Ch17 True Pain

Chapter 17
True Pain

                Princess Celestia stood and watched as the castle gate crumbled and General Roza and her troops stormed the front castle garden. Princess Celestia turned to her guard and spoke, “Line your archers at the castle doors. If the enemy soldiers break through then fire on them.”
“YOUR MAJESTY!!! LOOK OUT!!!”
At that moment Commander Orem landed on the edge of the balcony and smiled, “You must be the pony princess that I’ve heard so much about. Are you willing to surrender, or should I kill you now?”

                Princess Celestia glared at the intimidating griffon and replied, “You have some nerve to threaten me so lightly, why is the griffon king supporting the Nightmare Legion?”
“Beats me, his majesty said something about, helping the dog with a loose chain. But I digress. I may be going over Commander Bolt’s authority by doing this, but he wants this war to end today with as few casualties as possible, so either surrender now, or prepare to become one of the few casualties. Your choice, princess.”
“OVER MY DEAD BODY!!!”

                The guard in the room charged towards Commander Orem and swung his sword at him. Commander Orem blocked the attack with the outside of his gauntlet and threw a talon full of gunpowder in his face. The guard didn’t know what it was so he ignored the powder and attacked again. This time, to prevent himself from creating a spark, Commander Orem dodged the attack and using his open talon, he grabbed the guard by the throat. The guard tried to swing his sword again but Commander Orem grabbed the sword with the gauntlet and pulled it out of the guards hoof, throwing it off the balcony. Then he tossed a little more gunpowder on the guard’s body to coat his armor even more.

                Commander Orem smiled, “I admire your dedication to your princess, but it isn’t very wise for an earth pony to attack a griffon on a balcony.”
The guard struggled as he replied, “Disrespectful trash! I'm willing to give my life to protect the princess.”
“And so you shall.”
Commander Orem used his gauntlet to grab the earth pony by his chest, and tossed him off the balcony scraping the pony’s armor and igniting him as he fell from the tower.

                Commander Orem watched the falling pony until he hit the ground then he turned to Princess Celestia, “So where were w….”
While Commander Orem’s back was turned, Princess Celestia used her magic to toss a table from the center of the room knocking Commander Orem off the edge of the balcony. As Orem fell, he tried to fly but Princess Celestia continued using her magic to push him down with the table until he hit the ground, shattering the table on impact.  Commander Orem picked himself up off the ground and glared at Princess Celestia, who was glaring back at him from the balcony, “Alright princess, it’s over now!”

                Commander Orem opened his wings then cringed at an intense pain he felt on his right wing. Commander Orem looked at his wing and saw that it was double jointed, “Broken, that pathetic pony broke my wing!”
Commander Orem looked back at Princess Celestia and smiled, “Well played, these ponies are much tougher than I expected.”
Chief Rafi galloped up and spoke, “Commander, are you ok? I just saw you fall from that tower.”
Commander Orem replied, “Are any of your medics in the city, I need to splint my wing then I'll be fine to continue the battle.”
Chief Rafi replied, “What about your weapon?”

                Commander Orem looked at his gauntlet and realized the support ring in top was broken and most of the gauntlets parts where lying on the ground. He sighed, “I guess I'll have to fall back now. This is the second time I was beaten by a pony.”
Commander Orem looked at Chief Rafi and continued, “Chief will you support me back to the camp? I'm at a disadvantage right now.”
Chief Rafi Smiled, “Of course friend. Glad you could join us on the ground for once.”

                Back further into the city Commander Bolt, Captain Stone, Captain Snow and Lieutenant Viscous were galloping down a street with many large houses, while they ran Stone had to ask, “Commander you’re from Canterlot right? Exactly what is this part of the city?”
Commander Bolt yelled back, this is the noble district, anypony whose anypony lived here.”
Captain Stone yelled back to Snow, “Hey Snow, did you live here…”
there was no answer. Captain Stone turned her head and saw Captain Snow staring with horror at one of the mansions. Captain Stone stopped and yelled to Commander Bolt, “COMMANDER, WAIT!”

