General Phalanx patrolled along the outer wall of Canterlot's newly constructed defensive line, flanked by advisers on either side and followed by a personal guard retinue of hoof-picked soldiers. Nearby subordinates saluted as he passed, though he had little time for formality. With the deer set to be within striking distance in a matter of days it was a wonder they'd been able to erect a barrier at all.

The mouth of the valley leading to Canterlot had been fortified to the best of Equestria's abilities given such short notice. Concealed spike pits dotted the entrance to the most narrow section, each filled with dozens of sharpened sticks. Past that, a series of sloping trenches would slow the redtail advance to a crawl, with each section topped with dragon's claw thorn bushes. A final barrier in the form of a tall wall, angled out and topped with spikes, would hopefully keep the enemy from reaching the main line of resistance for some time.

Guard towers with archers, scorpio turrets, ballistae and catapults would pummel the entrance for the entirety of the opening engagement and turn the area into a kill zone. It might not hold them forever, but there would be hell to pay for every inch of progress.

A pegasus scout landed nearby and trotted over, saluting as he stopped. "General, sir, I bring word from the east."

Phalanx nodded. "Go ahead, son."

"The reports are true: a massive force of Zevran soldiers has made landfall on the shore of the Sea of Lights, roughly two leagues from the settlement of Argo's Stone. Milites Long Night and Decanus Ardorius made contact earlier this morning. They apparently spoke to someone named Baye...Bayor Barbsitter? Forgive me, I'm not very good with zebra names. He claims to be an active Praetorian, of all things. He says the princess can confirm his status."

"Baer'barbisater? There's a name I haven't heard in a while," Phalanx said in surprise. "He was a recruit last I saw him. I wonder if the princess sent him to get aid...I'll check with her myself. What else?"

"Baarba--the zebra--acted as a translator for a Zevran leader of some description; Elder Mwolan'e, I think he said. It would appear they have arrived to help us in our fight against the Cervidaens." The scout paused, then said, "Sir, if I may: I thought Zevran refused to go to war unless it was to protect their own lands. They had to know that showing up with a large invasion force would be seen as something to be wary of."

"Maybe they've changed their minds. Zevran's been an ally for centuries, but we've never needed them like we do now. If Equestria is subjugated, what's to stop the deer from moving on to Zevran next?" Phalanx didn't wait for the scout to answer. "Still, landing an entire army on foreign soil without warning is more than a little alarming. I'll send an emissary their way immediately. I want you to travel with him and report back once we have a better understanding of the situation. If they're here to help, we're not going to turn them down. If they're not, we'll have to be ready for that, too."

"Oh thank the gods you're both safe!" Glimmering Grace stepped down from the sky carriage and galloped as fast as her old legs could carry her, embracing her sons with tears streaming down her cheeks. "I've been so worried!"

"You're going to give your mother a heart attack one of these days, you know that?" Roughshod said, trailing behind her with several bags slung over his back. His jovial nature could not hide his tired eyes, and when he approached there was the air of a defeated stallion about him. "It's good to see you, boys. Help your old man with his things, would you?"

Tercio and Victus gave a comforting squeeze to their mother before doing so, each taking a share of the load.

"I'm glad to see you made it here safely. Mother isn't the only one who's been worried," Tercio said, slinging a bag over his shoulder. "When we heard the deer were nearing the Bountiful Hills we feared they would turn into Summervale. It's been a nerve-wracking couple of days."

"To say the least," Victus added. "Come, we'll get you something warm to drink from the kitchen."

For all of their progress through Equestria, Cervidae's modus operandi had been hard to pin down. Sometimes they passed by entire towns without stopping, leaving the inhabitants completely unmolested; other times, they would murder dozens and set fire to buildings seemingly at random before stripping the fields bare of anything edible that might still grow in the harsh climate. Their movements and actions had made them unpredictable, and nothing scared people quite like the unknown.

Victus took to his mother's side as she followed Tercio and Roughshod into the arched entryway. A pair of Royal Guards saluted as they passed.

"I saw 'em on the way here. The deer, I mean," Roughshod said just above a whisper. He looked over his shoulder to make sure Grace couldn't hear him and was glad to see her chatting with Victus. "We had to skirt around them and hug the terrain, but I could still catch glimpses of 'em here and there. Thankfully your mother was asleep. The last thing I need is her worrying even more than she already does."

