Author's Notes:

Music suggestion:
Two Steps From Hell - Undying Love

Sets the scene rather well as you read about the plight of Ponyville.

"Incommiiinngg!"

A shrill scream pierced the air as another firepot tore through the air before exploding inside the barrier. Fire blasted out catching a crate on fire but had little effect. It was not the fire or the explosions though that scared her anymore, it was the screams of terror as ponies battered on the shield begging to be let in.

Whatever magic the invaders were using made Shining Armor's shield almost useless against their larger projectiles. The smaller arrows, crossbow bolt and mini-ballista shots could be deflected with ease along with some magic but the rest would just pass right through.

War was an art-form for them, they had arrived via train one day after Canterlot fell and without so much as a word tore into any soldiers in sight while making preparations for a long siege.

It was not their fault though. It was hers. Hers and Shining's and Bright Lance's fault. When Luna's letter had arrived they all agreed to hold out as long as possible in the hopes that Cadence would muster a force and come to their aid but that would take time, time they no longer had. But they still resisted.

Not that it stopped them from trying. Shining had at first put a shield over all of Ponyville but it was immediately breached. Ponies ran everywhere before the stampede to her fortified castle began in earnest.

Bright Lance had already put most ponies to work after first arriving but after that letter she had grabbed every last pony in sight and put them to work felling tree's, drawing water and turning a portion of the town into her own little fortified hell bristling with spikes and pits.

Nothing deterred them however, it was painfully clear the forces laying siege were better trained than any in all of Equestria and were a crack team of siege experts at that. Every tactic in the book was thrown at them but brushed aside day by day as more of Ponyville was taken over with few losses on their side.

Bright Lance had lost more than a quarter of her forces and at best they could figure the enemy had lost a platoon mostly to wounds. Twilight had to admit she was not trained for this, heck Celestia never had her so much as glance at a book on war.

Twilight looked from the balcony as more of Ponyville fell to another onslaught and her brothers shield shrank to accommodate the loss. Applejack, Fluttershy and Rarity were missing and had been since the first day. Pinkie and Rainbow had been with her when it all started thankfully so she had someone to talk too at least.

Walking into the castle proper the wounded and dying lined the halls, their blood painted the crystal floor red making it slippery as an orderly mopped hurriedly. Sharp screams echoed from the makeshift hospital as another amputation was carried out, the limb to be tossed in the pile outside with the dead that were stacked like cord-wood.

Two days was all it took her to stop vomiting at the sight of it. Now she walked across the blood bathed hallway praying that Cadence and the other nobles would come to their aid soon.

Her brother and Bright Lance had agreed that it would be possible to hold out far longer if they cut their losses and sacrificed all of Ponyville to the enemy and focused on keeping their fortifications. Twilight was opposed but since there was no food stockpile... Well at least water was not an issue at her castle but without food the siege would be over quickly and only enough had arrived to keep the fourth battalion supplied for a month at best.

Another scream sounded out followed by a bang meaning another projectile had landed somewhere inside the camp. Fortunately Bright Lance had forcibly conscripted the hospital staff and most of their supplies in advance moving it to the castle just in case.

Twilights leering at her actions earlier made her feel small now that the Colonel's planning was paying off. Turning into the hospital Twilight gave a depressing nod to Nurse Redheart as she held a soldier down while a surgeon cut their leg off.

Amputations... Just a week ago they would not have lost their leg but now with magic and medicine in such short supply there was no choice. At least two of her friends were safe and living. Pinkie was trying to keep spirits up but failing and it was wearing her down badly. Rainbow Dash on the other hand had been sent to find Cadence and hopefully link them with other noble armies but the plan fell flat on its face.

Rainbow had barely left the shield bubble when the soldiers fired on her. The fastest flier in Equestria could not outrun a volley of arrows enchanted to hunt her down. To her eternal credit most had missed anyway as she ducked and dived but two found their mark and felled her. One to the leg and another in the side brought her back down to earth.

The silver lining was that the supplies had not quite run out yet at the time and the leg wound had not been bad at all. No flying for a while though and she had to stay in bed. Was she a bad princess of friendship for having Rainbow use her own bed while so many others suffered? Beds were in very short supply and so many others were wounded so horribly yet she deferred to the comfort and well being of her own friend.

Flying up to look out one of the broken windows higher up to get a better view Twilight sobbed quietly to herself as Ponyville smoldered. They had been ordered to surrender and take their chances but most refused holding onto hope that somehow their last princess would save them.

A mob of them pounded on the wooden gate below but were ignored as soldiers ran from place to place carrying water or messages, sometimes more arrows. They were running out of those too now. So many that Shining had extended his shield one night so soldiers could climb over the walls quietly and nick the ones that fell short or embedded themselves in the palisade wall.

Another firepot whistled by and burst near some tents. Most slept inside the castle walls now, a brave few slept on the parapet.

How much more could they take before the wall fell?

Spitfire and her team picked their way forward carefully. Luna's instructions had been absolute along with the assurity that one false step would get them all killed before the message could be delivered. Their torches cast a strange glow on the smooth walls of the passage.

The mouth of the cave had been right where she said it would be along with a stone obelisk with strange runes cut into its surface. No plants grew near the marker and the energy it gave off made them more than a little worried about whatever was to receive the message.

Their hoofsteps echoed down the tunnel and off into the darkness as Fleetfoot and Soarin followed her. The light of day was long behind them now and being lost was becoming a greater fear.

