The Grey Company

by EmperorDalek

First published 11th of July, 2016

A romance between two unlikely individuals

Beren and Luthien have known eachother since childhood, they have grown up together, they have loved together, but now they will know sorrow together.

Prologue

High, and far into the mountains there lies a small village. Like any that is cut off from civilization, it is insignificant, not seen as very much important by those who live in the grander cities. However, one village…is destined for greatness.

The day was young; Ponies were out tending to the daily chores that needed tending to, food, etc etc.

It was nearing evening, and the sun was setting on the horizon, showing a beautiful color of red up high on the sky. Everything was quiet, prosperous, peaceful…quiet. As the day was parting ways for the night, everything was settling in, children were readying themselves for bed, and adults were enjoying each other’s company. A cold, but calm wind was on the air, blowing the capes and cloaks of passerby’s that were out on the nice winter’s evening. The last hours before the night.

Torches were aflame, glowing amidst the settling darkness of the night. Random inhabitants of the village were carrying them as they moved throughout the little town.

A young Stallion maybe in his teenage age was at a Mare he like’s home. The two of them were sitting upstairs in the Mare’s room; they were making nervous small talk, or mostly just let the silent ambience of the settling night be the only noise.

Raising his head, the Stallion tried to look up into the Mare’s eyes. However, when he looked he stuttered trying to find any words.

This seemed to improve her mood, as she smiled, giggling a little at his problem forming words. He joined in, shortly, laughing too.

After a couple minutes of nothing but an awkward silence, that had followed their little moment of laughter, he opened his mouth to speak again, but before he could, a sudden knock was heard coming from the door to the Mare’s bedroom.

Both of them turned their heads, looking towards the door.

‘’Beren!’’ a Mare’s voice sounded from behind the door, ‘’your mother just contacted me! She wants you to come home as of this moment!’’

Closing his eyes, his face contorted into a frown, and he held back a soft groan. His eyes looked down in disappointment.

He felt the gentle touch of a hoof against the underside of his chin. He looked up, seeing the Mare in front of him, conjuring a warm smile on her young, but beautiful face.

‘’Hey,’’ she said, ‘’we can hang out more tomorrow. Do you think you can last until tomorrow?’’ The Mare asked.

His eyes looked, his face still frowning. However, shortly they looked back up, smiling, as they settled back on her face.

He scoffed, smiling a little wider.

‘’I kept my mouth for a good while now, I think I know a thing or two about waiting.’’

This time she was the one to scoff. She extended a hoof, putting it to his shoulder.

‘’I never doubted that you would continue holding the title.’’ Both let out a little laugh at that.

‘’Beren! Do not make me say it again!’’ The Mare’s mothers, voice called through the wooden door once more, a little sterner this time.

‘’Yes, Mrs. I am going! I am going!’’ He called back.

He turned, giving her one last look, being only returned with by a gentle smile from her.

All of a sudden, she leaned in a little closer, getting quite close to him. Unexpectedly, she kissed him on the cheek.

When she pulled away from him, his cheeks were blushing, his face red from embarrassment at the thing she had suddenly performed.

His face was evident with how shocked he was about her kissing him like that.

‘’Ok-ay,’’ quickly, he stood back up, turning himself around to face her, ‘’g-goodnight!’’ He almost shouted out at her. She giggled a little at this when she saw it.

He turned around, and started trotting forward…Only to be trotting too quickly and almost trip over his own hooves, as he was not paying attention. He caught himself before falling down.

He froze in place, his ear perking up as he heard her giggling. He swallowed down, and thought it best to make a hasty retreat. Hurrying and opening the door, he rushed out of her bedroom. Then down the stairs, and out the front door.

As the door slammed behind him, he stood up against the wall. Letting out a heavy breath, he shook his head.

‘’Stupid! You idiot!’’ He said to himself.

He trotted down along the road, his hooves tapping as they skipped across the stones.

Exiting out through the entryway, he turned, and started following the path as it lead to the right. His mind was so obsessed about screwing up in front of a girl he actually liked that he was all too oblivious to a recognizable figure looking out through her bedroom window at him as he parted from the premises, and was now on his way back home.

Trotting down along the road, his head was held low, staring down at the pavement in front of him. Overhead, the now come-forth stars shined down upon the world that lay beneath them. Illuminating it one bit at a time.

While following the path, he did not pay too much attention as to where it was leading him. Finally raising his head, and actually looking with his own eyes. He was a little surprised to find that he was actually on the outskirts of the village, near the old oak that had stood in the same place it always had. Always atop its old hill, from the same spot where its seed had first been grown, and now become the large tree that it was today.

He chuckled a little, remembering that his parents used to tell him stories of how this great tree had come into existence.

There were many stories about its origins, some saying that a God in the ancient days of creating Equestria planted it as an eternal testament to the sheer beauty of this good earth, others believed that it was what in their legends was referred to a Mallorn tree, the purest of trees. And some just believed it to be another tree that had simply gone on living for as long as it could.

Raising his hoof, he touched it against the wooden skin of the tree, letting it brush across its surface, as he trotted over towards section of the tree and sat himself down, supporting his back against the tree.

He raised his head, and looked back up towards the moon, seeing once more that round, white sphere in the skies. He smiled as he laid eyes on it.

It was not too often that he has gotten to see a full moon like this, and such it is always amazing when he does see it.

Seeing the moon like that always reminded him of his mother, that nice, beautiful Mare that he had known since birth.

Then, it happened…

Feeling a wetness on him, he brought a hoof up to his chin and wiped the tear that was running down along his cheek. His eyes looked down, before returning back up, and staring towards the moon with a sad frown.

‘’I-I,’’ he held back a chocked sob, ‘’I miss you, Mom.’’ He said, letting several more tears run.

He lowered his head, putting them into his hooves, and starting to sob.

-

Sleeping in her bed, the Mare was laying on her sides, her eyes closed, when all of a sudden, she felt uneasy.

Her eye/s opened, and she sat up on the bed. Her brows narrowed, and her expression become somewhat stern.

She took a few steps forward, approaching the window. She undid, and opened the window, pushing it open with her hooves, holding the window open so she could look out through it.

‘’What is that?’’ She asked nervously, turning her head to look from side to side.

Suddenly, from the right side, her eyes noticed and caught wind of a fiery glow. Her head turned, looking to the right.

Immediately her eyes grew wide, and her jaw dropped, hanging open at the fiery light that was reflected in her eyes as she saw it.

The door of her bedroom flew open, as her father galloped into the room.

‘’Luthien!’’ He shouted as he entered her room. He froze, as he was not able to get very far into it.

Luthien turned, the laminating glow falling upon her face, as she returned her father’s frightened face.

‘’Father!’’ She shouted a look of growing fear on her face.

Sitting by the tree, Beren slowly turned his head, looking behind him, as his ear perked up, catching a sound from behind him.

Making it out further, it sounds like...

His eyes widen, and his head shots up, becoming pale, screaming. That was what he was hearing.

Being quick to get to his hooves, he galloped back up to the front of the tree. However, once he did get to the front of the tree, and he laid eyes on the town, he was paralyzed in place by the sight that greeted him.

In the pupil of his eyes, they reflected what awaited him, while his ears was forced to listen.

Glowing brightly in the midst of the night, the raging fires were spreading throughout the town, claiming home after home.

Screams of panic echoed within, and around the village.

His face was distraught, pale with weary fear, as he observed Ponies running out of the burning town.

In the town’s streets, several Ponies clad in crude, leather armor were charging after unarmed citizens as they attempted to escape. Cutting down some, letting their dead corpses fall to the ground, and throwing nets and restraining others.

With terrible swords, they slaughtered those that fought back, and those that fled.

Stallions were still rushing to the closest armories, equipping themselves with armor, shields, and swords, but upon rushing to confront the vile invaders, they were cut down without mercy. Only a select few survived, and attempted to escape, but even they could not escape the invader’s pursuit.

With their burning town as a backdrop, the inhabitants of this once peaceful place were burned by the collapse of their formerly standing houses.

Running up along the path, Beren hurried through his burning homestead. With his own eyes, he witnessed the struggles between his neighbors and friends, and the armored attackers.

With all haste, he hurried through the town, his head turning in every direction, looking at the terrible onslaught that was taking place.

The streets were littered with blood, and dead bodies, but soon those streets perished as the crumbling buildings started blocking it off.

‘’Mom! Mom!’’ He shouted with great urgency in his voice.

However, as he continued to search, the more he was feeling that it was all in vain. Most of the Ponies he spotted were the terrible forms of the invaders.

He hid when he could, staying out of their sight as much as he could.

One of the attackers had a banner attached to his back. While hiding underneath a porch, he was able to see it as the form of an unrecognizable face more appropriate for a Demon.

Crawling out from underneath the porch, he continued to hurry through the village.

Rounding a corner, he suddenly caught himself, and quickly pulled back behind the corner. Down this particular street, in front of one of the houses, was a large group of the invaders. At the back of the group was a large steel cage, which was being pulled by some quite beastly looking Wolf-Ponies.

He narrowed his brows, looking at it with a confused look.

The door was broken, and out of the doorway strode one of the invaders. Unlike the others, his face was not covered by a black hood and instead wore a strange form of cloth with a steel pendant on the front.

He nudged his head, indicating back towards the house.

