Prologue

Equestria Daily Update: It's been three years since the Great Equestrian Revolution began, since then, the ponies of The Phoenix Republic are enjoying their new found freedom. The Trial of Celestia has finally come to a close. "Guilty!" Her punishment, 1,000 years in Tatarus.

We now go live to our front line reporter, Golden Flower, with the latest on the war against the Griffon Kingdom. You're live Golden...

Crystal Empire/Equestrian Border

Thanks Dawn, the initial wave of infantry that made the crossing less than an hour ago, are making slow progress towards the capital. Griffon Artillery, and machine guns are killing hordes of the Equestrian infantry, and the skies are no better. We are as close to the fighting as we are allowed to be but Princess Twilight won't let us get any further.

A large group of ponies were charging up a hill, artillery was raining down on them. They ducked at every whistle. "Keep pushing, take the hill!" An artillery shell lands, and explodes. A shovel was blown off a pony's equipment belt, and it struck another in the back, killing him almost instantly. Out of the smoke, Twilight walked over, pulled the shovel out of the soldier's back. "Are you injured private?" The pony got up, "No Ma'am." "Then find out whose hoof that belongs to." She said while pointing the shovel at the dismembered hoof on the ground, the private picked it up. "Who's leading this attack?" "Col. Flash Sentry ma'am, he's in the center line." "Thank you private." The pony saluted, and ran off with the hoof. Twilight made her way to the center.

Unicorns were firing their rifles, trying to hit something. The entire hill was covered in smoke due to the artillery, rifle and machine gun fire, and the fact that it was a foggy morning. "Col. Flash, why are you attacking this hill, your General's objective is to attack that hill over there." Twilight pointed her hoof to a much larger hill, with a bigger battle going on near the top. "I know, ma'am, but General Strike wanted me to secure this hill, since my unit is made out of about 90% shiny coat." Shiny coat was another way of saying, new recruit, since their fur is still shiny, and clean. "Why?" "He wanted his flanks secured, and good thing too, once the attack started, an entire Griffon Regiment came in. that's why we're not on top of this hill anymore. We could use some help if you got it!" Twilight should've seen this coming, of course Lightning Strike would order his fresh troops to secure a smaller target, and this time, he was right to. "I'll see if Applejack's Brigade is available." Flash nodded, and Twilight went back to her HQ. It was a barn on the Equestrian side of the border.

Meanwhile, on the much larger hill, marked on the map as 'Golden Grass Hill', General Lightning Strike was leading his FireFly Brigade up the slopes. "Keep pushing, we can do it Lads!" The hill was not golden, it was black, red, and everything else in-between. Lightning looked up, and saw an artillery shell flying for him...