“We should take a minute to bind your leg,” Nor stated. “It looked like a bad hit.”

Shadow sighed. “It’s broken. And Mwokozi did say battalion. We have not gotten close to killing a battalion of Zebras.”

Shadow stepped back out of his armor and Nor joined him. He needed unarmored hooves to properly bind it if Shadow was going to be walking on it. They also had to consider getting back to Rosemary.

“The armor takes a lot of the pressure off,” Shadow assured Nor. “I feel it, but I can keep moving. Plenty of support.”

“This type of support was not in mind when they developed these,” Nor said rolling his eyes.

“Lets go clean out this blight, as Mwokozi called it.”

“Stop calling him Mwokozi!” Nor said, agitated. “It makes him feel… normal.”

“He is, or was normal. Ghoul or not. Former Pony or Zebra, he is normal. We are closer to each other than we are to the Griffins.”

Nor had no response. They worked their way back to the intersection and then crossed it to where Thunder had led Storm and Slice. Nor was working to establish contact over the coms, but the concrete was too thick.

The hallway quickly became the center of more living quarters. Here there were bodies. Fresh kills. If you could find a way to call a Ghoul fresh.

Shadow picked up the pace and they dove, somehow, deeper into Kifopiga. Suddenly bodies disappeared and were replaced with live Ghouls. Shadow and Nor quickly dispatched them.

“Backtrack,” Shadow ordered. “There was no turns for Thunder to take.”

Shadow tried to calm his anxious heart as they worked their way back. What had happened to the others?

“Shadow? Nor?” Thunder called out.

Shadow and Nor let out huge sighs and slipped into the room. It was another typical barracks, filled with masks and other Zebra artifacts.

“More of those things?” Nor grumbled.

“There are so many of the Ghouls,” Slice panted from exhaustion.

“A full battalion,” Shadow nodded.

“He spoke to the Zebra in charge,” Nor explained. “And then how else should it end, but in an epic duel. Hoof against hoof.”

“Armor always wins,” Thunder chuckled.

“Without armor,” Nor added. “And Shadow’s back leg is broken from it.”

They all stared at Shadow for his injury.

“There was no way else it could happen,” Shadow stated. “He would have slaughtered the lot of you. His pistol and sword could have have done it. He almost beat me. If not for my signature move, I would have died. He had me right where he wanted.”

“And your signature move is?” Thunder asked.

“A jump. Up and over,” Shadow replied. “Right on their side for the strong buck. It’s all in the timing with a big dash of luck.I did it out of desperation at the finale of my Basic Training’s close combat practicum. Against who is now my wife, Cardinal Spitfire. I broke her spirit that day. Made her the soldier she became.”

“She needed that swift kick,” Thunder nodded. “As horrible that breaking point is, it is needed for your own safety in the military.”

“But you did that fierce,” Slice grinned.

Shadow was in no mood. He grabbed the closest mask and threw it at Slice. Slice ducked and the room erupted in an argument, including shoving. Ghouls entering the room from the noise froze that argument.

“Alright,” Storm declared. “We need rest. We need food. We need to replenish our water from what we drank this morning. This room has all we need. As bad as it is here, as bad as Zebra Ghouls are, we can barricade ourselves in here and take a break. Its dark outside and late.”

They wordlessly agreed and went about setting themselves up safely. Thunder laid down to sleep against the barricade. To get through, you had wake him up.

Shadow took a health potion. He had forgotten to earlier. But he sat awake at the table, unable to find sleep. He just kept sharpening his combat knife on the table’s metal edge. Shadow was pulled out of his trance when Storm joined him.

“So you threw a mask at Slice,” Storm stated.

Storm sighed at Shadow’s lack of response. “What changed?”

“I killed, with my very hooves,” Shadow said, chocking back tears. “I’ve killed with mine before, but in my armor. I was safe then. Now, I killed with my bare hoof, in a moment of savagery. Animals we were in the hope of winning, so that we could walk away grinning.”

“Why does it matter?” Storm asked. “Mind you, I didn’t actually fight in our close combat section. I refused and almost took punishment for failing. A Colonel, Red River, stepped in and allowed me to loose the first round.”

“But you could have just killed him in your armor or with a gun. Or just let Nor.”

“It matters because it shows one’s true colors,” Shadow replied. “I stabbed him when I entered. But my knife was just a pinprick. Then we had a chat. I learned about Kifopiga and the battle that ensued. I learned why they are Ghouls and the legend of this place. The ponies acted gallantly in hope of a better future.”

