Book 3, Chapter 6
Disclaimer: I don't own any known characters/places of Redwall or MLP. I do own Shooting Star, Colonel Ashpaw the Brave, Braveheart, Princess Rosethrone, and Storm Breeze
Daylight came, and Martin the Warrior was about to lead the final battle against Princess Rosethrone's forces. The warrior mouse looked over all his fighters, in ways it reminded him about his own past when it came to liberating others from villians like Princess Rosethrone. From Hares, Shrews, Otters, Hedgehogs, to shape shifting Changelings, Hypogriphs, Griffons, Yaks and Dragons all fighting together, it made no difference to what he would lead to overcome evil. He cast one last look over the combined army "Everyone! This is the final battle, time to fully liberate Equestria from Princess Rosethrone's hooves! Our job is to recapture Canterlot castle while Shooting Star will focus on finding Rosethrone and facing her in one-on-one combat! Come on mates, let's get to work!"
"EULIA!" was the response.
Without any other words mentioned the huge united army marched off.
Shooting Star watched Martin the Warrior take the army the take Canterlot Castle. Shooting Star's mind was set on one thing and one thing only taking out Princess Rosethone. The quicker he could take her out the more her forces would lose all hope and retreat all on their own. He was still in his Dragon Armor, his sharpened hoof blades that he had spent nearly all night long sharpening were attached to his hooves and his bow and with his quiver of arrows were attached to his back. Too anypony watching he looked every image of a warrior going off into what could be his last battle ever against a powerful foe. This was his moment, finally he was going to be able to settle the score and achieve what his destiny was to be, defeating Princess Rosethrone. Once everypony and every creature left Shooting Star climbed onto a limb of a tree hidden among the leaves as he waits for his moment to confront Princess Rosethrone.
Princess Rosethrone was already up and was waiting for Shooting Star's army to arrive, and arrive the army did. She made them out arising her forces coming towards Canterlot castle fast. She turned to Ripfang as the rat captain quivered at her sights "You are going to be in charge of this defense captain. Don't let them take this castle. Use every trick in the book that you can think of. Castle Canterlot must not fall to Shooting Star's hooves."
"What about your one-on-one fight with Shooting Star?" Ripfang asked her.
"Malagor's got my back captain" Rosethrone told him "Just focus on defending this castle, until my return."
"Of course your highness!" Ripfang said.
Ripfang ran about gathering the defenders "Everybeast onto the battlements, our foes approach and make sure you are all spaced about! I don't want a repeat of what they did last night!"
Rosethrone watches her forces lead by Ripfang fan out obeying his orders. Her anger never left her as she looks for Shooting Star, her one true foe had turned this tide of the war. She had been so close to victory in the beginning and now Shooting Star had turned this war in his favor. She was so close yet time and time again Shooting Star prevailed against her efforts to take him as her prisoner and the Castle of the Two Sisters also eluded her efforts mostly thanks to Shooting Star's original army the Long Patrol. Now there was one solution to this problem, eliminate Shooting Star once and for all! As if by magic, Princess Rosethrone and Shooting Star from his positions made eye contact at each other from afar. Both knew what was at stake, the fate of Equestria! Without haste she spreads her wings and flew towards Shooting Star.
Down below Martin with the united army arrived with Ripfang sneering out "Back again mouse?"
Martin's voice was loud and clear "Oh we are back Ripfang! And this time, we are here to take Canterlot!"
"Ya not gonna get in like you did last time to free Rosethrone's subjects!"
"Which means you have no shields to hide behind coward!"
"No, one calls me a coward mouse!"
Martin drew his sword pointing it at Ripfang "All you've done is retreat when the going went against you. We will not! Back down now and you have my vow as a warrior we won't pursue you to the bitter end!"
"And if we don't?!"
Martin's voice answered him leaving the rat trembling at the warrior mouse's words "Then you and all that will still be with you by the time we come in will all be slain! You have our oath on that too!"
Ripfang tried to keep himself in control, he needed to have a light head otherwise this mouse would take that to his advantage "You will not get this castle! We won't back down!"
"Then the battle begins!"
"Indeed rat! Come on mates one last time!"
This was united with "Eulia!"
This was countered by Ripfang and Rosethrone's forces "For Rosethrone Kill ALL!"