The Pony in front of him, turned his head, and looked back towards two Unicorns behind him. The Unicorns nodded, and stepped forth. They pointed their horns, and shoot out several blasts that flew inside the house.

The house exploded, engulfing the entirety of it in a violent inferno that started to grow as it swallowed up more and more of the wood that the house was made of.

With a shine from the fiery light falling upon them, the leather-clad Ponies looked at it for a few minutes. Sighing disappointed, the Pony shook his head, as he and his followers turned, and started to trot away down the street.

With gentle movement, Beren dared to step out from behind the wall. His eyes watched the group as they vanished down the street, becoming fainter and much smaller in the distance. The only indication of their presence being the darkly silhouetted forms that were illuminated by the flames of the burning town.

Backing away, he turned around, about to run away again. However, this small moment of being alone was interrupted by someone grabbing him by the shoulder and turning him around, rather roughly.

A gruff mocking laughter entered his ears, as he both saw, and heard a foreign figure now standing in front of him.

‘’What’s this? A lone one, all on his own?’’ A shaggy haired and very bearded one of those leather-clad invaders said, as he held Beren by the shoulder. He tried to resist the bad-news looking Stallion, but he could see that he was holding a rather foul looking blade in his other hoof, and he doubted that he would not be willing to use it.

‘’Hmm,’’ the scruff grumbled as he looked him over. ‘’And you are…?’’ He asked in a rough manner, face frowing as he almost seemed to be disappointed about something.

Beren breathed uneasily, as his eyes looked at the Stallion’s expecting face.

‘’Well?’’ He shook him violently. ‘’Who are you!?’’ He asked with as much care.

When he stopped shaking, Beren nervously blurted out ‘’Beren!’’

The Stallion’s eyes grew wider, and his face paled.

‘’What did you say your name was!?’’ He shouted, shaking him a lot rougher than the first time.

‘’Beren! It is Beren!’’ When the shaking stopped, he finally looked back into the eyes of the rough-handling Stallion. ‘’I’m Beren.’’

‘’Impossible,’’ he said, now with a nervous tone. His head turned, looking away from the child in his grasp. ‘’But then, that means…’’

Meanwhile, up in one of the buildings that had not yet been burned or destroyed, a bow was strummed.

The Stallion’s ear perked up as the noise reached him, and he turned himself around.

Then, it was released…

With a powerful snap, the arrow was released from the bow, shooting down through the air at a quick speed.

With a powerful impale, the arrow pierced the Stallion’s chest, rendering him motionless where he stood as his life left him. Then he fell down, knees first, and then followed by his torso, and then his head.

Being quick to get to his hooves once the Stallion was completely dead, he started turning around in circles, as he did not dare to run yet in case the one who fired the arrow might attempt to kill him now that he was without anyone to protect him.

‘’Beren!’’ A voice shouted from a balcony above him. Arching his head, the Stallion looked up towards where the voice had come from. There, he scoffed as his eyes laid eyes on the figure that greeted him.

He opened his mouth to speak, but was suddenly silenced as the Pony brought a hoof up to his mouth, motioning for him to be silent.

‘’I am coming down,’’ he mouthed, motioning with his hoof for him to be calm.

Beren, however, had no intention of standing out there in the open, and quickly hurried and trotted over towards the front door of the now abandoned house. Moments later, the shooter that had saved him appeared.

‘’Quick…’’ He instructed, motioning for him to hurry inside the house. Scared out of his mind, Beren hurried and obeyed the adult’s instructions. He looked out into the streets, checking to see if they had been seen. When he saw no indications of the invaders, he closed the door, and went in after Beren.

He was quick in leading the child to where he wanted him to remain. Beren was silent, and did as he was told, knowing that at any minute, if too much noise was made they would be found out by the invaders who might still be patrolling the city streets on the hunt for survivors.

A door opened, and Beren was shown into an old and worn room. When he raised his head, and looked out in front of him, he felt his spirits beginning to rise, and his happiness to soar.

‘’Luthien!’’ He blurted out. The small Mare in front of him turned her head, and looked towards him. Just like him, her sorrows seemed to fade away, and a smile return to her face.

‘’Beren!’’ She replied.

Both of them started to run towards the other, embracing the other with a warm hug.

‘’I thought they had taken you!’’ He held back a chocked sob.

‘’What do you mean?’’

They pulled back, looking in each other’s eyes.

‘’I thought that the attackers had killed you.’’

She smiled back, lowering her head.

‘’You should know me better that. I am not easily taken down by anyone.’’

‘’That is true…but these are hard skilled warriors, and you do not have much combat training, neither of you do.’’

Luthein’s father turned his head, looking back out the door he stood in front.

He turned, looking towards the two adults.

‘’Listen, we have to go. If we leave now, we might still be able to get out before the attackers notice us.’’

Beren turned, looking back towards the older adult.

‘’Then how do you suggest we get past those warriors, as you call them, Father?’’ Luthien asked in a more serious tone. Both males turned back, directing their gaze upon her. ‘’How do you intend for the three of us to escape?’’

Turning his head, Beren looked back at him.

‘’The Northern Entrance. There was no enemy activity in that sector of the village, but I believe that a convoy will soon be passing through there so we must leave at once.’’

‘’Agreed!’’ The two of them said in unison. Their heads turned to look towards the other, but then broke that eye contact when they both blushed.

A scoffed laughter from Luthien’s father was enough to draw their attention back to him.

‘’Come on.’’ He nudged with his head, before hurrying out the front door.

-

Gently easing the door open, Luthien’s father stuck his head out, turning it from side to side to make sure that the coast was clear for them to leave.

Stepping gently out of the front entrance, he looked back behind him, and gently waved his hoof.

‘’Come on.’’ He whispered.

Gently, Luthien and Beren stepped out of the front entrance, and started following him out into the street.

The darkness of night still hung high upon the world, but due to the surrounding darkness, the flames of the burning houses still shined predominantly through it.

While the journey was swift, and as quiet as can be, they tried avoiding being in too close proximity to the burning houses as the generated heat was unbearable.

As they made their way through the empty streets, there was the occasional explosion in the distance. However, before every explosion, there was always a loud * Whoosh!* Almost like something had flown through the air at an incredible speed.

All around them, raised voices chanted in unison, the words of the dark language that they spoke being constantly repeated.

Up into the skies, the red smoke from the fires finally reached, infecting the clouds with the bloody color that was the same as the fluids running through the streets of the town’s mighty warriors, who had attempted, and failed to defend their home from the invaders.

‘’Whoa, whoa! Stop! Stop, stop!’’ He suddenly extended a hoof, pulling both them and himself back behind the corner they had just rounded.

Peeking his head out from behind the side, he scouted to check if they could try to make it.

Retracting his head back, his eyes looked back up at them.

‘’Well, I have good news and bad news…’’ His eyes looked back and forth between the two of them. ‘’The good news is that we have reached the front gates, but the bad is that there are quite some obstacles for us to brave if we want to leave with our lives intact.’’

‘’What obstacles exactly?’’ Asked Beren.

‘’Three large creatures, and that is just the second line of defense, the first is a row of two battalions.’’

Turning his head, Beren looks towards Luthien, and then brings it back towards her father.

‘’Well, we can take them.’’

Luthien’s jaw dropped, hanging open as she raised her brows in surprise from what he had just said. Even her father was shocked at what he had just heard Beren suggest.

‘’Did you not hear me? Was what I described sounding boring to you? We cannot take down such a-‘’

‘’Not head-on, but if we were to be able to lure them away from the Front gates, then nothing will stop us from escaping into the night.’’

‘’No.’’ Her father responded.

‘’No?’’ Beren asked, not believing that his plan was being cast aside like that.

‘’They will not move away from their assigned position, even if we try to go out into the open and present one of us as bait they will refuse to follow us. They would most likely wait for reinforcements, and then send them after us than come after us themselves.’’

‘’Then what do you suggest we do, if you know that your assessment is correct?’’

Turning his head, he looked back at his daughter, smiling at her.

‘’Oh, I think I have an idea of something we could try.’’ He said, turning himself around, and trotting away, as did they.

However, before they could very far, a loud and sudden noise sounded in the distance. It was the sound of a horn being blown.

Turning their heads, they looked back down the street that the sound was coming from. A faint, but growing sound reached their ears, making Luthien’s fathers perk up in particular, as he recognized the sound.

His slight frown dissipated away as a smile took its place. He inhaled a gentle intake of air, and exhaled it with an excited demeanor.

Quickly, he turned back towards Beren and Luthien, and trotted to them in a quickened pace, his eyes looked away from them, turning from left to right, before finally settling on a broken door.

‘’There!’’ He said in a lowered voice, as he pushed them towards the door. ‘’Quickly!’’ He ushered to them. Pushing them inside the house, he was quick to peak his head outside the door, glancing down the street towards where the marching was coming from.

‘’Father, what are you doing!?’’ Luthien asked impatiently as she saw her father return to them.

‘’Yes, what are y-‘’

‘’Do you two trust me?’’ He interrupted, the two of them just stared back at him with dumbfounded glances. ‘’Do you two trust me enough to do now what I ask of you?’’ He asked, with a little panting intermixed with his words.

‘’Father…?’’ She asked gently, as she a step closer to them, ‘’is there something you are trying to tell us?’’

