“Report!” A scout calls riding up.

“Speak.” Sky instructs.

“Overlord, the enemy is marching its forces straight at us. This army is showing clear signs they will meet us in open combat.” The messenger says.

“How many are there?” Sky asks immediately.

“From our counts, around fifty thousand.” The messenger informs.

“Fifty thousand. This must be the most of their remaining troops. That means most of the remaining warlords are here.” Sky says looking to his officers, strategist, and wives with him at the command tent.

“What’s more overlord the banner of the enemy king is amongst them.” The messenger says.

“The king himself?” Sky asks surprised. ‘I didn’t expect him to have the courage.’

Bloom hums as she looks at the makeshift field map on the table. “We could use that. Him and your injury.”

“I am not injured, Bloom. I have healed. Assemble the formation we will use the wedge formation, to begin with.” Sky instructs.

“Yes, sir…” Bloom says starting to set up the pieces.

“Well, what are you waiting for? Get the men into position!” Sky orders his officers.

The officers yelp and rushes out haphazardly.

“So it begins.” Sky says sighing.

“What’s going on?” Twilight asks helping with a pony as he was being healed.

“The army is leaving camp. The enemy is moving to attack us.” One of the officers says looking around to find someone.

“Are you looking for somepony in particular?” Twilight asks, not taking her eyes off the wound.

“My son. I heard he was healing here.” The officers say.

Twilight stops for a bit and then keeps healing as she looks up at the pony’s sleeping face and then back at the officer and notices the similarities. ‘Sky…is this what you are doing?’ She thinks before sighing. “He’s here. I’m healing him now.”

“Ah, could you tell him I was here. I can’t stay long.” The officer says as Twilight noticed he was wearing one of the royal salamander guard armor.

Twilight nods slowly. “I will tell him.”

“Thank you, my queen.” The officer says.

Twilight watches as he leaves and looks back to the pony she is healing. “Your father will be back soon.”

The battle soon began as the Lundberg army marched into a range of the archer fire. There was no ballista fire with it this time as all of them were still at the camp in defensive positions out of range of the battlefield. The Lundberg forces had little in the way to help them against it, having few archers and those they did were out of range and couldn’t make it to the front to fire back.

“Shields up!” An officer of the Cutting Archers regiment calls as they prepared to meet the enemy at the tip of the wedge formation.

The troop breathed deeply, bracing themselves. Out of all the regiments, they had seen some of the fiercest fightings of this war and had taken the most losses now six hundred and fifty out of their original thousand soldiers. Their archers were firing as fast as they could on the oncoming warriors though not scoring many kills with them. But because of the enemies advancing with large shields, they were slowing them down.

“You ready Kandic?” One of the ponies asks the one next to him.

“Yeah. Let’s see if we take them down with us.” Kandic says chuckling.

When the two forces met, the fighting started brutally with the Lundberg warriors coming down on them like the tide trying to break through their formation, but the Cutting Archers didn’t back down all the action they had seen on this campaign and what they had survived had hardened them as they held their ground, not giving an inch as they fought back hard, slowing the Lundberg army again as the more of them bypassed them and hit other regimens. Allowing the archers to have a large area to fire into from the warriors’ side where they weren’t holding their shields.

“Is it really going well?” Bloom asks Sky as they watch from the side of the field.

“I believe so. We are at a stalemate right now. They also haven’t deployed their cavalry yet so I am hesitant to deploy ours.” Sky says as Rainbow watched.

“Sky, are you getting more frustrated that he was able to land a blow on you?” Bloom asks looking to him.

“Bloom, that one Rainbow conquered. This one I don’t fear. What I fear is if one of those warlords down there can rally them. Look at them. Right now not much of a coordinated front. It is like every warlord for themselves like the last battle.” Sky says watching carefully for cavalry.

Bloom looked worried as she watches him.

“Tell me, you think the rest of the warlords are not yet here or are chasing those we sent to raid around in Tarragona?” Sky asks.

“Could be a mix.” Bloom says as she returns to watching the field now dusting up in blood.

“The Cutting Archers are really distinguishing themselves down there.” Rainbow comments.

“Their name holds up. See Rainbow, not every part of the army can hold up with no losses all the time.” Sky says, sighing in relief internally.

The three of them kept watching for a long time before they noticed something. The Lundberg warriors started to chant a name. “Dekmus! Dekmus!”

“Who is Dekmus?” Sky immediately asks looking to both his wives.

