Anger was not a strong enough emotion to describe what Cold Scale was feeling.

As he peered through his telescope, the Ice Dragon struggled not to break the telescope as he saw his zombies being killed left and right. He saw a lavender unicorn snatching zombies up with arms from any location. He saw the Dark King cutting down one of his generals. He spotted a royal changeling that tore through the zombie line with poison gas pouring from his body.

But worst of all, he saw the three ponies he had imprisoned in his caves. Back in action and taking down zombies alongside their friends.

"Brother?" Obsidian asked.

Cold Scale growled, finally crushing his telescope into powder. "Three of our prisoners are out there," he reported, turning to his brother. "If they're here... that means the princess was returned to the empire as well."

Obsidian grimaced, glaring down at the large scar on his chest. Cold Scale followed his gaze.

"She needed to die," Cold Scale hissed, his shadow manipulating itself into a pair of dragon wings. "And that cave was supposed to be her tomb!" He looked up. "Come brother. Let us put a stop to this feeble attempt to stop my plans."

Applejack spun through a line of zombies, cutting them down in a meager attempt to dwindle their numbers. The cursed undead seemed to be endless, but Applejack was determined to hold out.

Deep down, Applejack could feel her chest already struggling for air. The ache in her muscles. She always feared that she was weaker than Rainbow or Pinkie. Hell, she knew she was weaker than Twilight.

Eric had claimed that her Devil Fruit allowed her to turn any part of her body into a sword. Yet, the best she could do was transform her legs. And no matter how much she turned her kicks into deadly slashes, she still needed them to stand on.

As twenty zombies fell, Applejack found herself facing a new challenger: the Rank Eight General Sapphire Joy. Her full wolf form howling at Applejack in challenge before rolling first into her hybrid form and then into her full pony form.

"Nice reflexes for a earth pony," Sapphire commented with a grin.

Applejack narrowed her eyes, glancing at the fur on the wolf zombie's body.

"Look who's talking," Applejack replied. "You ain't no artic wolf; this ain't yer territory."

Sapphire huffed. "Seems to suit me just fine."

"Let's see 'bout that." Turning her left leg into a blade, Applejack lunged forward, ready to kick-cut the wolf in half.

Unfortunately, Sapphire was expecting such an attack, and bound over her kick effortlessly. As she landed behind Applejack, Sapphire spun, her claws carving four deep cuts into the cow mare's back.

Applejack stumbled forward with a cry of pain. A cry that got higher as Sapphire's full wolf form tackled into her and dug its fangs into her right arm.

Spinning around, Sapphire hurled Applejack through several buildings. Though the cow mare pulled herself from the rubble, every movement was accompanied by a groan of pain.

"Ah... guess Cold Scale didn't make you his general for nothing," Applejack growled, clutching her bleeding arm.

She chanced a glance up as Rainbow Dash used the Shave Technique on a horde of zombies, while Pinkie Pie fluttered away with the Paper Art. Applejack shook her head.

"Why didn't ah try to learn those?" she bemoaned.

Unfortunately, there was no time for a lesson. Applejack saw Sapphire running straight towards her. As the wolf pony prepared to go for the cow mare's throat, one of Eric Von Shadow's lessons came back to Applejack, causing her eyes to light up in glee.

"But I do got one thing they don't," Applejack remembered, steadying herself as Sapphire pounced. "Tempest Kick!"

Applejack's attack nearly caved in the wolf's face. Sapphire shrieked with agony, one of her eyes bursting as Applejack dove out of the way and let the creatures' momentum carry it into the ruins of the building.

Using her good arm Applejack steadied herself into a defensive form as Sapphire Joy exited the building in her pony form. One hand over her eye as she shifted into her hybrid form with a growl.

"I'm going to wear your intestines like a scarf," Sapphire vowed angrily.

Applejack tried to refute her with a kick, but the pony dodged and tackled Applejack to the ground, pinning her legs to the ground. With no method of attack, Applejack was forced to cover her face with her arms as Sapphire prepared to carve her arms and face off.

"And once I finish with you," Sapphire seethed. "I'm going to maul each and every pony that fled into that castle!"

Applejack's eyes widened under her arms. Her sister was in that castle. Her friends were in that castle.

