Everything hurt. There wasn’t much other way to describe it to the medic. Everything just, well, hurt. I chewed on the inside of my cheek. I supposed that if I was to narrow it down a little, I might say that my barrel and chest were killing me the most but I sincerely doubted the medic could do anything about it.

“Go,” I wheezed. Every breath was a struggle. “Tend to some of the other wounded down below.”

“But Captain-”. The medic’s eyes widened at my request. We both knew what that meant. Neither of us would deny the truth though.

“That’s an order. There’s nothing more you can do for me now go on and fuss over somepony else.”

The unicorn’s ears drooped as he took one last look at my situation and nodded grimly a couple of times. “Very well sir,” he snapped to attention and rendered a sharp salute, “Captain Crescent.” At this point his voice was wavering. “It’s been an honor.”

I nodded weakly and returned the salute as best I could from my position on the ground. Slowly the unicorn medic turned around and I watched the light of his horn disappear down the stairs. I turned my attention to the damned pillar and wall that had fallen on top of me. My ears splayed back at the sight. I couldn’t see my legs, though I knew they were there. Somewhere. Somehow.

What I could see though, was my left wing pinned to my side between the cold stone and my armor. The thin leathery membrane was now mangled, torn and crushed, leaving a thin bloody pulp across the dull purple sheen of the Lunar steel plates of my armor. Unlike my legs, I couldn’t feel the appendage anymore. Wasn't sure I wanted to either.

I shook my head trying to push those thoughts away. I didn’t need to work my way into a panic and make things worse. I snorted softly and then suddenly regretted it. Breathing with broken ribs was bad enough, but anything more than that was too much.

After recovering a little, I continued to glance around the destroyed room. Considering there's not much else to do by yourself when trapped under a bunch of rubble, I didn't have much choice. I was waiting to die. Not how I really wanted to go out. Too much damn time to think. And reflect. Question those choices that brought me here. Quick and clean, or in my sleep wouldn't been truly ideal.

A small glint caught my eye. A small polished metal figurine of a pegasus warrior sat in the dust and rubble, glinting in the moonlight. Stretching out my leg, I picked it up and set it so we were staring at each other. I could only guess that it’d fallen off the war room table during the commotion.

The castle observatory had been our command post since my advisers and officer staff could oversee the entirety of the battle from our perch as well as keep it defended. Well, massive magic blasts aside anyway. The state of desolation it was in bothered me; the stillness, the dust floating in the moonlight. It wasn't the massive amounts of rubble and broken masonry that hit me the hardest though. It was the fact that what had once been a place filled with life and activity, now wasn't. I closed my eyes.

It had happened so fast. The bright yellow light growing brighter and brighter. The crash as the stray blast of magic smacked into the reinforced walls. The entire room shook as we were thrown off their hooves. The gut-clenching groans of the structure as if began to crumble in on us. The screams. Some drawn out. Other cut off far too quickly. I could only stare with wide eyes as I watched my staff try to flee, or as other simply stood there, as I did, resigned to their fates. I remember hearing somepony praying next to me and I locked eyes with Lieutenant Morning Star. Her mouth began to quiver as the prayer died on her lips.

Those eyes haunted me. In that moment, we knew it was too late. Reflected in her eyes was a sadness and fear that I'd never seen before. Never experienced. It wasn’t a fear of death I saw in those two yellow spheres. It was a fear of lost time. Moments she’d never get to have. She’d just had her first daughter, Morning Breeze, three months ago. A cute, precocious little filly I had met once or twice. And as I stared into Lieutenant Star’s eyes, I realized that the young mother likely hadn’t even gotten to hear her daughter's first words or see her first steps. She’d only just had the pleasure of coming to know her daughter. To hold her and feed her; loving her as a mother does her young. The stones fell, and Lieutenant Star was replaced with rubble. The tradeoff was hardly fair.

I sighed much to my body’s protest and rolled the small pegasus token around in my hoof, studying the way the moonlight glistened off it. It seemed strange to me that such a small thing could represent so many lives. I set the small figure down as I laid my back against the helmet the medic had placed under my head. ‘A battle pillow’ he’d called it. I let myself enjoy a wry smile and snorted softly. A sharp pain flared from my chest at that. Damn ribs. Dying wouldn’t suck so bad if I could at least be allowed to have a sense of humor.

