My head pounds as agony runs alongside the left side of my face and the base of my horn, the world around me spinning out of control as I stare upwards into the overhanging branches, the vision in my left eye failing me. Hearing the screams around me brings me back to reality, the sounds of heavy fighting what would otherwise be a peaceful night.

Lifting my forehooves, I raise them in front of my muzzle as stare at the fresh blood as it trickles down my limbs from a series of fresh cuts. Before I can react any further, my head tilts to the left as Aurora leans over me, her own wounds along her neck painting her coat a faint crimson.

I quickly feel her magic grabbing at the collar of my combat shirt as her horn glows brightly. As she steps over me and out of view, I find myself being slowly dragged along the floor on my back. As I'm pulled along the cold and jagged floor, I raise my head to look over the others around me.

The machine gun crew appear to have been unaffected by the blast of the field gun, maintaining full control of the weapon as they fire back and forth over the enemy line. Night Striker is nowhere to be seen, his earlier position alongside me being occupied by Chaser as he fires his Aerial Gauntlet at the hostile field gun, hitting the loader as he attempts to reload the powerful fixed weapon. Bodies litter the battlefield, both Diamond Dogs and Ponies are spread out over the open ground between both lines, many of them writhing in agony from their wounds while others lie motionless in the mud.

Once I come to a stop, Aurora reaches into her medical pouch with her magic and withdraws a series of bandages as she looks at me with concern. Before I can say anything, she is quickly securing the bandage around my neck, the pressure partially making it more difficult to breathe as I feel the cloth quickly becoming soaked.

With the bandage secured, she once again rummages through her pouch and withdraws a medical syrette. Popping the cap off with her magic, she twists the syrette in her aura before jabbing me the hindleg. The pain instantly subsides, not entirely but enough to prevent me from crying out in agony as the concoction within masks my pain.

Pinning the syrette to the collar of my combat shirt, she levitates her rifle alongside her as she leans closer to me. "Just stay put. We'll get you out of here as quickly as we can. I need to help the others."

I'm unable to argue or hesitate as she disappears out of view, my drugged and damaged body working against any attempts I have of getting back up and assisting the others. Turning my head to the side, I quickly recoil as I find Night Striker staring blankly at me. His eyes remain locked on me, devoid of any life as he remains entirely motionless. It becomes apparent that his injuries were instantly fatal, his throat appearing to have been slit from side to side as a large piece of shrapnel protrudes from alongside his jugular.

I tear my eyes away from him, forcing my body to roll in the opposite direction so that my legs are trapped underneath my body. With my head locked downwards, I notice a large puddle just ahead of me with a rifle resting in the mud. My horn erupts in agony as I attempt to reach out with my magic, my concentration is instantly lost as I lift the rifle a mere couple of inches from the ground before dropping back into its previous resting place.

With my magic failing me, I pry my forelegs from underneath my chest and thrown the limbs in front of me. Being unable to stand, I helplessly drag myself through the mud, digging my forehooves into the ground to pull my body closer. It takes me a minute to crawl the short distance, my body aching from the effort of dragging my entire weight along the floor as the steel breastplate digs into the ground.

Finally reaching the target, I hook my forehoof underneath the sling and reel the weapon close to me. Noticing my own reflection in the murky water, I turn my head and quickly freeze as I see my own injuries. The left side of my face and neck have been cut heavily, the bandage already soaked completely in blood as it clings to my neck. My left eye has completely swollen, forcing it shut despite my best efforts to open it.

My heart quickly sinks as I look to my horn. The entire length has been cracked, from the tip all the way to the base. Although the horn can heal slowly over time, cracking your horn can leave a unicorn almost powerless to use their magic, it could even result in further damage if I attempt to forcibly use any of my magic. With my horn cracked, it’s more susceptible to damage. A crack can heal, but breaking off sections of a unicorn's horn can quickly lead to a loss of their magic or their abilities becoming drastically weaker.

The shockwave of another explosion pulls me back to the world, debris landing in the puddle and causing the water to ripple. I once again try to lift myself to my hooves, only for my legs to tremble before giving way. With no other way to move, I use the butt of the rifle to dig into the ground and to use as a post to pull myself along the floor. Slowly, I pull myself back towards the others as soldiers rush past me to reinforce the front.

Making progress, my body falters as I get closer, the strain of dragging myself along with the injuries quickly taking its toll on me as I feel more and more fatigued. Coming to a stop at the incline of a crater, I survey the battlefield. The rest of Charlie and Bravo Section are dug in, periodically lifting themselves out of cover to fire towards the Diamond Dogs. The main weapon keeping everypony at bay has since been reinforced, replacing the injured crew member to continue firing at out positions to keep us at bay.

Twisting the rifle, I drop it before me as I use my forehoof to dig a small groove into the top of the barrier of the crater. Sliding the main body of the weapon into the groove, I use it to support the weapon in order to hold it steady and to aim more effectively.

Pulling the butt into my shoulder, I peer down the iron sights towards the field gun as I slide my hoof into the trigger guard. Lining up the weapon, I slowly twist it so that I'm aiming at the loader. Biting my lip, I focus as much as I physically can through my obscured vision to ensure that the sight lines up with his head as he goes to reload the weapon. Once the gun has fired and the crewmember begins to load a new shell, I pull the trigger.

The trigger clicks, but to my annoyance fails to fire. Pulling my forehoos free, I lift the bolt and strain to pull it to the rear. The spent cartridge is swiftly ejected before I shove the bolt forwards to feed the new round before locking it in place. As I go to realign my sights, I notice the faint glimmer of a lantern which is within the bunker. To my surprise, I'm able to faintly make out the text on the crate which is positioned adjacent to the flammable object, demolition charges.

Finding the more ideal target, I change targets and bring my focus onto the metal base which holds the flammable liquid and the flame within. Exhaling, I cautiously compress the trigger until the rifle fires. Without fully supporting the rifle against my body, it kicks heavily as the barrel jolts upwards. Despite the kick, the round flies true as it pierces the metal container, pouring the flammable liquid onto the surrounding crate as it ignites.

It takes a few moments before the Diamond Dogs realise that the wooden crate has been engulfed in flames. By that point, it is too late. The explosives within detonate in a chain reaction, setting off all of the charges alongside the remaining ammunition. The reinforced position explodes in a large fireball, heavy chunks of flaming concrete rain down on the surroundings as the heavy shockwave throws the surrounding Diamond Dogs to the ground.

With many of the Dogs knocks to the floor and the heavy weapon eliminated, the surrounding officers call for the Equestrian forces to charge. Seizing the opportunity, I watch through my blurred vision as everypony gets to their hooves and rush forward.

The world around me once again begins to fade as my nausea soon overwhelms my body. I find myself unable to support my weight before collapsing on top of the rifle. My eyes drift closed as my breathing becomes more shallow, pain rushing through my body as I fail to fight the exhaustion that overwhelms me. Before too long, everything fades to darkness as I drift off

Sunday 28th September 2014
06:58 / Operation Gatecrasher
Rockwood Keep
Eastern Coast

Kneeling alongside Alpha Section and the Wonderbolts, I scan the far horizon on the other side of the keep as the rising sun begins to illuminate the distant jungle as the sounds of the heavy firefight continues. For the last hour, we have been waiting in position after our small group was able to come ashore and secure a small landing for supplies and the mortar team to join us on the beach.

