Twilight and the Spartan Stallion
Part 9: CMC Warriors, Yeah! (III of III)

There were simply too many. Too many wings and teeth and shouting monstrous stallions to control. The Spartan Stallions were earth ponies, all of them. Though they could repel forces of unicorns with enough forethought and even combat pegasi in manageable numbers… this was an army. Pegasi could simply leap over their phalanx and rain death from above. Or worse. Surround them. A phalanx was usually meant to be a wall. Protection in one direction. To be surrounded was to break it, and the Lunar Pegasi knew it.

The air was filled with flying spears and arrows going every which way. Lunar Stallions tackled Spartan ones to the ground, tearing out their throats with their metallic teeth even as they themselves were impaled on long spears. A stray shield grounded three pegasi, concussing them to the ground before the shield’s owner leapt upon the first to stab him to death.

Spartan Shield fought wildly, having lost his spear killing the first Lunar pegasi that came close enough. Drawing his xiphos (a shortsword of nineteen inches) in his teeth, he snarled and filled the air with blood. Captain Slate fought at his back, sending body parts flying and spraying blood across his glorious chest and upon the ground Even only two Spartan Stallions pressed together were formidable indeed. Roaring in pain when a Lunar Stallion’s teeth found his shoulder, Spartan Shield thrust his sword up through its neck and jerked hard, sending the twitching body to the floor and detaching the head. Whirling about with a gallant bannering of his cape-scarf, he and Captain Slate switched directions long enough to de-wing a pair of enemies before they were set upon again. Spartan Shield thrust his bronze shield forth, CLANGING one pegasi out of the air before stabbing him in the chest, flailing about to buck enough out of the air who was dive-bombing to get him from behind. Captain Slate stabbed it through the eye and sent it screeching to its doom.

The phalanx had broken. Spartan Stallions rushed back and forth in twos and threes, slicing off wings and muzzles and gilded hooves as they were set upon by the ‘immortal’ Lunar pegasi. One stallion let out a cry when his shield knocked off one of the Lunar pegasi’s silvery masks. The face beneath was withered, furless, and covered with scars. Its golden eyes were feral and snakelike—horrific! It leapt upon its foe, furious for being exposed, and ripped his throat out before replacing its pristine mask.

More Spartan Stallions fell at a steady rate, and they pressed in together until they were a clump of furiously fighting survivors. Better trained and more deadly with such tactics, they slayed many foes, but it was becoming clear as more and more Lunar pegasi set themselves upon the Spartans. They were losing. Three hundred and thirty-seven was too few, so very few to sacrifice for dear Canterlot. But they fought on, swift as eagles and stronger than lions. If they were to die, they would crush as many Lunar Stallions as they could beforehand.

Suddenly to make matters worse, Lunar unicorns started to appear on the scene again, carried by pairs of pegasi. Their horns ignited, they rained the elements down upon the Spartans. Flying shields and launched spears knocked a few out of the air to their deaths, but throwing one’s last weapon was a death sentence on the battlefield and any who did paid for it dearly.

Spartan Shield and Captain Slate dashed back and forth, running over the injured enemies with hooves the size of dinner plates, stabbing and slashing like wild madponies. Their foes shrank at their ferocity, forming a small circle around them and just out of view. The Spartan’s were so few. They couldn’t hold Soresaddle Canyon anymore. Less than fifty still stood, fighting their hearts out. As long as even one of them stood, the battle would never end.

Deflecting a new set of teeth bound for his neck with his shield, Spartan Shield bashed the brave Lunar Stallion onto his back and impaled him on his xiphos. He grunted when a stray arrow struck his shoulder, going down hard into a kneeling position. Propped up by his shortsword he wrested the missile from himself, standing in time to parry a spear and behead another foe. Blood and sweat poured from his body. He could feel the terrible strain mounting upon him as the endless, endless numbers of the enemy kept coming.

Captain Slate went down with a cry when no less than three Lunar Stallions stabbed him through the chest and out the back with a trio of spears. He let out his last guttural roar, squirming and then slashing wildly to kill two of the three before he fell. Blood gacked out of his mouth and upon Spartan Shield’s hooves while he turned to kill the third who had slain his second in command. He was alone on the battlefield now. So few. So few left to defend dear Canterlot.

