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Today... Today was... This was the day where we...

It started off routinely enough. I awoke in the company of my dear Ember with her wing draped over me. I slept well. Nightmare Moon and Luna were with me that night. Celestia was there too. Although for once, while the dream had been lucid, there was not much I really feel was necessary to talk about. They wove the familiar streets of Canterlot around us. As if to replicate a day on the town solely to unwind. If only they knew how much I would need it when considering what would happen in the hours after I awoke. None of us could have predicted what would happen that day.

I did not move. I waited patiently for Ember to awaken. I even closed my eyes and pretty much drifted back off to sleep for another hour or so. Although I did awaken again to the feeling of a finger tracing along my cheek. And upon opening my eyes, I found her gazing at me from just inches away. With a smile on her lips, Ember whispered to me. "Good morning, my little warrior poet. Sleep well?"

"Well enough. How about you?" I whispered before we shared a brief kiss. Waking up with her by my side always gives my day a good start. My beloved Ember... When will I ever tell you? Although given recent circumstances, I have to wonder if that opportunity will ever have the chance to come up. At least when considering where I am typing this from...

"I always sleep well when I've got you by my side." Ember cooed to me with another caress of her finger along my jaw. So much love in those scarlet eyes... With every morning, it is so difficult to withhold my feelings for her. Only then did Ember rise to a seated position and reach her arms out far to stretch. Those glorious blue wings reached wide as she groaned. And the instant she suddenly slouched forward to let her straining muscles relax, she let out quite the yawn. "How about another hour...?"

"Come on, Ember. I already went back to sleep waiting for you to wake up." I retorted as I embraced her from behind. My fingers slid along her chest, caressing those smooth pale blue ventral scales while I also placed a kiss upon her neck. "Is this enough to perk you up?"

"Oooohoohoohoo, it's working a little too well!" Ember giggled with quite the shudder trembling through her body. She rested her hands over mine, cooing softly as she guided them over her body. "You really know how to start my day. Now let me do the same for you."

Ember gently took my hands off her and turned around before gently pushing me onto my back. She spread her wings wide with the morning sunlight peeking through the blinds that hung before the windows in the bedroom. Locked away in her cottage with a cadre of archers up on the roof, we were safe. With tenderness one would likely never expect from the one who owns the Bloodstone Scepter, Ember lowered herself to me with her finger tracing over my chest and along the thick dark fibers coiling over it. "You know I'm here for you, right? You know I'll pursue you to the ends of the Empty Plains and beyond."

"I know, Ember... I'm glad to have you here." I whispered as her lips once again reached mine. Over and over, they touched for a kiss. "You really do help keep me going. Thank you."

"We'll get through this together." She whispered before placing a kiss right between my eyes. Only then did Ember start to crawl to the edge of the bed while looking back at me. "How about you wash up while I get started on breakfast? Something new I found in the cookbook I wanna try."

"I always like edible surprises. I'll be looking forward to it." I replied while Ember made her way out of the bedroom. But only after removing the chair propped up against the doorknob. Even while I was in the shower, I could still smell something sweet in the air that was permeating throughout the entire cottage. And once I was out of the bathroom and stepped out of the hall, I found Ember hard at work in the kitchen. "Ooh... I thought I recognized that scent."

She had put together some breakfast staples like scrambled eggs and fresh fruit. But the real star of the show was what she was piling up on a platter. French toast. Something I had not enjoyed in a long time. Once she happened to notice me peeking around the corner, Ember beamed at me with a delighted grin. "I'm really liking how these are turning out. Would you mind setting the table?"

"Sure thing." I replied before going about the kitchen to fetch the necessities. I provided the plates and cutlery at the table and even brought over a cold bottle of milk as a beverage. Ember was not far behind and brought over the results of her labor. And once we started to dine, I loved how everything turned out. "You just keep getting better at this. What's next on your to-do list in the kitchen?"

"There's actually lots of stuff here I wanna try making, but I don't think I have the ingredients or the tools for it. Breakfast foods are the easiest to handle, if nothing else. Never take long to put together, but I guess that makes sense when the word 'fast' is in the meal's title. No one wants to wait too long to get their first meal." Ember retorted as she sampled her first bite of French toast. She practically swooned at the flavor, myself having all but forgotten just how flavorful that dish is. "Oh man, why didn't I make this before? It almost doesn't even need syrup!"

Few words were said at the table while we dined. In spite of everything that had been happening, all of the discourse hanging in the air, all of the barely dulled resentment among my colleagues, I was happy. All because of her. My eyes kept glancing at Ember between bites. She was in heaven as she dined on her newest creation. But at one point, she happened to catch me staring. Her eyes narrowed in knowing observation. "Something catch your eye again?"

"It's just a joy to see you happy, Ember. You have a great smile." I replied while not wanting her to think I meant anything unusual with my gaze. I knew she had it rough before we met. Before she was introduced to civilized living. Now that she had become accustomed to it despite the limitation of being on the battlefield, she was so much happier. "You looked so rough and on edge when we first met. Even in your throne room, you didn't look entirely comfortable."

"That's because I didn't know what I was missing out on." The Dragon Lord replied before taking a bite of her scrambled eggs. She then smiled at me with her fist tucked under her jaw, fork still clasped in her fingers, and spoke to me. "Meeting you was one of the best things that happened to me that day. New doors were opened that I didn't even know was there."

"You do look a lot happier. I'm glad for you." I retorted while not wanting to distract us too much. But no sooner had we finished everything that was on the table did Ember rise from her seat and approach me before taking hold of my hand. She was starting to pull me to my feet when I asked, "Um... Yes?"

"Over here. Right now, my little warrior poet." She chuckled with such a whimsical smirk on her lips. I rose from my seat and was pulled over to the couch on the other side of the cottage. Like many times before, Ember pushed me down onto it before sprawling herself out atop me. I was all but naked, her pleasantly smooth ventral scales rubbing along my chest while Ember traced a finger along my chin. "You make a very comfy mattress, you know?"

"Well, those scales on your belly are always enjoyable to feel against me too, so that evens things out." I replied while we chuckled together. I did not mind Ember resting atop me. She was hardly heavy despite how strong she is. I then gazed into those beautiful scarlet eyes and said, "Won't be much longer now... And it's a long walk back to your place."

"Hey, it just means we'll have more time together." Ember sighed dreamily as she never once looked away from me. Her fingers never stopped caressing me in a way one would never expect from a warrior. She then whispered, "I'm just thinking about what happens next. This has been a good experience in terms of diplomatic relations with the dragon lands. I need to see what else is out there. Anything you can tell me about where you've been?"

"I admit I haven't seen that much of Equestria yet. But some standouts would be..." I started to explain before searching my memory for memories of specific towns or cities. I started small and worked my way up. "Well, there's Ponyville. A little on the rural side and just about the most comfortable and friendliest town you'll find in that territory. Up the mountain nearby is the capital city of Canterlot. That's where the royal family resides. Fancy and elegant, though the Canterlot elite might get on your nerves. There's a bit of a class divide there as far as that demographic is concerned. And outside of pony settlements, there's Capricorn Island out to the west. Home of the hippogriffs. The place is beautiful and they have wonderful cuisine and culture, I absolutely recommend it."

"Capricorn Island, huh? That's where Novo reigns, right? I have to remember to schedule a visit there... And the rest sounds great." Ember mused to herself while processing my words. She then cooed to me, "Sounds like we both have a lot more of this world to see. Maybe we can do it together."

"I have to admit... Traveling together, seeing the sights... I'd be up for that if you're with me... Oh, wait!" I replied before suddenly remembering something from not long ago. Even if I had not been there myself yet. "There's also the Republic of Aquila! That's where the harpies come from. And Celaeno was going to sign me up for a fencing tournament down there next year so I'd have an excuse to go. What about you? Maybe you'd like to sign up?"

"Fencing? That's with...swords, right? I've always preferred spears, but...sure! Tell her to sign me up." Ember replied with a big smile on her lips. She then folded her hands over each other and rested her jaw across them. Smiling sweetly, she then asked, "And what do you know about that place?"

I thought back to the few times Celaeno had spoken of her homeland to me before saying, "According to her, it's in the tropics. I'm expecting rainforests, sunny beaches, and warm humid weather. Sounds like a great place for a relaxing vacation, to be honest. I've... Oh yeah, I've also been to a tropical resort town called Cantercun. I wouldn't be surprised if the architecture and culture there isn't too far removed from what you'd expect from the Republic of Aquila. Except with more of a pony leaning than harpy."

"So much to see, so little time to do it. Well, we'll work something out. Just remember that I'll be expecting your best in that tournament." Ember replied with a much cheekier smirk on her lips. But with a wistful sigh, she then started to push herself up from me. "Anyway... I could use a hot shower before we head out. Could I ask you to handle the dishes while I'm in there?"

"Sure thing, I'm not going anywhere." I said with the two of us starting to sit up on the couch. We could not let ourselves get too sidetracked. We would be marching before much longer. But before rising from the couch, we both turned to face each other. And we held each other before our lips joined one more time. I then whispered to her, "Thank you for the courage you give me."

"And thank you for the hope you fill me with." Ember cooed ever so sweetly to me, her hand sliding over my cheek. Only then did she leave me to bathe while we still had time. I stuck to my word and handled all the dishes in the kitchen before returning to the bedroom to fetch a clean set of clothes I had started storing in the dressers there. Once I left the bedroom, I found Ember suiting up in her armor at the front of the cottage. She then looked my way and asked, "A little help here?"

"I gotcha." She always did have some difficulty with a few pieces of her armor. And I was happy to assist. Only once her entire suit was equipped did I take the time to suit up in mine. Ember always provides a tub for me to store my armor's liquid form in when I am visiting. And once we were fully suited up and inspecting our weapons, I asked, "How much longer you think we have before we get there? It could be any day now."

"I swear that Heaven's Pillar thing sounds more and more like a mirage every day. Now matter how hard I try to look into the distance, I just can't see it." Ember grumbled while sliding her fingers over the edge of her spear's head. Still sharp and ready. Although she then glanced at me and added, "I mean I don't doubt that you saw it yourself! I know it's out there. It's just...you'd think we would've seen it by now."

"It's really big around, but still narrow. I'd assume you can only see it up to five miles away." I explained with my thoughts going back to the only time I had actually seen that abandoned ruin. And it was so tall too. Miles high... What was even the purpose of such a tower? Whatever the case, it felt fitting for a final destination. My eyes then wandered until they were looking out the window. "To think we're probably almost there..."

Ember reached out and touched my armored right hand. Our eyes met, her voice soft. "In spite of everything, I gotta say it was worth it. This was an...important experience for me. And I'll be right there with you to the end of this."

"Thank you..." I was only able to mutter that. We then grabbed our helmets and stepped outside. The archers atop the roof only then departed once it was clear I was in Ember's company. No one would dare mess with me if the mightiest dragon in the militia was at my side. And the camp was alive with activity. I had come to recognize this as a familiar sign. "I guess we should head over to the east gate."

"Yep... Time to head out." Ember muttered from behind her helmet. I resigned myself to another day of marching, staying with Ember until something came to mind. I then glanced down at her and said, "Actually...could you go on without me? I want to stop by the command center. I won't be long."

Ember hesitated for a moment, but she was quick to understand what I was implying. "Right, I'll be waiting over there with Rain Shine. She shouldn't be long."

I wasted no time and took to the air on my armor's wings. I soared over the encampment swiftly to save time and immediately stepped into the command center. With the militia mobilizing to march, there was only the necessary number of personnel inside. Although I did notice a couple of familiar faces seated at the table in the common area. Two young dragons. One true and the other false. "Hey there, ladies."

Smolder and Ocellus were more than happy to see me. They both waved with pleasant smiles while Smolder spoke first. "Morning, James! We heading out soon?"

"Looks like it. I just wanted to see Nightmare Moon before we headed out." I replied while not wanting them to think I was not interested in seeing them. They were understanding and allowed me to be on my way. I made my way down the hall and knocked on the door to my beloved's chambers. When there was no answer, I found the door was unlocked. And there she was. The Princess of Dreams still resting in bed as the medical machines around her hummed and beeped. Our eyes met as she lifted her head. "Hey... You accepting visitors?"

"I always have time for you, my dear." She spoke lucidly. I suspected the medics had eased up on the painkillers now that her condition had stabilized further. She appeared to have a clearer head than I recalled. It was difficult to move in the room with so little space left and with my armor's bulk and wings being difficult to maneuver in, but I made it work. I kneeled beside Nightmare Moon at her bedside while my hand held her hoof. "It sounds as if we are due to move out at any time."

"Yeah... I saw the signs. I don't have long to spend here." I replied while my armored fingers closed securely over her hoof. I then whispered, "How're you holding up?"

Nightmare Moon responded with a yawn at first. "I would say I'm through the worst of it by now. Although I am still in no condition for the battlefield. I wish I could be out there by your side... You will take care, yes?"

I nodded while knowing Ember and Rain Shine were waiting for me. "Yeah... I'll be in good hooves and hands. We'll manage."

She let out a long contemplative sigh while setting her head down. After a moment of silence, Nightmare Moon spoke with a grim tone. "Beware out there, James... It feels like it's been too long since the last encounter. I'm convinced we should have encountered the next wave by now. There's not that much distance between us and the Heaven's Pillar now... This does not bode well..."

"The last army had a headcount of around fifty thousand... Even if the emperor were to try and double that... I think you might be right..." I retorted while taking a moment to think this over. She was right. The less distance between us and the Heaven's Pillar, the more frequent encounters with the enemy would become. An abnormally generous amount of time had passed since the last battle... The emperor should have become more desperate by then. "We should've faced fierce resistance by now... I hope it's not a bad sign..."

"This is anything but a good sign, my love. At least we can take some comfort in knowing the enemy will not directly harm you. Use it to your advantage. As long as the emperor needs you alive, exploit any opportunity you are presented with. Even if the Hollows will not harm you, you can most certainly decimate them." Nightmare Moon said with her usual ruthlessness in the face of a enemy.