"Is it really as bad as they say?" Tercio asked.

"Worse. I've never seen so many soldiers, deer or otherwise, in one place before. It's bad enough thinking that we might lose the farm, but this..."

"We've been preparing for some time. If the redtail want to take Canterlot they're going to face Hell itself. I won't let them lay a hoof on either of you, I swear it."

Pride and uncertainty coursed through Roughshod in equal measure. "I know you won't, son."

Later that night, on a balcony overlooking the mountains, Tercio and his family shared a meal that they all feared might be their last together, though no one dared to speak up about such a thing. On any other day the dinner of vegetable stew and barley bread would have been a satisfying if simple affair, yet it felt like a decadent extravagance in the wake of Canterlot's food rationing.

The streets below were packed with refugees from the north, many of whom waited in long lines to be fed by the city's overburdened bakers and cooks. Others slept against the sides of buildings, wrapped in whatever warmth they could find and huddled together in desperation. There just wasn't enough room for everyone.

"Never thought I'd see it like this," Roughshod said, his grim face illuminated by a torch burning on its wall sconce. "All of this despair and uncertainty. This isn't the Equestria I know, damnit. Look at these poor ponies! They don't know where their next meal is gonna come from, or if they'll even be alive tomorrow. We should have never been placed in this position." He tapped the edge of his bowl with his spoon as he talked. "Everything went to shit after Princess Luna turned. Gods' honest truth: if she were still around the fucking deer wouldn't have laid a single hoof on our land, I can tell you that much."

"You can't know that, dear," Grace said, hoping to turn his mood for the better. "Celestia has done a fine job keeping things together as best she can, if you ask me. She's not to blame."

"We should have taken that Whitetail capital while we had the chance instead of waiting for that chancellor to surrender. But no, Celestia wanted to end the war amicably. There ain't nothin' amicable about war. You go all in, or you lose. Now we're seeing that for ourselves."

Tercio stepped in to defend her, though part of him agreed. "She's doing the best she can. Not even King Argo was tested so. During my time with the Praetorian Guard I've come to know her quite well, and I can say without a shadow of a doubt that she always has Equestria's best interests in mind. I doubt any of us could do better."

"I'm not saying she's incompetent, son, I'm saying she's made some questionable decisions."

"And I would agree with that. That does not mean, however, that the redtail would have somehow ceased to be expansionist and manipulative had Evinwiir fallen into our control. Hell, I think that might have given the deer even more of a reason to lash out against us. As it stands, we have a not insignificant number of whitetail deserters and old government loyalists eager to see things return to how they were before the war. Gods know we could certainly use every bit of help we can get."

"I know they're listening, you just have to ask," Grace added, getting a quiet laugh from her son.

"I've never really been the praying type, but I suppose it couldn't hurt."

They carried on with their meal, Roughshod regaling them with tales of his time in the Equestrian Guard, and how he'd always dreamed of visiting the castle for himself. Sitting out on the very balcony the royal sisters used was a small dream come true, though he would have preferred it to be under different, happier circumstances.

Grace would chime in every so often to add to a story or share one herself. Many of them were of when Tercio and Victus were much younger, which inevitably resulted in embarrassment for at least one of them. Having to keep watch of a child that could fly short distances was enough of a hassle, nevermind also keeping track of one that walked on two legs and was prone to trying to chew on damn near anything he could get his hands on.

"Lotta memories in that old home, that's for sure. I hope it's still there when we get back. If we get back." Roughshod's voice faltered as he imagined the deer taking what they wanted and burning his livelihood to the ground. "Fucking savages, the lot of 'em." A reassuring hug from his wife did little to console him. "As long as the land is still fertile we can earn a living, I suppose. Gonna be hard times ahead."

"Then we will do whatever is necessary," Victus insisted.

"We wouldn't leave you to pick over a pile of ashes, Father," Tercio said. "If worse comes to worse you can stay here with us until the farmstead is rebuilt. I know Celestia wouldn't object, especially after all you did to make me feel like true family despite being from...elsewhere."

