The Moon had returned to its rightful place in the sky, but it glowed dim and faint. The night offered no time of respite for the defenders of Canterlot, but Azzal Khan called the advance to a brief halt by the city gates. They had their foothold, now all that was left was to consolidate their advantage. But for now they would rest, both sides exhausted from the brutal fighting. Casualties were felt on both sides and both would morn the dead. This did not stop Azzal commanding his troops to scavenge the bodies of the fallen for weaponry and armor. To the Eastern Ponies this was blasphemous, sacrilege, a foul act. But they did as they were told, gathering all the supplies they needed. The attackers were now better armed, many now carrying the magically forged weapons of the Royal Guard, some even choosing to bore pieces of their golden armor under their robes. This was a whole new game.

“My lord,” Dellas, captain of Grimril, addressed his commander with a swift and shallow bow. “Our spied have returned from their pursuit north. They said that they managed to escape into the cold wastes, beyond their grasp.”

Azzal seemed unaffected by this news, not even casting his gaze at the general. “No matter, when aid arrives from the north we will have the city, we will have hostages and we will be ready. Do not worry yourself about these affairs, they will be dealt to when the time comes.”

Dellas was of course still weary, but nodded in compliancy. “Yes my lord, what do you ask of us now?”

“We shall attack in three hours, enough time to regain some matter of order and strength. See to it that the rouge Necromancers are caught. I already have the techpriests working to repair the Messorem, I will require at least of those mad dogs in order to complete its final augmentation.”

“As you wish.”

“Now go.”

Dellas passed on Azzal’s words to the other generals before taking some time to rest his hooves. In the ruined archway of the city gates he sat down against a large stone cast by one of the catapults. It certainly wasn’t comfy but it would do. After a few minutes of near silence he was joined by the Arin. Her horn cast a dim light, illuminating the area where the flames did not touch. She sat down next to Dellas, adjusting her position a few times before speaking.

“Nice work out there.”

Was this some kind of attempt at small talk? Oh well, better play along. “Just doing my job.”

“Some job it is. What can you do in the end?”

Okay this was just getting a bit strange for his tastes. Dellas had not known Arin for being the mare to engage in pleasantries. “Why are you here? You certainly didn't come to just chat so why are you talking to me.”

“Well…  ” She stalled for a second, as if trying to find the right words. “You are the closest thing to a friend I have, despite the circumstances. My tribe is all about fighting and training, there was just no room for friends. Now here we are, under one banner and in a new world. Can’t we just, you know, talk a bit?”

“I- guess so. What did you want to talk about?”

“I don’t know, stuff. Weather? Politics? What do you usually talk about?”

“Well, often we just talk about how much better we are than the other clans. No offence. But I guess we could find something else, aside from the plan we have yet to actually figure out.”

“I’m working on it, just give me time.”

“Maybe if you included me in the process then we would have a better chance.”

“Maybe, but not right now.”

“Are you sure?”

“Can we just leave it?”

Dellas sighed, deciding that it may indeed be best to leave it even if it meant he had no clue what her plan was. Maybe she was struggling? Maybe all she needed was some help, not that she would accept it.

“Fine, so do you want to tell me about your village? You know, how you grew up, your foalhood.”

Arin chuckled slightly. “I guess I could, but it’s not very interesting. Okay on one condition, you have to share next. Deal?”

“Deal.”

“You’re taking the time to rest when we have a chance to consolidate our advantage. You are a brilliant tactician Azzal, but sometimes I doubt you actually understand the decisions you’re making.” The eldest of the generals, Carlin, stood upon the high walls of outer Canterlot, unarmored an d unarmed. His days of fighting were long gone, but his tribe heralded him as one of the greatest minds to have come from the East. He was tall with a light cyan coat. His mane was a faded light grey and his robes a tattered white.

“You are wise Carlin, I do not doubt that, but for all your years you have never fought a city siege. Philological warfare is as much a part of it as the actual fighting. Let our foes quiver in fear behind their walls, let them taste the terror we will unleash upon them. The longer we leave them to fester the easier they will break.”

“Sound reason, but every minute we delay is another they prepare for battle.”

“Hence why I chose to attack Canterlot in the first place. They cannot escape or call for help. Anypony who tries is dead before they can even fly beyond the city walls. I chose to attack this city to lay that one decisive strike, to corner them and make them bleed. Once Canterlot has fallen… then the rest of Equestria is ours for the taking.”

“So what is your next move?”

Azzal gestured his hoof out towards the valley where the catapults rested in the vale. “We will bombard their ranks behind the walls, we will create chaos until we have no rocks left to cast. We will burn the lower city and advance towards the inner walls. Once there my pegasi will close the gap, flying onto the walls and taking them on up close. I will draw their leaders out and keep them oblivious to the fight below.

“Dellas is already tasked with taking the gates, but now we must put another piece into play. We will draw them out from their walls, into the outer courtyard. We will send but only a hundred or so troops at the gates, and when our small company is broken and retreating we will move in the rest of our force. We will take their captains down, we will hold them at sword edge. And we won’t have to make a step within their inner defenses.

“The palace will fall soon after, for they will no longer have the strength to hold us back. It is only a matter of time till this crown jewel is but a ball of fire on the mountain side.”

“You said that this city would be a hub for the next stages of the campaign. What use will it be in rubble and ash?”

“My intentions have changed. Equestria is but tinder waiting for just the right ignition. You would be wise to fall behind it, Carlin, if you do not want to join them in their fall.”

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