resume music at 2:45
Moon grabbed onto the chain as the gate was closing up and, thinking fast, sliced it with a spell that turned her wand into a sword. She then leapt for the second chain cutting through that making the drawbridge collapse with a solid thunk. She turned to the others and whistled making and overt gesture with everyone running across cheering. She saw out of the corner of her eye that Bonibell was crying over the Gingerbread man with River trying to get her out but paid no heed to it as Red Star was coming in fast with everyone behind him.
"Come on people!" She leapt onto Red Star with Lily and road through the underway under the gate house.
She pointed her wand at the Portcullis and froze it in place as best she could, keeping it stuck in the half closed position. It wasn't much but enough to let every pass under it. Lily leapt off of Red Star landing on top of the shield wall of men who were guarding the gate and shattered the formation with a spell that shook the ground. Red Star rode through the wavering formation leaving a trail of knocked over and dead Mewman soldiers in his wake opening a hole the Guardians could get through quickly. With the formation shattered the soldiers formed up into 2 defensive circles which, although giving them good defense, left the rest of the castle open to attack to the storming force.
"Townsfolk secure the fortress, Guardians keep the soldiers down here pinned down, Rats with me to the gate house to keep the portcullis open." Moon gave out orders quickly as she leapt off of Red Star and ran for the door leading up to the gate house.
Not caring about damages at the moment she shot a lightning-fire bolt, extremely cool spell, at the door blasting it in. She stepped over the door which seemed to have 2 Mewman soldiers underneath it now and made up the staircase. Turning her wand back into the cool sword, 2 beams of light that interlock in a zigzag pattern, she ran up the stairway meeting no resistance at all. The rats swarmed around her climbing the stairs faster than her getting into the top area where she could hear sounds of battle. When she turned the corner to get to the top level she saw a brutal fight between rats and soldiers over the portcullis crank with rats swarming over soldiers and what seemed to be their captain directing what men were left into forming shield wall around the crank. Some men were trying to raise it up in what she guessed was an attempt to break the ice using its weight against it. As she ran over to the crank the captain saw her and in an act of desperation tried to cut the chain holding it up with his sword but he seemed to forget that swords were not that strong.
"Shit." He said out loud as he turned to fight Moon who had already blasted one of the men down with Rats swarming through.
She twirled swinging her sword in an obvious arc that the captain went to block but she feinted and struck upwards instead. She grunted in annoyance as he blocked it with his shield and went to body slam her with his shield which she just barely sidestepped. She struck at him with her own sword across the back but his armor blocked the blow merely knocking him forward a little. He turned swinging his own sword in an overhead arc but in his panic forgot that they were inside and got it caught on a rafter. Moon tried to finish him but he jumped back pulling out a short sword and tried to body slam Moon again. Thinking fast Moon did a power slide underneath him cutting at the back of his legs with her sword. She did manage to get past his shield and sword to do so but his leg greaves made it so she only got one leg. Hobbling now and having lost his sword he looked around as his men fought desperately against the rats and looked Moon dead in the eye.
"It is no shame losing to you even if you are a child still." He threw his sword away and put his hands on his head lying on the floor.
(end music)
With this, the men in the gate house surrendered almost immediately letting themselves be disarmed by the Rats and bound tightly but not painfully. Moon led the commander down the stairs to where the battle in the courtyard was raging as the soldiers and Guardians were locked in a bitter stalemate. When they saw the captured commander however, the fight just went out of them and most of them surrendered on the spot. A few however screamed and either tried to run across the bridge or just hurled themselves on enemy weapons hoping to die. Moon looked on in horror as that happened and turned to the commander questioningly.
"They have the tattoo of no return, if they surrender they die." The commander seemed to smile at the look of horror across Moon's face. "If you had wanted to avoid this you shouldn't have taken up arms in the first place." He said bitterly as he was led away with the remainder of those who surrendered.
Moon shook off the idea of that as best she could and went over to check in with Heckapoo who was testing out her ability to make portals. As Moon arrived Heckapoo made a portal successfully and turned to Moon smiling.
"Looks like we got ourselves a fortress Moon and got rid of the Tremorfidian crystal." Heckapoo smiled with Moon returning the smile but fell away when she saw Bonibell being comforted by River.
"He was young, HE DIDN'T EVEN GET A CHANCE TO LIVE!" Bonibell collapsed in his arms sobbing which did look odd considering she was only about as big as one of River's hands.
"Don't worry Bonibell, he is with the Valkyrie's in the hall of the ancestor's drinking ale and singing really loudly with everyone else who has fallen in battle. Unless if he is waiting in the Summerlands to be reborn when the time comes." River spoke uncertainly as he comforted Bonibell more along the lines of he just wasn't sure about what happened to cookies in the afterlife.
