Author's Notes:

The Hayrulean 3rd Legion's charge is akin to the Rohirrim Charge on the Pelennor Fields before the gates of Minas Tirith
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Tgi-j56ueU

When they reappeared from the white cloud of smoke, they found themselves outside of a shadowy forest, framed on either side by gigantic cliff walls. A huge gate was in front of them, clearly weather worn…and yet, the wood seemed to be ageless in of itself. It was worn black oak, bound in enchanted steel, the elements clearly over time having done their job and yet…here it still stood. The imposing gates were closed tightly, preventing anypony from getting through. Mist curled around and over the gates, shrouding it in an eerie veil, lending mystery as well as a bit of dread.

Fluttershy shivered, rustling her wings. “It’s so quiet…”

“Yeah. Not th’ good kinda quiet either,” Applejack muttered.

A piercing howl broke the silence and Skyward Spirit teleported to the rear of the group, sword and shield out—but realized with horror her sword had been left behind in Equestria. She swiftly formed one out of her magical aura, aiming it at the thick brush further up the road behind them. A black pelted Wolfos hiding in the brush further down the path leading to the massive gate behind them broke cover, slavering at the thought of an easy meal. The brute was huge—it was twice the size of any of the mares, with long white fangs, burning green eyes, shaggy black fur and huge claws.

Skyward Spirit raised her eldritch blade, readying for a strike…

Only to have Sheik appear out of nowhere on its back, driving two long, tri pronged daggers home into its eyes with incredible speed and precision, before slitting its throat in one quick slash. The Sheikah stallion neatly flipped off the dying beast and landed on all four hooves in a crouch, his daggers ‘raised’ for a retaliatory strike…

But there was none. The Wolfos crashed to the ground with nary a whimper, blood pooling under its corpse from its slashed neck and pierced eyes.

The rest of the group was silent in awe at the exposed skill of the Sheikah stallion. Skyward Spirit snickered and shook her head at him. “Well struck, blade-brother.”

Sheik chortled, inclining his head to Skyward Spirit, before turning to the rest of the ponies. “Art thou all right?”

“Y-yeah. Just…where the hay are we?” Applejack asked, glancing around at the misty shadows around them.

“Yeah. This place is giving me the creeps,” Pinkie Pie mumbled.

Sheik expertly cleaned his daggers before he placed them back somewhere in his tunic or wrappings---where the hay did he keep them anyway?

“Tis the gate to the Lost Woods. Nopony comes here, at least, we hope nopony is foolish enough to breach the gates.”

“Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s get them open!”

With that, Rainbow Dash tried to take wing…

“Hey! What gives? I can’t fly here?!”

Sheik turned and shook his head at her, masterfully hiding his amusement. “Nay, Lady Rainbow Dash. There is mysterious magic here that prevents ponies from flying here. Teleportation or on hoof to the gates proper is the only thing that works. Anypony in these lands knows better than to come here. ‘Tis said this forest is cursed, and anypony who comes here is lost forever. Long before these gates were placed here, many a pony went into these woods…and never returned.”

The Mane 6, Spike and Trouble Shoes all exchanged looks at this. Skyward Spirit glanced at the massive door—she didn’t see a latch or a sliding bar…

How the hay were they going to get inside?

The Sheikah unicorn stallion turned and began tying a crimson colored slender rope to each pony, looping it around their necks and creating a looped lead rein as he did so, putting himself in the lead.

“However, could be nothing further from the truth. The Lost Woods art called as such for a reason—this place is protected by magics of ancient times. Follow one close, and DO NOT STRAY, understand? If thou do, we shalt not be able to find thee…you shalt be lost forever. It is why these woods art barred to any pony…save the Princess and the heroes of old.”

“But how are we going to get inside?” Fluttershy mused.

In answer Sheik lit his horn—along with the crimson glow, a spiral of runes slowly formed in the air and lifted from his horn tip, arcing slowly towards the door. The runes floated in front of the door before the entire huge spiral of runes suddenly shot towards the massive doorway and seared themselves into the wood. The rune spiral flared, before they faded…and the doors began slowly opening, revealing a misty, murky expanse of trees, shrubs and brush ahead of them. A lone path, bereft of grass or growth entire led into the mists…

It seemed simple enough. But the mist and the darkness, and the wind blowing through the leaves gave it an eerie feeling that sent shivers down everypony’s spine.

