Years passed with us doing secret special missions. In that time I learned there were always a few things that were certain no matter what we were doing during a mission.

Once shit went wrong there was nothing to do about it other than just roll with it.

Two Freedom gets drunk off her plot every time we finish a mission. Mare gets crazy after a few drinks. You’d swear she was the goddess of lusty looks and lewd noises.

Three Spitfire was always going to be a huge bitch to me no matter what the buck I did.

“What are you doing Sergeant Thunder?” Of course she was behind me as I made this damn list.

“Making a list of things that happen no matter what. You’ve earned yourself a spot on the list. And before you raise your hoof to strike me I’d like you to know I outrank your ass.” I smiled smugly.

“I don’t believe it. What rank are you?” She snarled at me.

“I just got promoted to the general of the entire army. Now buck off before I have you cleaning the latrines with nothing but your tongue for the next month.” My world started to shake.

“Wake up Sergeant Thunder. You’re getting deployed.” Crimson Skull was hovering over me.

I jumped to my hooves and into my fatigues. “Yes sir. Where are we headed this time?”

“The last stronghold they have before we reach the heart of their military operations. A heavily armed outpost with enough guns to level Equestria. The rest of your squad had already been briefed. Take this and read over you orders.” He hoofed me a packet. “Dismissed.”

I took the packet and trotted out the door. A carrier and my squad were waiting for me. “Morning Sergeant.”

“Morning Balefire. Looks like this might be our last mission together. If all goes well we’ll have a clear shot at the heart of the boars.” I stepped aboard.

Balefire nodded at me.

“Let’s hit ‘em hard and leave ‘em spinning. No mercy, none live, and we end this war before anything happens.” I started reading over the orders. “We’re armed with what now?”

“Twelve balefire eggs. Enough of a blast to level a large city. Might as well be what we’re destroying.” Balefire looked over the plans. “Strategically placed eggs will leave the boars nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. It’ll also blow a hole in their defenses and allow our soldiers to flood in and overwhelm those that remain.”

“It’s an ambitious plan. More ambitious than we’ve ever tackled before.” I didn’t like putting all of our eggs in one basket. “We’ll get the job done. For one reason and one reason alone. I’ve never seen a group of soldiers more well equipped nor better trained than the soldiers with me now. Now ready yourselves. We’ve got a long mission ahead of us.”

Rose sat opposite me looking out a window longingly. She had been acting strange lately but any time I asked her about what was wrong she said nothing was amiss. It bothered me seeing her like this. She looked so vulnerable.

Snap out of you, dumbass. Rose is the strongest mare you’ve ever met. She’ll be able to handle herself. But keep an eye on her just incase.

I loved her. I had loved her from the first time we had met. That day was still fresh in my mind even though years had passed. Back then I didn’t think we’d come so far together. I’m glad we did though. Maybe I should ask her to marry me after we get done with this war. She’d be so happy.

But what if I buck things up? What if the reason she’s acting different is because she doesn’t love me anymore? Oh goddesses help me.

Alright just calm down. She still loves you. You’re just tired of all this stupid military bullshit. One last mission and we’ll retire from this. That’ll be nice. We’ve got enough assets in this world to lean back on and live the rest of our lives in peace.

But is that enough for her? She deserves so much. More than I could ever hope to give her. I’ll give it my all for her.

I looked out the nearest window. Daylight was slowly fading as the sun started to set. “How long have we been flying?”

“Most of the day. You stared at the plans pretty intensely. We didn’t want to disturb you.” Balefire was staring out a window of his own.

Shit. Most of the day? Well alright I guess. The cover of darkness gives us a much easier time sneaking into their outpost.

“How long until we land?” I called up to the two pegasi out front.

“When the sun sets we’ll land for the night. The outpost is within walking distance from where we’re going to rest.” The stallion spoke effortlessly as if he wasn’t really carrying us.

The rest of my squad was sleeping. Rose looked extra peaceful. “Balefire why aren’t you sleeping?”

“I’m keeping watch. I know how much sleep they’ve all had lately. It’s not very much. They needed to sleep more than I did. And besides. I hate to miss such a beautiful sunset from this altitude.” Balefire seemed like a hopeless romantic.

“We’ve found a good place to land for the night. Once we hit the ground your squad can depart. We’ll stay on the ground for a few minutes but after that you’re on your own.” The chatter went silent and all was quiet again.

“Everypony on their hooves. As soon as we land we are to march on the boar outpost. The cover of darkness will be our ally when we plant these charges. As soon as the charges are planted we will retreat to a safe distance and burn this place to the ground.” I opened the door. “Understood?”

“Yes Sergeant.” Everypony jumped up and readied themselves for landing.