While the battle for Canterlot was unfolding, Princess Rosethrone was searching for Shooting Star. Shooting Star himself had led her far away from Canterlot in order to maximize his forces from winning the final battle. Sure she maybe unpredictable when angered, no telling what an evil Alicorn like Princess Rosethrone would do, but he could do one thing lure her away from her forces and divert her whole attention towards him when like this. He had chosen a cliffside with Princess Rosethrone landing just a few inches away from him "SHOOTING STAR!"
"Princess Rosethrone" Shooting Star said watching her "Today you answer for your crimes you have committed, not only on our own kind, but for all other creatures that live in Equestia."
"You have tormented me so many times Shooting Star!" Rosethrone said glaring at him "You and your sister managed to get away from me yet Darkwing and Limestone failed in eliminating you and your sister. My only mistake was allowing you to live all your young life at Salmandestron! Today I'll correct my mistake!"
"You would've never conquered Salmandestron ether even if you had tried" Shooting Star warned her "Yet, I doubt you'll be able to correct your mistake, but one shall stand Rosethrone, and one shall fall."
"Why must you heroic warriors risk your lives so recklessly Shooting Star?!"
Shooting Star's calm demeanor didn't change as he spoke out "That's a question you should ask yourself 'Princess'"
This irritated her being addressed the way he said princess in that way as if to mock her "NOOOOOOO! I shall crush you with my bare hooves!"
Without haste she charged him at nearly impossible speeds that no other warrior besides him or Martin could possibly foresee coming. At the last possible second he raised his own hooves catching her charge headlong. The force of Rosethrone's charge sent the two above the cliff luckily for both combatants they were both able to fly above the cliff! Shooting Star quickly gives her an uppercut with his bare hooves just like his boxing hare teachers taught him. This surprised Princess Rosethrone as she had taken his uppercut right in the nose then he whirled about and lashed out a kick to her chest sending her crashing onto her back. Despite having a sever bloody nose Princess Rosethrone gets back up glaring at her foe clearly not expecting him to score blows on her without a weapon. Her horn glows as from the cliffside she is able to sprout small root like vines that shoot out from the cliff wrapping themselves around Shooting Star's hooves and sent him crashing into the ground with Princess Rosethrone now standing above the cliff glaring down at him with eyes that promised that she'd slay him if given the chance.
Turns out, Dragon Lord Torch was correct about that Dragon Armor, Shooting Star wore, it did protect him from Rosethrone's magic but that didn't mean she couldn't still throw him with what she had just done. The moment Princess Rosethrone noticed that her magic wouldn't be as useful against Shooting Star at least early on in this battle, she had to still be on her hooves and be ready for anything Shooting Star could deliver, eventually even she knew the armor would be overpowered even by her magic plus what Shooting Star didn't know, she was very crafty with her magic. From beneath the cliff, Shooting Star spreads his wings and took off towards her. Princess Rosethrone kept her gaze upon him as her magic summoned up multiple red plant like circles around the battlefield with her red eyes watching him like a hawk. Shooting Star armed himself with one of his arrows channeling in lightning. He kept his calm manner even as the red circles shot plant like vines and plant like lightning at him. Shooting Star just had enough time to shoot the arrow at Princess Rosethrone's chest as the vines wrapped around him once more. The arrow strikes Princess Rosethrone right in her chest but her golden armored chest prevented the arrow from sinking in deep, but not the electric surge that coursed through her body just as Shooting Star was able to break his front hooves free and negate Rosethrone's own magical plant lightning with his own hoof blades.
She glares at him arrow still stuck in the center of her chest armor "This has just started Shooting Star!"
"For once I agree" Shooting Star admitted as he came at her once he freed his back hooves with his hoof blades.
She watches him blasting at him several more times. Each time he avoids her attack flying straight into the air then he regrouped and dove for her with intense speed. Princess Rosethrone watched him then just as he came close towards as into range where he'd might strike her with his hoof blades she summoned up a red throne like barrier. He slams into it at full force stunned a bit. This is when Princess Rosethrone saw an opening and unleashed a spell at point blank range that sent thorn like vines into her opponent. Despite the Dragon Armor holding and preventing any more serious damage this time her spell worked. Shooting Star stood impaled in three separate holes in his armor including in his neck where Rosethrone once she noticed that placement knew he was vulnerable. With her horn glowing red she managed to now grip him around his neck and she tried to snap his neck but Shooting Star wasn't going out like that. He timed it right then kicked out at her with his rear hooves striking her in the chest which pushed the arrow deeper into her chest and this time it struck her damaging her chest! This caused her to release him. Princess Rosethrone took a bit more time to recover from the arrow now having sunk deeper into her chest. Shooting Star boldly ignored the wounds she had inflicted on him and advanced on her hoof blades drawn. Princess Rosethrone now recovered now using her magic to form a sword blade of her own and she clashed it against Shooting Star's two hoof blades.