Roughshod and Grace shared a look. "Ah, right. That." He nervously rubbed a hoof through his graying mane. "I suppose you've known for some time now, haven't you? Must be getting forgetful in my old age. So, uh...I take it the princess told you the truth." Tercio nodded. "What'd she say?"

"She said, or rather showed me, that I was found in a cave that had been recently occupied by the deer, some place that was exceptionally strong in magical energy. Something about a 'ley line', I think it was. They had found a way to pull me through from my world into this one, but for whatever reason they were unable to carry through their plans to completely control me like they did with the other human."

The image of Secundus tearing through deer and pony alike with unbridled rage and strength was still as clear as if it were his own memory. The whitetails' control over him had been absolute, turning him into nothing more than a battering ram to be thrown at their enemies. His life had been tragically short, and his fate sad and violent.

So many questions remained: what had the deer truly hoped to accomplish by pulling Secundus, and now himself, into this world? Even the strongest of soldiers could accomplish only so much on their own. Perhaps he had been a sort of final test, proof that a human child could be brought through and bent to their will. How many more would have joined him as the play-things of uncaring, manipulative forces had they succeeded? He could only speculate. Some part of him did not care to know those answers.

"It is a strange twist of fate that I was found by the very stallion I now call my superior officer. I don't think I ever thanked him for saving my life. I was far too caught up in self-pity and anger at the time."

"Sounds like fate to me," Roughshod said.

"I used to not give a second thought to such things, but I am starting to believe it is possible." He looked to his mother and asked, "That night, when Celestia brought me to you -- what did she say? How did she possibly convince you to take me in?"

Grace was quiet for a moment as she relived that distant memory all over again. "Well...it was surprising, to say the least. The princess and I had been casual friends for some time, thanks to my younger days in Shining Meadow-on-the-Stream. This was back when I was married to that insufferable trade merchant. 'Marriage of opportunity', they said. Miserable old wretch, he was! Thanks to his status he made frequent trips to Canterlot to negotiate with new partners, and once in a while it involved visiting the sisters themselves. I only saw Luna a few times, since she tended to be asleep during the day, but Celestia was always welcoming, and as friendly as could be. I envy that eternal beauty of hers, let me tell you."

"I still think you're beautiful, dear," Roughshod said, winking at her with a grin. She giggled and waved a hoof at him.

"One of these days I'll stop falling for those compliments of yours."

"Sure you will. Good thing I only put up with you because of your cooking."

Grace poked a hoof into his side. "I swear to Bountiful Harvest and Her menagerie, I don't know why I bother with you sometimes."

"Because you love me?"

"I guess that's as good a reason as any. It's a stroke of fortune that I'm still sane at this point."

After over thirty years his parents were as smitten as the day they'd met. Tercio hoped that he could even begin to know such a committed love, though he imagined his would continue to be tested for a long time to come -- if he lived long enough to see it.

Grace continued. "But yes, as I was saying: the princess and I were once-in-a-while acquaintances at best. Eventually I left that ill-tempered old son of a timberwolf and moved back home, where I met your father after a short time. I agreed to move with him to Summervale, and a few years went by without seeing either of the royal sisters. I'd moved on and nearly forgotten about them until Celestia changed our lives on that fateful night.

"We were just about to sit down to dinner when she knocked on the door. I went to check on your brother, who wasn't even old enough to stand on his own legs at that point, and that was when your father called for me. When I came to the door he looked horrified! He said that I needed to see something, and just like that: there you were, all wrapped in a blanket. The strangest child I'd ever seen."

"What did she say?" Victus asked. "Raising me must have been difficult all on its own, nevermind the burden of a human child."

"Oh it was, you were a hoof-full from the very day you were born," Grace laughed. "I was speechless when she showed me your brother for the first time. I thought you might have been some sort of forest creature, Tercio, but she told me all about how she and Luna had found you, and the danger you were in if the deer ever discovered your whereabouts. I can only speculate, but they probably thought you'd died in that cave after they abandoned you, else I imagine they might have tried to reclaim you. Our living far from any major city probably helped in that regard. It kept you isolated, for lack of a better word."

"That was something else to be worried about," Roughshod added.