"I will... My unit's strategy was effective last time. We'll pull through if we maintain our formations." I muttered with my head bowing. With every battle, the emperor had revised his tactics. Been less lenient in handling his enemies. And last time, he even preemptively prepared a dishonorable midnight attack to follow the previous battle. One I had to tend to personally. What sort of stakes should have expected by then? My eyes scanning the bandages and tubes attached to Nightmare Moon's sable body, I then whispered, "You'll be safe here, right?"

"I shall, so long as I remain behind the encampment's walls. But I should not keep you. Our people need you." The Princess of Dreams sighed before she and I reached out and placed a kiss upon our lips. "Be safe, my dear... I shall be here."

"I'll be back tonight. Hopefully we won't have anything to worry about today." I said in parting, being very reluctant to leave the room. I watched from the crack in the door as Nightmare Moon set her head back down for a nap. And once I reached the common area again, I found Ocellus and Smolder seated where I had left them. I think they were just bored since they were outside my room. Although they both looked my way when I approached. "Nightmare Moon looks like she's doing quite a bit better. I don't think we have to worry about her in the long run."

"That's good. I thought it had to be something really bad if someone like her could get taken outta action." Smolder said without showing a smile. As I drew near, she then asked, "You heading out?"

"Yeah, soon. Everyone's mobilizing outside. Ember and Rain Shine are waiting for me at the east gate." I explained while noticing that Smolder just looked...tired. Not exactly sleepy. Just...drained. Moreso than Ocellus. I kneeled beside her at the table and asked, "You feeling all right?"

The young dragoness sighed as her eyes wandered in a manner that one would not expect out of someone of her age. She then looked at me with such a profound frown on her face. "I wanna go home."

"We all do..." I muttered as I saw that despite her not even seeing combat, the situation of this war was finally starting to get to her. I reached out and placed a kiss upon her forehead, knowing that no one would think much of it. "It's almost over though. We're almost at the end."

"I hope so... War sucks. Even for the ones that don't do any fighting." Smolder muttered before she leaned forward into my armored embrace. No one was close enough to see what was happening, the radar station attendant being much to preoccupied with his duties to even turn around. Smolder was mindful to keep her voice down regardless. "I just wanna go home to Ponyville... I wanna just be happy with you again, mi amor..."

"We will, sweetheart. We will. And it'll feel so amazing to finally be back home when this is all over." I whispered to her as I dragged my fingers along the fibrous crest atop her head. She was not even supposed to be out there in the first place. She and Ocellus did not belong with us. "Just a little longer..."

Smolder only nodded while she buried her face against my breastplate. I then looked over to my right as Ocellus stepped into view. She gently brushed a lock of her hair out of the way of her eye while waiting patiently for me. I then asked, "What's up, love bug?"

"Before you go... Could I...um..." She mumbled uneasily before falling silent. Unable to really speak, she tapped a finger to her draconic lips. "Just a little? If you think it'll help..."

"Oh, love bug... Sure. I think a little might perk me up." I muttered while Smolder sat back in her seat to watch. I made certain to fold a wing forward to serve as a curtain just in case the wrong person might see. A meek yet tender gleam in her eyes, Ocellus cupped my face in both of her hands before bringing her lips to mine.

We closed our eyes, savoring this touch. And I felt it. A subtle sensation of something flowing into me through my lips. It was only for five seconds, but when we pulled away... I felt it. Just enough of that precious love had been siphoned into me. I felt wanted. I felt a rise in my drive to meet my friends on the battlefield. I knew I had something to protect and that there were those who wanted me to survive the coming battles. I then smiled at Ocellus and whispered, "Thank you."

"You're doing your best..." That beautiful little love big whispered while continuing to cup my face in her hands. Her eyes still filled with a timid adoration, she smiled at me. "You're doing so much for all of us... Be strong out there, all right? We want you to come home safely..."

For all my efforts to make her feel wanted and safe, now it was Ocellus who was trying to soothe my own heart. She really was being a true love bug. I pulled the precious little lady into my arms for an embrace, that little dose of love doing more for me than I expected. "I'll be back... You two stay safe here. We'll al be going home soon."

"Right... Be careful out there. We're rooting for you." Smolder then added before sneaking a kiss onto my cheek. Now in just the right lifted spirits I needed, I made my way outside and took to the air. I swooped over the encampment to save myself some time and saw Ember and Rain Shine waiting for me right inside the gate.

"I hope I didn't keep you ladies waiting. I had to see a few friends first." I explained as I descended towards them on my wings. They did not appear irritated, but those eyes told me they were left wondering if it was a good idea to leave me unattended while inside the encampment. Even when most of our infantry were no longer inside the walls.

"There's no need to apologize, my friend. It was well of you to see them before departing. We will likely be out here for hours unless you need to return to them early." Rain Shine replied while Ember hoisted her spear over her armored shoulder. We did not keep them waiting. Once we were beyond the walls, we took up positions while the encampment behind us was packed up in its own carrying case with only the most vital installments kept out on wheels to be pulled along. We then all began to march east, unaware of the dangers that were waiting.

Morale was still high. That, or the militia was eager for revenge after what happened to Nightmare Moon. They did not appear particularly chipper or at ease around me, but they had an air of firm focus about them. Things were quiet as the rumbling of thousands of hooves filled the air while the tremors they generated could be felt through my sabatons. We had gotten this far without anyone suffering significant injuries. Almost like it was too good to be true. Were we just that well prepared while prioritizing the survival of our men, or had we only gotten lucky so far? And if luck was the deciding factor, how long would ours hold out?

I was at times tempted to return to the command center behind us and rest. Some of our aerial units were retrieving the sensor crystals along the way and returning them to the command center until the next time we would set up camp for the night. But every time, I resisted that urge. I was afraid to go somewhere that would make me unable to respond promptly should something come up. We were very deep in enemy territory. For all we knew, ambushes could be lying in wait just outside the range of our sensors in just the command center.

The vast and serene expanse of green meadows upon the Empty Plains belied the grim situation at hand. And the sky was hardly clear. With autumn approaching, rain was becoming more frequent. The clouds ahead were showing signs of rain. Hopefully it would not happen during the next major clash.

After a few hours of marching, I noticed some of the highest flying aerial units above quickly descending. And then the marching formations ahead began to come to a stop. A pit opened in my stomach. It was much too soon for us to set up camp for the evening. "I think our scouts spotted something."

"Let me see here..." Rain Shine muttered from beside me. She closed her eyes for a few seconds as she probably felt through the ground and the countless blades of grass far ahead. And her eyes opened wide with a look of unease. "Yes... Many of them. It won't be long now."

"I see..." I could remember the last battle. Everything went along like clockwork. But then Nightmare Moon became too bold for my sake. The Hollows genuinely tried to slay her in an attempt to demoralize us. If the emperor was willing to let a few of my comrades die just to make a point, capturing all of my pony allies alive was no longer as much as a priority as it was at first. But they still had many advantages.

A voice soon echoed in my head. The voice of Celestia. "James. Please come on over. We're to your left."

"I'll be right there." I retorted before I began to step past Ember. "We've been summoned. This way."

Ember and Rain Shine followed me without objection. Our comrades stepped aside to allow us by while I could see Celestia standing far ahead thanks to her taller stature. Twilight Sparkle was with her when we arrived, as was her family aside from Nightmare Moon. Seaspray and Shining Armor stood at attention as well, although I was surprised to see Spitfire hovering before them. Ember then asked, "What's it looking like out there?"

Spitfire looked our way, a gaze of unease in her eyes. We could not make out anything from the ground, but she appeared almost disturbed by what she saw. "It's...like a lake out there. I thought it was lake of purple water, but...there's just that many."

Rain Shine looked unnerved as well. She could sense the approaching army of Hollows, but could not determine a body count. "And...how many exactly?"

"Just a minute. Rainbow Dash is on her way to drop one of our observation crystals." Twilight replied while she set out her own projection crystal. With the enemy detected, the encampment was quickly set out far behind us to serve as our headquarters. We soon saw our speedy friend already heading back towards us from high above. "I guess she got it. We should be getting their numbers pretty soon."

Luna then raised her horn high and she channeled her magic through it. Apparently to speak to whoever was manning the radar station back in the command center. "Do you have a visual on the enemy approach? How many...? I see... Thank you."

Seaspray was the first to notice the scowl that formed on Luna's face. "How do we fare in numbers, your highness?"

"Somewhere around...eighty-thousand. A step up from the last wave, but not impossible." Luna grumbled while I was uncertain about our odds in dealing with such a stark jump in the enemy numbers. But we still needed to figure out how prepared they were. With that, Twilight cast her spell to set up a dome of visual information being relayed to her by the crystal that had been deployed. "They should be coming into view soon... There?"

I could see them. A wall of purple armored warriors. The ones at the vanguard were still carrying deadly awl pikes. They would have to be destroyed immediately to insure our own vanguard's survival. But they were positioned very close together. And I was noticing something consistent about their armor. Anything that was not carrying bows for archery was clad in full plate armor. My eyes narrowed in anticipation as I muttered, "It's all heavy infantry..."

"It's not just that..." Twilight muttered as we all beheld the information being displayed while the Hollows walked over and past us in that dome. It took me a moment to notice, but Twilight eventually pointed something worrying out. "I'm not seeing any of them carrying the capturing tools they used before. No chains or shackles... No nets... What do you all make of this?"

She was not wrong. Aside from the two light infantry battalions that had harassed us so far, every army we clashed with had troops carrying tools meant for capturing our allies and hauling them off. I even distinctly remember having to rescue some of them. So then why were there none present this time? And then it hit me. And my heart jumped into my throat. "They're not taking prisoners this time."

There were no words. Because there was no denying what was not there. These Hollows were not armed to capture. Every last one of them was armed to kill. Seaspray was the first to speak, but most hesitantly. "It would seem...our lives are on the line this time"

"The emperor is growing desperate... He either is convinced we will have a means to close the portal when we reach the Heaven's Pillar...or he seeks to put an end to anyone who might oppose or repel anyone who may come through. Whatever the case... This changes things." Orbash muttered most grimly. His usual jovial tone was gone. The moon king then looked at his wife, who nodded subtly. "If the enemy has become this desperate, they may resort to guerilla tactics as well. There may be enemies approaching from the north and south to flank us. Sunflare and I will tend to these should they happen to present themselves."

The sun queen nodded again and then turned to Shining Armor. "Captain... I believe you have a message to give your men."

Shining Armor sighed harshly from behind his helmet. I do not know what he has seen during his career, but the knowledge that his men's lives were in very real danger weighed heavily upon him. He then lifted his head high, his horn coated by his magic aura. "All of you... Listen closely."

Even though I was close enough to hear his voice directly, I could also hear it echo in my head. He was speaking to us all. "The enemy has been sighted. And there are more than we've ever seen so far. But more importantly, we have noticed a change in their tactics and equipment. This time, there will be no surrender. No prisoners will be taken. The enemy is prepared to slaughter us all to the last man."

I noticed a murmur spread through the militia around us. And Shining Armor continued to speak to us all. "I want to remind you all of something. The enemy is not human. They are not technically alive. They have no soul. No mercy. They exist only to fight and destroy us. They will not spare you if you cower. But we have come this far. We all know how to handle the enemy. Please, I beg of you. We've gotten this far without a single loss of life and I want it to stay that way. I want you all to make it home to your friends and families. Fight well. Fight hard. And fight smart. I don't want any heroes today. We only want survivors."

Everyone was quick to start setting up their formations. I saw and heard Spitfire call over all of her wingmen and had them line up in rows before us. She spoke firmly, but not in bitterness. "You heard the captain. We're facing odds the likes of which we haven't seen so far. I can promise you someone out here is gonna die today if they don't get the medical assistance they need right away. Remember your training and keep watch for any of those barriers popping up. Your allies are depending on you today."

In equal fashion Seaspray marched back and forth before his rows of many archers. "While we may be safe in the back rows, we have tens of thousands of enemies marching towards us. They appear to be more densely packed together than usual. This should make them ideal targets for our explosive armaments. Aim far and do all you can to thin out the enemy ranks. The faster we whittle away at their numbers, the greater odds of our infantry's survival."

Even the twelve dragons Ember had brought along did not look the least bit cocky as they took their positions to prepare for flight. They had nothing to fear from falling arrows, but they were desperately needed to raze the enemy as quickly as possible. There was no bravado in those eyes. They knew lives were on the line. I then turned to Celestia while Luna hurried to discuss the upcoming clash with our battlemages. "Do you think we have enough to save any who get wounded?"

The Princess of the Dawn turned to me and did not show the faintest smile. "I know what you are thinking and we are taking no chances. We have a transport full of emergency medical personnel en route and they should be here within the hour. They've been instructed to expect the worst the instant they disembark. We're not taking chances this time."

"Right... Thank you. If we can all go home alive, I can sleep well tonight." I muttered while trying to force a smile. But there was a new fear in my gut. One that was mirrored when I looked around at my shield-sisters. We did not have to say anything. We knew what we were in for. I had to remind myself that I had nothing to fear. They would not harm me. Maybe harass me, but never lash out with deadly force. I knew I would need to take maximum advantage of my connection to the emperor to exploit my near invincibility on the battlefield.

Everyone was in position. All that was left to wait. Even our bard readied her musical equipment to serenade the coming battle. Our infantry would need every edge they could get, even if it was just an inspiring melody to rally their courage. Just when an hour nearly went by, I could finally see it on the horizon. A rising wobbling mass spread wide across the plains. We waited for our mages to make the first move, knowing the enemy vanguard would have to fall first. And as our battlemages fired the first volley of magical mortars, that tempo began to fill the air. One that was full of a powerful rising tension to urge us on to victory.