"Go straight and do not deviate from the main path for any reason." Spitfire grumbled as Luna's words rolled around in her head. They had been betrayed on a massive scale, every noble army was against them now so that meant seeking outside aid. From Luna's reaction to speaking the alien name it was one she loathed and was hesitant to bring up.

A stone door came into view blocking their way. No handle, knob or any means of opening it were visible. Scanning over it she looked at the mural carved into its surface.

It was an ancient door covered in dust with depictions of negotiations taking place between the world above and that which lived below. This was it then.

Pushing on the scroll being passed between the two parties it sunk in slightly before clicking. Moments later the door pulled in and slid aside quietly making dust fly and coughing they entered the room.

A single large stone table waited in the middle of the room with two chairs on either side. Statues of nightmarish creatures surrounded the room facing in. Spitfire walked to the table and took a seat telling her friends to not say a word and remain silent.

Placing the scroll on the table they waited till the torched had burned out. Fleetfoot was getting another one out when a crystal above lit up bathing the room in a pale blue light. Their breathing stopped for a minute before they relaxed and waited.

Across from them another door made a clicking noise and slid open revealing a robed figure. It walked in quietly and sat down across from them and waited.

"I come to deliver a message on behalf of Princess Luna."

"Do you now?"

"Yes."

"What is my name?"

"What?"

He was gone and Spitfire found herself in the air, held in place by a statue while Soarin and Fleetfoot shared a similar fate with sharp claws held to their throats.

"My name?"

He was standing in front of her now giving her a cold uncaring look, the scroll left on the table. Spitfire remembered Luna's first words and ground her teeth.

"Your name is Valkardian, my lover who I betrayed."

Spitfire was forced into the seat as a blade was placed against her throat.

"A most interesting choice of words. MOST interesting. Tell me then. Why are you here?"

"The scroll."

"To hell with the scroll. Tell me why you are here."

She thought it over a moment.

"Canterlot fell. Celestia is a prisoner and now Luna is as well. She ordered me to bring this scroll to you even if I have to die to give it to you."

"Is that all?"

"No. Celestia had her horn cut off and Luna knew she would be next. We were sent because we are the fastest and most loyal."

"Would you object if I cut your throat now? Maybe if I demanded you to cut your own to prove your sincerity."

"What in the name of tartarus is wrong with you!?"

The blade tightened and Spitfire took a wild leap of faith in hoping Luna knew what she was doing.

"If that is what it takes... Yes. I will die here and now if that is what it takes to make you read that scroll and listen to her."

Spitfire gasped and held her throat when the knife was removed. Valkardian picked up the scroll and examined it closely.

"Dehorned you say?"

"Yes."

"Where is the horn now or did you leave before?"

"I have no idea where the horn is but I intend to find out."

"No. You WONT."

"It is my duty to go back and fight to-"

"Only to get yourself captured and interrogated. No. No, no, no. You will be staying. My... Guests. Until this is over."

"So you will help us?"

"I think you know your answer to that already but I doubt my definition of "help" is one you would agree with. Goodnight."

Spitfire sat up but he waved his hand and the world went black.

Shadow waited patiently as Valkardian rolled the scroll back and forth on the table. He had scanned it magically so many times it made her eyes hurt but still he would not open it.

"Well what happened!?"

"Visitors."

"Are they still among the living?"

"Oh yes. It would not be polite nor a sign of etiquette to kill the messenger. They are in stasis till after the war is over."

"Then what did they say that is making you act so funny?"

He froze and looked across the table at her before turning the scroll slowly till the seal faced him.

"Your name is Valkardian, my lover who I betrayed."

"What?"

"That was the message. Long, long ago I gave my name to a select few. My name is so obscure that only a handful would ever know it and use it so I figured it would be a good way to make certain the messengers are where they want to be. Follow that by something that only the sending and receiving party know ensures some security and sincerity of the sender."

"Okay so the "my lover who-"

"Correct. Only Luna knew that but her adding the "betrayed" part has me wondering."

"That she knows what happened then was for her own safety and that Steelshod's father really was out to get them?"

"Yes, maybe she realizes that now or is trying to use it as leverage against me. It does not matter though, that she would send a message at all means Luna had little hope of me becoming involved otherwise due to the rift between us."

"Then open the damn letter and read it!"

Valkardian glared at her a moment before popping the seal and unraveling the message. A burst of laughter broke out as his head rolled back a moment before shaking his head and rolling it back up.

"WELL?!"

"Luna figured it all out. Guess that feral side to her is not completely erased after all. Long story short she knows I do not "love" her anymore but asks just one thing."

He held the scroll up with a smile.

"Avenge me."

"You already planned on attacking Steelshod but this kind of... Officiates it?"

"Yes. Yes it does. My price is whatever I demand of them and Celestia be damned."

"So Luna just gave you the official stamp of approval to invade and slaughter the hell out of Equestria so long as Steelshod and his ilk die?"

A grin spread across his bearded face.

"Yes. It also means that any loyal forces out there can be ordered to stand down."

"Like the survivors at Ponyville?"

"Correct."

"Well the last time you checked they were about to loose so that means we attack... NOW right?"

"We attack tomorrow afternoon. Well you will attack at any rate and get this whole ball rolling. But tonight, tonight we celebrate."

"Celebrate what?"

"The battle to come and that it might be our last moments spent amongst the living."

"You want to celebrate war, death and destruction?"

"Partly, but more to celebrate that we are still alive, to enjoy our time before the chaos and fury of war consumes us."

"You are a very strange stallion."