“I faced a Zebra who was not just an excellent combatant, but who almost bested The Rainbow Dash, Commander of the Shadowbolts, and who had killed a dozen Zebra generals before him.”

“So who am I to survive? To win that fight? I am nopony, but I claimed to be somepony. The words we spoke. Destiny, fate, and more…”

“He got to you,” Storm finished.

“No,” Shadow said softly as he shook his head. “We had a talk. There was no attempt at getting to me. No attempt to win. I speak only about what transpired. History. Truth. Neither of us tried to gain the upper hoof. We simply talked. But we knew that we would fight to the death. So we were honest.”

“Yes, if I died, Nor would have killed him since he was unarmed. But somepony was there to hear the history, his pain. His story. It was not grand, but it was what he wanted to be passed on. He didn’t deny the truth.”

Storm put his hoof on Shadow’s. “I assume Nor filmed it?”

“His head was peaking in,” Shadow nodded. “But we never spoke of it. He disapproved of me removing my suit, but obeyed and left us alone. Like now, I am alone to agonize over every minor decision. From the tiniest piece to the biggest moves I made.”

“Did I have to kill him like I did? Was there a better way? He snapped my leg like a twig. I didn’t see a Zebra, I saw an animal. And now all I see is a life, Zebra or not.”

“Seeing a life will keep you sane,” Storm stated. “Through everything, no matter what,seeing a life will keep you sane. Otherwise, you become the monster you fear. The monster you speak of. You are not that monster. The savagery of war is horrible, but you can be more through it all.”

Shadow collapsed on the table in exhaustion. “I don’t want to go out guns blazing in the morning. There is too many for our guns. For our ammo. We need another option.”

“Rest easy Shadow,” Storm said rubbing his back. “The morning will bring a new perspective.”

Storm sat by Shadow as his body forced him to sleep. As Storm watched Shadow sleep, he pondered their problem. Shadow was right. They still had most of a battalion to face. Five against a hoard. And with weapons that were running out of ammo, despite their conservation.

Storm awoke to a different room. The tension was gone and there were half eaten field rations tossed away.

“Here,” Slice said sliding one to Storm.

“So, what is the plan?” Nor braved.

Thunder looked at Shadow who was playing with Mwokozi’s sword.

“This sword is enchanted,” Shadow stated. “With fire.”

Shadow sliced the air open, the sword engulfing in lingering flames.

“I need the band to wield it. It doesn’t work with my armor, yet.”

Nor immediately stood up. “Are you saying to go out there, no armor, and slice those things open?”

Shadow nodded.

“We can get you armor,” Thunder stated, halting any opposition. “We head out and piece together Zebra armor. It is better than nothing and we need something that won’t run out of bullets. We will be at your back the entire time.”

“Do it,” Shadow nodded.

Shadow waited patiently as they removed the barricade and slipped out to find the pieces. He was nervous. More so than usual. Now he was without the armor he had come to reply on.

“This is what Zebras wore?” Nor asked when the others got back. He was not pleased with the selection.

“Our combat armor was perfected over the years to give us what we have now,” Thunder replied. “Except for those wearing the power armor, this is the best they have. We have had two hundred years of evolution.”

Shadow wordlessly put it on. It didn’t fit well, but they had brought a few extra belts to help him hold it all down.

“Ready,” Shadow smiled as he drew the sword.

“You might want to wear this,” Thunder said sliding something across the table. “Finish the look.”

Shadow picked up the the Zebra headband and ear piece. Putting it on, along with his coat and mane, made him look like a Zebra.

“Looks can be deceiving,” Shadow chuckled as he headed out. “Any idea what we are looking at for the layout?”

“No,” Thunder replied as he pulled up the rear. “It is all uncharted.”

Shadow let the sword flame up and then die down again. He did a few more times, revving his body and mind for what he was about to do. The blade felt like it wanted him and was going to work him through everything.

The hardest thing about the fight wasn’t the amount of bodies he had to hack apart. It wasn’t learning how to really balance the sword. The hardest thing was that the Ghouls woke up at different intervals. There was no way to hack through their lines. There was no line.”

Shadow worked hard to make the sword like his own arm. He worked with the close combat forms he knew. Everything had a use. The little time they spent on knives was particularly useful. And He wasn’t doing this alone. For every Ghoul He hacked apart the others killed nine or ten.

Shadow wiped blood off his face. He was pretty sure it wasn’t his, but he couldn't be sure at this point. Their physical attacks were brutal and he had taken too many.