My face scrunched up as I suddenly wished I’d gotten the medic’s name. He may have told me, but I couldn’t recall either. Before he managed to get me to calm down and listen to him, I’d been frantically trying to get out from under the broken remains of my war room. Realistically, I knew I was trapped, but adrenaline and fear aren’t rational. Frankly I think the horror of realizing that the blood your sitting in doesn't solely belong to you would drive anypony to the edge. He’d done his best to make me comfortable, but there wasn’t much he could do for the broken ribs and the ever likely internal bleeding. All he could do is offer some dullweed to numb the pain and help send me off peacefully. His surprise showed as his eyes went wide when waved it away with my hoof. I could see that he didn’t understand why. Why I’d choose to face a slow death, tedious as it was. Many of my soldiers were facing or had faced the slow march to the grave. Maybe it was a matter of pride for me, but I would never have my soldiers do what I would not.

A series of bright bursts of light that illuminated the sky sharply yanked me back to reality as thunder rumbled heavily in the distance.

Strange, I looked up at the stars, There’s not a cloud in the sky. I sniffed the air carefully. Don’t smell any ozone in the air eit-oh shit.

My ears flattened against my head. Celestia and Nightmare Moon’s battle was getting really fierce if they were starting to really unleash on each other. Without warning, I felt the earth shake violently. The rubble shifted on me and I felt something pop within me. I howled in pain until I could no longer. I gasped as I stared at the figurine through blurry, tear-stained eyes.

Nopony knew exactly how powerful the alicorns were but right now, I could form a pretty good idea and just wished they would end it already. The world began to look a little brighter, as I noticed the moon started to shine more brightly. What that meant, I couldn’t tell, but it shone with a harsh, sinister light. Then the stars began to fall to the earth. I never could get over how many there were.

My ears drooped as a single thought entered my mind as I tried counting the stars as they streaked down from the heavens. Like the stars, the number of ponies who had died was far more than I would’ve liked to count. Each day the death toll would roll in from each unit. Once in a while we’d never get a report. Those were always the worst. You never knew if they were pinned down and couldn’t get word out, or if they’d been completely wiped out. From my perch atop the castle, I’d watched too many of my forces fall to the Solar army's spears in the last few days. Too many died in pain and agony. Too many good stallions and mares had died for this ground. Far too many sons and daughters, husbands and wives, fathers and mothers.

“Everypony is someone to somepony.” I whispered to myself with a ragged sigh. My mother had told me that when I was a kid. Told me that as so long as I remembered that when dealing with others, I’d always treat them fairly. I glanced back at the silver pegasus on the ground.

“Hey.” I whispered to it.

It stared at me.

“Does all this seem fair to you?”

The little token just sat there. I frowned a little.

“Yeah, me either.” I said despondently as I stared back at the stars.

I never understood why they called it a civil war. It didn't seem too civil to me from where I was. I didn’t want this. I didn’t want to send ponies to their deaths. It’d always been different before when it was just some hydra in the forest. Sometimes we’d lose a member or two but….but this? This was something that I’d never thought to prepare for. When I went through training, the thought of a civil war breaking out was impossible. Yet here we were killing each other. The night sky began blur as a the tears began to fall. I broke down. I could see nothing wrong with a commander weeping over his fallen soldiers and even if there was, I suspect that anypony watching probably wouldn’t hold it against a dying stallion.

“How did it go so wrong?” I asked the pegasus. It only stared back.

It’d been a week since Princess Luna had changed into this Nightmare Moon. I wouldn’t have believed it myself if I hadn’t walked in when it happened. It had taken both my reputation and rank to stop the other guards from attacking her on sight. Looking back, I’m not sure I should have staked my name to defending her like that considering that she then promptly brought about this eternal night. A lot of ponies were rather put out over it. Rightfully so.