"How did we even place a consciousness inside of a cookie in the first place?" Lily asked as she came up to the group with Red Star accompanying her nuzzling Moon. "Also, is this a Warnicorn or a dog, I've never seen a Warnicorn that devoted to its master."
"He's just special is all, now I want this place secured and for the prisoners to be brought up so I can give them new information I've decided to enact on the Tattoo of no return." They looked at her oddly and nodded going along with it.
As they went about their tasks she saw some townsfolk begin to enter the fortress to reclaim lost goods that the army had taken from them. This didn't happen often but Moon had heard reports of soldiers taking goods outside of basic taxation simply because they could. The townsfolk coming in had confirmed with Moon that while it was not this direct the taxes did seem to be higher than usual for some reason. Moon didn't pay much attention to it though as she had other thoughts on her mind as she went to where the prisoners were being rounded up for Moon. She got on top of Red Star and rode in front of the 250 or so men that were left after the fighting giving her looks of respect or anger with some fear amongst them as well.
"Men of Mewni I am Princess Moon Butterfly, I know you have heard an excessive amount about me some of which may or may not be true." This did get a chuckle out of some of them as well as her own followers. "One of which I can confirm for a fact that this "Tattoo of no Return" will be given if you are taken prisoner so that we will know who you are if you fight us again. I just wish to clarify that this was meant to keep you off of the battle field so you could go about your lives despite the fact that a war is still brewing." This got some shocked looks among them with some "I knew it" expressions as well. "However it seems that The Shadow Clause does not care about your lives and has convinced queen Willow to make you expendable. Because of that I would like to extend an offer which will remain open to anyone who is captured be they a bearer of the tattoo or not. If you wish to you may switch sides and fight for us no questions asked." This got shocked expressions around the table. "If you do not you will be given the tattoo and sent back whether or not they will chose to send you back out to fight again or not. If you do bear the tattoo and still refuse then you must have a very low opinion of our rebellion if you would choose certain death over only possible death." This surprisingly got a laugh out of the men which Moon hid her shock against by smiling. "So, what is it that you chose now?"
The soldiers looked back and forth between each other as if trying to judge what Moon had said and whether it was truthful or not. The commander gave his men stern looks as if trying to convince them to not take the offer even if it wasn't a trick which Moon did understand why he would be like that. To side with her was to become a traitor to the realm which could result in death if the men were captured. Eventually one of the men stepped forward and approached Moon before kneeling and showing he had the tattoo on his shoulder.
"Even if you are just a puppet controlled by that damn lizard I have a chance of survival if I stand with you. Take it as an act of desperation." He remained kneeling in front of her with the other soldiers glancing nervously now.
Emboldened by his actions, more men began stepping forward pledging their service to Moon instead of queen Willow. Not many of them did so but the commander looked on helplessly as nearly half of the prisoners went over and pledged their services to Moon, most of them not even having the tattoo. As the groups were separated and dealt with accordingly Moon finally went over to address her friends who did not see that coming judging by the confused looks.
"Guys, I know what you're thinking. And I do know all of the potential risks associated with doing this but the costs of doing otherwise would be to high no matter what. I mean how would we know if the ones with the tattoo would not rebel or fall on their swords the instant we have victory because they're afraid of execution." Moon looked earnestly at them as they agreed with her before Heckapoo spoke up.
"You know there a phrase with many entities being a dime a dozen because they're so easy to find. A good ruler of a kingdom is worth a dime a dozen because it is so easy to just be good. Moon, I can tell you are going to be a great ruler at the very least and I am glad to be your friend." Heckapoo stepped up and hugged Moon.
"Awwwww, group hug." River sadi as everyone closed around Moon.
"Thanks guys, you're the best friends I could…" Moon was interrupted by a crashing sound.
They all turned to see the portcullis had finally fallen through the ice Moon had set up to keep it up and slammed down smashing everything underneath it. Moon ran over to see if everyone was ok and found no sign of blood or any bodies underneath the portcullis, only a broken cart. Most of the peasents had formed up around it laughing at each other and saying how close it was except for one old man staring at the cart in shock.
"MY CABBAGES!" He yelled in sadness as he fell onto his knees next to the cart.
"Perhaps we should make sure the fortress is secure before letting more people into here?" Moon asked her friends who agreed with her readily.
Moon was staring at a slightly cloudy sky on a balcony as Forest nobility meeted and greeted each other in the meeting rooms nearby. Moon was still in Fortress Ire 3 days after they had taken the fortress from the Mewman garrison and changes had been almost immediate. Clan Forest was divided on whether to support Moon and how much to support her leading to massive debates and negotiations that she knew would resolve themselves in her favor but had to be done. She sighed and put her head in her hands staring out across the landscape hoping news would come in on how her father had done in his game of chess with Tiberius on the battle field. No matter, that would come when it…
"Was that a horn sounding the approach of our soldiers?" Moon said to herself as she heard a horn blare.
