrian war effort and a likely treasure trove of information for the intelligence stallions in Marestopholous and Canterlot.

Yes, there were many unknowns and variables floating around, but he would leave them for his subordinates to sort through. For now, there was the more pressing concern of a large number of redtail rushing through the streets of Evinwiir. It was clear now that they were stamping out any rebellious actions, brutally and decisively from the sound of things, but there was always the possibility, however small, of open conflict with Cervidae should they choose to sweep south. Pushing Equestria's finest back across the border would make for a display of power that no one could argue with, least of all the ineffective and depleted Whitetail military. Extra Equestrian Guard reinforcements had arrived on the orders of an officer in Canterlot, now set up as a temporary bivouac south of the main siege line. If push came to shove, he would be grateful indeed for their support.

An Imperator approached with a scroll in his mouth. He dropped it at Phalanx's hooves and saluted.

"Sir, we've finished taking an inventory of our forces, as you requested."

Phalanx spread the parchment out on the ground, using an extra tarp to keep it from getting wet in the thin layer of snow that permeated everything. It was an exhaustive list, comprehensive to the last loaf of bread.

"This is going to take some time to look through," he said as he rubbed his chin. Wind fluttered his magic-imbued cape, and it glittered with white and gold in the scattered sunlight. "Care to spare me the long and give me the short?"

"As you wish," the Imperator answered. Age had wrinkled his features and faded his coat, but he was as reliable as ever. "Between the siege formation and the encampment we're looking at just over thirty-five hundred Equestrian Guard, with another four hundred Legion troops protecting the flanks. There is also a small contingent of one hundred and fifty Royal Guard on loan from Canterlot. All told, we can muster an active combat force of four--"

A long, low rumble bellowed like an earthquake, drowning out the Imperator before he could finish. They gave each other a surprised look, and were already heading for the crest of the hill when an orderly came running up to them.

"General! General, sir!" the stallion shouted over the roaring, clanking sound that seemed to grow louder as it continued. "The gate is opening!"

Phalanx couldn't believe it. He had to see for himself, and so he galloped to the top of the rise. No one bothered to salute him as he appeared, all eyes firmly locked on Evinwiir's massive southern entrance.

A pair of shining, bronze-faced doors, larger than any other construction in the known world, were slowly parting with a thunder to match the greatest of storms. Phalanx felt a knot in the pit of his stomach, for he knew nothing good could come from their opening. Immediately he took off as fast as his legs would carry him.

"Man your positions! Combat formations on the double!" he ordered, repeating himself as he passed each of the cohorts under his command. One group at a time, thousands of Equestrian soldiers quickly scrambled for their gear and formed into battle lines. The ominous din continued unabated, echoing all around like a dragon's roar. A trickle of figures poured through the partially opened gate, too distant to be seen clearly. A final, desperate push by the whitetail before they were swallowed by their aggressive cousins?

The trickle became a steady stream, and within moments it had turned into an overwhelming torrent of bodies pour through the widening entrance. They were headed directly for the Equestrian armies.

"Shields up! Make ready!"

His subordinates echoed his orders. He stood at the top of the hill with nervous resolve. Many of the stallions were untested replacements, and those who had seen combat had grown used to the protracted siege. The thought of the first full-scale battle in months was not a pleasant one, but he had faith in those who served with him. If the whitetail wanted to throw their lives away, then let them. Perhaps it would finally signal an end to this entire ordeal.

The deer drew closer, yet as they approached Phalanx came to a shocking realization: most of them were civilians. Unarmed and unarmored, they bounded toward the Equestrian lines in their loping gaits, some carrying improvised flags of orange and white, the Whitetail symbol for unconditional surrender. Was it a trick, or were they actually giving themselves up?

"Hold, lads, hold!" he said, unsure himself. Scattered bucks and stags in emerald-green armor were mixed in with the crowd, still carrying weapons and flying banners of their units. They waved the civilians on, keeping pace alongside them. A flight of glinting arrows arced from the gate entrance and slashed into the fleeing mass, followed by hurled pots that burst into clouds of viridian fire and consumed entire swaths of deer. The panicked screams of the crowd carried to the Equestrians waiting across the open expanse, and a murmur spread through the lines. The whitetail were killing one another in the open!

"Sir, what are your orders?" an officer asked.

The stallions nearby looked to him for answers. This was an unheard of situation.

"Keep the formation in place, but open a gap in the middle. Tell everyone to keep their weapons ready. If those deer intend to surrender to our aid, then we will help them." As the word spread, he called out for one of his translators, who quickly stood before him with a salute. "I need you and three others who can speak Whyttalia to guide them to us. They must drop any weapons they have before they'll be allowed to cross through. If anyone refuses and becomes violent, you have my permission to cut them down before they can become a threat."

The sea of armored ponies quickly parted at his order, an impromptu collection of guards checking the oncoming deer for blades before hurriedly letting them through. More and more civilians crowded into the area, shoving their way forward and trampling one another. It was too much for the Equestrians to hold back, and before long the panicked whitetail had pushed their way through and broken into the back field. Calls for them to halt went unheeded, and entire flights of pegasi took to the air in an attempt to control them.

"Stop them! I said no one gets through unchecked!" Phalanx shouted above the commotion. Hardly any of the deer were heeding his stallions. "Gods damnit! At least strip those soldiers of their weapons!"