The two clashed more but this time things turned in favor of Shooting Star! With each mighty clash he begins to back the evil Princess back a bit with each strike of his blades. Then finally with one more clash, Shooting Star's hoof blades destroyed the magical sword of Princess Rosethrone and was backing her backwards. Shooting Star presses on his attack and she tries to form her magical thorn barrier. He smartly watches her calmly and backs away not going to fall for it again. This caused her to briefly bring down her barrier and she blasts him once more this time nailing him with her spell as she got him in the chest sending him flat onto his back and almost over the edge of the cliff. Despite this Shooting Star shot at her like an arrow. For a third time she summoned up her barrier but this time, Shooting Star put what a normal Pegasus could do to the extreme test! Flying fast around Princess Rosethone with insane speeds. He continued to fly quick laps around her till he became a blur. Then he unleashed a tornado which due to him being a Warrior Pegasus was much worse than any normal Pegasus Pony. In fact the strong winds in this tornado was destroying Princess Rosethrone's barrier as well as damaging her even inside the barrier. Princess Rosethrone felt the winds striking her body she builds up magical pressure to destroy the tornado but then she felt something else, and that was Shooting Star's hoof blades finding her body so far though these were just scratches but this gave her enough time to build up her magic and unleash it destroying the tornado as well as sending Shooting Star slamming into the ground right on his back but not before he actually managed to cut her deep so deep that he managed to remove her golden chest armor. Shooting Star gets back up quickly but Rosethrone's injuries were starting to slow her down she couldn't believe herself how strong Shooting Star truly was. He was actually going toe-to-toe with her when no other pony not even the two Princesses Celestia and Luna were unable to! Both combatants stared at each other their injuries showing as they breathed in and out at the same time.
"What is it with you warriors fighting like this?" Rosethrone demanded "Why can't you just fall over and die!"
"Warriors such as myself and Martin fight for all creatures that want peace! Evil beasts such as yourself and your adopted father will never completely overcome those that fight to bring peace to their lands."
"Even if it means such foolish warriors die that way?!"
"A true warrior fears nothing, not even death" Shooting Star answered her "Defeating evil is what we fight for, and as long as such noble heroes like me and Martin the Warrior exists...Evil will perish."
"Then I will make sure to END that cycle!"
Shooting Star remained quiet watching her determined to end her reign of terror "The only cycle that'll end is yours!"
Anger swelled within her just as much as Luna's had when she fought her and Celestia two against one, but instead of letting this overtake her just as it had done to Princess Luna she remembered to keep her anger in check. With her horn glowing red she rapidly fired blasts at him as if her horn were a machine gun.
Shooting Star started to deflect some of the blasts with his hoof blades but eventually the rapid firing blasts were starting to overtake his defenses at least when it came to deflecting the blasts till ten found him well found his dragon armor which once more prevented any damage to him until three more blasts strike him in the holes he had in it which did send him back watching his opponent. Princess Rosethrone advanced on her foe and this time she charged him. The two clashed till both were standing on their rear hooves with Rosethorne somehow having enough strength to bulldoze her foe into a tree causing it to topple over and fall off the cliff! Shooting Star could hear the THUD as the tree landed upside down with it's roots pointing at him. Princess Rosethrone attempted to overpower him some more but once more he caught her across her chest with a joint uppercut cracking a few ribs as he did so. Then he spun around and gave her a kick from his rear hooves cracking more ribs as he forced her backwards landing harshly on her back. Then once more he advanced without giving her time to form a barrier. Princess Rosethrone weaves in and out of his strikes as now it was her turn to do what she could to try to avoid being cut down.
