Chapter 12

                                                                                An Immovable Object...

            "Hit a brick wall long enough and you might just crack it but you might end up with a broken hoof whichever comes first."

                                                                                                 Dr. Whooves      

Spike marveled at the intricate design of the underground corridor’s walls and floors set in white marble with gold accents. Overall the ancient facility looked more like that of a palace than a military outpost. It was likely a sight to behold a thousand years ago but now it was ridden with dust and cobwebs. After a while of walking they came to a dome-like room with several other hallways leading out of it. Moondancer was the first to speak up.

“You know this was not what I was expecting.”

'Mother always had a thing for the extravagant.' Spike thought as he nodded.

The purple dragon let his gaze drift to the other hallways that branched out from the circular room.

“Moondancer take everyone through that corridor you should come to a stone ring doorway. The set of pressure plates there will open it,” He said motioning to one of corridors,” I'll join you shortly.”

The fuchsia mare bowed,” Yes my lord. Alright everyone let’s go.”

With that everyone went down the hallway leaving Spike behind to gaze after them. After a moment the dragon made his way down a corridor in the opposite direction.

Above ground Applejack and her army were having a hard time against the all unicorn army. To the orange mare these unicorns were different than any others she had come across. They matched her earth ponies blow for blow. Applejack dodged to the side as unicorn rushed her and whipped herself around so that her warhammer would collide with his side. Surprisingly the stallion stayed upright a grunt escaping his muzzle and then turned to face her again his eyes became draconic as his horn glowed. A gout of bright red flame spewed from the stallion’s mouth barely missing the orange mare as she dodged to the side.

Shock at the display dominated the mare’s mind as she stared at the scorch mark to her right. Applejack liked to think that she knew a lot about unicorn magic at least enough to easily combat one but in all her years she had never seen one use a spell like that. She was shaken from her shock by another blast of flame this time directed at the unicorn engulfing the stallion.

A Firespitter, a newer addition to the Earthborn forces courtesy of Applebloom, walked toward Applejack.

“High Commander are you alright?”

Before she could answer the unicorn stallion the Firespitter had roasted jumped out of the still burning flames his helm discarded and his armor red hot and latched onto the Firespitter’s throat. A gurgle escaped the earth pony’s throat as the unicorns teeth sank into her throat and ripped her throat out. Applejack shook herself out of her initial shock and brought her warhammer down on the stallion’s skull as he rounded on her. She had never seen anyone survive that much fire much less rip another pony’s throat out afterwards. The earth mare set her jaw and glared across the battle field at a massive unicorn stallion effortlessly crush a juggernauts skull despite his helm with the warhammer held in his magic. He didn’t have a helm and his horn was grey despite his dark orange fur. Applejack couldn’t help but think this stallion looked familiar as she galloped toward him. The stallion looked up from another earth pony he had crushed under his armored fore hooves to see Applejack galloping toward him and quickly cast a gravity spell to slow her down. Barely feeling the resistance the orange mare barreled into the massive unicorn and quickly rounded onto her fore hooves and gave the stallion a solid buck into his side. With a grunt the unicorn slid back and deactivated his spell not wanting to waste his magic and swung his warhammer at the mare’s head. Applejack barely dodged the hammer as she jumped back. The two warriors began to circle each other focused solely on the other.

“High Commander Applejack, it’s good to see you again,” Snails rumbled.

“Snails Ah’d heard you was left ta die by yer commander but from the look of things you went crawlin back to em,” Applejack said with a snort.  

“I am no longer part of Moon and Stars,” He said with a shake of his head,” I answer to a new master now.”

‘He ain’t lyin,’ Applejack thought to herself as she tightened her tail around her warhammer.

Snails was the first to make a move as he surged forward, his warhammer raised and brought it down on Applejack only to have the orange mare block it with her own. Before the stallion could recover from the telekinetic backlash of his hammer being blocked she delivered a quick buck into his side denting his grey armor. A grunt escaped the massive stallions muzzle as he slid back, his entire right side throbbing in pain. The two began to circle each other again gauging each other trying to figure out what the other would do next. Around them the battle still raged but out of respect for their respective leaders, both sides stayed out of their way. Snails opened himself to the dragonblood allowing its power to surge through his body, sharpening his senses. Applejack noticed immediately as fangs protruded from his muzzle and his eyes became draconic.

“So tell me did yur new master do that to ya?”

“It was a gift,” Snails said his voice radiating a primal power,” one that I happily received.”

With that his horn glowed brilliantly as a rune circle appeared above them and Applejack found it hard to move. The massive stallion walked calmly toward the struggling mare confident he had won and raised his massive hammer ready to strike.

“Any last words High Commander.”

A smirk graced Applejack’s muzzle,” Yeah thanks fer savin me the trouble of comin to ya.”

Her Element glowed brightly on her warhammer as a blade extended out of her gauntlet with a click and she slashed the hidden blade at the massive stallion's neck. Snails pushed the mare away from him with a telekinetic blast as he felt the blades edge on his neck. The rune on his chest plate glowed as the wound on his neck sealed itself. His gaze meet the earth mare’s glare both knowing this would not be an easy fight as they surged toward each other.

Moondance and the army following her came to a set of stone rings in the wall at the end of the corridor they had been traveling down. A set of pressure plates were in the floor before them. Moondancer and Puzzle Box wordlessly stepped onto the plates. The hallway began to shake and rumble as the rings began to turn forming a doorway. Stepping through the opening Moondancer and company found themselves in a sewer, ancient and unused. To the right there was a massive drainpipe overlooking a large pond. They were smack dab in the middle of Fillydelphia Central Park. Looking to the sky Moondancer spotted several spotted balloons making their way toward the battle raging outside the city.

“Puzzle Box take half our force here and take out those balloons we can’t have them seeing Flash’s army before they get here.”

With a nod the black stallion took off with most of the shades present following after him. Moondancer jumped out of the drain pipe and swam to shore the ponies left following after her. Exiting the park they made their way through the city. When they reached Hoofington Boulevard several ponies made their way out of their homes forming a wall along the street on either side of the small army. Moondancer and her army braced themselves for a fight but it didn’t come. The ponies looked to each other some whispering amongst themselves. Moondancer noticed many were dehorned unicorns. One such pony, a pink mare, made her way toward Moondancer.

“Have you come to end Earthborn’s hold over us?”

Moondancer looked to the crowd that had formed noticing dehorned foals among the gathering. The fuchsia mare felt her gut twist with rage. To cut a foal’s horn off was a barbaric act of the highest degree. Moondancer set her jaw and looked the pink mare in front of her dead in the eye,” Yes.”

The pink mare’s eyes glistened slightly tears threatening to flow as she stepped to the side allowing the army to pass. Moondancer started forward her forces trailing behind her. As they made their way forward the crowd began to stomp their hooves as one. They were done with Earthborn’s tyranny it was time to raise arms against their oppressors. Foals were corralled into buildings as the crowd added themselves to the army doubling its numbers. Fillydelpia was their home many having built their lives here before Applejack and her ilk had token over the city and by the gods they were going to take it back. Now was the time to rise and rise they would or die trying.

Next Chapter: Meets An Unstoppable Force Estimated time remaining: 21 Minutes