Heart of War- Act I (part 1)

>The train left at noon.
>The soldiers split off and were conversing.
>You found yourself in a private compartment with Anon and Sergeant Thunder.
>Anon responded to a knock on the sliding door.
>”Sir.”
>”Lieutenant Crop. I assume that because you’re onboard you have news.”
>He enters the room, as Anon closes the door behind him.
>”Can we trust him?” The lieutenant says regarding the pegasus.
>”He’s my second, unless the general was specific, you can tell him whatever you plan on telling me.”
>”Sir.” Thunder salutes to Crop.
“So what is it?”
>”General Lancer wants me to bring you up to speed on the current situation. It’s been kept quiet until now, but we’re at war.”
>”With who?” Anon inquires.
>”Well that’s the thing…”
>”Out with it Lieutenant.”
>”Everyone.”
“What?”
>The lieutenant continues to explain.
>”The Griffon Kingdom is pressing from the northwest, Yaks are pushing into the Crystal Empire to the north, Minotaurs are threatening Manehattan in the northeast, Dogs are harassing the southern borders, and the Saddle Arabians have landed in the southwest reinforced by allied Zebra Tribes. The coalition formally declared war two months ago.”
>That’s… what?
>”Impossible, why wasn’t I informed?”
>You detect a hint of outrage in Anon’s generally calm demeanor.
 >”With all due respect, that answer is way above my pay grade.”
>You can’t imagine all of the thoughts that are streaming through you Uncle’s mind.
>”What’s the status of the fronts?” Anon inquires.
>”The griffons are massing for an assault on Cloudsdale, the Yaks are setting up a siege of the city proper, no confirmed reports on the minotaurs or dogs, and the Saddle Arabians are pushing north along the eastern coast at an alarming pace. Our own forces are preparing to stop the advance at Baltimare.”

>”That sacrifices almost three hundred miles to them!” Sergeant Thunder proclaims, outraged at the thought.
>”I didn’t make the orders.”
>”How large are our forces?” Anon asks.
>”Estimates put them at just over fifty thousand.”
>”WHAT! At the end of the last war we numbered one and a half million! What about the fleet?”
>You’ve never seen Anon snap like that.
>”Three quarters of our ocean going vessels were decommissioned, as well as the entirety of the air fleet.”
>”Did the idea ever pop into anyone’s mind that reducing the size of our forces to barely five percent of their previous numbers would be a mistake while surrounded by nations that we have been at war with for over two decades?”
>”When General Lancer voiced his warnings about just that, he got reassigned to Fort Expanse.”
>Widely regarded as being a useless post in the middle of nowhere.
>”In fact.” Crop continues. “Most of the soldiers and officers disapproved, but when orders saying to disband are given…”
>”Fools.”
>Anon isn’t wrong.
>What was Celestia thinking?
“So why does General Lancer want to meet with us?”
>”The General is arranging a war council off the records. If we are to survive as a people, we need a strong leader.” He turns to Anon. “Sir, he intends to bypass the government and reappoint you as the Field Marshal of our entire armed forces. Most of the remaining military leadership will be there, and unlike the Princesses (present company excluded), they have not forgotten your service to this country.”
>”I… I need to think. Excuse me.”
>Anon quickly exits the compartment.
>”Not that I don’t agree LT, but that all sounds real close to treason.” Thunder adds.
>”We’re treading a fine line, that’s for sure.”
“I’m going to go talk to him.”

>You started to scour the train.
>You found him in an empty car, looking out the window.
>Watching the plains as the train rolls past.
“You ok?”
>You trot over to his side.
>”It just doesn’t make sense.”
“I know.”
>”Why would Celestia demilitarize so much? At full capabilities we would still be outnumbered by half a million men.”
“Maybe she just wants you to have the cherry on the top of your record- ‘won a war outnumbered forty to one’”
>The joke didn’t do much.
>”Her actions have been getting more and more irrational, and I don’t understand why. The vast majority of the recent conflicts weren’t on Equestrian soil, but in the past dozen years conditions on the home front have steadily deteriorated. Why?”
“I don’t know.”
>”And what the general asks. If I take command, then it will be treason, the nation will likely fall to civil war before the enemy can tear it apart. Celestia’s old fears of a military coup would become realized, even if our goals are merely the preservation of the country.”
>He sits on the train booth he was standing next to.
>You’ve never seen him so visibly unsure of himself.
>He looks into your eyes.
>”What should I do?”
>Why is he asking you?
>He’s the one with the decades of experience.
>You go by your gut instinct.
“I think you take command and end the war.”
>”Celestia will view it as an uprising.”
“But it’s the right thing to do. Why? Because it is.”
>He’s used that line to you enough times, about time you returned the favor.
>He sighs.
>”Every foreign power invading, the military a mere shadow of its former self, and openly defying the monarchs… This will be my final war. For good or ill, the coming campaigns will define how the world remembers me.”
“So what will you do?”
>”My duty.”

>Anon stands, the look of uncertainty gone from his face.
>Once again, he was the man you know.
>Ever ready to take on the world.
>Which is exactly what he needs to do.
“So… are you going to pull a Caesar or Napoleon?”
>”Very funny.”
>You tease further.
”Oh the great Marshal, returning from exile in Appleoosa to bring stability to all of France.”
>…
“What?”
>”I’m just waiting for the melodrama to pass.”
“Oh haw, haw.”
>”Well forgive me for taking the news of a continent spanning war as serious as it should.”
“I… I’m sorry, I just really thought that all of the fighting was over, you know? It hasn’t really set in yet.”
>”You’ve never seen war for yourself.”
“But now I can, right?”
>”Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
“No! Uncle, I want to help you fight.”
>”Kiddo, it’s too-“
“Don’t give me any of the ‘it’s too dangerous’ speech. You have taught me so much, and you need every able bodied pony you can get.”
>”Flurry, I don’t want to lose you. I can’t lose you, not now.”
“And I don’t want to lose you! Just let me be at your side. You talk about doing your duty, but as a Princess it’s also my duty to protect Equestria.”
>…
“Anon, please trust me. I know that I can do it, but I need your support.”
>”Flurry, I know that you can. But I vowed to myself that I wouldn’t let you make the mistakes that I have. I don’t want you to ever feel the guilt of taking a life, or the weight of knowing that whatever order you make that hundreds or more souls will come to an end. You have a pure heart, and I don’t want to watch it be corrupted by war.”
“Even if it means that untold thousands will suffer when I could have made a difference?”
>Anon replied in a low, somber tone.
>A broken tone.
>”You’re all I have left…”