The main keep itself appears almost medieval in design, tall walls lines the outer perimeter with guards positioned at key points with any ranged weapons they could get their hands on. Field guns have been set along the main bastions, providing cover over the western approach through the jungle and the harbour. The opposite end of the fortress houses the main frontal gates which had since been sealed, followed by the exterior drawbridge which remains locked down as Diamond Dogs rush supplies back and forth of their front lines.

The outer walls along the beach have had a series of makeshift repairs completed in order to plug the gaps which were likely in place when this fortress was abandoned due to the dragon attacks. Large wooden support structures rest on either side of the poorly constructed wall, relying on boulders which could be found to essentially seal the gap by positioning them between the supports. Using the mortars, we'll knock out the field guns so the navy can sail into the harbour and punch a hole through the weakened wall.

Our advance up the surrounding hills was met with little resistance as the vast majority of the lookouts and eastern defences were pulled away and sent to the west to fight off the Equestrian assault. The plan worked, pulling the focus of the Diamond Dogs away from the coast, but perhaps it worked a little too well. We were able to creep up with ease, silently eliminating those who remained to keep watch as we found the ideal location for the mortars to be set up, giving us an elevated position to provide overwatch while ensuring our targets were in range.

The mortars in question were fairly similar to those designed and employed on Earth in the First World War. Being wheeled along on a small frame, they required a crew of five Griffins to tow and position them at the top of the hill. In their current states, they were nowhere near as portable as modern or even those used in Europe in the Forties, but there were far more manoeuvrable than field guns. Once set up, the 7.5cm mortar would have a maximum range of approximately twelve-hundred metres. The firing mechanism was as conventional as it physically could be. The shell would have a safety pin removed before being dropped into the tubing, striking the firing pin and propelling the shell out of weapon before detonating on impact.

With everyone waiting for the signal to begin our assault, I get up from my position and quickly move along the others to ensure they're ready to engage when required. The small section of Griffins, including Gabrielle, are currently hunkered down around their six mortars which were brought ashore, acting primarily as our overwatch and artillery for the push. Due to their role in the operation, I provided them with our machine gun as Gabrielle inspects a trio who are waiting to move it forward.

"You sure you'll be able to use that?" I ask her and the team as they seem to be tentatively clasping onto the tripod.

"I reckon so," One of the Griffonians replies as he runs his talons over the metal.

"They'll be fine," Gabrielle responds with much more confidence in her voice. "I'll be coming in with you. We can trust these guys to hold their own out here."

"I thought you're unit was our cover?" I ask as I unclasp the SA80 from the sling, allowing it to hang loosely along my body as I make the rifle ready.

"Yeah. But, last time me and you went after Silverwing, it nearly ended badly. So, I'm not letting you go in by yourself."

"Have you not seen my team recently?" I add with a soft chuckle. "They've moulded into some of the best soldiers around. Not to mention, I have a new badass unicorn who practically follows my every move."

Gabrielle's smile quickly turns cocky as she points to me with her talon. "This is you we're talking about. You could get the most powerful magical shield protecting you and would somehow still end up getting hurt."

"Yeah... that is a fair point. Welcome aboard," I grin as I lightly slap her on the back before moving along.

The next group I pass is the small team of Equestrian Royal Marines who landed with us ahead of the main force. Their uniform makes them stand out like a sore thumb. They're equipped with red tunics, similar to the parade dress issued to the officers in the Royal Guard. Their coats cling tightly to their bodies, the collars folded over in such a way to show pins displaying their various ranks. The accents of the tunic are lined with golden threads and buttons along with a white leather cross bandolier which holds the magazines for their rifles.

Unlike the Royal Guard and Wonderbolts, the Marines have instead decided to adopt the rifles issued to the Army. The rifles, however, have been cut down to a shorter length. The barrel has been significantly reduced and the magazine capacity halved to only fit five rounds, likely making the weapon more ideal for boarding enemy ships and fighting in close quarters. The final part of their uniforms is an ivory pith helmet which is securely fastened, bearing the golden emblem of Princess Celestia's cutie mark.

"Is everyone ready, Lieutenant?" I ask the mare officer in command of the scouting party of Marines.

The officer responds with a confident nod, "Yes, sir. We're ready and awaiting your signal. Runners have informed us that the main landing is ready to engage as planned. They'll enter the harbour in ten minutes."

"We're beginning imminently. The artillery will open up and we'll prevent any counter-attacks against this line from the Diamond Dogs. Get your team ready."

Finally, the last group are the Wonderbolts being led by Spitfire with Soarin as her second in command. Rather than using their traditional jumpsuits, it appears as though they have now been issued a new combat uniform. Their bright blue jumpsuit has been replaced with a paler set which would likely blend in better amongst cloud cover. Strategically placed over their hooves and chest are armoured pads which consist of multiple Kevlar layers which are positioned over one another, with the Aerial Gauntlet affixed to either side of their forehooves dependant on the preference of the user.

The last and final update which surprised me the most are their helmets. They seem to almost resemble the shape of modern fighter helmets, covering the entirety of the head while leaving the eyes and muzzle exposed with a Wonderbolt insignia painted onto both sides behind the ears. Hanging alongside their muzzles is a leather cover strap which fixes to the underneath their muzzles to secure the helmet in flight. To make up for the exposed eyes, they’re each equipped with a basic set of goggles which easily lift or lower over the front of the helmet.

As I step closer, my eyes lock on the final component which is hidden underneath their helmets. Protruding alongside the base of their muzzle appears to be a small microphone which rests alongside their mouths. Getting a closer inspection as I step up to Spitfire, I notice that the rear of the helmet has a small boxed compartment with a wire linking to the rear of the main helmet. Have they been able to get radios?

Stepping up to the Captain, she turns to face me. "Are we beginning?" She asks with curiosity.

"Any minute now, the mortars will begin firing." Lifting my hand, I gesture towards the exposed microphone. "Are those radios?"

Spitfire nods, "I told you that we were working on our own projects. These were mostly used commercially between security and for PA systems. With the Civil War, we needed an upgrade on our armour in combat. It generated issues of being able to hear one another in battle and in flight, so we adapted the radios."

"Do they work effectively?" I ask, finding myself sceptical at the thought of Equestria having powerful radio equipment.

Spitfire lifts her forehoof, twisting it from side to side. "Kinda. They're only short range. We're talking within ten to twenty metres of one another. Long-range equipment would make it difficult to fly with." She remains silent momentarily as she looks me over. Averting her gaze, she steps to the side and points to a spare helmet. "I suppose you'll be wanting one to tinker with?"

"Not at the moment," I reply. "I'm more of a weapons engineer. Signals equipment was something I was notoriously poor with as an engineer. Though, it would definitely be beneficial in the future if we could improve their range."

"I suppose you provided the Aerial Gauntlets. The least we can do is provide you with radios. After this, I'll give you the requisition forms and we'll see what we can spare."

I nod my head, "I appreciate that, Spitfire."

"Don't mention it... consider it part of an apology for... you know." She seems to shy away slightly towards the end, her eyes refusing to meet mine as they instead look to my boots.

