Here Comes the Sun (Plot post)

[Red Charge]

Since the invasion began, under the watchful eye of Watermark and the Red Mages, Hoofington has been kept at peace. As much peace as a town could have during a war. With Watermark taking aboard his new apprentice, Retort, or Retortia as she was for the moment, things seemed to be going smoothly and peacefully. Even the recent heat wave could not dampen their spirits thanks to Watermark's ice dome surrounding the farming village.

Of course, at some point, all good things must come to an end.

Watermark was at the edge of the village, the one facing the forest. A large group of Diamond Dogs have gathered there for some unknown reason. More troubling was that they were a mix between warriors, gem-tenders and flame-bearers. An invasion force. Yet through all the time they were there, none of them tried to break through his barrier. They were waiting for something.

Watermark had put his Red Mages on high alert and made sure Frostbite's statue was ready to spring into action if needed. He didn't know what the dogs were planning, but he wasn't going to let them succeed.

Of course sometimes, there's no plan that can prepare a pony for the reality of a bad situation. Even as he stared into the woods where the diamond dogs were last spotted, he caught a glimpse of light, a flare? But then, as though the entire forest had lit up, a beam of concentrated heat shot straight at the barrier, catching Watermark by surprise and gaping a massive hole in it.

Immediately catching on, Watermark pushed back with all of his magical might, using a water golem to raise the alarm and gathering the rest of them to rush towards the hole and reseal it. By that time the Red Mages had already arrived, he quickly barked at any onlookers to go to their homes and prepare to defend them in close quarters. He could see who had launched that solar beam, he knew he couldn't stop her.

Princess Celestia, eyes burning like the sun above them stepped towards them from the woods, her usually warm smiling visage now replaced by what Watermark could only define as a manic scowl. She launched another solar beam, not from her horn but from the sun itself, far more powerful than the last blast. Watermark's magic was quickly overcome, even without splitting his focus. The Red Mages immediately pushed back with their own magic, surely the lot of them together could hold the princess. But alas, that was not the case. Though it was slower this time, the hole continued to open, slowly but surely. Watermark began to feel his fur singe. One more second and the barrier will fall completely.

Frostbite's statue charged forth into the breach, absorbing the solar beam as he galloped towards the rampaging alicorn, allowing the mages time to reseal the barrier. But at that point, it was obvious to all of them that another blast will not only down the barrier, but also wipe them out.

Frostbite's statue was vaporized but several feet before Celestia herself and in the pause she managed to grin at Watermark. "Looks like your traitorous master didn't train you well enough." She said. Watermark could see the diamond dog invasion force beginning to mobilize at her flanks, ready to charge as soon as the barrier fell.

"Fall back!" Watermark called, a brisk frozen draft emerging around him, "Protect the villagers homes, no matter what don't let them get captured!" The Red Mages hesitated, but Watermark had already completed the transformation, unleashing Frostbite within him.

Another blast wiped out the shield entirely, forcing Watermark to fend directly against it. He pushed back as hard as his and Frostbite's combined power allowed him. But even that was not enough, he was about to be overwhelmed.

But the shield fell and Celestia had accomplished her goal, the shield fell and she and her diamond dog troops were now advancing on a powerless Watermark.

He had no choice now, he had to use it.

Grabbing a red pearl on the front of his cloak, he crushed it between his teeth. The Diamond Dogs catching the motion recoiled as though expecting an explosion, but when none came they laughed.

"Is that all, Ice Minion?" Celestia asked with a sneer, sending her Diamond Dogs forward, "Hoofington is ours."

Watermark closed his eyes, waiting for the coming blow which he had no strength left to block, but instead a massive gale took its place as an explosion vaporized the front of the Diamond Dog lines.

Celestia jumped out of harm's way a mere moment before a hoof came crashing down on where she stood, quaking the ground and raising a large shock wave where it landed.

Red Charge had entered the battle.

Immediately casting his orange lightning bolt he was able to counter the flame bearer attacks that came his way, flying swiftly between them and crushing them with his bare hooves. The warriors attempted to regroup, only to be felled by another explosion, splattering Watermark with ashes and blood.

At that point Celestia had launched another Solar Beam directly at Hoofington, moving to destroy it rather than capture it. But the massive red stallion would not have it, the very earth around him rose in a tower-like spiral, taking in power of the solar beam and collapsing around Red Charge as it absorbed the energy.

Earth and minerals collapsing around the two, Red Charge and Celestia sized each other up. Celestia made the first move, smashing a hoof where Red Charge was, the effect not one bit lesser than the one Red Charge himself had caused. Deep cracks formed in the ground, reaching all the way into Hoofington. Watermark did all he could to block the attacks with his ice shield, now that he had a pause to regain some of his strength, but it rattled even him.

Red Charge, still in the air after avoiding the attack launched a grid of lightning bolts around Celestia, who deflected them effortlessly with her horn.

"Is that all you have, traitor?" She taunted, teeth bared in a triumphant smirk.

"Do you remember Destrier's disintigrator?" Red Charge asked, smiling back as Celestia's expression dropped into a disbelieving rage. "That's right." He said, as the ground all around the winged unicorn erupted in explosions, wherever his lightning grid had struck an explosion bloomed from, turning the entire area around the alicorn princess into fine particle dust.

"Did you get her?" Watermark called out uncertainly.

"No, she teleported before the explosion." Red Charge replied, trotting towards his graduated protege. "But she's gone, for now."

"I never knew... you told me she studied under Destrier, but I had no idea how strong she was..." Watermark said with astonishment.

"That was only a taste." The striped unicorn's former master stated. "She wasn't even really fighting."

Within the day Watermark's ice barrier was up again, with the diamond dog invaders completely wiped out, it was unlikely that Sharp would risk another force to try and take Hoofington. With the recent defeats his army suffered he'd be more cautious before attacking Hoofington again.

With a promise to send more help, Red Charge teleported away, to give Princess Luna the grave news. Her sister was not only assisting the enemy, she was fighting for them.