He shook his head.

‘’No…’’ he responded, ‘’there is something I must ask of you.’’

‘’What?’’ She inquired nervously. ‘’What is it that you must ask of us?’’

With a turn of his head, he looked back into his daughter’s face.

Outside the house, the marching only got closer and closer, until finally a long, black line of figures wearing clothing mostly consisting of light cloth, the wearers’ faces being obstructed by hoods and other clothing attire, rounded the corner. Following the path that lead towards the Main Gate at the end of the street.

The front of the long line were clad in light – but still heavy – armor. They mostly focused on swords, through some of them carried shields as well as blades…

The second line were forms clad in light clothing, with almost no sign to armor, aside from what they fashioned to be their armor. Cloth and other bits of fabric covered their faces. They carried swords, bows, and shields…

The final line was another row of Equines that dressed quite similar to the second row. However, whereas the second mostly consisted of cloth and not too much armor, they too had visible cloth, but they focused a lot more on armor.

The torso, shoulders, arms, and hind legs wore armor. The armor for the shoulders were singular pieces of layered, sharp points. The helmet was a special kind that looked to have more on the top, with a mask at the front, at the back of the top of the helmet there was a single shape of steel that went up, and it was separated, giving off two sharp points – At the edge of the front, there was a separate sharp point. They carried shields, and spears.

After passing by one of the houses, one of the guards near the back stopped, turning his head and looking behind him at the house they had just passed.

Someone touched his shoulder, making him turn and look behind him. Standing there was one of the others from the group who had gotten out of line when he did.

Nodding his head towards the house, the other soldier looked up in direction of the house.

‘’Come, I hear something.’’ The first one said, as he waved his hoof towards the house.

A horn blowing sounded in the distance, but the soldier ignored it as he started towards the house.

Getting close enough to the house, the other soldier was finally able to hear it too, the gentle sobbing of a hiding Mare.

‘’A lone mother, probably hiding because she are with her children, and thus will not attempt to flee under fear for being seen..’’ The first soldier said. His companion blinked his eyes back.

Taking a step onto the stones underneath his hoof, he heard the gentle sobbing being interrupted, as well as the floorboards creaking from movement.

He looked up; meeting the first soldiers’ masked face.

The first soldier motioned with his head for his companion to enter inside the house. The second nodded back, and got himself into position.

Suddenly, the first soldier used his spear to force down the door, which landed with a loud thud against the floor.

The thud was loud enough to draw the attention of some of the other soldiers back at their group. Their heads were turned, but when seeing that it was just some of their own investigating a house they turned back, and resumed their march towards the Main Gate.

Out form the house that the soldiers had entered, the sound of metal clinging, and terrible ruckus were the only thing to be heard or seen.

Soon enough, the two soldiers did emerge from the house, but they were not alone. A still resisting Stallion was bound, and forced to follow them. He was bloodied, and had blood running down from under his jaw.

‘’Come on, you filth!’’ The first soldier barked as he pulled on the rope, forcing the Stallion forward, but perhaps a bit too quick, as he stumbled and fell forward.

Looking back at him, the two of them just watched him try to stand up. The first, laughed at the sight of how pathetic and worthless this Equestrian was.

Getting to his hooves, the soldiers started leading the way as he was forced to follow them when they pulled on the rope.

The first smiled as they left two other dead bodies behind in that house. Those stupid enough to resist will lose their lives.

Rounding the corner, they looked down in front of them, but when their eyes suddenly fell upon multiple tall figures, they immediately flinched at the sight of them.

‘’Whoa!’’ The first shouted as he saw the forms standing behind the line of Equine forms. The second was not as frightened he was, and only tightened his grasp on the rope they had tied to the Stallion.

Several of the soldiers standing in the formation in front of the creatures that had startled the first soldier turned their attention to him. Some started to laugh in a mocking manner, but some were silent, only giving him cold stares as they observed them from their lines.

Noticing the laughing soldiers, he frowned angrily, and regained himself before he and the two others started on their way again. It starting when he pulled hard on the rope, suddenly forcing the Stallion to resume following them.

As they moved past the forward formationed line of soldiers without any difficulty, those tall, monstrous beasts were not easy to look away from. Their size alone was enough make one look, and once looking, their attention would take some time before one would look at something else.

Up above, fire was rained from the sky, as large balls of fire shot down from the sky, hitting the nearest house in its proximity.

Still, as it was continually rained down death from the skies, the only ambience to fill this once peaceful town were the cries and screams of the panicking populace, the dying clattering of swords, and the destruction of homes – Either by being burned, or destroyed when then fireballs shot down into them.

Looking around him as he was led away, the Stallion’s jaw was dropped, and his eyes wide with horror at the scene unfolding before his very eyes. Lowering his head, he closed his eyes, and started mouthing things to himself. The screams of the carnage that was taking place tormenting him for every second it surrounded him.

Looking behind him, the second soldier noticed that their prisoner was being silent for once. He saw that he was clearly troubled by the sounds that surrounded them on every side.

Turning his head, and looking around, he took notice as well.

High over the walls, fireballs continued to emerge, destroying more and more of the town.

As they passed by the great beasts that awaited them, they tried to avoid staring as the beasts looked down at them.

With only the grunts and growls from the large beasts being the noises they heard, the three Equines made their way out through the gates. Continuing onwards in a straight line, they pulled on his rope demanding him to be quicker in his pace, but only after a few minutes venturing, they turned their head, only to see something…unexpected. Out on the water, large ships with mounted War Engines hurtled large balls of fire. They were forced to watch as it flew across the water, and the walls, before finding it’s mark, and hitting another building within the proximity of where they fired. A small fleet of perhaps fifteen ships surrounding the city, continually assaulting it from the sea.

Turning his head, he tried to ignore the continuous carnage, as he entered into deep thought. The rest of the trip across the wooden bridges were mostly quiet.

When they reached the end, they trotted, until they reached a small hilltop.

A small formation of what could be described to be Siege Engines greeted them. By the time they reached said Siege engines, they began to fire once more, hurtling big forms of fire through the air towards the town. Watching, the Stallion’s face was pale; with a welling anger, boiling underneath his skin at what he was bearing witness.

He turned, and started resisting his captors. He pulled on his bindings, which surprised them, because they were on a hillside going up towards where the Siege engines stood. He shouted back in pure rage, just wanting to draw his sword and drive its steel through them for what they were doing to his home.

From their spot by the Siege Weapons, several of the ones operating it had their attention drawn towards the trio making their way to them.

One of them turned towards his companion, giving him a confused glance.

The operator that noticed them turned and started galloping away, while his co-operator of the Catapult continued to watch them.

Running until he reached a tent, he hurried inside.

Inside the tent, several figures turned to face the newcomer that had just ran into the tent.

While most of the ones to turn were dressed quite similar to the Catapult operator, they were still very much higher ranked than he was. One of them seemed quite infuriated at him interrupting their meeting.

With a furious frown, one of them stepped forward to speak.

‘’What do you think gives you the right to just barge in here during our councils!’’ She shouted in pure fury at him. ‘’We demand proper results if-‘’

‘’They are bringing him!’’ The soldier blurted out, having no time for things like listening to his superior.

The tent suddenly went quiet, and all eyes were on the soldier. Some looked on in fear; other did not even dare to move an inch from their spots.

‘’He is alive!’’ He panted.

The Mare that had forced him to say this news turned to face one of the Commanders that stood beside her.

‘’Fetch him, NOW!’’ She smiled with an evil delight upon her face.

Bowing her head, the Commander she gave that order to, was quick to her hooves, and was quickly out the front entrance before she needed to be told twice.

-

Reaching the hilltop, the three figures stopped close to the Catapults, one of which had ceased unleashing its fury because it was lacking the second Pony to operate it.

Sitting beside the Catapult, the two soldiers had their prisoners’ rope to the side of one of the Catapults, while they were taking a breather.

One of them let out a soft sigh, closing his eyes.

They were not closed for long, as he heard the sound of clattering approaching, at which his eyes shot open. He quickly stood up, grabbing his spear, and taking a few steps forward.

He stepped out from behind the Catapult, watching to his great astonishment as large group of ten, including the one at the front, approached the Catapult where they had stopped.

He disappeared behind the Catapult. Moments later, he re-emerged, but now accompanied by the other soldier, who was now also looking out towards the approaching soldiers.

When the group reached them, the leading figure stepped up towards them, wearing a strict frown on her face, she wore the same armor, except for having something of a skirt that went down past her waist, but unlike them was not wearing a helmet despite having similar armor.

Her long, red mane blew in the gentle breeze, and her skin was almost tanned.

‘’Evening, Mam.’’ The first and second soldier greeted her, bowing their heads. ‘’How may we be of service.’’

Behind the Catapult, the Stallion was woken up from all the voices speaking. He turned his head, looking it to the left, seeing the guards talking to someone.

She raised a brow, while looking her eyes around the surroundings.

He brought up a hoof, coughing into it.

‘’Again, is there some way we can be helpful, Mam?’’ The first soldier asked again.

The Mares’ eyes settled on him, looking straight at his face.

‘’Actually, there is…’’ She smiled. Her eyes looked down towards the Catapult, catching a glimpse of a head sticking out from behind the edge. She looked back at them. She opened her mouth about to speak, but hesitated for a few seconds.