“How is the leg?” Slice panted.

“Fine,” Shadow replied. “Fine enough to keep going. You have to be out of ammo by now.”

“We unloaded and gave them to Thunder,” Slice replied. “He is the better shot. Saving it for the armored ones. We have been using our blades. But they are so fucking small. It is impossible to kill them in one go. Four, five, maybe. If we are lucky.”

“We can’t keep this up,”

“We don’t have to,” Thunder said. “Rifles.”

Slice caught one and slung it over his armor.

“It won’t be easy, but its better than the knives,” Thunder said as he began to work them through the motions of using a free weapon.

“This sucks,” Nor protested.

“We have to do what we have to do,” Storm said as he banged on the magazine to make sure it was secure.

“Lets show these Zebras how the Pegasus Races does it,” Thunder declared. “Even if their minds have rotted away and they don’t get what is happening,it still needs to be done!”

Shadow led them down the next hallway. A Ghoul dashed out of a room. It was glowing green and bloated. A single slice up cut through the chest, leaving one shoulder and the rest above it to slide off.

“Glowing is new,” Nor gulped. “Glowing is not good.”

Shadow stepped over to the wall, out of the way. The others raised the rifles and began to fire. The Zebra rifles fired in bursts.

TAT TAT TAT! TAT TAT TAT! TAT TAT TAT! TAT TAT TAT! TAT TAT TAT! TAT TAT TAT! TAT TAT TAT! TAT TAT TAT! TAT TAT TAT! TAT TAT TAT!

They cut down the incoming Ghouls.

Shadow was back in front before the brass had settled on the floor. They dashed off after Shadow. He was eager to end this fight.

"That's another glowing one!" Nor groaned. "Why are they suddenly glowing. These bastards so much harder to kill."

"Because we are nearing the end," Shadow panted. "And it's not a good adventure if the toughest fight isn't at the end."

"Fuck adventure," Thunder spat. "We didn’t sign up for some fairy tale adventure. I want to be done with this place. It's like an ooze I can't wash off."

"Well it's almost over," Storm said. "Then we can get a well deserved rest at Rosemary, then hopefully home."

"Seriously, why are they glowing?" Nor asked.

"Because, ahead of us is where it all began," Shadow smiled. "Ahead is the spell chamber."

"No!" Nor objected, taking a few steps back. The wall halted any further retreat.

"We have no choice," Shadow argued. "We are in the ballpark for battalion strength. Ghouls or not, we have killed almost an entire Zebra battalion. That is impressive; unless we back out now.”

"That is going to have more radiation," Storm added. "Which means we need to take medical precautions again and stay out if possible.”

Slice chuckled. “And blast it first with the few rockets left."

"No," Thunder said stomping his hoof for the effect. "If I launch a rocket and there is another spell, we won't survive. At least not in this condition."

“Thunder is right,” Storm said. “We can’t risk setting something off. Accuracy is key. We barely understand magic as it is.”

They pushed on down the long hallway. The distance had been lost as it just kept going straight. There were no more side rooms as they saw the opening.

Shadow picked up his pace and felt a zap before blacking out. When he awoke it was in a side room they had cleared a while ago. The vibrant wall paintings in this room were hard to forget.

"You hit a trap," Nor stated before Shadow could speak. “A weak one. It would have been deadly when it was first constructed. Now, the crumbling walls..."

"While you were out I took a look at the walls and began to see the same marks. Over and over again, repeated in areas. I think I can see where a spell had been placed, but its impossible to tell without knowing any Zebra magic or their language."

"I have full faith in your deduction," Shadow said as he got up.

"We kill these things, our job here is done," Nor continued. "But it will still leave a lot properly unexplored. Whole weapons and ammo caches untouched. It warrants an extra day, if you ask me."

"We will see once we get rid of this blight once and for all," Shadow replied as he drew his sword.

The others were lazily posted up outside the room, to avoid the dead Ghouls inside the room. They jumped to their feet and followed after Shadow. It wasn't a long walk back to where they had been.

The walls never appeared to show any signs of wards to stop them and Shadow halted their advance at the opening to what was an antechamber, not the spell chamber. There were walls of potions and books reaching up to the vaulted ceiling. More masks decorated the walls and hung from the ceilings. Large tapestries covered up the last of the concrete. Even after all this time, the room was cozy. Creepy cozy, but cozy.

All of the Ghouls here wore different capes and masks. Some of the masks were made of bones and skulls. Gold rings stacked on each other adorned their necks and other pieces of jewelry hung off them. There were no weapons in sight.