I grasped the hilt of my sword while it remained tucked in my shield. Ember and Rain Shine stood with their weapons ready, neither of them blinking often. And once the bursts of magical energy falling into the enemy vanguard, the music from our bard exploded into a thunderous melody of powerful wind instruments and drums. I drew my sword and pointed it forward, our pikemen charging first. One by one, each row lowered their long and sturdy weapons into position. We followed, approaching the enemy even as our mages and archers rained explosive death upon the enemy in flashes of magic and bursts of fire. The Hollows were being decimated by the dozens, and yet it still looked like there was an entire ocean of purple ahead whose tide could wash over us at any time.

Our pikemen charged the enemy hard as plumes of purple mist rose from the frontlines. Many infantry wove their way past our pikemen to quickly take care of any Hollows from below that the pikes did not touch. If the enemy were to hack their way through that wall of sturdy spears, we would be very quickly overrun. The mages did their part once again as they rained explosive spells around the edges of our pike wall to prevent the enemy from trying to flank them. Never before had the act of holding the line been more vital. Enemy arrows flew high and tried to rain down upon all of us, there being so many that it made the sky appear darker than it actually was. Our mages met them well, once again erecting a barrier just high enough to intercept any arrows that may fall upon our allies. It was all going like clockwork once again, yet felt like panic could set in at any time.

I readied my solar magic in the blade of my sword. Remembering the new use for it I came up with in the last battle, I knew I had to help out in thinning out the enemy numbers. With a flap of my armor's wings, I propelled myself over the frontlines of our infantry and pointed my sword out towards the back rows. I began to fire indiscriminately, launching off volley after volley of scattering flares from the Celestial Sword. I launched as many as I could with dozens of potent explosions of white fire creating gaps in that ocean of purple. And once I came down, I cleaved my sword through the first unlucky Hollow to be beneath me.

I made a wide circular slash to clear a gap in the Hollows around me before they could properly respond to my presence. With that lush green spread out beneath my feet in a jarring contrast to the ominous walls of purple around me, Ember and Rain Shine soon descended as well. Ember plunged her spear into the throat of one Hollow for good measure before Rain Shine landed beside us after catapulting herself through the air to reach me. With a quick move, Rain Shine summoned a forest of piercing narrow spikes around us to thin out the enemy numbers even further. A shadow swooped overhead as Ember's subordinates flew low before unleash a wave of fire over the purple tide ahead while staying just out of reach of their weapons. All the pieces were in place. Now we had to do our part.

Rain Shine summoned walls of sturdy roots around us that once again drew the attention of the Hollows ahead. They swarmed us while we lashed out between the narrow gaps in the walls, but not like the like time. They hacked fiercely at our defenses and even appeared to be pressing themselves into them to try and make them bend inward from sheer numbers. For once, the enemy were no longer truly fighting like human imitations. Moving like a single mass, attacking with weapons while also using their sheer numbers to try and push us around. Truly, it was like we were fighting off an ocean!

In only a minute, I saw the first sign that something was going wrong. Between those gaps in the roots, I saw a glowing magic dome form over yonder. Seconds later, a griffon clad in camouflaged brigandine dove into the dome before shooting back up into the air a second later with that dome completely surrounding them in a full sphere Someone was clothed in their arms, momentarily trapped in time. Someone just got hurt. And I could not make out how bad the injury was. Had the R&D lab finally configured those safeguards to only activate when more severe wounds were received?

As that griffon rushed back to the field HQ to deliver their comrade to the infirmary, it began to happen. More and more of those domes of time-reversing magic began to prop up at frequently intervals. But the mass of aerial units above were working like a well oiled machine. Barely more than a few seconds would go by before they would snatch up the wounded and retreat to the infirmary only to rush back and repeat the process. All of our preparations and prioritizing of our comrades' survival was finally paying off. But I was the only one in that entire militia that did not have such a safeguard on my person. Not like they would be able to easily evacuate me if I did fall. Gilda had already tried and failed to hold me aloft on her own. And it was not like I needed it. The Hollows would not harm me.

In all that chaos, I heard the distinct explosion of fireworks going off. It was distinct from the explosive arrows blasting the enemy apart. Pinkie Pie must have been nearby and was putting her party cannon to good use. Only for the that rain of explosions to suddenly stop. I thought she was taking a moment to reload. And during a brief moment when my shield-sisters and I managed to earn enough leeway to advance, I saw it. A dome of that shielding magic popping up in a swarm of the enemy. My heart stopped for an instant. Had Pinkie Pie been swarmed? Did she panic in the heat of battle?

Whatever happened, our aerial units were not the only ones to notice her predicament. A trail of purple mist began to rise from far beyond that dome. One that was rapidly drawing near that dome while mowing down anything that got in its way. And with one impressive leap, the juggernaut within burst from the purple waves. lad in her impervious stone armor, Maud Pie came down hard to bring destruction to her sister's assailants. As soon as she disappeared from view upon diving back into the purple sea, bursts upon bursts of purple mist began to fill the air around where Pinkie Pie had likely fallen. Maud was silent, but fighting harder than I even knew she could. There was a terrifying fury in whatever she was doing. More than likely fighting tooth and nail to keep her sister safe. Even the aerial units above greatly hesitated to dive into that dome while Maud was protecting it.

There was even a subtle shift in the tide. As if the Hollows had detected intense resistance from that one spot. But no matter how many converged upon her, the plumes of mist never stopped rising around Maud. A true juggernaut, she was unstoppable in armor that was indestructible to the enemy's weapons. And this was an act of good fortune. With so many focusing on someone they could not overcome, the Hollows were wasting precious units in trying to overcome her. Even when one of our aerial units found enough courage to dive in and pull Pinkie Pie to safety, and I did indeed confirm that was Pinkie Pie once she was hauled up and out of the purple tide, Maud continued to fight on with a vengeance. The Hollows had made a very powerful enemy.

Once my shield-sisters and I were trapped in another circle of sturdy roots, I took just a moment to gaze up at the chaos flying overhead. Arrows flying from the west that looked all but ignited, falling comets of magic that arced down into the enemies far beyond us, a hail of purple lines that blotted out what little direct sunlight was shining through the clouds, and pegasi and griffons soaring, diving, and rising while surrounded in protective barriers. It was as much of a nightmare in the air as it was on the ground. And then...

I almost did not notice until it had happened. I think one of those arrows came flying in on one of our aerial units before the anti-arrow safeguard in their equipment caused it to veer upward to fly over them. But one of our aerial units was not far behind them and was ascending in the same direction the arrow had veered away from. I suddenly saw a flash of red and heard a scream of an eagle. Stunned, the griffon hovered in placed while reeling from whatever just happened. Even from down there, I could see...a head of white... Gilda?!

I felt a chill of horror flood my heart. Gilda was still flying. It was not a fatal wound. But the way she flailed while shrieking in agony... She had her right hand reaching up to the left side of her face... It... I nearly felt sick. That freak stray arrow took her eye!

Gilda responded appropriately, retaliating the only way she could by lifting her left hand and firing off the explosive bolt lodged in her tiny crossbow. A fiery explosion rang out nearby as several Hollows were obliterated with several more being thrown around by the blast. She was then quick to retreat west, her hand still clutching the side of her face. She would live, but...

The disturbing realization of having just watched someone dear to me having their eye gouged out filled me with disgust and a horrible rage. I turned to the east and pointed my sword in that direction before unleashing a wave of raw solar magic right through the walls of roots and incinerating dozens of Hollows beyond it. I then rushed through that gap in the wall and raised my sword high. With more and more Hollows filling the gap in the sea I had created, I brought my sword down hard with the blade shrouded in white fire. A massive fiery explosion rushed forth from it upon hitting the ground and took another several dozen Hollows with it. But before I could even try to take out my rage on more of them, another ring of sturdy roots sprung up around me before the enemy could try to rush me. And a voice called out behind me. "My love, please! Contain your rage! We can't be reckless here!"

Rain Shine. In that brief loss of control, I had broken formation and endangered my unit. I could say nothing, but she and Ember appeared jarred by what I had just done. They did not see Gilda. They had no idea what I had just witnessed, but their pleading eyes told me all I needed to know. I had to stick to he plan. Stay with them and work with them. And so we resumed our tactics. Drawing the attention of the enemy with our defenses and whittle them down enough for an opportunity o advance further.

This went on for a while. I lost track of time entirely. All that mattered and all that I saw for a good while was just the madness happening around us. The three of us worked like three parts of a single machine. But eventually, something did snap me out of my battle trance. Buzzing sounds coming from above... Airships?

That was exactly what I saw when I also noticed large shadows being cast over us. I turned my gaze upward while Ember and Rain Shine had the situation momentarily under control. Several airships were passing overhead. Much to high up for the enemy archers to target. And at the head of the fleet was the unmistakable form of the Zephyrus. What was Celaeno even doing? Had she rallied the airships together with a radio call to provide emergency support?

Whatever her plans were, Celaeno went to work in a way I had not seen during the war thus far. Once the Zephyrus was well beyond our positions on the battlefield, I could see what appeared to be barrels being dropped over the sides of the deck. And when one of those barrels hit the army below, they exploded violently to obliterate dozens of Hollows with each blast. They were dropping powder kegs stuffed with black powder for their cannons!

The entire fleet of airships spread out as they went on a bombing run. Attacking the enemy below in a manner the emperor had no possible counter for. And once they had passed beyond while my shield-sisters and I advanced, I watched in awe as they did not retreat. The airships banked around the battlefield and took up positions beyond the very edges of the battlefield. Once they became stationary, I heard distant booms and flashes of fire from the sides of the hulls. And after each boom, a much more potent blast would fill the air as fiery explosions continued to fill the enemy ranks with rising clouds of purple mist. The airships were bombarding the enemy army with cannon fire! And there was nothing the enemy could do about it!

It should have been a perfect situation. We were continuing to defy the enemy in spite of their superior numbers. Our means of attack was much more varied than theirs on top of possessing means of attack from afar that they did not. And now we had air support through any airships that were en route that also happened to be armed with cannons. And yet, there just did not seem to be any end in sight! The ocean would not dry up no matter how many chunks we took out of it!

At one point, the sheer number of enemy units trying to crush their way through the defenses around my unit proved to be too much. Combined with the weight of so many Hollows physically bearing against the walls of roots, Rain Shine did not have the presence of mind to react in time to what was about to happen. They swarmed over the very top of the walls and poured down onto us with the roots snapping at the bases!

With so many Hollows packed together, they could not even effectively lash out at us with their weapons. We basically ended up getting tossed around in a literal ocean of armored humanoid bodies. A tactic that no living thinking warriors would ever attempt. It was ridiculous! But we had to act quickly lest we ended up sinking beneath the waves and get trampled to death by countless armored boots. I raised my sword high as I readied my fire magic. "Just... GET OFF ME!!!"

A pillar of fire magic shot up around me as I made a conscious effort to not resort to solar magic. Ember and Rain Shine would surely be unharmed if I only resorted to fire. And in that flash of golden flames, I was granted a circle of solid ground to stand on for a moment with a few dozen Hollows being burned away to nothing. Once on my feet, I did the only thing I could. I started cleaving through as many Hollows as I could with wide sweeps of my sword. They took notice of me and began to swarm around me, but refrained from any direct use of force like many times before.

Something was wrong as I tried to decimate my enemies. I was alone. Nothing but walls of purple around me in the chaos of that battlefield. I saw no green. No gold and blue. Where were they? Where was Rain Shine and Ember?! All I could do was rely on myself and try to capitalize on the enemy's refusal to harm me. Our men were dropping one by one out there at a rate never before seen. The faster I thinned out their numbers, the more I would save.

But then... I am not even certain what happened. I felt a sudden jolt of pain to the back of my head and then... I think I lost consciousness for just a few seconds. When I came to, I was facedown in the grass. My ears were ringing. And all I saw were blurred colors all around me. I almost felt nauseous, yet strangely sleepy, as a subtle growing wet and warm sensation began to spread across the back of my head under my helmet. Had I...been attacked directly?

The tall purple forms around me were no longer moving. And as the seconds ticked by, the blurs regained shape as my eyes adjusted just enough. The Hollows around me... They were all gazing down upon me. And one stood closer than the rest. In its hands was a weapon that sent a chill through my senses. A war hammer. And then it dawned on me. I really had been struck. Directly in the back of my head. The warmth I could feel spreading over the impact point... My own blood. My armor, especially my helmet, may have been abnormally tough compared to standard steel armor, but it was still plate armor. And plate armor has its weaknesses. A weakness the Hollows exploited.

I tried to find my footing. Brought my right hand closer to me to try and push myself up without losing my grip on the Celestial Sword. But any attempt to even try and bring myself off the ground resulted in what felt like the worst case of vertigo I have ever experienced. My hand slipped out from under me as I remained flat upon the ground. I was dazed, but aware. And horror filled my heart. My shield-sisters had been separated from me. And in a brief moment of opportunity, one appropriately armed Hollow struck me in a devastating manner. I was helpless. And the Hollow that struck me down was beginning to ready its weapon to finish me off. But why... What had changed? Why were the Hollows now seeing me as an enemy when my death would mean the end of the emperor? Was I...no longer necessary?

As the Hollow with the hammer in its hands gauged the distance and raised its weapon, the ringing in my ears cleared. And then... I could see it above them. A burst of sound as a towering cataclysm of blue nd vermilion flames exploded into the sky. And with that tower of unnatural flames... A scream that rang out over the battlefield. A haunting call that I thought was a howl from the depths of Hell itself. Something rose high and began to descend upon the Hollows around me. Not a serpent of flames... A dragon! A long bearded dragon from the east! With jaws wide, it dove into the waves of Hollows around me as I squinted my eyes shut.

Perhaps my armor was exactly what saved me. In one flash of mystical fire, the Hollows around me were no more while a large swath of grass was charred black. And across the gap in the ocean of Hollows...stood a ghastly sight. Surrounded by open space lined with scorched grass, there being no signs of any Hollows remotely near it. Some sort of...demon mare. A coat black as coal and exposed hooves and a layer of reptilian scales along her back that were stained gray like ash... Her fetlocks composed of billowing vermilion fire while her long tail and full mane were composed of furiously wavering flames of vermilion and blue. Her eyes were glowing blank white beacons with the edges surrounded by a ring of those ghostly blue flames. And as that dragon of matching flames returned to her side... Were those...bits of ruined molten armor adorning parts of her body? No... Rain Shine? Was that...the power I had seen from her now fully unleashed? The unfettered wrath of a kirin?

