A/N: Here's another chapter for you!
Enjoy! :)
Chapter 10: Tip of the Spear
The sun had barely begun to rise early morning, signaling a new day in Equestria. As per always in the Western region of the nation, it was very overcast come the morning. However, this was not a bad thing by any means; in fact it worked in the favor of the day's planned events. It was about five-thirty in the morning and all was quiet around the skies of Las Pegasus and the massive Far West Forest which lay about ten to twenty miles west of that.
A slight break in the clouds revealed about seventy five pegasi flying over the quiet city, geared up for combat. During the final phases of the war and wars end, the air force received numerous upgrades, including special aerodynamic armor that harbored weapons which could be used for aerial and ground based attacks. Weapons included small to medium caliber guns as well as shells/grenades that could be dropped on ground targets. With more equipment available, the air force was able to be sanctioned off into several groups of pegasi: The lighter, faster and more nimble pegasi were given 'interceptor' roles, usually armed with more guns and ammunition. Average to heavier build pegasi were given a standard fighter or 'strike-fighter' roles, armed with guns as well as other heavy ordinance in order to accommodate both roles if necessary. At the spearhead of the several squadron flight group was none-other than the Interceptor Rainbow Dash. It was a calm flight speed, making sure everything was in order and ultimately, waiting for the signal to commence the operation. She booted up her visor (another upgrade for the air force, standard issue communications) and sounded off.
"This is Major Dash, I've got flight group Kappa in position over Las Pegasus, standing by for further orders, how copy, command?"
"Loud and clear, solid copy. This is Brigadier Sparkle to air command, hold position in the skies until further notice, how copy?" Twilight asked, looking skyward from her Las Pegasus command post and spotting the impressive formation.
"Solid copy. Dash out." Dash replied before taking the group for another pass. Twilight continued with the 'check-list':
"This is Brigadier Sparkle to 91st Corps. Sound off,"
"Colonel Shade to Brigadier Sparkle, in position ten miles out of the forest and standing by to move in,"
"Roger that. All units, operation is a sortie. Major Dash, take control of the skies, over," Twilight ordered, moving several pegasi pieces over a virtual map of the area.
"Copy that, Kappa moving in, Dash out," Rainbow Dash said, and with that, she spoke to her group.
"Alright fillies and gentlecolts, this no-fly zone is a go. I hope any of you who have green eyes wore the mandated contacts, because we're bringing down anything that has green eyes. There's bound to be some resistance, on the ground and in the air. Let's get to it!" Dash ordered.
"Yes Ma'am!" her team shouted before following her lead, diving down over the Forest. She led the group down and just over the canopy in an attempt to draw attention and scout out the path to Nightmare Temple.
"I'm spotting movement on the ground, repeat, movement on the- WOAH!" one of the air troopers shouted before he was almost grazed by a green magic bolt. Soon, more followed, some shots were even bullets.
"Taking fire! Track the source and eliminate any and all resistance! We gotta make this as easy for the troops as we can! Watch the skies as well!" Dash ordered, and with that, her team splintered off into their respective squadrons and proceeded to attack the ground. Soon, however, many gryphon and pony bodies emerged from the canopy to challenge the Equestrian air force that threatened the skies above them.
"We got aerial units! Take them down!" Dash ordered once again, and in no time a large aerial and ground to air battle erupted.
"Brigadier Sparkle, the no-fly zone is in effect and we are dealing with moderate resistance from the ground and air. Feel free to move the troops, how copy?" Dash said hastily, banking right to avoid a few bolts sent her way.
"Solid copy, Major Dash. You heard her, colts! Advance on the Forest!" Twilight gave the order, moving appropriate pieces on her map.
On the ground, Luna and Helmuth just received the order to move. They were dressed in standard Equestrian Army camo uniforms and helmets with their respective rank insignias.
"This is it!" Luna shouted, securing her helmet and pushing the slide release on her rifle.
"You bet it is," Helmuth replied, doing the same thing. Windfire, who was right next to them, only nodded sternly as he armed his weapon, watching the columns of soldiers accompanied by tanks advancing towards the Forest. The three hitched a ride on a tank as they advanced forward, looking to the skies at the battle that waged above. Luna could see the endless streaks of bullet trails and maneuvers to avoid and flank that were being pulled off simultaneously by several belligerents. The three would notice a pony get hit here, a gryphon get shot down there, and occasionally some ponies would bank low and put on a small show before returning to the fight. As was the situation now, the changeling attempts at resistance were of little match to the Equestrian air force, but Dash had taken a few number of losses.
