"A fool is to be avoided, lest you find yourself suffering because of them."

                                                                                           Luna Evictus

"For the final time Harbinger Snails you are to stay here and recover," Spike said ,his tone commanding yet calm. Snails glared at the dragon from his place on the bed's edge. Spike had received Earthborn's answer to his letter and had decided to lead an army toward Dodge Junction. Snails had insisted on going as well despite his still recovering from his battle with Applejack but Spike could not in good conscience allow him to go out onto the battlefield until he had fully recovered.

"But my lo-"

Spike cut him off," You are to stay here and that is an order," Spike's tone softened as he continued," Please my friend I am not a hatchling. I can defend myself easily enough. As well I need someone to lead the troops here just in case."

Snails sighed, defeated," Very well my lord but I wish for it to go on record that I object to this."

"Your objection is noted," Spike chuckled. With that he turned to leave the room and saw the nurse standing outside the door.

"Do not let him out of your sight," the dragon whispered to the pegasus mare.

"Yes my lord," she said with a bow and trotted into the room. Spike left the infirmary and made his way out of the military base. Outside the main doors in Ghastly Gorge was Brightflame's main army. A full thousand ponies strong with a mix of Brood, Harmony Core and the newly added Risen. They all stood at attention for their lord. Colonel Dustwind landed in front of the purple scaled dragon and saluted smartly.

"We're ready for departure my lord. You need only give the word."

"Very good Colonel," Spike said with a nod," Lets move out."

Dust turned to the army," Company about-face and march."

The army moved as one and began marching out of Ghastly Gorge, making their way south. Spike took to the air with a pump of his massive wings and observed his impressive army, sighing morosely as he did so,' If only they had taken my offer. We could have avoided this needless bloodshed.'

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Flash Sentry stared forward as he flew through the night sky. Around him was an army of pegasi and unicorn Shades. They were in formation with the Wyverns, sixty in all, above them. The leathery beasts made excellent lookouts because of their night vision. The orange pegasus had decided to lead an attack against Cloudsdale. They would perform a hit and run technique on the flying city, catch the pegasi of Stormwing off guard. They had met resistance along the way in the form of another battalion of griffins heading toward New Ponyville, more than likely to try to take the city again, but they been overwhelmed by Flash's small army of five hundred, not expecting such a big force in the night. Flash may dislike Wyverns but he thanked his lucky stars the reptiles were on their side for their ability to take down enemy troops was staggering.

'Fast, intelligent and bloodthirsty,' Flash thought grimly,' Thank the gods House Moon and Stars weren't able to get ahold of these beasts.'

Suddenly a soft coo sounded from above, followed by a series of chirps and squeaks from the wyverns. Flash looked to the Shade beside him by the name of Dewdrop and cocked an eyebrow in question to the sound. The red furred unicorn cleared her throat," They smell blood in the air." She looked up and the wyverns dispersed and descended into the clouds below. Dewdrop issued a series of clicks and chirps. the Shades in the army descended at her call, following the beasts into the cloud cover.

"The hunt begins General," she said as she began her descent as well," Give the word when you are ready."

Flash nodded and brought a hoof to his comcrystal," Alright I want this tight and rigid Squad one start-"

The words died in his throat as they cleared the cloud cover. Cloudsdale was already under siege. Bellow the massive cloud city was being bombarded by a barrage of spells.

"Moon and Stars but how they would never attack so boldly," Flash thought, shocked by what he saw. Then he saw what looked to be a group of soldiers leading what could only be evacuating citizens. What made Flash sentry sick was that the Moon and Stars forces began to direct fire on the evacuating citizens. To do this was an honorless act in the orange pegasi's eyes. Making his decision he activated his comcrystal.

"New plan Dewdrop you and your Shades start raining down dragonfire on the unicorn mages below, draw their fire off the evacuating ponies, the rest of you with me. We're going to act as their shield. Go, go, go!"

Flash Sentry rushed forward followed by his army. The Stormwing soldiers steeled themselves for a fight but stopped themselves when the wyverns and Shades began assaulting the unicorn forces below. The commanding officer of the small Stormwing force held up a hoof, his emerald eyes focused solely on Flash and his ponies as they stopped before him.

"We'll cover you get these civilians out of here," Flash said to the light blue pegasus stallion before him. The  pegasus regarded Flash cautiously, eyeing his armor and its sigil but sighed and offered a tired smile.

"Thank you," he said, sounding relieved, and turned to the ponies under his charge," Lets move out!"

Flash nodded and flicked a hoof forward, signaling his fliers to form a barrier between the civilians and the war raging below. The Shades were decimating the Moon and Stars forces and the wyverns made quick work of the ursas that were below as well. As well the seraphs found out quickly that Shades were in a different league of skill altogether. Dewdrop dropped down on a Solar Knight and slapped a firebomb into his open helm, the small orb falling down into the cuirass. A second later the bomb went of in a flash killing six ponies around him from the heat and shrapnel from his armor. Her expression remained emotionless as she looked up to see that Flash had successfully got the civilians away. With a shrill screech the red unicorn followed after the retreating army of pagasi. Her Shades followed suit followed by the wyverns.

Next Chapter: Kindness Repaid Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 5 Minutes