>You stood there in silence for quite some time.
>The only noise was that of the train rolling on its tracks through the seemingly endless plains.
>The defeat and pain from Anon’s voice echoes in your head.
>Are-
>Are you the only thing keeping him going?
>How long has he been like this?
>And the exact wording of it confuses you.
>’You’re all I have left.’
>What has he lost?
>It feels like an eternity has passed before he breaks the silence.
>His tone remains similar.
>”If that’s what you want, then I can’t stop you.”
>He begins heading towards the front of this train car.
“Are you okay?”
>”No.” He replies before leaving you alone in the car.
>His blunt honesty hurt.
>But nowhere near what you did to him.
>You can’t help but feel that he was injured more than any battlefield wound ever inflicted upon him.
>Looking outward, you watched the empty fields roll by.
>It must have been so much more than him just not trusting your ability.
>That wouldn’t have broken him.
>As you watch the void outside of the train continue to remain, you feel evermore sure that he was being completely honest with you.
>He does believe in you.
>He always has.
>But why wouldn’t he want to have you at his side in the coming battles?
>Why was he so afraid of his ‘little soldier’ becoming an actual one?
>You thought that he would have loved it.
>But, you were starting to realize that you were his rock.
>The only peace in his life of war.
>You sat alone in the car for a long while.
>But you were strong.
>And you never cried.
>Because this was something that you needed to do.

>Within a couple of hours the train arrived at Fort Expanse.
>It is one of four star fortresses that Anon had constructed to guard the Equestrian heartland.
>Each of them is located five hundred miles in a cardinal direction from Canterlot.
>Expanse lies in the western plains.
>To the east, on the coast is Fort Shipbreaker
>In the south, near the land borders between Equestria and Saddle Arabia is Fort Gateway
>North, nearing the Crystal Empire is Fort Snowbound.
>Fort Expanse was always less staffed than the others.
>The bison in the west are just about the only group that has been on mostly good terms with Equestria.
>The train stopped in a small, unnamed town adjacent to the fort.
>There was a considerably larger military force than the area usually had.
>Armored and uniformed ponies were scrambling around, and the sound of soldiers training permeated the air.
>You flew over the glacis to catch up to Lieutenant Crop as he led Anon and the Sergeant into the fort.
>As Anon strode through the town and into the fort, countless ponies stopped.
>Some saluted and others simply watched- dumbfounded by who they saw.
>You heard whispers.
>’Is that really?’
>’That’s impossible.”
>’We… we’re gonna be okay.’
>Crop led you into the command building.
>You entered a dimly lit room, with four ponies sat around a table. This was the war council.
>On the table was a map of Equestria, with countless figures atop it representing the various forces.
>A few of their higher ranked officers stood behind each of the seated ponies.
>Two seats were left open: one for Anon, and the other for you.
>The seated ponies continued an argument as the two of you took your seats.

>”Glad you’re both here.” A pale blue earth pony with a greying black mane whispered to you and Anon.
>”This is General Lancer.” Anon whispered to you.
>You watched as the other three ponies continued to yell.
>”Fools! The Saddle Arabians pose the greatest threat to us; ALL of our forces need to be sent to that front.” A beige pegasus with a darker brown mane yelled out.
>Anon tells you that the bombastic one is Brigadier General Lightning Offense.
>”And let our enemies advance through the other fronts unchecked? We should take Canterlot. With the government under military authority, we can mobilize the entire country for total war.” Calmly replies a pale red earth pony with a balding mane the color of dried blood.
>Anon’s whispers identify him as Major General Red Wave.
>”You would instigate a civil war!” A gold unicorn with a pitch black mane replies.  “Half of the nation would rise up against us, seeing us as traitors.”
>Anon names him as Admiral Brairheart. Before being decommissioned, he was commander of the air fleet.
>”Our mere presence here means that civil war has already started. If we are to survive as a nation, then Celestia must be overthrown.” General Wave retorts.
>”Coward. Our duty is on the battlefield not playing politics.” Brigadier Offense declared.
>”ENOUGH!” Anon shouted at the bickering ponies.
>Silence immediately fell, only Anon’s echo being heard.
>”If there is to be a civil war, we will NOT be the ones to initiate it.”
>”Forgive me Marshal, but our duty is to the Monarchy.” Admiral Brairheart speaks up.
>”On the contrary. We are the national army, our duty lies with Equestria and her people.”
>”So you do intend to take Canterlot?” General Wave asks.
>”Before any decision is made, I need specifics on our forces.”

>General Lancer starts to brief Anon.
>”Sir, combined our forces number 53,000. Forty thousand earth ponies, ten thousand pegasi, two thousand unicorns, and a thousand assorted others. The new lady of the Admiralty is a royalist, so we have no naval support. We have twelve combustion cannons at our disposal, but all of the magical cannons as well as the artillery stockpile are located in Canterlot. However, the Royal Guard only numbers a thousand, supported by the five thousand army members not accounted for at this table.”
>General Wave speaks up.
>”This is why we need to take the capitol and prepare the nation for total war. Civil war is imminent, if we give the royals time to build up their loyalists then even if we manage to defeat the enemy, we’ll then be facing the full economic and military might of Equestria.”
>”That is why we should align with Celestia, she will recognize that we only have the nation’s best interests at heart.” Admiral Brairheart counters.
>”Doubtful, the fear of a military coup is why she demilitarized in the first place, and why she exiled myself and the Field Marshal out here.” General Lancer adds.
>”More reason as to why we should take the capitol now and be done with it.” Wave condescendingly utters.
>Anon appeared deep in thought as the ponies resumed arguing.
>”What would say we should do once the capitol is ours? Set up a junta and rule through force? Would you rule it as a perfectly benevolent generalissimo, Wave?” Brairheart attacks the notion.
>”Celestia’s actions have been deteriorating, would you simply watch as Equestra falls to chaos? The Princesses can’t be trusted to make sane decisions anymore.” Wave counters.
>”Liar!” Brigadier Offense yells, bombastic as ever. “There’s still one princess that hasn’t lost their mind. And if you insist on playing politics, I say we should rally behind Princess Flurry Heart.”
“What?”