Sheik lit a torch and held it high for light, beckoning the others to follow him. In a single file line, the group of ponies followed the Sheikah stallion into the Lost Woods.

Things seemed to be all right at first. There were clearly old stone markers lit by torches that guided the way. But after passing 5 such markers and going in the direction listed…

The group soon stopped cold in their tracks. They had been walking for some time, and still no marker/stone torch had appeared to them.

“Hold on! Where are we supposed to go now?” Twilight Sparkle asked, looking around

“Twilight. Calm thyself. We shalt find the way, do not fear,” Skyward Spirit consoled, glancing around.

“We need t’ find another marker…if we don’t…” Applejack murmured, biting her lower lip in nervousness.

“We…we’ll be…” Rarity turned pale, eyes shrinking to pinpricks…

“Guys, calm down. Panicking isn’t gonna solve anything,” Spike ordered, glancing around as the bushes rustled close by.

“Ah think we already have th’ marker we need. Look at th’ torch,” Trouble Shoes spoke up, nodding at the torch Sheik was ‘holding’.

The group of ponies looked over at the torch being held in Sheik’s magic. The unseen breeze had changed direction, going north by northeast proper, and before, they knew the breeze had been coming into their muzzles—southern direction.

“What are you talking about, Trouble Shoes?” Fluttershy asked, and the huge stallion gestured with one hoof at the torch’s flames.

“Watch th’ sparks. Th’ wind changed direction, and that might be where we need t’ go. Been noticin’ tha’ whenever th’ wind changed direction is when we reached one o’ the markers.”

Sheik nodded and they continued walking. “Somepony keep an eye on the flames—the Princess saith something similar of the sort.”

“What did Her Highness say?” Twilight Sparkle asked, and Sheik cocked his ears back towards her. “She saith “Follow the trail of sparks, there thou shalt find thine the true way.”

“Wait. The wind is changing.” Skyward muttered, nodding at the torch.

Sure enough, the trail of sparks off the torch was moving in another direction…it was now moving to the left, going west. The Sheikah stallion nodded, turning to guide the others through the woods—

Off the beaten path.

The group of ponies moved slowly through the overgrowth of grasses, shrubs and bushes — Skyward Spirit, Trouble Shoes, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were watching for threats in the woods if there was any. So far, they’d only seen some rabbits and a few squirrels. No birds sang here, however…this place seemed to be the epitome of ‘haunted woods’.

The wind changed anew…the trail of sparks moved forward this time, the wind brushing at their flanks and tails. They moved forward as a group as a cloud of white fog slowly began to snake through the forest. The fog grew thicker…and thicker still, enfolding the group of ponies in its wispy embrace. For a few terrifying moments, nopony could see anything, not even the pony in front of the next….

Then the fog suddenly cleared from their sight, eliciting gasps and murmurs of awe from the group of ponies.

They were still clearly in the Lost Woods. But this forest seemed more friendly, less intimidating and scary. Sunlight shone through the lush canopy high overhead, lending light and warmth, a cool breeze ruffling manes, tails and through their fur. Fairies danced in the trees overhead, beautiful luminescent winged balls of blue, pink, gold and green light, laughing and giggling as they twirled. Sheik snuffed the torch, knowing they would need it no longer. An ancient ruin rose in front of them, crumbling walls covered in ivy and moss, grasses and flowers growing wild. Fresh scents of green grass, wild blossoms reached their noses, a soothing, welcoming scent. Twilight Sparkle moved forward to inspect the ruins—or tried to, the looped crimson rope holding her in place. She lit her horn to remove it…only to be stopped by Applejack, who nudged her firmly.

“Twi, c’mon. Now ain’t th’ time.”