‘’I have been informed that a prisoner has been brought from the city,’’ her eyes looked back and forth between the two soldiers before her, ‘’may I see him?’’ She asked.

Stuttering to form words, the second soldier hesitated speaking, but the first soldier was quite quick, and replied quickly with a bow of his head. ‘’Yes, Mam, right away.’’

The second’s head turned towards him, looking at him, while he turned to look back at him.

‘’Go fetch the prisoner.’’ He nudged with his head.

The soldier was hesitant to move for a few seconds, but then went and moved, disappearing behind the other soldier as he trotted up towards the prisoner.

When standing a few inches from the prisoner, he looked down at him, seeing that he was looking back up with a blank expression. For a few seconds, he could not break his stare.

‘’It is okay.’’ He mouthed, smiling back up.

Grabbing his bonds, the Stallion rose to his hooves.

A forceful push telling him to start moving. Therefore, he did.

The two stepped out it front with the others, the Stallion being placed in-between his two captors, while the Mare that stood in front of them returned his stares.

‘’Ah…’’ Her smile grew wider, grinning as she laid eyes on the Stallion’s face. ‘’So, it is true what they said…’’ She got closer, almost leaning in while looking him over. ‘’The General…has been captured.’’ She spoke in a mocking manner. She did not receive much in the form of words, aside from the angry glares he was giving her.

‘’My, my, my…It seems that I have touched a nerve,’’ she leaned in closer, her eyes glowing with delight, ‘’tell me I am right!’’ She almost shouted in a twisted joy.

Bringing a hoof up to underneath his chin, though she was meet with some resistance, she lifted his head up, forcing him to looking upon her face.

‘’Tell me…’’ she leaned in a little closer to his ear, ‘’how did it feel when you butchered her?’’ She asked.

He tried pulling away from her, but her hoof only grabbed him, holding him in the manner she desired.

‘’Do you enjoy taking lives because you are ordered to…or because you secretly murder thousands in the daylight!?’’ With a violent force, she forced his head to crash hard against the Catapult. The shock from the impact made him fall to the ground.

He moved, but the movement was frail. The second soldier watched silently as he suffered this abuse.

Glaring down upon him, the Mare brushed herself off.

‘’You are expected, General, we best not be late…She will kill my head in place yours if I do not bring her yours.’’ She turned from him, and started to trot back towards the group. She nodded her head, and the soldiers went to work.

The soldiers that had brought him backed away, allowing them to get close. They lifted him, letting the mud fall from his face, before they started hauling him away.

The Mare looked back at the soldiers that had brought him, giving them a warm smile.

‘’It seems fortune smiles upon us,’’ she bowed her head to them, ‘’the council thanks you.’’

She turned away from them, and started following after her small party as they hauled him away to who knows where.

Standing in silence, both of the soldiers stand by themselves as they watch the group disappear around a corner.

‘’There, now they are gone…’’ the first soldier says as he approaches her, ‘’we can finally leave this forsaken place.’’

He reaches down, grabbing her by the hoof, and starts leading her away from the Catapults, and instead into the surrounding dark of night, but try as he might to lead them to safety, her gaze is only focused on the direction in which her father was led away by the invaders that ruined their home.

As he led her away towards a path, she could do nothing but have her eyes focusing on the direction her father had been lead away.

‘’Come on.’’ She heard him say to her in order to make her focus on following the path, but all the sounds of the world had become blurred out, becoming more and more faint, as the only thought to occupy her mind at this moment were the sorrow of being forcefully separated from her father.

Slowly, a tear started running down the side of her cheek, staining her fur…

In the distance, one of the taller buildings started to collapse from the fire burning its way through the foundations, severely weakening it.

When the structure fell, the sound of a belle clanging loudly upon impact sounded.

After putting some distance between themselves and the sieged city, they reached a small far enough away to be away from the invader's eyes. A large collection of trees stretched for some miles. They would be safe here until tomorrow, they could begin on the fateful journey Northwards when the dawn finally arrived.

Turning back one last time, Luthien looked behind her towards the burning ruins of the settlement that was once her home. Her cheek started feeling wet, as a tear was running down her cheek, and inside her sadness started to reach new heights. It was amidst the dark of night, but the fire made the large form of smoke rising from the village stand out.

She closed her eyes, and started sobbing gently to herself. Extending a hoof, she caught herself with a tree before she could collapse onto the ground.

Turning his head, Beren looked behind him. Standing by a nearby tree, he saw that Luthien was staring back towards the burning settlement, from which they had fled. He excluded a heavy sigh, and then trotted back to her.

Being abruptly snapped out of her sobbing when she felt a hoof on her shoulder, she stopped sobbing, letting out a gentle sniffle, before turning her head and looking up at Beren.

Their eyes were locked, though they could still not see the other's face too good because they still had those helmets on their heads.

Remembering that they were still wearing them, she backed her head a little, she raised her hooves up to both sides of the helmet, quickly removed it, and while trotting along the path threw it off to the sides. Clattering, the helmet was left by the ditch as she hurried away.

His gaze following her, Beren lowered his eyes, thinking about whether it would be smart to abandon the disguises that had gotten them out of the town. Raising his gaze, he hurriedly removed the helmet from his head as well, and then threw it off into the same ditch that she had thrown her helmet off too.

Looking back up towards her, he saw that she was putting some distance between herself and him, and started running off after her, removing the armor that he could, while trying to catch up to her.

-

Back at the besieged city, a large group of twenty armored wagons were placed in a straight line, preparing to disembark from the burning ruins. An overseer trotted beside them, holding a clipboard, and signing off with a quill after inspection. Unlike the others invaders, it wore a light wool coat, and sprouted a ragged beard and mane. As it passed by, frightened voices spoke from within the wagons. The worried eyes watching him as everything was surrounding by the dark.

''Aaaand...That makes a hundred and fifty.'' He said outloud to himself as he finished counting, scribbled it off on the clipboard with the quill, and turning away to go inform his superior that his duties were concluded.

At a tent, a figure clad in light robes, with cloth covering its face, he presented the clipboard to his supervisor, who had given him that job.

However, before the supervisor took the clipboard, his ear twitched as he heard something in the distance. Turning their heads, both of them looked to the left.

Approaching at quick speeds, several Ponies wearing identically titular armor was approaching the supervisor.

''Whoa!'' The overseer exclaimed, as he had to quickly move himself out of the way, as a small party galloped past him, ignoring both him and the supervisor, as they hurried towards a specific tent.

As they passed, the supervisor shivered, feeling cold. He quickly averted his gaze, trying his best to ignore the new arrivals, and instead focus on his task, but the feeling of fear could not be avoided.

At a tent, the many Generals and Commanders were standing in a circle, their gaze focused on a single solitary figure, whose hooves were bound in place by tight chains.

A punch was delivered, causing blood to spurt from his mouth. With a sudden raising of her hoof, a Mare gave the order for them to stop. Growling in rage towards the Stallion, her servants moved away, allowing her to step forward and approach him.

Blood was dripping from his face, and his head hung down, but the pain he felt throughout the rest of his body was nothing compared to how painful his hooves felt.

''Pathethic, Equestrian,’’ the Mare lifted his head with her hoof, making him groan in pain, but only making her smile at how much he was suffering. She shook her head at the misery he was in. ‘’I find it incomprehensible, I really do,’’ her expression turned into that of confusion, ‘’I have destroyed all your brave warriors, burned your home, and enslaved your people, what is holding you back?’’ She asked sternly. ‘’What is demanded of me before you will finally submit to my desires, and give me what I want? WHAT!?’’ She snapped, grabbing his shoulders, and showing gritted teeth as she growled angrily at him.

He closed his eyes, ignoring her.

Shifting her expression into an angry frown, she let go of his head, letting it drop, and hang down in front of her. Turning away from him, she trotted back towards the group of other Officers in the tent.

Bringing a hoof up to underneath her chin, she rubbed it, as a thinking face replaced her furious one. Her eyes looked back towards him.

Gently turning her head, she looked off to the side, drawing all of the other lower Officers ‘attention to her.

‘’Leave us.’’ She instructed to them. All of the stares looking towards her became looks of confusion at her instructions. ‘’I always enjoy the strong ones; they are just too fun…’’ Her smile grew wicked, narrowing her eyes, ‘’and this one does seem to be quite the feisty one.’’ She gently reached down to her belt, and pulling out a small dagger.

Several of the Officers murmured amongst themselves, but all it took was her to let out a heavy sigh, and a turn of her head, giving them an angrily annoyed glare for them to understand that she was not afraid to drop bodies if her orders were not meet, and she did seem to be on the path for getting to the point where she might no longer hold back in giving them in option. They would leave here, whether by will, or by having soldiers carrying their lifeless bodies out. The number of Ponies to leave the tent was small, at first, but more and more started leaving, motivating more to heed their examples to leave, until the only figures left in the tent were Luthien’s father and the General.

Grinning wider from ear to ear, she stepped up towards him. Standing in front of him, she stood herself up, raising her left hind leg up over his, raising the other she also moved it over his leg. Her smile grew, becoming malevolent in appearance.

She leaned in, and whispered into his ear, ‘’Tell me, General, what is it that every Stallion seeks in his life?’’ She asked in a very sensual tone of voice, almost whispering close to his ear.