"Zebra spell ponies," Storm whispered.

“They might be Ghouls, but be prepared for wards,” Shadow warned them. “We do not know if their jewelry is enchanted.”

With that, Shadow confidently stepped into the chamber. The others held back, waiting to react to their reaction. They ignored Shadow, even after they looked right at him and the others. They were mindlessly tending to their spells and potions.

The cauldron’s fire had died long ago and the water evaporated, but they still stood there like they they actually had something and were adding something or stirring it. They couldn’t use the ladders to reach the higher books or potions, but they were browsing the lower shelves.

Shadow was at a loss. Non hostile Ghouls who had lost their mind was unlike anything they had ever heard of. But they still had to die.

Shadow walked up to one and sliced it’s head off. The others turned their dead gazes to him with a new spirit. They charged. The Inquisitors jumped into the fray and Shadow sliced one after another.

A lull in the battle gave Shadow the quick second to chose his next target for easy dispatch. The Zebra Ghoul was wearing a skull that covered it’s entire face. A bone necklace with the skull of a mouse at its center was around it’s neck. Large square earrings and several neck rings adorned it as well. If there was a head enchanter, this was it.

Shadow swung the sword full blazed. It skipped off a shield and went careening out of his grasp. A bubble shield was exactly what Shadow fear. The Ghoul slammed into Shadow, knocking him to the ground.

Somepony opened fire but the rounds were deflected in all directions. They never even halted it’s charge. It reared up over Shadow and slammed it’s hoof into his head.

Shadow's vision faded as the pain blinded him. He saw enough to roll his head out of the way for the next strike and then rock into a punch, using the energy to his advantage. It reared back from the hit and Shadow swept the front leg. The ward only stopped weapons.

Shadow was up on one foreleg. He used the other to pound the Zebra’s head. The skull finally broke, removing and resistance. Shadow’s hoof pounded again and again into it’s head, making sure it was dead.

He was pulled off of it mid strike. Adrenalin had made him lose sight. There was nothing left to pound other than the concrete.

Shadow collapsed from the stress as all of the adrenalin vanished. He was awoken a little bit later with a splash of water on his face.

“I…”

“We get it,” Storm said softly. “There was nothing for us to do. You had to fight it alone. But it is done.”

“And we still have to make sure the spell chamber is clear,” Shadow said standing up.

Shadow caught himself halfway as the pain washed over him. His head hurt and his leg was throbbing.

“Here,” Nor said holding out a potion. “Drink up. Your leg needs it. Your head is now in league with your leg.”

They chuckled and Shadow downed the potion. He gently touched his head. They had already bandaged it up.

“Rad meds,” Shadow groaned. “I will head into the chamber.”

“Good,” Slice smiled. “Because none of us want to.”

Shadow chuckled and downed a Rad-away and Radsafe. He picked up his sword and walked over the doors. They had several more doors in front of these that could be closed to protect them when the spell was launched. Shadow pushed open the door was was shocked at what he saw.

It was nothing. Nothing special anyway. A cauldron was in the center, but knocked over. The contents had left a permanent mark on the floor, but where gone. The entire thing was just a large, seamless, concrete silo that went up a good three hundred meters. The blast doors were closed, but had a single puncture which couldn’t be more than a large hoof. That was it. Not even a sign of a body.

The radiation was making him tingle. Outside of that, there was no clue this was anything but a blank room.

Shadow stepped back in and shook his head. “Nothing. How that round set things off, I do not know. How they found such a well hidden chamber and were able to put a round through it is a mystery. This place should be at least a mile behind the surface of the fort.”

Shadow pulled a nearby lever and the protective doors slid into place.

“Lets set ourselves up here for the night,” Shadow ordered. “The enchanter quarters are here, meaning everything we need is here. Tomorrow we will explore to find any gems. We will meet at the main gate by 2100. The day after, final picks through the pony weapons and armor to see if there is anything of value for us and for the Enclave. 1600 we meet at the bottom of the cliff.”

“That puts us heading back at day 9 of 14. After that, we push to get back to Rosemary. It will be tight unless we take to the sky. Is that agreeable?”

All Shadow got was nods.

“I’ll get your armor,” Thunder replied.

“I’ll come with you to watch your back,” Nor said following after him.

Shadow set his sword down.

“Storm, Slice?” He called. “Up to the challenge of trying to decipher what these symbols on the blade mean?”