A small frown began to play at my cheeks as I looked back at the large silver ball hanging in the sky. I know that as a thestral I should be more excited about an endless night sky, but if I was honest with myself, I kind of missed the sun. That wasn't to say I didn’t love the night, but I missed things like flying through the summer skies at midnight, and feeling the soft heat rising off the ground. It was cool enough to be enjoyable, but warm enough to fight back the chill. I fondly thought of the times when I'd wake up during the day and could hear foals play and ponies laugh as they went about their lives. I hadn’t heard much of either lately. I loved the night, and its quiet beauty, but without the day to contrast and complement its finer pleasures, it just wasn’t the same. It was cold, and dark, and lonesome.

The first time that Celestia and Nightmare Moon met was a complete mess. It all came to a head though, and a decision. While the Royal Guards and the Night Guards technically swore an oath to protect and serve both princesses, having the different guard houses had created a slight bias and rivalry, not to mention each tending to be a little more loyal to their respective princess. It was when presented with having to pick a princess to follow, that loyalty and rivalry quickly became a giant schism between the two forces. I, being the Captain of Luna’s guard, didn't really have much choice in the matter. Captain Iron Oak had just about as much freedom to pick considering he was Celestia's Captain.

My eyes narrowed as I continued to stare at the moon in silence. While I may have chosen Nightmare Moon’s side, I did so with a heavy heart. I bore no ill will towards Princess Celestia or the Royal Guards. Especially the Royal Guards. Many of them were friends and brothers in arms. These were stallions that I’d laughed, ate and drank with, and had been drunk with. I’d attended weddings and foal showers. Many were friends that I had carried through thick and thin as they did the same for me. Then in one evening, they suddenly were my enemies.

I absent-mindedly kicked away a small rock with my hoof that had been nearby. It hadn’t been but a day later the fighting began. New banners rose and were carried into battle. The Solar Army and the Lunar Rebellion rose to meet each other and for the past week we’d been fighting nonstop for dominance over the castle. Barricades went up in the hallways and sectors of the surrounding city were claimed.

Initially when I started taking orders from Nightmare Moon, I’d hoped that I could help pull Princess Luna back to the surface. Hell, the only reason I sided with the Nightmare was on the slightest chance Luna could be brought back. I hoped that I could calm Nightmare Moon down enough and let all that anger subside by being there for her. Then maybe, just maybe Luna could regain control of herself and her emotions. Like I told her long ago, when I was a younger stallion, I’d always be there for her, if not as her trusted Captain, then as her friend. Seeing as how things turned out, I must have been a pretty rotten friend considering her in her current state of violent and mercurial behavior.

I sniffled as a few more tears fell down my cheeks as that sentiment hit me hard. I had failed her. Somehow. Maybe I didn’t listen, though I remember her laying out her fears and frustrations about nopony appreciating her night many times. And every time, I’d hold her and tell her that while those of us who loved her and her night sky were few, we cherished it deeply. I hated seeing her be so self-depreciating. The knife in my heart twisted a little more. When she apparently needed me most, when she was on the edge, I wasn’t there until it was too late.

I turned my wet and bloodshot eyes away from the heavens. Staring at the moon and stars hurt. My breath hitched a little as an uncomfortable pressure built in my chest. Finally a rasping cough, followed by some blood, came pouring out of me as it felt like my side was being split open. From the feel of things, I’d be seeing my fallen troops and friends soon enough. I just hoped that they’d forgive me. Eternity would certainly suck without any friends to share it with.

When the fit subsided, I noticed a pony sitting on a rock a small distance from me, cloaked in a black hooded robe. What drew my eyes the most and ushered an involuntary gulp was the large scythe slung over its shoulders. I spit, trying to get the taste of blood out of my mouth, and lifting my head up from my battle pillow. I felt the cold grip of fear grab my heart as panic threatened to take over. My eyes grew wide as I fought to maintain control of myself. I knew I was dying but, to suddenly be faced with the Grim Reaper....well….. it’s a visage you can’t really prepare yourself for entirely.

We stared at each other in silence for what felt like ages. I couldn’t see Death’s eyes, so I can’t say for certain that it was staring at me, but it sure felt like it. My heartbeat thumped in my ears as the sounds of blood rushing and a dying battle from below were all I could hear. Death sat there motionless; silent; waiting. As the seconds ticked away, I felt myself relax a little and slowly regained control of my nerves. I took a few deep, or as deep as I could manage, breaths and finally I worked up enough courage to ask one little question. A question that held more importance than any other that I had ever asked before.