“Steamroller.” Balefire waved his hoof to the door. “After you.”

They jumped out. A second passed before I heard their suits hit the ground.

I grabbed Rose. “We’ll see you on the ground Freedom.” With that I leapt out.

“Sure thing Asshole.” Freedom waved a hoof at me as she waited for the carrier to touch down.

I set Rose down a few feet from Balefire. “We know what the compound looks like and we know where to plant the charges. We just need you three to keep a watch over us.”

“Sure thing. Now stealth in there and get those charges planted.” I touched down and waited for Freedom to trot over.

“You’re a dick. You know that right? Biggest asshole I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with.” Freedom stopped just out of reach.

“It has been a fun run hasn’t it?” I shook my head. “Don’t get distracted we’ve still got a job to do.”

“Then what? What will you two do then?” Freedom took a seat and poured herself some whiskey.

“Might settle down somewhere. Live off of what we’ve got and hopefully not have to work ever again.” I took a seat on the ground across from Freedom. “Pour me a shot of that would ya.”

“I thought you didn’t like to drink.” Freedom smiled.

“Yeah yeah. Just hurry up and give me the shot already.” I took the shot glass she had.

“To our final mission.” Freedom lifted her glass. “May it be short, quick, and may nothing go wrong.”

“I can drink to that.” Tink. “Cheers.”

“So what now? We just wait for them to plant the balefire eggs?” Freedom set aside her whiskey.

“That’s what the plan is. We destroy this outpost with the balefire eggs and clear a path for the rest of our army to march in and destroy what little remains of the enemy.” I looked at the night sky. “We’re just a sort of insurance. If something happens to Balefire and Steamroller we’re here to finish the job.”

“Nothing will happen to those two. Together they’re practically unstoppable.” Freedom took her own look into the night sky.

“I think that’s only because of circumstance. Very few of the soldiers we’ve had to fight so far were very well trained. All they had going for them was numbers.” I laughed. “But numbers do have a quality of their own. It doesn’t matter if you’ve got the best soldiers ever. Eventually a million soldiers would kill even the best.”

“We’ll make it out of here alive. We’ve faced riskier situations before.” Freedom chuckled.

“Planting charges one and two.”

“Well that was quick.” I suppressed a laugh. “They do get the job done quick.”

“They aren’t the only stallions who get done quick.” The alcohol was already starting to kick in with her.

“Don’t get too drunk on me. I don’t want to have to carry your ass back home.” I took the whiskey away from Freedom.

“You’re no fun.” Freedom pouted at me.

“Well neither is dealing with your drunk plot. And I’d prefer you stay at least a little alert here. As much as I trust Balefire and Steamroller to get the job done they could need us to help with something.” I thought for a few seconds. “Balefire status.”

“There are a shit ton of boars in this place. With a little bit of luck we might not be detected. Keep an eye out though. If we get spotted I’ll shoot up a signal flare.” Silence. Minutes ticked away before Balefire’s voice returned. “Sorry about that. Stupid boar poking his snout where it didn’t belong.”

“Most of the charges have been set sir. Only two left and those will be on the far side of the outpost.” I heard a small click as Steamroller placed one of the bombs.

“I’ll let command know.” I changed channels. “Command do you copy?”

“We read you loud and clear Sergeant.”

“Setting the last few charges. Are our soldiers ready for this?” I looked to the heavily armed outpost.

“Recon says they outposts are the only heavily armored target. After this is destroyed our army has a clear shot at the heart of the enemy.”

“As ready as they can be then. You’ll know when we blow the charges.” I waited for their final transmission.

“Roger that. Command out.”

“Steamroller, Balefire report.” The sun was starting to rise.

“Last charge has been planted. We’re starting our retreat out of the outpost.”

Their transmission was interrupted by gunfire. “What the buck was that?”

“Son of a bitch. The boars know we’re here. Steamroller ready up that detonator. We might have to blow this bitch before we get to a safe distance.”

“Working on it. Just get a little farther out before I do this.”

“Buck it. Blow the bucking charges now. I’m getting overrun and without those charges detonating I won’t survive.”

“Oh buck.”

All twelve balefire eggs detonated simultaneously creating a blinding light. I threw a shield over us.

Oh goddesses this hurt. We were out of the deadly zone but that didn’t mean the shockwave didn’t have effects out this far. I couldn’t keeping going much longer.

My magic had been strained too far and I blacked out.

I wasn’t out for very long. I heard the rumble of the explosion continue on it’s way.

I opened my eyes and looked around.

Freedom was sitting on the ground next to me. She hadn’t sustained any serious injuries.

“Balefire, Steamroller report.” Nopony responded.