With the dragon of flames twice as large as the Viper Edge had ever been in its enflamed serpent form, the demon mare ahead of me lifted her head high and again let out a horrifying and chilling roar that no mare could ever imitate. And with that, she was off. Charging directly into the ocean of Hollows as her ruined armor fell from her body. The very grass beneath her galloping hooves ignited as any Hollows that stood in the way of her and her flaming pet burst into flames before they could even come close enough to touch her. I saw a cloud of arrows descend upon her, but they were incinerated before they could even dig into her body. This demon mare...was completely invincible against the enemy! A blessing in disguise? Unable to turn myself to follow her, I could only watch as the demon mare proceeded to charge deep into the enemy as she no doubt brought swift and unstoppable devastation to the ocean of Hollows around us.

While the waves of Hollows around me had been burned away to leave me there out in the open for our aerial units to see and rescue me without obstruction, no rescue came. Not like they could save me anyway. I was much too bulky and heavy for them to haul into the air. Certainly not when so many others of our militia were in dire need of a swift evacuation. That wet warmth continued to gradually spread over the back of my skull. I was not in as much pain as one might assume, but I was entirely helpless. I could not stand, let alone try to use a spell like teleportation to remove myself from the battlefield. But if that was Rain Shine... Where was Ember?

The Hollows around me began to draw near once again. Fear began to set in despite how dazed I was. The airships above could surely have spotted me, but to have one descend to try and haul me up would be a horrible idea. The ship and the crew up on deck would be easy pickings for the archers. One Hollow came rushing towards me as I flinched despite my drowsiness at the sight of a sturdy flanged mace in its hand. But thankfully... She reached me. Ember descended and plunged her spear directly into its throat before it could reach me. This sudden interference even earned us a brief moment of respite as the other Hollows halted entirely to gauge this sudden arrival. But once the Hollow that was about to smash my head in was reduced to dust and Ember turned to me...

The horror in those scarlet eyes. She knew I was wounded. And I could barely even force myself to move. She gingerly reached out to me. I could see her exposed lower jaw moving as she spoke to me, but... What kind of damage had been done to my brain and to which lobes? I could hear her. I recognized Ember's voice, but...I could not understand her. I heard her words, but I just could not piece together what she was saying. She dropped to one knee, a hand running along my helmet as she inspected the dent that most likely had been left on its rear. Her voice became shaky. And the Hollows began to draw near.

I tried to speak. Tried to warn her of the approaching danger behind her. The one that approached her first had an axe in its hand that...brought back horrifying memories of a most wretched dream I had even chronicled. Was this it? Was I about to see that nightmare become a reality? Was I going to watch my beloved Ember die right in front of me? All because I became a helpless liability on the battlefield?

Something... Something snapped in her. In an instant, I saw a...horrible fury fill those scarlet eyes even as I saw tears starting to flow from them. And with a very sudden twist of her body, Ember turned and plunged the tip of her spear right through the visor of the Hollow's helmet. Right where one of its eyes would have been. And once that Hollow was nothing but mist, another came rushing in. But the enraged Dragon Lord turned her spear around and began to bludgeon her opponent into dust with rapid strikes that should not have been possible, even for someone of her strength. What I began to see and hear...still haunts me even now.

The Hollows began to swarm forward, but Ember was unrelenting. She no longer even tried to speak. And the sounds I did hear... Even if I could no longer understand her words, I could still hear her. And I wished at the time that I had been rendered deaf. Because...the noise... The howling, the shrieking, the wailing! The woman in Ember was all but gone. All that remained was a beast that wanted nothing more than to kill everything around us!

The sheer amount of abuse Ember subjected her sturdy spear to eventually proved to be too much. That thick repurposed pike shaft finally splintered and snapped in two after an especially heavy smash into a downed Hollow. But this proved to be an advantage as Ember's swings became much swifter as the half that held the pommel was now being swung around like a club in one hand. A single crushing blow was enough to destroy any Hollow that got close enough. Just how much force was behind every swing?

At one point, one Hollow did manage to lash out with a swing of its weapon. Another flanged mace that it tried to swing low and upwards to smash Ember's jaw from below. She only narrowly managed to avoid that swing, her rage not enough to dull her ability to sense danger, but one of those flanges did snag itself on one of the fins at the side of her helmet. After a brief struggle, Ember pulled away with her helmet coming off before she threw the makeshift club directly into the head of her assailant. Now unmasked, I could see her face. She was snarling and baring her fangs, eyes filled with murderous rage even as they profusely shed tears. It was an awful sight to see my beloved Ember reduced to a true berserker state even as she wordlessly wept without stopping.

At the edge of my vision, I saw another Hollows approaching with a hammer in hand. Ember turned in my direction and let out a bestial screech as she unleashed a sweeping torrent of fire at whatever was behind me. And with a sudden movement only the quick reflexes of a reptile could provide, she turned to my approaching assailant and grabbed it with both hands. And...with one swift move...she ripped it in two right down the middle. I knew Ember had always been strong. Much stronger than she appeared. But to see the true extent of her physical strength, being more than enough to easily and swiftly tear a man in half without the slightest sign of flinching, was more than just disturbing. All while letting out a horrible wail that oozed with a disquieting fusion of wrath and sorrow that no words could hope to convey.

And that was how Ember continued to fight. She used no weapons. Her bare hands were more than enough. She tore the leg off of one Hollow that tried to take a swing at her, exploiting her petite stature to more easily target the lower areas. Once grounded, she proceeded to pummel it into dust while I could hear its helmet crumpling with every blow to the head. Over and over, Ember tore her foes apart. Plumes of purple mist ruptured from every torn limb and every half from each body torn in two. But Ember was not entirely untouchable. Any Hollow using a proper sword had a better chance of landing a hit. And bit by bit, I saw trickles of red starting to stain her body as the occasional sword swing managed to clip through the segments of her armor that was not coated by the gilded plating on her body. But these mere flesh wounds did not even register with her. Not when her mind was engulfed in burning hatred for the enemy.

Just when I thought the horrifying display of berserker rage playing out before me could not get anymore disturbing, Ember made a move that was nothing short of primal. As another Hollow drew near with sword raised, Ember suddenly pounced upon it and clung to its torso. And I saw why. She opened her jaws as wide as she possibly could and then crushed the Hollow's armored head in her diamond-crushing fangs with one mighty crunch. The sound akin to a soda can being crushed was heard as the Hollow's head burst with sprays of purple mist exploding outward. With its body now dissolving, Ember dropped to the ground. But the mist...had mixed with her saliva. A purple fluid was oozing from her jaws, giving the disturbing implication that the enemy's blood was dripping from her mouth.

For the next few minutes, it felt like an eternity. Seeing someone I am so in love with reduced to a horrifyingly murderous beast as she slaughtered anything that tried to get to me, all while howling in ways I never knew she could, was more than just jarring. It hurt to see her like this. But even Ember had her limits. With the loss of blood starting to get to her and her body likely starting to burn from the sheer overexertion, she retreated closer to me and began screaming with powerful flame breaths that she unleashed in all directions. But through the wall of flames were one row of Hollows stood... Someone was standing just on the other side.

My eyes opened wide as my vision became clearer. A small equine form jumped through the flames once they had regressed just enough. Shining Armor had found me. And most likely would have been burned alive had that wall of Hollows not taken the blast for him. Worst of all, Ember did not respond pleasantly to Armor's presence. She suddenly lashed out to him while too blinded with rage to think. Thankfully, he responded appropriately. Shining Armor quickly pinned Ember to the ground with levitation, his magic aura focusing on her jaws. They were pinned shut even as he erected a magic barrier around us to keep the enemy out. I could hear him trying to speak to Ember, but his words were still jumbled white noise to me.

Ember would not be subdued. She snarled and screeched through her clenched jaws, clawing and flailing desperately to try and regain her footing. Shining Armor took a step back as he recoiled at the sight of Ember's outright feral behavior. But she was so much closer to me now. And I realized I had not budged at all during Ember's entire battle, even as I clung desperately to consciousness. I cannot even guess how many Hollows she destroyed before Shining Armor reached us. Did she think...I was dead? I did the only thing I could to try and convey that I was still alive. I released my grip on the Celestial Sword and reached out to her with what little strength I had.

The instant she noticed my armor hand reaching for her, the fury in Ember's eyes faded. Tears still flowing profusely down her face, she stopped flailing and stared at me in utter shock even with her jaws still pinned. But she did not hesitate. Ember wrapped her fingers over mine. Only then did Shining Armor release her from his magical restraints. All around us, Hollows swarmed against the barrier as they smashed their weapons against it.

Shining Armor and Ember spoke to each other in this brief moment of respite. But I could not find the strength to do the same. I could hear their voices, but I could not understand a single thing they said. But Ember's voice... It was wracked with grief that bordered on open sobbing. She could only barely compose herself. I could see it in her eyes since she would not stop glancing at me in constant concern. Was I dying? None of us knew. But it was clear to me what they were implying. I was down. I needed to be evacuated. And no air support would be coming.

Shining Armor lifted his head as I suspected he began to call for help via magic telepathy. Ember removed the Lunar Shield from my right arm. Probably to make me easier to carry. They could just collect my gear from the battlefield afterward anyway since they would be easy to spot. And before long, I noticed plumes of purple mist rising as someone came barreling through. Whoever it was, they had to be amazingly strong. And I was not surprised by who it was. The barrier parted to allow someone to enter once the Hollows on that side were reduced to dust. The Apple siblings had arrived in the form of Applejack and Big Macintosh, their mace and mighty hammer making easy work of even the heavy infantry around us. They armor had held up well, but was lined with dents from heavy fighting on the front lines. And the looks of disbelief on their faces when they saw me down like that...

Big Macintosh had little to say, but Applejack all but yelled at Shining Armor and Ember. She looked almost panicked to see me like this. I was confused as well. Why such a sudden shift in tactics? The Hollows up to that point had gone out of their way to avoid the use of deadly force against me. Now they were actively gunning for me. Shining Armor sounded like he was demanding that they compose themselves for my sake, especially since we had no way of knowing how severe my injuries were. Big Macintosh started to reach for me in a manner that had me suspecting he was going to remove my helmet, but Shining Armor barked at him. It would be wiser to keep my helmet where it was until there was someone ready to administer first aid the instant my wound was exposed. And so they got to work preparing to make a mad dash for the field HQ. We were fairly deep into the enemy lines. It was going to be one desperate charge.

They made certain I would remain facedown as I was. Shining Armor and Applejack had my arms slung over their backsides to pull me along, Applejack having even slung her mace in its holster since she would not be able to fight while pulling me. Big Macintosh stood ready at the front while Ember fetched her helmet. And with a shout from Shining Armor, we were off. There would have been no way to push through the ocean of Hollows with that barrier. The only way through would be to carve a path.

The instant the barrier dropped, Ember made her move. She hovered directly above us and made a full rotation while unleashing a full breath of fire into the first rows of Hollows around us. They then charged as they dragged me along. I could only barely lift my head enough to see what was happening ahead as Big Macintosh smashed his way through anything that got in his way. That heavy hammer pulverized every Hollow it struck in a single blow and his full suit of barding held up fabulously to any blow that did manage to swing low enough to strike him. The mightiest earth pony stallion in Ponyville was a truly unstoppable force and was ideal as the point man for this task. Ember was hard at work guarding the sides and rear as she torched any Hollows that tried to swarm our blind spots.

The resistance as we headed west was intense enough from the outset, but it only became more unmoving as we advanced with a gut-wrenching tension hanging over us. The Hollows began to throw everything they could at us to try and slow us down. Instead of just attacking, Hollows began to literally try to swarm over Big Macintosh to restrain him. Had Shining Armor called literally any other stallion over to serve as an escort, they would have surely been overpowered. But Big Macintosh proved to be just strong enough to throw the enemy off when they tried to pin him down. But when our progress started to slow, the Hollows ahead of us started dissolving into mist in rapid succession. And then I saw and heard it. Arrows striking them in vulnerable locations around the head.

These were not explosive arrows that were dropping the Hollows that obstructed our path. These were ordinary arrows. And only our hippogriff archers carried them at that time. They were making a concentrated effort to forge a path for us by thinning out the enemy ranks for as long as their quivers would hold out. They could see us with their taller stature and keen avian vision. The barrage was intense and chaotic, the Hollows having no defense for such swift and precise attacks. Not an arrow was wasted. When an arrow struck, a Hollow fell.

And yet...it just was not enough. We were up against impossible numbers. When we finally hit a stalemate as Ember coughed harshly from overuse of her natural flame breath, Shining Armor erected another barrier around us. And there we waited with the enemy smashing their weapons against us en masse. My allies huddled together as even the sunlight above started to be blocked out. The Hollows were swarming us so heavily that they were even beginning to climb over the barrier itself. A glance to my side showed that Shining Armor was gritting his teeth while the aura over his horn flared fiercely. And bit by bit, the dome of magic light around us began to shrink inward. Anything he could do to lessen the strain on his focus.

Horror filled my senses. We were about to drown in the purple ocean that was literally minutes away from crashing through our defenses. My allies started to draw near, huddling together as the walls began to close in. I heard Shining Armor groan incoherently, struggling to hold back the dozens of weapons smashing against the walls and the growing weight bearing down on it. And no one was coming to save us.

I thought I heard something from beyond the barrier. Explosions? From falling arrows? Whatever the case, it was too late for any assistance. I could see great cracks starting to form in the barrier around us. The cracks began to shrink as Shining Armor exerted himself further, but they began to grow again. But then...were some of the Hollows starting to attack each other?

