"All that was needed was a little bit of kindness."

                                                                                         Fluttershy

Soarin' Highskies was speechless for the first time in his life. When Flash Sentry and his army had broke through the cloud cover he was sure that he and his small force would have to fight them off and possibly die doing so. Then they helped him and his group defend the fleeing civilians. What's more, a group of what Soarin' could only guess were seraphs began attacking their fellow unicorns, flipping everything the Commander knew. When they were good distance away from the fallen city of Cloudsdale the large group had landed. The Shades arrived shortly afterwards with a massive group of flying reptiles. Sorain' and his soldiers steeled themselves for a fight but it never came. Instead the unicorns spread out and began seeing to the civilians, healing any wounds they had and even offering what rations they had. The light blue stallion gazed at the scene, not noticing a presence beside him.

"If any of your soldiers need medical attention let my Shades look at them," A voice sounded from behind Soarin'," Each is trained as a field medic."

The light blue pegasus found himself face to face with the leader of the army that had helped him and his troops, Flash Sentry.

"Thank you but I have to ask. Why help us?" Soarin' asked," It is obvious we are not on the same side."

Flash gazed out over the makeshift camp, his gaze hard as steel," When we saw you defending these civilians all semblance of whose side we are on ended there and then. To attack fleeing ponies who are without the skill to fight back is an act without honor and one I will see corrected with my last breath if need be."

Soarin' looked at the pony before him then to the unicorns in his company. Even from his place atop the hill over looking the camp he could tell the unicorns did not act out of orders being directed but out o their own initiative. Flash looked on for a moment before turning to Soarin' and extended his hoof.

"General Flash Sentry of House Brightflame, Harmony Core."

'Brightflame?' Soarin' thought for a moment then the name clicked,' They must have been the ones who conquered New Ponyville.'

The light blue stallion took Flash's hoof and gave it a firm shake," Soarin' Highskies, Wing Commander of House Stormwing."

"I've heard of you," Flash said with a nod of respect," You attack with the full intension of taking prisoners."

"If I can save at least one pony from a gruesome end then I find it a small victory."

"Where are you bound to now?" the orange stallion asked.

"Las Pegasus."

"You'll not touch me horn head!"

Both pegasi looked toward where the outburst had originated. A Shade was holding a small bottle in her magic, frowning at a hoplite that had raised his spear at her. Soarin' moved swiftly toward the scene.

"What is the meaning of this?!"

"Sir this horn head was trying to poison me I'm sure of it." th hoplite shouted," Can't trust these-"

Soarin' rushed forward and knocked the spear from the hoplite's grip before he could even finish his sentence and slammed him into the ground. He glared at the pegasus under him.

"She is in no way trying to poison you," the light blue stallion said, his voice stern," She is trying to heal you. Now then I won't have any of those racial slurs under my command or so help me I'll see you clipped. "

The hoplite visibly gulped at the threat and nodded m meekly," Yes sir."

Soarin' pushed off of him and glared arou8nd him," And that goes for the rest of you as well." Soarin' pointed to the Shade beside him," These ponies are not our enemies. In fact I think they're the first decent ponies I've met in a long time. So if I hear even one snide remark there will be consequences understand?!"

A flurry of yes sirs sounded throughout the camp before Soarin' turned to the unicorn mare beside him," I apologize for my subordinates lack of respect ma'am."

The Shade held a shocked expression but quickly recovered and smiled softly," And here I thought chivalry was dead."

"Just rare ma'am."

She giggled before turning ot the still quivering hoplite," Now let me see that gash before it becomes infected."

Flash whistled and trotted up to Soarin'," Impressive."

The light blue pegasus chuckled," Yeah well I learned from the best. I can't thank you and your ponies enough for this."

Flash smiled softly," It's quite alright."

Soarin' looked out at the camp, going silent as he did so. Unicorns and pegasi in the same area and no blood being shed, no open hostility, just pony helping pony. The Commander hadn't seen this in years. This coexistence brought hope to the tired stallion. He was sick of this war and its mindless bloodshed. It needed to end.

'Maybe I chose the wrong ponies to follow,' Soarin' thought as he looked to Flash who was deep in discussion with a red unicorn mare,' But I can't betray dash or Spitfire.' It was true over the years the two had changed but Soarin' always hoped that they would go back to the way they were, when they were all just Wonderbolts not soldiers.

'Maybe they won't change,' Soarin' thought as he began to question his own House,' Maybe we are the enemy.'

