Shining Armour looked around as he gingerly walked forwards, Gordul's mocking laughter ringing in his ears.

"Your pitiful race is doomed, you know." the orc cackled. "None may stand so boldly against the Horde and live."

"You only prevail because you are using cowardly tactics!" Shining Armour yelled. "Come out of the shadows and face me properly!"

Gordul grunted. "Very well."

With an ear-piercing yell, he lunged at Shining, bringing his daggers down towards the unicorn's head.

Hearing the yell, Shining cast a shield, causing Gordul to bounce off it and hit the ground with a dull thud.

"And you say I'm using cowardly tactics?" Gordul hissed. "You hypocrite, stop hiding behind your magic!"

Shining's eyes narrowed as he lowered his shield. Unsheathing his sword, he charged at Gordul, and the two locked blades.

The sounds of clashing steel and shouting soon filled the corridors.

Gordul opened his belt pouch and took a handful of dust from it, throwing it into Shining's eyes. The unicorn gasped, lowering his guard. Seizing his chance, Gordul kicked him in the ribs.

Spluttering, Shining went down. Using his magic, he cleansed his eyes of the dust and leapt to his hooves. Snarling, he unleashed a flurry of magic at Gordul.

Gordul groaned as the wave of magical energy struck him in the chest, throwing him down the corridor. Getting to his feet, he pulled a small package from his belt and threw it to the ground.

The room was soon filled with smoke as Gordul slipped back into the shadows. Shining Armour grabbed his weapon tightly in his magical grip, sweat pouring from his brow.

The sound of hoofsteps filled the room as the other guards came to see what was happening.

"The intruder is around here somewhere!" Shining yelled. "He's hiding in the shadows! Unicorns, light up the area!"

The unicorns nodded, and sent out a beam of light from their horns. The area was slowly illuminated, light piercing the dark corners of the hospital.

Gordul chuckled as he too was enveloped by the light. Standing behind Shining Armour, he grabbed the unicorn and held his daggers to him. One at his neck, the other at his horn.

The light faded as the unicorns stopped casting.

"I told you that nothing will stop me completing my mission!" Gordul snarled. "Your Princess will die this day, mark my words. Now, drop your weapons, or your Guard Captain dies!"

The guards hesitated, looking at Shining Armour.

"Do as he says!" he ordered. "Without me, the shield around the princess will fall."

The guards did as they were commanded, throwing their weapons into a pile. Gordul laughed.

"Good. Now, lower the shield." he said, pressing his dagger into Shining's neck. The unicorn groaned as blood was drawn.

"N-n-no." he stammered.

"Either do it willingly, or I will kill you!" Gordul snapped. "Either way, that shield is coming down, and your Princess is done for."

"Even injured, Princess Celestia is no match for you." Shining hissed. "Kill me if you will, but know that I will be your last vic-"

His words were cut short as Gordul drew the dagger across his throat. Blood gushed from the severed artery as the body slumped to the ground.

The guards gasped.

"KILL HIM!" yelled one. The guards scrambled for their weapons, but Gordul unleashed a flurry of knives at them. Each knife found a target, and soon the guards were nothing more than corpses.

Gordul turned as the shield dissipated with one final hum. He clapped his hands together and laughed.

"Excellent." He said. "I will soon kill the Princess, and Equestria will belong to the Ho-"

His sentence was cut short as he was tackled to the ground. Rolling over, he saw Luxxoria lying on top of him.

"Remember me?" she hissed. "Because I certainly remember you." She began channelling a spell.

"How did you get here?!" Gordul said.

"I made another portal." she said with a smug grin. "It's pretty easy when you get the hang of it."

Gordul's eyes widened as he saw her hands swirling with fire.

"Anyway, this is for killing me earlier, you bastard." Luxxoria whispered, bringing her face up to Gordul's.

Cackling, she unleashed the fireball into Gordul's face. The orc screamed as the flames seared his flesh. Within seconds, his arms fell limp at his sides.

Luxxoria stood up, panting heavily. Zorann came up to her side.

"Have fun?" he asked.

"Yeah, I can see why you went a bit crazy." Luxxoria replied. She looked at the dead guards. "Pity we're a bit late."

Zorann turned towards the door.

"You can come in now, girls." he called. "Be careful, it's a bit of a mess in here."

Fluttershy poked her head around the door and surveyed the scene in front of her. Letting out a horrified gasp, she pulled her head back and began sobbing.

Twilight cautiously entered the hallway, taking care not to step in the pools of blood which stained the area. Her eyes soon fell on a corpse, the sight of which caused her to scream.

"Twilight?" Ignoring the mess, her friends came charging in and stood by her side.

"What is it, darling?" Rarity asked, soothing the shaking unicorn.

Twilight pointed at Shining's corpse.

"Oh, no." Rarity sighed as Twilight buried her head in Fluttershy's mane, crying uncontrollably.

"She knows him?" Zorann asked, his eyes filled with concern.

"He ... He's ... He's my brother." Twilight said between sobs.

"I understand." Zorann said. Closing his eyes, he began chanting a spell. His hands swirling with green orbs of energy.

Finishing the spell, he raised his hands above his head.

There was silence. Twilight looked at Shining's body. And gasped.

Before her eyes, his wounds closed up and his eyes stirred. With an ecstatic cry, she leapt on him, wrapping herself around his neck.

"Waahhhh!" he cried. He looked down and saw Twilight hugging him. Behind him, the guards were standing up, looks of confusion etched on each of their faces.

"Twiley? Is that you?" he asked. His eyes suddenly widened in horror. "Oh no, you're dead as well?!"

"No, B.B.B.F.F. You're not dead." Twilight said. "Well, you were, but he managed to bring you back." She pointed at Zorann.

Shining quickly leapt to his hooves, pulling Twilight close.

"ARE YOU CRAZY?!" he yelled. "HE'S THE ONE WHO ATTACKED PONYVILLE!" He noticed Luxxoria standing next to him. "AND HER! IT'S THEIR FAULT THESE HORDE ARE HERE!"

"Please, Shiny." Twilight pleaded. "Let me explain."

Shining grunted. "Well, OK. I suppose I can give them a moment. After all," he pointed at Zorann, "he did bring me and my men back from the dead and she," he pointed at Luxxoria, "appears to have killed that assassin."

Luxxoria nodded, a smug grin on her face.

"OK, Twiley." Shining said. "Enlighten me."