“Dekmus. He is one of the warlords of Lundberg. One of the few who has never been defeated.” Bloom informs.

“He is rallying them…their cavalry is on the move. Send the Protecting Shields, Galloping Soldiers, Battle Pikemen, and Hoof Battlers cavalry regiments to intercept the ones on our right flank and send Guardian Crushers, Battle Bashers, Combat Soldiers, and Battle Fighters cavalry regiments to intercept those that are coming from our left flank.” Sky instructs.

A few nearby officers rush to relay the orders as Rainbow frowns at the rally of the troops.

“Prepare Celebrimbor and my personal guard.” Sky orders.

Rainbow stalks off as Bloom keeps watching the battle and slowly turns to him. “You sure you are ready to go back in?”

“I am. It is starting to turn against us. If this continues, I will call a retreat back to our headquarters. Bloom, get the ballistas, archers, and repeating crossbows ready in case that is the case.” Sky instructs.

Bloom nods. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“I will be fine.” Sky informs gripping his sword.

Dekmus lead his warriors on a charge through the enemy ranks, cutting through them, opening a hole up in the formation. Causing the other warriors to take advantage of it and start to work together to widen the hole and start pushing into their formation as well. The regiments of the overlord’s army tried their best to not buckle under the assault but found little success as the momentum was starting to shift more and more to the Lundberg. Even when another warlord was slain it didn’t slow them down as they kept pushing in harder.

“Keep holding. Hold fast soldiers!” An officer cries out as he tries to hold his shield against the attacks battering it.

Dekmus didn’t waver and kicked the shield so hard it dented it as he sent the officer crashing to the ground before stabbing him with his sword. “On the right!” Dekmus calls, directing the warriors unaware that both sides cavalries were meeting in battle. Knowing both sides’ wildebeests riders trying to outdo the other, while the wolves and salamanders showed why they were different as the wolves leaped up and took riders off their wildebeests while the salamander breathed fire or tore the others they caught apart with their claws and fangs.

“Hold the line!” An overlord officer calls.

“Hold the line!” Every other officer calls now, letting Sky know he has to hurry.

“Sound the retreat.” Sky instructs, reluctantly knowing now that the battle was no longer in their favor and to keep on, even if they won, would destroy his army.

A nearby officer takes out a horn and blows deeply into it, letting out a horn call that has the archers try to keep up the covering fire as every soldier starts to run or hold for the rest to retreat.

“Protecting Hooves, Battle Battlers, Attacking Cleavers, Shooting Snipers, Battle Spearmen with me we will delay the enemy while the rest withdraw!” Sky orders, getting on Celebrimbor before charging forward to the frontlines as more horns started to blow, starting to alert every one of the overlord armies what was going on.

“No way. He’s actually doing this.” A soldier says shocked that this is one of the few retreats they did that is not part of the plan.

Sky rode on Celebrimbor hard with his three thousand elite guards and the two cavalry and three infantry regiments to the front to try and blunt the advance as more and more the army started to become aware what was happening as even the cavalry sent ahead seen the waving green flags meaning to retreat. This turn of events didn’t escape Dekmus as he cut down another one of the army’s soldiers seeing as they were starting to fall back and was about to order a charge when he saw them. Like many, he had never seen a salamander before this battle, let alone a heavy salamander, as they came charging through the warriors on his side that went ahead, crushing them under their talons and breathing fire as they pass, trying to get the warriors to focus on them while at the same time demoralize them as much as possible.

Sky frowns as he approaches the breaking line and sees the warlord. Noting the look of strength and weapon on him, he knew this holding was going to be a tough one. ‘Think Sky. There must be something to help your troops…let’s distract them with ourselves.’ Sky decides before spurring Celebrimbor on towards them and unsheathes his sword Peruro, letting the flaming sword burn as he and the eight thousand following him start to rampage on the frontline. Throwing the entire Lundberg front into disarray allowing their frontline to start to withdraw as the rearguard distracted the enemy.

Dekmus himself faced down a heavy salamander and it’s rider himself ready to fight and unafraid unlike many of his fellow warlord near him. Dekmus let out a warcry as he charged forwards and threw his spear at the salamander.

The rider cries out as the spear embedded itself into his salamander’s chest and makes it stumble around before trying to take a few soldiers down by slamming it claw widely. Dekmus, seeing that, charges forward and jumps onto its throat and stabs it with his sword before using his shield to block the ax blow from the rider.