Freedom spoke up. “Steamroller made his way back here. He’s dealing with a few burns.

In the distance I saw a stallion clad in armor limping back towards us. The closer I looked the more I saw. The stallion’s armor was still mostly intact minus the left side of his helmet.

“Balefire?” Steamroller galloped over and helped Balefire back.

Balefire was in bad shape. He had taken a shit ton of damage from that explosion. The left side of his mask was destroyed and his entire face was burned.

“Buck man. That hurt like a bitch. I think my armor might have fused with parts of my body.” He was on the verge of blacking out.

“Get him back to our medics.” I looked around. “Where’s Rose?”

“Sergeant. I saw the boars dragging her away. They took…. They took her deeper into their defenses.” Balefire breathed heavily.

“Did they kill her?” My anger was building.

“I wouldn’t hold out hope for her.” Balefire hoofed me a torn and bloody portion of her uniform.

I had my sword drawn. That little scrap of fabric changed everything. I stabbed my sword deep into the earth and held that little chunk of cloth.

What was this feeling. I should have been pissed off at what the boars had just done. But I wasn’t. I felt numb. Like nothing really mattered anymore. Without Rose I had nothing keeping me here in this world. I had no reason to live without her.

I yanked my sword out of the ground. The air around me darkened. Not like it normally did with my aura. It was near pitch black near my aura.

“What are you going to do?” Freedom put a hoof on me.

“You can all retreat now.”

“What?”

“You heard me. Call off the assault. I’m going it alone and I’m not coming back.”

“Sergeant you’re not suggesting.”

“I’m going to kill every last mother bucking boar I can before I get killed. I’m not letting them kill Rose and get away with it.”

“What did he just say.”

“I told you and the army to go home. This is something I have to do alone.”

“We’re not letting you do that Thunder. This is our one shot at this. We can’t risk a loss.”

“Fine Then this is for every last stallion and mare that can hear me. Charge forward and leave none of them alive. And don’t get in my way.”

I jumped into the air charging straight through the destroyed enemy outpost.

The warcry sounded behind me. Not one soldier in our army hesitated to follow me. I was who they were going to follow to tartarus. And I’d be damned if I was going to go down without a fight.

The outpost went by quickly. I saw what little forces remained alive retreating.

“You assholes will go no further.” The Knight’s bane sliced through all of them without leaving my side.

The normal vibrant white blade was glowing a deep black. Charged with every last bit of rage I could muster.

The army stopped behind me and stared in awe.

“What are you idiots waiting for?” I pointed the Knight’s bane to the final area. “Kill them all.”

I surged forward once again. The town they were using for cover was closing fast.

Fire’s were light in the city. None of them looked like they were intentionally placed.

As we approached the city I could see a mare running through the streets. She wore scraps of our colors. “Rose?”

I dive bombed into the city. A group of boars had the mare pinned down.

I slammed into the ground sending debris into the air around me. I growled deeply.

The boars around me dropped their weapons from fear. The darkness cut them to bits sending blood everywhere.

The mare was crouched behind a rock trying to avoid me.

I threw the debris out of my way. I looked down at the red mare at my hooves. “Rose.”

The dark light faded from my horn.

She looked up at me. “Silver?”

I hugged Rose. “It’s ok. I’m here for you.” I looked into her eyes. “Are you ok?”

“I’m fine. Just happy to be back with you.” Rose kissed me.

I showed her the scrap of her uniform. “I came here on a suicide mission to avenge you. I thought they had killed you.”

The city erupted in gunfire. “Sounds like the rest of our troops our here.”

“I believe they would have followed me to tartarus. Now let’s get you out of here.” I picked Rose up and moved her to the rear lines.

“Sergeant what are you doing?”

“I’m making sure my squad gets out of this alive. I killed off quite a few boars and led the entire army to their final stand.” I continued back to base.

The flight back to base was a long one. We finally touched down right before the sun was going to set.

“I’m going to go to the infirmary for a few minutes and see if I sustained any injuries from slamming into the ground.” I smiled and trotted away.

“After that I need to talk to you.” Rose waved me away.

“I’ll be right back.” I limped my way over to the infirmary.

Nopony was in here except for a few of the doctors. “Sergeant what are you doing back so soon?”

“I need you to tell me if my legs are broken or sprained.” I sat down on one of the tables.

The doctor’s looked me over. Their poking and prodding hurt like a bitch.

“Well you have a few fractured bones. Drink this and you’ll be better.” The doctor hoofed me a healing potion.

I chugged the potion in one go. “So how long do I have to wait?”

“A few hours should suffice to mend the fractures. I would recommend not returning to the battlefield.”

I shrugged. “I guess I’ll just take a nap here for a while.”

