Chapter 19

“They’re breaching the second wall!” somepony yelled.

Below them the griffons tried climbing the wall, digging their talons into the cracks between the stones. Another battering ram had been set up, smashing into the gate of the second level.

Alan quickly ended a climbing invader, before chancing a look at the buffalo next to him. “Chief Thunderhooves, good to see you made it out.”

The bison laughed. “Made it out? I followed the fight here! It is a good day to die!” A swift kick from the chief sent a griffon sprawling onto the floor, where he was finished with what Alan could only describe as a medieval curb stomp.

“Well, honestly I think it’s a good day for them to die,” Alan noted, as Judgement pierced another griffon hide.

Chief Thunderhooves didn’t hear him, and was already being carried away by the flow of battle.

Above them, pegasi and griffon dog fights broke out in the sky while the Ira and the Vindicta tried to keep them pinned with rockets.

“Our ammo stores are down to 25%, Al,” Pinkie said over the communicator. “We’re going to have to slow our fire rate if we need to last.”

“Understood,” Alan replied. “Dashie, I need you and some other troops to head on up to the ships, keep them company.”

“You got it!” the pegasus answered.

A white and gold armored pony slammed into another griffon, sending him to the ground before raising his hammer up and bringing it down on its head. “By Tartarus’ Crooked Teeth, they’re persistent.”

“How’s it going, Silver?” Alan asked the earth pony as he ducked under an incoming blow.

“Alright, all things considered. I mean,” he interrupted himself, swinging his hammer around to bash into another griffon’s face, “I think one of these guys bent some of my armor, but at least I’ve still got my hide in one piece. For the most part, anyway.”

“I know the feeling,” the Pendragon said, doing his best to continue to ignore his wound as he cut apart yet another griffon. That was 82...

He should probably stop counting...

He switched his grip from a two-handed to a one-handed position, before slicing another griffon. His free hand quickly searched underneath his duster to pull out his sheath knife. He spun again, the knife burying into the temple of another attacker.

84...

Stop counting!

Alan let loose a sigh.

“You alright, sir?”

Alan shook his head. “I’m tired.”

Silver blinked. “Y-You’ve been awake since the start...haven’t you?”

Alan smirked. “Someone’s got to lead the army. Call me a masochist if you want, but someone’s got to do it.”

Silver blinked again. He, Shining, and a fairly good portion of the Fire Drake Division had all gotten a good night’s sleep before the battle on the walls started yesterday...but...

Silver couldn’t imagine staying up for as long as Alan had.

“Sir, respectfully requesting that you go get some rest.”

Alan shook his head. “I’ve got to—”

“Sir,” Silver repeated. “Respectfully ordering you to get some rest.”

Alan blinked. “Excuse me, Captain?”

Silver gulped. “Sir, you need to lead the army. We need you rested and sharp to do that. Please, Al.”

Alan stared at the pony for a long time. The silence between the two slightly unnerved the captain. “Alright,” he said finally. “You make a good point. You, Shining, and the generals are in charge until I get back, you understand?”

Silver nodded. “Sir, yes, sir.”

“I won’t be gone long.”

“Take as long as you need.”

Alan then retreated back to the fourth level, where a bed waited for him.

Thunderlane just couldn’t believe it.

One day, everything was fine, and then war was declared. One month of training, and suddenly, he had become a soldier. One month ago, he was working on Ponyville’s weather, now he was flying with the Wonderbolts.

The Wonderbolts.

Now, he wasn’t a die-hard fan or anything, but sweet Celestia, the Wonderbolts!

Every pegasus foal dreamed of becoming a Wonderbolt one day, it was the dream job.

Surprisingly, his dream job had a lot more bloodshed than he remembered.

“Alright you slow sacks of feathers, Wonderbolts excluded,” the general’s voice crackled into the earpieces that the pegasi wore, tuned only to hear the general, “We’ve got a job to do. Keep the griffons away from the ships; keep them safe. They’re running low on ammo, and can’t deal much more punishment. Understood?”

“Ma’am, yes, ma’am!” the pegasi answered.

They were above the cloud layer; the fluffy white floors would make an excellent diving board for an ambush, but they simply didn’t have the time to set one up.

“Good,” the multichromatic leader responded. “Eyes sharp, and claws out, everypony.”

Thunderlane flipped his forelegs up and the claws locked in the open position. It was a very nice design, actually, the claws looking like wings coming off the shoe when closed. Right now, though, they were open, and looked every bit deadly.

“Alpha Squad, take the Vindicta,” General Dash ordered. “Bravo, take the Ira, Squads Wonderbolts and Charlie, with me, we’ll be covering both.”

Thunderlane still wasn’t sure where most of those names had come from, but he didn’t really need to know that. All he needed to know was that he was in Squad Charlie.

Banking left, the mohawked pegasus followed his general as the rainbow-colored mare led her troops fearlessly.

Thunderlane knew Rainbow Dash, she was the head weather mare of Ponyville after all, but he never thought of her as the leading an army sort.

Then again...he never really picked himself as the type to be in an army either...

“Alright, pegasi!” Dash said. “Get ready to dive in three. Two. One.”

Suddenly, the two squadrons dove through the clouds, bursting through the white veil, catching the griffons they had been shadowing by surprise.

Thunderlane had already marked his target, an idiot who seemed insistent on wearing a green cape.

Hugging his wings tight against his body, Thunderlane then pulled off what was perhaps the greatest dive of his flying career. It was perfect, spectacular, amazing, and a dozen more adjectives that would have many a librarian drooling.

It ended the second his clawed hooves bit into the caped back of the griffon.

Blood splattered upward temporarily blinding the pegasus, who suddenly pulled up, letting the body fall to the ground.

Rising upward now, trying to see for the blood on his eyes, Thunderlane headed to the nearest cloud.

Ripping a piece of the fluffy substance off the rest of the cloud, he quickly used it as a makeshift towel, wiping his face.