"What do we do from here sir," Dewdrop questioned," It is clear that Cloudsdale has fallen."

Flash thought for a moment on what to do before coming to a conclusion," Myself and the other pegasi will see to these ponies safe passage to Las Pegasus while you take your Shades and the wyverns back to New Ponyville and warn them of the situation. We will rest here for the night then head out in the morning."

Dewdrop saluted ," Yes General."

  Flash caught Soarin' looking at him out of the corner of his eye as Dewdrop went about her business. Flash turned to the stallion," We will continue on with you, the unicorns will be going back to New Ponyville to inform my superiors of the Moon and Stars attack. I believe it would be wise to rest here for the night."

Soarin' nodded and yawned," That sounds like a plan."

With that they settled down for the night.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The sun barely began to peek over the horizon, signaling the dawn of a new day. From the edge of the southern border of the Everfree the sounds of metal clashing and ponies dying reined instead of the sounds of birds chirping and blood coated the grass instead of dew. The Everfree Legion had attacked with its full force on Big Macintosh and his expansive army. The battle started just before midnight. Big Mac and his forces at firs were working to hold their ground now they fought for their lives. Big Mac slammed his hooves down on another wildling, killing it with his sheer strength. The massive earth pony's red fur was matted with sweat and blood, most of which was not his own. His juggernaut armor was dented in many places and cracked in some but he pushed on. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a timberwolf rush him. Pivoting onto his fore hooves, the massive stallion delivered a buck into the wooden construct's snout that had been cultivated from years of apple-bucking. The timberwolf shattered into thousands of wooden shards.

A pegasus landed beside him," Sir what do we do? They cut off our retreat."

The stallion knew this mare personally, as he did all those under his command. She had come into his company a scrawny thing without a lick of sense on the battlefield. Now she was as fierce a fighter as any other Earthborn. He gazed at her and saw the fear in her eyes but beside that though he saw a fiery passion and an unyielding stubbornness the Earthborn  were famous for.

"Form up ranks!" The normally quiet stallion boomed. The entirety of the remaining Earthborn forces formed ranks, while the Everfree legion sat back, waiting for the chance to strike as a snake would a field mouse. In front of the Everfree army stood a massive minotaur,  one hand was in the air meaning he had been the one to give the order for the army to stop.

Big Mac meet the gaze of all his remaining warriors, sixty-seven in all," Ah'm not one fer words but Ah want ta thank all of ya fer doin' me th' honor of fightin' by ya all these years. Th' situation is right hopeless but if'n ya'll won't mind Ah hope that ya'll will do me th' honor wadin' inta that oblivion with me."

At first silence rained as the assorted earth ponies, buffalo, and pegasi looked at each other. Before long a buffalo stepped forward," We will gallop to the Dream Plain with you Thunderhoof," the buffalo looked the others around him who showed the same fierce  determination he did," For Earthborn."

As one the warriors began to chant the word.

"Earthborn. Earthborn. Earthborn! Earthborn!!! Earthborn!!!"

With that final war cry they rushed forward and the Everfree army followed suit with a cry of their own, the minotaur at their head. Big Mac's gaze met that same minotaur as the two rushed toward each other. In a clash of flesh against metal Big Mac slammed into the minotaur with his full weight. But the massive minotaur dug his hoofs into the dirt and slammed the red earth pony into the dirt. Big Mac tried to get up but was stopped as the minotaur slammed both fists into his back. Big Mac went down with a grunt.

"Stay down and I shall spare you," said the minotaur as he placed a hoof on the downed earth pony and pressed down with his full strength.

"Eenope," the stallion drawled as he slowly rose to his hooves despite the weight on his back. The minotaur's smug smirk faded as he was thrown off the stallion. Rising to his own hooves the minotaur regarded Big Mac with a newfound respect. Few were ever able to match his strength.despite his show of strength he was on the brink of exhaustion and was only upright because of his unbreakable will. He was on his last legs, he was sure of it.  

"You have power pony. I respect that and I'll even give you the honor of knowing the name of the one who will defeat you. I am Iron Will!"

Big Mac's expression stayed neutral at the minotaur's outburst as he got into a battle stance. despite the stallion's show of strength he was on the brink of exhaustion and was only upright because of his unbreakable will. He wouldn't walk away from this fight he was sure of it.  Iron Will crouched low and aimed his sharpened horns at the stallion. Without a word the two rushed each other, fully ready to end the other.  

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