For a moment, Applejack flashed back to when she was a filly. When she had found her parents. Or rather... what was left of them. Timber wolf tracks were everywhere, letting her know exactly who had taken her parents from her.

The thought of another stinking wolf taking a family member from her stirred something deep within the earth pony.

Clenching her teeth, Applejack forgot about pain. She forgot about fear. All she cared about was one thought: 'Ain't no way in Tartarus, Hell or any of the afterlives I can think of, that I'm letting another stinkin' wolf git my family!'

The wolf zombie raised her claws, ready to carve Applejack's arms off. But instead... four of her claws were severed as they slashed futilely at a razor edged blade.

The blood painted Applejack's face like a mask, the fingers bouncing off her head, as the wolf reared up with a scream of agony.

Taking advantage, Applejack slammed her head against the zombie's. Losing her stetson, but also freeing her legs as the wolf tumbled back.

"I promised my parents I would do everything to protect my little sister," Applejack swore, rising up as each of her fingers turned into blades. "And it'll be a cold day in Tartarus before I break that promise!"

Rushing forward like a woman possessed, Applejack began slashing and hacking at the wolf zombie, just as Sapphire had been doing to her. Fur, blood and flesh flew into the air, as Sapphire gave up on fighting, shifted to her full wolf form and attempted to flee.

But there would be no mercy for Sapphire here. Sending a Tempest Kick at the wolf, Applejack snapped her legs, sending her spinning into the ground. Seizing her mane, Applejack tried to lift her up to get a shot at her face.

However, Sapphire Joy still had some fight in her, and caught the mare with a slash across the chest. Applejack gasped, biting back a scream even as her shirt was torn, and her stomach soaked with blood.

But Applejack did not release her grip. And before Sapphire could hit her again, Applejack drove her bladed hand right into the wolf zombie's chest.

Sapphire Joy gagged, her eyes rising to the heavens as she slowly went limp in Applejack's grip.

"Forgive me... Master... Scale," Sapphire choked out. "I failed..."

With those final words, the shadow left her body, and the light went out of her eyes forever.

Applejack dropped the body and wrenched her bladed hand free.

"Ah did it... Apple Bloom," she mumbled, turning to the castle. "Ah'll... always protect ya..."

But Applejack barely managed two steps back towards the castle before the blood loss got to her, and she tumbled forward into unconsciousness.

However this wasn't the day Applejack was destined to die. Right as she lost consciousness, a group of Crystal Empire soldiers rounded the bend, spotting her immediately.

"The Element of Honesty!" the commander barked, almost shoving the medic over to her. "Well?" he asked as the medic checked her wounds.

"Not good, Iron Rock," the medic replied. "She's lost a lot of blood."

"Bring her to the castle," Iron Rocket ordered. "Take her straight to the medical bay."

Obeying, the medic and another soldier flared their horns. With a flash of light, Applejack and the soldiers vanished.

"And us, sir?" one of the remaining soldiers asked.

"We lend our aid to Captain Von Shadow and his comrades," Iron Rock replied.

Nodding in agreement, the squad ran off, to find and bring aid to their Royal Captain..

Towards the northern side of the empire, in the noble district, Echo searched the streets for any pony that hadn't fled to the castle.

Careful to make sure his gas couldn't hurt friendlies, he rounded a corner, looking for any living creature.

Unfortunately, the non-living found him first.

Without warning, Echo was knocked to the ground by a fist made from smoke. Tumbling down the streets, Echo barely managed to regain his feet, his right claw slowing his descent and allowing him to stabilize himself.

"Well, well, well," a voice declared, smoke converging to reform the body of the Rank Seven General, Night Knight. "I knew I'd be killing ponies. But I didn't think I'd get the chance to pluck a changeling's wings."

Echo hissed, drawing his daggers as gas poured from his body. "You'll find this changeling a lot stronger than most."

"We'll see, Drone," Night replied, his own body turning to smoke.

Echo's eyes widened. "Drone?" he demanded. "I am a King, maggot. As you will soon learn."

With that final line, Echo and Night charged. Gas clashed with smoke. Fist crashed against fists, and heads bashed against heads.

Briefly, the two staggered back, Night clutching his head while Echo clutched his wrist. Gas and smoke covered the ground in a thick, unbreathable blanket. Night Knight glowered at the changeling, but hid his anger behind a huff.