                Commander Bolt stopped galloping and turned around to see what was happening, “Snow! What’s going on?!”
Viscous stopped and yelled, “Snow, we don’t have time for your sh…”
“Calm down Viscous, I'll go see what the problem is.”
Commander Bolt approached Captain Snow, “Snow? What is it?”
Commander Bolt looked at the mansion that had captured Snows attention. The three-story manor was slowly burning, the third story had already collapsed onto the second, and in front of the mansion were a number of dead ponies who looked like they were servants, who tried and failed to run away to safety from the explosions. Commander Bolt looked at the plaque on the gate, it read, “Property of Frances Snow Junior and Son”

                Commander Bolt felt terrible to lead him down the path that his home sat on during this battle. He looked back at Captain Snow and spoke, “Frances I…”
Before Commander Bolt could finish his sentence, Captain Snow dropped his sword where he stood and began trotting back the gate. As he was trotting back, he started unhooking the straps to his armor letting it fall to the ground behind him until he wasn’t wearing anything, even his sheath and sword for which he valued more than anything, was left on the streets of Canterlot. Captain Snow continued trotting away without a word, or a change in expression. Commander Bolt didn’t stop him, he didn’t even say anything to him, he just turned back to Captain Stone and spoke, “Let’s go, Drib needs us.”
Captain Stone replied, “But what abou…”
“He’s lost to us… I'm not going to force him to continue… not after this… Let’s continue before something happens to Drib too.”
Viscous waited patiently as Commander Bolt and Captain Stone caught up to her then the three continued to the site that they saw Captain Drib Fall.

                Back at the Castle, Princess Celestia looked at her burning city in tears, “Why… why would you do this to your home dear sister, why would you force the ponies to suffer in this manner. Star Bolt… why are you allowing this madness to continue… why… why would…”
A guard approached her from behind, “Your majesty! Enemy forces are almost through the castle doors! I highly suggest you evacuate the castle! Please your majesty… I don’t want to witness you falling to the enemy… Please!”
Princess Celestia continued facing the city and closed her eyes, and with tears running down her face, she spoke, “I have no choice, I have to use the elements. I'm sorry Star Bolt; you leave me with no other options.”

                Princess Celestia Opened her eyes and turned to her guard, “Are the archers in place?”
The Guard replied, “Yes your majesty, all archers are lined in the main hall as you ordered, if they want to get anywhere close to here they have to enter that hall.”
Princess Celestia changer her tone and expression but her tears still fell as she replied, “Good, don’t let anypony through. I'll join you in a few minutes, I have to retrieve something first.”
The guard asked, “What is it that you are going to get your majesty?”
Princess Celestia trotted past her guard as she replied, “I'm going to get the Elements of Harmony. It’s time to put a stop to this, once and for all.”

                Back in the city, Commander Bolt and the other officers could hear screams of pain as they approached the area where Captain Drib fell. Their first reaction to the screams was of course to sprint to the building that it was coming from. Lying outside under a bunch of lumber that had fallen on him as he hit the ground was no other then Captain Drib, screaming in pain. As the burning lumber pinned the right side of his body down, Commander Bolt wasted no time, “Viscous! Pull that lumber off him! Stone help me drag him away from the fire!”
Viscous used her magic to lift the heavy lumber while both Commander Bolt and Captain Stone dragged him from the wreckage. After Viscous put the lumber back down, she looked at Captain Drib and gasped, “Dear Celestia, No.”

                Commander Bolt looked at Drib and was horrified. In his wing was a sharpened piece of lumber that not only pierced his wing but it was still burning. Captain Drib tried to talk between screams, “I'm… s-sorry commander… I'm sorry… I… I could, I'm… sorry Ardent. I'm falling… right I…”
Viscous was terrified, “WHAT IS HE SAYING!!! WHAT IS GOING ON!!! WHAT SHOULD…”
Commander Bolt interrupted her, “Viscous Calm Down! He is in shock! Quickly, Stone hold down the right side of his wing, I'll hold down the left. Viscous when I count to three, pull the steak out, how clear am I?”
Viscous replied, “Crystal sir!”

