Chapter 20 B: The last Resort
Word of what was to come and Yuko's decision spread like wildfire across the island, frightening all that heard or read the message. It was estimated that within six weeks that Death Fire's army would arrive to their land and that those that couldn't fight were advised to leave immediately. Woman and children were escorted off the island within the first two weeks as those that stayed behind trained and prepared. Darkness and depression fell upon many of those left behind, knowing that they would perish in the battle to come, yet they stayed and continued to prepare.
The third week soon came, and hope faded day by day as Yuko tained more wolves to fight. Up until this point, the elements of harmony were told nothing and that an invasion wasn't inevitable. Celestia, of all ponies, had to be the one to tell them the truth. In most cases, the truth isn't what many want to hear, they want to know that everything was going to be fine and work out. The truth was, there wasn't much she or anyone else could do. Celestia didn't want to believe it or even show it, but she knew deep inside that she was going to lose no matter what she tried. Her nightmare from before confirmed their fall as she witnessed it again and again each night that passed. She was falling apart from the inside and all that was left was for someone to push her over the edge finally break her after so many years.
"And that is why you can not fight in this battle." Celestia finished, looking right at the five colorful mares before her.
"We can't do that, princess. If we're going to go out we're going out together." Applejack stated with pride.
"You don't get it do you!" Celestia shouted. "If you are killed in this fight then it's over….and they win."
"So we should just hide and be cowards!" Rainbow yelled. "I don't care who we are, we're going to fight."
"But you can't, that's the point." Celestia declared before plummeting into sadness. "You're not fighters...you're ponies...you haven't been in a real war before. This isn't like fighting Nightmare Moon, this isn't stopping Discord...this is war. They will kill you if they get the chance, not play games or tell jokes. This is why you can't help."
"Princess...with all due respect, we've almost been killed many times. Why is this so different?" Rarity asked.
"Have you not seen fire fall from the sky, consuming all that it touches? Have you not seen their stick that cast out fire, or their horseless carriages that screech like demons?" Celestia asked. "They aren't the ponies that you have fought before, they aren't the ponies that Dark Fire sent to capture you. They are real soldiers, and they will stop at nothing until they see you dead. Please, listen to me...you must leave before it's too late."
"You know we won't do that, Celestia." Rainbow stated. "Right girls."
They all nodded slowly but surely. Even though they had decided to stay, they were still afraid of what was to happen.
"We're staying, whether you like it or not." Pinkie said.
Celestia closed her eyes and turned her head, knowing she couldn't say them otherwise.
"If that is what you choose, then I can't stop you..." She whispered, turning to leave. "Fate has already decided that for us…"
The dim lights came on in a small dark room the size of a college dorm as a holographic map of the island was displayed on the wall. As Death Fire sipped on some hot milk in the dark, Desolent looked out the window to see fish swimming by before a shark chased them away.
"What did you call this thing again?"
"A submarine…" Death Fire said, repeating himself for the third time. "Get with the times, Desolent, we haven't advanced in tech in over 5,000 years."
"We use magic to do everything, we have no need for this."
"Really now, you didn't seem to think so when you used that reclining massage chair." Death Fire smirked.
"I was...trying it out…that's all."
"Admit it, Desolent, my empire is better than yours."
"How does having a chair prove your superior?! At least my people don't starve to death."
"What people, your people are all mindless idiots."
"That makes two of us."
Death Fire rolled his eyes as he drank more milk, looking out the window and taking a deep sigh.
"You guys hungry?" Death Fire asked casually.
"Are you kidding right now." Desolent asked rudely. "First you act like a heartless tyrant and now you're nice to us? Tell me, when are you going to try to kill us?"
"Kill you...why would I do that?" Death fire asked.
Desolent gave him a dead panned face.
"Let me rephrase my last statement. You poisoned my drink three time, filled my room with toxic gas, and then tried to shoot me on "Accident" with an incendiary round. So let me ask again...when are you going to TRY to kill us."
"I have no idea what you are talking about." Death Fire started, acting innocent. "Here, let me get a drink for you."