As his sight returned, he quickly climbed up on the top of the cloud to try and get a good vantage point. Below him, under the clouds, the battle was raging. Ponies dived down on the backs of griffons. Griffons, in turn, dived onto the backs of ponies. If you weren’t fast, you didn’t survive. Period.

Flying with the Wonderbolts hadn’t promised to be this grim either, he thought with a laugh.

He briefly thought if a laugh was appropriate at a time like this. After all, ponies were dying just a few hundred hooves below him. Is it appropriate to be this detached?

Thunderlane suddenly became aware of the noise of clanging steel behind him.

He turned and was surprised to see a hoof-to-talon battle emerging on the very cloud he stood on.

Rainbow Dash, her armor shining in the uninterrupted sunlight, was at that very moment, engaged in a deadly battle on the cloud, dodging swipes and landing kicks with her clawed hooves. Steel met steel as the general’s faux claws blocked the incoming strike of the capped talons of one of the four griffons that surrounded her.

She moved gracefully, almost dancing with practiced precision as she bolted around her enemies.

Thunderlane blinked. Is that Karate?

Japonies Karate, for those who don’t know, was far closer to what would be called Chinese Kung Fu than the Karate of Alan’s world. It was an interesting cross-dimensional misnomer that would certainly get the more knowledgeable interested, but I digress.

Thunderlane blinked again. Yes, it was in fact Karate. The Flying Phoenix style if Thunderlane wasn’t mistaken.

Since when did Rainbow Dash of all ponies know Karate?

Actually, now that he thought about it, hadn’t she rented out the dojo that one day to teach that one filly, what was her name? Apple...something...

Oh yeah, she did, Thunderlane remembered now with a scowl. He hadn’t been able to get his practice that day because she had rented out the dojo roughly the same time that he would go through his own routine.

Another flying kick cut through the griffon’s guard, and Dash’s claws raked the beast’s face. “And stay down, you ugly motherbucker,” she said as the griffon clutched at his ruined eye.

Of course, her taunt had left her open.

A griffon attacked, bringing his claw down at Rainbow Dash’s exposed back.

Thunderlane had moved before he had even registered what was happening. He blinked, and found himself between the griffon and his target. The clawed hoof had come up, blocking the griffon’s strike, and a subconscious order had forced his other hoof forward into the unarmored chest of the attacker.

They both stood stock still for a second.

Then the griffon slid off his claws, falling through the clouds as it died.

Thunderlane blinked.

That-that was...

“Nice move there, Thunderlane!” Rainbow Dash interrupted his thoughts, “What was that?”

His mouth moved automatically, “Standing Dragon Style.”

“Yeah? I’ve always preferred the Flying Phoenix style myself; it fits my natural awesomeness.”

Thunderlane simply stared at the hole in the clouds where the body had fallen through. That-it was totally automatic, he hadn’t even really wanted to kill that one. His muscle memory had just taken over, simply going through one of the many kata he had practiced and re-practiced hundreds of times.

It’s just, it was so vicious, so primal...

But the Standing Dragon style had always been vicious. It was always aggressive, that was the point.

Blood dripped from the claw, staining the immaculately white floor. “I-I just—”

“Don’t,” the general said, her voice dropping from her usual tone. “Just don’t think about it. Not now. We don’t have the time.”

Thunderlane nodded.

“Come on, Thunderlane, we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us.”

Applejack’s chain snaked through the air with expert ease, slicing at legs and wings before returning to its new master.

The Farmpony-turned-general blinked back tears as she fought.

This wasn’t right.

None of this was right.

She was a life bringer, a gardener, a farmer.

Instead, she stood, a life taker, a soldier, a murderer.

This wasn’t right.

Almost every instinct told her to give up and run. Let everypony else fight this battle, and leave her out of it. The only ones that told her to stay had only shown up when that stupid pony had started up the battle cry.

Of course, there was one other part of her that told her to stay.

Alan, whether he knew it or not, had made it impossible to leave. He had told all of them that the ones back home were counting on them.

Her family, Granny Smith, Applebloom, Big Mac, they were all counting on her.

Well, Big Mac’s here, but that ain’t the point.

The point was that everypony was counting on her to be here.

And she never let anypony down.

The chain uncoiled again, slashing at three more griffons before she brought it back.

Only the wings, legs, and chests, never the throats.

Once or twice she had slit an artery, but it hadn’t taken her long to learn where those were, and she avoided those too.

She just couldn’t take that much blood.

Horseapples, why on Celestia’s sweet earth did Ah get mahself a cuttin’ weapon?

The chain had turned out to be far more effective than she had originally thought. What she had thought would simply stop her enemies in their tracks had proven to be a far better killer. It had been proven to her when she had wrapped a whole griffon in the chain, the weapon criss-crossing over itself, and then she had given only the slightest tug.

She...she never thought that he just would fall apart like that.

She had hesitantly taken to wrapping the chain around talons and claws, hoping that having them removed would discourage anygriff from getting closer to her.

It worked for the most part, however, the moans of pain of the dying griffons that surrounded her were setting her on edge.

Blinking back her tears, she quickly removed another limb, shutting her eyes tight so she wouldn’t see the blood.

This wasn’t right.

Suddenly, the battle cleared ahead of her. A massive griffon, twice as tall and as bulky as his comrades stepped forward. Steel armor covered his limbs, wings, and face. His blood-stained features spoke volumes of the beast opposite her, as did the manic grin on his blood covered beak.

“Hello there, my little pony,” the griffon said, his voice hoarse and ragged. “I hope you are as delicious as your comrades.”

Applejack felt the need to puke.

The griffon charged her, and the general quickly launched her chain at him.

Razor sharp blade scratched against steel armor.

The beast kept charging.

Another twist of her head, and the chain flipped up to the unprotected belly. A long red gash grew between the white feathers of his chest.

The beast kept charging.

Another flick, and the blades came up, along the wings of the beast. With a forceful pull, Applejack hoped that her whip would miss the armor. She was rewarded with the feeling of giving flesh under the razor blades, and the chain came away, the wing now hanging by a thread.