His eyes grew slightly wide, gently turning his head to look towards her.

‘’A Mare,’’ she said, ‘’one to love him, and her, him.’’ She made her way to his ear, and started nibbling at it.

Her hooves wrapped themselves around him, grabbing tightly, and moving her in close to him, kissing him with a passion.

‘’Give in, and I will be yours, bound to you for all the millennia of the world, I will give you a son, a home, and a life of peace and prosperity.’’ She pulled away from him, giving both of them a chance to breathe a little, ‘’The Mare you have lost, she is with you now, and I am yours forever.’’

His eyes suddenly shot open, and with a gentle motion of his hoof, he managed to lift it slightly, and push her away from him, earning a confused look.

‘’You are not her; you will never be her.’’ He told her. ‘’You murdered her on that day,’’ he leaned in to her ear, whispering ‘’and for that reason, I will never be yours.’’

Her eye grew wide, and her mouth dropped.

Outside the tent, the group of banished Commanders stood outside the place of their meetings. They did have personal quarters they could retire to, but none dared moving from their spot in case she did not have to spend much time with him, for fear of being late, and risk angering her because of their delay.

At the back of the group, a small party of iron clad figures approached them.

With stern determination, they forced the Officers out of their way. Some of them were hesitant at first, but once they noticed the armor the newcomers wore they did not hesitate to step aside for them.

When one of the Commanders was approached by the newcomers, she was stunned from fear from just the mere sight of them.

A hoof touched against the shoulder of the front Officer, but he was quickly moved out of the way. A ‘’Hey!’’ sounded from him, but the newcomers paid no heed to him, and instead turned back, looking out in front of them.

With a raised hoof, she suddenly slapped him in pure rage, letting out an infuriated shout at him, panting through gritted teeth.

With sudden movement, she slapped delivering rage-filled punches to his face. She reached back for her dagger, and quickly pulled it out. With a final scream of fury, she pierced the dagger into his right hoof. His eyes grew wide, as he was almost about to scream out in pain, but was able to suppress it, only letting out a pained groan.

Even after twisting the hoof, she could not manage to get any reactions from him. Finally, she pulled the dagger out of his hoof, making blood start pouring from the wound.

She stumbled back, eyes still wide with surprise at how exceptional he was resisting her. She did not let out a word, she only closed her mouth, regaining her composure as the revelation of her failure sunk in.

Hearing someone enter into the tent, she suddenly turned.

‘’What do you- ‘’ She stopped herself from continuing as she froze in place, eyes growing wide with horror at the sight of the figure before her. She stuttered to breathe, as three forms entered further into the tent.

Quickly, she dropped to her legs, bowing to the newly arrived.

‘’M-my Lord.’’ She said, her voice dripping with absolute fear of the arrival.

The armor of armor touching against the ground filled the tent, reaching his ears, making them twitch.

Raising her head, she stood up, just to be meet with the dark face of her master.

‘’Report on the siege.’’ It demanded, almost whispering in a ghostly voice to her.

‘’I-it has fallen to us, my Lord. The enslaved have been prepared for the journey Eastwards, and all opposition has been neutralized.’’

Turning away from her, the figure took several steps forward.

‘’And how goes the search for our primary objective?’’ Her smile was returning to her face, but it vanished as soon as the subject was brought up. And she did a double-take towards him.

Stopping place, it gently turned its head ‘’Has it been found?’’ Her eyes grew wide, and she shook, not wanting to answer back. However, her options were few, and unfortunately this was the easy one.

‘’N-no, my Lord, w-we have not acquired it.’’ Letting out a gasp, she started trotting forward towards him. ‘’But we are still s-‘’

*Smack*

With great pain in her left cheek, she fell down to the ground, a hoof reaching up to where she had been slapped.

‘’M-my Lord, I-I know that you are not pleased with these results,’’ Standing over her, the titular helmet it wore meet her stares. She turned her head to the side, looking back at her prisoner, while also pointing a hoof up towards him. ‘’but he knows where it lies.’’

Turning its head, it looks towards the bound Stallion in front of him.

‘’T-the General, he knows where it is, he knows where it is located!’’

Turning its whole body to face him it approaches him. Coming to a halt in front of him, with its hoof, it raises his head, seeing his beaten and bloodied face.

Its eyes look back into his face, gently tilting its head.

Turning its head back, it looks towards her.

‘’Leave us.’’ It orders harshly.

Bowing her head, she responds ‘’A-as you command, my Lord.’’

As she turns to leave, it turns its head, looking back into his face.

‘’How strong is your will, Equestrian?’’

Weakly, he tries to look away from it, but it merely pulls him, forcing him to gaze into the eyes. The eyes begin to glow, becoming pure white. His mouth drops, hanging open, as his eyes too become white. His breathing accelerates, his heart starts beating faster.

‘’No...!’’ He utters shaking his head.

Outside the tent, the other Commanders observe as she leaves the tent. They all look at her, following her movements as she trots away from the tent.

‘’NOOOOOO!’’ A voice suddenly screams from within the tent. Their attention is momentarily drawn to it, but then they start to back away, trotting off to other parts of the camp to attend other matters. The screaming being drowned out the further they get away from the tent.

The next morning, a small army of two hundred Ponies marched onto the hilltop. However, what awaited them was a large plain that looked like there had been made a large camp there. Dead fires, and abandoned tents lay scattered around the surroundings. The ground had been scorched black, and most of the life that once before this encampment was made was now dead.

Turning his head, the General in charge of the army looked at the death and desolation that greeted him in the wake of their arrival.

‘’Spread out! Search the ruins! Look for any survivors, and ensure they are given proper care!’’

The army started to move, trotting down the hilltop, ignoring the plain as they set their eyes on the still-burning ruins of the city.

‘’I cannot imagine the horror they endured in the night.’’ He said silently to himself, watching his army spread out. He shook his head, lowering his head. ‘’I failed them…’’ He dropped to his knees, his golden armor glistening in the rays of the late sunlight, pushing the dark clouds overhead back, allowing the night to end and the day to begin.

‘’We failed them…’’

His eye opened, looking out towards the burning city.

‘’But as long as it is safe, their sacrifices will not be in vain.’’

Author's Notes:

I do appolagize for taking this long in uploading the chapter, as well as the story, itself.
I can only hope that you will find it enjoyable enough to ignore the long delay.

Nightmares

Opening her eyes, Luthien awoke to find herself laying down in dirt. Her face was bruised, sprouting bloody scars and cuts. Her clothes were torn, leaving her naked.

Behind her an explosion erupted, causing a dark shadow to become visible to her.

Finally snapping out of the trance preventing her from getting, she quickly got up, getting to her hooves.

Turning around on the spot, she saw many things she did not know what was, different beings clad in different armor charged towards each other. Blades clashed, shields banged, and loud howls, screams, grunts, growls, and snarls all filled the air.

There were those that wore golden armor and proper armor. While the opposing warriors were clad in iron/steel armor with swords, spears, and shields that almost looked cheaply forged, but they proved that they were more than capable of holding off the charging gold-clad Equines. Impaling quite a number of them on the sharp points of their pikes.

All around her, there was nothing but the death and carnage brought on by the intense battles both sides were waging. None of this contributed to helping her cope with being in the middle of a great battle, doing quite the opposite in fact.

It was very easy for her to choose the direction in which to run.

As the two factions fought between themselves, dust started getting kicked up off the ground, obstructing her more and more from the eyes of the rage that surrounded her on all sides.

She did not know where she was running, but surely anywhere must have been better than here. The ground she ran on was dead, scorched, unlike anything she had ever felt.

Suddenly, out from the surrounding walls of dust two Equines jumped out from behind it. They were struggling with each other, and one was missing its helmet. Stopping in place, she gazed down paralyzed towards the two of them. But suddenly, unprovoked, the one that still had its helmet, and was fighting much fiercely than the other, with great speed, thrust its jaw, and bit over the throat of its opponent. With blood dripping from its mussel, its head turned, looking out…at her.

Quickly getting to its hooves, it started to run towards her. With a chocked stutter, she started to back away, slowly at first, and then faster and faster until it was lost from her behind a thick veil of dust from the continuous fighting that was taking place all around her.

Directing her eyes down, all she could see were rapidly forming pools of blood. In its reflection, she was only reminded of the terrors that she was trying to elude. Clenching her eyes shut, she started galloping faster, exhausting herself much more than anyone should.

Finally feeling fully sapped of energy, she collapsed completely.

Letting out a wheezing panting, she tried to move from her spot to try and get to safety, but unlike Unicorns who had a little extra stamina in moments like this she was completely drained.

Before she could give up, however, rescue did seem to come.

She was suddenly lifted up off the ground, and put on top of someone’s back, she was still partially out cold, but the only thing she did manage to be made aware of was that she was now on the move again.

After that, everything went cold.

-

Back a small settlement, a hilltop village, at it’s very top stood a central structure, the Citadel, itself.

Inside the Citadel, a small gathering of three figures stood gathered around a table in front of a central throne.

With a turn of their heads, they looked back and forth, exchanging glances.

The eldest of them lowered his head, exhaling a deep sigh, as his face frowned.

‘’You have done a foolish thing, my lad.’’ His son turned, looking directly past his sibling towards his father.

Turning her head, his sister looked back towards him.