                Commander Bolt approached a nearby building, reached through the broken window and pulled out a part of the curtain. Then he returned to Drib and held down the left part of his right wing, “OK, one… two… THREE!!!”
Vicious used her magic to pull the burning steak out of Dribs wing and as soon as it was out Commander Bolt quickly wrapped his wing with the curtain he pulled from the nearby building. While Commander Bolt was tying the knot on the makeshift bandage, Drib grabbed his hoof, “We lost sir, we lost… this battle is over. We… we won’t…”
Commander Bolt looked him in the eye and spoke with a serious tone, “Drib, calm down, this isn’t the time to call it quits, you’re still alive so make better of it. That’s an order.”

                Captain Drib looked him in the eye and replied, “Why do you make it so hard to hate you?”
Commander Bolt smiled then turned to Lieutenant Viscous, “Viscous, I'm certain I don’t have to explain what I want you to do now.”
Lieutenant Viscous smiled, “Yes sir, I'll take him back to the camp and see that he gets patched up. Then I'll return to supp…”
“No! You will stay with him. His spirits will be high as long as you are in view. Stay by his side, he wouldn’t want it any other way.”

                Lieutenant Viscous smiled then put Drib on her back using her magic, “I understand sir… thank you.”
Captain Drib looked at Commander Bolt and spoke, “It was an honor fighting beside you Commander. Thank you for putting up with a joker like me.”
Commander Bolt Smiled, “It was an honor to call you friend, hot shot. I'll see you after the war ends.”
Captain Drib smiled, while Lieutenant Viscous trotted away carrying him. As she continued down the street, she turned her head and spoke softly to Captain Drib. “Now, it’s my turn to protect you, Callous.”

                Captain Stone and Commander Bolt galloped back to the castle gate, as she galloped Captain Stone noticed that there was something troubling Commander Bolt, so she spoke up, “Its ok sir.”
Commander Bolt replied as he continued on his path, “What? What are you talking about Stone?”
She continued, “I know that you’re worried about Drib, but don’t. Viscous can handle herself and as long as she is with him than she will have no problem making it back to camp.”
Commander Bolt falsely agreed, “Of course they will be, thanks Stone, I feel a little better about it now.”

                Captain Stone smiled thinking that she cheered him up, but she was far from it. It wasn’t what happened to Captain Drib alone that worried him, it’s what was going to happen next. He remembered that this situation, along with the rest had appeared to him in the dream with Commander Mist. First Nightmare Moon strangling the Celestial Commander at the battle under Cloudsdale, then the tower falling towards him in the residential district. Next were the mare and her colt cowering in the corner of the room at the Celestial Commanders home, and then Drib falling from the sky. Finally, Captain Snow dropping his sword in horror. He knew what was going to happen next but he couldn’t remember which order it would be in. all he could think about was that at one point Viscous was going to raise her axe to him and possibly attack him, or something would happen to make Stone cry, but what would that something be?

                The thought of the upcoming events only made him feel more worried than before, so he tried to put it to the back of his mind, “Stone, do you think we will win this battle?”
Captain Stone smiled and replied, “Of course we will. Why? Do you doubt yourself?”
Commander Bolt replied “Well sometimes I think…”
She tried to make a colt sounding voice as she interrupted, “When you doubt yourself, you only guarantee your failure.”
Commander Bolt looked back at her, “What was that?”
She giggled, “That was the phrase you told me a long time ago when you showed me how to draw a bow for the first time. Remember?”
Commander Bolt smiled, “How could I forget we got out there than you completely out showed me, I got to admit, I was impre…”
“SIR! WHAT’S GOING ON THERE!?!”
Commander Bolt looked forward to see Hooviet, zebra, and Nightmare forces retreating from the castle gate up ahead. Commander Bolt mumbled to himself, “What in Celestia's name?”