“It’s that time, huh?”

Initially, the Reaper didn’t do anything. I wasn’t even sure it had heard me, until the Reaper slowly pulled open its robe enough to slip out a nearly exhausted hourglass. I watched as a few more trickles of sand fell at a steady pace as it was set on the ground.

“No. Not just yet.” A soft and gentle feminine voice came from the reaper. I felt my eyebrows raise involuntarily.

“Um,” I started, not entirely how one should exactly talk to death itself, “uh, I’m a little surprised that…” I grasped for words that seemingly would not come.

“Surprised that it’s your time, or that it feels too soon?” The soft voice spoke, sounding like she had had this conversation many times over. It was hardly more than a whisper, but carried such power to it that it reminded me a little of when the princesses spoke.

“Well, no actually,” I started shaking my head softly, “I’m in a warzone. Dying tends to happen more often than nought. Plus,” I gestured with a hoof at my crushed body, “I guess I’ve been expecting you for quite a while now.”

I shuddered as I drew another painful breath. That bit of gesturing had caused me to twist the wrong way. I fought to inflate my lungs against the heavy stone. Still though, a small smile crossed my face after the initial pain subsided. Here I was dying and I still couldn’t help but throw sarcasm in the face of death. Perhaps not the smartest of ideas, but hay, what’s the worst that could happen, I die? I cleared my throat before continuing, “You just sound, well, please don’t take this wrong way, but you sound like a filly.”

Death’s head picked up and in the soft moonlight I could see a soft powder blue muzzle peeking out from the shadow of the hood. Judging from the gentle features of it, I’d say definitely a mare.

“Here you are on my doorstep, and instead of begging and pleading for more time or asking for the answers to life’s greatest questions,” a wry smile spread across her lips, “Your greatest concern is whether or not I’m a mare or a stallion?”

“Well,” I tried to shrug, but only ended up gasping in pain as in disturbed my crushed middle. “It’s not….what….I’d….expected” I panted between breaths.

A soft and gentle laugh filled the room, “Well, I’ll tell you truthfully, I was once a mare.” Compared to her previous irritation, she seemed to be lightening up.

My brow furrowed as I pondered her words. “Wait... what do.... you mean-”

My question was interrupted as a strange whistling noise came from above. I looked up as did Death, searching for the source. Regalia and armor glistening in the moonlight, I saw Nightmare Moon come streaking down. I prepared myself as I covered my face with my hooves and waited for inevitable arrival. I felt the impact more than heard it, as bits of floor rained on me once more. When everything died down, I lowered my hooves and cautiously looked at the smoking crater left from her impact. I couldn’t see much of her from my position; much less so if she was alive or not. Alicorns being the rather tough and immortal creatures they were, I gave her a fifty-fifty shot.

“Nightmare Moon? My liege?” I called to her as best I could but received no answer. I hesitated and gulped nervously. I could always call her by one name that tended to get a reaction. Angering and irritating immortal and powerful alicorns wasn’t exactly my smartest idea. I spared a glance at the hourglass. I shrugged. Well, it didn’t looked like I was going live long enough to regret it.

“Princess Luna…?” The last time I did that she threatened to take my head and put it on a spike. If she decided to make good on that, I suppose I wouldn’t be having an open casket service. Not that could really expect one now anyways.

A pair of slit eyes stared menacingly from out of the crater at me and slowly the rest of her emerged.

Well, I guess that worked. I felt my heart start racing as she continued her silence only to stare at me with narrowed eyes.

I craned my head to look at her as she stepped out onto the floor, towering over my beaten form. A sick smile danced across her lips. A cold chill formed in my stomach. Closed casket it was.

“So this is what remains of my former Captain?” She said, her voice ice to my ears. Then again, I can’t recall her saying anything any way but coldly. She was a stone, cold bi-

“So tell me Captain Crescent,” she spat my title venomously. “Why is it that when I descended I could see my forces are routed and Celestia’s troops securing the castle?”