‘’You completely gave up our position in order to save…save her!’’

‘’Are you trying to tell me I should not act on what I feel is right?’’ The son asked both his sister and father.

Lowering his head again, though letting a deeper sigh, his face frowned in repressed frustration.

‘’That is not what either I nor your sister is trying to tell you…’’ He looked up, staring into his son’s face, ‘’there are bad things in the world, and some that we do indeed wish we could alter…’’ His eyes narrowed, looking back at the throne, ‘’but some decisions must be abandoned, and even though you thought it up…do not carry it out.’’ With a turn of his body, he faced away from the throne and his children, and instead trotted on away from them back down along the hall.

‘’That throne will never see the Queen’s return, should you continue to act with such folly.’’ Both siblings watched him as he walked away from them, disappearing off to another corner of their great house.

Turning her head, his sister looked right into his face with an angry frown upon it. She shook her head bitterly.

‘’If you keep this up, father will die for your stupidity.’’ She stood up, and trotted away to accompany their father.

Watching her as she disappeared into the light from the door, a sad frown all but occupied his face.

Turning his head, he continued to frown.

(Transition to him standing in a room, in front of a bed in which the mysterious Mare he rescued from the battlefield is laying)

Watching the Mare in front of him sleep, he could not help but smile a slight smile on his sad face.

‘’Maybe father is right, maybe I was wrong to save you.’’ He lowered his head, looking down. ‘’Gondor has fallen, Minas Tirith has been sacked, and soon the Dark Lord armies will be marching upon our lands now that he has been made aware of our existence.’’ He looks up, gaze returning upon her, watching her sleep in her bed. ‘’Once we were many, strong to repel the evil that now spreads from Mordor, it’s dark was not as strong back then, it was weak, and would only send minimal resistance to contend with us…’’ He raised his head, turning to the side, seeing a tapestry of a warrior on the ground, and a tall, bipedal creature swinging a terrible War mace towards it. ‘’But now, evil is returned, and it will only grow stronger.’’

‘’The fires will spread…’’ He whispered to himself. He turned back, looking back upon her.

‘’That is what will happen if we allow Mordor to take our city.’’ His voice containing a lot more warmth in it. ‘’Once the capital of Rohan falls…all of these lands will fall into darkness and doubt, never to know kindness, generosity, and laughter ever again…’’

‘’It is foretold that a Mare with the Ring of the Hallows would come, she would free us from the despair of Mordor’s evil.’’ His hoof started moving down towards his hilt, grabbing at his sword. ‘’Now whether you’re here or not,’’ He drew his sword, holding its tip out towards her, ‘’I swear that whither by life or death I will protect you till my last breath.’’ With his hooves he turned it around, touching the tip against the floor, and bowing his head to her.

‘’The fate of Middle-Earth will depend on it.’’
Outside the giant wooden structure, a village is tending to its daily occupations…

Far in the horizon, tall, dark mountains rise high into the air, dark clouds lingering in the sky above the dreaded peaks.

Atop a dark-steeled structure, an Orc raises a horn up and blows into it. A loud and terrible sound sounds from it. Loud, rusted creaking soon replaces it, as the tall shapes begins to move out, forming a wider and wider gap. A bright light shines on the ground.

Once open enough, first one, then two, then three…then nine, twenty, and fifty rowed lines of dark, heavily armored Orcs started marching out of the dark gate. However, standing on the plains that the Morannon overlooks, is a large army of golden clad warriors. Led at the front by Queen Celestia, herself.

The army of Orc is halted, it’s soldiers turning to exchange confused glances.

Short, bearded Ponies, shorter still, haired-hooved Ponies, blonde, long-maned Ponies, as well as normal Earth Ponies, all greeting the dark army that was just leaving through Mordor’s gates. Each of the races that stand there on this day, all have their own crowned, and armored Kings, all ready to confront this evil, once and for all.

Out from the army, a lone figure steps forward.

Suddenly, the sunlight breaks through the dark clouds, above, shining its light down upon the army of Middle-Earth’s last real army that hopes of standing a chance to contest Mordor’s armies.

With a stern glare, Celestia looks down upon the giant form of black awaiting them. She gently inhales, equally as calmly exhaling it.

She draws forth her sword, extending her hoof to hold it out.

With a drop of her jaw, and an inaudible war cry sounds. The army begins to charge down the hill, all of the races crying out in one voice ‘’For Middle-Earth!’’ The ground behind being riffled dust that is blown off the ground in their charge.

Spears are raised, shields drawn, and blades made ready to strike.

Seconds before the army impacts the Orc legion, a fiery light moves up. Falling upon Celestia.

With great speed, the world begins to fade, as it speeds fast though the air towards the foundations of a massive fortress. Once reached, it is pulled upwards. Not stopping until the top is reached, and all that once surrounded it was gone, being replaced by the flames of a fiery eye, whose pupil is slit!

‘’You cannot hide!’’ A voice begins speaking in her head. ‘’I see you!’’ The flames exploded outwards, shooting out to engulf her, surrounding everything in fire!

Luthien eyes shot open, and she quickly sat upright, panting heavily. Her eyes wide with shock and astonishment at what she had witnessed.

Quickly, Beren shot awake, as well. However, unlike Luthien he was not quite so…worked up over it.

He turned towards her, bringing a hoof up behind her back to comfort her.

‘’Luthien, what is it!? Is something wrong?’’ He asked with concern.

Still panting rather heavily, though having calmed down a little, she turned her head towards him, a scared, but also saddened frown remaining on her face as she looked into his.

Her eyes looked off to the side. Then back at him, her mouth closing as she looked back into his anticipating eyes.

She shook her head, and laid her head back down on the gentle mound of grass.

‘’Nothing,’’ she said, ‘’just a dream.’’

Looking down at the Mare, he just kept a blank expression. His head looked off to the side, deep in thought, before he gently exhaled, and put his head back down against his make-shift leaf pillow.

Behind his back, Luthien’s eyes were wide open as she just could not help but think about what she had seen and experienced.

Hidden from her sight, a fiery writing on the ring faded away, returning to its normal state.

On the Run

‘’Luthien?’’ A voice asks, gently shaking her with its hoof, but she is too tired to wake. ‘’Luthien?’’ It asks again, only a little louder this time.

Grunting a little, she is jutted awake from her sleep. She blinks her eyes a couple times, before finally leaving them open. However, as she does so, she hastily raises her hoof up to shield her eyes from the blinding light of the morning sun.

‘’Luthien.’’ A familiar voice speaks to her, gently shaking her with its hoof. She lowers her, looking up at the figure standing over her. She manages to conjure a gentle smile to meet him glancing down at her.

‘’Beren.’’ She calmly says, as her eyes are accustomed to the terrible light from above. ‘’Good morning.’’ She says as she raises herself up from the ground, blinking her eyes a couple times before being fully used to the sun. Her head turns, looking up to the side at him. ‘’How are you on this morning?’’

‘’Is breakfast almost done?’’

‘’I have just finished it. Some food would do us good.’’

‘’Agreed.’’ She said enthusiastic. She extended a hoof, awaiting him to take it, and help up.

Sitting around a small fire, both of them were enjoying their breakfast together, eating it mostly in silence. Looking up, while eating, Beren looked to Luthien, licking his lips from finishing his meal.

‘’How was it? Good?’’ Asked Beren. Luthien removed her food from her mouth, swallowing down the last piece.

‘’Good.’’ She replied.

‘’Good,’’ he said, before leaning forward, giving her a stern glare. His head turns, looking from side to side and behind them. He stands up, and trots towards her, and grabs her by the shoulders when standing in front of her, holding her tight. ‘’Are you okay, Luthien? Do you feel alright?’’ This confused Luthien, as her smile contorted into that of a confused glance.

‘’I am fine.’’ His brows raise up, and he gives her a suspicious look. ‘’Really, I am!’’

‘’And last night? What was that?’’ He asked her sternly.

‘’Beren, that was nothing.’’

‘’Really?’’ He raised his left brow a little higher than the other.

‘’Yes! It was just a dream, a nightmare.’’ She replied. ‘’Who doesn’t have them?’’

‘’And you’re certain that it was just a dream? It wasn’t something more important that was bothering you?’’

She shook her head, narrowing her eyes in confusion. His eyes trailed down, settling on the golden ring that was on its chain around her neck. His expression grew stern as he looked down at the thing around her neck. However, when looking back up, it was just a casual stare. He shook his head, eyes looking down once more.

‘’Beren? Is there something you are not telling me?’’ Beren shook his head.

‘’No, I am merely asking because one does not simply awaken in the middle of the night the way you did. You were obviously frightened of something, and it cannot have been the nightmare…at least, not a normal one.’’ He put one of his hooves on her cheek, making her look up into his face. ‘’If anything is troubling you, ever, no matter what it is, I want you tell me. I cannot honor the promise to your father if I do not know if you are troubled.’’ His frown shifted back into a warm smile, before moving in and kissing her on the cheek.

He backed away from her, going away from her to attend other things, leaving her shocked, and almost blushing, behind as his back was turned.

She reached a hoof up to the chain, touching the ring, grabbing tightly around it. Instantly a shape flashed in front of her eyes, surprising her! Her hoof quickly let go of the ring, quickly letting it drop and hang down!