He fought his way back to the mouth of the canyon in time to see the last hoof-full of his soldiers be brutally defeated and tossed upon the ground like corpses. He whirled about, setting his hooves. The enemy was boiling forward, too many to count. Too many for just one pony to slay.

Throwing his xiphos wildly into the fray and downing yet another Lunar Stallion, he picked up a bloody spear from the ground and set his shield upon his shoulder. He was better with spears anyway, even standing alone. Standing alone against nighttime eternal. Spartan Shield. Last of the Spartan Stallions. His roar of battle was spectacular as the wave of darkness set itself upon him.

A flying pegasi bearing a unicorn with his partner was pointing, screeching something in feral that only a Lunar Stallion could understand. The unicorn’s horn ignited with terrible magicks, and a bolt of arcane might lanced across the field. The effect was instantaneous. Mid-spear-throw, mouth open in a shout of fury, cape-scarf bannering in the wind, Spartan Shield turned to stone. The entire lunar army ran past him, pointing and laughing and spitting on him. Canterlot awaited, ripe for conquering!

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
1,002 Years Later…
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

The clearing wasn’t hard to find. With so many howling, yapping wolves the forest had gone quiet and they were easy to zero in on. Spartan Shield, Big Macintosh, Applejack, and Twilight Sparkle emerged onto the clearing with their faces set in looks of grim determination.

Twilight squinted, cocking her head. “Look there. That one has his head stuck into a crevice.”

“Ah bet that’s where she is!” Applejack said. “Applebloom!” she shouted across the clearing. Instantly, every timberwolf turned with perked ears. Spartan Shield and Big Macintosh glared over at her with identical angry looks. “Whups…” she said, ears turning back apologetically.

“We'll take them to the left, Big Macintosh.” Spartan Shield thrust his helm over his head, sensing the battle to come. “You two, fetch the healthy foal and get her away from the battlefield.” he told Twilight and Applejack.

“We can help!” Twilight argued, against the plan out of the starting gate.

“Battle is no place for mares, Twilight. Applebloom matters more.” He turned to glare at her sharply from the slits of his helm. “Or do you disagree?” There was ironclad, Spartan logic for them. Twilight could not argue with that. “Big Macintosh and I will distract them. Hurry.” Big Macintosh bobbed his head, reaching and removing his yoke. CRASH, it went, when it struck the ground. Both mares looked over. How much did that thing weigh?! The crimson stallion popped the bones in his neck back and forth and started pawing at the ground. The boys nodded at each other and the two stallions charged onward and to one side. The pack followed, barking and gnashing their teeth hungrily. Applejack raced forward, Twilight at her side. “Let’s go, then!” The warpony rather nonchalantly hoof-stomped the first timberwolf head-first into the ground.

“Eeyup!” Big Macintosh smashed into another, sending it skipping upon the ground as it tumbled. He reared up, flailing his hooves like a warhorse and battering another while the pack circled back and forth. Not one, but TWO massive meals of pony meat to be had! It had to be their lucky day! Working themselves up with pure frenzied desire to feast, the monsters charged upon them with claws and fangs outstretched.

Time seemed to slow for Spartan Shield. He could see every fleck of bark on the timberwolves’ skin. He could note every droplet of sweat and spittle coming off of Big Macintosh. In the background, he could count the pattering of Twilight and Applejack’s hooves like they were walking forward slowly. His mane bannering in the wind like a near-silent flag, he started forward with his spear and shield.

SMASH-he-bitch-slapped-one-of-them-to-one-side-thrusting-his-spear-forth-in-an-explosion-of-blood-and-gore.

Turned…

Slowly…

Saw…

Fangs…

CRUSH! Sent-a-timber-wolf-upon-its-back-with-a-titanic-shield-bash-before-slashing-its-neck! Big-Macintosh-roared-in-a-fury-caught-in-the-shoulder-and-rolling-atop-his-attacker-to-crush-the-beast! Spartan Shield-turned-a-wide-arc-to-take-off-a-timberwolf’s-muzzle!

