Author's Notes:

Music Suggestion: Dark Fantasy Music, Reign of the Dark
First part of song.

Tasty tidbit:
Whenever I write Steelshod's scenes I listen to the Warcraft 2 Orc Briefing song. I think it suits him rather well or anything sinister that can come to mind.

Shadow I imagine would get the Warcraft 2 Human Briefing song.

Shadow had done it, the last way-point had been reached without so much as a single hiccup. Far behind her the enemy was two days behind but catching up quickly enough. Her little attack on the forces at the bridge had the desired effect spurring them onward and when the news had reached the other forces in the east they too increased their pace.

Roughly four days is all it would take for them marching in from both directions now to close the gap and form into a much larger formation. This also meant that Valkardian's plan had worked.

Watching the last of her forced march through the mouth of a "gate" before disappearing into the darkness she looked back at the field. To replace her ten thousand another ten had taken their place.

During all the trog wars and time some inevitably wound up too damaged for further use. They had been gathered up and marched out earlier and sent off at a slow pace to entice the enemy to keep up the chase. Her part in this phase of the war was now at an end and although somewhat relieved of the burden, she also wished it had not ended so quickly.

Moving her mount into the tunnel as the other force shambled away leaving a clear trail for the enemy to follow the gate closed behind her. To the outside worth the gate appeared just as another wall of dirt and rock, a little magic was all it took to remove any traces of a trail leading to it.

Any who would come could only see the trail passing the tunnel and heading off towards the Unicorn Range.

Valkardian was waiting on her down below and teleporting them both away mount and all they now reappeared at another fortress but it was also different from the others. Some of his fortresses held small portals, other's held portals that allowed whole armies to pass through no matter the size of the construct.

This portal however was huge. Powering it up he waved her through and into another fortress.

"We will rest here for a few days. Once the enemy army has combined and turned north we will depart while I begin the final deployment."

"Where are you leading them?"

"Long ago I found terrain in my wandering that would suit a battle like this perfectly. Trees to the far read to hide the approach, ridges running east to west keeping any but those flying from seeing or hitting anything beyond. A massive swamp on one side that is boggy enough to deter any army except the dead. Soft, wet soil that is perfect... It really is the perfect battlefield."

"Flanking attack?"

"No I plan to envelope them."

"The numbers required for that are-"

"I know. Rest."

General Baros was unhappy that the other's had failed to catch the fleeing undead in time but they were not far ahead. Fanning out the Noble Armies into columns they turned north quickly and gave chase. Pegasi kept tabs on the enemy as they fled towards the swampy area hoping to loose them but by tomorrow morning they would overrun them and it would be over.

With three hundred-thousand at his command it was truly a dream, never had he imagined of having the honor to command so many in the name of his emperor. Artillery was plentiful but slowing them down yet they brought it with them anyway.

This little force had proven to be quite capable of itself and he was not about to risk it all when there was no need to.

An order of battle had been established as well, Steelshod's orders had been specific: make the locals do all the dying.

Mercenaries would be used to make certain none got away by flying ahead and picking off any that fled assuming the undead would break and flee... The various nobles had been played off against each other for who would get the honor of carrying the battle forward to victory.

Damnable fools. It had devolved into a shouting match as each wanted to gain more favor and praise with the hope of reward being dangled in front of their noses. Not that there would not be rewards for their service of course but thinking over the cost in lives... Less Equestrian's to rebel later.

As to how they had gotten their hands on a printing press no one knew, but they had. Papers had been stuffed into mailboxes decrying Steelshod as a monster with full details including the mass grave of crystal ponies he had executed.

Cadence was dehorned but back in power, the rebels in Ponyville were not rebels but true Equestrians and on it went. There was even a short bit on how Luna and Celestia were prisoners and being used against one another, they too lacked horns but now wore fakes.

Milk and honey flowed however so few paid it much attention, Steelshod had shot back already saying the mass grave was from the unfortunate clash between his forces and Cadence's.

Some rumblings had shown through though and it made him all the more eager to see this ended. Orders had been given to Ponyville to continue the bombardment immediately. Five thousand held them in place while the remainder of his original forces were now concentrated in Canterlot.

