Chapter 21
HELL'S HIGHWAY
September 25
Few miles northeast from Koevering
0230 hours
The black sky is red from the flame from burning buildings, windmills, and vehicles as the Equestrian squad raced down Hell's Highway, driving around burning vehicles that were caught in the attack that the Moratins attempted earlier to cut the highway.
While driving Venda, Marsh said to those who were riding with him, "Any ideas how serious this attack is?"
"You mean reports that there a large enemy forces that has already cut the highway?" Applejack said behind him.
"Yeah but I'm not risking my life trying to protect a ten-miles highway."
"Those boys up at Arnhem are counting on us to protect this highway so XXX Corp could drive up and get to Arnhem ASAP." Red said from the passenger seat, "And beside, we really have no choice but to keep this highway open to pressure the Moratins out of this world."
When he said this, the flash of Grim firing the .45 and screaming his last word fill Red mind, taking him back to Knight Wood. He went back to focus when Spike behind him said with an expression shown on his face, "Why would we send those British and the Equestrian paraponies way far behind enemy line? I heard ponies say we sent them 'A Bridge too Far'. I don't think we be able too-,"
Before he could finish, artillery shells exploded all over them.
"Oh shit!" Marsh screamed as he dodges the incoming shells.
"Turn! Turn!" Red yelled to Marsh as Marsh drove Venda off the road and crash into a tree. The other jeeps also drove off the road and stop behind Venda.
"Shit," says Marsh, getting up and rubbing his head after he hit it on the steering wheel, "I'm so fire."
"Is everyone alright?" Red said to Spike and Applejack, who both nodded.
"I'm going to check with the other jeeps." Marsh said as he got out of the jeep and went to check with the other.
Before he could reach the first jeep, he was shot in the hip by enemy fire coming from the road behind them.
"Marsh's down!" Rarity yelled after seeing Marsh get hit, "Defilade and take cover!"
As everyone take cover and return fire at the Moratins on the road, Fluttershy and Spike ran over to Marsh and drag him behind a fence to take cover from enemy fire.
While Fluttershy is pouring sulfas powder on Marsh wound and tending it, Spike calmly told Marsh that he'll be alright but Marsh wouldn't listen, he kept thinking he is going to die.
Meanwhile, Red orders the rest of the squad to advance toward the road.
On either side of the road are dikes that are filled with water that run parallel to the road. The only way to advance is to go through the road itself, which is filled with burning vehicles, dead bodies and Moratins soldiers.
There were always this old saying that a soldier say with it come to this; the only way out of hell, is though it.
The squad fought through the labyrinth of the flame of hell and approach to a stable off to their left. But on there right is an 88mm gun pointing directly at the road from only about 120 yards away, sending deadly shells at the squad.
The squad got off the road into a clearing in front of the stable and begin to receive harassing fire from two enemy MG, including with a squad of enemy soldiers, coming from the stable.
While protected behind a log, Red ordered Twilight next to him to take Jasper and Friar to go and destroy the artillery gun.
An 88 round came by and exploded dangerously close, miraculously no one got hurt from the shrapnel's but it did cause some ears ringing.
"Go!" Red yelled, sending Twilight who quickly went and order the bazooka team to follow her and they ran across the highway, still under fire and got behind a stone wall next to the artillery gun 50 yards away.
While Twilight group is attacking the gun, Red a command at his squad, "I need suppressive fire now! Take out those covers and hit them hard!"
Behind a tree, Rainbow is lying prone while sniping one of the enemy machine guns crews one-by-one.
Behind a truck not far from Rainbow, Rarity pump her grenade launcher rounds and watches it exploded on an enemy position by the highway.
As she was receiving fire, she turns and saw Fluttershy, Spike and Marsh running up to her, crouching down as they ran.
When they got to her, Rarity saw to them, confuse, "What the? I thought you were going to evacuate Marsh to and aid station?"
"Oh, he fine," says Fluttershy, taking cover next to Rarity, "it is not a serious wound."
"What?" Rarity said, raising her voice above the sound of combat, "I can't hear you! You're voice is to quiet!"