First, our forces had always been outnumbered four-to-one. The fact that we had lasted this long was amazing. Second, recruiting was a difficult effort. Eternal night surprisingly didn’t go over that well with the general populous. She didn’t give me a chance to remind her though.

“I think Captain, it is because you are weak. I told you to burn down the homes of those in areas we controlled that would not support me. And yet what do you do!? You simply post guards at their doors to keep them contained, or allowed them to leave for the Celestial zone!”

“My liege!” I cried out, “Those homes were filled with families and children. I could not in good conscious order the deaths of those civilians or destroy their homes and livelihoods when they're just trying to stay alive in a damn warzone!”

“YOU WILL WATCH YOUR TONE WITH ME!” The royal voice rolled over me. My weakened and broken ribs cracked and rattled with the concussive force as I winced and groaned.

I hoped Princess Luna was in there somewhere this entire time. I hoped she was watching as I fought against those orders and disobeyed them. I hoped that she was cheering for me that at least she appreciated what I had done deep inside. However, I also hoped that in this moment, she wasn’t watching. That she didn’t see my broken body, battered and useless; the tears that streamed down my cheeks, laying in a puddle of blood, shit, and piss. That’s not how I wanted her to remember me.

She took a few deep breaths as she appeared to calm down. “I think I chose poorly when I let you keep your position,” she said softly, gently caressing my cheek with one of her hooves. “Perhaps it is fortuitous that I found you before you perished so that I may punish you for your incompetence.” She slapped her hoof across my face harshly. The helmet that I had been resting against clattered across the floor, rolling away. One of my teeth came loose in my mouth, which I involuntarily spat out when she pressed a hoof down on my barrel.

I screamed. I cried. Forcefully, the air was pushed from my lungs. I couldn't breathe. My ribs cracked and snapped audibly and my deformed armor groaned. Sharp, jarring pain caused me to thrash as my ribs slowly punctured the skin and stabbed at my organs.

“It is your failure that has prevented our taking of this place.” She said tersely. She kept her hoof there, pushing the breath out of me no matter how hard I tried to suck down more precious oxygen. She was choking me through just her sheer strength. For the first time panic filled my eyes as I stared at Death. I wanted her to just end it all. I couldn’t see her eyes but her mouth was slightly agape in horror; head shaking slowly, disbelieving her eyes.

“Hel...p...me,” I choked out breathlessly as I reached out to her. More pressure was applied. I tried to cry out, but found no breath to do so with. Fire burned in my veins. Ice ran through my bones. My thoughts were coming slower unable to fight through the waves of pain and asphyxiation. I barely registered the wet heat between my legs that signified that I had soiled myself. Again.

“It’s not time yet.” Death whispered to me. Her voice sounded broken as she continued to watch me suffer. She gestured to the hourglass with a pale blue hoof. The sand was flowing quicker, but not quite empty. “I’m sorry.”

Nightmare Moon saw my extended limb and heard my plea. “Help you?” She laughed, not letting her hoof off me. “Who are you calling for? Your precious Luna? Or better yet,” she began to move her hoof in a circular motion, giving new meaning to deep tissue massage. I couldn’t appreciate it though as I was too busy vomiting up blood. At this point Death stood up and began walking towards me.

“Maybe Celestia?” She cackled as she finally removed her hoof from my side. I greedy sucked down the most painful breaths I’d ever taken. Quiet sobs escaped me as I just prayed for that damn hourglass to finish. How I had lasted this long escaped me.

Nightmare Moon brought her head down to my ear whispering, “Celestia won’t be bothering us for a little while.” A huge predatory grin filled my vision. I closed my eyes as I tried to escape the sudden hell I found myself in, willing my body as hard as I could to just fail and die already. “I’d imagine it’d take even her a fair amount of time to crawl out from under a mountain range or two.” I heard Nightmare Moon snort contemptuously and turn around with a sharp clack of her hooves.

A soft nuzzle at my cheek surprised me. I cracked a lid. The light gray eyes of Death met mine. One of her hooves began to rub my back as she lay next to me. “It’ll soon be over,” she comforted me, “It’s going to be alright.” She continued to nuzzle my face and neck. Wherever she touched, I felt my pain subside.