                Commander Bolt stopped a retreating Hooviet soldier, “YOU, why are you retreating? Where is General Roza?”
The soldier replied with fear in his eyes, “Commandant, My General… She is dead!”
“Dead?”
“Yes Commandant, dead. Vhen ve entered the castle, the Celestial Crusaders vaited for us to enter the main hall, then they hit us vith a storm of arrows. My general… vas hit four times before she fell, but she vas the only von of us, to kill von of the enemy archers before she fell. She vas a true leader.”
Commander Bolt lowered his head, “Roza… I'm sorry I didn’t make it back in time.”

                The soldier continued, “Then Princess Celestia came out of novear and used some kind of magical veapon on us.”
“Vea… Weapon?”
“Yes commandant, veapon, it didn’t kill anypony but every time she hit a pony vith it, it vould either knock then unconscious or trap them in a magical barrier. Either vay, ve have no vay of fighting it. vith my General gone, Ve will follow your order commandant. Vhat should ve do?”
Commander Bolt lowered his head to think about it. The only thing he knew of that was capable of such power, was the Elements of Harmony… but would she really use it?

                Captain Stone stepped forward, “Commander, whatever you decide… I'll follow you. No matter what.”
Commander Bolt looked into her eyes, he hesitated a few more seconds then looked away, and gave his order, “Stone… send up the arrow for a full scale retreat, I want all soldiers, Griffon, Zebra, Hooviet, and Nightmare to fall back and retreat immediately.”
Captain Stone replied, “Sir, Are you sure you wa…”
“JUST DO IT… Stone… just send the arrow.”
Captain Stone jumped back when Commander Bolt snapped at her; he usually never did that, especially to her, of all ponies. She replied. “Yes sir.”

                Captain Stone, shuffled through the arrows that Roza gave her then pulled one out with an orange cloth tied to it, and then she trotted to a burning building and used the fire to light the arrow. Once the cloth caught fire the cloth turned the fire into an orange color, then she turned and fired the arrow into the sky. Once that signal went up it was official, the Nightmare Legion and its support, was retreating from Canterlot. Back at the camp Nightmare Moon was watching the wounded soldiers and civilians leaving the city, and then she turned to Chief Rafi who was assisting his medics as they bandaged up Captain Drib, “How is he chief?”

                Chief Rafi Looked at Nightmare Moon and replied, “It does not look good Majesty, his burns be too deep to help and his wing, too damaged. We can save him, but at a price.”
Nightmare Moon nodded her head, “I see.”
Then she looked over at Lieutenant Viscous who was sitting close to him with tears in her eyes, “You there! Mare. Are you in love with this colt?”
Lieutenant Viscous didn’t hesitate at all, “Yes your majesty, I love him and I'll stay by his side until the end.”
Nightmare Moon was a little offended at the tone that Viscous replied with, but she understood what it felt like to have a strong bond with another so without showing any emotion she replied, “Then stay by his side and see that he gets better.”

                Lieutenant Viscous looked back at Nightmare Moon with surprise, “Uh… thank you your maj…”
“SIGNAL ARROW SPOTTED!!!”
Nightmare Moon turned around, smiled and called to the lookout, “It’s about time, I was gettin…”
When Nightmare Moon saw the color of the arrow, she became confused she knew what the blue arrow meant; it was the end of the battle. However, she had never seen the orange arrow before. She turned to the lookout who was watching the arrow through a telescope, “What is the meaning of this!?! Isn’t that arrow supposed to be blue? Why is it orange? What does orange mean?”
The lookout hesitated as he replied, “Your majesty… it means retreat.”
“Are the Celestial Crusaders retreating?”
“No your majesty… that arrows flight was red; it was a hooviet arrow meaning that our forces are retreating.”