"Not bad," The zombie general mocked. "For a king of bugs."

"The words of a blemish on a gnat's carapace means nothing to me," Echo replied with pride. "Mock me all you want, but you won't get under my carapace."

"Spoken like a true drone of a whore," Night Knight mocked.

Despite his words, the royal changeling couldn't help but feel fury boil in his gut. His slitted eyes narrowed to fine lines. His fangs bore all the way to the gums. The most deadly gas he could must swirled around him like a coiling viper.

"Care to repeat that, puppet?" Echo ground out.

Night Knight merely laughed at Echo's fury. "It's common knowledge. Changeling queens sleep around with many creatures. It's how they can create drones like you and the rest of your filthy kind."

Echo knew he wasn't supposed to let this creature get to him. His own mother had taught him never to let emotion cloud his judgement. After all, this thing was nothing but an undead. A shadow of a former life. And yet...

His mother was the one who gave life to him. His queen. She was everything to a changeling. How was he supposed to let something as insignificant as a zombie insult her and not face the consequences?

"What's the matter, drone?" Night Knight laughed, relishing in Echo's building rage. "The little drone going to cry over his whore mother?"

"I'm... not... a... DRONE!" Echo boomed. Gas flooded from his body, covering the area like fog. He clashed his daggers together. "I am Echo Silhouette. The First Changeling King of the Silhouette Hive!" He sparked his daggers, sending cinders into the gas around him. "And you can burn in Tartarus!"

As he finished his boast, the sparks ignited his gas.

An explosion rocked the entire Noble District, flattening several homes and sending a mushroom cloud into the air.

As the smoke cleared, Echo stood tall, unhurt save for the injuries already inflicted on him by General Night.

To his displeasure, the Rank Seven General also still stood as well, the smoke from the explosion easily reforming his body. However, his smug grin faded. His breathing became ragged. He pulled at his collar, before falling to his knees, coughing up blood.

"H...How?" Night Knight choked out. "You're... smoke..."

"Wrong," Echo boasted, sheathing his daggers. "I'm Gas. And you've been inhaling my most deadly poisons ever since you challenged me."

Night Knight's eyes widened. He looked down at the blood in his palm, before Echo drew his attention back with a kick to the face, throwing the general onto his back.

"Oh, don't worry," Echo said darkly. "It won't kill you instantly." He grinned as Night Knight struggled to rise, spitting out another liter of blood. "It'll just melt your lungs, and drown you in your own blood."

"You... Bas..." Night tried to swear, only for the blood flooding his throat to drown him out. He spasmed and fell to the ground, as Echo stood over him triumphantly.

"Let that be a lesson," Echo growled as the shadow left the general's body, and his spasming went still. "No one insults the glorious Queen Silhouette." He looked down at the body, which was already melting into a pile of sludge and bones. "The penalty is death. By order of King Silhouette."

Echo looked up from the skeleton. More zombies were patrolling. Drawing his knives, he advanced on them.

"My mother lost her life for refusing to feed on you ponies," he murmured darkly. "Insult her again at your peril."

Pinkie Pie bounced around the commoner district. Due to her use of 3rd gear, she was forced to go around in a tinier form.

Undeterred, Pinkie looked for a way to return to her usual size... only to find several soldiers. Their bodies rounder and shinier than usual.

"Oh....So shiny" Pinkie said kneeling down next to one of the soldiers. "You okay? You don't look so good."

"She's stronger than we thought," the soldier got out.

Pinkie's tail twitched. 'Incoming attack.'

Jumping back, Pinkie winced as a cluster of bubbles barely missed her... and crushed the soldier's head.

"Nice dodge," the attacker complimented.

Spinning to the voice, Pinkie was met with the sight of a wingless pegasus. Her light purple coat covered by a torn, long-sleeved shirt and a pair of torn pants ripped at the knees. Her black mane and tail were ratty and unkempt, and the number '3' was tattooed on her right shin.

"Oh hey! I know you," Pinkie noted, putting a finger to her chin. "Hmm... Pinkamena said your name was... Artic something. Artic... some kind of flower, I believe. Rose? No, that doesn't sound right..."

Pinkie turned away from the general, failing to pick up the general's slowly deepening frown of fury.