“Thank you.” I mouthed to her. I pointed to the hourglass. The sand was almost done falling.

She just nodded softly. I closed my eyes briefly in contentment in embrace of my angel of mercy. I opened them just in time to see two silver shod hooves being reared above me.

I watched in horror as she brought her hooves done on my extend foreleg. Bones shattered with a sickening snap. Nausea overcame me as I puked up more blood and bile.

The Nightmare's dark laughter filled the room. “You looked like you were getting to be too comfortable there.”

A cool hoof ran through my mane, returning my attention back to Death. She lay there, my bile, blood and urine just passing through her despite the fact that she felt wonderfully solid to me. “Just kill me.” I murmured, my bloodshot eyes staring into Death’s, pleading. I wasn’t sure if it was the pain or delirium setting in, or if I’d actually just watched a small tear drip down Death’s muzzle.

“Hmmm,” Nightmare tilted her head towards me, “Is that a plea for death I hear?” She laughed jokingly, as amusement lit in her eyes. She leaned in towards me conspiratorially, “Do you want to die now?”

Death stared me in the eye compassionately, holding my head in her hooves. She ran one through my mane, caressing my chin as she brought it back. “Be at peace.” Leaning forward, she gently kissed me on the head.

The world began to go black as my eyes drifted shut and everything grew mute. I felt another soft nuzzle against my cheek as a feeling of peace flowed through me and the pain dulled.

“It’s almost time Waxing.” Death cooed, “I’m going to take you home, okay.” I felt one of her gentle hooves rub my back and withers, each pass of her hoof dulling the pain.

The small smile that had been growing on my lips died there as I felt Death suddenly tense up.

“What is she doing?” I heard Death mutter darkly. I tried to open my eyes but found that trying to lift my lids was like trying to lift the stone pillar off of me. I felt Death bolt up off of me. “Wait, NO! STOP!”

My eyes shot open and my broken body wracked. All I knew was pain as something lanced my chest. Eldritch power seared through my veins like liquid fire.

With a wet squelch, I felt something withdraw from my chest. I slumped back against the floor. I felt like I’d just been struck with lightning and yet at the same time, like the entire ocean had just rolled over me. I slowly opened my eyes to the dark visage of Nightmare Moon. Her long, sharp horn was now red and slick as my blood flowed down her leering face.

“Did you think you could escape me? That you could die without my permission?” She growled. “Oh no, my plans for you are just beginning. You get to die when I say so.”

I looked up at Death. I could see fear in her eyes as she kept mouthing ‘no’ over and over again.

Nightmare Moon’s voice drew my attention back. “I’ve just shared with you one final gift. The gift of eternal life.” A wicked grin burst across her face. “From this night, you can never die and you’ll never age. But!” The grin grew and her fangs glinted harshly in the moonlight. “I did not share the gift of my invulnerability or ability to heal. You can still be maimed, or hurt like any other pony. The difference is, you will heal from any mortal wound. You can slowly and painfully regrow whatever I decide to lop off.” She leaned in my face, eyes flashing with malice. “Even your head. So in case you thought you found a little loophole to jump through.” She cackled. “I want you to know that you’re mine to punish however I wish. Forever.”

Suddenly, a blazing streak landed in the room with a resounding boom. Nightmare Moon’s head snapped in that direction, leaving me to my shock. The temperature of the room steady rose as a familiar and yet strikingly different voice filled the room.

“That's enough sister!”

I cowered down behind the rubble pile in front of me, trying to shield myself from the waves of heat rolling off the solar princess. Death lay down in front of me, looking me over. Fear and concern filled her eyes as she held her scythe in her hooves.

“This night has lasted long enough!” Celestia yelled. I couldn’t look at her as she grew blinding. Six orbs suddenly began to float around her and pick up speed.

Nightmare Moon blanched at the sight. “No! No! It’s not possible! You can’t-”

She never finished the statement as she was carried away in a rainbow of light up into the moon.