The beast kept charging.

Then Applejack saw it.

The griffon’s eyes were now blood-red with fury, his beak twisted into a feral scowl that broke into a wordless battle cry. He was ignoring pain, ignoring blood. What Applejack would never know was that this griffon, this monster charging her, came from a long line of proud warriors, a bloodline both blessed and cursed by the War Wrath.

The War Wrath, a terrible thing, truly. A state where alliance, politics, family, friends, pain, and happiness became meaningless. The only thing that mattered was the death of his enemy.

Applejack, unfortunately, had become such a target.

His tunnel-vision had her locked in the red haze that the world had become. She would fall to him, and she would be a decadent treat.

He never saw the white earth pony falling on him.

Silver Pauldron’s hammer smashed into the beast’s helm, bending it into the charging beast’s head. It was dead on impact.

Silver, unfortunately, misjudged his target’s speed, and he was caught by the creature’s skidding form.

Thrown back, Silver skidded to a stop at the feet of the farmpony general.

She stared down at him.

He looked up her.

They blinked.

“Good morning, Miss,” Silver said.

“Uh...mornin’,” she answered.

“Been doing alright?”

Applejack paused. What was going on? This normal conversation had just popped up in the middle of all this. What kind of a pony just said “Good morning” on a battlefield? It was such a normal thing to say, here, in the most unusual of places. She made to answer, but paused before tears began to roll down her face.

“Ah’m-Ah’m fine,” she quivered.

Silver blinked before standing.

“Ma’am?”

“Ah said Ah’m fine!” she yelled, her tears betraying her.

Silver stood in front of her, “Ma’am?”

“Didn’t ya hear me? Ah’m fine!” Oh Celestia, she was falling to pieces. Now? Did it have to be now? In front of a stallion she didn’t know, of all things!

Silver grasped her in a hug. “I heard you ma’am. But it seems you may have sprained your ankle.”

It took a second for Applejack to realize what he had meant.

The stallion was not hugging her, no, he was simply holding her up so she could get off her “sprained” ankle.

“O-of course, thank you for supporting me.”

“No problem, ma’am, should I escort you to the paramedics so they could get a good look at it?”

“No,” Applejack said through tears, “No, Ah’ll be fine. Ah-just give me a moment.”

Silver nodded, “Of course, Miss.”

Tears continued to streak down her face. She did her best to bite back a sob as she dug her muzzle into his chest. “It-it just ain’t right.”

“No, miss, it isn’t. It never is.”

Shining Armor scowled.

At this rate they would lose the second wall.

“Hey, Shining, falling asleep back there?” a voice said behind him.

“No, just thinking, Twily,” he answered, bashing a griffon with another magical shield.

The siblings stood back to back, attacking the assailants with every bit of magic they could spare. Shining had four, small, round shields hovering around him, each one reminiscent of another great hero that walked an alternate earth, but that isn’t important. Twilight stood facing the opposite direction, firing blasts of pure energy at the incoming attackers.

“Think later,” she said. “Shield please.”

One of Shining’s four shields passed behind him, the color of the magick lighting ever so slightly as it changed owners. Twilight took it carefully, holding it in front of her before launching it forward with every ounce of her magical might. The shield turned into a bullet, flying forward as a tail of excess mana lit up the air behind it. The griffons that had been standing in its way were quickly battered either to the side or backwards.

A second later, the shield returned flying backwards and crashing into even more griffons as it came.

It froze right in front of Twilight who said a simple “Thank you,” before returning the shield to her brother.

The mana darkened again to its original color as the elder sibling took back control. “You’re welcome,” he said, before bashing another face in.

They worked quickly and efficiently, blowing the ranks of the incoming invaders apart. Unfortunately, they were only two ponies, and two ponies could only do so much.

Shining could see the others begin to back away as the griffons began to overtake them.

“We’re going to have to pull back.” he said, sending a shield flying like a discus.

Twilight didn’t say anything.

“Did you hear me?”

“I did,” she answered. “I just don’t want to give up this wall after so many died defending it.”

“Orders are orders, Twily, and I heard Alan’s order to you.”

“Stay alive.”

Twilight sighed. “Can’t make this easy on me, can you?”

Shining smiled. “Just following orders.”

Twilight glared at him, but returned the smile eventually.

Shining chuckled before he brought his shields together to re-form the plow. “Besides, I want to keep my L.S.B.F.F. alive too.”

The Little Sister Best Friend Forever chuckled.

Alan was awake again, and this time it was his turn to hold the gate.

Judgement sang as it flew through the air, the blessed steel biting through armor as though it were nothing. Grabbing his last throwing knife, he tossed it sideways, not so much hoping for the blade to bite as much as the piece of metal to stun someone.

“When attacking multiple opponents,” Arthur had said, “Make every strike count. Eyes, throat, lung, heart, liver, hands, whatever it takes to stop one opponent.”

It was a darker thought than most that came from the King’s mouth, but it proved to be invaluable advice.

A griffon screamed as he flew off the bridge, clutching his face where his eyes had been.

A spear, plundered from a dead pony, thrust up towards him.

The sword came up, parrying it to the side, and a griffon quickly got into the opening that had been created, claws ready to rip out his intestines.

A screech sounded, and with a flurry of feathers, Volo scratched at the attackers face.

“So you are here,” Alan smirked, talking to the bird.

Volo answered with a shriek, before flying off to do whatever it was that she had been doing.

Alan shook his head, that bird had come with him and then immediately made herself scarce.

What was with that?

Pulling his knife again, he drove it up through a griffon’s jaw, the blade piercing the brain case.

He went to pull it out, but it was caught on...something.

Alan dropped the knife, preferring to drop that line of thinking as well. He chanced a look at it as it tumbled off the bridge along with the griffon.

He shouldn’t have been watching.

A sudden swipe from an iron capped claw came down on his head.

It was by pure luck that he saw it in time to barely dodge. However, even as he turned his head, he felt the cold metal biting into his cheek, a millimeter from his eye, if that.