>The Brigadier explains himself.
>”Your highness, every pony at this table knows that you’re the only one who still cares for the small folk, that you’re the last Alicorn that has the sanity to run this country away from its doomed path. If you declared for the throne, I would follow you in a heartbeat.”
>”It would keep the population on our side.” General Wave adds.
“But I don’t want the throne. I’m sure that Celestia will see reason, she has to!”
>”I must admit that reason has become increasingly lost to her.” Brairheart concedes.
>Why has Celestia been becoming so irrational?
>She’s ruled for a millennia and has always been open to reason.
>What’s changed recently?
>”I’ve reached a decision.”
>The room falls silent as all heads turn to Anon.
>”This is a complicated matter, and as such we need an elastic defense. You all have valid points.”
>He pauses before continuing.
>”Flurry is right, Celestia might still show reason. If we make a show of force outside of Canterlot, then there is a chance that civil war might be avoided.”
>”And if she doesn’t?” General Lancer asks.
>”Then we will subvert the capitol entirely.” Anon continues. “We would lose too many men attempting to take the city, and then any of the Princesses that are not in our custody would raise banners to divide the nation.”
>”So what exactly do you propose?” Admiral Brairheart probes.
>”We leave the royals in Canterlot, and gain the support of the rest of the country. Liberate work camps, lower taxes, and abolish unjust laws as we go. We gain the hearts of the people, and they will rally behind the army as we stop the invaders. Our ranks will swell as old soldiers return to duty, and new ponies flock to defend their homes. Once all the invaders are driven out, we will have so much support that Celestia won’t have a chance but to accept peace.”

>”And once she does?” Wave asks.
>”Then Flurry will rule until the other princesses regain their senses. I’m sure that they will realize their follies. All of you need to understand something: this war is not simply to preserve the nation. We are fighting for the soul of Equestria. This war will define the future for generations to come. The nation could be destroyed, as foreign powers fight over its territory. The nation could remain, but continue to become ever bleaker as its leaders lose all grip on reality. Or we the few in this room act against it. We have the chance to return Equestria to what it once was, so long ago. When given a choice between bad or worse, we can seize the day. This war will shake the very core of the nation. But if we remain strong, no matter how grim our possibilities seem, we can secure peace. True peace for generations to come.”
>The room erupts in applause and huzzahs.
>Anon faces you.
>”Flurry, I know that this isn’t what you wanted. But we need you. Equestria needs you. Will you give this country something to hope for?”
“I… will.”
>Anon turns back to the rest of the council.
>”Ready your men, we march for Canterlot at dawn.”
>Brigadier Offense stands, and draws a knife, slamming it into the map towards the Saddle Arabian front.
>”For Equestria!”
>General Wave does the same, striking his knife at the capitol
>”For the people.”
>General Lancer attacks the north.
>”For the Field Marshal!”
>Admiral Brairheart aims at the griffon lines.
>”For Princess Flurry Heart!”
>That night shouts could be heard all across the fort and the encampments.
>’Equestria, the people, the Marshal, and Princess Flurry Heart.’
>’Equestria, the people, the Marshal, and Princess Flurry Heart!’
>’EQUESTRIA, THE PEOPLE, THE MARSHAL, AND PRINCESS FLURRY HEART!’

>You were resting in the fort after taking stock of your forces.
>You have to best the world with fifty thousand men.
>Alexander conquered with less.
>But then it all came crashing down after his death.
>If you can’t gain the support of the general population then it’s over.
>You could win every battle, but still lose the war.
>Just over two years ago the army was a million and a half strong.
>You’ll need those old soldiers to return.
>Thankfully the current men you have are almost all battle hardened.
>You organized the strongest and most experienced five thousand into an Old Guard.
>They’ll be with you personally for the duration of the conflict.
>After a forced march you should reach the capitol in fifteen days.
>You hope that Celestia accepts the reality of the situation.
>If she does then you could have the war ended within two months.
>But when are things ever that easy?
>No, she’s going to hold onto her power.
>The reports are unsettling.
>Supposedly Celestia and the other Princesses grow increasingly (to be frank) insane.
>Uncontrolled laughing, paranoia, drooling on themselves, thousand yard stares, short tempers, and a plethora of other stories from the throne room have  been circulating.
>Something is wrong with them, and they need to be removed from power before something disastrous happens.
>But Canterlot will be near impossible to siege.
>You outnumber the defenders almost ten to one, but they’re sitting on huge weapon stockpiles.
>Even if you took the city, you would lose too many soldiers to effectively mount a defense against the foreigners.
>And it would take time to raise new forces.
>By the time you had an army ready to strike back, much of the nation would be occupied.
>At that point you’d give yourself a fifty-fifty chance of having the necessary infrastructure to repel the invaders.
>If Celestia opts to fight, then Canterlot has to be saved for last.