Malagor had been watching the fight having a net in hand ready to drop it on him if things like they did now looked highly in Shooting Star's favor. Braveheart whom had snuck off to prove himself saw the Griffon Mercenary leader preparing to do so. Now he didn't have wings like Storm Breeze had but he had to try to do something. So he managed to climb a tree very carefully, then he jumped towards the Griffon mercenary leader. Malagor wasn't expecting this as Braveheart leaped onto him taking him by surprise so much that he dropped the net a moment too early and not over Shooting Star. The colt's momentium carried the Griffon causing Malagor to hit a boulder. Thinking fast Braveheart leaped off of Malagor and onto a tree when the boulder came lose smacking Malagor sending him plummeting to the ground and it was a LONG fall down then there was a CRUNCH! As the Griffon Mercenary Leader landed on the ground CRUSHED beneath the boulder never to rise again.
"Malagor!" Princess Rosethrone shouted seeing this.
Shooting Star looked at her "Trying to pull a fast one on me just like your adopted father tried on my own adopted father Lord Brocktree, and likewise it failed."
"I'll execute that colt for betraying me!"
"I won't let you put your magic on him" Shooting Star said as he was upon her once more.
She spreads her own wings and takes to the sky summoning up several more plant lightning spheres.
Once more Shooting Star was forced to try to deflect the lightning with his hoof blades just as Princess Luna had taught him but this time two lightning blasts strike him, now thanks to his Dragon Armor the spell didn't do much damage but it did manage to taze him! Giving her time to summon up vines from underground wrapping themselves around him "Gotcha!"
With her vines trapping her opponent and her horn glowing the vines started to conduct electricity actually now electrocuting Shooting Star. He stumbles a bit shocked till he drops.
"Is that all you got Shooting Star?" Princess Rosethrone demanded walking over towards him "Now that I've got you, you will die!"
Shooting Star used his hoof blades to free himself then at a very quick pace slashed out at her piercing her in the chest causing her to gasp. Both combatants took three steps back gasping for breathe. Princess Rosethrone's horn glows red as she formed a giant spell going to end it right here and now with Shooting Star now attaching an arrow. Princess Rosethrone struck first firing a huge beam of red magical energy that struck Shooting Star like a tsunami wave. Shooting Star was struck by the attack and thanks to his Dragon Armor half of the spell was negated allowing him to stand but this type of attack was too much for the Dragon Armor to fully withstand causing him intense pain as the wave hit him. Luckily he was able to withstand it long enough to fire his own arrow somehow managing to get Princess Rosethrone in her wings preventing her from being able to fly! Only once her huge red magical beam finished did Shooting Star fall to the ground again.
"That should've done it! What do you think of that move foolish Warrior Pegasus!" Princess Rosethrone said triumphantly as Shooting Star didn't appear to move. Then it happened as Shooting Star managed to get onto his legs staring at her for once scaring her! No matter what she gave him he was still able to withstand ANYTHING she sent at him plus he wasn't backing down!
Shooting Star took the time to notice that his arrow did strike her in one of her wings her right wing, this in theory should've made it impossible for her to fly. He then put a plan into action coming at her once more intending to trap her in another tornado.
"That won't help you this time!" Princess Rosethrone declared "I survived your first one and it won't catch me off guard again!"
Shooting Star proceeds with his plan swarming around her "I know that!"
This struck her dumbfounded as she couldn't comprehend what Shooting Star had in mind. He proceeds as normal flying faster and faster. Instead of a tornado though he began making hurricane force winds something she hadn't been prepared for, especially when he began mixing in lightning and rain into the mix. The intense winds caused Princess Rosethrone to attempt to bring up her wings but with one broken due to the arrow in it, she wasn't able to lift off as the winds actually ripped both of her wings off but this was only the beginning as Shooting Star trapped her within the hurricane he created, lightning flashed landing on her, winds howled and she got completely drenched. She attempts to use magic to preform a barrier but a lightning bolt strikes her in the horn blowing it off then Shooting Star saw his final chance gathering in the last amount of his strength he flew at such a high speed he would've made Rainbow Dash proud then he shot through his own hurricane as if he were an arrow himself readying his Hoof blades and strikes earning a gasp of surprise as he cut right through his opponent landing on the ground clutching his own injuries as the hurricane died down immediately. Princess Rosethrone stood but then CLUNK! Her body was split in half, Princess Rosethrone would never again haunt Equestria, her reign of terror was ended. Shooting Star stood upright but then kneels losing consciousness.
End of chapter
Sorry this was way late but it's up now! Shooting Star has taken out Princess Rosethrone, but Shooting Star has become unconscious! There is one more chapter before the epilogue so look forward to it Book 3, Chapter 7