Death Fire got up and left the room, leaving Desolent alone with Ntwi.
"He's going to put cyanide in it again and be all surprised when it fails as usual. Poison doesn't work on necromancers."
"Well what can you say Desolent, he's an idiot." Ntwi said, leaning back in her chair. "He'll keep trying no matter how many times we see his schemes. I suggested we just all shut up but you two keep going off at each other everyone two minutes."
Ntwi looked out window, enjoying the scenery.
"So what has he tried on you then, oh great one." Desolent mocked, propping his hind-legs on the table.
"Well he some how knows what my favorite drink is, so he keeps asking me if I want some of it. He literally shakes the glass around with his magic as the ice just clanks in the drink. I find it annoying..he also pretended to hit on me with flowers. He gave me them, turns out there was a nitrogen bomb in one of the flowers. Just stupid stuff he does I guess."
"He gave you a bomb...all I get is poison or gas. I have the feeling he's choosing favorites." Desolent remarked. "Then again, why should I care what he tried, they will all fail like before."
"Yep, also he's an idiot to think I'd actually fall for him" NTwi laughed. "I don't know why my real self loved Night Shadow, but I don't see why he's hot. I guess it's cause Night Shadow was good or something like that, But I don't pay attention to that stuff anyways." Ntwi turned and walks to the table. "I'm more focused on how long this will go on really."
"You have mentioning love or falling for him before, why are you bothering with such a silly emotion. Love has helped none of us so why do you act like stallions should love you. You are the only one that can't see that love is useless."
"Well Desolent, I'm still a mare. So what's wrong with me having the thoughts of love every once and a while? I was gonna say you're better looking than him anyway, but considering that you hate me and my normal self the chances are slim considering my normal self is "dead."
She reaches for a glass of sweet tea and looks into the glass.
"You control an empire and one fourth of world, you have no need for it. Stallions will only fear you and hate you, it's pointless." Desolent commented. "Focus on the real things in this life rather than fantasy, or is that all mares can do."
"Well I mean, I don't see how stallions would fear me. I mean if you look at this way, you're supposed to be feared to, yet your wife is still with you. Am I correct?" She set the glass down and used her magic to lift the ice out of it. "Desolent take a look at the ice for me please" She said, hovering it to his face.
"Why should I listen to you?" Desolent retorted.
"Because the ice is full of acid and has a tiny time bomb. It's frozen, but when it bursts acid will fly everywhere."
"He would sink the...whatever he called it with that. Is he losing it or are we being paranoid?" Desolent asked.
"Well put it like this, I suspect if he heard us screaming from the acid, he would leave it before this thing sinks. Who's to say he doesn't have his ear to the door right now."
Desolent snatched the icecube and walked out the door so fast that Ntwi was still talking before she realised he left.
"And that's how you fool the weak minded." She said, taking his spot.
She yawned and looks out the window again.
"The ocean is very nice though, it's so close yet so far...almost like...freedom."
Several seconds later, Death Fire walked in, holding a plate on his back with what looked like bbq ribs.
"What are you looking at." He asked abruptly before seeing one of his guards float by outside the window. "What the..."
Desolent then walked in and took Death Fire's seat before he could sit down.
"That." Desolent said, pointing out the window. "Is your fault. Ntwi."
"You're saying it was mua?" Ntwi asked.
"Who cares, I have ribs." Death Fire said, slamming the plate on the table. "You guys can eat it or leave it, either way, it's going to end up stomach." He said with a wicked smirk.
"Who was it this time?" Desolent asked.
Death Fire was left confused.
"Explain."
"Who pissed you off so much that you turned him into a pile of meat." Desolent asked, being more clear.
"I...uhh...no one?" Death Fire said awkwardly.
"Who?" Desolent asked again.
"...the cook."
"You stupid *#( !" Desolent screamed. "What am I going to eat now!"
"...Some ribs."
Desolent then attempted to rub his face off with his hooves, not being very successful.
"So what now?" Ntwi asked, kicking back and looking around. "This is getting boring."