                Nightmare Moon’s eyes started to glow in intense rage, “WHAT!!! WHY ARE WE RETREATING!?!”
The lookout was too scared to answer, so Nightmare Moon looked at the forces that were exiting the city. Then she grew worried, “Where is Commander Bolt? Does anypony see him?”
As she watched the city she became more worried with every soldier who left that wasn’t accompanying Commander Bolt, finally she turned to Commander Orem who was standing behind her, “Commander! Fly into the sky and retrieve Commander Bolt.”
“But your majesty, my wing is broken, I can’t fly.”
Nightmare Moon sneered at Commander Orem, “Useless griffon!”
She turned around and looked at the ponies around her, all were either to injured to fly or couldn’t fly to begin with. She turned back the to the city then spoke aloud, “Soldiers! We will wait for our commander’s return before we attempt to retreat from this point. If the blue arrow appears before Commander Bolt does, then and only then will we leave these grounds.”

                Back in the city, Commander Bolt and Captain Stone tried to direct soldiers and civilians alike to a safe passage out of the city. Commander Bolt was talking to one of the zebra medics, “Are all the wounded out of the castle?”
“All we could find commander, the rest were captured by Celestial Crusaders.”
Commander Bolt sighed, “You did all you could, go join your brothers back at the camp.”
“Yes, Commander.”
Captain Stone quickly moved beside Commander Bolt and pointed “Commander, I think it’s time to go.”

                Commander Bolt looked behind them and saw Princess Celestia approaching with a large number of archers; Princess Celestia was wearing some kind of strange crown that was giving off a pinkish light. As Princess Celestia continued, the crown shot off a pink beam that Commander Bolt was barely able to dodge, “Let’s go Stone, we can’t face her with that, quickly!”
Both Captain Stone and Commander Bolt jumped into the air and tried to fly out of the city all the while they were dodging both the beams from the crown, and the arrows from the archers. They serpentine threw the air trying their best to avoid each arrow.

                After they flew a few blocks away from where Celestia and her archers were standing Commander Bolt Herd a faint cry, the sound alone sent an unbelievable amount of worry through his chest, he turned his head to see Captain Stone falling to the ground, “NO!!! GEM!!!”
Commander Bolt quickly flew as fast as he could to catch her but she had already landed on a small fruit stand in the market district. Commander Bolt landed and sprinted to her side as fast as he could, “GEM! Oh no… no… no… Gem… are you alright!?! Say something!?!”
Captain Stone slowly opened her eyes and spoke very faintly, “I… I fell…”

                Commander Bolt looked at her side with increasing worry, “Gem… no…”
Right below her left wing was an arrow that hit her as she was flying. He had often dealt with arrow wounds, so he treated it as best as he could by breaking off the tip so that it was flush with her body then he tried moving her to scoop her onto his back with his wings. While he did this, Gem Stone tried to hold in her cries of pain as she spoke, “How… How does it look commander?”
Commander Bolt replied, “Its fine Gem, it makes you look distanced... don’t worry you will be back on your hooves in no time.”
As Commander Bolt rolled her onto his beck she replied, “Sir, you are by far the worst liar I have ever met, but I appreciate your sympathy… you should go on without me, comman…”
“Star Bolt… you of all ponies know my name, so I would appreciate it if you called me by it.”
Gem Stone smiled as she put her hooves around his neck to hold herself on his back, “Star Bolt, then that’s who you really are then… Star Bolt.”

                Commander Bolt could hear Celestial troops closing in, so he went into the alley as quickly and as carefully as he could trying not to make Gems wound worse. As he traveled Gem Stone asked, “Com… Star, do you remember the first time we met?”
Commander Bolt replied as he continued moving, “Which one? There was the time you tried to make me look stupid in front of the crowd in Cloudsdale, or the time I first saw you in that orphanage when we were both foals. Is that the one you were asking about?”
Gem Stone Smiled, “So you do remember… I'm glad. Do… do you think if you stayed there… do… you think we would have been… friends.”