The salamander roars as it chokes and then tips over and falls onto its side as it crushes some of the soldiers and the rider falls into the pile of fallen bodies as Dekmus jumps off the salamander.

“Overlord, the troops have retreated good ways. We must go before we are completely surrounded and are unable to.” One of the royal guard says.

“Agreed, but get the lieutenant first.” Sky says before glaring at Dekmus and he glared black.

“Charge! Hit them full force!” Dekmus calls out.

“Celebrimbor, unleash your fire.” Sky instructs before the salamander breathes in deeply followed by many other heavy salamanders before unleashing streams of fire at the warriors making them unable to advance or be burned alive as one of the riders picks up the Lieutenant and they start to slowly fall back with the salamander’s fire trying to keep the enemy army at bay.

Sky glares at Dekmus as he holds a fallen soldier’s shield up to stop the flames from roasting him alive as everyone starts to back away.

“This isn’t over.” Sky says before Celebrimbor turns and starts running as fast as she could towards the camp as the enemy followed in hot pursuit, but when they got halfway there, Dekmus came to a stop.

“Halt!” He calls, but to no avail as many were too focused on the charge to be stopped at that point. Then it came. A hail of arrows, crossbow bolts, and ballista shots. This time, not even their shields saved them as the crossbow bolt and ballista shots went through them. Turning the field in front of the camp into a kill zone that they were unable to pass.

Dekmus glares at where Sky disappeared and throws the shield away as he walks off back to their camp with everyone else who at least listened.

“What was the overlord thinking? We lost! One of the few times! And this one is a loss. Not tactical!” Sky hears from inside his tent as he sees two shadows walk by.

“Hey. It wasn’t his fault. We didn’t expect to encounter anything like that warlord. He took down one of our heavy salamander singlehoofly. I have never heard of such a feat.” The other pony says.

“Still, he was supposed to lead us to victory. Look where that got us. And we lost a lot of good soldiers.” The first says.

“Did you foals expect to win every time!” A female voice calls, making them go silent.

Sky smiles a bit but hangs his head as he listens to Rainbow start to go off on the two. ‘It is obvious that with him at the head we can’t win in an open field battle without sustaining major damage even with our riders. I need to think of something clever.’

“Sky. Please do not listen.” Bloom says as she walks into the tent and looks around for him before seeing him on his bed.

“How many repeating crossbows do we have?” Sky asks.

“Dekmus! Dekmus!” The Lundberg warriors kept chanting well into the night to the chagrin of the Lundberg king.

“These barbarians.” The king mutters as he tries to plug one of his ears. ‘I am the king. This is my victory…and if I let this one go, they will forget who is king’ “Call Dekmus.” He orders.

“Yes, my king.” An advisor says before running off.

Soon Dekmus was brought to the king. “I understand you encountered the overlord of the north correct?”

Dekmus nods as he taps his sword against the ground.

“And you let him get away!” The king roars in anger getting up. “You had the opportunity to not only deliver a devastating blow but also end him and you failed for both. You are not fit for command. I strip you of it. Guards! Take him and throw him into the smallest and darkest cell in the dungeon!”

Dekmus just slightly frowns as the guards approach him and he just holds his sword up and swipes behind him before advancing on the king who starts to step back in fear as his guards fall while their heads roll away.

“GUARDS! Dekmus has betrayed us. Quickly kill him!” The king yells.

Dekmus huffs as more guards rush in toward him. The king smirks as he sees all the guards that are on this floor, more so than he ever hoped would be on the battlefield facing Dekmus all at once. A drop of blood lands on his muzzle, making him freeze. He watches as Dekmus starts to fight and slice apart many of the guards, even cutting through some of the armor until only a few remained that were starting to become fearful of the warlord. In their clattering armor, they made a hasty leave as their weapons clatter on the ground. The king could only shakily gasps as Dekmus starts to advanced on him with his bloodied sword tapping against the ground.

“You can fight your own battles, weak king.” Dekmus informs before starting to walk away. Once outside, he went right to his men. “Brothers, we leave for home now. This one isn’t worth fighting for.” He instructs. The warriors didn’t argue as they collect their belongings and started to follow him. Many of the guards were shocked to see Dekmus go and when the king came out of his tent screaming in anger, none of them heeded his command of going after him and executing him.

“You sure Vinyl?” Sky asks.

“Yeah. The big guy just up and left when the king turned on him.” Vinyl says leaning against him.

Sky was silent for a good while before he all of a sudden started laughing and hard.

“What’s the good news?” Vinyl asks smiling.