Plumes of purple mist began to rise around the barrier. And bit by bit, the pressure on Shining Armor's defenses began to lessen. The barrier expanded outward to steadily regain its original size. And then I saw it. Some of the Hollows around us had a sort of magic veil around their heads. They had been bewitched into seeing their allies as enemies. And in the chaos of the battle raging around us, the Hollows that continued to assault our defenses were entirely unaware that some of their own were stabbing and beating them into oblivion. And there was only one mare who had the means to turn our enemies against each other.

A gap in the ocean was finally forged. And standing there surrounded by a cadre of hijacked Hollows was Trixie. With her own personal army at her disposal, she had broken formation to reach us. She was the only one in the entire militia who could have safely done so since she would never run out of soldiers. More and more explosive arrows fell upon the droves of Hollows that were still to the west of us, blowing open a clear path for us to charge through.

The resistance from the east desperately tried to follow us as my allies made a mad dash to the west now that we had a very brief opportunity to escape. And my wound was finally starting to catch up to me. My eyes became too heavy in spite of the tension filling my heart. But before Trixie could leave my sight as her own hijacked Hollows tried to hold the rest off, one tenacious enemy Hollow managed to muscle its way through and smashed a sword across Trixie's horn. It was not even chipped, but that hard hit was enough to stun her.

My exhausted eyes went wide in horror. Her magic focus disrupted, the Hollows that she once controlled turned to face her as she gazed up in terror at them all. The last thing I remember before everything became silent and my vision went black was a pack of Hollows beginning to descend upon Trixie...

When I next opened my eyes, my head was full of a haze. I had no strength to move and all I saw above me was the ceiling of a very large tent. And all around me, I heard words. Words I could understand again. But the tension in the air... Everything had changed. I heard groans of pain, the sound of medical equipment, and conversations regarding the possibility of having to ration anesthetics. I was...in the infirmary. How long had I been out?

I took a moment to gaze exhaustedly at the ceiling. My body resting on a cot while I could see a few tubes hooked up to machines and an IV drip that were inserted into my body. My head...felt like it had been wrapped in bandages. The texture against my scalp... Had they shaved my head?

It took effort, but I lifted my head just enough to gaze around me. The infirmary was much larger than I remembered. They must have expanded it as a precaution. And it...was not a pretty sight. Dozens of ponies resting in cots after having just been administered all manner of surgeries were around me. I could hear a team of medics over yonder trying to save another unfortunate infantryman. The weight of the situation dawned on me. How did it come to this? How did we go from such smooth and efficient performance in the field...to so many who might not make it? And now...even I was out of action? What were even the extent of my injuries?

My exhaustion and disorientation prevented me from fully processing the grim developments happening around me. Tempted to sleep, anything to just...take my mind off the awful situation around me, I set my head down and let it roll onto its right side. But then my tired eyes opened wide as I saw who was resting in a bed right across the row from me.

Trixie. I never saw what happened to her, but the fact that she made it back to the infirmary filled my heart with a glimmer of relief. But the state she was in... Heavily bandaged with red stains here and there, her head wrapped and with a respirator placed over her face... There are no words to describe the sorry state she was in. Just what happened to her before she could be rescued? Did her safeguard enchantment fail to deploy?

I tried to call out to her. Whispered her name to hopefully wake her. And my words did reach her. Her bruised eyes slowly opened while she glanced over at me. I said nothing, hardly able to process what I was seeing. I could not believe...that something as precious as one of Equestria's people could end up in this state because of my own kind. Because I was there.

She did not have to do what she did. Maybe someone else would have rescued us in time. It was such a brave move she made. And so I asked why she put herself in such a dangerous situation for us. And Trixie replied, but not with words. She could not find the strength to speak, so she resorted to a different means. Her horn, the one part of her that proved too tough to break, was coated by a very weak aura. Not quite billowing. More like...weakly coating it. And before me formed a panel of her magic energies that resembled a sign. Text began to appear on it. And...the text on it...

"I couldn't lose the most important friend I ever made."

I barely had time to shed a single tear before the panel became lined with static and faded entirely. The heart monitor Trixie was hooked up to began to beep in an erratic and inconsistent rhythm. And soon...just one long droning beep as her head rolled to one side. The sound of her heart monitor brought the medics running, doing all they could to resuscitate her. But my tears flowed uncontrollably even if I did not have the strength to call out to her. My friend was dying and I knew it was my fault. And then...everything went black again as my ears fell deaf.

Consciousness returned to me later. I could hear the pattering of rain atop the tent. A storm had come. But if the infirmary was still standing... And the air around me being calmer... Then that meant the battle had been won. We survived another day. Even if only barely this time. I let out a long sigh of relief upon realizing this. However, that train of thought was interrupted as i suddenly remembered. Trixie! Did they save her?

I turned my head to look to my right. And Trixie...was not there. Someone else I did not recognize had been put in her place. A stallion who was nowhere near as bandaged as she had been. He appeared to be fully sedated. While it would have been much more jarring had there been only an empty cot there, the truth dawned on me.

I turned my head to the ceiling as my memories of the battle returned to me. My tears flowed heavily as I squinted my eyes shut and let out raspy quiet sobs. The horror of seeing so many wounded personnel being hauled off by our aerial evacuation units. Nightmare Moon had been wounded to the point of not being able to assist us. And now...we had lost Trixie.

I was a fool to think we would get through this war without a single loss of life. That just is not how war works. And she... She had just gotten her life back on track. Made amends with those she wronged through her sheer ego. She became a good friend of mine. And now...a casualty of war far from home. Trixie, you deserved better...

It was around this time that one of the medics happened to walk along the row to my right. He looked exhausted after probably having to spend hours tending to dozens of patients one after the other. He was a unicorn stallion and was chugging down a mug of coffee to keep himself going. But when he passed me, his eyes opened wide as he noticed I was looking right at him. "Oh, you're awake?"

I had no will to speak. Not while I was in mourning. I think he may have mistaken me for trying to push myself up and rested a hoof on my wrist. "Easy there, don't try to get up. I couldn't believe the condition you were in when they got you here. Looks like you took a hammer to the back of the head."

So it was true. It was not an accident. I really had been directly attacked in a manner that should have killed me. I let out a long sigh and found the strength to speak. "How bad is it..."

"Like with my patients back home, I'll give you the bad news first. Skull fracture. Trauma was detected in the occipital and parietal lobes, resulting in a lingering concussion. You'll need to take it easy for a while." He explained as those words hit me in a way I did not expect. I knew it was bad. I remember the disorientation, the complete loss of balance and even the malfunctioning of my eyesight and ability to understand speech. It appeared my brain had stabilized now that my vision and hearing were more or less back to normal, but still... My skull had been cracked right open. Would I ever make a full recovery?

The medic could likely see the distress in my eyes and was quick to give me whatever reassurance he could. "Anyway, that's just the bad news. The good news is it could've been a lot worse. I don't know what they made your helmet out of, but it must be made of some impressively resilient stuff. If that material was any flimsier, you would've been facing permanent brain damage at best or death in minutes at worst. You...were extremely lucky out there today."

This did soothe my anxiety just enough. I knew that my helmet is tougher than the rest of my armor The binding of the Element of Humanity to it probably makes it entirely indestructible. It may give, but it will not break. And that enhanced toughness provided just enough of a threshold to minimize an traumatic head injuries I may receive while wearing it. But my eyes then looked past the doctor at the bed beyond him. I did not recognize its occupant, but that was not I was thinking about. The doctor noticed where my eyes were looking and glanced back at the slumbering stallion behind him. "Friend of yours?"

"Trixie..." I muttered, still disturbed over what I saw before I lost consciousness twice over. She risked everything for us... For me.

"Oh... Miss Lulamoon?" The doctor retorted with a somber tone. He knew what I was implying. But when he looked at me, while his tone remained somber, what he said next was very unexpected. "She's been moved to intensive care. And I don't know if she's going to make it..."

My eyes opened wide. She was alive? Even if just barely? But that brief glimmer of hope faded as suddenly as it arrived. I knew she was not going to make it. Not after that. And my head rolled further onto its side. The doctor then said to me, "It's a miracle she made it back alive at all. Whatever happened out there, the aerial evacuation personnel couldn't reach her and I think something went wrong with that safeguard enchantment. I heard Princess Celestia herself had to bail her out. She was so far gone when they brought her in that I was convinced Trixie was holding on through sheer force of will. She's a stubborn one."

"She really is..." I muttered as I began to recall the first time I ever met her. Just a random delivery to a wagon in an alley. The flair of her performance that night following a most heartfelt explanation and apology to her audience. And now...she would never perform again. I could only imagine the outpouring of grief that awaited her fan base once news spread back home. And they would hate me for it.

The doctor fell silent for a moment as he sipped from his coffee. I think he was staying by me just for some pleasant conversation as a means to help wake him up. Although he then said, "I think I should tell you about the ones who brought you in. Three of them returned to the battlefield after getting you to the infirmary, but...the Dragon Lord..."

Ember. The mention of her title filled me with a sudden dread. What happened once she got me back to the field HQ? Did she snap again? Did she hurt someone? "Is she...all right?"

The doctor took another swig of his coffee before saying, "As soon as you were admitted to the infirmary, she just...dropped. Collapsed to the ground. The wounds she received were only mild and we patched her up just fine, but it seems she suffered a massive anxiety attack. We hooked her up to a ventilator for an hour and she was free to go, but I don't think she'll be fit for the battlefield for at least another week. She's displaying symptoms of an anxiety hangover, as we like to call it."

"We might not have a week, doc..." I muttered as I started to contemplate just how dire the situation had become. And now I would be out of action for weeks at least. There was no way I could fight with a skull fracture. Would my allies succeed without me? And finally...the most important question of all. "Sounds like the battle's over... How many did we lose?"

Yet again, a glimmer of good news in spite of the odds we were up against. "None. I don't know if it's because of the strategies they've been using or because of just how well prepared they've been, but I haven't heard of us losing anyone today. Between you and me, I think that if we didn't receive that emergency air support from our airship fleet and that crazy kirin out there, we probably would've been looking at a sizeable body count. They thinned out the enemy fast."

Kirin... So that really was Rain Shine. With how little I saw, she appeared unstoppable. But what happened after that? "Rain Shine... Is she OK?"

The doctor then explained, "Yeah, from what I saw. She didn't have a single wound on her by the time the battle ended. No idea what happened to her armor though. I don't think she ever stopped fighting until the very last man. She probably had the highest kill count out of any single infantryman today. I didn't know anything about kirin until today, but they're...dangerous when provoked. Although like the Dragon Lord, I understand she was completely burned out once the dust settled. I suppose that's to be expected when you take on an entire army by yourself."

I sighed as I processed this information. Ember and Rain Shine were both out of commission for what would likely be the rest of the war. My entire unit incapacitated after a single battle. Who else was taken out of the fight? I sighed harshly and set my head back down as the distant rumble of thunder serenaded the pattering of rain above me. Everything I had feared would happen all transpired in just one afternoon. The people of Equestria now knew the true horrors of war. Something that should have always remained alien to them. All because I was there...

The doctor beside me rested his hoof on my exposed arm and chugged the rest of his drink. He then said kindly to me, "Anyway, thanks for the conversation. I needed it after the rush. We're not out of the fight yet. I like to think there's still a way out. At least as long as we haven't lost anyone yet."

I weakly nodded without a word. And I could not find the will to speak. The doctor continued on without a single show of scorn towards me. Probably just his professionalism preventing him from expressing whatever underlying distrust he likely had for me by then. But I did not go undisturbed for long. While I do not think there was any visiting hours for the infirmary, there must have been some exceptions in place. One of the royal guards came walking down the path to my left. There was something about him that came across as familiar despite him bearing the usual blue and white coat of arms as his colleagues on the force. While still wearing that gilded barding, his helmet was missing now that he was off the battlefield. He came right up to me, a look of sincere concern in his youthful eyes. Too young to be a stallion, but no longer a colt... "Sir James? Are you...hanging in there?"

My eyes narrowed in recollection. I vaguely remembered this pegasus boy. And then it hit me. "Phalanx...?"

"Yes, it's me. I've been hanging in there. And...you?" The young pegasus guardsman said to me. He looked exhausted, but also jarred. And I was quick to notice something was off. His left wing was heavily bandaged. Even this boy who was not quite a man did not escape the battle unscathed. He noticed where my eyes were looking and spoke with a heavy sigh. "A sword...took off the top half... If it's still out there on the battlefield, it's probably been trampled to the point of being unsalvageable..."

I nearly wretched at the thought. I only spoke to this young man once when he needed someone to talk to. And...he had essentially lost a limb in the battle. He would never fly again. I could not bring myself to even look at him as new tears started to fill my eyes. And I was not the only one to weep as Phalanx buried his face into my arm. "It's not your fault, sir! You've been giving everything for us! I won't blame you... And I'll make sure my parents won't either..."

He really was little more than a colt. And I could barely process seeing this boy having been maimed. Although through my tears, I thought I heard a familiar voice from somewhere beyond the infirmary's walls. Despite the rain, I could hear an almost frantic voice speaking. "Sir, please! Please let me see my boy!"

"Your boy? I'm pretty sure your only son isn't even enlisted in the guard... He's way too young for it anyway." I heard one of the medics speak from outside the infirmary. If too many distressed friends or loved ones came in, it would only complicate the work of those who were there. But I knew the voice. And Phalanx too was distracted enough to listen in.

The voice I recognized then explained, "No, he's not. But the... The one here is like a son to me. Please, sir. I need to see him. I just...please!"

"Someone you know?" Phalanx asked with his tears drying.

"My dad... Kind of." I retorted before I could see someone enter. One who had been soaked by the rain. And after scanning the rows of the wounded, his eyes fell upon me. And a familiar hippogriff stallion came rushing over while I could barely bring myself to look at him. "Hi, papa bird..."

Phalanx took a step back as Sky Beak could only barely compose himself while rubbing his hand over my bandaged head. "Ooooh no... No no no, how did it come to this? We were supposed to be watching over you..."

