Chapter 13

                                       ...Meets An Unstoppable Force

        "Who said anything worth living for was easy to obtain."

                                                                             Lady Rarity Gemma

Puzzle Box landed onto a spotter balloon’s deck with a soft thud. Drawing his daggers he sent them flying at the two ponies manning the balloon. The blades buried themselves into the necks of both ponies. Ripping his daggers from the bodies as they fell to the ground he sheathed the blades and picked up a hoofcannon with his magic aiming it at one of the unsuspecting balloons and fired. The small metal orb whizzed through the air and punctured the balloon. Air began to rapidly escape the craft as it descended at alarming speeds. The black stallion then set his balloon’s course toward the city wall. Ponies could be seen running to and fro behind it readying themselves for battle but this army wouldn’t see the action they were hoping for. Puzzle Box carved a rune into the spotting balloon’s deck and took to the sky. The balloon continued on its course toward the unsuspecting ponies. A few looked up to see the object descending toward them and began to shout but it was too late the balloon crash into the ground killing eleven unlucky soldiers. Ponies began to rush toward the wreckage to help any survivors. Then Puzzle Box activated the rune he had placed on the balloon creating a massive explosion killing all ponies around the balloon. The black stallion looked up from the carnage bellow to see that his fellow shades had made short work of the other balloons. With a war cry that would frighten even the most stalwart of stallions, he descended upon the scattered forces below, with those under his command following his example.

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Applejack attempted to bring her warhammer down on Snails only to have it harmlessly hit dirt as he dodged to the left. The massive stallion tried to blast the mare away from him with a series telekinetic blows but Applejack stood her ground and didn’t budge an inch. The two warriors were still going at it each holding strong; most ponies would have collapsed from exhaustion at this point but not these two. Snails had long since deactivated the gravity rune focusing his magic power on telekinetic blasts. An Earthborn soldier rushed between the combating warriors in an attempt to help his commander but quickly found himself being picked up in Snails’ telekinetic glow. The unicorns crimson eyes radiated primal power as he crushed the fool in his magic. Applejack could only gape as her screaming comrade was being crushed, his screams fell silent with a sickening crack as Snails continued to condense the pony into a ball of metal and flesh. Taking advantage of the orange mare’s shock he sent the dripping sphere hurtling at her. Applejack turned to jump out of the way but was hit by the meatball. Dazed from the impact the orange mare struggled to get up. Snails rushed foraward and slammed his warhammer into the underside of her jaw sending her flying. Applejack hit the ground a good five feet away with a jarring thud. It was Snails turn to be surprised as the earth mare slowly got back up. Her green eyes showed raged with a blazing anger as they locked onto his crimson orbs. Her face should have been torn off by the impact but miraculously she only spat out a few teeth and a gob of blood.

“That all ya got unicorn.”

A smile appeared on the stallion’s muzzle, the first of its kind.

“Not even close,” He roared as he rushed the orange earth mare.

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Below in the underground fortress Spike had found what he had been looking for, the commanding officers study. The walls on either side of the room had bookshelves lined with books and a desk at the far end of the room. The books had miraculously survived after a thousand years possible due to a preservation spell. The room was like the rest of the ancient facility ridden with cobwebs and dust. Walking toward the desk Spike saw a strange purple tome on it that strangely enough showed none of the wear and tear the other books had meaning that someone had been here before him. Many scrolls and books lay scattered at the desks floor as though someone had left in a hurry. Then he saw it a single navy blue feather. The dragon picked the feather up and examined it.

‘Curious,’ he thought as he got a good look at the tome. It’s cover was a deep purple that simmered with what looked like tiny stars. The tome was bound by a silver metal band with a white crescent moon embroidered on it. Spike picked the tome up and tried to open it but after several failed attempts set it back down eyeing it curiously, then looked at the feather he had found.

‘This must have been Luna’s but why would she have been here?’ The purple dragon then looked to the scrolls on the floor hoping they would provide him his answer they did. All of them made a reference to The Lens and something about a dragon graveyard. One place came to mind as he remembered a location called The Dragon Cemetery south of the Everfree.

‘Looks like I’ll find my answer at this Dragon Cemetery then.’ With that Spike gathered up the shimmering tome and several of the scrolls and made his way to the surface.

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In the city the Earthborn forces found themselves forced to fight more than Moondancer’s small army as many civilians took up arms against them. Fortunately they were able to make quick work of the what civilians came at them not caring who they cut down. Moondancer soon noticed that her forces were losing the battle and fast. Amplifying her voice with magic what magic she could muster she sounded a retreat. Her troops quickly fell back as the Earthborn pushed forward.

“Silver, Ward set up a barrier, Shadow and  Blaze fly up onto those buildings and keep them from coming and further,” Moondancer demanded with a firm voice. Her orders were readily obeyed when a barrier appeared between the Earthborn and the makeshift army. Shadow and Blaze began peppering the Earthborn with spells and kept the pegasi from flying too high.

Moondancer activated her comcrystal,” Puzzle Box we’re pinned down here at the corner of Mane Street and Worthy Lane and we need some help here.”

“I’d love to ma’am but we’re having a similar problem here on the city walls.”

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Puzzle Box banked to the right as he dodged another hoofcannon barrage. His team met resistance in the form of strange metal flying contraptions and it was armed to the teeth, gunning down several of his best flyers along with several shades as well.  The black stallion dodged another rocket as he raced toward one of the copters and tossed a flare bomb inside. With a flash the copter spiraled to the ground below engulfed in white flames. Puzzle Box activated his comcrystal,” Spymaster we’ll be there in a bit just need to take care of these blasted contraptions.”

“Damn earth pony ingenuity,” the black stallion grumbled as he took cover behind a building as a barrage of rockets came hurtling toward him. Circling the building Puzzle Box rounded on the copter on his tail and hurtled one of is daggers into the copters cockpit. The dagger found its mark in the forehead of the pilot and the copter spiraled into the side of a building. As the Copter fell to the ground and exploded upon impact only one thought crossed the black stallion's mind.

'I liked that dagger.'

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Spike hurried out of the tunnel and into the city, activating his comcrystal as he flew out of the drainpipe Moondnacer and her army had come from.

“Moondancer, I’m on my way hold your position as best you can.”

“Yes, sir,” She said over the comcrystal with relief apparent in her voice.

Flying high above the city the dragon quickly spotted a sliver magic barrier and angled toward it. Spike landed in-between the Earthborn and Moondancer’s team. His presence shocked most of the ponies present except the Brightflame forces who only felt relief at the sight of the purple dragon. Without a word Spike began spewing fire at the Earthborn as he ampled forward. Ponies scrambled to get out of the way of the deadly flames. With a flap of his wings Spike jumped into the middle of the panicking ponies and began dealing death with his razor sharp claws to any that ventured too close to his claws’ range.

Some were able to come to their senses enough to try and attack the dragon but found their end to his claws all the same.  Moondancer and her army, now rushing forward to help rout the Earthborn, were able to force them in to an alleyway. Spike stepped into the dead end alley and formed a barrier behind him.

“Surrender and you won’t be harmed,” The dragon commanded.

One earth mare rushed forward screaming, “We are Equestria” at the top of her lungs.

“A warrior’s death then,” Spike sighed as he emptied the last of his flame into the alley roasting the ponies inside.  

Next Chapter: The Second Assault Estimated time remaining: 15 Minutes