His concern was no longer the distant battle to be but now much closer, if things were not wrapped up soon rumblings might become open rebellion. Promises had been made and the veneer was cracking unless he could deliver a few swift, decisive blows.

First seal up the underworld for the time being, wipe out Ponyville when General Baros returned then north and put an end to the crystal ponies.

At least the harvest had been brought to a halt.

Shadow and Valkardian sat on their mounts on a ridge overlooking the path his army would take. To the south the enemy approached rapidly and had already caught up with the fodder Valkardian left behind. Within a few hours they would be over run but not before leading them into the trap.

Approaching in great columns that had kicked up clouds of dust they now marched along the soft wet earth of a region with a very high water table. She was eager to see what surprises he held in store for them as she peered far to the south through a telescope watching the two forces approach.

From their view all they could see was tall ridges and forests, the perfect cover for an army.

"Alright. Where is the army?"

"There..."

Turning to where Valkardian was pointing she watched and waited for a few minutes. Nothing happened at first but she never looked away and her patience was rewarded as the stone parted along a long cliff face looking like gaping wounds.

From these massive holes a steady stream of soldiers marched forth in dark, wide columns. It was impossible to count their number as they poured out and into the forest moving south quickly.

A cold chill ran down her spine as the hulking skeletal frames of kathdar's lurched free of the tunnels bearing ballista's on their backs with bundles of "doom bolts" strapped on. Shadow had assumed gargoyles were limited in number but thousands poured out along with entire ranks of bone golemns.

Following their ranks Shadow furrowed her brow in confusion. Banners and flags flew above the ranks as they marched onwards. Many differently colored banners flew but only one color marked each column. Trying to see the symbol on the bright blue flags was nearly impossible.

Several other flag's flew as well here and there but the blue flag was always at the front, farther away a red flag flapped in the wind and bringing her telescope up and straining Shadow could make out a cave rose. Closer was a rather colorful flag of black, gold, white and red with a familiar symbol on it. Herr Blutlanze was obviously commanding that column.

Shadow counted out some twenty different flags as they watched the army advance.

"What is the blue flag?"

"That is my symbol as this is my army after all."

"I cant make out the symbol on the flag, only one farther away but just barely."

Valkardian shifted the shield off his back and showed it to her, on its surface was the symbol of a helmet with two crossed swords behind it. The helmet was the same design as the one she wore but without the finer details.

"Why bother flying the flags though?"

"A shambling hoard should scare them well enough however the flags and banners give the impression of a thinking enemy. They will see an army arrayed before them much like their own with banners, flags and symbols, the sheer numbers will make the soldiers themselves hesitate. They are not up against just an undead army but one that is alive."

"Make them think your army is even bigger and scarier? Why bother?"

"Not that I plan to let any escape alive mind you but should they... I want them to flee this battle remembering what they saw."

"If the survivors reach Ponyville..."

"Oh they probably will but we will be right behind them giving them little chance to prepare or fall back to Canterlot. Especially since rebels keep destroying the rail line leading to Ponyville."

"Very fortuitous for you."

"Indeed it is."

The dull pounding of their marching rose into the air, the kathdar's slipped through prepared gaps in the forest yet the endless wave of undead kept coming.

"How long have you been preparing for this?"

"Since the first day I learned how to raise a skeletal servant. Thousand and thousands of years."

"With lots of help..."

"Lots of help."

"Will I ever meet them?"

"You already met a few."

"Where is Nacht?"

"Already in place. She is waiting on us."

"Herr Blutlanze? Albtraum?"

"Down there and very busy."

Straining her eyes Shadow could make out several war beasts with figure's mounted

"That is a lot more than just two Death Knights."

"Never said they were the only ones."

"For a recluse who hates ponies you have a lot of them in service to you."

"I cant stand the ones up here. Besides, I like making certain others underestimate my capabilities."

Moving his mount away Shadow thought about his words. "Up here?" There were a great many secrets he still kept from her. Looking at the forces below she quickly caught up with him but kept watching as they descended down the ridge to join the army.

"How many?"

"Over half a million with reserves."

"Wow..."