"Yes it was. The princess said that she had met many ponies over the years, but my conversations with her had stuck with her well after I'd stopped coming by. I can still remember what she said, like it just happened. 'You are one of the kindest mares I have ever had the pleasure of knowing, and it is with sincere humility that I stand before you now'. We sat down to talk for a while, and she told me that you weren't the first human she'd seen. There was one before you that had been turned into a monster by the deer, and she didn't want the same to happen to you. She also said that Princess Luna was, well, less than thrilled with the idea.

I'll never forget that look she gave me when she asked if we'd consider taking you in and raising you as one of our own. It was one of hope, yet clear uncertainty. You were so different, and I admit to being frightened at first, but when you looked at me I didn't see a 'human' or something that might be dangerous one day; I saw a scared, lonesome child with no one else in the whole world." She smiled, and tears welled in the corners of her eyes. "How could I say no?"

"I said no," Roughshod quipped.

"Roughshod!"

"What? I'm not going to lie to the boy. He's old enough to understand, aren't you, son? We'd just had Victus a few months prior, and now we were going to be taking care of not just another child, but a child unlike any we'd ever seen. Between that and the potential threat of the deer finding you, I was ardently against it, but...you know your mother. I can't say no to her for long."

"And don't you forget it," Grace said victoriously.

"Couldn't if I wanted to. But after all that said, Tercio, I'm glad we took you in. You might have been a challenge and a half to raise, and the gossip from neighbors was incessant, but I don't regret it one bit. You were a good kid, and you're a good man. I'm sorry we waited so long to tell you the truth, but you gotta understand: up until recently, there'd been no real reason to. We had no idea that that dark magic or whatever it was that was inside of you was trying to control you. Finding you lying there in the snow, all bloodied and on the brink of death...that was something terrible beyond words. I've never been more afraid in my life. Same goes for your mother. If you could have seen the state she was in when we arrived here to see you lying on that table..."

Grace frowned, the look of a mother who had been through so much, and so quickly. "If I never see anything like that again, I will be the most blessed mare in the world."

That night had played through Tercio's mind countless times. The pain of the sword as it tore through him. The cold, hard ground against his skin as his very blood stained the snow red. Darkness had overtaken him from within and without, the culmination of an ever-increasing struggle against the twisting, evil force that had lain dormant for three decades. Corruption had seeped into his soul, and in a final, desperate act he had defied it once and for all with the help of Nocturne.

He did not fully understand what had happened in that place between life and death, and perhaps he never would. He was grateful to be alive, to be with his family before the entirety of Canterlot was lain to siege. Being brought back from the precipice of eternity had shown him what truly mattered.

He'd be damned if the deer were going to take it from him.

"I don't say this nearly enough, but thank you. For everything. By all rights I should have died in that cave, or been abandoned as a freak of nature, but you found it within your hearts to take me in and raise me as your own when you had no obligation to do so. I could not have asked for better parents." He placed his hand on the table. "I love you both. Thank you for saving me. And Victus? I promise I've not forgotten about you. You've been the brother that others could only wish for. We will speak more after dinner, if that's okay with you."

Victus placed his hoof in the center, along with his parents. "Of course. You might not be a pony, but you're blood as far as I'm concerned. I'm proud to call you my brother."

"A sentiment I very much share, Victus."

The setting sun began to dip beneath the mountains, coloring the entire valley a soft orange. It was a spectacle that never ceased to amaze him, yet the thought of the impending fight for everything he cared for was a specter that loomed over him like the long shadows that cast themselves over the city. Very soon, he feared, the centuries-old capital would be the site of carnage unprecedented in all of Equestrian history.

For now, all he could do was wait. If these were to be his final hours, he would spend them with those he loved.

Elinwynn pulled her winter clothing tighter against her body, shivering at the glacial chill that seemed to deny her any warmth no matter how many layers she wore. The carriage bumped and jostled through the well-worn path that had become a mire of frozen, pock-marked mud and stones. Equestria was a miserable place, unfit for proper society. It had been years since she had last ventured into its expanses during the winter months. Once the war was over, she mused, she would have to make it a policy to avoid traveling there unless absolutely necessary. Perhaps she could shunt the duties off to her brother.