>You needed some air.
>Leaving the building, you head to the walls.
>You begin waling on the battlements, looking down at the tents below.
>Lanterns illuminated your force in the night.
>Sixty percent of your forces are here, with the remaining men fighting on the fronts.
>They’ll be in desperate need of reinforcement.
>Two front wars are a bad idea, let alone five.
>You’re still unsure of what to approach first.
>The griffons will be too difficult to root out until you can rebuild some of the air fleet. Until then, they’d have undisputed air superiority.
>You lack the sheer numbers to comfortably face the Saddle Arabians and their allies. Eventually your forces would be depleted against their wave tactics.
>The dogs are a joke. The worst they can do is harass supply lines and infrastructure. You’ll probably send one of your generals to put them down.
>That leaves the yaks and minotaurs.
>Both are stronger individually against ponies.
>The yaks will have a new generation fighting, so what they lack in experience they’ll make up for in numbers.
>But the minotaurs are warriors. If you let them get momentum, then they’ll be increasingly difficult to stop. They don’t have a huge population though, so they won’t be able to field a force much larger than your own.
>You’ve been dealt a horrible hand.
>And you’re all in.
>You’re standing at the tip of one of the fort’s star points, leaning on the parapet.
>Moral is surprisingly high.
>The men fully know what they’re up against, but they’re fighting on their home soil.
>Each and every one of them would give their lives to drive the invaders back.
>Many of them will.
>You hear the fluttering of wings behind you and the sound of hooves landing on the ground.
>”Hey Uncle.”

“Hey kiddo.”
>You turn to face her.
>”I just wanted to apologize for what happened on the train. It was-“
“No. You were right.”
>She waits for you to continue.
“I don’t want to lose you. I’m afraid that my little girl will ride off to war, never to return again. But, you’re an adult and a Princess of Equestria. It’s your duty as much as mine to defend it. I’ve taught you what I could, and I trust you more than anybody else in the world. If you still want to, I’d be honored to have you at my side in the coming battles.”
>She shoots forward and latches front legs around your waist, trapping you in a bear hug.
>”Thank you! I promise I won’t let you down.”
“I know Flurry.”
>You wait until she detaches herself, and then kneel down to get at eye level.
“But there’s nothing you could ever do that would let my down.”
>You ruffle her hair as you stand back up.
“How’re you handling things?”
>”I’m… handling.”
“I know that you don’t want to take over, but it’ll only be temporary. When the others calm back down everything can go back to how it was before all of these wars.”
>”Wow, since when are you an optimist?”
“You know, is it too much to ask to just have one moment with my niece that doesn’t end in sarcasm?”
>”Oh don’t give me any of that, you do the same thing.”
“What can I say? You have that effect on me.”
>”Oh so it’s still my fault?”
“Heh, something like that.”
>You stay there in the cool spring night for a while.
>The two of you are looking.
>Just looking.
>At the stars, the camp, the moonlit horizon, at everything.
>It was so calm, but while you took in the sights, countless ponies were fighting and dying on the front lines.
>But, you should enjoy the peace while it lasts.
>It might be the last of it for quite some time.
“I know I don’t say it as often as I should, but I love you kiddo.”
>”It’s okay, I know that you do. And I love you too Uncle.”

>The following morning you awoke early to take your place at the head of the army.
>Flurry joined you at the head of the force.
>Behind you were the Old Guard.
>Following them was Admiral Brairheart and his retinue.
>Then came Brigadier Lightning Offense, preferring to keep his force as close to the front as possible to form a vanguard should the need arise.
>General Red Wave took his men next.
>And General Lancer, having the most troops, brought up the rear.
>…
>Day 1.
>You set out early.
>The weather was clear.
>There was some complaining about being on a forced march, but the men know the stakes.
>…
>Day 2.
>The plains continue on.
>No other relevant occurrences.
>…
>Day 3.
>The sky was overcast with clouds.
>You can only hope that the weather holds.
>…
>Day 4.
>It stormed.
>The rain trapped your artillery and supply carriages in the mud.
>You made no real progress.
>…
>Day 5.
>The plains had dried enough for you to continue.
>Trees started becoming an uncommon sight, signifying the end of the plains.
>…
>Day 6.
>The grassy countryside was a welcomed sight after days of repetition of the previous days.
>…
>Day 7.
>One week on the march.
>Your men continue on, ever preparing themselves for the coming conflicts.
>Flurry is handling herself well.
>…
>Day 8.
>You halted the force.
>You’re approaching an old quarry that has been made into a work camp.
>You move in with the Old Guard.
>You had them halt just out of view.
>You went in with a dozen of your best men.
>Flurry stayed back to maneuver your artillery.

>As you looked down into the quarry, you see a complex near the bottom.
>A larger building is surrounded by smaller longhouses meant to house the workers.
>The main building looks sturdily built, and guard ponies patrol on the roof.
>Down on the ground you see endless dozens of ponies with pickaxes working the stone.
>Multiple rings of barbed wire fences discourage the ponies from attempting to flee.
>As you work your way down the slopes, the guards start scrambling around.
>Reaching the fence, you glance over your shoulder.
>As ordered, your Old Guard has lined up encircling most of the quarry.
>And a dozen cannons are aimed down into it.
>Reaching the fence it remains closed.
>You yell towards the guards.
“Bring the warden!”
>Soon you see an older looking pony come out of the main building and approach the gate.
>It remains closed as he approaches the chain links.
>Speak softly, but carry a big stick.
“You know who I am?”
>”Aye, that old general or such.”
“How many ponies do you have here?”
>”Just about 400. Why?”
“Because I’m here to liberate this camp.”
>”HAHAHA on whose authority?”
“Mine.”
>”And why should I listen to you? Army has no jurisdiction here.”
>You raise your arm, and swing it down.
>A crack is heard in the distance, and a cannon ball comes crashing into the ground a hundred feet from the complex.
“Because I’m the only one keeping you alive. From my men or the prisoners here, neither you nor your men will survive past this day without my word.”
>”You can’t do this!”
>You glare down towards the warden.
“The next one will not be a warning shot.”
>He looks at you.
>Then at the men surrounding the quarry.
>He nods over to a guard and the gate opens.
“Good choice. Now get the prisoners assembled, I’ll be speaking to them momentarily.”