“Silver wake up.” General Derpy was shaking me.

“What? Is something wrong?” I sat bolt upright.

“Well I came to inform you that the war is over. The boars were defeated. The second thing I came to tell you is that Rose wants you back home immediately.” Derpy moved away from me.

A million thoughts raced through my mind. I was happy that we had defeated the boars and now no more ponies would have to die for a stupid cause. But I wondered why Rose needed me back home so suddenly. She had never required me to be back home in any sort of rush.

“Get your ass up we need to go now!!!” Derpy dragged me to my hooves and towards the door back home.

Amethyst was waiting for me at our little home. “There you are Silver. Where have you been?”

“I was at the infirmary getting fixed up. But I can’t stay to talk Rose needs me to go see her back home.” I was halfway through the door trying to stop Derpy.

“Sorry Amethyst this is of the utmost importance. I’ll be back to talk to you after I take Silver back to his world.” She pulled me inside of the pocket world.

“Hi Lyra and Bon Bon.” I waved as Derpy pulled me through the other side.

I hadn’t been home in a good few months. Everything looked more or less like it should. A few things were not where they belonged and the walls had visible bullet holes in them.

Rose was sitting at the table waiting for me.

“Go talk to her.” Derpy pushed me.

I trotted over to the table and took a seat. “Hi Rose. I’ve got good news from the other world. We won the war and it’s over. I can finally come back home and relax and not worry you.”

Tears were welling in Rose’s eyes. She moved her mouth like she was mouthing words to me.

After a minute or two of her mouthing words at me I finally heard something. A beautiful if not almost angelic voice speaking to me.

“Silver I’m sorry I waited so long to actually speak to you. I had hoped to talk to you for the first time when I figured you were ready to move off into the real world and be able to take care of yourself. I guess in a way I am.” Rose suppressed a laugh.

It was an amazing thing hearing her speak. I would have expected a voice like her’s to be on the radio singing beautifully to please the ponies of the wasteland.

My mouth hung open.

Rose closed it for me and continued to talk. “Like I said I wanted to talk to you in a few months when I let you leave here and become your own stallion. But I have to let you go earlier than I planned. But I need you to do something for me.”

I nodded my head. “Anything.”

Rose smiled very warmly at me but the smile didn’t last very long. “I’d like you to know that I loved helping you to grow up. When I found you I wasn’t sure I could ever bear to lose you. But seeing you mature and grow up to be the amazing stallion you are now. These have been the best years of my life helping you to learn about the world. Now I’ve seen you get a marefriend and I believe you’re ready to start a family of your own.”

I nodded. “I love Amethyst. I think I’m ready.”

“I’m good to hear that. Now.” Rose turned grim. “I need to ask you to do something very important for me.”

“What do you need?” I scooched closer.

“We’ve both seen and know what happens to ghouls who live out in the wasteland for long enough. You know they go feral and start hurting other ponies. I’ve lived a long life as a ghoul and it’s been the happiest life I could have hoped to live. But I can feel myself slipping. My thought’s are sometimes not my own and I’ve almost hurt some of the ponies I care about.” Rose grabbed a little box.

I had tears in the corners of my eyes. “You can’t mean?”

“Unfortunately Silver I do.” Rose set a pistol between us. “I love you but I need you to make sure that I can’t ever hurt anypony that I cared about. That’s not who I am and we both know it.”

“I..” I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I’m not sure I can.”

Rose slid the pistol over. “Please Silver honor my final wish. I know it might be hard to do so but I need you to promise me you will put me down before I can kill anypony.” She started to cry.

“Rose. I love you. I.. I can’t do it. I love you too much to shoot you.” I slid the pistol back her way.

Rose slid the gun back. “Silver you have to do it. I’m sorry to make you do this but it needs to be done. Don’t let me be one of those things. I don’t want you to remember me as a terrible creature. When you remember me I want you to remember the good times and one simple thing.” She kissed my forehead. “I love you.”

I held the gun down on the table not wanting to move. This was almost too much for me to deal with.

Rose slumped back in her chair. Her breathing became erratic and she uttered slow guttural coughs.

I picked up the gun.

Rose sat up and looked at me. Her eye’s had changed from that usual gentle brown to near blood red. She bared her teeth at me.

I hated seeing her like this. She looked so weak and fragile. She wasn’t anything like herself. She slowly started to move my way.

I pointed the gun towards her head. I couldn’t see anything through the tears streaming down my face. I wasn’t even sure that the gun was on point. But I knew I had to do this for her. I had to honor her final wish and not let her harm anypony.

“I’m sorry.” I pulled the trigger.

We both fell to the ground. Me in tears and her no longer in the world of the living.

I sat there and cried.