Before I can reply, the sudden pop of the mortars firing causing me to pivot. With the clock hitting seven, the mortars begin to open fire on their preset targets. Grabbing hold of my rifle, I sprint around the new artillery and return to my team as the machine gun crew step forward and begin assembling the weapon at the edge of the overlook towards the main approach on the keep.

Lying down at the edge of the hill, I peer through the SUSAT as I look back and forth over the eastern bastion of the keep. Within seconds, the first volley of mortars impact with the fortifications as the Diamond Dogs are caught completely off guard. The first shells land around their targets, sending debris and Dogs flying through the air from the shockwaves of the explosions. I quickly find myself ducking instinctively as a large explosion erupts from one of the elevated field guns, the ammunition stored alongside it detonating as the powerful blast causes sections of the wall to crumble away.

"Open fire!" I bark at everyone around my position. Within seconds, the heavy flashes of all of the weapons positioned at the top of the hill illuminate our surroundings as we begin picking off targets. The heavy bombardment of rifle rounds and the machine gun begin to tear through the exposed Diamond Dogs, piercing their armour and flesh with ease as they begin to drop in large numbers. Reloading, the mortars begin to fire as fast as the crews can physically rearm their weapons. The constant shelling and rapid-fire sends many of the Dogs dropping to the floor in a desperate attempt to seek cover.

Surveying the main compound, my focus quickly comes to a trio of Griffins alongside a tan Diamond Dog as they rush towards the main reinforced doors which lead inside the main structure. My grip tightens on my rifle as I line up the single point of my optics with the main target, Silverwing.

As the doors open for them, I fire off my first shot. My round goes on target, hurtling straight towards him, only to be intercepted as one of the other Griffins unintentionally step in front of my shot. The bullets causes him to slump forwards before he regains his composure, his armour being able to stop the 5.56mm round at this range. Rushing to not miss my chance, I fire off six rounds in quick succession, my haste quickly becoming my downfall as I don't wait to recover from the recoil before firing the next shot.

Mentally punching myself for missing the prime opportunity, I watch in irritation as they escape inside before the doors seal closed behind them. With my target gone, I soon change my focus back to the bastion, only for my heart to sink as I notice the last remaining field gun gradually turning point towards my position. It seems to turn into a staring match, with myself and the gun crew of the field gun staring at one another as we try to get our weapons on target before the other does.

Instinctively pulling the trigger before the sights are lined up, I flinch as the field gun and surrounding tower explode in a large fireball as debris rains down on the surroundings. I find myself breathing a sigh of relief as my heart races in my chest. Surely I didn't hit the ammunition? How the hell did that happen?

Another rapid volley of explosions along the bastion quickly pulls me away from my train of thought as I turn to the answer. The Equestrian HMS Ursa Minor. The ship itself is one of the newest designs by the Royal Equestrian Navy, a steam-powered paddle boat. The HMS Ursa Minor was designed prior to my arrival in Equestria and was already under construction when I first found myself in this new world. The Light Cruiser entered service in the last days of the Griffonian Civil war but arrived too late to see any combat.

The ship was comprised of a wooden hull with a paddle turbine connected to either side at the centre, being powered by a steam engine within the depth of the ship. Alongside the newly developed engines, the ship is propelled by a trio of traditional sails spaced across the deck. The armament of this ship is not large in comparison to the biggest ships of the Equestrian Navy, but its speed makes up for it. The HMS Ursa Minor is fitted fifteen cannons fixed within the hull on either side, with five situated on deck, giving it twenty guns on either side of the ship.

As the ship lowers its anchor, it quickly remains fixed in position in the bay as it continues to fire again and again on the outer walls of the keep, knocking out whatever defences try to engage it. As it simultaneously begins tearing down the walls piece by piece, the rest of the Royal Marines begin entering the bay behind it, pushing themselves along the otherwise calm waters in a large gathering of rowboats as they push towards the shore.

"Provide covering fire for the Marines!" I instruct Alpha Section as the various members reload their rifles. "Fifthteen rounds a minute! Rapid-fire!" Following my instruction, everyone begins firing at various intervals, effectively turning the section into constant firing line. As everyone fires one by one, the continuous rounds travelling downrange assist the machine gun by suppressing any Dogs which would be brave enough to hop out of cover to take shots at the approaching Marines.

Finishing off my magazine, I pull the steel compartment free from the weapon as the Wonderbolts take to the sky. Beginning with a vertical climb, they rise high above the enemy position before positioning themselves in line with the remaining bastions. Changing directions, they sweep low and fast, strafing the raised platforms and picking off those who remained on top.

Without warning, a black plume of smoke detonates in the air between the fliers, sending debris darting out in every direction. Fortunately, it doesn't seem to catch any of the Wonderbolts, only acting to knock them off course and to break apart their aerial formation.

I'm quickly to find the source of the explosion, an old flak cannon which was previously covered by a canvass has since been moved and set up by the Diamond Dogs, firing up flak rounds to try to break apart the Wonderbolt assault. Despite seeing the top of the artillery piece, I'm not able to get a line of sight on the crew as they're concealed behind various containers and crates scattered throughout the main courtyard.

As the Marines finally land on the beach, the HMS Ursa Minor once again opens fire. The volumes of guns firing on the weakened wall tears apart the support structures, knocking the insecure stones loose as they form an incline to allow the Marines to punch through the wall. Not hesitating the Marines force themselves up the jagged incline and quickly reach the breach in the wall before storming the courtyard on mass.

"Cease fire!" I bark towards the mortar team, ensuring that none of our mortars hit our own troops. "Alpha Section, reload and push hard! We're gonna support the Marines!"

Climbing to my feet, I begin the rapid decline down the hill, my boots scraping across the loose stones as I focus on maintaining my balance. Reaching the bottom, the sudden change of terrain causes me to roll forward as many of the others join me. Recovering, I sprint across the small section of grass as I cut through the overgrown vegetation to push towards the outer walls.

By the time we reach the newly formed entrance to the keep's courtyard, the sounds of swords clattering against one another and war cries fill the air around us. Grabbing onto the large stones, I pull myself up and climb to the top until I reach the opening.

The entire courtyard is filled with Marines engaged in melee skirmishes with the Diamond Dogs, their bayonets attached to the end of their rifles acting as improvised spears as they expertly engage with the enemy. With everyone darting back and forth, taking any shots in this situation with my rifle could easily end up with me shooting a pony in the back. Slinging my rifle, I hook it over my back as I draw my Glock, switching it to my left hand as I take my sword in the right.

Hopping off the destroyed stones, I walk into the courtyard and approach the closest Diamond Dog to me. Being caught up in his fight with one of the marines, I'm able to approach him from behind without being seen. Closing the distance, I plunge my sword into his upper back, the cold steel forcing its way through his chest as the blade protrudes from his chest. Withdrawing the blade, a spray of blood coats my wrist and the guard of my sword before he crumples to the floor.

The sound of a sudden war cry causes me to pivot to the right as a Dog swings a sword in a chopping motion towards my head. Jumping to the side to avoid his strike, I force the Glock against the side of his head, pressing the tip of the barrel below his ear before pulling the trigger. The bullet rips straight through the flesh and bone, fragments of his skull and chunks of brain matter propelling from the open wound as he collapses to the floor with a heavy thud, his body involuntarily twitching.