                Commander Bolt tried to hide his tears as he replied to the question, “To be honest I often thought about that too. I never went to school, I was home schooled, so I never made any friends when I was little but, I think that we would have been inseparable. In fact I think for the longest time afterwards… even though I didn’t know you… you were my friend. You were the only other foal who smiled at me when I was little, even if it was because I smiled at you first.”
Commander Bolt could feel her grip around his neck tighten as she replied, “I'm… I'm so happy... I'm… I'm just… so happy you agree with me… I… I wish things could have been different back then… I really do… I wish… with all my heart.”

                Commander Bolt continued trying not to show the tears running down his face despite Gem’s tears resting on his back, “I wish things could have been different too. I made many terrible decisions in the past year that have caused nothing but harm to those around me, and I wish that I could change that but I don’t think there is any way I could make it up to the ponies of Equestria.”
Gem Stone nudged him, “There has got to be something you’re… proud of in the past year.”
Commander Bolt smiled and turned his head to see her out the corner of his eye, “I'm proud of you… helping you receive your Cutie Mark, showing you that the world isn’t as cold as you made it out to be.”

                Gem Stone blushed and smiled, “Very smooth Mr. Commander… but a little cheesy too.”
Commander Bolt smiled despite the tears rolling down his face, “Can’t blame a colt for trying… right.”
They came to the end of the alley so Commander Bolt looked very carefully into the street. He could see the damaged city wall on the other side of the plaza so he carefully looked around. The coast seemed clear so he continued as carefully as he could.as he was trotting Gem Stone told him, “Star… I'm… I'm feeling a little…”
Gems grip around his neck loosened until she finally rolled off his back and on to the ground. Commander Bolt immediately turned around and checked on her, “Gem! Oh no… Please Just hold on a little longer we are almost there, just a little further than we will be in the clear, but please… just hold out a little longer.”

                Gem Stone opened her eyes only half way then she replied, “I… I can’t… I…”
Commander Bolt dragged her body until she was in the shadow of the fountain in the center of the plaza, then he rushed over to grab what was left of the glass from a street lamp. Using the curve in the glass like a bowl, he scooped up some water, then he sat beside her and helped her up to drink from it. After she drank it she spoke to him, “Star… go. Go and leave me here. I'm only slowing you down.”
Commander Bolt replied as he started to tear up again, “Unless you come with me, I'm staying right here with you.”

                Gem Stone tried to convince him, “Star… You’re the commander of the Nightmare Legion’s armies; they need you more than I do. They can’t continue without a Commander.”
Commander Bolt looked her in the eyes as tears rolled down his face, “You’re my most trustworthy soldier, friend, and more, and a stallion can’t continue without a mare… I… I can’t continue without you… I… I love you Gem. It took me a war to figure it out… but, I love you with all my heart.”
Gem Stones face gave the biggest smile of relief and affection that Commander Bolt had ever seen, “I'm… I… I'm happy you feel that way… I Love you too, form the day I realized who you really were. I have always loved you. I wish things could have been better, but I won’t make it out of this Star…”

                The tears ran down Commander Bolts face as he interrupted her, “No Gem... this isn’t your last fight… your too strong for that… you’re going to make it out of here I promise… this isn’t how it’s going to end… this can’t be… I… I won’t accept it… I can’t accept it… you’re not leaving me now… you can’t I… I…”
Gem Stone Reached up and wiped the tears from his face, “You big foal.”
Gem put her hoof over his shoulder, pulled herself up, and kissed him. This was a kiss of true love, a kiss that was meant only for those who were meant for each other.

                 During this kiss, Commander Bolt closed his eyes and could see the way his life should have been, he saw himself waking up in the Everfree Forest right after the Lightning Orb. He saw himself being sent to an orphanage in Cloudsdale. He could see himself making friends with a lonely filly who was also an outcast. He could see himself leaving that orphanage with that filly by his side years later. Then he could he him spending the rest of his life with that mare, without regret, and completely happy. However, that happiness started to fade as Gem’s grip around his shoulder loosened and she slowly pulled away from that kiss.