>You stood atop the main building.
>Below hundreds of starving ponies stood.
>They were all bruised and tattered from months of work.
“People of Equestria, I am here to free you!”
>There were a few unsure cheers from the crowd.
“The country is at war. On all sides enemies seek to invade and pillage. I will not allow that to happen!”
“I am Field Marshal Anonymous, and I will not stand idly by while the people of the nation suffer from foreign or domestic threats!”
“At my command, my armies will liberate camps like this across Equestria. The people will no longer be unjustly imprisoned.”
“My men will be through shortly to get you fed. Once that happens each one of you has a choice.”
“You may go back to your homes and families. I will not stop you from returning to your lives. I only ask that you spread the word of what I have told you today. That the Equestrian army is once again serving the people of this nation.”
“Or you can join me. You will be well fed and taken care of. I ask that you fight to defend the people of this land, and help me make sure that what has happened in the past months and years never happens again.”
“The choice is yours, because you are free once again!”
>The crowd erupted into applause.
>At the end of the day, three quarters of the now freed prisoners joined you.
>Then you continued the march.
>…
>Day 9.
>Spirits were high.
>You’re passing through smaller villages and towns.
>News will surely spread quickly.
>…
>Day 10.
>Old soldiers are flocking to your side.
>Each town you go through give you a boost in numbers.
>…
>Day 11.
>See day 10.
>…
>Day 12.
>You made good time, easily making up for time lost due to the weather
>…
>Day 13.
>You’re deep into the Equestrian heartland.
>By now your force has almost doubled in size.
>Rumor is that many of the old soldiers near the fronts have also joined the fighting.
>The lines are holding.
>For now.
>…

>Day 14.
>You should arrive on the outskirts of Canterlot on the morrow.
>You were marching just south of Ponyville.
>Flurry left the group to go check out the castle’s library.
>She was gone most of the day, returning only after you had set up camp for the night.
>She said that she took a dozen or so books from it.
>…
>Day 15.
>When you set out from Fort Expanse you had barely thirty thousand men at you back.
>Now your force numbers seventy-five thousand.
>You deployed your army just out of reach of the scores of cannons you could see lining the city.
>But well within the view of the city’s population.
>You set up the army so that the cover of nearby woods would hide the end of your force.
>Let them speculate on how many have flocked to your banners.
>Appear strong where you are weak.
>You were waiting at the front of the force with your commanders.
>Sergeant Thunder had been sent into the city with a letter outlining your terms.
>Throughout the entire army, not a single whisper could be heard.
>It was in this moment that the fate of Equestria would be determined.
>Celestia has this one last chance to accept reason.
>If she doesn’t, then although you don’t like it, you’re playing kingmaker.
>You all just stood there, looking up at the royal palace.
>Waiting for Celestia’s decision.
>You soon got your answer.
>A bright but sickly white light emanated from the throne room.
>You see one of the stained glass windows shatter as a familiar form is thrust through it.
>The Sergeant is plummeting to the ground.
>As he nears the ground, he must have regained his senses, and starts flapping his wings.
>Mere feet from impact, he slows himself entirely, then heads towards you.
>The army stayed put while you went to the command tent with Flurry, your commanders, and the Sergeant.

“So what happened in there?”
>”As I entered the city, the Royal Guard apprehended me.” Thunder begins to tell his story. “They took me straight into the throne room, and one of them gave Celestia our terms.”
>He pauses.
>”That’s when things got… strange.”
“How so?”
>”She crooked her head and read through the terms.  Her right eye twitched a couple of times, and then she remained silent for a solid five minutes. She just stared upwards at a chandelier until snapping back into reality. Then after one look at me she just screamed ‘TREASON!’ There was as bright light, and the next thing I remember was falling.”
>Flurry speaks up.
>”That doesn’t make any- what’s wrong with her?”
“We’ll find that out after securing the borders. Good work in there Sergeant, head over to get checked out by a medic, I’m still seeing some shards of glass in your back.”
>”Sir.”
>As he leaves, a camp aide enters and gives three letters to General Lancer.
>”News from the front Sirs.”
>He salutes and takes his leave as Lancer starts reading.
>”The Saddle Arabians will be at the gates of Baltimare within the week, the defenders are asking for reinforcements.”
>He moves on to the next.
>”The yaks have besieged the Crystal Empire. They aren’t assaulting yet, but the city only has the supplies to last a few months.”
>And the last.
>”The griffons have taken Cloudsdale. They have occupied the city and are planning their next moves.”
>He sets the letters aside.
>”Looks like it’s one of those days.”

>At least it gives you a better idea of how to divide the forces.
“Alright, now is when we’ll be going our separate ways.”
>You turn to Admiral Brairheart.
“Admiral, I’m leaving you with ten thousand ponies, two thousand unicorns, and a thousand pegasi. Your job will be to protect the interior, and make sure that royals remain isolated in Canterlot. As well, I want you to head to industrial sectors and start making cannons and air ships, because without them we won’t be able to retake Cloudsdale. You’ll also deal with recruitment and sending reinforcements to the fronts as you see fit.”
>Then you face General Wave.
“On that topic, I’m leaving you the remaining fourteen thousand pegasi. Your goal is to contain the griffons to the Cloudsdale. I want round the clock lightning storms forming trenches around the city.”
>Next is Brigadier Offense.
“I’m giving you ten thousand ponies. With them you’ll crush the dogs in the south, after which you’ll await reinforcements from Brairheart to attack the Saddle Arabian’s southwestern flank while their focus in in the north at Baltimare.”
>Finally is General Lancer.
“The remaining thirty-three thousand ponies and unicorns will go to you. Aside from me, you have the most experience fighting the Saddle Arabians so I want you to relieve Baltimare. The city must be held at all costs, you’ll be drastically outnumbered so don’t try to go on the offensive.”
>”And what about you sir?”
“I’m going north with the Flurry and the Old Guard to face the yaks.”
>”Sir, you’d be outnumbered at least fifteen to one. And that’s assuming the yaks don’t get reinforced.”
“Look around Lancer, we’re all outnumbered. You have your orders, split the troops immediately. Free whatever work camps you pass, and make sure that all of the people see you as their liberators. With the right application of skill, and just a bit of luck, we might just come out of this yet. Dismissed.”