My eyes went wide as that wonderful stallion scooped his arms under arms under me and held himself to me, his rain-soaked feathers feeling rather pleasant at the time. He whimpered pathetically in ways I never dreamed I would hear from him. "Oh my lord, I am so sorry... We did everything we could, my boy... We tried, we really did... Everyone's tearing themselves up over this... How will we ever face our queen? What will I tell Ocean and the kids back home...?"

I remembered. I remembered the last time I departed the Alabaster. Novo had explicitly ordered her men to see to it that I would not be harmed. And they joyously swore themselves to be there for me when I needed them. And they still failed. But I held no contempt for the hippogriffs in the militia. We never could have seen that battle coming. They could only see so much. There was so many to fight through. They failed...because it was an impossible task. And I could not hate them for it. I rested my fingers on his arm and muttered, "It's...OK... You did what you could..."

"But I didn't do enough! We could've done more! Oh my boy, I'm so sorry!" Sky Beak whimpered pathetically. I could not imagine him ever having seen Silverstream or Terramar in any such condition. He had never known the horror of a father seeing his child in such a grave situation. Did he see me the moment I fell? The moment that hammer smashed into the back of my head? I dared not ask. It was a moment I barely remembered, but it was not a memory I wanted to risk stirring up.

Sky Beak whimpered in ways I would have thought impossible. The wonderful father stallion who held me in his arms wept and pleaded while I could only squint my eyes shut with fresh tears flowing free. But it was then that Phalanx managed to get a word in. Maybe in an attempt to soothe my papa bird. "Your son is... He's a great man, sir."

Sniffling pathetically, Sky Beak was distracted from his grief just enough to provide a response. "He...really is. A good man with a good heart. And I'm not going home until he does."

Phalanx managed to smile at the one man in the world of Equestria who was like a father to me. "He gave me some good advice last time we talked. I think...I would've backed out by now. I would've been on the next flight home after the last battle."

I found no will to talk, but Sky Beak was comfortable speaking to younger stallions. Even as he cradled me in his arms, he continued to talk with an easing voice. "Sounds like he knew exactly what you were going through. My boy here... He's not a warrior. But he tries anyway. What about you?"

"I don't know either, sir. I thought I knew what I was getting into when I enlisted, but this war has been...more than I bargained for. And...now I can't fly anymore." Phalanx replied while casting a forlorn glance to his crippled wing. He then said, "But...what happens if I do quit? I don't want to see anyone get hurt like I did..."

The two of them conversed for a while, trying to find solace in conversation as defenders of their people. This went on for so long that by the time they stopped, Sky Beak was all but dried off. His feathers were starting to fluff up from lack of grooming. I began to idly trace my fingers along his fluffy arm to partake in those plush feathers. I even turned my head to nestle my face into his shoulder. My touch did not go unnoticed. Sky Beak nuzzled his head against mine and whispered, "Shhh... Shhh... It's nothing permanent, right...? You'll...be all right, won't you?"

"I was told it could've been a lot worse... I should be OK in the long run." I replied in lethargy. I was already feeling so tired. My eyes were growing heavy. "Tired... Wanna sleep..."

I felt Sky Beak press his beak to my bandaged head for a kiss. He cooed mournfully, whispering to me like the father he is. "All right... Just...hang in there. Please. Be strong, my boy..."

Whatever happened next is a blur. I was asleep in moments. And my fevered dreams were anything but restful. When I once again awoke from my nap, the place was quiet. The infirmary had lights hanging in rows throughout the tent that had dimmed for the evening. The atmosphere was quiet, but not quite peaceful. The worst had passed, but the scars remained.

Night was likely fast approaching as I rested in bed. But once again, a visitor approached. But the way this stallion came my way... One of the royal guard in uniform, but he looked uneasy. Eyes constantly glancing around as the unicorn stallion came up on the row to my right. He was being exceptionally quiet despite being in full armor. And he came to a stop beside me.

His eyes were locked onto mine as I noticed his unsteady and almost frightened breathing. I was more confused than anything. What did he want to say to me? Although his magic aura did eventually coat his horn. "Look, I... I got nothing against you, Sir James. I know you've been giving it everything just like us and... Well... I guess what I'm saying here is..."

My eyes opened wide as a subtle sound reached my ears. One I recognized. The sound of a blade being drawn. And sure enough, a dagger rose up into view with the handle coated in the guard's magic aura. His grasp was shaky, but the blade was consistently aimed right at my throat. And with a nearly panicked voice, he spoke one last time. "No hard feelings, all right?"

I was too drained. Far too exhausted to even try calling for help. But I understood his motives. We only barely got through the last battle without losing anyone, but the next wave would most likely be much more lethal. If I died now, the emperor would fall and the war would be over. And for just a second, I resigned myself to my fate. We were out of options.

The stallion hesitated just long enough. He held no ill will towards me. He did not want to harm me, but was convinced this was the only way. But during that moment of hesitation, someone came rushing up behind him with shocking speed. And in one swift motion, grabbed the grab from behind and pulled him up onto his hindquarters with her arms locked around him in a brutal chokehold. This interference was so sudden and fierce that he nearly lost his grip on his blade. And the one who caught him... Maud!

There was no mistaking her. Maud Pie, still clad in her stone barding, had my would-be murderer locked in an unbreakable chokehold. No matter how he struggled, there was no breaking free from quite possibly the strongest earth pony mare in the entire militia. And while her face remained as still as stone, I could see...just the faintest hint of wrath in those eyes. She was probably resisting the very urge to snap his neck.

Maud steadily backed up while restraining her struggling captive while doing all she could to make him as uncomfortable as possible. Even if restrained, he could still plunge that dagger into my throat if he remained focused just long enough. Thankfully, the sound of him grasping and pleading for Maud to release him caught someone else's attention from beyond the walls. Shining Armor burst into the infirmary and immediately rushed over the instant he saw what was happening. "What the... Hey! Drop it!"

"Captain, please! He needs to die!" The guard pleaded as he finally managed to steady his blade. But before he could try and aim it at me, another magic aura coated the entire blade. Shining Armor had grabbed it with his own levitation spell and began to wrest it away from his subordinate even as he pleaded in a panic. "We're all gonna die here! We won't make it through the next one!"

"I said drop it! That's an order!" Shining Armor growled as he continued to struggle with the dagger. He did everything he could to keep it away from me. All I could do was watch helplessly as my life was no longer in my hands.

The guard continued to plead in desperation. Panic in his voice, he was probably waking up everyone in the infirmary while the medics there could only watch. "He'll be the death of us all! Please, let me do it! Before they..."

Maud had heard enough. With one swift movement, she smashed her forehead into the back of her captive's helmet. This mighty headbutt was just enough to knock him out. His magic aura faded from his horn and weapon before he slumped to the floor. Once down, Shining Armor was quick to secure the guard's legs with whatever materials he could reach and confiscated the dagger. He then let out a sigh of relief as he turned to Maud. "You're...Pinkie Pie's sister? Thank you."

I expected Maud to at least say something, but she was unsettlingly silent. Her eyes were still filled with a cold focus I had seen out of her maybe once before. But I understood her silence. She was upset over what she just saw. She probably could not speak even if she tried. But someone else did. Someone in the cot to my left. "Captain, what're you waiting for? Do it! Do it for us!"

"That's enough outta you!" Shining Armor barked at someone he likely knew. And when I looked to my left, I cringed at the sight of a stallion who had his face bandaged over the eyes. Both were cover, blinding him. And I was quick to realize...they had likely been destroyed.

The blinded stallion snarled in frustration as he called out, "I know you're there, traitor! Look at me! If you never came to Equestria, this wouldn't be happening! No wonder you humans have no place in this world anymore!"

I could not even try to refute that claim. I just turned my gaze to the ceiling and listened. Many other wounded personnel began to fill the infirmary with an uproar of bitter anger and resentment. And I could not fault them. "Put him outta his misery! Throw him to the wolves! Come on, captain! Get rid of him before we all pay the price!"

"SHUT UP!!!" Shining Armor practically screamed as he raised the dagger in his magical grasp high for everyone to see. He really looked like he was ready to shank someone with it with a horrifying fury in his eyes. Maud too looked just as enraged and would probably start cracking some skulls at any second. With the infirmary having gone all but silent for the moment, the captain of the guard then said, "All of you shut up before I start having to make you shut up! Got it?!"

No one dared defy that order. And I suspect he would have done it too. With the situation calm again, Shining Armor turned to me. "Hey, sorry about that. I'm gonna appoint some guard personnel I can actually trust so that... James...?"

I said nothing. All I could do was stare unblinkingly at the ceiling. It really had come to pass. They hated me and wanted me gone. And I knew by then that I deserved to be loathed. Shining Armor understood my lack of a response and departed without another word to me. My ears tuned out everything around me as I wallowed in despair. But Maud... She never left my side.

The stony mare remained by my side without budging. She said nothing, but did not move. She would probably kill anyone who would make a move on me by then. But after a few minutes, she did something I did not expect. She reached out over me and rest her head upon my chest. Only then did I hear her speak. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you..."

I felt something warm and wet drip onto my chest. And then another. Fresh warm tears began to drip onto me. I could not ignore Maud's shared sorrow. I slid my hand around until it found her hoof. This prompted soft words from my friend. "Pinkie's...all right. A hairline fracture on her hip. She'll be OK... I just... All I could think about was...getting them back for hurting her. I didn't...notice what happened to you until later..."

My fingers tightened around her hoof. Maud was a force to be reckoned with and I was quick at the time to assume why she began to fight so fiercely and entirely on her own. She and Pinkie Pie had always been close. I remembered that day when she first came to Ponyville. They had always been each other's favorite sister. And it showed on the battlefield as well. But Maud then whispered to me, "I won't let you down again... I'm not going anywhere. You...need me more than Pinkie does right now."

I wanted to thank her, but I could not. I knew then that my allies had every right to hate me. And in my heart, I so dearly just wanted to die. Just for this nightmare to end. I could no longer fight. I could no longer bring the war to the enemy's front gate. All I could do was just...let it all end.

I think I drifted back into unconsciousness. By the time I came to, I was in a much more familiar location. The loft I had been using in the command center. And Maud was still by my side. There was enough room beside my bed for the medical equipment I needed, but there was no sign of my roommates. I looked over at Maud as I heard the rain splattering just outside my darkened window while she spoke to me. "They didn't trust leaving you in the infirmary after that... You'll be safer here."

The command center was probably the safest location in the entire camp. There was a certain logic in moving me there. But then my thoughts went to the two little ladies who surely must have seen me being brought in. "Where are they...? Smolder and Ocellus...?"

Maud averted her gaze for a moment while her tone and eyes remained characteristically subdued. "They...didn't take it well when they saw you. They had to leave because they couldn't stop crying."

Such an awful dread formed in my heart. They were the last ones who had any business seeing the results of the battlefield. Let alone on me. The absence of Ocellus' pillow fort around her mattress indicated they had to be completely relocated elsewhere for the time being. I was not sure if I could bring myself to see them in my condition.

Maud reached out and rested a hoof upon my arm. She had swapped out of her armor and settled for her usual frock. She would not need it off the battlefield anyway. I then asked, "You don't hate me?"

"Should I?" She asked bluntly while I started to look away. Maud then rested her cheek upon my arm with a long sigh escaping her nostrils. "I know Pinkie Pie got hurt today, but that wasn't your fault. They hurt you too. And they hurt you much worse than they hurt her. I told her what's happening and she asked me to watch over you. You need me more than she does right now."

By that point, I really felt like I did not deserve any such kindness. So many wounded... Some permanently... All because I did not have the presence of mind to let myself die sooner. I then asked bitterly, "This that the only reason?"

Maud lifted her head to gaze at me. She did not respond immediately. I think she was taking a moment to fully take in the view. To examine my outward appearance and weigh the stakes of my condition. She squinted her eyes shut and let out a very unexpected haggard wheeze before regaining her usual stony composure. "I want to keep you safe...because no one understands me like you do."

She was not wrong. Since the day we first met, I was able to read her a little better than everyone else. At this time of writing, I am still not certain of exactly what the quality is that we share. But I knew she was not exaggerating. She meant every word. And I did not have the heart to push her away. "Thank you."

Maud stayed by my side for a while longer without a word spoken. But I eventually thought I noticed a voice downstairs. One that was carried up the stairwell to my door. That voice... Was that... Oh no. "Admiral, what happened? I get back after all this time and it looks like something big went down. Now, where is he? Why wasn't he there waiting when we docked?"

The voice of Seaspray was heard next as he sounded like he was trying to keep a secret. "My apologies, your majesty. He is currently resting upstairs in his chambers with one Miss Maud Pie and they are not to be disturbed."

She knew something was not right. Something had gone horribly wrong and she was not going to be kept away from me. "Well I tell you what, they're about to be VERY disturbed."

I heard Seaspray protest as someone rushed up the stairs. The door to my room burst open. And there standing before me...was Novo. Her eyes slowly opened wide as she never blinked once. A horrifying silence filled the air as I was unsure of how to even feel. My queen approached slowly and with a very stiff gait. That unblinking glare in her eyes... Horror and rage were all I could see. Maud stepped aside without a word as the beautiful queen of Capricorn Island rested her hand upon my head. Seaspray entered the room seconds later and quietly locked the door behind him while maintaining a forced gaze of focus. He waited. And Novo soon spoke without budging from that spot. "Admiral. Explain this."

"Their numbers were many... And their tactics unexpected..." Seaspray spoke while doing everything in his power to stop just shy of cowering before his queen. The once proud commander of Capricorn Island's guards was reduced to a quivering wreck of a stallion that only barely retained his composure.

"When I departed, I entrusted you and your men to se that this man remains safe. That he would remain unharmed for the remainder of the war." Novo spoke with a low yet composed wrathful tone in her voice. She then very suddenly turned to face him, the volume in her voice rising. "Explain yourself, admiral! Why is your king in waiting bandaged and barely responsive?!"