"I said-,"
Then another artillery shell exploded, sending enough concussion to knock them down.
When they got up, Fluttershy scream almost like a shout, "Why can't they ever gives us the chance to live?" then begin to cry.
"Oh, darling, not now!" Rarity said, trying to soot her.
While this is happening, Marsh and Spike ran over to a log where Applejack and Pinkie are at, manning the machine gun.
When they got there, Spike said to Applejack, "Fluttershy is having another emotional breakdown."
"Again?" said Applejack while reloading her SAW with Pinkie.
"Yeah," says Spike, taking off discarded rounds off the machine gun receiver, "Why couldn't we just get her out of here?"
"I've been wondering the same thing," says Applejack, cocking her gun. Then she said, "Hey Pinkie! You still got some of that-," she look to her right and realized Pinkie is not with her.
While Rainbow is sniping, she got one of the Moratin in her sight and was about to pull the trigger when Pinkie jump in front of her, exclaiming, "Hi, Rainbow Dash!"
"Ah!" Rainbow screamed and accidentally pulls the trigger. The bullet passed Pinkie head by an inch.
"Pinkie! Get to cover!" Rainbow yell at the pink pony but Pinkie hop into the middle of the firefight, not even worrying about the dangers all around her, just into one of her happy day.
She pop out of nowhere behind one of the enemy positions then another then another. This caused confusion among the enemy line as Pinkie kept on popping out of nowhere.
Back on the other side of the highway, Twilight toss an grenade and finally disable the gun.
When the artillery fire lifted up, Red notice it then yelled at his squad, "Let get 'em while we still have the chance!" then got up and charge at the stable.
With the enemy confused, Red tosses a grenade through the stable window and went to the door.
After the grenade gone off, he went in, taking out any enemy survivors left in there, follow by Rainbow, Marsh and LaRoach.
While they clear out the stable, the rest of Red squad went around and attack another MG nest.
Pinkie is still playing around with the Moratins, first playing hopscotch then tag.
When she spotted her teammates, she stop and waved at them, not noticing a Moratin that is about to stab her from behind.
When he was about to make his move, he was shot through the eye by Twilight M-14 as she and her group race back across the highway to rejoin the squad.
After that, Red, Rainbow, LaRoach and Marsh all came out of the stable, all covered in dust as they walk toward their squad.
"Now what?" Twilight said when she saw them.
"We got to keep moving," Red replied, brushing himself from dust, "Rainbow just got a message that there an expected counterattack coming up ahead. We got to hold them off till reinforcement arrives to close the gap." After briefing them the situation, Red and the squad advance northwest of the city to take on the counterattack.
The sky glow dark red as fire from all over the area as it shine brighter and brighter.
While they were advancing, the squad picked up a group of stragglers from other units as they were going to the same objective.
After picking up about forty soldiers, they came across a train station that led into Koevering.
Red stop the group when he said to them, "Alright, we're going to dig in and set up a perimeter around this station. The Moratin are most likely going to attack through here so I want everyone to check their weapons and ammo and ask each other if they're okay. Those of you that don't want to fight can leave and I won't try to put this in the paperwork. Who's leaving?"
After finding that no one want to leave, Red continue, "Okay, this may be their biggest attack yet so we got to keep this road open for the sake of Arnhem. Good luck and let raise them hell."
While they were setting up their positions, Red discovered that choosing the train station is the best place to defend from a heavy counterattack.
To the north of the train station is a large wheat field, which will be covered by Red bazooka team and other anti-tank teams from other units. The wheat field is an ideal place for the Moratin to launch their armor attack.
To the west of the train station is a group of buildings with no road which is occupied by Applejack machine gun team, Twilight Fire team and other combat units from the train station.
To the east and south of them is Koevering and Hell's Highway.
The rest of the ponies either defend in or around the train station but the main problem is that they are low of ammunitions on every weapon and worse, their morale.
Since it obvious that the train station is about 80 yards off from the highway, soldiers now called this station, "Hell's Station" since they knew they will get the bulk of the attack aimed for the highway.
After checking the positions, Red sat down near the conductor office in the train station and open his canteen to take a sip.