>You left as soon as you could.
>Because you’re traveling only with your veterans, you might be able to get to the Crystal Empire more quickly.
>Thankfully most of the way north has roads, so the supply carts and the four cannons you’re taking with you won’t get stuck in forests or mud.
>You need to get there before the yaks assault the city.
>If you can drive them back, then you’ll get a large and secure population base to plan your next moves.
>The last reports place the yak horde at sixty thousand and growing.
>You have five thousand.
>But the yaks don’t have flight capabilities or magic at their disposal.
>You’ll have to make the most of those if you’re to take victory.
>The next ten days on the march you formulated possible plans.
>Fortune favors the bold.
>You’ve gotten reports in from all over the nation.
>The ponies are burning down Ministry of Interior Defense buildings where ever they can find them.
>The secret police are being thrown into hiding.
>But it remains to be seen how the ponies will respond to forcing Celestia to abdicate.
>Nothing much to do on a march but review the state of the fronts.
>War is funny like that.
>It’s either one out of a hundred days having an actual battle.
>Or one out of a hundred days having a time for rest.
>Very rarely is there anything in between.
>Before long you past Fort Snowbound.
>The next afternoon, on the 27th day of the campaign, you reached the entrance into the Crystal Empire.
>You halted your force.
>The way forward is through a mountain pass.
>Twenty feet wide, and almost two hundred deep.
>Prime location for an ambush.

“Tell me Flurry, what do you see?”
>”Cliffside, a mountain pass, the road into the Crystal Empire.”
“That’s what it looks like, but what do you see?”
>”… A choke point?”
“Indeed. No one would leave their backs wide open to the enemy, not even the yaks.”
>”So it’s a trap, what are we going to do?”
“Spring it. Watch and learn.”
>You begin barking orders.
>…
”Alright Corporal, remember. Goad them into counterattacking; the yaks won’t let a fleeing enemy just go.”
>”Sir wouldn’t it make sense to use the pegasi to do this? You know, because they can fly.”
“Negative soldier, the yaks wouldn’t give chase to an enemy they can’t catch. That’s why you’re in front of the five hundred fastest earth ponies we have. It’s just two hundred feet you’ve got to get past, then get out of the way.”
>”Understood sir.”
>The pony goes to get ready to lead his men forward.
“Understand why everything is set up this way?”
>”I think so Uncle.” Flurry replies.
“Great, now get up on that ridge and watch from above.”
>She flutters up to a safe point to watch the coming battle.
>You take up your position and watch as the forward force heads into the pass.
>It’s a big force to send through to spring a trap, but if there is an enemy force behind the mountains, they won’t attack in force unless there’s a large force to actually fight.
>This will be the first true battle you’ve led in two years.
>Let’s hope you’re not rusty.
>It’d be incredibly anti-climactic if after all this setup, there actually isn’t an ambush planned.
>The echoes of trampling hooves seem to indicate that you were right.
>And you see the forward group scrambling to retreat back to safety.
“READY!”
>The men stand to attention.
“HOLD!”
>The sun is blocked by a spotty overcast.
>A cool wind comes down from the mountains.
>Today is a good day to die.

>Your forces are in a crescent around this side of the pass.
>You’ve left a hundred foot circle of no man’s land.
>The first rank are all unicorns, behind them the earth ponies.
>The pegasi have their orders.
>You stand in the directly in front of the entrance to the pass, flanked by two cannons on each side.
>The last of the forward force has gotten out of the pass, fleeing to either side to get behind the lines.
>You stood, watching the yak horde charge through.
“HOLD!”
>They’re half way through.
>The force of their hooves makes the earth tremble before you.
“HOLD!”
>The leader of the charge nears the mouth of the pass.
”HOLD!”
>You watch the first dozen chargers spill out into the field.
“FIRE ONE!”
>You watch as grapeshot perforates the front ranks of the charge.
“FIRE TWO!”
>Cannon shot rings in your left ear as more ranks fall before the dozens of tiny projectiles.
“FIRE THREE!”
>The cannon immediately to your right does the same.
>You pause to let the yaks get over the mounting corpses clogging the pass.
“FIRE FOUR!”
>The final cannon brings down the next wave.
>You let the artillery reload.
>The charge lost momentum, but now dozens of staggered yaks work their way away from the pass.
“VOLLEY!”
>Hundreds of different colored magical bolts are let out from your front rank.
>After the rainbow of death dies down, still more yaks come from the pass.
>They’re hardy; it can take upwards of a dozen unamplified magical blasts to bring a healthy one down
“FIRE AT WILL!”
>The unicorns start firing at their own discretion
>You watch the mixed results of firing as the yaks mass in the field.
>They’re forming tight lines, getting ready to charge en masse to break your own ranks.
“ALL BATTERIES FIRE!”
>Simultaneously the cannons fire a fresh payload of grapeshot into the tightly packed targets in front of them.

>Before they have time to reform you give the order.
>You drawn your sword and point it in the air towards the enemy.
“CHARGE!”
>The earth ponies move past the first rank of unicorns and advance.
>While closing the distance, you look to the skies.
>Your pegasi are flying straight into the pass, lighting grenades and dropping them throughout the back ranks.
>Arrow fire brings down a couple, but the earth shakes as hundreds of grenades pepper the yaks with explosive force and shrapnel.
>The yaks will be wavering, and your charge has to crush their moral.
>To your left and right, the best your ponies can do is slowly push the yaks back.
>It’s up to the center to break them.
>You run pas the first yak and slash through its right side.
>Moving forward you bash another in the eye with your pommel, and thrust the blade into the neck of the yak next to him.
>the ground is saturated with yak blood.
>You kick upwards at the next enemy, impacting his throat before bringing your blade down into his skull.
>The blade is stuck in the bone as you notice a yak charging on your right.
>You let the blade go and draw your knife with your left hand.
>As you sidestep the charge, you thrust your dagger into the yak’s eye.
>You release the blade as the yak goes continues on from his momentum, crashing ten feet away from you.
>Placing your foot on the other yak’s skull, you free your sword free before continuing on.
>Continuing forwards.
>You must have lost yourself in the heat of the battle, as you reach the front of the pass; you pause before climbing over the mound of tattered corpses that the first few cannon shots made.
>You’ve personally have advanced further than the lines have.
>There’re still a couple dozen scattered yaks putting up resistance.