"We did all that we could, your majesty! But this battle... The enemy was like an ocean! Literally an ocean that crashed against our walls! I saw waves of purple in that tide! They crested and rippled, the storm thick with purple armor! There was simply no possible means for us to target any one precisely with any desired outcome!" Seaspray explained in a near panic, his voice filled with shame. He remained rooted to the spot as he dared to not give his queen reason to doubt him. "So many nearly met their ends today... But the enemy still did not harm Sir James. At first... Something changed out there. And by the time my men noticed them beginning to swarm around him... It was too late."

Novo never lost that piercing glare, but her voice relaxed subtly. She then asked, "Something...changed, you say? Explain, admiral. Spare no details."

Seaspray steadied himself as he recounted that vile battle. "They had never lashed out at him directly. His death would mean the end of the emperor. We all know this. And yet...that changed today. The enemy very suddenly made a concentrated and desperate effort to slay him, your majesty. A few of our own nearly did not make it when they attempted to evacuate him. But my men and I... We did all we could to carve a path for them. Not an arrow was wasted. We felled dozens upon dozens of the enemy, doing all we could to create a path back to safety. It was...such a narrow success."

The hippogriff queen continued to glare unblinkingly at her people's admiral. At first. She began to speak with her tone softening. "Let me get this straight. The enemy threw everything they had out of nowhere to try and put this man in his grave. They conspired against him. And his allies could only barely push through the enemy to evacuate him. And when the enemy lines became too thick, you gave them hell. You focused all your fire upon the enemy ahead to clear a path. And this man lived to see tomorrow because of that?"

Novo was still angry. But she was understanding enough to see how the odds against us were truly impossible. She was furious, but not unreasonable. Seaspray could only nod in agreement. And Novo let out an exasperated wheeze as she finally relaxed just enough. "If that's the case... Thank you, admiral. You and your men did everything you could in spite of the situation."

Seaspray's only response was to rest a hand over his glimmering armored peytral and bow to his queen. The tension had faded and I most certainly held nothing against him. There was no way they could have noticed the shift in the enemy's tactics. Nor could they have ever hoped to protect me against such numbers. And Novo's softening gaze when she turned to me again showed that she knew this too. Her hand once again rested upon my head as I found the strength to speak. "It wasn't his fault, Novo... They did all they could..."

"And I believe you, baby..." The beautiful queen muttered as her eyes quivered while taking in the full extent of my physical condition. The last time she saw me, I was perfectly fine. And now I was bedridden with a truly traumatic head injury with multiple tubes and devices hooked up to me. She then whimpered softly, "How bad is it, honey?"

"Skull fracture..." That was all I had to say. Novo immediately brought her hand to her face and looked away as she burst into tears. She wept in shock with her body slumping tot he floor beside me while just narrowly maintaining a seated position. It was too much for her. I reached out to her and rested my fingers upon her hand as I tried to soften the blow. "It could've been worse... I'll be OK... Really."

Tears still flowing heavily, my beloved took hold of my hand and brought herself closer. She draped her great wing over me. "It's too much, baby... I've already lost Cygnus. I can't lose you too! Not like this!"

We held each other in tears. I squinted my eyes shut as my own tears began to flow. I never wanted Novo to see me like this. Not after we had spoken of so much to look forward to once the war was over. We had discussed so much for our future and now that was in danger of being thrown away on the whims of a war no one wanted.

Her hand held mine and mine held hers. Trying to savor this moment of respite. And Maud and Seaspray were very patient as they waited silently. We were careful to not tell her too much about why I was there in my room and not the infirmary. She pleaded to me, "Please, just... Hang in there, baby... There's a crown waiting for you. If I lose you now... If...I..."

She could not even speak. Novo scooped me into her arms as she wailed in a manner I had not seen in a long time. A rare howling with that glorious voice that drew tears from all who heard it. I wished I could have held her more tightly, but I just did not have the strength. I must have appeared so weak... Too pathetic to even hold her as much as she was holding me.

We all waited patiently for Novo's weeping to cease. It took minutes, but her exhausted voice finally became quiet. And largely because there was a knock at the door. With great hesitation, Seaspray did open it. And none of us expected who was on the other side. "Your majesty...?"

"If I may?" Sunflare stepped into the room. And I immediately assumed the worst. If there was a time when she would decide enough harm had been done to her people to warrant my immediate execution, now was that time. But she displayed no signs of hostility. No anger or disappointment. She then cast her gaze around the room and said, "A meeting is taking place in the war room in minutes. I must request your presence."

Ever so reluctantly, Novo pushed herself off me. But she still held a hand to my cheek as she gazed into my eyes. "I'll be right back up, dear. Wait for me, all right?"

"Yeah..." I muttered while I never took my eyes off of my beloved Novo. The room had become so crowded now that I had four visitors. But while Novo did depart down the stairs, Seaspray hesitated. The beautifully armored stallion then approached me while struggling to look me in the eye. Sunflare was quick to close the door to muffle any sound from my room. I quietly asked, "Admiral...?"

"My men and I failed you today.. Whatever the reason, we failed in our duty, my liege." He muttered with eyes closed and head bowed. The proud stallion bowed to me while not daring to gaze upon me. "Hate me with all your heart if you must... This is a shame I must bear. If you never return alive, I... I will hang up my helmet for good. To fail to preserve the life of my king is no different than slaying him myself..."

"Seaspray..." I muttered while astonished at just how hard he was being upon himself. I reached out and touched my fingers to his beak. I had specifically asked him to never address we with royal honorifics until the war was over, but I could not bring myself to admonish him for that. I tried to speak profoundly with what little strength I had. "You did what you could... I get that. It's OK... You've always been a good friend... Just...hang in there, please. Your men need you. And no one leads your men like you do."

The shamed admiral barely found the will to lift his head to gaze upon me. "You...forgive me, my liege?"

I chose to speak entirely from my heart as I held his hand. "Novo's gonna put a crown on me someday... And when it happens...I want you there. I want you watching over us and your people like you always have. Because I know you're the best at it and always have been. Please...my friend?"

Without saying a word, Seaspray clasped my hands between his as big bold tears flowed from his eyes and down his beak. He shuddered harshly with eyes squinting shut. A proud stallion, but never too proud to weep. "I shall, your majesty... If you deem me worthy to lead, I shall...carry on for you. I shall not fail you again, my liege. I swear it."

"Thank you, friend... Give my best to your men." I whispered as only then did Seaspray depart to join his queen in the war room. Sunflare left the door open and approached, but stopped when she noticed Maud remained by my bedside. I too wondered why she had not departed and asked, "Maud...?"

"I'm not leaving." She stated dully but with a twinge of firm resistance in her eyes. So subtle that the less observant would not have noticed it. She then looked up at the mighty sun queen and said, "Please let me stay."

"If you insist." Sunflare replied while again locking the door with her levitation magic. She then gazed down upon me and looked like she was about to speak, but all Sunflare did was bow her head and sigh in pity.

I knew why she was there. And I knew even someone like her would be too powerful for Maud to stop. I then asked, "Is it time...?"

Sunflare's eyes glanced away from me, almost as if she was ashamed I was so quick to assume she was there to murder me. She then spoke softly, "No... No, perish the thought. I understand that duty has been reserved for the Dragon Lord regardless. And besides that... I understand the emperor himself commanded his men to end your life today."

I sighed in recollection of that feverish memory. It all happened so suddenly that it took me some time to process that I had even been wounded. Let alone struck down by the Hollows that until then had actively avoided harming me. "I guess..."

"No, child. That was not a freak accident. It was not a portion of the enemy army malfunctioning. The enemy carried out a deliberate and desperate attempt on your life." Sunflare declared firmly as her eyes narrowed in contemplation. "Whatever it is that has transpired at the Heaven's Pillar... It would seem the emperor has deemed your survival, as well as his own, unnecessary. Thus...your life must be preserved until we at least have some answers."

Maud then took the time to speak up. "But...somepony already tried to kill him in the infirmary today. I saw it. And I stopped it."

"I know, Miss Pie. I know. The situation is desperate and I doubt our allies do not understand that even the enemy now wants him dead as much as they do. That, or they do not care." Sunflare explained while a glare of frustration settled into her eyes. Perhaps my death really would be playing into the emperor's plans by then. And sowing resentment among my allies... As long as the war ends with my death and their lives are spared, it would not matter if my allies became desperate enough. But what would the real cost be? Something had changed... Regardless, Sunflare then said, "But we know of the incident in the infirmary. And we have made a decree. Any further attempts on your life will result in the would-be assassin being detained for the remainder of the war. And should one successfully murder you, they are to be put to death immediately. And the Dragon Lord has volunteered to serve as the executioner."

Ember... I saw what she did when I fell and could not get up. That horrifying primal berserker rage... I dreaded to imagine what she would do to the poor fool who would be desperate enough to kill me. But regardless of the decree, Sunflare then gazed pitiably upon me with a tenderness in her eyes I had not seen thus far. "But the truth is this, child. You must live. At least until the war has ended. We cannot make any further assumptions."

In a flash of her magic, Sunflare summoned what appeared to be one of those sensor crystals that we had repurposed for observing enemy units in the field. She then set it into my hands as it rested upon my belly. "Hold this. You may be out of action for now, but we have decided you should at least observe the meeting downstairs. You should not be kept in the dark."

"Thank you..." I muttered while Sunflare finally departed with only Maud Pie staying with me. She was looking at me as I suddenly realized that she saw and heard everything. Even all that was said by Novo and Seaspray. "I guess you have a lot of questions after that..."

"Tell me later. When the war's over. I won't ask questions." Maud said bluntly while displaying no signs of distrust. I think she could see the love between Novo and I, but was taking everything at face value at the time. And I did appreciate that.

My eyes watched the crystal in my hands. And a few minutes later, it activated. It began to project a half circle view of what was around the other end of the connection. I recognized the war room. And the crystal that was connected to the one in my hands had been positioned at the very end of the long table to give me a view of everyone who was present. Luna was taking up most of the view as she examined the crystal up close. "It seems to be working... James, I don't suppose you can see me? Can you hear me as well?"

In response to Luna's words, Maud tapped very firmly onto the floor with her hoof. This did not go unnoticed. Luna looked upward in the direction of my room and asked, "Was that a yes?"

Maud tapped again several times. The Princess of the Night then said, "That can't be a coincidence. I'm sure he sees and hears us just fine."

I glanced over at Maud while she looked back at me with just the slightest hint of a smile on her lips. I cracked a smile too. She was trying to be helpful. But what little levity faded when I took the time to behold everyone who was present. There was no such levity in the war room. Everyone present was aware of the dire situation even as rain continued to fall outside. The battle was over but not without cost. Most notably was the sight of Ember and Rain Shine in the room. Rain Shine showed no signs of injury, but Ember was sporting a few bandages around her torso. But more then anything, I was quick to notice just how...exhausted they seemed. They truly did burn themselves out in the prior battle.

Celestia sighed while gazing around at all who were present. "I suppose first thing's first. Shining Armor, please provide us with a status report."

"Right..." The captain of the guard muttered before he levitated a small stack of paper before him. He then spoke grimly, "I don't know how we did it, but we have no confirmed casualties. Although that could change by tomorrow. We have a number of personnel in critical condition..."

Those words reopened a wound in my heart. I remembered Trixie... She may have very well been dying at that moment. Who else might pass in the night? Although I was distracted from my thoughts as Shining Armor continued to speak. "Beside that... We experienced... From my estimates here, at least 30% of the militia's infantry were left incapacitated after the battle. And that...is too many to move. We don't have the means to move that many personnel at once. We can't advance. We can't retreat. We're stuck."

Spitfire then took the time to speak up. "My wingmen were pushed to their limits to keep everyone alive out there. At the rate things are going, we might not be able to keep up with the rate our men on the ground will be dropping. I don't know how they managed this one."

Seaspray then provided some commentary. "If what you said about the sheer number of wounded is true, then the best course of action would be to evacuate them by air. But it could take days for that many airships to come in... Days we might not have."

Shining Armor inhaled sharply as the information on the sheets of paper before him began to register with him. He tried to maintain an air of professionalism about himself, but that dread in his eyes... A look of actual horror and realization. "Whether or not we are able to advance... I can't recommend facing the enemy as we are now. We only barely got through this one with no loss of life. All of our preparations so far have insured the survival of our men, but... But..."

"Come on, captain. Spit it out. We need to know." Estoc spoke from across the table while Novo was seated just to his right. She had her hands clasped before her in silent observation of the situation.

"If we face the same kind of numbers we saw today with those who can still fight... If we play our cards right, I do believe we can win another battle like this. But...with our current numbers...and the brutality the enemy displayed today... If we face another battle in this condition..." Shining Armor explained before stopping. The wheels were turning in his head. Something he did not want to acknowledge. And then he gazed around at us all while speaking the truth we all dreaded. "We're going to need a lot of body bags..."

The war room fell silent. And my heart dropped. So many had been wounded that day. Some grievously so. But now it was no longer a question if our comrades may die in the coming battles. It was guaranteed. If we faced another battle, people would die. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, would not make it home. And those deaths would be on my head.

It was Celestia who asked the most obvious question. "Then...what would you propose, captain?"

He did not have an answer. Shining Armor, the captain of the guard himself, bowed his head in silence as the gravity of the situation hit him. But I noticed Orbash and Sunflare quietly muttering to each other. They glanced at all who were present before nodding solemnly at each other. The moon king then spoke, "If I may? Sunflare and I...have a proposal to make."

All eyes fell upon the true king and queen of Equestria as they weighed the crisis that now faced their people. Both appeared troubled as we listened in. It was Sunflare who began to speak. "Facing the enemy now is simply not an option. Not directly. If we find a means to advance, hundreds or thousands will die. If we remain here, they will keep coming until they overrun and slaughter us all within our walls. The only option now...is to destroy the enemy at the source. Before the next wave inevitably arrives."