Stepping across the battlefield, I'm soon engaged by an ivory coloured Diamond Dog, his stature making him tower over the rest and even standing a foot taller than me. Bringing my pistol up, I try to take aim as he swings his paw towards me. Despite his size, he is able to strike me with immense speed, his paw striking my hand with the force of a sledgehammer as I hear my wrist click as my hand bends backwards as the pistol is thrown from my hand.

Yelping in pain, my hand begins to pulsate as any attempts to move it prove challenging, every minor adjustment sending pain through the joint. Trying to twist my sword to strike him, he lifts he left leg, forcing it into my chest with enough force to throw me off my feet. Landing on my back quickly knocks the wind out of me as my helmet simultaneously collides with the stone floor. Before I realise what is going on, the dog leaps upwards before his heavyweight brings him hurtling down towards me with his razor-sharp claws aimed directly for my face.

Pulling my arms in close, I twist my body as I simultaneously roll, the Diamond Dog's claws come down with enough force to puncture the dirt floor. Extending my leg, I force the bottom of my foot into the outside of his knee. The strike hardly affects him as he seems to effortlessly shrug it off and instantly counter attacks with another slash. Curling my legs towards me, I roll backwards and force myself to my feet, the agony in my wrist quickly subsiding as adrenaline rushes through my body.

Our actions quickly mirror one another as we begin to pace around each other, my grip tightening on my sword as my eyes scan the floor for my pistol. The sounds of fighting continue to fill the courtyard as I notice the others within my Section engaging in their own fights. Pacing back and forth, my focus shifts to Sunny as her hindleg ends up kicking my pistol back into view as it clatters across the ground.

We continue to move back and forth with each other as I slyly attempt to get myself in a better position to get to my pistol. Before I can get close enough, the Diamond Dog sprints towards me, his heavyweight knocking me off my feet as he grasps onto my armour and hurls me upwards. I somersault through the air as he releases me, the weight of my equipment sending me hurtling to the floor as I once again land on my back.

He pivots on the spot, raising his leg in an attempt to bring his weight down on top of my head. Reacting as quickly as I can, I elevate my sword and point it directly upwards in his path. He's unable to disengage in time as the momentum and weight of his movement allows the sword to puncture his paw as his entire weight is brought down on the tip of the blade. The swords pierces the muscle and bone with ease as I jerk the blade to the side, the momentum allowing me to draw the weapon out of the side of his paw as I slice it open.

Rising to my feet as he recoils backwards, I drag my hand along the rune on the underside of the pommel, igniting the blade in arcane flames as I lunge forward. As he brings up his arm to shield his face, the superheated steel effortlessly cuts through the flesh, amputating the limb as the powerful flame cauterizes the wound.

Screaming in agony, he kicks out with his leg, striking me in such a way that his injured paw strikes me in the kidney from the side. Pain shoots through my body as I crumble backwards, the strike debilitating me as I struggle to remain on my feet. Hissing through my teeth, I roll to the side and reach outwards for my pistol as he limps towards me.

Regaining control of my Glock, I twist my body and fire off the first shot without aiming. The 9mm round punches through his gut, causing him to stop in his tracks. Momentarily looking down at the injury, I find myself surprised as he once again begins moving towards me. Looking at him wide-eyes, I fire off another duo, the first hitting him in the sternum with the second hitting him in the right side of the abdomen.

The rounds do nothing more but temporarily slow him down, having no more effect than simply throwing something at him. Shuffling backwards as he continues to advance, I fire off a rapid succession of five rounds as he gets closer. The bullets continue to punch through his flesh, one striking him in the leg, three to the gut, one to the chest and the lest to the left side of his neck.

Finally, he collapses to his knees but refuses to go down. Blood begins to drip from his mouth as his ivory coats quickly turns crimson red as his wounds finally get the best of him. Grunting in frustration, I climb to my feet as I take aim for his head. "Just fucking die already!" The final bullet flies straight and true, turning his eye to mush as it forces itself through the opening in his skull and liquefies his brains.

Slumping forward, his heavy body impacts with the ground as it kicks up a small cloud of dirt from the force. Breathing a sigh of relief I begin to continue along the courtyard towards the main door to the keep, firing off the occasional round from my pistol at Diamond Dogs while they're caught up in their own fights.

As I continue my advance, a deafening bang followed by the clattering of metal debris causes me to briefly glance over my shoulder. I catch a glimpse of a cluster of Diamond Dogs being hurled over the flak gun as the main ammunition which had been loaded detonates, the likely culprit being the Marines on the walls over head who continue to hurl grenades below.

Reaching the reinforced doors, I eject the empty magazine from the Glock and replace it with a fresh one as I lightly push against the door with my boot. As expected, the doors have been sealed from the inside as they refuse to budge. Scanning the door design, it's quick to realise that it'll take a fairly large explosive charge to fully breach it, afterwards we'd likely find ourselves in a killing zone from anyone hunkered down inside.

Returning the sword to its sheath, I remove my field pack and begin to rummage through the contents to remove a number of explosive charges. As I begin to set them in place at the weak points of the door, Sunny comes to a stop alongside me as she presses her back against the stone wall of the keep, panting for breath as she starts to reload her shotgun with her magic.

"I'm surprised this plan worked so well," Sunny remarks between breaths.

"We're not done yet." Slowly twisting my injured wrist, I attach the explosive charges along the hinges of the door and along the centre to destroy any locks on the other side. "We'll have to push in. The longer we wait, the more likely it is that Lupus and Silverwing can escape. We need to get in now."

Aerial Ace quickly joins myself and Sunny as she lifts her forehoof to adjust her helmet. "Are we breaching?"

"Yeah. Get a firing line set up and send someone to bring forward a detonator from the mortar team. We need to get in now."

"Yes, sir," The grey pegasus responds as she pivots to begin relaying my orders to the troop in the courtyard.

"You gonna be okay?" Sunny asks. Confused, I turn my head to her before realising that her eyes are locked on my reddening wrist.

"Yeah. If it was a break then I'd know. It's just sore."

Sunny doesn't seem to buy my excuse as she steps away from the door. "Slicer!?"

"I don't need a medic," I respond as I begin setting the last charge. "The adrenaline will keep masking it until we're done. I can move it, I'll live."

As the Thestral medic joins us, Sunny rolls her eyes. "You always claim that." Turning her attention to Slicer, she gestures towards me with a hoof. "Can you quickly check his wrist?"

"I'm fine," I protest with an annoyed groan. "I'd know if it was broken or fractured. It's likely just a sprain."

Peering over my shoulder, Slicer glances to my wrist before nodding her head. "It doesn't look deformed and he is moving it."

"Exactly. Now stop fussing and let's get ready to breach." Stepping away from the doors, I begin pointing towards a series of crates and carts as the surrounding Marines stand ready. "Get those set up in front of this door. I want a barricade and a firing line behind it. Once that door is open, we're gonna be firing everything we got at anyone inside."

The various NCO's and officers begin relaying the order as the soldiers begin dragging over crates, containers and carts which are scattered around the courtyard. Moving everything into position, they begin to roll over the carts so that they're on their sides as they begin to place whatever sandbag they can scrounge up against the outside of the cover. As they continue to do this, another trio of Marines arrive with the detonator as the demolition experts begin to set up the cords and set up the detonator.