“I want to try and understand their magic,” Storm replied. “Something I can’t examine back at Rosemary. Sorry.”

“No worries,” Shadow shrugged. “Their use of magic without a horn is intriguing.”

The books were in good condition. It was Storm who found what Shadow needed. A book translating the two languages. It was well worn from use. At least one Zebra had trouble with the pony language.

It was difficult to translate the script. Shadow worked through dinner, but it payed off.

“Death Blessed Bringer,” Shadow announced.

“That makes no sense,” Thunder stated.

“It obviously looses something in the translation,” Shadow replied. “Kifo Herixleta. At least I can pronounce it. Even if the translation does not make the most sense.”

“At least you got something out of your research,” Storm yawned. “I have hit stone wall after stone wall. The library proved worthless to a pony and there is nothing here to help me understand their process.”

“Do you understand Unicorn magic?” Slice asked.

“Nope!” Storm chuckled. “It is all foreign. But it was fun.”

“Good,” Shadow smiled. “We need as much fun as possible after these few days.”

“Plans for tomorrow?” Nor asked. “I have nothing I want to check out.”

“Supplies,” Thunder stated. “Find out what other weapons and technology they had. Hopefully pick up some in mint condition.”

“I’ll tag along,” Slice said. “Right up my alley.”

“Have fun,” Storm replied. “I will be staying here to see what these masks and symbols mean.”

“I am headed to find Mwokozi’s quarters,” Shadow added.

“That sounds a lot more fun,” Storm replied. “I’m in. And I think I know where it is. We found some empty, fancy quarters. Large ones. We immediately thought officer quarters.”

“Good,” Shadow smiled.

Shadow put the Zebra armor away in his saddlebags. It was soaked in blood but intact since the Ghouls could not shoot or use blades.

They settled in for the evening and Shadow passed out from exhaustion. He wasn’t in the mood for their field rations in the morning, so he didn’t even try to eat. Storm and Shadow were the first to head out.

Storm led them to the other side Shadow hadn’t seen. The tunnels were not a exact mirror of each other, but they were close. Everything was clear of living things. There were only dead Ghouls.

Shadow stepped into Mwokozi’s room. It was large and rather bare. Only a few masks were around and the walls were decorated with tapestries. There wasn’t much to find. Mwokozi kept things simple.

Kifo Herixleta’s box was there. A gorgeous stained Dibetou wood case lined with Zebra Striped velvet to hold the sword and it’s belt when laid out.

“Might as well take it,” Storm smiled. “You won’t be able to go running off with it every time we leave.”

Shadow put the sword and belt away and slid the box into his saddlebags. There was a case of rounds for the revolver. They were a variant of the 44 Magnum marked 44 Zebra. It was a bit shorter and a bit of a lighter bullet, but the revolver could handle the heavier 44 Magnum easily.

Storm called Shadow's name. Shadow looked around but didn’t see him. Even when he looked straight at where Storm was calling his name. Storm appeared as he pulled a cloak off.

“We studied these cloaks in school,” Storm explained. “Because the Pipbucks were somewhat reverse engineered from their magic. I got the chance to go to a secondary tech school in the military, Technical Magic Training, or TMT. Few can pass the requirements to go and we don’t tell others we went. I don’t know if the Major was aware I went. Slice certainly doesn’t know. That is why I am so interested in their magic.”

Storm folded the cloak and put it in Shadow’s saddlebags.

“That is a custom cloak,” Storm added. “Made for a general. The others don’t have those symbols and are rather plain. That is colorful and embroidered; probably meant to be displayed with the uniform when not being used to hide. Only a general would need that. Especially if they were acting as a diplomat. You are so interested in this general, you should take it.”

“Do you know why I am so interested?” Shadow asked.

“No,” Storm replied. “We spoke last night, but I figured it was because of the fight.”

“I allowed the fight because he deserved the honor. And so did she, Rainbow Dash. Mwokozi is the general in my community’s stories, Two Toned, who survived Rainbow Dash’s attacks and was her nemesis. Otherwise I don’t give a shit and would have cut him down without a second thought when my knife failed.”

“That makes a lot more sense,” Storm chuckled. “You got to talk to one of the most important Zebras in their empire and in your life. Larger than life. How could you not talk to him. You will have to tell us those stories as we fly back.”

“We got some good conversation in,” Shadow sighed contently. “But killing each other was hanging over the meeting, ever present.”

The last thing of immediate value was found in the drawer of Mwokozi’s desk. It was several polished wood boxes that held the medals that correlated with his ribbons. Shadow slipped them into his bags.