“But…but I need to study this…”

“Not now ya don’t. We’re on a time limit, remember?” the orange farmpony chided. The purple unicorn mare’s bottom lip pooched out in a pout, but turned to follow the others, albeit reluctantly. Her disgruntled mood vanished soon enough, because when they passed through the huge half broken archway into a large, semi barren courtyard surrounded by huge trees, half crumbled walls coated in ivy…

A soft gasp broke from Fluttershy’s throat. “Is that…”

In the center of the semi-barren courtyard of ancient stone, moss, trees, and weeds, was a simple looking gray stone pedestal. A stone pedestal with the Triforce symbol on its base. Rising from the pedestal was a sword with a dark blue hilt, crossguard and olive-green binding around the hilt with a golden gem in the center of the crossguard.

This sword was anything but ordinary…and they all knew it.

The bluesteel Haylian unicorn mare stared at the sword in the stone. She swallowed hard, shaking her mane. The moment of truth—her ascension awaited…

Her right ear twitched, hearing hoofbeats beside her, and she turned her head as Trouble Shoes stepped up next to her. He nuzzled her, pulling her close for a comforting embrace, and she leaned into him, taking strength from his presence, his scent and his touch.

“G’wan, Sky. This is whut ya came ‘ere fer.”

Skyward Spirit nodded, nuzzling him first before she resolutely moved forward, her hoofbeats seeming to echo in the semi-barren courtyard. She ascended the steps to the pedestal proper, and stopped in front of the ancient sword that, for years beyond count, had belonged to every Hero of Time before her.

She lit her horn, ‘reached’ out and ‘grasped’ the hilt of the legendary blade in front of her—her cutie mark glowed brilliantly as she did so. She felt no resistance as she began to ‘pull’ the sword up and out of the pedestal. Light shimmered around the blade sunk in the stone as it began to slide upward, a brilliant, blinding golden white. With a soft hiss of metal, the Blade of Evil’s Bane was free from its stony confines…

The Mane 6, Spike, Sheik and Trouble Shoes watched as she removed the ancient sword from the stone pedestal. Simple though this place may have looked, everypony could feel power emanating from this place. A strong rush of wind plucked at their manes and tails as she raised the sword high in the air, dust and dirt long since lying on the stones stirred by the rush of power awakened from her removing the sword from the stone.

Twilight Sparkle’s purple eyes shone as she watched the magical scene in front of her. “The sword accepted her…”

Fluttershy cheered softly, and Rainbow Dash laughed, hoof-pumping the air. “Best. Day. EVER!”

Rarity laughed and tossed her head. “Was there ever a doubt?”

Applejack chuckled. “Not a one, right Pinkie Pie?”

The answer from the pink party pony was a bro-hoof, which was returned by the orange farmpony.

Skyward held the Master Sword high in a firm ‘grip’, staring at the sword that Heroes of Time before her had held and wielded themselves. The sunlight fell on her, illuminating her and the sword she carried. She flipped it in midair and then swung it around a few times to get the feel of it. The blade wasn’t any heavier or lighter than her own blade, but she could sense and feel a connection to this sword she didn’t have with the one she formerly possessed…

(Master?)

Skyward almost shied backwards and eyed the blade she was holding. Was she bucking dreaming or had she just…?

(Master? No…not Master. Mistress, this time.)

The voice sounded…strangely familiar, and yet alien. Reaching out with her magic as well as her mind, she mentally called back to the mare-like voice she could ‘hear’ in her head.

(Not Mistress. Friend. We fight together. We are friends, not servant and Mistress.)

(Friend…? Yes, friend. We fight together.)

Hearing the warmth in the strange mare’s tone, Skyward exhaled and turned—to see Sheik holding out a gold and blue ornate scabbard bearing the Triforce mark in the center—one clearly meant for the Blade of Evil’s Bane she now held as her own. Nodding her head, she ‘took’ the scabbard and sheathed the Master Sword, locking it to her back under her shield.

“To battle, Heroine of Time. Hayrule hath been waiting long enough.”

Skyward nodded grimly, stepping off the platform to rejoin the others. When she reached Sheik and the others, he gathered them close, before he lit his horn…

And with a mighty flare of his magic, he teleported them to a large cliffside overlooking Hayrule Field.