He blindly kicked out, and he felt his boot meet resistance before it gave way.

He quickly looked at his opponent, but stopped when he saw something large and black hang in front of his vision.

His hand lifted up to grab the thing in front of his face, and with a gentle pull it fell into his hand.

He looked down and the black piece of hardened fabric, shredded as it was. The only recognizable piece to it was the leather band with silver coin-like beads that surrounded it.

“You ruined my hat,” he said.

He looked up at the griffon, who looked horribly confused with this new series of events.

“I paid good money for this hat. I looked good in this hat!” he yelled. “This hat made me look awesome!”

The griffons looked at each other and blinked.

“You shall pay for this insolence! For this crime against Awesomeness you shall pay! Have at thee, Vile Chicken Spawn!”

And so, with what was possibly the strangest battlecry in the history of Equestria, the great hero of Awesomeness, Alan’s hat, passed away.

The gates slammed shut.

Everypony had been pulled back to the third wall, and they were finally able to close the gate.

Alan slid down the oak door, sitting on the cold marble ground, panting heavily.

“Well, that was tough.”

“You okay?” Shining Armor panted beside him.

“Yeah,” Alan replied. “I just got a cut is all. You?”

Shining smiled, still panting, “Not a scratch, but I’m as tired as Spike on Reshelving Day.”

The two shared a laugh, before Alan got up, grunting as he did. “We can’t stay here. We’ve still got work to do.”

Shining groaned.

Alan put his finger to his ear. “General Fluttershy.”

“Ah, yes?” she asked, her voice sounded a little louder than before.

“We’ve had to retreat to the third level, they’re getting too close, we need to start moving the wounded inside the palace.”

There was silence for a second. “Move them?” the pegasus repeated. “Oh no, oh no, no, no, no, no, no, no. We can’t do that, some of these ponies are seriously hurt. It’d take a team of ten ponies to move a few of these patients, and we just don’t have that many ponies to spare.”

“I’ll send some up from here to help out with—”

The oak door shuddered behind him, as a boom sounded.

“Oh, shoot,” Alan whined.

Another boom as a battering ram, probably that same pine, slammed into the gate. “Sorry, Flutters, you’re going to have to do that yourself. We’ve got company at the gate.”

“I don’t have the ponypower to do that, Alan. Some of these ponies could get seriously hurt if we don’t move them just right.”

Alan opened his mouth to say something but was quickly interrupted. “Go, Alan. Help our soldiers.”

Alan turned to see Princess Celestia standing behind him. Around her neck hung a chestplate of red metal. In the center of the armor, carefully molded by pony hooves, was a perfect replica of a Phoenix's head. Around it, radiating from the birds’ head, were hundreds of individually crafted feathers, each painstakingly etched into the red metal.

Her shoes, instead of the golden regalia, were replaced by armored shoes, made of the same red metal. The etched feathers, so solid and defined at the base seemed to turn to flames as they reached up to the top of the shoes. Her crown had also been replaced with a circlet made of the same red metal. It came up, over her brow and bridging the top of her horn. The top ridge of the crown resembled fire, and the center of it held a bright yellow gem.

“I will hold the gate,” she said.

“Uh...Princess,” Alan began.

She ignored him, looking up at the sun. “I can hold it for one hour, no more, no less.”

“Princess, I—”

“This is not my first battle, Pendragon,” she interrupted, “and the Minotaurs have yet to forget it.” Her eyes narrowed as she stared at the gate. She sighed. “Sir Alan do not question me on this, go, help the wounded. I will deal with these.”

Alan nodded. “Shining, come on, we got some work to do.”

The pony nodded, as Alan left, barking orders to the ponies, telling them to hold the walls while telling others to start moving the wounded.

The oak door shuddered again.

“You don’t need to do this, Celly,” a voice said beside her.

She turned to see Death, a grim, haggard look on his face, staring at her. “You need not taint yourself with war again.”

She sighed. “I will not have it said that I stood by while Canterlot fell to ruins, Death. My ponies are mine to protect.”

Death nodded. “I know.”

She gave him a soft smile. “I will be alright, Death. They cannot touch me.”

“I know,” he repeated, before kissing her cheek. “I just don’t like seeing you reduced to this.”

She returned the kiss. “I’m sorry, Death.”

The black alicorn sighed. “I’m sorry too.”

Boomf. Boomf. Boomf.

The battering ram splintered as it rammed into the gate. The iron banded door stood solid.

“Hit it again!” the commander shouted.

Boomf. Boomf. Boomf.

Suddenly, the doors were caught in a golden aura, and exploded outward. Griffons went flying as the oak doors were ripped from their hinges and went flying off into the distance.

Beyond the gate stood the tall, white, nightmarish form of Celestia. Her mane was an inferno, crackling as the flames leapt into the air. Her eyes were white depths of blinding light, and her armor glinted in the light of the setting sun.

Then she spoke.

It was like the sound of thunder, and it shook the griffons before her to their knees. “I am Princess Celestia the Firstborn, Queen of the Day! I am the Fire of Life, Mistress of a Thousand Flames! I am the Solar Sentinel, High Ruler of Equestria! Tens of thousands of generations have crumbled to dust in my wake, and tens of thousands will follow before I am spent!” The sky suddenly darkened, and the red sun turned grey. A beam, a comet of fire suddenly flashed overhead. Before the eyes of the griffons, it suddenly fell, rocketing to earth.

It slammed through the bridge, breaking the stone apart, and down onto the level below, leaving a smoking crater.

From it rose a massive war hammer. The metal was white, trimmed with brilliant gold and scarlet red. In the center of the hammer was a brilliant gem, but it burned with a light so bright that the griffon’s could not keep their eyes on it.

“Thou hast declared war on Equestria,” the Princess said, still using the Royal Canterlot voice. “To threaten her, is to threaten us.” Her hammer rose beside her, and it smoked form the heat radiating off of it. “Come then, may the brave among thee meet a quick death.”

No one moved.

And then the Princess charged.