As I wait for everyone to get ready, the sounds of fighting continues on the outer walls as the Marines and Wonderbolts have taken up positions on the bastions, firing down on the Dogs which are returning from the frontline in an attempt to defend their base. It won't be long until the Diamond Dogs are surrounded as our forces and the front line begin to advance towards one another. The Diamond Dogs will either end up encircled or they'll be forced to tunnel their way out. Either way, it'll mean they'll have to abandon much of their kit and it'll leave them extremely disorganised for those who can escape.

My focus quickly returns to the reinforced door as two Marines take cover alongside me, placing a detonator on the ground before them as they prepare their own rifles. As the closest one nudges it with his forehoof towards me, I grasp onto the detonator as I slowly exhale. Flicking my eyes from side to side, once I'm satisfied that everyone is ready, I force the plunger of the detonator down to detonate the charges.

The blast sends a shockwave running over the makeshift cover as clouds of dust and debris rain down on our surroundings as a volley of gunfire descends on us from the newly formed opening. Many of the unicorns around me, including those in my own Section erect a magical force field which stretches out along the position, the segments of the shield being made of many colours of everyone's magical aura before they mix together to make a pale magenta.

The bullets collide with the magical barrier, the force of the sudden impact and the strength of the shield causing the bullets compact and clatter to the floor. Resting my SA80 on top of the cover, I remain at the ready as I call out my orders to those around me. "On my mark, drop the shield, follow and unload everything you've got on them!"

Waiting for the perfect opportunity, we remain at the ready as we pause for the perfect moment to return fire. Despite the strength of the shield, the continuous fire is clearly straining the magic of those erecting the shield as they begin to groan in exhaustion, their focus and determination continuing to fight to maintain the spell.

"Engage!" As instructed, the shield collapses before being replaced with the powerful flashes of rifles as we return fire. As everyone continues to reload their bolt-action weapons between shots, I strafe from left to right in one continuous burst, hot casings clattering to the floor as the rifle repeatedly digs into my shoulder with every cycle of the weapon.

I begin reloading my weapon as the screams of the wounded within the keep breaks through the continuous fire. Without magic of their own, they're unable to effectively protect themselves from the onslaught which faces them. The battle quickly becomes one-sided as they're unable to hold their ground, either falling to the assault or retreating to get to safety. By the time the rest of the firing line empty their first magazines we're met with no retaliation.

Pressing the bolt release catch and forward assisting the cocking handle, I tentatively climb over my cover and keep my rifle at the ready as I advance on the doorway. The dust and debris kicked up within the doorway begin to settle to reveal the devastation within. Only five Diamond Dogs remain as they writhe in pain on the ground whilst at least twenty remain motionless.

The stone floor has now been transformed into an impromptu killing ground with the corpses of those who were foolish enough not to retreat further into the defences. Each step inside the hall causes bullet casings to scrap across the floor underneath the weight of my boots as they scratch the ground through the pooling blood.

With myself in the centre of the first hall, the scale of the interior of the keep becomes evident as the room stretches far and scales multiple floors. Staircases line each side of the wall and go up an additional three stories while other doorways likely lead to individual rooms and deeper into the outdated structure. It'll take ages to clear this place out.

As the Marines enter the keep, they're quickly ordered by their commanding officers to spread out in smaller Sections in order to clear the building. I remain in the centre of the room as everyone rapidly moves around me, the SOG quickly joining me as they check their weapons. "John, what's the plan?" Sunny asks as she adjusts her helmet.

"Break off into pairs. I want you guys to assist the Marines. Stick close to them and help them in clearing this place out."

With that order, the team spreads out as they quickly follow behind the various groups of marines. The sounds of sporadic fighting fills the keep as numerous rooms are cleared out one by one, the short life of the new skirmishes signifying the effectiveness of the Royal Marines.

"Ain't you gonna join them?" Tempest suggests as she idly kicks a cluster of bullet casings.

"I'm overseeing the operation," I remark as I move to the closest door. "Remaining central so I can go where needed."

Tempest scoffs as she steps in front of me. "You're just gonna stand here and wait? You? The Liberator of Griffinstone."

Rolling my eyes, I reach the doorway as I glance to the battle-hardened unicorn. "God, I hate that title. It makes me sound like some sappy hero from a game."

"Yet you earned the title."

"I wasn't the only one there. I was one soldier amongst thousands more. What makes me so special?"

"You killed the leader of the rebels and their military general in one swoop," Tempest states in a matter-of-fact tone. "That, along with the Militarists losing most of their territory and military, kinda ended the war. Like it or not, they were waiting for somepony to hop onto a pedestal, and you happily took that place."

"I shot an idiot," I respond in an attempt to shrug off her comment. "The war was practically over. All I did was kill the guy."

"And made the forces surrender." Tempest walks past me, peering into the room before entering. "Liberating the city, as it were," Tempest teases with a slight grin.

"You're enjoying that a bit too much." Following her into the room, my eyes instantly focus on a trio of Diamond Dogs slumped over a cluster of tables and chairs which had been turned over in an attempt to create impromptu cover. Scanning the rest of the room, the walls have been lined with various tapestry and worn paintings which have been damaged over time. The ancient rugs rest stained on the floor, soaking up the blood of the dead and damaging the delicate fibres within. Positioned along the nearside walls was a column of seven suits of ancient pony armour, standing out primarily for the fact that they seem to have avoided any damage over the years.

Pacing alongside the suits of armour, I trace my hand over the cold steel as my fingers run over the smooth contours of the patterns etched into the metal. "What do you reckon?" I ask with a soft chuckle. "Think I'll need a suit of armour when I'm a Prince? Posh for lots of royal portraits."

"You wouldn't last posing for that long."

"It's just standing around. I used to do it all the time for drill."

"Bet you fifty bits you can't stay still for the entire session." Tempest steps into view, smirking as she leans against the armour.

Before I can respond, the armour and its base scraps against the stone floor. Our eyes quickly switch to the floor as Tempest regains her balance. The base of the armour has shifted from its initial position, revealing the corner of a wooden door which lies underneath. Tempest and I share a glance before I reach down for the base of the armour, grasping onto the marble and pulling it away from the door.

Once the obstruction to the door has been fully removed, I lift the door so that the heavy wood clatters with the stone floor, revealing a dark passage leading directly underground. Peering down the passage, I cautiously press my foot against the rusting metal ladder which clings to the wall. Happy that it'll be able to support my weight long enough for me to reach the bottom, I begin the descent.

It takes a minute to reach the bottom as the metal routinely threatened to snap underneath my weight as it pulled itself free from the wall. Coming to the end of the ladder, I lower myself into the shallow water as it reaches the top of my boots and seeps into my socks. The stench of the tunnel quickly hits my nose, the disgusting aroma of stale bodily waste filling my nostrils as I find myself in a small sewer network.

Unslinging my rifle, I shoulder the weapon as I pivot on the spot, the sewage water rippling from my movements as I do so. The tunnel is poorly lit sealed lanterns attached to the support beams of the curved tunnel, revealing two corridors leading in both directions of one another. With two possible routes to take, it means myself and Tempest will have to split up.

On queue, she drops into the water alongside me as she turns to face the opposite direction as me.

