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Organised by
RogerDodger
Word limit
400–750
Charge!
“I regret nothing!”
The ironclad pony climb over the trench wall and disappeared from sight as the entire platoon fell into stunned silence.
“Sweet Celestia, he just ran in,” Sergeant Swifthoof helpfully commented a second later.
And then there was a mad scramble for the wall.
“Stick to the plan!” Captain Shining Armor yelled, lifting his spear.
Two hoofholds later, he rolled onto the mud of the no pony’s land. Flashes of magic missiles whizzed by him. They erupted in brilliant sparks of multicolored light as they collided with the ground of churned mud and trampled grass. The volley had been sporadic—the majority were concentrated at Corporal White Rook, who was already fifty yards ahead.
The stallions around him quickly formed up into two echelons, one to either side. Two more stallions galloped to the sides of Shining Armor, forming the tip of the formation.
“Shields!”
Shining Armor lit his horn and his shield, a quarter-dome of half-inch translucent magic popped into existence in front of him. Off to the sides, his guardspony did the same and shields of a myriad of colors appeared. Barely a heartbeat later, magic fire which were still sporadic, bounced off them as they charged.
Another wave of multicolored missiles arrived, the enemies were cottoning on what they were attempting. Two stallions toppled into the mud as the magic blasts popped their shields in bright flashes. Goddesses damn it, White Rook!
Shining Armor’s mental cursing was cut short when an enormous crash broke him out of the reverie. Splintered logs and enemies alike were bowled into the air. Before the dust settled, erratic magic missiles lit up the enemy position.
“Fifty yards!” Sergeant Swifthoof, called out off to his right.
“Left and right echelons, break now!”
Digging large divots in the mud, Shining Armor put more speed into his gallop as his flanks moved off to the left and right, the echelons straightening and then extended, as though they were the enveloping arms of an angry bear crushing into the enemies’ flanks.
His horn lit, sending a pulse of magic into a surprised face of an enemy. A volley of magic blasts—this time from his platoon—shot forth, colliding in flashes and sparks and geysers of mud as they either found their mark or fell short.
Shining Armor now saw the damage White Rook had done. An entire section of the fort was smashed open. The magic volley from his platoon had reduced further into a facsimile of swiss cheese. Shining Armor, Swifthoof and a corporal dove into the breach, their spears up and ready.
Confused shouts echoed in the cramped hallways and trenches. Magic flashed, leaving afterimages in Shining Armor vision. A unicorn lunged with a spear raised, intent on skewering him. Shining blasted him in the face with a stun spell and the enemy crumpled in a heap at his hooves.
“Clear!” Swifthoof shouted.
Shining’s head swiveled, alert for any other movement. White Rook was nowhere in sight. However, the direction of the many fired magic bolts gave Shining Armor a clear idea where.
“Rookie’s dead ahead.”
The three-pony team moved quickly but cautiously, exiting into a small courtyard. More shouts came from their flanks but the shots cut off one after another. His platoon was bearing down on the fort. Shining Armor waved his team forward.
They broke into a gallop across the open space and into a building. Pausing at the entrance for a brief moment, Shining motioned and Swifthoof rushed into the building, the captain following in his wake. The room was empty.
“Clear!” Shining Armor called out.
“Hey Cap! I got it!”
Shining Armor’s head whipped around to the sight of White Rook, his armor more than a little worse for wear, waving a red colored flag. He scowled.
“Rookie, you are in so much trouble when we—”
“Captain!” Swifthoof shouted, pushing Shining onto the ground but it was too late.
A bright flash lit Shining’s vision and everything turned to black.
Consciousness slowly returned to Shining Armor. He groaned, pushing into a sitting position, only to be stopped by the hoof of an irate medic. Princess Cadance stood behind the mare fussing over him, a smirk on her face.
“Did we win?” he croaked.
Cadance simply smiled and hefted the red flag in her magic. Walking up to his side, she planted a kiss on his cheek.