She gasped, quickly looking down at the ring with a shocked, and horrified expression upon her face as she breathed heavily from her little…moment.

‘’I have got to tell Beren about this! This is not normal!’’

‘’Trusst me, Luthien, you do not want to tell Beren of thiss!’’ A voice started spoke, it’s voice echoing all around her. Startled slightly, her head turned looking in every direction she imagined that the voice would be coming from.

‘’W-who is there!?’’ Her voice being filled with fear and paranoia.

‘’Now, now, Luthien, thiss iss no way to sspeak to me.’’ The voice said. ‘’I too demand resspect, if you would be sso kind to provide me with that.’’ Luthien’s fear diminished slightly, getting a lot braver.

‘’Alright then, whoever you are, who are you, and why should I respect you to begin with?’’ A chuckle sounded all around her, it’s tone of voice becoming much more identifiable as being higher pitched.

‘’I am a friend, that iss all I can tell you at the moment…’’ The air started to become lighter, making it much more possible for her to breath, ‘’but fret not, child, we will talk again. Whether by your own choice or not.’’ Several voices whispered, their voices echoing in her head, before every turned silent.

‘’Hey!’’ She snapped back to the present, as she heard another voice calling to her. With a shocked look, she raised her head, looking up in front of her. In front of her stood Beren. ‘’Hey! You coming?!’’ He inquired to her. Nodding her head, she watched him smile back at her. ‘’Good…Then let be on our way then.’’ His head retracted itself back behind the small gathering of rocks. She started to trot forward, to catch up with him.

As she left their campgrounds, the central gem of the ring started to emit a fiery glow. A cold wind blew across the small fire, making the small remnants of fire to sizzle slightly, and return to life, if even for just a few seconds.

While she did not see it with her own eyes, her shadow fell upon the stone wall, and instead of resembling hers, it instead faced her directly with two white eyes, it’s mane became longer, blowing in the wind, with wings, and a horn, it was also much taller than her.

Sensing something was watching her, she turned back to see what it was, looking upon the rock. But there was nothing there, aside from her shadow, which was looking down at the rock where her shadow had fallen upon.

She swallowed down, and quickly turned back, and hurriedly trotted after him to catch up. When she finally caught up to him, she slowed her pace to much better trot. With a turned head, he looked at her, giving her a warm smile. She smiled back, trying to look as normal as she could to him. She wanted to tell him of the things that had just transpired, the voice, and the eerie feeling of her body feeling…cold, almost frozen with fear from the encounter. However, she couldn’t, she could not bring herself to let her jaw drop and speak the words ‘’Um, Beren, I don’t think I feel too good.’’ Those words alone would be enough to get his attention.

Meanwhile, far, far away, at the edge of the forest, a small, but deadly, group of figures were marching along the edge of the great woods. Large Equine shapes, with slender, distended tusks, with another pair emerging at the end of its jaw. The rest of the body greatly resembled that of an elephant, except for the head, which was unmistakably Equine. Atop these large lumbering beasts were wooden constructions, which were the mounted battle towers of the Equine-like creature’s masters who rode in the giant constructions atop the Equine-like creatures’ back. Their faces obstructed by hoods that shielded their true identities.

Down on the ground, beside the great beasts, marched long rows of other figures clad in similar attire to the ones riding in the constructions. Their numbers going as high as 200, and supporting 3 of the great beasts.

At the front of the group, there was a small group that was close to a lone figure who was dressed in a manner all itself. A golden headpiece crowned its head, with the front of the helmet having two sharp points pointing up, and a single, circular shape in the middle, and at its center there sat a red emerald, small points hung down, obstructing everything but the eyes. Its face was hidden behind a red cloth around its head, stopping at its neck. Its torso was clad in golden-looking armor. From the waist down, its lower body was hidden behind a skirt, on its front arms were shoulder pads that protected it from harm. Like its followers, it’s face was hidden, not giving any details that were to inform anyone explicitly about it’s true identity.

Behind it, two Ponies carried banners, triangular in shape, and red in color.

After some time of marching the front figure raised its hoof, showing that the end of its hoof-covering shoulder pad was a long, sharp blade.

‘’Company, halt!’’ A voice cried out. The loud marching came to its end, as the army stopped in place, the giant monstrous creatures coming to an immediate halt.

The front figure turned to face one of the banner-carrying Ponies, ‘’Order them to sweep the forest. Rip every tree if necessary.’’

‘’Yes, Master.’’ It replied, bowing its head before the figure. It turned, and went to go carry out its master’s orders.

Turning away, the frontal figure turned its back to the army, not witnessing as it turned to face the trees in front of them. With casual grunts and growls, the monstrous Equines started forward towards the forest. When either massive tusks touched against the trees, or their massive hooves stomped down against them, they collapsed, falling down in front of them as the beasts forced them down upon entering the forest, penetrating deeper into it. Behind them, long lines of five marched after them as they cleared the way.

At the front of one of the middle group, the front figures accompanied its forces into the thick forest, at the uttermost rear of the groups were larger than average, with ragged furred Equine forms. They wore no armor, nor did they speak. The only sounds to leave their mouths being low growls and snarls.

Voice of the Ring

For many days and nights Beren and Luthien travelled through the forest, making their way through the heavily dense and narrow crucks of the forest. Still struck by the grief over the loss of her father, Luthien felt very…suggestive, and followed Beren’s advice on the path they should take to return to safety. In the beginning of their venture into the first, she had been sad, somber, and depressed all the time. Nothing seemed capable of cheering her up, and she refused to eat. Now she finally seemed to be recovering from that depression…

Shining in through the slightest of cracks amongst the thick trees, the sun was still capable of illuminating their path through the dense compacted forest.

Peeking out from several trees, Beren turned his head, gradually looking from left to right. Smiling as he stopped on the right side, catching a glimpse of a small road in front of him. He turned, and started trotting back into the forest.

In the shadow of several trees Luthien sat, her face in a frown, looking down at the ground. In her head, she could hear voices crying out, the continued sounds of battle surrounding her on all sides, as if she was actually there experiencing it.

She looked up, seeing blood on the ground, running down like a river from a dead corpse that had recently been slain, and the figure’s jaw, which hung down from under its helmet. Ponies waving their hooves, armies charging, and banners flying high, as they charged down towards their enemies, only to be impaled by sharp spear tips of their surprised foes.

‘’Come on!’’

‘’This way!’’

‘’Do not give in to fear!’’

‘’Hold them back! Hold them!’’

‘’ARGHHHHHHH!’’

*Ka-Whoosh! *

Suddenly, from behind, an intense shockwave hit amidst the large battle, sending multiple Ponies flying back through the air!

Both armies started backing away from the point where the Ponies had been sent flying from. Some becoming fearful, frightened beyond measure at the form in front of them, others started to cheer, banging their shields with their swords at the new arrival.

Shining forth a bright light, a form materialized fully upon the scorched earth battlefield. A tall Mare in white armor stood forth, a hammer in her magical grasp, a cape blowing behind her, and a mixed crown-helmet crowning her head.

The ground underneath her became scorched as her stepped forward. Her expression became contorted, glaring sternly back at her (Luthien)

Her magic raised the hammer, raising it, bringing it behind her head. She started to back away nervously, unable to take her eyes off the awaiting attack that was about to take place!

Then, with a mighty and quick swing, her jaw dropped, and her magical grasp disappeared, throwing the hammer out in front of her…sending it flying directly at her!

With a quick shift of her body, she leaped down, grabbing at the back of her head, while the hammer passed harmlessly away from her! When she noticed that the hammer failed to come anywhere near close to her, she turned around, looking up behind her!

Suddenly her eyes grew wide, and her jaw dropped. Directly in front of her was a tall, monstrous figure, fire and shadows surrounded it, it’s form was bipedal, with cloven hooves, and a skeletal face, which had curved horns on both sides, and a lone one that stood up on its forehead! She turned around, grabbing the ground, and quickly crawled along it away from this…thing as fast as possible!

Hearing the sudden, and intruding hum of what must have been the hammer, she focused her attention on where the humming was coming from, managing to catch a glimpse before it hit.

With a mighty explosion of fiery sparks, the impact from the hammer against the creature’s leg forced it to stumble backwards!

Seeming to call the hammer back to her, it flew back away from the beast, and into her grasp. She started to run forward, charging at the creature with great speed and rage. Determined to strike it down, and end its wretched life.

Letting out a mighty roar, the demon – being the closest she could describe it – swung its arm in a blind rage to attack her. Gasping, the Mare quickly extended her wings, catching the air. With a mighty beat of her powerful wings, flying back up into the air. Moving harmlessly away from the tip of the demon’s blade!

Suspending herself in the air, she glared down upon the beast. Watching it, as it returned her glare back.

Reaching down to her belt, the creature’s raising a confused brow at her actions. She too was watching this with great, newfound curiosity.

Grabbing hold of something, she started to pull it out. A long, sharp tip emerging from behind her cloak. It was a sword!

Raising her hoof, she held up the sword in front of her. However, instead of roaring back, snarling or even growling the creature’s eyes grew wide with horror at the sight of the blade!

Suddenly, the blade erupted, fire consuming all of the steel going down till it reached the hilt in flames!

Her eyes went wide, and her jaw dropped, hanging open.