"We need to split up," I instruct her as I take a few steps forward. "Who knows where this'll lead and if anyone will be down here. Hopefully, we'll link up again if these tunnels connect further down the line."

"I'll race you," Tempest responds confidently before rushing down he assigned tunnel. Trying to match her speed, my boots tear through the fouled water as I travel down my passage, my rifle drifting from side to side as I check behind every support beam to ensure no hostile are hiding.

My route continues for approximately fifty metres before it turns to the right in a ninety-degree angle. Pressing my back against the corner, I prepare myself before lowering my body and peering around the passage. Many of the torches have either burned out or deliberately been extinguished, making it difficult to make anyone out. Before moving ahead, I catch a glance of a silhouette of what appears to be a unicorn in the shadows.

Cautiously advancing a few steps, I lower my rifle as the pony's head turns towards me. "Friendly," I call out in a hushed tone, but loud enough so that the unicorn ahead will hear me.

Despite this, a green outline quickly envelopes the unicorn's horn before a blast of energy is hurled towards me. As my eyes widen, I instinctively dive to the side, causing my body to collide with the wall as my helmet smashed into the brickwork. "Blue on blue!" I shout out in an attempt to disarm the pony. "It's Captain John Davies! Cease fire!"

Again, my callouts seem to fall on death ears as another bolt of arcane energy is fired towards me, impacting with the brickwork in front of my face. Small fragments of masonry tear themselves from the wall as they cut into my face causing me to hiss out in pain. Recoiling back, I shuffle to the opposite side to change sides in the tunnel, clearly illuminating myself under one of the remaining torches. "Cease fire!"

Despite clearly presenting myself, the unicorn back peddles as they simultaneously continue to fire arcane energy towards me. Water is repeatedly thrown upwards as clouds of dust and debris rain down on me from the curved walls. With little options left, I take aim and fire a short automatic burst into the water around the form, splashing them with water as the rapid-fire warning shot will hopefully be enough of a deterrent to make them cease fire.

The pony instead turns to the side, moving further away as a spell forces its way towards me, impacting with my left shoulder. The heat of the spell burns through the fabric in the immediate area, the smell of burning flesh hitting my nostrils as I wince in pain. With no options left, I raise my rifle again and fire three shots in rapid succession. Each round appears to hit the pony in the side of the main body, causing them to fall to the ground and kicking up water around them.

Releasing a frustrated sigh, I force myself to move forward as I attempt to ignore the agony shooting through my shoulder and arm as the skin continues to burn. With my rifle still aiming at the target, I tentatively approach the pony as I prepare for another attack.

Closing the distance, the form in the water doesn't move. Coming to within five metres of the target, I keep my rifle at the ready as I reach into my pocket to pull out my phone. Flicking on the flashlight function, I illuminate the water in front of me.

I freeze as I look to the form before me. To my surprise and relief, it's not a pony which I had engaged with but is instead a changeling. Examining the body, I step closer to see that my rounds don't appear to have even penetrated the carapace. Two of the bullets have lodged themselves in the blackened shell, revealing small cracks around the impact point, while the third round appears to have deflected off of the natural curve towards the top of the body, marking the shell but not cracking it.

Focusing the light towards the head of the changeling, I physically recoil it's eyes open and snap onto me. Before I can react, the changeling's horn glows once again as a shockwave of energy forces itself towards me. The blast doesn't cause me any physical harm but instead throws me off my feet and towards the wall. My back collides with the masonry as I slump to the floor, struggling to keep hold of my phone and rifle as I fall to a sitting position in the water.

Quickly dropping my phone down the front of my armour, I try to bring my rifle to aim towards the changeling before it charges me. Despite my efforts, I'm not quick enough as the creature leaps onto me, almost knocking me entirely into the water as my grip on the rifle falters. Unable to fight it off in the close proximity, it brings its head close to the side of my neck as it seems to hiss.

Pain rushes through my neck as the sharp teeth of the changeling sink into my neck, puncturing the flesh and embedding into my muscle. Screaming out loud, I jab my fist in a series of rapid strikes into the back of the changeling, only for the carapace to prove too strong as my punches come off weaker than a lovetap.

Reaching for its muzzle, I grab onto both the top and bottom as I use all of my strength to force its mouth open. I'm barely able to open its strong muzzle, blood quickly pooling from the puncture wounds and soaking into my shirt as I throw the changeling from me and into the water.

Before it can recover, I draw my pistol and take aim. I fire a duo of shots in rapid succession, both rounds hitting the side of the changeling carapace. Releasing a cry of pain, it slowly rises for its hooves before once again repeating its charge. Unlike last time, I'm not caught off guard as I fire five rounds as quickly as possible.

The rounds finally have success as I'm able to hit the exposed flesh under the centre chest carapace, piercing the changeling's stomach as it collapses into the water and writhes in pain. Rising to my feet, I step over the creature and force my boot onto the back of its neck as I keep its head in place. Holstering my pistol, I take hold of my rifle and fix the bayonet before pressing the tip of the cold steel against the rear of its head.

The close proximity is enough to force the bullet through the natural armour on the rear of the changeling's head. Fragments of the carapace and brain matter propel from the wound as I simultaneously press down with all of my might on the butt of the rifle, forcing the blade through the opening and impaling its brains.

Retracting the blade, I reach into the inside of my armour and retrieve my phone in order to return it to my pocket. As I continue through the water, I simultaneously reach for my field pack and open a side pocket in order to dig through the medical supplies caught within. Drawing a burn gel pack, I bite the top of the packet and tear it with my teeth before examining the burn on my shoulder.

The clothing around the impact zone has peeled away, allowing the fabrics to burn into my skin and exposing the wound. The mark has already begun to rapidly turn a bright shade of red, looking at it closely shows the top layer of skin flaking away as it looks as though the burn may soon begin to blister. Applying the gel caused me to hiss in pain, the sudden change in temperature causing my body to shiver as I gently rub the gel into the inflamed skin.

Dumping the packet, I continue to cautiously tread through the water until I reach another corner, the sound of running water coming from the other side of the bend as I approach it. Peering around the corner, I find myself standing at the top of a six-foot drop, leading to a metal grate which the water seeps through before the room opens up into a wide catacomb. Skeletal remains make up the outer walls, resting on top of a brick foundation as the skulls and bones of numerous creatures make up the rest of the walls with mortar support beams sporadically spaced to hold up the roof.

Slinging the rifle, I grasp onto the wet brickwork below me in order to lower myself to the level below, as opposed to jumping directly down to prevent injuring my ankles from the height and the weight of the kit being carried on me. Dropping to the floor below, I'm immediately met by gunfire as a series of bullets hit the wall around me as gunshots echo throughout the oversized tomb.

Frantically scrambling, I dive behind the nearest support column as I regain control of my rifle, dust and debris kicking up around me as I move before quickly subsiding. Nervously exhaling, I try to peek around the corner, only for the brickwork next to my head to be hit by a round, sending dust into my eyes as I return to my cover.

"I was wondering when I'd see you again!" Silverwing's voice echoes through the room as he shouts to me from an unknown location.

"I wouldn't want to disappoint you!" I shout back as I tentatively unfasten my helmet. "I hope you ain't waiting on the bug up there! He kinda has a hole in the back of his head!"

"There's plenty more where he came from!"