When he put it away, he lays his head against the wall and close his eyes, only to have a flashback of Grim on top of the trench back at Knight Wood, holding the Death pistol while facing the enemy.
Everything was in slow-motion as he slowly raised the pistol and pulled the trigger; firing one shot as the gun ejected a single cartridge out and it spin to the ground, with a voice that could be heard in the background, "Every soldier has two families to raise and to raise hell with."
Then, Grim is now on the ground, blood pouring out of his mouth as the voice said again, "Then, there were mistakes."
Then another flashback showing Fluttershy in the middle of the road, crying as Allen and Garnett lay on either side of her, dead.
Fluttershy looked up, tear in her eyes as she screamed, "Red!"
Red open his eyes when he heard gunfire and explosion coming from outside.
Then, Twilight came through the door and found Red sitting against the wall.
She went over to him and said, "Red! The Moratin are attacking right now. We got to move!"
She help Red up to his hooves, who then put on his robotic hands and then they went outside to take cover as the Moratin are approaching with tanks and infantry.
As predicted, the Moratin had sent their tanks through the field, unaware of the traps laid out by the Allied soldiers that they'll be walking into it.
With the enemy closing in, every defenders of the train stations ready their guns as Red shout out the order, "Don't fire till you see the white of their eyes!" Then he turn to the anti-tank units, "When they get to the side of the field, open fire!"
With everyone briefed, all there left to do is to wait for the enemy to come at them.
All there is of sound is the rumbling of tank tracks, the crackling of the burning fire and gunfire echo out into the distance.
Some of the defenders made a sign of the cross and make peace with their gods as the real nightmare is coming toward them.
When an enemy tank almost pass the field line, Red yelled, "Open fire!"
Then, the area erupted with gunfire and explosions from all over the train station.
Out of 15 Moratins tanks, only three were left undamaged in just three minutes.
The Moratin infantry units were destroyed as they tried to reach the buildings on their left.
The defenders took out the first wave of the Moratin attack, then moment later, the second wave came in with a much larger forces then the first one, occupied with heavy tanks and armored carriers.
Unlike the first one, the Moratins open fire on the train station and buildings that houses the MG teams.
In one of the buildings, Applejack, along with several soldiers, is firing her SAW from the first floor when a tank round crashes and exploded on her left, killing a couple of soldiers as well as destroying her machine gun.
"No!" she yelled after seeing her SAW destroyed then took out her revolver and fire at the enemy infantry but an grenade exploded nearby, spraying shrapnel all over her.
Pinkie saw Applejack get hit then ran over to help her up, saying, "Alright, Applejack, stop playing around! We got to get you to the aid station!"
"Who we?" said Applejack, dizzy from the concussion.
"Oh, me and the narrator." Pinkie replied with a smile then took Applejack to the aid station, which is actually the train station.
Trying to save ponies life, Fluttershy and other medical workers, are rushing to give treatments to the wounded but more and more wounded are coming in by the second.
Those who are seriously wounded were taken out of the battlefield by stretcher-bearers and into Koevering for further medical treatments.
The cried for medics were all over the line so Fluttershy ran in and out to the wounded.
When Pinkie brought Applejack in, Fluttershy saw them came and went over to help Applejack down and ask her were she hit.
"I'm fine, Fluttershy," says Applejack, taking a sip of water from her canteen, "There are other ponies that need your help more than me."
"But, you did say that when we were back at the Crystal City," says Fluttershy then she exclaimed, "You need my help!"
"I'm fine; I got to get back to combat. You got to let me go!"
Right when Applejack finishes her sentence, an explosions occurred, shattering glass around them as well as killing a couple of wounded that were lying closer to the window.
Then, Fluttershy said with an okay sign, "Okay, if you get hurt again, tell me alright?"
Fluttershy went back to the wounded while Pinkie help Applejack up and they went outside to rejoin the fight. They were taking cover when a tank round came and hit directly on a pony, blowing him into cloud of blood and debris.
After repelling the third and fourth waves, tanks, vehicles and bodies now littered all over the battlefield.