It was a bold suggestion. The only question now was how we would pull that off when we could not advance with so many of the militia no longer fit to even march. Seaspray then asked, "And...how would we even go about doing so, your majesties?"

I noticed a subtle shift in body language in Novo. She rested her elbows on the table and clasped her hands together. Her eyes began to narrow into a slowly intensifying scowl as Sunflare explained the plan. "We will never reach the Heaven's Pillar with the Hollow legions standing before us. And the emperor is entirely immune to magical assaults even Orbash and I are capable of. The only one who can truly face him now...is the bearer of Humanity himself."

This already sounded impossible. I could not even stand in my condition, let alone fight. But this caught my attention regardless. And it was Novo who spoke with an...unsettling maliciousness growing in her voice. "You really think the man is in any condition to hold a sword now?"

The sun queen was not fazed as she retained a firm scowl in her eyes. "Not as he is, no. But he is the only one who can face the emperor now. And time is not on our side. We are so near the Heaven's Pillar. The amount of time between raids will be brief. We will examine our options in stabilizing his condition enough to return him to the battlefield to prepare him for this mission. Orbash and I will escort him to the tower and see to it that he makes it there intact. As for what happens after he gets there... We will see. It will be in his hands."

I was not surprised. Of course it would come down to me. The one who was most instrumental to the emperor regaining some semblance of life. But Novo... Her voice deteriorated into a horrifying growl that I never would have believed came from her had I not seen her speaking at that moment. A building wrath filled her eyes as she heard this suggestion. "You're grasping at straws here. The man's already been through enough. And yet you're sending him out on a suicide mission despite everything he's been through? Everything he's done for us? Does it matter to you if he lives or dies?"

Sunflare made the mistake of trying to sound indifferent in an attempt to maintain a steely resolve in the face of our allies. Ember and Rain Shine looked especially frustrated at the suggestion, but offered no retort. The sun queen then explained, "We have no desire to see him perish. This mission will carry grave risk for him. If all goes well, he may yet return alive. And should he perish... It is not the desirable outcome, but should he fall... At the very least, the emperor will fall with him. Regardless of the outcome of this mission, the war will end. Live or die, it matters not."

"Like hell it does." Novo snarled as she suddenly made her move with my eyes opening wide. With a swift motion of her hand, Novo grasped the sword at Estoc's side and quickly drew it while all but throwing herself across the table. She extended her hand as far as her arm would reach, forcing Sunflare to jerk her head back as Estoc's long narrow blade was pointed right at the sun queen's throat. "You send him out there to die and I swear I'll see to it you're dead before he is!"

The entire war room erupted into chaos. The queen of Capricorn Island was holding the sun queen herself at swordpoint while looking like she could impale her at any second. Sunflare remained still and icily silent, but her eyes displayed a look of alarm. She dare not move or provoke the mightiest swordswoman on the planet. Everyone around them shouted and pleaded with the furious hippogriff queen. I was more frightened than anything. I knew she loved me... But to see Novo's love for me drive her to raise a sword to the most powerful mare in the history of Equestria... It was equal parts terrifying yet heartwarming.

As the stalemate raged on with everyone around them pleading, it was Celestia who spoke the loudest. Pleading with her best friend. "Novo, please! I beg of you! Just listen to me!"

The hippogriff queen only barely glanced over at the Princess of the Dawn. Her voice still filled with rage, she spoke more loudly than she normally does. "Celestia, you're not seriously in favor of this! You can't be!"

"I'm not! But what choice do we have?!" Celestia retorted while Novo was left silent. She did not budge while still holding the commandeered sword's tip to the throat of her friend's mother. Celestia then began to speak firmly now that she had the attention of everyone around her. "We can't advance. We can't retreat. Rescue will take too long to remove the wounded. The emperor is immune to the means of attack the most powerful of us have. And there's a massive unknown variable of what may happen if this mission is carried out. But we... We need to do this. For all our sakes. Yes, James may die out there. He might fail. That is a possibility. But if we do not, his death will be assured along with the rest of our people. He will die with them when we're inevitably overrun if we don't take this risk. What would you rather have? A chance at a best case scenario? Or dooming us all to the loss of everything Equestria stands for?"

Her words struck me in my heart. It truly had become an impossible situation that now hinged entirely on the one most responsible for this war in the first place. And I slumped into my bed even more than I already was. An all or nothing shot at ending this war in Equestria's favor... That, or resign ourselves to the end. And as I watched, Novo ever so slowly lowered her sword to the table. Once she released her grasp on it, she closed her eyes and sighed harshly. "Don't make me regret this, Celestia..."

They all returned to their seats. Order had been restored, but Novo did not even look at Sunflare while the sun queen still looked rattled over a close brush with death. Estoc was cautious enough to remove his sword entirely from the war room before returning to his seat. But before the meeting could continue, Novo then spoke firmly with hands clasped. "I'm in favor...but only if he is too. It's his life you're putting on the line. Let him decide."

"I suppose that is fair." Orbash replied before all eyes fell upon the crystal I was observing through. They probably could not see me, but they knew I could see and hear them. Orbash then lifted his head to gaze at the ceiling in the direction I likely was. "James, if you are hearing this... Do you understand the situation? Tap twice if you do and once if you do not."

Maud had remained silent to as to not disturb my observation of the situation. Without even looking to my left, I nodded. Maud responded by tapping her hoof firmly on the floor twice. In response to that, Orbash then asked, "Are you willing to partake in the mission we have suggested? Tap twice for yes and once for no."

A solemn resignation in my heart, I nodded again. And Maud conveyed my decision through another two firm taps on the floor. All who were present bowed their heads in momentary silence. The kind moon king spoke softly. "Then...it is decided. Sunflare and I shall escort him to the Heaven's Pillar. As for what happens then... May fortune favor us all."

"Father... If I may..." Luna then spoke up with a heavy sigh. Eyes filled with dread, she then pleaded, "I must ask... Please... Grant him just one more day. A day for us all to rest. To reflect. To...say goodbye, if needed."

Sunflare and Orbash cast a solemn gaze upon each other. And the sun queen then spoke. "That may actually be necessary. We must explore our options in stabilizing his wounds to ready him for battle. A day of rest there shall be. But no more than that. Time will not be kind to us."

And with that, the meeting came to an end. They all began to rise from their seats. Everyone but Novo. And when Celestia began to reach for the crystal to deactivate it, Novo spoke up to gain the attention of everyone. "Not yet. You. Sun queen. I need a word with you. The rest of you can head out."

Novo's voice was low and threatening, but her hands remained clasped while she cast a most disgusted glare upon the mother of her best friend. Celestia was so distracted by this demand that she ended up being distracted from her task to the point of forgetting about it. Shining Armor then wisely asked, "Have all weapons been removed from this room?"

"I think so, sir. Shall we head out, your majesty?" Estoc replied while everyone waited. After Novo already made it clear she would not have hesitated to kill for my sake, it would not be wise to leave her alone with her target.

"I will be fine. I can defend myself if I must." Sunflare said while remaining where she stood. Only then did the room become empty aside from the two queens. And I was granted a perfect view of the conversation that was about to unfold. "What do you need to say, hippogriff queen?"

Novo slowly and menacingly rose from her seat and set a hand upon the table. I almost though she was going to vault across the table in an attempt to strangle Sunflare, but she stood her ground. "I just want to make very clear what that man you're sending to his death means to me."

Sunflare watched and listen in silence. As did I. Not once have I ever heard of Novo speaking about me. I doubt she even knew I was still watching. With me being granted a very candid view of this intimate conversation, Novo then voiced a very specific threat to the mighty sun queen. "If that man dies out there on your watch, I'll never forgive you for it. I'll never wanna see you again. And if you even dare show your face on my turf, I'll put you to death myself. You got that?"

The sun queen nodded in somber understanding of Novo's threat. She then asked softly, "Is he dear to you?"

Novo's response was firm, yet filled with a certain loving pride. "He convinced me to allow myself to love again."

She... Sunflare visibly flinched at those words. And the hippogriff queen then leaned over the table as she asked, "Do you understand what you're doing to me here? To him? I intend to crown that man one day. And I intend to give him many heirs. He will reign with me one day and will cherish the family we'll have together. Do you understand what losing him now will..."

"Enough... No more, your majesty." Sunflare interjected with her eyes squinted shut. And then I saw them. Fresh trails of tears that spilled forth. "Your words cut deep... Too deep."

Novo recoiled in shock as her eyes opened wide at this very unexpected display of vulnerability from the most powerful and most terrifying mare in all of Equestria. With some hesitation, Novo then spoke with a softening voice. "You know what it means to fall in love and share a throne... Do you know what it means to fear for your king?"

"I have... I have feared for my king at times. Times of crisis has given cause for drastic measures. Measures that...carry risk. Whenever that fool faces danger, my heart clenches in fright. I always fear for him in battle..." Sunflare spoke softly with tears flowing from her opening eyes. "Trust me when I say I know what is in your heart. Rest assured, your majesty. My king and I will do our part in seeing your future king lives to return to you."

The tension between the two queens faded in seconds. Novo's rage was replaced with a solemn acceptance. The two queens bowed to each other and no more words were spoken. And once they walked out of sight, I let the crystal in my hands roll out of my grasp. My listless gaze was turned to the ceiling, mind clouded with the haze of a lingering concussion and the grief of all that was happening. But I was not undisturbed for long. Maud reached out and embraced me while whispering briefly to me. "I'm scared."

"Me too." I muttered with a hand resting on her head. Doom is coming for me, one way or another. But better to die trying to carry out a noble task than to just let the enemy reach me while I am vulnerable. I understood the logic of what they suggested. And in spite of my own fears, I still found it preferable than just...letting it all go now.

Moments later, there was a knock at the door. I was surprised I was still getting visitors, but I was most surprised at who was allowed in. My eyes opened wide in surprise as my mind cleared slightly. "Rain...?"

The beautiful kirin before me quivered as she tried to maintain a straight face. She saw me fall. Probably thought I had perished. And now she was seeing me alive. She walked carefully past Maud while the door was locked behind her. "Oh, heavens... What cruel fate has been bestowed upon you..."

She slumped at my bedside and placed a hoof in my palm before burying her face into my chest. She wept. Rain Shine could barely even speak as she basked in my aura. "You feel so fractured... Heart and mind in pieces just barely holding together..."

"Sounds about right..." I muttered as I realized...that was exactly how I felt. Everything was just...a miasma of dread and sorrow by then. But there was one question on my mind. One I needed an answer on. "Hey... That thing I saw... That demon mare... Was that..."

"Yes... What you saw... That is a power all kirin possess. Our unfettered rage made manifest." Rain Shine spoke more coherently as she lifted her head to gaze upon me. She took no pride in what she spoke of. She even looked disturbed over the memory. "It is not at all a power we take pride in. We dread it ever manifesting. For so long, we kirin have tried to disassociate ourselves from that side of ourselves. A side we have come to call...the nirik. Everything a kirin is not supposed to be."

I did recall how terrifying that form looked. A mare dark as ash and coal, coated in flames that felt otherworldly. Able to destroy her foes just by coming near them. But I still had to acknowledge the serendipity that came from such a power being unleashed at that time. "But that power...saved so many lives today. You...decimated the enemy."

Rain Shine was left speechless. She was still filled with shame, but did not try to invalidate that observation. But she did speak more in a moment. "When we were separated... I noticed a change in how they moved through the ground. They began to swarm around you. Taking a...keen interest in you. I did all I could to reach you. But they..."

She squinted her eyes shut, fresh tears spilling at the memory. "I saw you fall. I felt you become still. And all I felt...was hate. And so I fought on. Fought until there was no none left to destroy. I knew then...what it was my mother felt so long ago when she razed the fields to destroy those who harmed one who was dear to her..."

I gingerly raised a hand to her face and cradled it in my palm. And we shared a gaze. The presence of that precious kirin was comforting to me. And so she brought her lips to mine. "My dear... My love... When I discovered that you had lived... There were no words. I could only weep as what I assumed was a loss was replaced with a miracle. Please... Please do survive... I do not wish to return home...to reveal to them that you will not be returning..."

"Thank you, Rain... Love you too..." I muttered as her words touched me in ways they had not before. I could not put my mind into my words, but my heart was in it. I knew it by then. I knew it was safe to trust her with my heart. Especially when...there was so little time left.

Rain Shine could not stay long. She was unsteady and clearly fatigued. She needed to leave in order to rest. But once she had departed, Maud came to my side. She turned her gaze away from me as I noticed a lone tear trickle down each cheek. "It sounds like...so many love you..."

I turned my eyes to the ceiling again. I knew I still had Rain Shine. I knew I still had Ember. I knew I still had Novo. I had so many... But how many were starting to hate me by now? So many harmed solely because I was there... Maud noticed I could not bring myself to speak and rested her hoof on my wrist. "I'm here... I'm not leaving."

No further visitors arrived. I suppose my condition was too delicate and any further visitors would have to wait until tomorrow. I did hear Novo complaining downstairs over how she was advised to wait until tomorrow before returning to see me. And I have kept lapsing in and out of consciousness for brief naps. But while I have been awake, I have been doing all this writing. Shining Armor arranged to rig up some stuff to allow me to operate my typewriter from my bed. Took some getting used to, but it paid off. Maud has been helpful in replacing the used sheets of paper whenever needed.

But now that night has fallen, I have just received an extra dose of painkillers to help lull me to sleep. Things are quiet...but it is only the calm before the worst storm of them all. So many have been hurt... Some of them might not even make it in the end... I am trying so hard to not think of Trixie at this time... Not yet. There will be time to mourn eventually. If I make it to see the end. And the end is in sight. But for now... Just one more day. One more...and it will be all over, one way or another.

This will not end well. I have accepted that. I do not expect to survive this coming mission. I will be going in blind, but so long as I hold out long enough to find a way to end this and close the portal... That will be all that matters. I love this world too much to just let it lose all it stands for to a world that it should never know.

I am just so tired...