Bong.

I sat up in bed, already wide awake.

Bong.

I jump out of bed, grabbing the sallet and jamming it on my head.

Bong

In the houses around me, I could hear the bustle of ponies doing the same thing I was. I lifted the old Pegasoplian spear from its corner and tucked it beneath a leather strap in my armor.

Bong.

Ùllahdmaiden’s tallest building was a three story town hall. It was often used for town meetings, celebrations, and town organization. But the uppermost floor contained a single, large iron bell. It was not used for time keeping like in the City of Unicornia. It was used to announce the starts of festivals, to tell the town that there was important news.

Bong.

Or to announce that the village was under attack.

Bong.

Tia met me in the living room, leaving her own room to swing shut by itself, her armor already on as well.

Bong.

We wasted no time in leaving the building. The sky was bright orange in the early evening air.

Bong.

On the ground, ponies rushed about. Mares and stallions in their plank armor sets, some carrying pitchforks shovels or rakes.

Bong.

The villagers were rushing towards the palisade, ready to stop any invader from entering the village.

Bong.

“Celestia! Luna!” cried a mare.

Bong.

We glanced over to see the Mayor in her plank armor standing by the gate, waving for us.

Bong.

The final twelfth note rang out, the sound rolling through the trees in the distance. But that didn’t stop any of the Earth Ponies rushing to their assigned positions. If anything it made the village feel more chaotic.

Villagers were shouting over each other, relaying information to everypony as stocks and supplies were reassessed, the readiness of the loose groups that formed the overall militia. The Mayor stood, by the gate that had been constructed over where the main road had been, on the Northeast side, where most of the comings and goings of the Greater Clan territory entered and left Ùllahdmaiden.

The draw bridge had been pulled up, a door that had once been the floor of a hoof cart had been added and reinforced. Leading off around on both sides of the gate, the logs that formed the palisades were sharpened and planted to completion, a raised mound of dirt on the inside so the Earth Ponies could view and attack from behind the wall.

Ponies swarmed over the mound, standing side by side shoulder to shoulder. Farming tools were common, and they poked above the palisade like spears over a phalanx. It looked like the whole village was protecting the wall.

Tia and I skidded to a stop in front of the Mayor.

“Are they here? Is it time?” Tia asked, panic creeping into the edges of her voice.

“See for yourself.” the Mayor replied coolly, gesturing over the line of upright logs. We looked cautiously to where she pointed.

Sure enough, where yesterday had been a sizable copse of wild trees, now stood rank upon rank of Unicorns is golden armor. Banners flew above them in the wind. I even recognized the coat-of-arms for several Noble Houses, but by far the largest and grandest was a white flag with gold trim.

The stylized Unicorn horn set inside a magnificent golden crown would be unmistakable to anypony who had spent any time within Unicornia’s border.

The crest of the Royal Family.

Below the banner, I could even make out a mare dressed unlike all the soldiers. A gleaming polished silver crown sat on her head, a deep purple cloak tied around her neck.

A trumpet blew, drums beat energetically, and the army before the village began to sing as one.

"Valiant!
Hear the marching steps! We will not rest!
Valiant!
There is no foe we cannot best!

Valiant!
Meeting sword with sword for the Holy Sun!
Valiant!
We bring justice in the court!

The horn blew a series of triumphant notes that rang off the distant trees.

"Valiant!
Have you seen the knight with armor bright?
Valiant!
Bringing darkness to the light!

Valiant!
Bringing light to dark! See our army, hark!
Valiant!
For Him we leave His mark!"

The trumpet sounded again, a repeat of its part.

"We fester not our bodies to disrepair!
We defend those that can’t do so themselves!
Opposition will surely not fa-ir too well,
When our voices break through to our SUN!"

The horn blew its song again.

"Valiant!
Marching in His sight! In His name we fight!
Valiant!
We do not cower, do not hide!

Valiant!
Pledge with good faith! Honor binds today!
Valiant!
Our folks we won’t betray!"

The horn blew its part again, but this time it played an additional verse as the song ended.

A soldier in gold approached, a white flag of parlay in their levitation.

“Not one step closer Loyalist!” The Mayor exclaimed from our sides. “State your business and leave! Your song does not frighten us!”

The soldier stopped in their tracks, pulling a scroll from beneath their armor. An azure mane fluttered beneath their helmet.

“The Princess of Unicornia, Princess Platinum cordially greets the village of ‘Allahdmaiden’.” the mare, now recognizable by the tone of her voice, spoke the name of the village with unfamiliarity. “She requests the surrender of all foodstuffs in your possession, and knowledge of what lies South of your village.”

“Hohohohoho!” laughed a familiar voice from behind. The form of Appleflower in her warplate loomed over the gate. “Is that all?” Her voice rumbled deeply, causing even her armor to vibrate like a window after a crash of thunder.

“Soldiers of the Crown of Unicornia!” she suddenly boomed, so loud there could be no doubt that even the Princess heard it, sounding as if an Alicorn had descended from the heavens to give a divine decree. “Ye will get none of our food, nor knowledge of our lands! Ye are not welcome here! Turn back to whence ye came!