No one stood before her, no one dared to raise so much as a talon against her, because as they looked on in terror at her fell countenance, they could only wonder, if she were to die, what would happen to the sun?

“We’ll need more time,” Alan realized.

A sinking feeling hit him in the pit of his stomach.

Princess Celestia had given him one hour, no more, no less, and already, 45 minutes have passed. The issue was not even half of the ponies had been moved, and it would take maybe another hour or so to get the rest.

Looking up at the grey twilight, Alan bit his lip, he needed to get back down to the gate. He needed a strong group of ponies next to him this time.

He wouldn’t be able to hold the gate by himself again.

Cursing under his breath, he spoke into the communicator. “Fluttershy, we’ve run out of time, we’ve got to head back to the gate.”

“But, the ponies—”

“Al, got some bad news for ya,” Applejack’s voice interrupted. “We ain’t going to be able to hold this wall, they’re too many flyers for us to hold ‘em back.”

“Al! Al!” Pinkie’s voice cut in. “Munitions stores are down to fifteen percent! We can’t keep firing like this!”

“Al, hate to interrupt,” Dashie added, “but we can’t keep up with the flyers either. There’re just too many.”

Alan bit his lip.

Buck my life.

“Begin to retreat to the fourth wall, and grab as many of the wounded as you can. Shining, head to the gate.”

“Yes sir!” they answered.

Celestia paused, her hammer laying before her, and checked the sky.

The twilight hour was darker than it should be. It looked maybe two hours darker than it should, honestly.

She sighed. Her hour was up.

Any longer and she would jeopardize the safety of the entire planet. Her hammer was a part of the sun itself. Taking from it made the sun weaker, as well as its gravitational pull. She could wield it safely for an hour every couple of months, but doing more than that could doom all of Equestria to an eternal winter.

And so she looked down the length of the hammer’s slender handle, and stared deep into the eyes of the griffon at its end. “Do not test me again,” she said, her tone quiet and composed.

The griffon nodded, eyes wide in abject terror.

And then, with a thought, she dismissed her weapon. It flew upward into the sky, lighting on fire as it did, and then it streaked back towards the sun. For a moment, there was nothing, and then the world got a bit brighter.

Celestia stood, her eyes darkening, and her mane dieing down to the normal corona of colors.

Then, with a single, gentle flap of her wings, she lifted herself up and walked into the gate.

The griffon that had escaped death by a literal second looked up at the entrance to the next level of the castle, and then turned tail and ran for his life.

It was perhaps, the wisest choice he had ever made.

Alan, Shining Armor, and Silver Pauldrons all stood in the fourth and last gate of Canterlot Castle. Before them, ranks upon ranks of griffons. Behind them, the last remnants of the wounded ponies. Above them stood most of the soldiers, while a few still trickled through into the gate.

The three would hold it in the meantime.

Sword, shield and hammer held the gate for all it was worth, killing more and more griffons as they pushed towards the gate.

A griffon charged, throwing himself at the human. Alan replied with the business end of his sword.

With the sudden weight now at the end of his sword, Alan felt Judgement fall point-down to the ground. Before he could retrieve the point from the corpse and regain control, another griffon jumped him.

His hand moved up, almost subconsciously, and caught the griffon by the throat. Letting go of his sword for a moment, he, acting quickly, lifted the creature up and brought it down on his knee, snapping the spine like a stick.

He blinked, shocked at his own actions, before noticing the griffons were equally shocked, frozen on the other end of the bridge.

He blinked, before spouting the first thing that came to his mind. “I am Pendragon Alan Williams of Earth!” he yelled. “I am Half-Dragon! Heir of Arthur! Defeater of Discord!” A flashback to the video game Oblivion hit him. “I am the Hero of Kvatch! Arch-mage of Cyrodiil! Listener of the Black Hand! I am Dovahkiin, Dragonborn, Thane of all of the cities from Markarth to Riften! I am the Hero of Time, wielder of the Master Sword! I am the Scourge of Azeroth, Savior of Albion! I am the Mentor of the Assassin’s and keeper of their Creed! I have raised empires, commanded armies, and brought low civilizations with but a push of my finger!” He thumped his chest with a closed fist. “I am Pendragon, and I fear neither death nor pain! Come at me and we shall see if you can say the same! Come at me!”

No one moved.

And then the griffons scattered, giving the three a brief break.

Alan then wrenched the blade from the dead corpse, and wiped the blade clean on the pelt.

“Um, Al...” Shining began.

“Yeah?”

“Was any of that, like the hero of Kvatch and stuff, real?”

“Virtually,” Alan answered. “Ask Twilight about video games sometime. She’ll tell you everything you need to know.”

Before Shining could say anything further, the griffons had regrouped.

“By Alan’s Numerous Titles,” Silver sighed, “here we go again.”

The gate was shut and every available pony was on the walls. Griffons and pegasi filled the night air, the full moon providing the only light.

“Fluttershy, status report!” Alan yelled.

“We still need more time!” she pleaded.

“We don’t have the time! The griffons are pushing us back, and we can barely hold them. If they get past us, they can get straight to the tents!”

A loud voice coming from behind him got his attention. “Doth our ears deceive us? Or does our Pendragon require our aid?”

Alan turned to see Princess Luna. The Lunar Mistress stood tall, dressed in silver armor much like her sister. Her chest piece, rather than the phoenix head, was adorned with an owl’s face. The edges of her shoes and circlet, rather than flames, were topped with tall star-like protrusions.

“Princess Luna,” Alan said bowing. “Your help would be appreciated, where shall I put you?”

The princess laughed. “You need not worry about positions and strategies with me, Pendragon. Call back your soldiers, I will hold the wall.”

Alan blinked. “The entire wall?”

She smiled. “Our sister possesses power, however, for it she is slow to move.”

The night suddenly darkened, and Alan looked up to the moon was not as full as it had been. A blinding white comet was now heading straight for the lunar Princess.

“I, however, possess...” she paused for a second, holding out her hoof, when the comet suddenly streaked forward.