"We discuss what we are going to do." Death Fire said with his mouth full. "Any suggestions?"
"Well maybe you two could take baths for once, since we are surrounded by water." She chuckled
"Or maybe I should put you in a torpedo and shoot you at something as idiotic as you are." Death Fire said, muffled by his stuffed mouth.
"You make a good comedian Death Fire" She claps her hoofs slowly "Nah your still dump."
"Go right ahead, insult me, I get more power anyways." Death Fire stated.
"Do we have a plan or not?" Desolent asked.
"Yes...sort of."
"Ok, what is it?"
"We go in...and kill them!"
"Is that seriously-
"Slowly, don't forget slowly."
Desolent slammed his head into the table, wondering why he was still here.
"How did you two take over most of the planet..."
"Well, I'm smart. That's all really." Ntwi remarked.
"Let me eat first, then we will talk about it." Death Fire said, stuffing more food into his mouth.
"Make it quick." Desolent whispered.
Several minutes passed as Death Fire stuffed his face while Ntwi and Desolent watched in disgust.
"ARE YOU DONE YET?!" Desolent yelled.
Death Fire belched loudly, licking his lips as he rubbed his stomach.
"That was a good cook..."
"THAT'S IT, I'M GOING TO MY ROOM!"
"Wait, let me eat dessert then we can-
Desolent slammed the door behind him, storming off angrily. Meanwhile, Ntwi whipped off some meat from her face.
"I believe we are done here."
Ntwi got up and walked to her bedroom, closing the door behind her.
"You two have no patience do you..." Death Fire commented under his breath.
"Death Fire, we have touch down on dry land and our ships are currently docking on the island. We are ahead of schedule." The intercom informed as Death Fire relaxed in his seat and closed his eyes.
"It's about time…"
"Any orders?"
"keep moving until we arrive, stop only when the men need to sleep. Four to five hours at most, no more."
"Sir...how do you expect them to march for twenty hours and only rest for four? They simply don't have the-
"I don't care what it takes, they can rest once we have won. Is that clear?!" He said, reopening his eyes.
"But we are already three days ahead, they need to rest."
"That is not for you to decide. You have my order so carry it out."
"And what of the elements of disharmony, what of their fate?"
"The same as everyone else...broken and devoid of all hope."
Ten days pass.
Several wolves lied beneath the snow, waiting for a wandering deer, elk, or even rabbit to wander by so they could bring food back to the city. They were one of many packs that searched and hunted for food, so waiting to them was just part of the hunt or job as others would put it. Then a glimmer of luck occurred. Three large elk appeared over the horizon, grazing the ground for any sort of food they could find as they wondered dangerously close to the trap. Just when they were about to jump, the elk were suddenly startled by a loud bang and took off before the wolves could react.
"What was that?" One of the wolves asked.
The loud bang occurred again, this time louder than before and coming closer.
"I'm going to find out." The leader declared, shaking the snow off of his fur.
He ran up a small hill and looked down below from a cliff, realizing what the noise was.
"That's…impossible…."
As the others joined him, all the see could see for miles was a massive army camped out below the large cliff side. Thousands upon thousands of tents could be seen and hundreds of camp fires lit up the area like lava in the night. They were outnumbered and outgunned, only now did he realize what that meant.
"We have to tell Yuko, they are only forty miles away from Wolfshire."
"But they shouldn't be here until two weeks from now."
"Correct, a scary thought but we might be able to use it to our advantage."
"How?"
"They have traveled all this way, probably resting only for a couple hours at a time. When they reach us they will be exhausted from travel while we will have the rest we need."
"You really think seventy-thousand can stand up to a million?"
"Numbers does not always guarantee victory...although...it certainly does help. Gather your things, we need to warn the others immediately."
"The enemy now rests on our doorstep and this very well might be our last night together, but that doesn't mean it's over." Yuko stated as he stood before hundreds of wolves. "It only means the beginning."
Celestia used her magic to transmit Yoku's message to all of the wolves in the city, ensuring they all heard his voice and the things he would have to say.