She turned her wand into a pair of binoculars and scanned the landscape looking for any sign of movement. She finally rested on a convoy approaching the fortress by the main road bearing a flag that marked them as followers of Princess Moon, a silver moon and Butterfly on an indigo background. She searched the convoy looking for any familiar faces and smiled when she saw her father at the front of the convoy. That smile faded when she saw he bore a troubled expression she could see even though he was more than a mile away. She turned her binoculars back into her wand and ran back into the meeting room where people were still debating and zigzagged her way through as best she could. She finally got through and rushed down the stair well to the lower levels coming out in the main hall called the drinking hall since this was a fortress.
"Moon, you seem to be in a rush." The only voice that could stop her at this point was one that just popped up making her smile.
"What are you doing here Toffee?" Moon rushed over and managed to kiss him by leaping into the air far enough to do so.
"Well I thought to give you reports on what we have accomplished by taking this fortress and getting clan Forest on our side despite how much they are gripping about it." He smiled as Moon giggled. "We have denied the queen 10,000 conscripts alone and Clan Forest could potentially present us with 2,500 soldiers even after that which they have lost in previous battles." Moon smiled as this was a massive victory just in how much they had denied the Shadow Clause. "I also hear you have changed the terms of the Tattoo of no return?" Moon nodded at that still smiling with him returning the smile. "I wish I could say I would have done the same thing but you seem to have done it better than I would. Now where were you headed off to in such a hurry?" This brought Moon back to reality.
"My dad was spotted coming to the fortress just a few minutes ago and he should be here soon."
"Ah, then we should go great him and see what news he brings." Toffee to Moon's hand and let her lead him outside.
They got out to see multiple other people had heard the horn signals and had come outside as well to see who was coming. 'Wow people must really be looking for excitement to drop everything when they don't know who is coming in the convoy.' Moon mused to herself. Soldiers went up on the walls to see who was coming and shouts of open the gates came through as the portcullis was raised and the drawbridge was lowered. After waiting a few more minutes the convoy came in with Odrick at the front and the troubled look on his face was confirmed for Moon. Being hard to miss Odrick immediately came up to Moon and Toffee and dismounted with his mount being taken away and the other soldiers scattering into the fortress.
"Well how did it go?" Toffee asked with Moon knowing that the news would not be good now.
"Well we won against the incoming forces but Tiberius played a trick on us. There wasn't 10,000 men coming at us only 2,000 conscripts who came at us in an almost suicidal fashion pursuing us until we had to fight them." Moon and Toffee looked at each other in shock as Odrick continued. "Our losses were minimal with only 500 lost with the enemy not surrendering at all and fighting to the last man. The question now is what happened to the other 8,000 men that we have no idea where they are? Tiberius is a tricky old bird and he probably is doing something to us right now without us even being aware of it." Odrick finished giving them a grim look.
Moon clutched onto Toffee subconsciously as thoughts ran through her mind on what to do. She knew that their spy network would be able to bring her information mere minutes after Tiberius acted but first he would have to act and he could be anywhere. She looked up at Toffee and he nodded in a way that told her he had an idea of what to do. She sighed in relief knowing that despite how good she could be at times she would need others help in the future, his especially.
"Silvicar, are you sure this is the best action to take?"
Silvicar turned in annoyance to his sub commander as his troops looted the battle field. Moon's forces were smart enough to loot the battle field for items of worth but Willow's forces were giving him a literal gold mine of resources if he beat Moon to it.
"Yes, we need the resources and it is better to strike at Queen Willow's forces as they still have the upper hand in numbers and leadership. We want them both to lose but we need to make sure that neither can win in order to accomplish that."
"Yes my lord." Silvicar smiled as the commander went away to give out more orders.
He looked across the battlefield smiling at the bodies of dead Mewman soldiers. Only 250 lay dead today but it was more than enough to supply the resources needed. He had an idea for a great weapon that he found in documents from earth. A weapon whose power was enough to shatter walls, make armor useless, and strike at the same range as a bow shot with greater accuracy.
"This is going to be glorious." He said to himself.
"It is not just Moon who is a threat anymore, another group of Monster rebels led by one named Silvicar is raiding our lands look for processed steel for some sort of project." The cloaked figure in the second mirror said in a whispery voice.
"We have no time to deal with him, are the plans complete for suppressing the common folk." The cloaked figure in the first mirror spoke in an older woman's voice.
"Yes but we may have some complications, Moon has just announced that Mewman soldiers can switch over to her side now without question. This may seem good in terms of spying but the men we could lose and they could gain will easily outweigh any advantage." The cloaked figure not in a mirror spoke in a melodic voice.
The first figure spoke up again. "Well we have to stop that, fortunately there is precedent on what we should do…