"I gathered!" With my helmet removed, I slowly place it on the end of my bayonet. "Are you gonna come out and face me!? Hold your ground!? Or run like the coward you are!?"

"If this is your attempt to make me charge at you in a fit of rage, it isn't working!" He responds with a chuckle. "Do you think I'm stupid!?"

"Well... a bit." Biting my lip, I switch my rifle into my left hand as I once again draw my Glock. "From those shots, I can guess you're not playing fair with a one-on-one!"

"All you have to do is poke your head out to find out!"

"If you say so," I mutter under my breath as I gradually move my rifle so that the edge of my helmet is protruding from my cover. Taking the bait, two rounds are fired as one hits the helmet and the other strikes the support column. Darting in the opposite direction, my eyes quickly scan the area and notice two small clouds of smoke in the darkness, indicating the shooters' positions.

Strafing to the next piece of cover, I extend the pistol outwards and fire towards the right smoke cloud while I flick the helmet onto the floor before firing fully automatic from the hip with the SA80 at the cloud on the left. Reaching the cover as both of my weapons run out of ammunition, I take a knee as I prepare to change the pistol magazine.

"Nice trick!" Silverwing responds, indicating that my rounds failed to hit the mark.

"I'm full of them!" I respond confidently before placing the empty magazine back into the pouch and inserting my last magazine into the Glock. "Where's Lupus!?"

"Right here, primate!" A gruff female voice calls out as a flash comes from my left side. The bullet makes contact with my back, striking the armour as a shockwave of pain runs through my body.

Slumping forward, I return fire with my pistol, a pained scream breaking out through the darkness as the sound of someone impacting the floor indicates that I hit my target. Groaning in discomfort, I fight through the pain as I rush to holster my pistol and press my hand to where I was shot. To my relief, it seems the round hit me at such an angle that it either skimmed the armour or ricocheted off the curved steel, but still transferred the impact of the round.

Standing up, I tightly grasp my rifle as I prepare to reload. "Is this now the part where you run away-"

Cutting me off, I catch the glimpse of a sword approaching me from the right as Silverwing charges me from around my cover, likely hoping to catch me before I reloaded or while he assumed I was wounded. Raising my rifle, the blade strikes along the right side of the weapon, the end of the blade catching my arm but unable to cut through the layered steel fixed around my forearm.

Before I can bring my rifle to aim at him, I'm forced to once again intercept his strike as the sword cuts into the butt of the weapon while simultaneously cutting the sling of the rifle. With no ammunition in my rifle, I adjust my grip so that I'm holding the SA80 by the magazine housing and the pistol grip in order to use it as a makeshift sword. Stepping back at his next thrust, I parry the blade to the side before working against his movement to lunge towards him. The tip of the bayonet cutting into the side of his chest as his attempt to dodge my counterattack failed.

Recoiling at my strike, he momentarily runs his talons over the fresh cut before delivering a series of rapid strikes, each one testing my skills as I'm repeatedly repositioning my rifle in order to block his attacks. Waiting for my moment to strike while he is off-balance, I spin around him as I force the butt of the rifle into the side of his ribs.

As I prepare to begin my own attack, he intervenes as he leaps upwards as his powerful wings stretch outright. Kicking his leg out, he catches the underside of my rifle and frees it from my grasp, causing it to rocket over my head and clatter to the floor behind me.

"Your sword!" Davies barks the order at me. "Use your sword and use the guardian rune to cook him!"

Acting on his advice, I unsheathe my sword and hold the blade out before me as I glide my thumb underneath the enchanted stone. The magical energy within activates as the steel drastically heats up as it produces a colourless flame which illuminated the immediate area.

Despite hoping that the use of the rune would scare Silverwing off, it has the opposite reaction as he instead laughs. "Well isn't that cute." Running his talon on the pommel of his sword, my eyes widen as the blade of his own sword is overwhelmed by an identical flame. "You didn't think you were the only one in the world who had one of these, did you?"

Swinging my sword towards his head, he lifts his own weapon to intercept the strike as the steel tips collide with one another producing a heavy volume of sparks which erupt from both swords as they impact. Pushing closer to him, I continue striking for his body and head, each attack soon proving to be useless as he effortlessly counters me. As our blades once again meet, Silverwing pushes his weight against me as his leg kicks out against my inner thigh. The impact causing my leg to buckle slightly as I step backwards in an attempt to prevent him from seizing the opportunity.

"You won't be able to beat me like this," He taunts as he twirls the blade in his grasp. "I've had years of training, whereas you had a few sessions from a lowly Sergeant. You're outmatched."

"Are you just gonna chat shit, or are you actually gonna fight me?" I respond as I slowly pace around him.

Silverwing chuckles as he gestures his head towards a narrow staircase at the end of the room. "I've only got a couple of minutes to play. But I suppose I can spare them for you."

Charging me at full speed, our swords once again meet as our bodies press against one another, the heat from the two enchanted blades quickly becoming uncomfortable from the close proximity to my face. Using all of my strength, I force my right knee upwards, jabbing it into his gut which causes him to recoil and pull back from the attack.

Attempting to seize the opportunity, I swing for his legs yet fail to connect as he repeats his earlier action of extending his wings and leaping over me. Flying away from me as he weaved through the columns, he reaches for a holster on his hip and turns while in the air to fire towards me with a revolver.

Vaulting to the side, I dive behind the closest cover as I draw my pistol and return three shots to him as he passes between the cover, his speed proving too much as each round falls behind him as he moves. As he finds his own cover, I rush towards the earlier location where I had shot Lupus as he continues to fire towards me, his inexperience with the weapon showing as he fails to hit me as I run through the open to reach my target.

Reaching the column, I move low as I come across Lupus and find her curled up on the floor with a gutshot, her blood gradually seeping through her paws as she tries to keep the pressure. Sheathing my sword, I pick up her revolver in my left hand as I advance on Silverwing's position, firing off each weapon as I close the gap until I quickly empty the magazine of the Glock and holster the weapon.

As he comes out of cover to try and get a shot on me, he finds that I'm already too close as I wrap my arms around his body and tackle him to the ground. The heavy impact with the cold floor causes his grip on both his sword and the revolver to falter as both weapons clatter to the floor.

Kneeling over him, I deliver a powerful punch to the side of his beak, following it through with my elbow as I pull back from the strike to use the momentum against him. My advantage quickly fades away as he uses a cheap strike to knee me in the crown jewels. As I shout out in pain, he follows it up with another knee strike which hits the inside of my thigh to cause my position to crumble over him as he throws me off to the side.

As a mixture of water and dust coats the back of my armour, I pull my knees close to my chest before rolling backwards to come to a stop on my knees as I look towards him. Mirroring my actions, he climbs to his paws as he glares at me. Raising the captured revolver, I fire off the round as he charges towards me.

The sudden burst of acceleration towards me knocks my shot off course as his body collides with mine sending us tumbling to the floor. The brunt force of the sudden impact with the solid ground mixed with Silverwing's weight easily knocks the wind out of me as he clambers on top of me.

It quickly becomes apparent that I'm struggling to stay in the fight, my breathing rapidly increasing as my heart pounds heavily in my chest. Pushing through the exhaustion, I jostle him to the side resulting in us rolling to the side where I end up on top of him.