Blood…

Floating…

Two…

Leapt high…

CRUNCH! Spartan-Shield-thrust-himself-forward-with-a-shoulder-bashing-both-wolves-backward-leaping-upon-them-with-massive-hooves! He-cried-out-when-one-of-them-tagged his-shoulder-with-its-claws, CLANK!

Shield…

Sent…

It…

Pinwheeling…

In the air…

Yelping sounds…

Big-Mac-sent-cracks-across-the-ground-with-his furious-hoof-stomps-crushing-a-timberwolf-into-splinters-in-a-glorious-display! Turning-he-bucked-wildly-with-enoug-force-to-knock-down-an-apple-tree-CRUNCH! He-grunted with-effort-as-he-exploded-one-of-the-monsters-upon-a-much-larger-tree-SPSHHH!

A fountain…

Blood …

and…

Sap…

One of the beasts was going straight for the charging mares, approaching them from behind with slathering fangs. Spartan Shield cocked his arm and threw his spear with all his might. The beast yelped, pitching over with a doggish cry and impaled upon the ground.

Twilight looked over her shoulder in horror, but soon she and Applejack found themselves at the crevice. Applejack leapt upon the timberwolf that had its head and shoulders shoved into the crevice, eager to beat the daylights out of it for harming her little sister--! It gave no resistance. Brow furrowing, she finally gave a heave of her farm-pony strength and pulled it from the hole. There was a thin, sharp stick sticking out of its mouth and out the back of its head. The beast was dead. Very very dead. The green stains around its mouth said it had been killed instantly and bled everywhere long after it had died. Tossing the body aside, Applejack thrust her head into the crevice. “Applebloom! Applebloom, you in there?!” What she saw sent chills down her spine.

Applebloom was there, pressed back into the furthest corner. She was smattered with tree sap and green blood, curled up and crying quietly. Her hair ribbon, Twilight suddenly saw, was wrapped around the stick pressed down the dead monster’s throat. When the foal turned a little to look at them, they saw the shine of golden armor strapped to her back, and a quartet of claw marks on her side. The armor had kept her from being gored entirely, but she looked beaten and hurt. “B… Big sister?” she said in a small voice, looking up with tear-streaked cheeks.

“We’re here Applebloom! Come outta there!” Relief washed over Applejack’s features as Applebloom slowly emerged from her sanctuary and into her arms. “Ohhhhh there I gotcha now. Big sis is here, I gotcha…” Applejack sat on her haunches to sooth the foal, who started quietly crying. She was hungry, and dirty, and tired, and covered with blood and sap. She had never been more miserable, or more relieved, in her life.

Twilight turned, suddenly remembering the boys. Turning and gasping, she saw them surrounded. The pack was much bigger than they’d originally thought, and all the noise of battle had brought more of them out of the woods to see what was going on. Spartan Shield and Big Mac were surrounded, fighting valiantly back and forth. Now and then a timberwolf would be launched over the treetops by Big Macintosh’s bucking, or pitch onto its side after a hard shield bash from Spartan Shield. The purple mare saw he no longer had his spear, and was fighting with just hoof and shield. Turning, she ran to aid them. Rushing past the impaled wolf, she wrested Spartan Shield’s spear from its carcass with her magic. Heaving a great breath, Twilight ran forth like a cavalry horse, screaming wildly with the spear out in front of her!

The Timberwolves saw her coming a mile away and parted to let her through. She skidded on her hooves and thrust the spear back into Spartan Shield’s hoof. “Thanks, but now you’re in the middle of it too!” he smirked grimly, waving his weapon back and forth to ward off the approaching fangs. Big Mac nodded his mute agreement, stomping his hooves threateningly at the circling monsters. “I told you this is no place for m-!” A red circle painted itself on the ground around the three of them, glowed red, then exploded into flame! Twilight’s horn glowed as she concentrated on the spell, beads of sweat going down her temples as she made it hotter and hotter, swirling the fire about in a display of pure arcane might!

The timberwolves caught sight of fire. Ears turned back. Being made of wood themselves, they knew better than to leap into flame after prey. Twilight stomped her front hoof with effort, pressing the fire one way then another threateningly. The beasts yelped in fear and took off running into the woods.