I watched as the orbs turned to grey stone and fell with several dull clunks to the ground. The Princess sat there on her haunches, staring up at the moon. I saw a rivulet of tears glistening down her face. I felt for the princess. I imagine her fight with her twisted sister couldn’t have been easy, but at the same token, I was relieved it was over.

I turned my head up to see Death sitting over me, her eyes fixated on something in her hooves. I followed her vision with my own. It has my hourglass. Suspended in the top reservoir, was a single grain of sand, stopped in place by a dark blue aura, just simply floating.

A knot started to form amongst the other knots in my stomach as I touched Death’s foreleg and she looked down at me. Trying to steady my nerves, and prepare for the news, I asked, “So, uh, what happens now?”

She unslung her scythe and lifted it up over me. I flinched and closed my eyes as she brought it down.

I expected to feel myself torn from my body. I expecting to feel that sense of lightness and joy again. Instead what I felt was a solid thunk against my neck.

I peeked out of the corner of my eye so see where the scythe had landed. Just inches from my skin, the blade was stopped. Blue energy crackled against the blade, keeping it from piercing my skin. Death’s eyes were wide and her mouth kept opening and closing like she wanted to say something but didn’t know what. Finally, she just sank to her knees.

“I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry.” She sniffled. “I can’t.”

It felt like somebody had just dropped another pillar on me. I-I couldn’t die. I didn’t know how to react to that and inside just felt numb. I was trapped in my own body. I must have fallen into one of the rings of Tartarus.

There was a cacophony of clopping hooves coming up the stairwell. A whole squad of Solar Army soldiers came thundering around the corner into the destroyed observatory, immediately spotting the downtrodden princess and me, pinned under the rubble. Several of them immediately leveled their spears in my direction and began surrounding me. Their eyes narrowed and hardened.

“Hey, gentlecolts, don’t worry about me. I’m not exactly going anywhere.” I gestured to my broken legs and the pillar. A small fits of coughs wracked through me, causing me to wince with every spasm as more blood came up.

I wonder if I can run out of it now?

I pushed the thought away and slumped my head against the floor again exhausted. Maybe it was just the kind of day I had, but that pile of puke was starting to get more comfortable. A few of them lowered their spears, certain that I wasn’t in any position to fight or resist. The lead one stepped forward, just passing through Death as she sat there staring at me.

“Waxing, is that you?”

Without moving my head, I shot my eyes his direction. “Yeah, things kind of came crashing down on me here of late.” I said flashing a half smile his direction. I couldn’t help it. Humor is how I cope with things, no matter bad and at this point, it’s about all I had at my disposal. Besides shock. Surely that was going to set in...any second now.

“Only you would be cracking jokes on your deathbed.” The earth pony stallion took off his helmet and gave me small smile of his own kneeling down. Ignoring the puddle of my fluids, he lifted my head and placed the helmet underneath.

“Ah, should’ve known that was you Iron Oak.” It was good to see an old friend regardless of circumstances. After all, he and I had been through training together and been life long friends since. Well, barring this past week’s events of course. “Are you and yours okay?”

Iron Oak turned to the soldier next to him. “Go get a work crew and begin getting him out from under all this.”

My ears turned down and my eyes found something interesting to look at on the floor. “Hey Iron, there’s also a number of other remains trapped under the rubble. I know I don’t have any right to ask, but-”

“Say no more.” He firmly put a hoof on my shoulder but removed it when I flinched. He turned to the subordinate once more, “Make sure to collect the bodies of all dead, Solar or Lunar. They deserve a proper burial.”

The soldier nodded and took off. “Now you,” Iron grabbed the next pony closest to him, “I want you to go get a medical team. Understand?”

“Sir, respectfully, he’s the enemy. Not to mention their leader. And,” the pegasus stallion looked me over. His voice sounded young, like he’d just reached stallionhood. “He doesn’t appear like he’s going to pull through. It’d be a waste of supplies.”

Iron Oak opened his mouth but stopped when I started chuckling painfully. Probably sounded more like gurgling to them though. “Hey kid,” my voice gravelly and hoarse, “I know I don’t look like much right now, but I promise you, I’m not checking out anytime soon.”