“I can’t believe how stupid he is. Vinyl, we have won this war now.” Sky says smirking.

Vinyl keeps smiling. “And how is that my very sweet blood?”

“The fool has alienated the one who rallied and united his forces and makes the rest reluctant to follow his orders lest they too get the same treatment.” Sky says smirking before laying his head on her stomach. “He is also stupid and knows nothing of war from the sounds of it.”

Vinyl grins. “So…does that mean you have a good plan?”

“Look. See the fool has few guards and they are all exhausted.” The king says looking at the camp in the middle of the night as all the sentries on guard were trying not to nod off. “Now you see that big tent in the middle of the camp? That is where the overlord is. Bring me his head.” The king orders before he and the few warlords he convinced to come with him charged in.

The king smiles as the warriors all went in and he too followed. Rushing the sentries and bringing them down with arrow fire before soldiers with torches went up to the tent and looked inside.

“There is no one here.” One of the warriors says exiting the tent. The king looked angrily at them and was about to start yelling when arrows and crossbow bolt started to descend upon them like rain. The warriors started to panic and made for the exit only for a trap to be triggered, sending fence like barricades to rise up from out of the dirt they were hidden in, making many unable to stop in time and be skewered on the sharp ends. The king growled as someone rode up with many ponies mounted or not. “I am General Rainbow Dash! Prepare yourselves for death!” She declares before charging with the soldiers.

The king growls and raises his sword toward her. “Attack!” He orders before he tried to run for it, leaving the warriors and warlords to die so he could escape.

“He is running! After him!” Rainbow orders.

The king looks behind him as he sees the whole group of riders after him now with only a few of his guards who were able to meet up and protect him. “Hold them back!” The king orders as he kept riding off.

“After him! The Overlord has said the one who kills him will receive a thousand gold coins!” One of the riders calls as some of the king’s guards and their mounts fell into a spike trap and were skewered.

The king started to become panicked at the rate he was losing and spurs on his beast to keep running, not noticing that his guards were now either caught in traps or in the fights behind them.

“Shoot him!” One of the riders calls before they started shooting their arrows or bolts at him.

The king grunts as arrows hit him in the leg and pin him as he kept trying to spur his ride on. “Come on you stupid beast! Run!”

“He’s injured! Finish him!” One of them calls as they close the gap.

“Run!” The king demands as he kept trying to make his beast run as more arrows rain on him before a few hits him on the back and makes him choke on his blood now leaking into his lungs.

“He’s mine!” One of the riders calls swinging his sword at the king, cutting open his back and sending the king tumbling off his steed onto the ground.

“Collect the head!” Rainbow yells among the cheering from the soldiers around them.

“And so it ends.” Sky says looking to Bloom.

Bloom nods slowly. “You still have to deal with the warlord.”

“I have an idea, but for now, we have to make sure to deal with the rest of their forces.” Sky says as Vinyl walks up with her new vampire witch.

“Sir. The overlord of the north is here to see you.” A warrior says to Dekmus.

Dekmus hums as he oils his blade. “Bring him in.”

Sky soon enters the tent, not in armor or royal garbs, but normal clothes to his surprise and him being so young.

“What is it you need?” Dekmus asks as he looks Sky over in normal civilian clothing that he had seen even farmers wear.

“I think you know why I am here. The king of this place is dead. He died in my camp when I turned it into a trap and made it look like it was vulnerable. Now the other warlords don’t know what to do with no king on the throne and my army still in fighting condition. It is only a matter of time now as we have taken both Denia and Tarragona fiefs. That is unless you manage to rally them at this point. Only then do they have a chance.” Sky says bluntly.

Dekmus raises an eyebrow. “Me? The one who defeated you?”

“Can you name another warlord amongst them that could rally them against me and my army at this point?” Sky asks.

Dekmus huffs. “So can you offer more than that idiot king?”

“You don’t strike me as one moved by worldly wealth and things so I would venture to guess you want the put your name down in history to never be forgotten.” Sky says.

“Look who is smarter than the average ruler.” Dekmus says with slight amusement.

“I have much more ambition that that worthless fool. I intend to conquer all of the provinces.” Sky says making many go silent at that statement. “That enough to leave your name forever in the history books?” Sky asks.

“Yes…” Dekmus says now wondering how far Sky will go.

“Then join me and do the impossible.” Sky says.

Dekmus huffs. “I need more proof that you would be more loyal than that king.”

“The same to you.” Sky says glaring at him.