In what seemed to be slow motion, for surely he would have never been able to see it otherwise, a six-foot-long glaive, the handle as black as night, the head gleaming white, rammed down to meet its wielder. Alan barely noticed the point of the sword-like blade touch the Princess’s shod hoof. She then brought her hoof up, spinning the polearm in a perfect circle, before it came to rest, hovering inches from her upheld hoof.

“Grace,” she finished, before a single beat of her wings sent her airborne.

Alan watched, eyes wide, as he watched Luna zip through the sky, flying faster than either pegasi or griffon.

He blinked before saying, “Alright, everypony, let’s move these wounded, the Princess has got us covered.”

With the last pony inside the palace, the doors slammed shut.

Luna held them for as long as she could, but eventually had to return her spear to it’s rightful place, lest the tides turn evilly, and sailors met their dooms on the rocks.

Now, the 1032 remaining infantry ponies, were locked in the palace foyer. Outside, Dashie’s 299 pegasi were still combating many of the griffons, while protecting Pinkie’s 393 artillery ponies.

The noise of that same battering ram hitting the door began to sound.

Boomf. Boomf. Boomf.

The gold door of the palace shook with every hit. They were ornate, decorative things, they weren’t made for war.

It wouldn’t be long.

“General Fluttershy!” Alan yelled over the hubbub of ponies as they began to move the Princess’ priceless furniture to bar the door.

“Yes?” the pegasus said, hovering over the crowd of earth ponies and unicorns.

“Where are the wounded?”

“I’ve moved them to the basements and kitchens.”

“Good, make sure they’re safe!”

Boomf. Boomf. Boomf.

The ponies that were not scrambling, began to stand there, staring at the door. Some in anxiousness, others in fear.

“Dashie, you’re my eyes and ears out there, what’s going on?”

“I’ve got a visual on the Running Thunders, they’re surrounded. It doesn’t look good.”

“Pinkie?” Alan asked.

“I’ve got three rockets left.”

A pony began to scream, “We’re all going to die!” Most ignored him, and Alan prayed they would continue to do so.

Boomf. Boomf. Boomf.

Something stirred in Alan, a memory. Men took the place of ponies as they rushed in the stone hall, dragging tables and the like to the door as the drone of the battering ram filled his ears.

Boomf. Boomf. Boomf.

An old man, with a white beard and grey-blond hair stood, seemingly dazed. His dented black, red and gold armor gleaming in the early morning light. He spoke, his voice calm, and disconnected from the flurry of activity around him. “So much death. What can men do against such reckless hate?”

Another man, one who seemed far younger, wearing worn and torn leather armor stood next to him. “Ride out with me. Ride out and meet them.”

“Alan?” a voice asked, breaking him from his moment.

He turned to see Twilight, along with Shining and Silver, all staring at him expectantly.

He looked at the three of them, and paused before saying, “Are you with me?”

Silver smirked. “I wouldn’t be here otherwise.”

Shining shared the look. “Well, I guess,” he joked.

Twilight looked up at him, and hesitated. His eyes looked...sad. Terribly sad. It seemed wrong that the human that had just saved her life a few hours ago, so filled with rage could seem so sad now.

She couldn’t say no to those eyes.

“I’ve had my doubts once already, I’m not going to leave you again.”

He nodded before he stood and shouted “Somepony get me a chariot!”

The request turned a few heads. What? A Chariot? Why would he need one of those?

“Get me a chariot!” Alan repeated.

Three or so ponies scattered, heading to...wherever the chariots were kept.

They quickly returned, chariot in tow as the rest of the soldiers looked on in curiosity.

Alan stood in the chariot, and turned to face the soldiers. “I need two brave volunteers.”

Silver and Shining stood forward. “Here, sir.”

Alan smiled at them. “Thank you, my brothers.”

Without another word, the two stallions began to hook themselves up to the chariot.

Alan turned back to the soldiers, and said simply, “Charge out with me.”

The only sound that could be heard was the drone of the battering ram.

Boomf. Boomf. Boomf.

“Here we are,” Alan said, “caught between the hammer and anvil. Behind us, nothing but walls and the injured! Before us, an enemy wishing to exterminate us!”

“Out there is our enemy,” Alan said. “Out there are griffons who came to Canterlot expecting a rag-tag militia that would roll-over at the first sight of blood. Out there is an enemy that came here, expecting this battle to be won in a day.

“Out there is an enemy that we have proven wrong!”

Alan’s eyes swept over the soldiers. “Not four days ago, you stood here as carpenters, sculptors, musicians, potters, librarians and shopkeepers. But now you have been baptized by blood and fire. Now you stand as brave soldiers, soldiers that our enemy was not expecting.

Alan smiled at the ponies. “I am proud of you, every single one of you. You have proven yourselves beyond a shadow of a doubt, and I am proud to call you my brothers and sisters in arms.”

He turned back to the door as it shuddered beneath the blows of the battering ram. “But our enemy is still out there. They are out there, and they want to come in here, and destroy us, to reaffirm their position as the greatest warriors in Equestria. A position that you, my little ponies, have threatened.”

“You brave mares and stallions have fought, bled, and died for those walls, for those stones,” he said, pointing to the door as it shuddered. “You have fought for you friends and families. You bled for your homes and cities. You’ve died for this city, and do you know what that tells me? It tells you aren’t the ponies you once were.”

Trixie, from amongst the crowd, seemed caught by those words.

“It tells me that where there was once nervousness, there is now confidence. It tell me where there was once weakness, there is strength, where there was once lies and deceit, is now honesty.”

Alan pointed at the crowd. “You are not the same ponies that walked into Canterlot. You are not bakers, or cooks, or waiters, or farmers. So I have to ask, what are ye?”

Trixie shouted “Soldiers, sir!”

“What was that?” Alan asked.

“Soldiers, sir!” Trixie yelled again, louder this time.

“What? I couldn’t hear you over the sound of the griffons’ knees knocking!”