"Orchid, maybe? No, that wasn't it..." Pinkie muttered, before her tail twitched again. 'Incoming Attack!' She jumped away as another cluster of bubbles pulverized the ground she stood on.

"It's Lily, you insufferable clod!" Artic Lily bellowed, launching a volley of bubbles at the mare. "Artic Lily!"

Pinkie spun around the attack with ease, slapping herself on the head. "Oh, that was it!" Pinkie giggled. "I'm so silly."

Dodging another barrage of bubbles, Pinkie went on the offensive. "Gum-Gum..." Pinkie said gleefully throwing her fist back. "...Pistol!!"

Unfortunately, Artic Lily caught her arm and covered it with bubbles. "Gotcha!" the General cried in glee.

Pulling her arm back, Pinkie gazed in awe at how round and shiny her arm was. However, as she landed on all fours, her right arm slipped out from under her, sending her to the ground as Artic Lily laughed.

"Like my Golden Bubbles?" Artic Lily asked. "They cleanse anything they touch. Turning them into a slippery mess."

Despite the zombie's mocking tone, Pinkie's smile didn't falter. "Sounds like fun," she replied, rolling to her feet and delivering another right hook.

Unfortunately, her punch slipped right off the zombie's body, and Artic Lily grinned in amusement. Stunned, Pinkie was unable to dodge Artic Lily's next barrage, and she slid across the ground on her rear, covered in golden bubbles.

"Oopsie," Pinkie squeaked out, before Artic Lily charged.

Slamming her leg against the pony's face, Artic Lily sent Pinkie sliding on her side. As the pink mare struggled to control herself Artic Lily stomped on the mare's stomach with a laugh.

"And here we all thought you were the strongest out of your pathetic friends," mocked the rank three general.

Pinkie was barely listening, looking at the zombie mare's foot on her stomach. Even though her rubber body was negating most of the damage, it still didn't feel good to have a foot on her gut. She tried to shove the foot off, but the golden bubbles kept causing her hands to slip. Artic Lily laughed at Pinkie's attempts, reaching for her throat.

"Oh, I'm going to thoroughly enjoy this," Lily noted. Before she could seize her, however...

Bite her! Pinkamena's voice ordered.

'What?!' Pinkie questioned.

Bite her Pinkie! Before she kills you! Pinkamena ordered, her voice growing panicked.

'But biting is wrong!' argued Pinkie

And if she kills you, who's going to bring joy and laughter to your friends? Pinkamena insisted. You die and you'll bring nothing but tears and sadness! Not only to your friends, but to Mother, Father and our sisters!

Pinkie gasped in horror. Lunging forward, her teeth clamped down on the zombie's thumb. Artic Lily howled in pain as she tried to pry herself from the mare's mouth. Unfortunately her thumb couldn't handle the stress and snapped off. Sliding away, Pinkie did everything she could to stand on her own.

Clenching her now bleeding hand, Artic Lily glared at Pinkie with murderous intent. She lifted both her arms, and a wall of bubbles formed.

"You're dead, pony!" Artic Lily screamed, sending the bubble wall at the party pony.

The wall threw Pinkie into the bathroom of one of the crystal homes. Water and rubble flew into the air as the bubbles dissipated, clearing the way for Artic Lily as she marched up to the pile of wreckage Pinkie had been buried in.

"I'm going to rip off that thumb of yours to replace the one you took," Artic Lily vowed, digging through the rubble.

But she barely got started at digging before a dark pink fist shot from the rubble. Free of bubbles, it slammed into the zombie's face, tossing her into the adjacent building.

As Artic Lily struggled to recover, she saw the pink mare emerge from the rubble. But it wasn't the bubbly, cheerful mare she had been kicking around earlier.

Pinkamena had returned. Covered in water, and with a glower on her face. She spat out Lily's thumb and wiped the water off her face.

"I've got you figured out," Pinkamena growled, grinning at the water soaking her arms. Dissolving the bubbles. "Water cancels the effects of your Golden Bubbles." She clenched her fist, 2nd gear activating. "And last time I checked, they don't do so well with heat!"

She vanished. Artic Lily didn't have long to look before Pinkamena returned, hitting her again and sending her sprawling. Pinkamena moved to hit her again - to beat her until her shadow left her body - but her own body suddenly locked up.

Pinkie, not now! Pinkamena demanded.