Panting, Twilight let the fires die. “You were… *pant*… saying?” she smiled grimly at Spartan Shield. The warrior was in awe, looking from her, to the scorched ground, to the fleeing enemies. “Even Timberwolves are smart enough not to walk through fire for a meal. They’re made of wood.” The purple mare giggled, throwing her chest out in victory.

“Eyuup.” Big Mac offered, nodding and turning quickly to go see if Applebloom was okay.

Spartan Shield was also eager to see the foal. Twilight walked quickly alongside him, and they all gathered around to have a look at her. Applejack had taken the leg plate off of the little thing’s back, setting it aside so she could be examined more thoroughly. Twilight Sparkle levitated it into Spartan Shield’s saddlebag. “The healthy foal, we meet again.” Spartan Shield said gravely.

Meekly, Applebloom looked up at him from her sister’s protective embrace. “A-Ahm sorry, mister Spartan Shield sir.” She said wiltingly. “Ah wuz jus’ tryin’ to get mah cutie mark. I wuz gonna give ‘em back, I promise I wuz.” She looked up at him, guilty as charged for borrowing without asking.

“In my time, you would be whipped for stealing, little foal.” Spartan Shield said gravely. She wilted down a little further, but he continued. “But, during the time of agoge, the training of foals your age, stealing showed initiative. It was an acceptable method of resupplying, back then.” He turned about and pulled the leg plate from his saddlebag, showing her the nicks and dents on it. He rapped his hoof on it a few times, clank-clank. She stared at it like it was made of solid gold. “I encourage thou not to steal, but to show initiative like this, in the future.” Leaning, he pressed it into her hooves like a gift. Twilight Sparkle was genuinely shocked at this. He was just giving it to her?! “You’ve suffered enough, I don’t think thy siblings will punish you for this.” He looked up at Applejack and Big Macintosh as he spoke.

Applebloom looked up at her older siblings with big, soft, sorry eyes. They both nodded in assent. “We’re just glad yer still with us, Applebloom.” Applejack sighed in relief, gently hugging her sister again. The little filly began to whimper helplessly, then turned and hugged her sister tight.

=-----=-----=-----=-----=

Having let the Apple siblings take their own route home after getting back to the edge of town, Twilight and Spartan made their way home to the library. The sun was setting fast, but they made it to the front door and stoop just as it was touching the horizon. Sighing in relief, Twilight and Spartan both reached for the door at the same time. In the process, she saw the bite marks and blood on his shoulder. She stopped, turning to look at him. “You’re hurt.” She said quietly, gesturing. He looked, smiling a little haggardly. She could see he was a little worn down from running all over Everfree, fighting monsters, lecturing foals and then going all the way back while injured. Even Spartan Stallions had their limits. She knew making a big deal out of it would do little more than spawn an argument, so she cast her eyes up into his for a moment before speaking. “I… thought you were very brave today.” Screwing up her courage, the purple mare leaned up and pecked him on the cheek. “Thank you.” She turned to rush away into the library, red-faced. His massive hoof came up and slammed the door before she could open it all the way, though. She jerked back, startled.

“A Spartan Stallion’s strength comes from the pony next to him, Twilight Sparkle.” He said with all seriousness, holding the door closed. “Big Macintosh, and… you.” He leaned without warning, cupping her face with a powerful hoof and kissing her firmly on the lips. Twilight squeaked, her heart thundering and her tail tucking behind her. He was powerful, aggressive, and to the point in all things it seemed. When the kiss broke her chest was heaving for breath and she stood there with a rather glazed expression. “Come.” He said. “I need to get this washed and cleaned out.” Spartan Shield turned and went inside like he HADN’T just kissed the buh-jeezus out of her. Twilight shivered a little, then followed him inside and shut the door quickly.

“…Hot.” said a bushy tree nearby, in Rainbow Dash’s voice.

And so, everypony made it home safe. The Apple siblings, Twilight Sparkle, and Spartan Shield. But as they all lay in their respective beds that night, they could only try to shake the very real feeling that they’d forgotten something. Something… important.

Miles away in the Everfree Forest, well after dark, Scootaloo sat across from Zecora in her little hut. They were having tea and talking animatedly about the little foal’s new campfire-shaped cutie mark. Wilderness survival was her special talent! Yay!

End of Part 9