                Commander Bolt opened his eyes in time to see the blue in her eyes as they closed, “I… Love… You… Star Bol…”
After her eyes closed for the last time, a lone tear rolled out of her left eye and down the side of her face, as her hoof went limp and fell off his shoulder. Commander Bolt held her close to him and started to cry out, “No… no… Gem no.. NO! GEM!!!”
He sat there crying his eyes out in the shadow of that fountain, holding onto the mare he loved with all his might as if it could bring her back to him. “It… it wasn’t supposed to end like this. Why… how… why did it have to be this way… why did she have to leave!!! Why does this always happen to me!!! Why… why… Gem…”
“DON’T MOVE!!!”

                Commander Bolt opened his eyes and looked up. Standing in front of him was a Celestial crusader with a spear pointed directly at his face. Commander Bolt looked around and realized that he was surrounded from all sided by Pike ponies, Swords ponies, Archers end even Pegasi hovering over him. The pike pony spoke again, “Commander Bolt of the Nightmare Legion, I hereby place you under arrest, for high treason, the countless deaths of innocence, and your crimes against Princess Celestia! How do you Comply?”
Commander Bolt felt an unbelievable amount of pure rage from the likes of which he has never felt before.

                The Crusader Repeated himself, “HOW DO YOU COMPLY!?!”
All of a sudden, a lightning orb cloud appeared above his head causing the Celestial crusaders to back up in worry. “ENOUGH!!!”
The guards stepped out of the way to allow Princes Celestia to approach Commander Bolt. After seeing the princess, Commander Bolt calmed himself down and the cloud dispersed without a spark. Princess Celestia looked at Gem’s body and spoke, “Your archer… is she?”
Commander Bolt looked down at Gem’s face and replied, “She was the best archer in Equestria, and my most trustworthy soldier but now she is just another example of my mistakes. If it wasn’t for me, Gem, Mist, Roza, and even Storm… they would all be safe, but no… every pony I cared about, is taken away from me in time, it started with Luna and ended with Gem Stone.”

                Princess Celestia continued, “Did you love her?”
Commander Bolt didn’t reply he just nodded his head yes. Princess Celestia lowered head and replied, “It must truly be painful to loss the one you love in your own hooves.”
Commander Bolt realized something, “Truly painful… true pain. He was right; it would take true pain to make me understand... but… Why did she have to suffer for that pain though? Why did it cost the life of one so pure?”
Princess Celestia didn’t hear his mumbling, so she continued, “Commander, haven’t you lost enough, please end this now.”
“You’re right your Majesty, I didn’t have a hope in winning this war from the start, my own selfishness was hiding Gem’s love from my eyes the whole time. Your Majesty, I want to offer my surrender. However, there will be two conditions to this.”

                Princess Celestia replied, “Not that you’re in the position to be making conditions, but I'll follow them regardless. Name them.”
“One, you will treat all prisoners of the Nightmare Legion, to exclude myself, as I treated members of the Celestial Crusaders, you will remove their armor and their weapons and release them to return home.”
Princess Celestia replied, “And two?”
Commander Bolt looked down at Gem’s Face then continued, “Two, I want you to honor any of my officers who have fallen, to include the foreign commanders. I would like them to be honored for their sacrifice and loyalty to their cause… whether you agreed with it or not. These are my only conditions. Afterwards, I don’t care what happens to me. As far as I'm concerned… I'm already dead.”

                Princess Celestia was surprised to hear him say this; Commander Bolt has always been one to put himself in harm’s way to complete his goal. However, to give himself up so easily was almost unheard of. She nodded her head and replied, “I accept the terms and I promise as a princess of the Kingdom of Equestria. No harm will come to your captured soldiers and the leaders of your armies will be honored for their dedication to their commander.”
Commander Bolt gently laid Gem Stone down on the ground and trotted away from her. Then he stood still in the open as six celestial soldiers rushed him and pinned him to the ground.