A pegasus landed at his side. "Sir, I bring word from Centurion Stavius of the 12th Equestrian. He says he has spoken with someone claiming to be the leader of the rebellious Whitetail soldiers. They wish to surrender to us, but they ask that they be allowed to fight alongside us against the redtail until the civilians are clear."

"We are not fighting the redtail! We are not at war with them! Tell this tree rutter that he may fight if he wishes, but he must do so away from our lines. I will not start a war with Cervidae, no matter how fucked their actions are against the whitetail."

"But the civilians are--"

"I can see what's happening to them," he interrupted with a stern look. He knew what he had to say, but the words were vile on his tongue all the same. "I will not turn them away as refugees, but that is the extent of our actions. Tell Stavius he is under orders to not engage the redtail unless first engaged. No exceptions. And make sure the entire damned army knows!"

The soldier left as quickly as his wings would carry him. Phalanx let out a deep breath that turned to foggy wisps as he watched the carnage unfold, and in that moment he knew a hatred for the redtail like he had never imagined.

"Keep moving! Hurry!" Eradaxis threw up his shield to block an attack, then lashed out with his quinn-blade. Another redtail was felled, yet more bounded through the gates with every passing second. He gave the order to fall back, hoping to funnel the enemy into a narrow formation. The rush of civilians had petered out to almost nothing, and those that did make it through now were wounded almost to the last. They limped along as he encouraged them to seek the protection of the ponies.

Laeolann skidded to a halt beside him, his face grim as he caught his breath.

"What news do you bring?" he asked.

"We're on our own. The ponies won't take up arms against Cervidae lest they be seen as starting a war again."

His heart sank. "As we feared." At the gate entrance, another wave of redtail were forming up and preparing to charge the depleted ranks of whitetail guards. A few last civilians attempted to push their way through, pleading for their lives to anyone who would listen. They were struck down without mercy. "Murderous whore-sons!" he shouted across the gap. Laeolann placed a hoof on his shoulder.

"We'll hold them off until the last of the whitetail are through to Equestrian custody. We must."

Eradaxis nodded. He hefted his weapon beside him, his body aching from age and the stress of combat, and resigned himself to the inevitability of death.

For ten generations the Cervidae Hegemony had dreamt of reclaiming Whitetail for itself, of restoring the former glory of the mighty empire once known as Orchourus. Ten generations of do-nothing leaders caught up in family rivalries and bitter infighting, blinded by greed and corruption, so inept that it was a wonder Cervidae had stayed together at all.

But now...now that had all changed. In one fell swoop, Evinwiir had become a redtail city. It was only a matter of time until the rest of Whitetail followed suit. The people would fall in line with Chancellor Vinawyll; after all, it was he who had driven the traitors from Evinwiir -- with the help of Elinwynn, of course. Who among them could not celebrate such a thing? The sympathizer and the defeatist had been brought to swift justice by the dozen, a trail of shattered bodies the last legacy of rebellion within the great walls of the capital. A decisive blow.

As he stood between the grand doors of the southern entrance gate, with the cold stinging his face, Corvalix felt a sense of true accomplishment and pride. The first step on the the path to greatness had been taken. Very soon, it would lead him all the way to Canterlot. Then, and only then, would Cervidae be free of the shackles of history, and Elinwynn would have her vengeance that had been centuries in the making.

"Brother-General, sir, there are no further reports of fleeing citizens. I believe we've made our point." Corvalix looked around him at the trail of dead and dying, soldier and civilian alike. The acrid smell of burning flesh turned up his nose. "It would appear the treasonous whitetail have decided to make a final stand against us," the officer said, a hint of amusement dripping from each word. What remained of the traitor guard units had formed into a staggered battle line, far removed from the Equestrians who watched with interest from afar.

It had been so long since he'd seen what a proper army looked like. Whitetail's military had resembled it once, at the start of the war, but defeat after crushing defeat had utterly destroyed its capabilities to mount an offensive. These ponies, though...they knew how to maintain a proper sense of discipline. Open war against them, with the superior forces of Cervidae beside him, would be the thrill of a lifetime. They were so close.

Patience, dear brother. He could hear Elinwynn's voice, the echo of their morning conversation, and it sated him for the time being. A final formality was all that stood between him and the conquest of Equestria.

Behind him, thousands of redtail Regulars and hundreds of Exemplars had formed into dense lines that stretched from the killing grounds all the way back through the gate. They stood motionless, a vast sea of armor and blades, with countless flags proudly flying the crest of Cervidae.

"Sir, what would you like us to do about the remaining traitors? Our numbers are more than sufficient, and our losses would be minimal."

The remainder of the shattered Whitetail Capital Guard units stood at battle-ready on the other side of a small stream, a sad sight to be sure. In a way, Corvalix admired them; it took courage to face down one's fate. It was a shame they had chosen to fight for the wrong side.

"Leave them. We will be seeing them again soon enough."

Across the snow-covered field, an older pony in golden armor and a white and gold cloak stared him down with piercing eyes. Corvalix stabbed his sword into the wet earth, never tearing his gaze from the familiar stallion, and raised a hoof to signal his bucks. They snapped to attention as one, turned on the spot, and marched back within the confines of Evinwiir.

Corvalix did not move, did not blink, until the very last of them had departed.

The towering doors closed behind him.

Patience.