>You work your way up the mound of gore and corpses to view the pass in front of you.
>Many of the advancing yaks lie dead or dying from the bombing run.
>You can see a fresh batch entering the other side of the pass.
>You charge down towards the survivors.
>Most of them fall quickly, shell shocked or wounded from earlier.
>Meeting the new wave in the center, you notice arrows coming down on the back ranks.
>Some of your pegasi have taken positions on ledges looking down at the pass.
>Soon no more yaks remain.
>You walk forwards to the passes exit.
>Reaching the field on the other side you see at least two thousand more yaks camped out fifty feet from you.
>They’re all just staring at you.
>Upright man as tall as they are, with a sword in hand.
>And covered in yak blood and guts.
>You hear one voice ask to another.
>”The yeti returns?”
>Feeling the trampling of hooves behind you, you scream out.
“RAAAAAHHHHHH!”
>You hold the war cry while charging towards the line ahead of you.
>Your own ponies trample out of the pass as you narrow the gap.
>This had better work.
>The yaks look unsure.
>Do it.
>They blinked.
>One of them yells out:
>”RETREAT!”
>And the horde lost cohesion, scrambling to run away.
>You continue chasing until the entire horde had fully turned its back on you.
>When it does, you collapse to your knees from exhaustion.
>You’re getting too old for this.
>A pegasus flies down to you, asking for orders.
“Fly them down, but make sure at least one gets back to tell the tale.”
>You then lay down in the field to relax your aching muscles, as the army works its way to this side of the pass.

>You lay there coated in blood, warmed by the heat of the sun.
>You should be able to reach the city by nightfall.
>No.
>Let the rumors spread through their camp.
>And let your men rest.
>And let you rest.
>One of the men found your knife on the field and brought it to you.
>Good man.
>You still have no idea how you’ll beat the main force.
>Magical and air superiority can only go so far.
>You need to best the brunt of the horde in one fell swoop.
>If you can shatter them, then they’ll take at least half a year to reform.
>But how?
>They number fifty thousand plus.
>You can’t win a straight fight, so that leaves subterfuge.
>The sound of a pony landing nearby brings you from your thoughts.
>”Are you okay Uncle?”
“Just tired.”
>You open your eyes to see Flurry fussing over you.
“It’s alright, none of it is mine.
>”You were amazing out there! It was just like the stories but with more blood and guts. And there was the smell.”
“They never tell you about the smell.”
>As you stand, you whistle over to a pair of nearby pegasi, who bring over a cloud to shower you off.
>”So what are we going to do now?”
“Well, their force is too large to face in a straight up fight.”
>”So we need to think of something else.”
“Exactly, I want to take a look at some of their yurts before any decision is made. Might be something useful.”
>With most of the blood washed away, you set off to look through the yak’s abandoned encampment.
>You’ll let the men loot the camp after you get a look.
>No documents that tell you anything beyond what you already knew.
>No artillery to take possession of.
>As you enter a storage tent, you get a devious thought after seeing its contents.
>One.
>Fell.
>Swoop.

>You spent the next two hours furiously writing.
>Everything had to be perfect.
>Or else the entire plan would fail.
>You can only hope that your memory was correct while recalling the details.
>As you put the finishing touches to paper, you call in Sergeant Thunder.
>”Sir?”
>You hand him a thick stack of papers.
“I need you to fly over the enemy lines and deliver this to the leader of the city’s defense. Then make sure he gets it ready to start at first light.”
>He looks through a couple of the papers.
>”I don’t see how this will…”
“Trust me. It will. Oh, and have them prepare any artillery they have in the city, tell them to wait for our own cannons to fire.”
>”Sir!”
>He takes his leave.
>Your men were getting equipped.
>When night falls in an hour, you’d be setting off.
>The area surrounding the city is very hilly.
>You’d be setting up just out of view of the yak’s camp.
>It’s a risky play, but it might just pay off.
>You almost feel bad for the yaks.
>Almost.
>…
>Night gathers, and now your march begins.
>They crystal ponies would be hard at work by now.
>…
>The encampment is massive.
>You’d guess that at least eighty thousand yaks are below.
>Your guns were just behind the apex of the hill.
>The men waited below, the army just out of sight.
>Now you just need to wait until dawn.

>The sun cracked over the east.
>You peaked over the hill, looking to the walls.
>They’re set.
>You watch a pony initiate it.
>You hear them echo in the distance.
>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AlEvy0fJto
>The orchestra is set up on the walls.
>Wait for it.
>Let the yaks look on in confusion.
>You motion to the pegasi behind you.
>They light their torches.
>You strike down your arm, and they take flight.
>They start to circle the yaks from above, little sparks in the early morning sky.
>The first payload starts dropping.
>You found barrels of oil in the yak storage tent.
>Each of your fliers has a half dozen Molotovs.
>Flames start to ignite the yurts, causing chaos in the camp.
>Almost the entire yak encampment is flammable.
>They’re aiming at larger tents, those that the flames will most easily spread in.
>As well as the yak artillery encampments.
>Great bombards that would break the city walls after a single shot when they decided to assault.
>The earth shakes as gunpowder below catches.
>With that, you order your cannons to the top of the hill.
“Fire at will.”
>You walk over to Flurry, who is a few paces away from your guns.
“I’d give credit here to the firebombing of Tokyo and the entirety of ‘Nam.”
>”It’s… certainly a spectacle.”
“It’s even better with proper napalm.”
>After your guns fired the first volley, you see the walls flash as the defensive cannons start to shell the yak camp.
“Wait for it.”
>Your fliers hit the last of the enemy cannons.
“They’re scrambling for water right now, if it runs out then the horde is done for. An army marches on its stomach, and many of their rations are burning. No food or water will force the yaks to retreat, or assault the city with no siege weapons.”
>You hear screams from bellow.
“All of that hair and grease means that yaks are rather flammable. They’ll break soon enough, all of the fire from cannons and flames will get to them.”