Dekmus frowns heavily. “You want my help or don’t you?”

“There are two things you can be an asset or a threat. If it is the latter then we settle it here. If the former, I want something to ensure your loyalty and will obey my orders.” Sky informs.

Dekmus stayed frowning as he kept watching him. “How about a marriage?”

“Go on.” Sky instructs.

Dekmus gets up and hefts his sword. “My daughters. You take care of them, I will ensure you are able to rule the lands.”

“How many are we talking here?” Sky asks.

“Four.” Dekmus says watching him carefully.

“Wait. Back up. You are wedding all four of your daughters to me?” Sky asks.

“If you can take care of all of them then you are worthy of my respect. If not, I’ll break the marriage off and we go back to being enemies.” Dekmus warns.

Sky sits and adopts a thinking position for several minutes before sighing. “Very well. I accept the proposal. I will also do you one better. As your new ruler, my first assignment to you is to take command of all the warriors whose warlords died in the war and make them into one cohesive force.” Sky orders.

Dekmus blinks surprised. “Really now? Everyone?”

“Every one of those warriors, especially the wolf cavalry there as speed and maneuvers worked well when attacking the riders.” Sky says.

Dekmus hums. “Fine then. That’s a good enough deal.”

“After you finish it. Bring them to the capital of Gaul, the city of Prance.” Sky instructs.

Dekmus nods. “My daughter’s will be coming to you shortly as well.”

“So you are not going to tell them to stop hiding and come out to where I can see them before I leave?” Sky asks.

Dekmus frowns as the tent wall behind ruffles before four heads peek out from behind it with most of the mares looking grayed out except for one who was pink.

“What are their names?” Sky asks surprised his bluff had worked.

“Pinkie, Maud, Limestone, and Marble Pie.” Dekmus says as all the mares step out and stand behind him.

“Very well. We will meet again soon.” Sky says getting up to go.

Dekmus hums as he watches him leave intently as the mares all look at him with different expressions on the entire scale.

“Father, was this a good idea?” Marble asks with an aggressive tone.

“We want to keep relations well enough. Not a traitorous one.” Dekmus points out.

“But father, all four of us?” Marble emphasis.

“If he even makes one of you sad or hurt, I will end it. One of you is easy to deal with. All of you, both a father and a husband’s worst nightmare. But for me, you are all a paradise when you were born.” Dekmus says smiling.

“Boo. Too cheesy.” Pinkie calls holding up a cheese wheel.

Dekmus just takes the cheese wheel and takes a bite. “Only because it’s true.”

“A little young to be the king of the north, isn’t he?” Maud asks blandly.

Dekmus nods. “And he defeated everyone to get here and this far.”

“How many warlords died in the war anyways?” Maud asks.

“Nearly half of them.” Dekmus informs.

“That’s…a lot.” Marble says surprised.

“And his first order is to take command of all of those who lost their warlord.” Dekmus says.

“How did it go?” Rainbow asks as catapults were ready to fire on Dekmus’s camp at a moment’s notice.

Sky smiles. “Went well…also got four more wives. It’s going to be a long night.”

“Four?” Rainbow asks.

“He is giving all four of his daughters to me to show he will remain loyal and so I don’t betray him.” Sky informs.

“And will probably act like a father if you mess up.” Rainbow adds.

“Yeah. Also, you can order the catapult teams to stand down.” Sky informs.

Rainbow smiles and waves them off, letting the soldiers loosen the ropes holding them in place and ready to fire.

“So now the question is, who can I get to govern this region.” Sky says.

“Could give it to me and my minion.” Vinyl says smirking as she leans on his side.

Sky hums as he rubs his chin. “Thinking…also, about your vampire witch. Can she do any spells yet? If so, can she do transfiguration because she can turn me on.” He says playfully.

Vinyl grins. “Maybe…” She says teasingly.

“Does she also do it to you?” Sky asks.

Vinyl just flashes her fangs in a grin.

Sky was about to make another comment when Rainbow clears her throat. “If you two are done, we must get back.” Rainbow says.

Sky sighs. “Always the ice breaker.”

“More like a jawbreaker.” Vinyl quips.

Sky chuckles and wraps a hoof around her. “Come on. Let’s go find a proper ruler.”

“Oh, you retiring?” Rainbow asks.

“No. Just for these lands. I can’t control them all from one spot.” Sky points out.

“Now come on Rainbow general. Back to camp.” Vinyl says.

Rainbow sticks her tongue out as she follows.