“Ah.” the mare below seemed to deflate at the proclamation of the giant mare. “Then-” she stopped as she saw the horns on Tia’s and my head. “What? What are you two doing over there?!” she called out in surprise. “Come over here! Leave those barbaric Earth Ponies at once!”

“Barbaric?!” I called back angrily, cutting off everypony who wanted to respond. “You want barbaric?! Go ask your Princess about all the villages she let starve when her Mom became Queen! Go ask her where all the villagers went! Go ask her about ‘Queensford’.” I called out.

Something about what I said stunned the mare, because I saw her lips silently mouth the word “Queensford”.

“Hydrabane…” she whispered suddenly in realization, somehow loud enough for us all to hear. She took a step back in terror. “Luna- I… No…” she whimpered.

“How do you-” I began, only to realize I recognized her azure mane, a deep hatred burrowed into my heart.

“Sapphire Shine.” I grit my teeth as I pronounced her name for all to hear. “Tell me, before you lecture us about barbarity… What happened to Snow Step?”

The mare below flinched as if she had been slapped.

We may not have known what exactly happened to poor Snow Step, but wolves don’t use knives to cut a ponies throat. And the mare below was one of the two ponies still alive who were in the area.

It didn’t take a Warmage to put two and two together.

“I… I… I…” Sapphire stammered. I swore I saw the corpse of dead hydra and the shade of a furious filly with feathers coming from her sides reflected in the mare's eyes.

The mare’s courage broke and she bolted, galloping at full speed back to the column of gold.

“Coward!” I called after her. “Kinslayer! Traitor!”

“Lu, enough” Tia admonished, pulling me from my rant over the wall as she nudged my side.

“You weren’t tormented by that mare as a filly.” I murmured to myself, dropping back behind the wall. If Tia heard me or not, she didn’t respond.

“Still a fiery whippersnapper Luna.” Appleflower praised. “Yer gonna be a right terror if ya ever get yer hackles raised properly.”

“Uh, thanks? I think…” I replied. I wasn’t sure I liked being angry. Like getting heat stroke from the forge, you just couldn’t think clearly and you felt like every hoofstep should’ve left scorch marks on the ground.

I didn’t want to get so angry I could never touch anypony ever again.

By now, the distant form of Sapphire had rejoined her fellows, swallowing her into their ranks.

“Come on Lu, they’ll discuss for a bit before they start attacking. We need to get to the center of town and start casting.” Tia said.

“R-right.” I replied, being jostled from my thoughts.

The two of us abandoned the palisade, letting more of our fellow villagers take the places we had vacated. As we left the wall, the last trickles of our fellow villagers were finally making their way to join the rest at the wall, making Tia and I’s journey to the center of the village simple.

It was almost disturbing, how still everything seemed to be with nopony around. Several doors had even been left open in their occupants rush to get ready. Only the wind disturbed the buildings, shaking a few belongings that had been left as their owner dropped them when the bells started to ring.

Was this what it was like for a village to be abandoned? Did Queensford look like this after we left? After Mrs. Amethyst and the rest of the ponies who stayed behind starved to death? Would Ùllahdmaiden continue to look like this after this day was done?

Or would life return to these buildings? Would colts and fillies run through these streets again? Singing and laughing without care? Would the farmers and merchants hawk their wares once more to a large crowd? Would the workshops and stores bustle again with activity? Would the blacksmith sing again with the ring of metal? Would the rhythmic saw of the carpenter drone like a dragonfly in the warm Summer sun? Would the tavern clammer with the sounds of ponies after a hard day's work? Laughing and cheering as they celebrated that they were, well and truly alive…

Once more I thought about that one fateful night with the Hydra, so long ago now. About how I had thought about how many ponies that the Hydra had killed.

Now I thought about the voices of those silenced ponies.

Those ponies had laughed and made merry.

Those ponies had sung songs with each other. Maybe drunkenly, maybe with a fake smile.

But they had sang.

Impromptu barsong or practiced church choir, they had all sang.

Isn’t that all life really was? One giant song, sung by your friends and neighbors? Each with different parts and verses? Sometimes sad, sometimes happy, but undoubtedly very much alive.

But the dead do not sing.

They do not laugh.

They do not cheer.

They do not sing.

Each dead Pony was a Pony whose singing had been silenced.

Each dead Pony was a part of the choir that would never again contribute to the song of life.

I felt a deep sadness welling up through my throat, threatening to leak out of the corner of my eyes.

The song of Ùllahdmaiden could still very well be silenced, just like Queensford had been the night of the Hydra attack. But this time, the Royal Crown of Unicornia had come to play the part of the Hydra.

I blinked away my tears and redoubled my conviction, following after Tia.

Thank the Earth that I was known as ‘Luna Hydrabane’. For another hydra was in dire need of slaying.

And I would do my part to be rid of it.

The vibe: https://youtu.be/wkWSjoW2n4E?si=Zl9xXVsHbp653MIT