The Equestrian ponies were awed at the sheer size of Hayrule Field alone—rolling green hills as far as the eye could see. One could run for miles on end, on such verdant green grass, that looked soft to the touch. Hayrule Castle Town was but a tiny dot further away from their position—Skyward Spirit glowered in its direction before she turned her head away elsewhere. They could see Death Mountain Crater in the far distance, giving off smoke aplenty but no signs of eruption. They could also see the mouth of Zora’s River—Rarity and Rainbow Dash exchanged disgusted looks, much to the others’ confusion.

But what marred the entire idyllic scene…

Was the furious struggle raging far and well below them as Haylian ponies, pegasi, unicorn and Earth Pony all fought savagely against a mob of black and red monsters, all of them armed and armored heavily. The fighting was anything but sane--this was a battle of sheer savagery--kill or be killed.
Further back, clearly waiting for the ponies to tire were even more of the vile creatures, all riding crimson colored boars, who slavered at the maw and squealed and screamed, adding to the cacophony of war. Steel clashing against steel, the sounds of magic being cast, war cries, screams of agony, death shrieks...

“Come. Skyward wilt be descending to the battlefield soon. One promised her one wouldst return all of thou to thine world.”

“Actually, Sheik…we wanna stay here. We should be there fer her when she gets done with this…business,” Applejack stated, and the Sheikah stallion turned to face them squarely. To her credit (and further impressing Sheik at her fortitude) she didn’t back down from the direct stare he gave all of them.

“Art thou certain?”

The Mane 6, Spike and Trouble Shoes looked at one another before nodding slowly.

Spike spoke up, gesturing at Sheik with one claw. “We realize that by doing so we’re putting ourselves in danger, Sheik. But we’ve never seen her home, or the threat she speaks of so much.”

Rainbow Dash shook her rainbow mane out of her line of sight. “Sure, we’ve seen part of her world. I mean, Zora’s Domain was amazing…”

“Still. We want to learn more about Hayrule in general,” Twilight Sparkle replied.

“But…if things get too dangerous…m-maybe we can escape before they notice us?”

“A fine idea, Lady Fluttershy. One agrees with that. One shalt warn all of thou, thou wilt not like what thee wilt see. This is war, mind. Blood, suffering and death is what awaits thou all if thou choose to watch,” Sheik warned.

“We’ve seen worse,” Rainbow Dash muttered, and the others nodded.

“Trouble Shoes, know if thou dost not wish to watch this, I shalt return thou to Equestria. Know there is no shame…”

But the big stallion shook his head resolutely. “Come hay or high water, Ah’ll be there for her when she needs me. Ah knew she was a warrior; earlier on Ah could see it, that she’s seen ponies die, an’ in right gruesome ways. Ya don’ get that there look in yer eye unless ya’ve been there. An’ if Equestria wuz ever threatened, well…this here would be the same result. S’not lahke we haven’t had our share of idiots tryin’ t’ take over our own home. ”

Battle raged away and below them—the sound of steel crashing on steel, screams of the dying, roars of fury and the song of steel and spells, healing and deadly damage being cast. Blood flew, red and black and green, the scent of fire, steel and death rising into the air.

The Equestrian ponies watched as Skyward Spirit teleported to a spot below them further down near a stand of trees. She charged from the tree line much further away from them on a downward slope that led up to the cliff face, unsheathing the Master Sword and holding it high. The sun peeked out behind a cloud, catching the blade and shining off of it as she rushed towards the fighting...

********************************************************************************************************

Within the chaos of battle and death Golden Marble roared as he viciously bucked a red Bokoblin in the face, crushing its skull in one terrifying blow. He spun around to shove his spear into the gut of a black Bokoblin, who sputtered out a fountain of greenish blood, eyes bugging out as it wheezed and gasped its last breaths before a lance of green magic shot it off his spear point and blew it to bloody bits.

“Captain Golden Marble! Look! Over there!”

Golden Marble bucked another Bokoblin and crushed it underhoof before turning to look in the direction that the pony in question had shouted at him.

His eyes narrowed, seeing the charging newcomer as they closed in on the war zone, and then widened in recognition—despite the odd green clothing they was wearing, he knew that mane and tail coloration anywhere!

“’Tis’ Skyward! She lives! Our battle-sister lives!” he roared.