With a chocked groan, she suddenly swung her arm, throwing the blade down! The eyes of the demon jutting wide with shock at this action!

Paralyzed by fear, it still stumbled back a few steps from the incoming blade. However, its speed seemed to be so great that even if it was moving quickly enough it still would have been hit by the blade.

Penetrating and piercing the demons right shoulder, it was sent flying back along with the blade! With a violent impact the blade forced the demon to eventually stop moving by violently crashing against one of the thousands surrounding collections of rock! Blowing up dust and shattered stone, which scattered to the winds.

Holding up a hoof, she covered her eyes as she went into the dust cloud to see the continuing of the unbelievable battle that she had just witnessed with her own two eyes…

But, when the dust broke, and the sand were no longer obstructing her sight she suddenly stopped in her tracks! Her jaw dropped, and her eyes grew wide.

The mare trotted up to the demon, her blade piercing its right shoulder, from which blood ran, running down the skin. Its right arm was paralyzed, not moving at all, and the left’s fingers were twitching as consciousness returned to it as it heard heavy steps approaching it. Raising its head, the demon looked up at the approaching figure. However, before it could move much, a hoof stepped down against its chest, almost crushing its chest from the weight. The creature let out a loud roar of pain.

Looking down with a terrible hatred in her glaring eyes, the mare hesitated before reaching down for her sword’s hilt. When she finally did, she was holding the hammer in her grasp. Suddenly, before anyone else could react, or do anything to stop her, she reached out, and pushed the blade deeper into its shoulder. More blood started to come running from the wound, staining the right side of its chest in blood.

A sickly grin formed on her face, as she raised the hammer up above her head to strike it down for the final blow.

Feeling a sudden need for it, Luthien narrowed her eyes to get a better look at the events transpiring. Reality almost seemed to blur, like waves passed through the skin of reality. Pretty quickly, everything returned too normal, and everything resumed.

She looked back down at the scene, and saw the Mare still holding the hammer, ready to strike down upon the grounded demon, blood still pouring from the fresh wound in its right side.

Stepping onto the beast’s chest, and pressing down, her glare shifted into a smile, her eyes narrowing as she prepared herself for the swing that will finally end this conflict.

‘’Farewell-‘’ Suddenly, she stopped, freezing in place as her body became still, motionless. Her hooves dropped the hammer. Having it land in front of her with a loud, echoing thud.

Piercing right through her chest, the sharp – and glimmering – tip of a sword penetrated her! Her hooves shook, and her jaw trembled, quivering from the shock of the sword cutting through her armor.

Out from where the blade had emerged light had started to appear, shining through the crack. Her body creaking from the light erupting from her!

She tried to fight back, holding back her destruction the best she could! Pouring all of her energy into staying off her defeat until she at least takes her enemy out with her.

In her struggle, she broke off the front bit of the of the sword. Breaking it off, and having it fall to the ground.

Her hoof quickly reached down, grabbing the handle of her hammer! She gave it an angered glare with gritted teeth, before turning towards the demon down in front of her. Then, she raised it up, ready to deliver another swing towards her already defeated opponent!

The demon looked up, seeing the broken piece of the sword that was falling down towards it! Gleaming in an evil fashion, it saw the real opportunity to end this conflict!

It extended its arm, and grabbed the shard. Groaning a little in pain as it cut into its skin when it grabbed it.

Its eyes looked up, seeing the rapidly approaching death that awaited it if it did not take its second chance…

And take it now!

With decent enough reflexes considering the damages, it quickly rolled to the right! The mare’s hammer crashing down into the ground with a violent force. Making the ground downright explode, scattering rocks and pebbles everywhere!

Then, quickly swinging her arm, it severed the mare’s hoof, sending it off to the left! It did not waste any time, and also cut off her left hoof – this one only fell to the ground beside her – and before she could summon magic to her aide, it cut her horn before collapsing back down to the ground! It was only a scratch, but it was enough of a mark to ensure her horn did not function in the manner it was supposed to.

The assailing from behind that had stabbed her through the chest twisted the blade, pushing it in deeper!

Her head shot up as increased waves of light exploded from her penetrated chest!

The point where her hooves had been dismembered glowed, through emitting a fiery, glistening glow instead of the white blindness that was constantly building and building in intensity!

From within her body, erupting to the surface, penetrating her armor in the process, her whole form was being engulfed by light!

The demon did not seem to notice it, but Luthien certainly did. The mare turned her head, looking off to the left. Looking in direction of…something. Following the mare’s gaze, Luthien also looked in the same direction. Atop a small Cliffside, a bright light looked down upon the scene transpiring before it. The mare did not say a word, only displaying its sad frown, as it could not break its stare up at the figure on the Cliffside.

‘’I am sorry. I…I failed you, forgive me!’’ She spoke up towards the figure, her voice breaking as she did. She (Luthien) just could not figure who this was. She didn’t even know its gender.

The light started to die down, making it possible for the ‘’blinding’’ figure to be easier seen.

It was a Mare who stood upon the cliffs! Luthien was shocked by this revelation!

…The light continued to build, and build…

…Until…!

With an unbelievable force, a shockwave of light and air erupted. A giant wave of intense wind blowing across the surrounding landscape, blowing dust, light stones, and even conscious entities in traversing the realm that surrounded it. The demon was knocked back down to the ground. Being continually forced down until the wind settled, and everything became calm once again!

Luthien’s attention had been ripped back to the more important things when the mare exploded. Her eyes looking back, as the shockwave erupted.

Before being hit by the shockwave, reality was interrupted.

Luthien calmly opened her eyes again. Seeing that she was once again returned back to the forest where she had last been before all of this crazy insanity had happened.

Turning her head, she looked it around the forest, blinking her eyes confused from what she had just experienced.

‘’Whoa!’’ She whispered to herself from the sheer power of that which her eyes had been exposed to. Shaking her head in disbelief.

‘’Luthien?’’ Her ear perked up as she heard the voice enter her personal space. She turned around. Looking behind her, seeing Beren standing in something that looked like a natural entrance – A doorway that was two trees touching branches.

‘’Beren.’’ She smiled as she turned around to face him. Seeing only him frowning as he trotted up to her. ‘’Beren? Is something wrong?’’ She asked with a worried look back into his eyes which looked down at the ground. Then up at her. Meeting hers.

‘’Luthien,’’ he began. A worried tone hanging in his voice. ‘’What were you doing?’’ His face became deadpanned. Occasionally blinking his eyes to vary his long-lasting stare.

She raised a brow. Giving him a confused response via her facial expression.

‘’What do you mean?’’ This time he raised a brow.

‘’Luthien, you were gone for fifteen minutes.’’ Her eyes widened in shock. Dropping her jaw.

‘’R-really?’’ His head nodded. Returning to having that deadpanned look upon his face.

She shook her head. Her eyes still wide in disbelief. Her eyes looked down at the ground as she thought it all over. Taking it in.

‘’I…I did not even know I was taking so long to get back to you.’’

A ball of fire surrounding the ring. A gleam moving across the band leaving an after shine on it.

Turning to the left holding his head away from her. His head lowered and eyes looked down. An angry frown settling more and more on his face. Finally, he closed his eyes. Exhaling a deep breath.

His eyes opened, and his head turned. Looking back towards Luthiens’ face. Her expression being a sad frown. His stern demeanor faded, changing into a blank, dumbfounded glance – His jaw hanging slightly open.

‘’What? What is it, Beren?’’ She asked with a worried tone. He smiled back. Scoffing his breath.

Closing his mouth, he got in closer to her. His hooves reaching around her and holding her against him. Hugging her warmly, and tightly against him.

‘’Nothing.’’ He said. His eyes closed with a comforting smile. ‘’I am just worried about you is all.’’ He hugged her tighter. She leaned in close to him, hugging him back.

‘’I know. My actions are inexcusable, and I should have told you instead of keeping you in the shadows.’’

He narrowed his brows, smirking wide from ear-to-ear.

‘’I knew it! You are hiding something! Aren’t you?!’’ Her jaw dropped hanging open as she stumbled back a few trots. ‘’I can see it on your face, your behavior. You are hiding something from me. What are you?’’

Her eyes looked down, staring at the ground. However, they did not look long as they were raised back up. Staring at a dark figure in front of her clad in a dark hood.

Do noav be ij fool! reg! reg avo naj-ri! proavecav alnej from avhouke avhaav evinaj thrak alnej dam! jiak kij ij ukiukavas avo lat! lat cannoav beavraausan alnej! now, reg! reg!

On the surface of the band flames shot out form the verticals of the ring! In her eyes were flames and her mouth hanging agape!

Raising her head, she was greeted by his stare meeting hers. Their stares were locked.

‘’I like Mares too! Not just Stallions!’’ She suddenly blurted out! Her words caught him completely unaware as his expression shifted into a confused one. She quickly lowered her head.

‘’What?’’ Her ears twitched as his voice reached them. ‘’I-is that the thing that you have not wanted to-‘’ Suddenly, she galloped forward. Quickly moving past him. Heading for the path they had come.

Turning around. He watched her with his eyes as she trotted away from him. She was clearly sobbing while she trotted quickly. For a few hesitant seconds he stared after her with a confused, and even more shocked face.

As he started after her he did not notice the figure in the trees behind him. A wind blowing her torn cloak. Behind her hood she smiled a delighted smile.