'Stop it! her brighter half insisted. 'Pinkamena, give me back control! I've got this!

"This isn't the time!" Pinkamena said out loud, jumping back and barely avoiding another cluster of bubbles. "Pinkie, once this is all over you and I need a serious talk!"

Pinkamena tried to rush Lily, attempting to make up for Pinkie's attempt to wrest back control. But her speed was not enough, and she crashed hard into a wall of bubbles.

"Did you think you could defeat me that easily?!" Artic Lily demanded, bubbles surfacing and covering her body. "I'm the rank... Three... GENERAL!"

Pinkamena jumped back as a titan formed from the bubbles. Faintly, she could see Artic Lily inside, grinning smugly at her.

"Say hello to my Bubble Titan!"

Before Pinkie could try to attack or say hello, Artic Lily backhanded Pinkamena, sending her through one house. Two houses. Three.

The next thing Pinkie or Pinkamena knew, they had tumbled out of the empire and into the Frozen North. A trench had been carved into the ground by their body, and glass, metal shards and other splinters adorned her bleeding body.

Groaning Pinkamena struggled to her feet, her 2nd Gear dispersing. Pinkamena barely regained her feet before she collapsed from a massive pain in her leg. Looking down, she discovered the source of the pain to be a large metal pipe. Impaling her left leg.

"P-Pinkie," Pinkamena hissed through short breaths. "Are you okay?"

No answer came from the brighter half.

"Must have blacked out," Pinkamena huffed. "You never could handle too much pain." She seized the pipe and tightened her grip in defiance of the agony. "Luckily..." she hissed. "You got me!"

She ripped the pipe out, painting the snow red with her blood. Stabbing the pipe into the ground to use as a cane, Pinkamena lifted herself up, as Artic Lily approached in her bubble titan.

"Can't... let... it... end," Pinkamena gasped, stabbing the pipe into the snow with every word, as she marched towards Artic Lily. Must... protect... Pinkie!"

But as the bubble titan approached, Lily felt no fear in Pinkamena's attempt at defiance.

"What's the matter, pony?" Artic Lily mocked, rearing her colossal fist back. "What happened to that strength you had back at the caves?"

Pinkamena tried to rear her fist back... but she couldn't put weight on her injured leg. It was all she could to stay standing. As Artic Lily's fist rushed towards her body, Pinkamena's eyes shut.

'I'm sorry, Pinkie. I wasn't able to protect you.'

However the attack never came. Opening her eyes, Pinkamena found that she had gained a guardian.

A 6ft blue pegasus stallion with white tipped wings stood between her and Artic Lily. On the back of his armor was a depiction of a starry night sky with a full moon on top of a white cloud. Strapped to his side was a sheathed Katana blade with a six pointed star shaped cross guard. The mysterious stallion hand was extended, and the titan's fist had dispersed into harmless bubbles, floating daintily around them.

"What the...?!" Artic Lily stammered.

"Dishonorable!" the Stallion chastised with a heavy accent, placing his thumb on the guard of his blade. "Attacking a unarmed and defeated pony? You bring shame upon your life!"

Flicking his guard, the stallion unsheathed his blade, resting it on his left shoulder with both hands on the grip.

Shaking off the shock, Artic Lily tried to use her other fist, charging the stallion.

"First Form: Roar," the stallion whispered, inhaling deeply.

Bringing down his blade, he slashed the titan in half. At the same time, a massive explosion ripped through the titan, leaving a high pitched ringing in its place. As Artic Lily was flung from her titan, she could only gaze at the stallion in utter shock before her body split down the middle. Her shadow briefly appeared from the two halves before flitting away to rejoin its master.

Turning to the injured mare, the stallion returned his katana to its scabbard, and offered Pinkamena a hand.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Pinkamena stared up at him, trying to formulate a response... before falling unconscious into his arms.

"Hm," he mumbled. "I suppose not."

Slipping his arm under her leg, the stallion carried the mare bridal style to the castle.

The War of Shadows Arc Ch. 12

Thank you Deadhound for letting me use your Oc for this fanfiction

Now as some of you know Eric Von Shadow was accepted into George Washingmachine's Displaced Tournament. Now keep in mind this will take place involving Future Eric. So if something in the writing about Eric and his friend confuse you I will gladly answer to ease your confusion