“You did well out there, Shiny.”
The ironclad pony climb over the trench wall and disappeared from sight as the entire platoon fell into stunned silence.
“Sweet Celestia, he just ran in,” Sergeant Swifthoof helpfully commented a second later.
And then there was a mad scramble for the wall.
“Stick to the plan!” Captain Shining Armor yelled, lifting his spear.
Two hoofholds later, he rolled onto the mud of the no pony’s land. Flashes of magic missiles whizzed by him. They erupted in brilliant sparks of multicolored light as they collided with the ground of churned mud and trampled grass. The volley had been sporadic—the majority were concentrated at Corporal White Rook, who was already fifty yards ahead.
The stallions around him quickly formed up into two echelons, one to either side. Two more stallions galloped to the sides of Shining Armor, forming the tip of the formation.
“Shields!”
Shining Armor lit his horn and his shield, a quarter-dome of half-inch translucent magic popped into existence in front of him. Off to the sides, his guardspony did the same and shields of a myriad of colors appeared. Barely a heartbeat later, magic fire which were still sporadic, bounced off them as they charged.
Another wave of multicolored missiles arrived, the enemies were cottoning on what they were attempting. Two stallions toppled into the mud as the magic blasts popped their shields in bright flashes. Goddesses damn it, White Rook!
Shining Armor’s mental cursing was cut short when an enormous crash broke him out of the reverie. Splintered logs and enemies alike were bowled into the air. Before the dust settled, erratic magic missiles lit up the enemy position.
“Fifty yards!” Sergeant Swifthoof, called out off to his right.
“Left and right echelons, break now!”
Digging large divots in the mud, Shining Armor put more speed into his gallop as his flanks moved off to the left and right, the echelons straightening and then extended, as though they were the enveloping arms of an angry bear crushing into the enemies’ flanks.
His horn lit, sending a pulse of magic into a surprised face of an enemy. A volley of magic blasts—this time from his platoon—shot forth, colliding in flashes and sparks and geysers of mud as they either found their mark or fell short.
Shining Armor now saw the damage White Rook had done. An entire section of the fort was smashed open. The magic volley from his platoon had reduced further into a facsimile of swiss cheese. Shining Armor, Swifthoof and a corporal dove into the breach, their spears up and ready.
Confused shouts echoed in the cramped hallways and trenches. Magic flashed, leaving afterimages in Shining Armor vision. A unicorn lunged with a spear raised, intent on skewering him. Shining blasted him in the face with a stun spell and the enemy crumpled in a heap at his hooves.
“Clear!” Swifthoof shouted.
Shining’s head swiveled, alert for any other movement. White Rook was nowhere in sight. However, the direction of the many fired magic bolts gave Shining Armor a clear idea where.
“Rookie’s dead ahead.”
The three-pony team moved quickly but cautiously, exiting into a small courtyard. More shouts came from their flanks but the shots cut off one after another. His platoon was bearing down on the fort. Shining Armor waved his team forward.
They broke into a gallop across the open space and into a building. Pausing at the entrance for a brief moment, Shining motioned and Swifthoof rushed into the building, the captain following in his wake. The room was empty.
“Clear!” Shining Armor called out.
“Hey Cap! I got it!”
Shining Armor’s head whipped around to the sight of White Rook, his armor more than a little worse for wear, waving a red colored flag. He scowled.
“Rookie, you are in so much trouble when we—”
“Captain!” Swifthoof shouted, pushing Shining onto the ground but it was too late.
A bright flash lit Shining’s vision and everything turned to black.
Consciousness slowly returned to Shining Armor. He groaned, pushing into a sitting position, only to be stopped by the hoof of an irate medic. Princess Cadance stood behind the mare fussing over him, a smirk on her face.
“Did we win?” he croaked.
Cadance simply smiled and hefted the red flag in her magic. Walking up to his side, she planted a kiss on his cheek.
“You did well out there, Shiny.”