She pulled back the silk curtain from the window and sneered at the darkening skies. What she wouldn't have given to be back home! She cursed the very name of Celestia and despised her for dragging her across the land with her callous, despotic ways. Soon the princess' rule would be but a memory, and on that day she would declare a national holiday for all of deerkind. It was so very close.

The carriage slowed to a trot. Caravan guards shouted for those in the road to make way as they approached the rear of Corvalix's army. A trickle of redtail in emerald armor turned to dozens, then hundreds, yet it was but a small portion of her nation's might. Experienced stags in darker armor dotted the crowd in small groups, Exemplars that would lead the others in the coming battle. They scrambled to the side and saluted as she passed, the mass of Cervidae's elite spreading as far and wide as she could see.

"Empress, Brother-General Corvalix awaits your arrival. Shall I send a runner ahead to announce you?" Sister-Magii Sylaania asked through the open window, one of Elinwynn's sapphire-clad Imperial Protectorate does. Despite being on her hooves for nearly the entire day she showed no signs of weariness, a trait vital to the task of protecting the most powerful, beautiful and respected redtail in all of the Cervidaen Hegemony. For a fleeting moment Elinwynn entertained the thought of inviting her to the royal command tent for the night. She dismissed it just as quickly. There would be time for that after the battle. Perhaps she could make use of Celestia's newly-vacated bed chambers.

"No, that won't be necessary. If my dear brother has not noticed my approach by now then he has surely gone blind."

"As you wish, Empress."

Sylaania stepped away to join the others. A circle of hoof-picked guards kept anyone from getting too close.

Elinwynn's carriage came to a stop and she nudged the door open, stepping out onto the cold, wet ground that was slick with a slush of mud and melted snow. Corvalix stood before her and bowed as she stepped to him. A ranking officer shouted 'Glory to Empress Elinwynn!' and was echoed by countless voices.

"What, no musicians?" she joked, planting a kiss on both of his cheeks.

"It would seem we've left all of our instruments back in Evinwiir. We'll just have to borrow some new ones from the ponies." Corvalix returned the favor then presented the path to a large dome tent with an outstretched foreleg. The Imperial Protectorate immediately fell in around them as they made the short trip. "How was your journey? Uneventful, I hope."

"Dreadfully so. I was hoping for at least an ambush or two, that I might practice my magic some more. No such luck, it would seem. I hadn't expected you to kill all of the Equestrians between Whitetail and Canterlot."

Corvalix snorted. "Hardly. The vaunted Equestrian Guard has been nothing more than a nuisance ever since they evacuated Marestopholous. We still get the occasional harassing attack to probe our lines but it's clear they've decided to make a final stand at the capital." He brought her attention to the nearby hills with a wave. "One thing we can't account for is the sheer number of pegasi scouts at their disposal. We destroy those we can catch, but it's safe to assume that you're always under surveillance by at least a couple of them at any one time. No doubt they know you're here even now."

Elinwynn felt a shiver down her spine. Being watched from the darkness was an unnerving prospect. They may have been disgusting, inferior barbarians but she had no doubt they were effective at what they did. She was thankful for her personal guard contingent even more so now.

"Let them watch, then," she said. "They will become quite familiar with their new Empress soon enough."

"So they shall."

Just visible in the darkening twilight was the Auroran Valley, the entrance to Canterlot's expansive territory. Its sharply curved sides joined with the ever-rising mountains, though it was the path through them that had become the centerpoint of Equestria's defense, if scouts were to be believed. The ponies had set up a solid line of barricades, fortifications and obstacles to impede Corvalix's forces from pushing through. He was loathe to admit it, but the ponies' penchant for quick thinking and quicker action had shown itself yet again. It was a shame it would accomplish little more than delaying the inevitable.

Once the defenses had been pushed through, the mouth of the Auroran Valley would open into a wider area of plains dotted with copses of evergreens. The sight of Canterlot clinging to the cliff face would be a unquestionably spectacular sight to behold as they pushed up the curving path carved through the mountain -- what the Equestrians called the 'Coriander Road' -- before crashing through the gates of the city itself. He imagined himself standing atop the highest point and surveying the land below. His land. Let Elinwynn have Cervidae and Whitetail; he would take Equestria for himself. He chuckled at the thought. He would have to change the nation's name, now wouldn't he? It simply would not be fitting to have the newly-acquired deer territory called by its old title.