Using his razor-sharp talons, he tightly grabs hold of my necks as the sharpened appendages begin to dig into my flesh. Pain courses through my neck as he digs in deeper, blood slowly beginning to trickle down my collar and soaking into my shirt as I try fiercely to escape his hold.

Using the last of my reserves, I jab at the inside of his elbow with my fist, allowing me to pull back from his clutches as we end up tumbling once again. As we change positions, he forces himself on top where he strikes violently towards my nose resulting in a revolting crunch I scream out in agony.

As we continue to struggle in each others grasp, he once again tries to lower his aim and target my throat. Every attempt to shake him off proves futile, his determination and aggression proving too much for me as he stamps his paw down on my gut. Slowly, his talons begin to scrape across my skin as they trail down my face and towards my neck once again.

Closing my eyes, I act in pure desperation as I jolt my head closer towards him whilst opening my mouth. Feeling the talons dragging across my face, I jerk slightly until the tip of the appendage brushes over my lips. In one rapid movement, I force my mouth shut with all my might, blood quickly leaking as I bite into his talons.

Silverwing cries out in agony, frantically trying to pull himself as the pressure from my jaw soon has me digging into the bone with each movement. In a smooth motion, I violently twist my head to the side, the sound of tearing flesh and screams echoing throughout the catacomb as his talons tear from his body and warmblood spurts in my mouth and over my face.

Seizing the momentary advantage, I deliver a swift knee strike to his gut before hurling him to the left of me. Before he can recover, I roll in the opposite direction towards the revolver which I swiftly take control on and take aim towards his head. Cocking the hammer, I compress the trigger only to be met with disappointment as the weapon fails to fire after likely expending all of its ammunition. Improvising, I twist the weapon in the grip, using the barrel as a handle as I swing the bottom of the grip across the top of his head.

In that final motion, he finally goes down. The weight and force of the weapon against his unprotected head sends shockwaves through his body as he collapses, unable to move as he slips into unconsciousness. Releasing the revolver, I let it clatter to the floor as I attempt to exhale in relief, only to physically gag when my brain suddenly processes that I still have his severed talons in my mouth.

Without any hesitation, I violently cough up the remnants of blood and flesh from my mouth onto the floor as the distinctive copper flavouring remains on my tongue. Shakily rising to my feet, my gaze shift to Silverwing where I find that I've ended up biting off the equivalent of his right index and middle finger. Stumbling to the side, I support myself on one of the central columns as the sound of movement from the main stairwell quickly has me standing on edge.

To my horror, rather than sets of hooves coming down the wide staircase, I'm met with paws as five Diamond Dogs quickly descends and aim their rifles towards me. With no ammo left in the revolver or my Glock, I frantically check towards my original position where I entered the catacombs and lay eyes on the SA80 which is laying in the dust.

As the Diamond Dogs fire off their first shots, I force my tired legs to propel me forward until I slide across the floor on my knees, clumsily scooping up my rifle before coming to a stop behind a nearby column. Activating the magazine release catch, I allow the empty steel container to clatter to the floor as I shakily withdraw the last magazine from my webbing and insert it into my weapon as another bullet tears into my cover alongside my head.

Twisting from behind my only protection, I fire a short and controlled burst at the only target which is in the open. Three bullets slice into his unarmoured abdomen, send him hurtling backwards as the bullets throw him from his position. With the other fours dashing between the columns, I aim for the one closest to me and fire off another burst. Even though the first round hits the barrier between us, I'm met with some luck as the next few bullets knock him to the floor.

With three left, I step out into the open in order to get a clear shot on the last remaining target with a bolt-action rifle. Lining up my sights we simultaneously fire off a round, but his inexperience quickly shows as his shot misses me while mine tears into his chest, piercing his heart as he crumbles to the floor. Out of desperation, the last two rush towards me alongside one another making it far too easy for me to strafe my fire from left to right in order to cut them both down.

Releasing a sigh of relief as the bullet casings clatter to the floor, I cautiously begin to advance on Lupus' position as I keep my rifle at the ready. Much to my surprise, she still seems to be hanging on as she groans in pain, doing everything she can to keep the pressure on her wound as she tries her best to avoid looking up at me.

Twisting my rifle in my grip, I force the butt into the side of her head. The strike easily knocks her unconscious, allowing me to kneel alongside her and to search through my field pack to rummage through the limited medical supplies I have for a larger bandage. Moving her paws away from her wound, I wrap the bandage tightly around her in order to maintain the pressure before withdrawing a rope from my pack to tie her paws together.

As I finish tying the knot on the rope, the heavy thud of steel against stone caused me to jump as I look to the far end of the catacombs which leads up a narrow stairwell which has now been sealed by a portcullis. My eyes widen in disbelief as I quickly make out a Griffin on the other side, scrambling up the stairs and quickly out of sight. Rising to my feet, I check where my fight with Silverwing ended and soon realise that he is no longer there.

"Fuck!" I yell out loud in frustration as I bring my hand to the top of my head.

"Someone's pissed off," Tempest remarks from behind me, slowly descending the main steps where the Diamond Dogs approached from. Surveying her surroundings, her eyes flick over the various bodies scattered around as she grins. "So you found my new friend. Can you believe they didn't want to play with me after I killed a few of their friends? So inconsiderate."

Grabbing onto Lupus' paws, I lift her up with what little strength I have and toss her on top of my shoulders so that I can carry her whilst still using my rifle. "I don't think I'd be too keen to play either."

Coming to a stop, she looks over me, the various patches of blood and dirt coating my uniform and skin. "You look like shit. But... I guess you managed to capture Lupus. So, that's a win."

"Yeah, but Silverwing got away."

Tempest shrugs before turning to get up the stairs. "He'll come back around." As she reaches the top, she glances over her shoulder to watch me as I climb behind her. "Did you win the fight against him?"

Nodding my head, a smirk quickly appears. "Unlike him, I know magical ponies and Alicorns who can patch me up with ease. No matter what, I don't think he'll be getting his claws back."

"Why? You cut them off or something?"

"More like bit them off," I chuckle as I spit the last remnants of blood from my mouth. "If you want them, they're down there somewhere on the floor."

"I think I'll pass on that offer." Walking ahead of me, she begins to lead me down a long tunnel. "Let's just get out of here. No doubt you'll be dying to get a special reward from Luna for a job well done on catching Lupus."

Rolling my eyes, I follow her steps as we turn the various corners until we reach a further staircase which finally allows us to link up with the Marines and the rest of Alpha Section. The eyes of the various soldiers quickly turn to focus on me and Lupus, likely looking on in celebration for the fact that the leader of the violent Diamond Dogs has been apprehended, hopefully meaning that the fighting will die down.

Maybe now, things will finally begin to settle down. Soon they'll lose the will to fight, or they'll never be able to regain their loses to pose a threat for years to come.

Author's Notes:

The new chapter is finally out, after a few months. Apologies for the delay, unfortunately, life has a habit of kicking you to the ground.

Personal issues, physical injury from work and mental health has kinda been bringing me down and it was difficult to physically write and to find the motivation to do so. I'm still getting back into the swing of writing again, but I'm hoping to continue updating the story in due course.

On the plus size, a new commission has been completed. I think it looks pretty damn good, wouldn't you agree?

Thanks MorphineZombie for creating it for me