I saw Death raise her head at that comment and I just winked at her. She glared at me. I guess she didn’t understand my coping mechanisms. Her lips were drawn tight and her eyes shifted from being angry to disappointment. Okay, so apparently laughing and cracking jokes in the face of Death isn’t a good idea right now and it made me feel like a bit of an ass. Shaking her head, she picked up my hourglass and stood up. Giving me one last sidelong look, she walked through the ponies gathered in front of me and out the door. I was sad to see her go. Even know I didn’t know much about her, she was the closest thing to a friend I had during my darkest "hour" and that meant something to me.

The pegasus soldier gave me a weird look, having thought that I was winking at him, but left to carry out his orders without another word.

I turned back to Iron Oak. “You didn’t answer my question Iron. Are you and yours okay? Did Lily make it through unscathed?” I said my next words cautiously, afraid of the answer. “I know that she was expecting the foal to come pretty soon here.”

He turned at me and I saw some tears beginning to build in his eyes that filled me with dread. When he finally broke the silence, I thought the bottom of my stomach was about to figuratively drop out. I was pretty sure that it literally already had.

“Yeah,” he choked out, “They’re all okay.”

A flood of relief filled me and my heart felt the lightest it had in days. I knew his home was close to where the heaviest fighting was taking place.

“She had gone into labor in the house.” He sniffled and wiped away a tear or two of joy. “It had actually been a couple of Lunar soldiers that heard her cries for help. She was so terrified when they busted down the door and found her on the floor. She thought they were going to kill her when one mentioned she was my wife.” He paused shaking his head and smiled softly. “Instead they called in a stretcher, created a white flag and carried her across the battlefield to my troops before retreating back to their side.”

I couldn’t stop myself of feeling pretty proud of my ponies at that moment.

He continued on excitedly, smile beaming. “She actually gave birth yesterday. Healthy young colt.”

With my last good leg, I clamped it on his shoulder. A few of the soldiers started to sharply lower their spears at me, but I paid them no mind. What did they think they were going to do? Stab me to death? Pfffft.

“That’s good!” I said as I shook him softly. Last year, he had told me how he and Lily had been talking about having a foal for the longest time but had a little trouble with the getting pregnant part. I ran that information by Princess Luna who decided to step in and smooth out that little problem for them and cast a fertility spell on them one night when they were asleep. Luna had never been caught, but I doubted any guard would be able to arrest her for breaking and entering. A twang played across my heartstrings as I realized that she was now gone.

Releasing his shoulder, I cleared my throat, fighting the urge to cough up more blood. “So have you two picked out a name yet?”

“Yeah, we’re going to call him-”

He was interrupted as a work crew stumbled in. “Sir! We report as ordered!”

He wiped his eyes, composing himself. “Yeah, start clearing this rumble out of here. I want Captain Crescent here extracted carefully." His nose wrinkled as I'm sure he caught a whiff of what lay underneath. "He has serious injuries and needs to have medical clean him up and look at him as soon as possible. Then start retrieving the remains of those trapped under here. Understand?”

“Yes sir!” They immediately started breaking out into different roles and set up torches all over the place so they could see what they were doing.

Iron Oak turned back to me, “I’m going to go report into the princess and I’ll be back to see you after the medical team looks at you.”

“Alright brother.” I slumped against the helmet and closed my eyes.

“Oh, and by the way,” I cracked an eye to see his smiling face, “You’re under arrest for treason against the crown.”

"Sounds good."

Snorting, he went on his way. I adjusted the helmet to a more comfortable position when I noticed familiar silver object shining in the torch light. Reaching out, I grabbed the moonsilver pegasus figurine and pulled it close to me. It serve as a reminder and silent witness to everything that had happened tonight.

A strange thought came to head and I sang quietly to myself, “Battle pillow you’re the one! That makes wartime lots of fun!” I chuckled painfully at that which triggered another spasm of coughs and more blood. Deciding I had enough, I closed my eyes as I tried to sleep a little and tune out the sounds of pickaxes and pry bars moving the debris out of the way. Everything hurt.

Author's Notes:

Special thanks to stanku for editing this! Seriously, if you enjoyed this, be sure to go check him out as well!
Update (6 Dec 16): Last time I edit this. I promise.