A sea blue pegasus stallion with a sky blue and warm white mane and tail swooped down from overhead where he was tangling with a Helmaroc. Helmarocs were nasty looking vulture like birds with black feathers, cruelly hooked beaks, long, viciously serrated talons and long golden tails. The Helmaroc’s body dropped with a wet thump close to the golden earth pony but he didn’t give a buck at the moment.

“What didst thou say, Golden? Is that Skyward thou sees?!”

A blood boar and its rider charged the oncoming bluesteel unicorn mare, thinking her to be an easy kill…which turned out to be a huge mistake.

With a roar, Skyward swung her ancestral blade—and it cleaved the blood boar’s face neatly in twain. It screeched as it went down face first into the dirt, pitching its rider off its back—a blue Bokoblin. She spun and decapitated its rider on the way down. She raised her blood streaked blade high—the cloudy sky bequeathed her an azure lightning bolt, which streaked down and struck her sword—

Only for her to catch it and swing her blade—the wave of azure electrified energy sweeping over a few monsters coming towards her and killing them in the process due to the divine lightning charge from the Skyward Strike she had summoned, leaving nothing but charred, smoking corpses. Shaking her mane, she resumed her charge towards them.

Several ponies, Golden Marble included, stopped after they had made swift and brutal work of their opponents to stare at the newcomer who had joined the battle.

“Is that…”

“It is! The Master Sword! That pony beareth the Master Sword!”

“Look! The green clothing that marketh the Hero!”

“The Hero! The Hero of Time hath returned!”

“Bah! Thou mean ‘Heroine’! It is Skyward! Skyward is the Heroine of Time! Look, she hath her cutie mark— see the Triforce of Courage emblazoned on her flank! She bears the Master Sword!” Golden Marble hollered.

“Tell one thou art not seeing things, Golden Marble! Skyward is the legendary Hero?!”

The golden colored stallion with a black and bronze streaked mane and tail with his white marble foreleg in a muscle pose cutie mark grinned broadly up at his winged compatriot.

“Nay! One is not seeing things, Full Sail; she is the Heroine of Time! One wouldst know that blue and indigo mane and tail anywhere! Sound the call brother! Let them all know—Hayrule’s salvation hath arrived!”

Letting out a full throated war-whoop, Full Sail soared upward, shouting at the top of his lungs for all to hear, his warm white and sky-blue streaked mane and sea blue wings spread wide as he roared at the top of his lungs.

“SKYWARD HATH RETURNED! THE HEROINE OF TIME HATH ARRIVED! TO HER SIDE, BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ARMS! HAYRULE’S CHAMPION HATH RETURNED!”

From Haylian pegasi, unicorn and earth pony alike a massive wave of sound erupted from them—a roar of jubilation, swords, spears, warhammers and maces raised high, wings shining with sharp blades against the light coming from behind the clouds.

Skyward Spirit stopped, skidding to a halt in front of the army she could see. She didn’t say anything, but raised the Master Sword high, saluted them with it, and then pointed it in the direction of the seething mass of black and squealing crimson. She reared on her hind legs, pawing the air, brandishing the Master Sword.

"FORWARD, MINE BROTHERS AND SISTERS! FOR HAYRULE! AS ONE WE RISE!"

“FOR HAYRULE! AS ONE WE RISE!” the cry rose up before Golden Marble reared waving his bannered spear high. War horns sounded, echoing across the field, deep throated and full, before the entire company of ponies charged with a terrifying roar. As one thousand strong, the remnants of the 3^rd Hayrulean Legion raised their weapons and leaped/soared forward, running towards Skyward Spirit to join her on the field of battle. The wave of bodies clad in armor running forward or flying in midair, rushing forward as one to engage the enemy in a glorious wave of destruction and defense, the thunder of hooves and wings echoing across Hayrule Field, seeming as if it were in truth ten thousand ponies running/flying across the vast green rolling plains instead of a thousand.

Skyward Spirit soon found herself flanked by running armored ponies with soaring pegasi above her—she glanced to the left side…

It was Golden Marble. He grinned broadly at her under his helm, giving her a sharp nod, his sienna eyes blazing with pride and joy at seeing her again. Flapping wings close to her head made her look to her right and slightly above—Full Sail waved at her, wing blades flashing as he soared over her head, letting out a loud, gleeful laugh. She grinned at them both before she focused on the seething black and red swarm ahead of them, bringing her great-uncle’s sword—no, HER sword to bear.