The frigid air gave way to the warmth and comfort of a crackling fire as they entered the command tent. A map table had been set up to the right, and a pair of bucks were moving unit markers around as new information came in from scout runners. They saluted briefly and returned to their duties. Across from them an area had been sectioned off with curtains and elaborately decorated with green and white banners. Visible through the gap was a silver table with a spread of fruit, bread and other foods for her to pick through at her leisure. Most importantly, a pair of beds had been set up for the royal siblings. The soldiers had the good sense to not make her sleep on the ground, it seemed.

She turned to her cadre of Protectorate guards and nodded. They departed the tent and assumed their positions just outside.

"You must be a bit peckish after such a long journey. Come, let us talk." Corvalix said. She followed him to the private area, closing the curtain behind them. After the discomfort of the carriage, a bed was most certainly welcome. A satisfied sigh left her mouth as she sat down on the edge of it.

"How have things been in Whitetail?" he asked, popping a ripe winter berry into his mouth before passing the bowl to her.

"As well as can be expected. Vinawyll and the Senate play their part, mostly out of self-preservation, though I believe there are a number of senators who have come around to seeing our 'joint' Cervidaen rule as a good thing for them and their nation. I had honestly expected there to be more of an outcry after the reunification of our peoples, but things have been relatively smooth -- thanks in no small part to your purging of dissenters, of course."

Corvalix gave a genuine smile. "It is good to hear you say that. I had hoped the whitetail would be grateful for our assistance."

"Don't be naive, Corvalix. It is fear that keeps them quiet, not admiration."

"You say that as if it's a bad thing."

"Come now, you know me better than that," Elinwynn said dismissively. "It is better to be feared than loved. Mother may have been revered as a just ruler, but she had no tolerance for those who would speak out against her. The people of Cervidae loved her because they had to. Small minds often fail to grasp the larger picture, so we must do it for them. Equestria will be the same way soon." A thin smile crossed her face. "I cannot properly put into words how exhilarating it is to say that."

"Indeed so. It's been a long and treacherous path, yet here we are. To think I had to render salutes and bow before the cruel words of a filthy whitetail officer, as if I were nothing more than a common soldier. I think he had something to prove, knowing I was royalty. Jealousy is such a strange thing."

"And now look at you, leading the greatest army in history. You have earned your place, my dearest brother."

"That I have," he said simply. "This is the beginning of a new era for us. Soon the Cervidaen Hegemony will be the undisputed power of the known world. Once this war has ended, I would very much like to start a family of my own. Perhaps sire a son or daughter and teach them the ways of our great peoples." He considered a honeyed roll and took a tentative bite, finding it sweet but not overwhelmingly so. "How about you, sister? What plans do you hold for the future?"

Elinwynn thought for a moment. "I don't know, to be honest," she said in a rare moment of quiet humility. "A family would certainly be expected of me, yes, but this whole ordeal with bringing Whitetail to heel and marching on Equestria has left me feeling rather drained. It was a stroke of good fortune that Celestia's sister rebelled when she did, else we might have been waiting to this day for our opportunity."

"You mustn't discount your quick thinking with the Nightmare Moon 'cult'. In fact, I'd say it was rather genius how you spread the word of dark salvation as quickly as you did." Corvalix laughed at the thought. "Dark salvation indeed. The disenfranchised will believe anything if you promise them something in return. They served their purpose in the end." He placed his foreleg around her shoulder and pulled her close. Affection was seen as unfitting for deer as powerful as they were, but behind the privacy of the thick curtains he was free to care for her as they used to when they were children. Fate had shaped them into two very different deer; one, a ruler and a plotter. The other, a leader of bucks and a stalwart soldier. Yet deep down they both longed for the simpler days.

"Soon, brother, this war will be but a memory, and generations of family will finally be avenged." She held him tight and kissed his cheek. "And it will have been because of us. All that stands in our way is one self-serving pony and her army of believers." A pair of crystal goblets floated over from the table. "To victory."

They clinked together.

"To Mother and Father, and all of Cervidae."