"The enemy has arrived early...two weeks ahead of time to be exact. But we have prepared for this battle for many days and I have confidence of your skills as well as your abilities. Remember, we know more about them then they know of us and we have studied their tactics and strategies. They think brute force alone will win them victory each time...well...it's time to prove them wrong through this fight. But do not think you will be fighting alone.
You will fight along fathers and brothers of different packs and perhaps previous rivals or enemies, but you know who the real enemy is now. Those grudges you have held before end today, those that you have despised will be forgiven...we will fight as one pack as we were meant to be. Together we stand as seventy-thousand, willing to give our lives for a second chance at hope...and they stand at one million battle ready murderers. No one said it would be easy, so let's not act like like it and except the facts. The thought of tomorrow is indeed a frightening one and our loved ones aren't here to comfort us, so I ask this of you, as our last day together, to spend time with those you hold dear and try to rest while you can.
I also thank you for staying with us till the end…our courage and bravery will be remembered by our children and loved ones. If all else...give it your all knowing you died for the right cause. With the blessings of both the sun and the moon, a bid you goodnight, it's been an honor."
Celestia's magic ceased as a tear flowed down her cheek before Yuko looked to Celestia with remorse.
"If you have any business you wish to take care of, now would be the time." Yuko whispered, staring down into the fire.
Celestia stood still for over five minutes before she slowly walked out into the cold. She witnessed some of the wolves roaming the streets just as slowly as she walked, feeling the same emotions as she did. Candle lights lit the streets as snow gentle fell around Celestia...and then there was silence. The same silence Celestia has heard over and over ever since she was born. The same silence that signaled darkness and despair and the same silence that represented her worst fear...being alone.
"Even after so many years, the pain has never ceased." Celestia whispered as she stared into the sky. "Why did you have to face him alone, Dad? You knew what would happen and you did it anyways. Why…"
Celestia shed more tears as she closed her eyes.
"I wasn't ready for this...I'm not the pony you think I am dad! I can't do it anymore! Why did you and mom have to leave me!"
The alicorn slowly opened her eyes, letting her tears fall onto the snow beneath her.
"I have tried everything to make this world better...I tried to make peace with them...but everytime I think I have finally done what was impossible...I lose someone I loved and everything returns to the way it was. The worst part is I can't bring them back...they're gone...gone with the wind and forgotten by time. Solaris...Blaze...Blue...Sapphirine...even Twilight...all gone and forgotten as if they meant nothing to this corrupted world.
They took everything we made...destroyed all the love my mom gave...why should I carry one...why was I chosen to be one of the last of our kind. All my decisions, all my actions have only lead to more war and death. Tell me...tell my why I was spared!"
As she yelled into the sky for one last time, a bright light flashed before her. With absolute shock she witnessed a gray mare in white robes smiling right at her.
"Come now, princess. You should know why by now."
"Who...who are you?"
"You never knew me in life...but I always loved what you would do for Equestria. Which is why I am here now, to tell you that what you think is far from reality."
"You're...a…
The pony laughed softly as she gazed at her.
"A Charade? You would be surprised how many called me that in life."
"But why?" Celestia asked, still overwhelmed by sadness.
"Because you have two loving ponies up there that still watch over you, just like I watch over my daughter and son. Only question you should ask now is why do you still think you're worthless."
The mare said, waiting for her response.
"Look around you...this is because of me. Why shouldn't I think this." Celesita asked.
"You living ponies always love to beat yourselves up don't you. I remember doing that oh so long ago."
"Then why are you here?"
"To tell you a massage from your parents. You are not alone...whenever you are happy, whenever you are in pain, whenever you wonder why, it doesn't matter...we are always there, right by your side. Know that no matter what happens, it's going to be ok. Maybe not at that moment, maybe not in several years, but it will be ok. And if you ever need us...we are only a call away…"
The mare slowly faded away, leaving Celestia alone but with new found confidence. Tomorrow might be the end, but she wasn't going to go out without a fight.