“Fight well, mine brothers. Goddesses bless us all,” she muttered, before she ran slightly ahead of Golden Marble, raising her blade, her horn igniting as she summoned her strength and she roared a war cry, the others answering her as they rushed into battle.

Sheik had been only half right—most of the foot soldiers, the Bokoblins and Moblins tried to bolt when they saw who was charging at them and what that pony was ‘holding’. A sickening SMASH-CRUNCH echoed over the battlefield, because those who had foolishly tried to stand their ground or running were instantly trampled underhoof, blood spewing and bones cracking, the gush of entrails and blood and the smell of death unmistakable in everypony’s nostrils. Armored hooves were darkened with blood as the rush continued—under nearly a thousand earth ponies and unicorns both, it really was no contest.

The earth and grasses beneath them soon became soaked with the blood of the minions of the King of Evil, dark wisps of shadow rising from their bodies to dissipate in the wind from the fallen corpses even as black ichor stained the green grass beneath them.

But as for the rest they charged forward on their unholy porcine mounts…only for some of them to be tossed backwards by a wave of azure light from the Blade of Evil’s Bane as another Skyward Strike went off.

Skyward Spirit snatched up one of the dead Moblins in her magic, slashed it to allow for blood flow, and threw it towards one of the blood boars. True to their vicious nature they converged on the corpse to feast…

Only to be sliced and blasted apart by swooping pegasi and more Haylian unicorns using Dance of Blades spells to macerate the enemy into bloody chunks, other ponies swerving out of the way to avoid the magical blades slicing and dicing into ungodly porcine flesh. Noticing her tactic to split the enemy forces, Haylian unicorns began doing just that with the enemy corpses to lure the blood boars into a feeding frenzy to make them easier to kill. The downside to using those boars for the enemy, was that if they scented blood close to them, they would instantly turn towards it to seek food.

Horn burning silver, she focused on a group of blood boars and their riders further inward…

Fire exploded in a roaring eruption as her Backdraft Burst spell went off, the riders and the boars catching fire and screaming as they were burned to ash. Thankfully no pony was caught in the blast, mostly because this was a group further back from where the lines had blurred.

A scream from the right caught her attention—a silver and black unicorn was being dragged under by a single blood boar—his right hind leg was pinned by a cruel spearhead shoved right through his leg by the rider, a red Moblin who cackled viciously at the unicorn’s agony as his other leg was being savaged and torn to shreds.

“DAMN THOU! GO BACK TO THE VOID WHENCE THOU WERE SPAWNED!” Skyward Spirit thundered as she aimed her horn at the boar.

The foul beast began to writhe and squeal as its blood began to boil under its skin, backing off of its prey and falling to the ground squirming and shrieking loudly as her Blood Boil spell did its work. She teleported to its side, and slit its throat, gashing its side as well with a backwards slice after the initial cut, then teleported herself and the wounded unicorn stallion off to the side. Two more boars converged on their dying brother, drooling as they began feasting on his steaming, bleeding body, dragging the red Moblin down to feed on him as well…

Only to have several Haylian unicorns and earth ponies gut them and then drawing back to allow more blood boars to be lured to the slaughter.

Skyward Spirit focused on the wounded unicorn and a beam of silver light shot from her horn to him, and she lifted him high in a bubble of silver light.

Two pegasi immediately shot downwards and grabbed the bubble, bearing him off at top speed elsewhere.

A sharp snarl off to her left caught her attention and she brought her shield up just in time for something heavy to plow into it. She was pushed back for about a good foot before she teleported…

She reappeared behind the black Moblin and rammed the Master Sword deep into its spine, killing it on contact, black blood sizzling as it struck the sacred blade. Skyward Spirit snarled in pain as something gashed her right rear leg, but she twisted around, bringing her shield up as something CLANGED into it.

