MetalBronyATL

((Timeskip to the next attack?))

Ash looked at the door Steel walked through when he left. She sighed and got up. "Thank you Ally. It means a lot." She said with a smile.

"What do I do then?" Ash said, pushing her hair out of her face. "What do I say to him that will make him feel as comfortable about his feelings as I am?"

Ash sat down and sighed. "Yes, yes I do. From the moment I saw him I had butterflies. But there's no way he likes me back. I've been so awkward around him that he probably thinks I'm crazy or weird or something." She said in despair.

Ash jumped a little, startled from Ally suddenly showing up. "What makes you think that?" She asked nervously with a blush like nothing was wrong.

Ash signed. "I told you, it's not vengeance, I'm just preparing for..." She began, but trailed off as she realized Steel was in the room with her. She cleared her throat and lit her horn to strike another target. "I assure you, I have the best conscious for the next attack right now."

Ash stood up straight and dusted herself off. "I know about vengeance, and I know that I'm not acting out of anger or vengeance. I'm simply preparing myself, as I know of the power Silent Night possesses." She said as she made short work of another target.

((Are you going to hook up Oakly and Hazel later?)) Ash went down to an underground training facility in the Empire and began to blast targets with her fire spells. "I can't wait to go after them again. Silent will pay for what he did to Snow." She said as she obliterated another target.

Kane and Autumn sat on the balcony together as they watched the crystal ponies rebuild their home. "I don't know what else to do, Kane." Autumn said sorrowfully as she levitated some tea to her mouth and took a sip. "We could always adopt." Kane suggested. "We could...but your bloodline wouldn't continue if it's not our actual child." Kane turned to Autumn and took her hoof. "I don't care about my bloodline, I know how much being a mother means to you." Kane said looking into Autumn's eyes. She teared up at Kane's words and nuzzled his neck. "We'll find a way, I promise." Kane said to her, kissing her forehead.

Blood shrugged and yawned. "Well, guess our shift is over. Now I have business to attend to." He said with a smirk looking over to Maple. Kane nodded before a guard appeared. "King Kane...she's here." Kane turned to the guard and nodded. "Let her come in." He said. Soon Autumn sprinted into the room past Dawn and Azure and embraced Kane tightly. "I missed you so much, Kane." She said with tears running down her face. Kane kissed her passionately. "I was always with you." He said. Autumn smiled and nuzzled him affectionately. She then stepped back and sighed. "Still no luck?" Kane asked solemnly. Autumn nodded with a sad look on her face. "Kane...I'm done trying. It's just not going to happen." She said sadly feeling her belly.

Blood waited for Shadow outside the palace. "Did Kane know anything about what attacked you?" "Thank you, Azure." Kane said, waving a hoof for him to not bow. "We'll keep alternating the raids with the Elementals and the bat ponies until they reach the sea. Hopefully we can finish them there. I do not, do not, DO. NOT. want to have a naval battle. We've been fortunate enough to go toe-to-toe with the horde on land, but they're natural sailors and deadly raiders, we'll get massacred on the water."

Kane raised an eyebrow. "Another pony as powerful as him?" He repeated. "That's odd. We haven't seen him or her before and I was told Uchia fell in battle, is it some kind of secret weapon he hasn't revealed yet?" Kane thought aloud.

Kane was talking with Cadence and Shining Armor about going after the retreating Horde when he saw Shadow enter the room. "Glad to see you're back. How did it go?"

Silent closed his eyes as he held Hazel tighter. "No, sweetie. You're not a monster..." He said softly as his eyes began to tear up. "...I'm the monster." He thought to himself. ((Flashback)) Silent woke up in his bed, sweating profusely. He turned to see Amaranthe sleeping soundly next to him. He buried his head in his hooves, still in shock from the horrible dream he had. He saw Amaranthe slowly dying in a hospital for an unknown reason. He got out of bed and walked out onto the balcony and looked out into the distance. Amaranthe soon realized Silent was no longer there and got out of bed to join him. "What's wrong, dear?" She asked, sitting next to Silent. Silent shook his head and looked away. "It's nothing...really...." Amaranthe gave him a stern look. "That doesn't sound like 'nothing.' Tell me." Silent sighed. "I had a dream....you were in a hospital and...you died....I couldn't tell if it was disease or a wound or anything....but I saw you slowly die." Amaranthe put a hoof over her mouth in surprise. "Silent....I'm sorry. I'm not going to die. I promise you." She said as she cuddled up next to him. Silent held her tightly and nuzzled her before looking out in the distance again with a determined look. "I won't let you die...." He said to himself. ((End Flashback))

Silent grabbed Hazel and held her tightly. "It's going to be ok, sweetheart. I promise." He looked to a nearby horde mage. "Bring me the best magic users we have. Now." He ordered. He looked back to Hazel, the fear in her eyes too much for him to bear. "You have some kind of power in you...we'll find out what it is and how to handle it. Just stay calm, Hazel. I'm right here."

Silent looked at Hazel in shock at the suddenly power she unleashed. "I...I don't know, dear." He said in a confused tone. "What did you do to her, b1tch?" He though to himself with w growl. "Brother! What happened?" Blood asked, landing beside Shadow.

Silent held Hazel tightly as he looked towards the rear of the army with a scowl. "Go with the others, I'll take care of it." He said to her as he nuzzled her head and took off towards the attackers.

Blood jumped into the horde soldiers and quickly slaughtered any one that came close to him. The horde soldiers scrambled to find cover from the raining fireballs and stop the attackers, but the bat ponies were too quick and tore through them easily.

The next morning the Horde was retreated back towards the coast of Equestria. They were about a few days journey away from the ocean and were in low spirits. They're numbers were still massive, but they lacked the power to fight back against the United forces of Equestria. Blood stood in the shadows watching them retreat, waiting to strike.

"Oakly's right. We have a short moment to revel in victory, but we have to begin the raids quickly. The sooner we can stop him before he gets to the coast the better. I do NOT want to have to have a naval battle with him." Kane said putting his pipe away. ((Timeskip to morning?))

Kane rolled his eyes and smiled at his fellow king. "Please, it's bad enough ponies think I'm already some divine being, I don't need the bat pony king doing the same." He said as he took a draw from the pipe. "I'm glad you stayed around, Shadow. I don't think we'd have a shot without you guys."

Silent held her tightly as tears ran down his face. "It's ok, Hazel. I'm here. I won't lose you." He said, feeling a mountain of emotion for the first time in forever as he held the only thing he still loved. Cadence and Shining Armor returned to the Empire with all the crystal pony refugees. A celebration was thrown for the heroes that liberated their home from the Horde's tyranny as the moon shined down on them. Kane stood off to the side smoking from a pipe as he watched his soldiers and the liberated citizens revel in their victory. He was hiding his presence to avoid ponies coming to him and worshiping the ground he walked on.

Silent held Hazel tightly as he desperately tried to find a way to stop her suffering. He lit his horn and castes healing magic on her to try and counteract the venom inside her.