>Just break already.
>The cannon fire continues to riddle the camp.
>You can see a couple of individuals heading for the hills.
>The fires grow, as the blaze encompasses about half of the camp.
>They have to realize that they lost.
“They’ll break.”
>And they do.
>YES!
>Waves of yaks start fleeing to the west.
>With their supplies burnt, they’ll have to return to their homeland to resupply and reorganize.
>”Wow, the horde broken without a losing a single pony. Somebody wants a statue.”
“I’d settle for a street named after me.”
>You return the joke to Flurry.
>You look down to the camp, as the flame engulfs the remainder of the tents.
>Soon there will be only charred remains.
>A monument to the victory.
>But the yak defeat shows something much more significant.
>You’re back.
>It’s been ages since you’ve felt this good.
>The rush of the battle, with armies fleeing at your mere presence.
>There’s no doubt any more.
>You will win this war.
>But for now, you have a new goal.
>Cadence should be in the city.
>Let’s hope she isn’t as far gone as Celestia.
“Come on, we need to get down there.”
>You begin walking down the grassy hill, Flurry and your men follow.
“Ob’s stürmt oder schniet, ob die Sonne uns lact,
Der Tag glühend heiß, oder eiskalt dieNacht,
Bestaubt sind die Gesichter, doch froh ist unser Sinn, ja, unser Sinn.
Es braust unser Panzer im Sturmwind dahin,
Es braust unser Panzer im Sturmwind dahin!”
>A shame that tanks don’t exist in Equestria.

>You’re walking down the hill, Anon is singing Panzerlied.
>He told you what it meant once.
>After the first verse it gets grimmer.
>Well, there’s still a lot of war to fight.
>But it was just so… so terrifying.
>The bloodcurdling screams as yaks down below burnt to death.
>They had to be stopped, but not like that.
>And Anon.
>It looked like he enjoyed watching it.
>He watched like one would their favorite sports team score the winning points.
>As he leads the army to the gate, you pass by the charred camp.
>You aver your eyes from the burnt bodies.
>But the smell…
>It’s worse than the field the other day.
>You remember how Anon was in the pass.
>You watched as he executed helpless yaks.
>Sure, it was a mercy for some of them.
>But the others just stood there shell-shocked from the bombs.
>He just cut down yak after yak.
>No hesitation, and no remorse.
>He never one looked fazed by the destruction.
>The sooner this is all over, the better.
>You distance the thoughts from your mind as the gates are opened.
>Flags are waving, and the crystal ponies are cheering on the triumphant army.
>Anon leads you through the streets, as confetti rains onto you.
>You’re heading straight for the tower.
>This isn’t how you imagined coming home.
>You hope that Mom isn’t as bad as the rumors say Celestia is.
>She’ll see you and immediately come to her senses.
>She has to.
>As you enter the tower, the guards back off after seeing the group.
>Not a single word was uttered.
>You neared the doors to the throne room.
>Anon paused.
>He cracked his neck both ways.
>Then, with all his might, he kicked in the door.

>You could see the throne at the end of the room.
>It was empty.
>As you and Anon took a few steps into the room, the doors slam shut behind you.
>You hear the soldiers trying in vain to open them up.
>Scanning the room, to looks to be devoid of any ponies.
>Then a wailing laugh, somewhere between a cackle and melodramatic boast, echoes through the room.
>”MUHHAAAHAAAHHAA”
>It resounds against the walls for quite some time.
>After it dies down, you hear a familiar voice cry out.
>”Baby, is that you?”
>She sounds hurt, physically and emotionally.
“Mom?”
>”QUIET TRESPASSOR!”
>You hear your Mom’s voice cry out in pain.
>”Mommy loves you very much.”
>You jump as Anon taps you on the shoulder.
>Looking over, he’s nodding upward.
>Crawling on one of the large crystal chandeliers is your Mother.
>You watch as her the words come out of her mouth.
>”USURPER!”
>Her head twitches before she talks again.
“Get out of here! Save yourself!”
>She twitches a final time.
>”DIE!”
>She releases from the chandelier and falls to the ground, not breaking her fall with her wings.
>Uninjured, her horn starts emanating light.
>A near blinding light blue that seems off from her normal color.
>A cone of pure magical energy is launched that will hit you and Anon.
>He didn’t have time to react, leaving you to deal with it on your own.
>Instinctively you remember your practice on force fields.
>You focus all of your energy on raising the shield around yourself.
>The bubble goes up, and starts to absorb the blast.
>But it shatters under the sheer force of the attack.

>You are shot back into the door.
>It remains firmly shut.
>You slump to the ground after losing your breath and possibly getting a concussion.
>You can only watch the coming confrontation.
>Anon looks over to see if you’re alright before facing your mother.
>Good thing he’s immune to magic.
>”IMPOSSIBLE!” Your mother yells as she starts flinging dozens of magical bolts at Anon.
>All of them simply stop as they impact him.
>”I don’t want to hurt you Cadence, give up now and it can all be over.”
>”NEVER!”
>You watch Mom charge at Anon.
>At the last second he sidesteps to the left, and tries to grapple her to the ground.
>They struggle on the floor as she gets in a right hook to Anon’s face.
>Blood splatters from his mouth.
>Anon works his way to put her into a choke hold.
>Just as he manages to close his grasp, her wings shoot out.
>She begins to fly towards the ceiling of the room.
>Anon struggles to keep his balance on her back.
>As she nears the top, you see her horn glow.
>She disappears, having teleported a few feet to the side.
>Anon is left in the air, plummeting towards the ground.
>He impacts flat on his back after a twenty-five foot drop.
>You hear him moan.
>Mom flies down to the ground.
>Anon reaches out to the wall, as he tries to stand.
>Gasping for breath, he unclasps his chest piece, the back dented in.
>He manages to get onto his feet, leaning against the wall for support.
>She begins charging at him once again, but this time Anon can’t get out of the way.
>Her horn impales him in the mid chest.
>As she removers her horn, blood dripping off of it, Anon slides to the ground.
>He sits up against the wall for a moment before slumping over to his left.

(Writer's note: See Parts 2 & 3, pastebin filters don't like the full text)