"Contacts! Foot mobiles coming to light, tanks as well!" A tank commander shouted, pointing towards the forest and seeing changeling, pony, and gryphon troops running out to meet the threat, supported by light tanks. Both groups were advancing in an area that was not dense forest, but was not an open field either. There were tree populations that provided some cover and concealment, but not enough to hide tanks, obviously. When in range, a firefight erupted immediately. The squad of three aimed their rifles over the turret of the tank and fired towards the enemy. Bullets and magic bolts were whizzing past and clanking on all armor, commands were being yelled and shouted by officers commanding troops, and shells were being fired and returned from both directions; the situation became increasingly hectic. Soon, the opposing armies met each other in the semi-tree populated area of the forest, clashing with each other in what was sure to be a horrendous close quarters battle. In response, both columns of troops split up into smaller groups in an attempt to consolidate and annihilate each other.
"Rocket!" Windfire shouted on the top of his lungs before an anti-armor shell struck the tank they were standing on, the sheer force of the blast knocking them off of the tank and on to the ground hard. The three had the wind knocked out of them, but were alright, save for a few scratches and a bruise. The same couldn't be said for the tank, unfortunately. Windfire was able to get up immediately.
"Helmuth, are you alright?!" Luna shouted, getting up and grabbing her weapon. Helmuth sat up and shook his head, shaking off the disorientation, running and grabbing his weapon off the ground as well.
"Better than ever!" he responded before he cycled the bolt on his gun, and Luna being visibly relieved. The three made their way to the destroyed tank and used it as cover under the hail of gunfire and magic fire heading their way. Looking skyward, the aerial battle was still being waged, and it appeared that after every changeling air unit was taken out, more would come to replace it. They would need to step up their game!
"We got enemy troops, eleven o'clock!" Windfire shouted, firing off his rifle.
"Copy that! Engaging!" Helmuth replied, laying down several rounds, visibly seeing two changelings fall backwards. Another changeling pony took shots at the trio from behind a nearby tree, but quickly ran out of ammo in its rifle's clip.
"To our left!" Luna shouted, squeezing her trigger and striking the aggressor several times in the torso.
"Two more in the front!" Windfire shouted and pointed at two gryphons charging them with assault rifles. He pulled his trigger twice, eliminating the one on the left before Luna finished the one on the right.
"Catch!" Helmuth shouted before he hurled a stick grenade towards the enemy lines, having it explode shortly after in a hail of shrapnel. The guerilla warfare continued for a few more minutes but the trio soon realized that their squad had made no progress forward due to the pressure they were under. The entire line was able to break through but they were holding the forces back from complete advancement.
"Rainbow Dash! We're being pinned down by an unknown number of enemy forces, do you have any units to throw our way?" Luna screamed into her communicator as the firefight raged around them. There was silence on communications for a couple more seconds than she would've liked.
"Oh shit! Tank!" Helmuth shouted, finding two light tanks appearing to support the enemy troops. Luna was getting desperate now.
"Luna! I've got a squadron that can be diverted to you, patching you through!" Dash shouted, much to Luna's relief.
"This is Seelow squadron, at your service, Princess, standing by for close air support," the squadron leader announced, and Luna couldn't have heard more beautiful words.
"Glad to hear from you, Seelow! I've got enemy infantry and tanks, marking their location," she shouted, tossing a smoke grenade to Windfire, who pulled the pin and tossed it out towards the enemy. Helmuth continued to fire valiantly, thinning the enemy out as much as possible. After about fifteen seconds the teal blue smoke filled the area.
"Location confirmed, friendly airstrike on the way, over,"
The three continued their defensive measures until they heard the distinct sound of fast approaching pegasi. Looking up towards the east, one pegasus flew directly over at an alarming speed and continuing onward, dropping several objects which exploded on the ground, followed by another pegasus, and then a third, each dropping a payload that produced deafening explosions and completely decimating the opposition. Luna shouted and cried out in joy after the second explosion. That offered enough room for the trio to advance.
"Target is a confirmed hit, Seelow! Thanks again!" Luna shouted happily towards the sky.
"Just keep making the nights glorious, Princess. Seelow out."
With that, the three advanced further towards the Forest, catching up with the rest of the forces that had been able to move forward. Through some effort, they had all been able to reach the Forest periphery. Now the troops themselves had to move in slowly and advance on Nightmare Temple, the firefight never ceasing the entire way there. Casualty figures stood at approximately six hundred ponies and twenty nine pegasi over the course of two hours.