“Soldiers, sir!” more of the ponies yelled.

“What are ye?”

“Soldiers, sir!” the crowd chanted back.

“Soldiers!” Alan cried. “And the bravest, strongest soldiers I have ever met at that. You have been defiant in the face of death, courageous in the face of defeat, and steadfast in the face of everything that has been thrown at you.”

“Now tell me,” Alan said. “Tell me what you are.”

“We are soldiers!”

“Soldiers fight for their friends!” Alan yelled.

“Ya Ya Huley!” the ponies answered.

“Soldiers fight for their families!”

“Ya Ya Tarvisa!”

“Soldiers fight for their friends!”

“Ya Ya Huley!”

“Soldiers fight for their homes!”

“Ya Ya Tarvisa!”

“Soldiers fight for their Princesses!”

“Ya Ya Huley!”

“Soldiers fight for their countries!”

“Ya Ya Tarvisa!”

“So charge out with me, my little ponies! If this is to be our end, we will make it such an end!”

“Ya Ya Huley!”

The door shuddered.

Boomf. Boomf. Boomf.

“Let us meet them in battle!”

“Ya Ya Tarvisa!”

“Let the horn of Arthur be heard in Canterlot one last time!”

Boomf. Boomf. Boomf.

“Ya Ya Huley!”

“Now for Wrath!”

“Ya Ya Tarvisa!”

“Now for Ruin!”

“Ya Ya Huley!”

“For Celestia! For Luna! For Equestria!”

“Ya Ya Tarvisa!”

The griffons slammed into the golden door, their final bash finally breaking the doors.

Only to be stopped as a sound wave of fear met them.

And then, from the gates burst a golden chariot, led by a golden-clad earth pony and a unicorn. The latter’s horn blazing as a mana plow led them. But then they saw the human, gripping the rim of the chariot with one hand while his other held the white blade that seemed to glow in the moonlight.

Behind them came the entire force of the Equestrian army.

Pinkie saw it all from the deck of the Ira, and she instantly knew what she had to do.

She had to break the fourth wall.

No, not that fourth wall, silly.

The fourth wall of the castle.

It was Sylacauga marble, and it had a salt-and-pepper granite rubble core, sturdiest thing she ever saw. However, the mortar was terracotta based, rather than the stronger pozzolan mortar that most of the more modern stone buildings were made from.

What? She grew up on a rock farm.

The point was, one well placed rocket, and things would get messy for the griffons real fast.

Grinning, the pink pony ran to the nearest rocket, one of her remaining three, and taking aim, fired it.

The red ball of fire blasted into the side of the wall, and broke it apart, sending rubble flying through the air, smashing griffons as they stood and ran from the oncoming charge.

And then it happened.

The griffon army broke.

Screams of terror filled the dust-laced air as the avian creatures began to flee.

It was too much.

They had been promised an easy victory against a cowardly and meek opponent. Instead they had been met with war horses and explosions.

Many of them took to the air, others quickly covered their heads in signs of surrender, and others still ran blindly away from the charge.

The siege was over.

Equestria had prevailed.

Equestria had prevailed, but at what cost?

Alan walked the many halls that now housed the wounded, moving from table to table to be there in their last moments.

Moans and groans echoed around the room as nurse moved to and fro, administering painkillers and, in the worst cases, overdoses.

More than one nurse had fled to some corner to cry.

Alan carefully stroked the hoof of a spear pony, as he slowly slipped away to death, tears in his eyes.

This was his fault.

If he hadn’t been here, this wouldn’t have happened.

None of these ponies would have died. Thundersight would still be alive.

This was all his fault.

A split hoof fell on his shoulder. “Half-Dragon, come, please.”

Alan turned to see the scarred face of one of the buffalo braves.

There were only ten left, including the chief.

Why did he feel the number was about to drop to nine?

Alan gave the cold hoof one last stroke, before following the buffalo.

Alan was almost surprised to see the chief lying on what would become his deathbed.

“Half-Dragon,” Thunderhooves greeted. “It is good to see you, one last time.”

"I wish it wasn’t the last,” Alan said, doing his best to give the bison chief a weak smile.

“Stop, you need not cry for me, you led me and my braves to a good death.”

Alan sat next to the dying chief. “Is there anything you want me to do, Chief Thunderhooves?”

The chief's smile faded as he slowly nodded his head. “My father once said, those who die young have many regrets. However, perhaps you could make my soul rest a little easier.” He coughed. “I want you to go to my tribe, and tell Little Strongheart, tell my daughter, she is to be the next chief. My tribe will not question the Half-Dragon’s word, they will not argue. Please, do this for me.”

Alan looked at the chief, and he saw something. He saw years of pain and regret, years of worry and fear hidden behind fake indifference. He saw a father that had been eating himself alive for the past twenty years as he attempted to disown his own daughter. He saw a dad wanting to make things right.

He saw a father’s last wish for his daughter.

“I will do it,” Alan said.

Thunderhooves smiled at him. “You are a strong leader, Half-Dragon, now I must go to my fathers. Stay strong, and may your road stretch ever longer.”

Celestia sat in her throne room, surrounded by her brave army.

It was morning, and the griffon prisoners had been rounded up and treated. The soldiers had been given a chance to rest and clean themselves up, and now they had all be gathered here.

On her right side sat Luna on her own throne, and to her left stood her six generals.

All that remained was Alan.

This was to be the moment of his reward, the one that Faust had told her to give him. Of course, her mother had been incredibly vague...but she was sure she’d figure it out.

“Where is he?” she heard Twilight hiss to her side.

“He’s with the wounded,” Fluttershy answered. “He wanted to make sure they were all okay.”

Twilight didn’t respond.

Celestia smiled as she waited.

And then he entered.

Alan’s ripped duster fluttered behind him as he approached. Dirt and blood were caked on his face, and the bloodied bandage on his side looked like it needed replacing. His hair was an unruly mess, and he had dark rings under his eyes.

His pants, however, were in surprisingly good condition.