                All six Celestial Crusaders held Commander Bolt to the ground as if he was putting up a fight, but Commander Bolt just laid there and allowed them to chain his hooves without so much as a flinch. Princess Celestia turned to an archer, “Send up the signal, this battle is over.” The archer looked through his arrows but couldn’t find a signal arrow so he trotted over to Gem Stone’s body and pulled off her bandanna. As he wrapped the bandanna around the arrow. Commander Bolt glared at him, “If you think… for one second… that you’re going!.. to light that on fire!!! THEN I'll KILL YOU!!! WHERE YOU STAND!!!!”

                The archer dropped the arrow in fear, when Princess Celestial saw this she used her unicorn magic to pick up the arrow, remove the bandanna, place the bandana in front of Commander Bolt, and light the arrow on fire with a spell that made the flame blue. “There, use this.”
The archer took the arrow fired it into the air, then Princess Celestia looked down at Commander Bolt who was still pined to the ground and spoke, “Take care of that bandanna, commander, something so special should b…”
“My name isn’t commander, the ponies that called me by that name are the only ponies that mattered to me… my name is, and will always be Star Bolt. I would appreciate it, if you called me by my real name…”
Princess Celestia replied as she turned around and began trotting back to the castle, “As you wish… Star Bolt.”

                Outside the castle, tension was high and it got worse when the lookout yelled, “SIGNAL ARROW SPOTTED!!! ITS BLUE!!! COMMANDER STAR BOLT HAS FALLEN!!!”
After that phrase echoed through the battlefield, the entire Nightmare front line went deathly quiet, as most of the ponies either bowed or lowered their heads in full respect for their commander.
Nightmare Moon lowered her head only to hide a tears that were rolling down her face, “No… Star Bolt.”
Lieutenant Viscous approached Nightmare Moon, “Your orders… your majesty?”
Nightmare Moon raised her head up high and turned around, “Commander Bolt may have fallen… but we still live! Everypony fall back to the Palace of the Royal Alicorn Sisters, we must regroup and request more reinforcements!”

                All the Nightmare Legion soldiers started packing as quickly as they could to leave the battlefield in a mass retreat. As Viscous was using her magic to put Captain Drib on a medical wagon, Nightmare Moon approached her. “I hope you’re as devoted to me as you are your stallion, I'll send out for reinforcements and I'll report any reply to you… commander.”
Viscous was shocked to hear this, she lowered her head and mumbled, “I... I don’t want this… how am I ever supposed to live up to Commander Bolt’s reputation.”
After she said that Chief Rafi, Commander Orem and three griffon approached her. She spoke first, “If you’re wanting orders from me then don’t. I can’t lead you like Commander Bolt could.”

                Chief Rafi shook his head, “No friend, we are only hear to say farewell.”
“What?”
Commander Orem spoke, “Commander Bold is gone, and my guess is that he is dead. These griffons are the last of my soldiers, all four of us are wounded, and if I learned anything from Commander Bolt, it’s that the wellbeing of your soldiers is very important, so I won’t send them into battle. It’s time for us to go back home, and report to the king… this war… it’s over.”

                Chief Rafi, continued, “A few of my medics wanted nothing more than to stay with the Nightmare Legion but I must return to my homeland with those who have lost their will to fight. My brothers are hurting and I can’t let them suffer. We wish you the best of luck, and we hope that fortune will smile on you. Farewell… My friend.”
Commander Orem smiled, “Goodbye young commander, try not to get yourself killed.”
As Commander Orem and chief Rafi trotted away from Viscous, she started to tear up. “It’s all over now. There is no surviving, it’s all over.”
A small group of zebra approached Viscous and spoke. “Ma’am we are the zebra who decided to stay and continue supporting the Nightmare Legion, what are our orders?”
Commander Viscous replied, “Fall in with our other medics, and see to loading up the wounded as quickly as possible. We must get back to the palace; Princess Celestia will be meeting us there soon.”