"91st Corps to Command, we've reached the Forest periphery,"
"Copy that. Form a perimeter on the Forest periphery and do not let anything else in or out. I want twenty-five hundred units to advance on Nightmare Temple, copy?" Twilight asked.
"Loud and Clear, command, dispatching the units,"
With the order given, Luna, Helmuth, and Windfire reloaded and began to tread slowly through the Forest, flanked by troops from different squads on either side. It was definitely a different scenario from when they were last here on recon. Mostly due to the incessant fire in both directions, leading to the fact that this was an actual battle, not a tiny skirmish. The volume of fire in their direction became increasingly heavier as they advanced forward; ultimately forcing them to take cover behind the massive trees.
"Damnit! I can't see anything without risk of getting my head blown off!" Windfire shouted, blindfiring out of cover briefly. Right when he said that a fellow pony soldier dashed out of cover, only to have his neck shot out. Right after that, three massive changelings broke through the brush and eyed the contingent of troops.
"Soldiers!" Helmuth bellowed, adjusting his line of sight. The Soldier Changelings ran right for the trio, completely overpowering and crushing any other troops in their path. One of them took several shots at the Princess of the Night, only to have them blocked by a barrier. When they resorted to close quarters physicalities, Luna was more than prepared this time around. She ducked low under the Soldier's massive horn and gored its neck with her own. With that, she ripped out her horn, unsheathed her own sword and brought it down on the Soldier's head, cleaving it clean several inches before she yanked it out, leaving the body lifeless.
Other troops attempted to draw the fire of the new Changelings but were either flanked by other troops or shot at by the Soldiers themselves. Windfire was lucky and was able to land several well placed shots into the head of one of the distracted Soldiers, bringing it down. Helmuth used his bayonet in conjunction with the actual rifle to bring down the last one.
"We need to keep an eye out for these, they're going to massacre our forces!" Luna remarked, cleaning off her sword before sheathing it and arming her rifle again. They continued to slowly advance forward, encountering more and more resistance as they got inevitably closer to the Temple. More air reinforcements arrived from a nearby base to help out with the air and ground assaults, occasionally being seen swooping low in bombing or strafing runs.
Twilight was watching the battle from her command post, almost entranced by how it looked from afar with all the lights, explosions, etc. She shook those thoughts from her head before she opened up a connection again:
"Command to Flight Group Kappa, status on the aerial battle?"
"Slow but significant gains, command. The sky is about eighty five percent under our control, but not without marginal losses. Without the reinforcements Kappa has lost about fifty percent of its strength," Dash replied, still sounding like she was engaged.
"Roger that, keep me posted. Command out."
Twilight contacted the ground forces:
"Command to 91st Corps, status report?"
"Engaging what appears to be the last line of changeling defense around Nightmare Temple. Numerous losses; Calling up extra reinforcements from the periphery,"
"Very good, Colonel. Proceed as planned,"
Luna had run out of ammunition for her rifle and was forced to use her horn again for magic projectiles. It was a gruesome fight so far; she did not expect resistance to be this ferocious. That only led her to draw conclusions that the Nightmare Temple had some significance for the changelings, and something was most likely happening inside.
"Come on… just a little more," Helmuth yelled out. The ponies had been able to surround the complex after enormous amounts of guerilla warfare. Eventually, although almost completely exhausting their supplies, the last of the Changelings fell. With that, troops began moving into the clearing and mopping up small pockets of resistance on the periphery of the Temple clearing. Small paths were cleared for armor to move in as well. The three ponies were resting on the side of a tank, panting and sweating profusely due to all the action.
"Well… that was something…" Helmuth said through his panting, earning a playful punch from Luna on his shoulder.
"You don't say, Helm. How you doing over there, Windfire?"
"I'm alright. So, what happens now?"
At that moment, a familiar purple unicorn showed up among a column of troops.
"What happens now, is that we clear out the temple itself!" Twilight said with a smirk. "Great job on the operation everyone, but now it's time to move on to phase two: seeing what the hell is in here of such importance," Twilight explained. Everypony nodded in agreement.
"And with that, I'll be damned if I let you guys have all the fun. I'm going with you," Twilight said, securing a helmet to her head. She then opened her communicator.
"All units, aerial and ground, keep security on the periphery of Nightmare Temple and the surrounding forest. We're going to flush it out and hopefully this will give us some answers on where to proceed next. Brief Celestia on the situation immediately," Twilight ordered, to which the commanding officers saluted her.
With that, Twilight armed a weapon and she, Luna, Helmuth, and Windfire gazed up at the massive entrance of the enormous temple before slowly and cautiously (with weapons raised) entering the forgotten building, ready to confront whatever awaited them inside.