"Watch your nine!" Rainbow Dash yelled.
Percy barrol rolled to the left and sliced through the storm spirit charging toward them.
Rainbow Dash looked for the next threat, while Percy dove again toward the mountain and slashed through some ugly looking dogs that were throwing boulders at the ponys below. But thanks to Shining Armor, the unicorn's shield protected them. They had maybe made it halfway up the mountain. They had encountered heavy resistance and we're barely making ground. Percy and Rainbow Dash had been flying around, taking out whatever monsters they could, with Rainbow Dash as Percy's lookout. She had lost count of how many monsters Percy had taken out. It didn't seem to matter as they just kept coming. They had been at it for hours.
"Percy, let's touch down and get a breather." Rainbow Dash called out.
It was a testament to how tired Percy was when he didn't object. They landed behind the shield the unicorns held in place. On the other side, the monsters clambered against the shield, desperately clawing against it. "Perseus Jackson, we will give you a merciful death. Come and end the fight." They taunted.
"Shut up!" Percy grumbled. "I'll end the fight alright."
"Water express, coming through!" Pinkie Pie chanted as she bounced toward them and then promptly threw a bucket of water at Percy, drenching him.
"Thanks." Percy said rilely. But Rainbow Dash couldn't help but notice that he looked a little less tired.
"I don't know how much longer we can hold them!" Shining Armor said just as a claw broke though the shield and slashed at unicorn that fell immediately, crying out in pain. "Get him to the medic!" Shining Armor yelled as he strengthened the shield.
"Do what you can." Percy replied.
"We only have a few more hours of daylight. I'm not sure we can hold them during the night."
"Reinforcements will come. Just hold out a little longer." Percy encouraged them before taking to the sky again.
Rainbow Dash caught up to him. "What if they don't?" She questioned.
"They have to. She's never let me down." He sounded confident, maybe even delusional, but she thought she detected a note of worry.
She watched as Percy gathered the water Pinkie had thrown on him to draw his sword from his flank. He banked to the left and dove at the front line, killing as many monsters as he could. Rainbow Dash kept her eyes peeled for threats or weaknesses in the shield. Slowly, very slowly, they began to make progress as they climbed toward Canterlot. They had reached the outskirts of the town marked by several homes and businesses. The sun hung low in the sky. It looked as if it were clinging to every last inch, like a foal refusing to go to bed. Everypony was looking tired, none more so than Percy Jackson. Rainbow Dash did everything she could to support him, but she was limited in what she could do during this fight.
Percy dove again with Rainbow Dash right behind him, but this time, there was something different. The shield was pushing back against the monsters, there was cheering, and five monsters exploded in front of them before Percy's blade even touch them. She heard Percy laugh manically, "She's here! I told you she'd come!"
Rainbow Dash looked around wildly and saw Apple Jack, Flutter Shy, and Twilight Sparkle leading several unicorns to the front line. But she couldn't spot anyone else.
"Advance!" She heard Twilight yell.
Percy turned for another pass, leaving a trail of exploding golden dust behind him. They began to make good ground and we're halfway to the palace, when Rainbow Dash saw was a flash of fire by the palace.
"Percy!" Rainbow Dash called to get his attention. Percy stopped and looked at her. "There's something going on over there." Rainbow Dash pointed over to where she saw the fire.
Percy turned to look in the direction of the fire and his mouth dropped. Suddenly a ball of fire was launched into the air.
"That's new." Rainbow Dash said unconcerned. "Idiots. We can easily dodge it."
But Percy seemed very concerned and yelled, "No!" as he dove to the ground.
Rainbow Dash realized with a start that he was headed right into the trajectory of the giant fireball. "Percy! No!" She yelled, but it was too late. The fireball hit it's target, and there was an explosion that sent Rainbow Dash hurtling through the sky. But there was only one thing she could think of: He was gone. And the pain was more than she could bear.