He was planning to add the ribbons to his dress uniform. He had decided to fuck the regs and wear it. Honors for what he did. The Enclave could never give him anything better to display killing the last of the Zebra Generals. He would add these to his uniform when things called for their medals to be displayed.

All that was left was a few books in Zebra and some tapestries.Shadow wanted to take the books, but was running low of space in his bags. They also held no value because he couldn't read them.

He did take down a large tapestry. It was different from all the others. They were machine made, this was hoof woven. Some of the symbols on it matched the cloak and inside the top of the sword box. It had to be his name in Zebra. He would hang the tapestry up on his wall and place the sword box in front of it.

Shadow led Storm to the pillbox where Mwokozi’s body was. Storm didn’t want to ask to see it, but Shadow read the cues.

“He deserves a real burial,” Storm stated.

“You are right,” Shadow sighed. “But we are not going to be able to move his body easily. And what do we put it in? One of the other tapestries in his room?”

“Sounds good,” Storm replied. “We probably really technically should bury him in the hoof woven one, but fuck that. Spoils of a hard won victory. He almost killed you in unarmored combat. And he seemed to know that if he was going to die honorably in the fight, you should take things. Or else he would not have told you so much.”

They were the first outside of Kifopiga. They headed out to where the slit trenches were and a bit beyond where they began to blast apart the rocks. It was not a perfect grave since they just had rocks to pile on top. But Storm moved a mountain gun to stand watch over the grave. He used their hoof lasers to fuse the axles tight and fix the barrel untilthe whole gun was one solid piece. Shadow laid a large stone against it in which he carved:

“That is a proper burial for the leader of the Zebra Army,” Storm declared. “As proper as we can give.”

“Now what?” Shadow asked.

Storm grinned. “We have enough time, lets find that spell chamber from above and check out of the blast doors!”

They took off, setting a fast pace to enjoy the freedom of the air. They found it because of the map of the tunnels. It was well concealed. How the downed Cloudship had seen it was unknown. But the single hole was undeniable.

“A single shot and it went through,” Storm said puzzled. “This makes no sense. And so tiny.”

“The Cloudship wreckage?” Shadow asked.

“Maybe,” Storm shrugged trotting over too it.

The wreckage was torn apart by guns, not a dragon. It was in decent shape. Storm found the bridge crew easily. The Captain, a Pegasus, wasn’t hard to find after that. Shadow dusted off the Captain’s cover while Storm examined what was left of him.

Storm pulled a folded piece of paper from his uniform pocket. The air was dry and hot, preserving it well. It cracked as he opened it. Storm read it aloud.

Captain Rumble,

Equestria needs you and The Flash Magnus to make sure that this world survives. We discovered a spy and extracted important information. Kifopiga has a dark secret. You are armed with special shells for your guns. Shoot these coordinates.

It is your one job in this battle. No one outside of your bridge crew and Admiral Cloud Chaser can know of your purpose. You may rest easy, knowing that the battle of Kifopiga was going to happen with or without you. They will provide a distraction, but they have their own objectives.

Princess Luna

“That is unexpected,” Shadow replied. “Mwokozi blamed Princess Luna, but for reasons completely unrelated to this.”

Storm unclipped the captain wings on Rumble’s chest and his captain bars.

“These should go to a Captain of Equestria,” Storm said. “Not an Enclave Captain, an Equestria Captain. One day, a Cloudship will be captained by a Pony for Equestria. The first should get to wear these, including that cover.”

“There were a lot of brave Cloudship captains that fought here, but Rumble, he went in blind. He did his job, despite being ripped apart. Look at this ship. He kept it together against all odds and got in his one shot.”

“What about the ponies meant to breach the fort?” Shadow asked.

“Same goal,” Storm replied. “Luna and Cloud Chaser, they didn’t mean to set off the megaspell. They didn’t know one was in there or being prepared. All they were trying to do was disable the silo. The soldiers were to take it and secure anything inside. But they had to disable it before the Zebras decided to send it in retaliation for the assault.”

“We should bury Captain Rumble,” Shadow smiled.

“We can’t,” Storm sighed. “You just killed Mwokozi. We gave him a grave. This, this is their grave. His tombstone told of his accomplishments, their bodies tell their story. Their legend. This is their graveyard. Open or not, there is no better burial for them.”

Next Chapter: Chapter 51 - Awards and Decorations Estimated time remaining: 5 Hours, 7 Minutes