She glared into the red eyes of a leering black Bokoblin—who soon found himself staring up at the enraged unicorn as he suddenly shrank…and was promptly squished under armored hoof. She ‘yanked’ the bottle holding Red Potion out from her satchel and quickly drank some, feeling the cut from the blade seal as she did so. She ‘replaced’ the cork and shoved the bottle back into her satchel, leaping forward to kick a Bokoblin right off of the blood boar it was riding, gashing him with a vicious slice and leaping away as three slavering blood boars zeroed in on the wounded monster.

On the cliffside, far from the fighting, the Equestrian ponies and Sheik watched as the thousand ponies plus Skyward—who was easy to pick out from the green tunic and such she was wearing, slowly whittle down the blood boars and their riders. Their morale boosted and spirits high, even though they had lost quite a few of their number initially…

“I can’t believe it! They’re winning,” Spike whispered, staring at the carnage below them.

“Because of Skyward, or her presence?” Twilight Sparkle asked as she watched the Haylian ponies surge forward once more, driving back the vile boars and their riders, pulling more of the boars down, wounding them enough to make their vile brethren turn on them to feast before being killed themselves. The scent of blood and of blackened flesh whenever a Backdraft Burst spell went off was enough to reach them, making them back away a little bit. Although it was true they had never seen full on out war like this, the threats they did face in Equestria were borderline close to a bandit raid or even enough to call out the Canterlot Royal Guard or the Army proper, long before Skyward had come along. And they being the Elements of Harmony, they had seen things that would make a regular pony blanch.

Granted that Trouble Shoes wasn’t an Element, however, his former life as an ‘outlaw’ even if he hadn’t really been one had let him see the darker side of Equestria and he was no stranger to fights or seeing real outlaws, like the Nettle family.

“Likely both, Ah reckon,” Trouble Shoes said quietly, watching the green clad mare diving in and out of the perilous war zone, trying to see where his beloved was going whenever she teleported. Her magic aura was silver, so it was easy to pick it out amongst the flashes of varied shades of blue, orange, red, green, yellow, purple and pink. “Didn’t ya’ll hear th’ ruckus they put up when she ran down th’ hill an’ saluted them with her sword?”

“This is why she wast needed now. To give them hope, so they can keep fighting knowing she is doing her part to take down her ancient nemesis. After this, she can return to Equestria with all of thou, to rest, recover, and prepare for her next trial.”

“Speakin’ of which…Sheik. Ya owe Skyward a full explanation, ya know. She wants answers, an’ ya keep dodgin’ them. Ah think ya owe her the truth.”

The straw maned stallion nodded at the blond maned and tailed mare. “And she shall get it, Lady Applejack, one assures thou of that.”

“Pfft…never ya mind th’ ‘Lady’ bit. Just call me Applejack…or AJ, if ya like.”

"Hey! Looks like the battle's almost over!" Spike called out, and the others turned to look.

Harsh, dissonant war horns sounded--clearly ones belonging to the enemy. The war horns belonging to the Haylian ponies were vastly different and much more melodic--but the enemy horns were trying to sound a retreat.

“This is what the power of hope can accomplish,” Sheik said from beside Applejack, gesturing at the fighting, which was starting to wind down. The blood boars on the field were all dead now, having turned on one another to feast and being cut down because of it. There was a large number of Bokoblins and Moblins left, however, they were severely outnumbered, and some of them were choosing to run, only to be cut down by the incensed Haylian ponies—they were taking no prisoners. Sheik nodded, before he turned to the others, beckoning to them with one hoof.

“Come. Thou wish to know more of Haylian culture? One canst show thou their camp—there wilt be many wounded as well as the honored dead to tend to. Just mind—do not speak, be silent, else mine enchantment to shield all of thou shalt fade. Follow one closely--ah, young Master Spike, thou mayest wish to ride astride one of thine friends' backs--we knowest thou art not a threat, but they do not. Not yet."

The group of ponies plus one baby dragon (who had climbed onto Twilight Sparkle's back) followed Sheik down the hill towards the battlefield, where several ponies were already hard at work dispatching fallen enemies who weren't quite dead yet...or giving the mercy blow to a pony who was too far gone to save. Further up and slightly away from the battlefield, tents were going up, fires were being lit--a war camp was being raised.

The battle had been won--but the war was still far from over.