Over by a wall near the train station, Red was observing the area when Twilight came up to him and reported that there is only 12 ponies left standing to defend the train station.
"Only twelve?" said Red, not believing of what he's hearing, "What the hell happened to all the other units?"
"Either dead or wounded." came the reply.
Then, Rainbow ran over to them and exclaimed, "The buildings have been overrun. What do we do now?"
"We still got to defend this place at all cost," say Red, then he ordered his squad behind walls while facing the field.
When they got into positions, they couldn't help but noticed that the world around them has gone dark red, like blood. The reason for this is because their visions has been adapted by the fires all around them, which their brightness had changed the color of the environment.
Then, not a moment too soon, the final attack begins, not with twenty enemy tanks and a company of infantry marching toward the train station.
When he saw them from about 300 yards away, Red quickly order Rainbow to request for an air strike, but only to a response that the radio has been destroyed from the earlier wave.
"We got nothing but ourselves!" she said to Red, which devastated over the loss of the only way to call for help.
"We don't have enough rounds to hold them off!" said Friar next to Rainbow.
Twilight took out a stack and said to them, "But we do have a bundle of C-4s."
Red look at the stack then exclaimed, "Alright, we'll use the C-4s to knock out the tanks. But don't waste too much ammo on one target. There will be more to come."
About a minute later, another attack begins.
Red orders the MG and the Fire team to suppress the enemy from the left and the middle while the Assault covers the right.
With the infantry getting mowed down, Red waited for the tanks to get close enough for him to run and place charges on the vent, destroying the tank.
The more and more enemy tanks and infantry kept on arriving, the more and more they will get destroyed and the more blood red the world became as the fight continue on.
The squad gone through all of their ammo as the final part of the wave arrived and, when they were about to fire at the squad, they were flank and destroyed by Allied tanks that start coming in from their right and shooting at the Moratins that are falling back.
During the firefight, the squad at the train station didn't do anything, no cheering or all that but just watching as the world around them return to normal color.
With the area secured and the highway open once again, the squad regroup back on the platform at the train station, watching ponies taking away bodies and burning vehicles out of the former battlefield.
Out of 53 ponies that defended Hell's Station, only the Equestrian squad that make it out alive.
Then, Fluttershy came out of the train station, uniform and hooves drenched in blood from the wounded.
When Rainbow saw her, she almost burst into tears then look away, not wanting to show it.
"I can't believe we're still alive," says LaRoach, face pale, "We fought for three hours and the only one out of this hellish fight while everyone else are either dead or just gone."
Then, Jasper added with a grim face, "So much has happened. It could've been me getting shot but I didn't. I'm still alive while they're not."
Returning from one of the tanks, Red told them they're be moving out to Uden, ten miles northeast from Koevering.
The squad gather what remaining things they have then begin to leave Hell's Station.
Being the last one out, Red look back across the station and the surrounding area, which is sill littered with bodies.
They all gives their lives defending this little place while trying to reopen the highway from the Moratin but not only that, they took part on the most hellish fight they ever encountered in this war.
This is not what this world made for, Red thought as he put on his helmet then gallop to his squad who were waiting by the jeeps.
They made have survived through hell but there more where that came from as they make their way to Uden, as well Arnhem and the Crystal Mountain.
AN: Well, there you have it. Beside this chapter bear the name of the story title, you got to know that this is the climax of the story, you know the raise and fall thing. Anyway, now the main part is done, it is time to bring back the character that usually everyone been wondering where he been since the first part.
Not trying to be a spoiler but why don't you just go have a look.
I think that all I got so far but I'm blaming myself for not making this chapter bloodier than all the other chapter.
Well, I guess it time to
Pinkie-See you on the other side!
Damn it Pinkie! What are you doing?
Pinkie-Well, I decided I want to go and visit all of my adorable fans after I got bored with the context. Beside, you're to say going to say I'm a fourth wall breaker and wanting to kick me out even though I've managed to get through Microsoft Word with only Google and wanting to see how sucky you are of typing your author note while eating Vanilla Ice Cream and watching Spongebob.
Get out.
Pinkie-Oh yeah and by the way, your grammar suck.
Fourth wall breaker.