He slowly walked towards the throne, saying nothing as he approached. His eyes never wandered from the Princess.

“Atten-shun!” someone from the ranks of ponies yelled. The soldiers quickly snapped to their position, backs straights, necks tall. “Sa-lute!” As one, hundreds of hooves rose to foreheads, saluting the Pendragon as he passed.

Alan said nothing.

He stood at the foot of the throne before he knelt, looking up at the Princess.

“Pendragon Alan Williams of Earth,” Celestia said, “Heir of Arthur, Defeater of Discord, Hero of Canterlot, you have done well.”

Alan said nothing.

“You came here as a stranger, you made friends, and you made enemies. You brought peace, and you brought war, but I doubt you will find one among those gathered here that would regret your presence.”

Alan said nothing.

“So now, for outstanding bravery, courage, and defiance in the face of oppression, we would like to honor you, Pendragon, with a reward, whatever you ask of us, we shall grant.”

Alan said nothing.

And then he spoke. “Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, you honor me too greatly. There are ponies that have died in the past few days that showed greater courage than me. There are ponies still alive that showed greater defiance. However, if you would permit me, there is still one thing I would ask.”

Alan looked up at the two sovereigns before saying “I have lived in Equestria for more than a full year now, and it has been a great year. The best year of my life, and I know many a man back on earth that would give up both arms and legs to be here, but...”

He hesitated, his eyes dropping to the ground. “But I don’t belong here. My presence here has brought ruin on Canterlot and her ponies. There are dead ponies who would yet be alive if not for me. I have been selfish, violent, and most importantly, dangerous.

“Perhaps, with time, I could forgive myself these transgressions. Maybe one day, I will look back and forgive even the griffons for their actions, but even so...Even so, I cannot overcome the truth that I am alone.”

He looked over to the generals.

“Not truly alone, I mean, I have friends here, a place to sleep, a pet even. But there is no one like me. There is no other human that walks this earth, no woman to keep me company, no mother to comfort me, no childhood friends to understand me, no child, no son or daughter, and while I may gain these things here, I fear that my human blood would keep them from me.”

He looked back up to the Princess. “So, Princesses, I ask, with a heavy heart, that you send me back home.”

Twilight looked on with wide eyes and open mouth. Send him home?

Rainbow Dash had tears in her eyes.

Pinkie’s mane deflated, and her coat darkened.

Rarity covered a gasp with her hoof.

Applejack removed her hat as she looked on with a frown, and Fluttershy looked like she was on the verge of tears.

Twilight wanted to say something. She had to say something. She didn’t want him to go, she wanted him to stay...with her...

Celestia looked at him long and hard.

Alan...dear Alan...

So unique, so young.

There were dragons who hated him.

The Bison were honored by him.

The Griffons had isolated him.

The Ponies were led by him.

His friends loved him.

And he hated himself.

He felt his blood and his form was his curse.

He felt a human could never live here, in Equestria.

She knew what she had to do.

“So be it,” she said, her horn glowing with golden light as she tapped into her Mother's magic.

Alan looked up, his eyes wide, “What? No, wai—”

Suddenly there was a brilliant flash of light, and the human was gone.

And in his place stood a white unicorn.

The pony blinked. “—ait...”

His black mane was a stark contrast to his white coat, and his hooves seemed to be made of gold. His flank was adorned with a simple ebony shield with a silver sword running down its length.

Celestia smiled. “Alan Williams of Earth is no more, he does not belong. Alan Goldenhoof of Equestria, however, belongs. He and his offspring, the line of golden hooves, shall always belong. Welcome home, Alan.”

The pony sat on his haunches, blinking again.

“Uh, Alan?”

The pony looked down at his forehooves, blinking slowly.

They seemed to be made of solid gold.

He looked up at his mane, which hung over his face.

Then he looked at his tail, watching it flicker.

Then back at his hooves.

“I seem to be missing my fingers,” he said finally.

And then he exploded.

Not literally exploded, mind you. It was more along the lines of him turning into the human—er—pony pinball.

Alan bounced around the room, laughing giddily, reaching ridiculous speeds as a new metabolism suddenly took over. He was a white and black blur, bouncing across the room at speeds that would make Pinkie jealous.

Suddenly he stopped, standing in front of said partier, speaking at an incomprehensible speed.

“Pinkie-we-should-totally-party-like-right-now! It-would-be-super-fun-you-bring-the-games-and-the-food! Speaking-of-food-I'm-hungry-are-you-hungry? Because-I'm-totally-hungry! Rainbow-Dash!” he cried, bounding in front of the pegasus. “Dashie-do-you-want-to-race-because-I-totally-want-to-race-right-now! I-have-so-much-energy-right-now-it's-like-a-sugar-high-times-four-hundred! Energy-enegry-energy-energy!”

Rainbow Dash began to back away slowly.

“Oh-I'm-so-giddy-right-now! Giddy-up-in-fact! Haha! Horse-humor! Wheee!” Alan yelled, bouncing around wildly.

“So-much-to-do!” he cried. “So-much-to-see! So-much-to-taste! So-much-to—” he paused for a second, and then fell flat on his face.

Everypony collectively blinked.

Was he dead?

Then they heard Alan snore.

“Well,” Celestia muttered. “Honestly didn’t expect he'd react like that.”

Okay, okay, I know what you’re thinking. Yes, I turned him into a pony. No, I did not make him a Gary Stu. No, I'm not doing this on a whim. Yes, this is necessary for the future of the story. I’m trying to break molds, ok? Just work with me here.

“Okie, Dokie, Lokie...”

Well its better than sending him back isn’t it?

“You got a point there.”

“Oh definitely. However, I say you should send him back as he is now and let the lulz ensue. One question though. What happened to the pants that he had on before the change?”

I’ll get to those. Anyways, just trust me, I have a reason for doing this, in fact what’s going to happen is—

“Don’t ruin the surprise! It’s a surprise!”

Ok, I won’t. See you guys next time!

“You know the drill by now, comment and all that good stuff.”

Bye!