***
The story begins long ago during a stormy winter night as the Pegasi fought pointlessly to keep it at bay to protect the town and all within it. For hours they debated on whether to abandon the town, but many sick and elderly pegasi could not be evacuated in time. As it was too late to send word to Canterlot for aid, the Elders decided that if even a single Pegasus could not be moved then they would stand firm in their town to it's last moment. As the Elders held their council that may end their lives, a mare across town was fighting to bring a new life into the world as her mate fought the storm just as desperately. A young colt was born into the chaos of the storm finally overtaking the town, his cry of life pierced the air as the storm began to still. The town was spared it's destruction as the gift of life was brought to it, though for a mare and colt the most important stallion to them both would lose his own without being able to bask in the town's salvation.
***
As the years passed the young colt grew older, wiser, and stronger. His mother gave him the name Loyal Wing, honoring his father's unrivaled loyalty to his home. Loyal Wing grew to be a popular athlete and a good student, though despite being one of the best fliers among his peers he never liked to look down, as the sight of where he could fall unsettled him. On the day he found his Cutie Mark he was brought to the Elders of Trots, as the heart adorned with a green ribbon and golden horseshoe crown was known as a Claddagh, the sign of everlasting devotion. The Elders believed that his Cutie Mark signified that his destiny belonged to Equestria at large, and gathered bits to pay his way into the Royal Academy to train as a knight.
***
Loyal Wing had never spent much time near the ground, but found it more comfortable than being among the clouds. It allowed him to soar with leisure as he grew into a Valiant young knight of Equestria. Talented in the art of combat, he grew to be the greatest defensive combatant in his squad, and rather skilled in aggressive tactics as well. The primary reprimands found on his record were a tendency to tackle situations alone instead of working with his teammates. Loyal Wing was convinced that he was unstoppable, and to him there were few things to prove him wrong.
***
Everypony expected Loyal Wing to move onto a position as a guard captain or other prestigious position within the Equestian Military post graduation, so many were dumbfounded to find him serving under an old Earth Pony known as Lion's Roar. Loyal Wing thought that such a rank and file position to be beneath his skills, consisting of Freelance, Dive Bomb, and Iron Sides. Freelance the Unicorn had barely passed his own exams, Dive Bomb the Pegasus was always one step behind Loyal Wing, and Iron Sides the Earth Pony was more than a bit of a glutton and overweight. To say that Loyal Wing had a hard time adjusting to a group of misfits and their leader, requesting multiple times to be transferred but denied each time. Loyal Wing's patience was often tested by his squad mates, making up for their short comings and covering their mistakes. Eventually Loyal Wing's patience was pushed too far, leading him to approach Lion's Roar.
"Why do I have to be here? I should be with the Royal Guard Captains or the Wonderbolts! Not here dealing with this mob of failures." Lion's Roar merely laughed at the younger Stallion's words.
"You don't understand why you're here, do you? Let me tell you, my arrogant colt. You're a one pony show, the type who dooms those around him with his delusions of grandeur. Each member of this squad tried their hardest to get here, but because you've got some raw talent you think you're better than everypony else. That's why you're here, to learn some humility." The words of the old Stallion stuck deep in Loyal Wing.
***
As the years passed, Loyal Wing started to find himself more eagerly aiding his comrades in arms. Each night's singing beneath the moonlight with them was serene, each day's trials pushing them to the limits. Everypony pushed each other to be their best and more. The old Stallion Loyal Wing had though to be beneath him had opened his eyes to what a good leader, and friend, truly was. These gentlecolts eventually became like brothers to Loyal Wing, and Lion's Roar like a father to him. Loyal Wing could honestly say that these days were the happiest in his life. Loyal Wing would learn many forms of combat from and with his comrades. Dive Bomb taught him how to make use of every shift in the air to his advantage in combat while Iron Sides turned him into a hoof to hoof combat specialist, making him a dangerously unpredictable practitioner of the Iron Hoof style usually used by Earth Ponies. Freelance was a unique teacher, forcing Loyal Wing to grow skilled in avoiding magical manipulation by subjecting him to the creativity of a less versatile Unicorn, a terror rarely met twice. One night around their campfire Loyal Wing asked the question that had plagued him for years.
"So why do they call you Lion's Roar?" The old Stallion looked on his soldiers and let out a mighty roar.
"Heh... Maybe I'm a lion? What do you think?" The stallions stared at their leader and lowered their hooves from their ears, starting to laugh with him.
***
Good times do not last for warriors however, and eventually a dark day would befall this merry band. Equestria had been at war with a country of ponies from the south for three years, bringing the Equestrian Military to full force. A number of these southern ponies had laid siege to a town along their shared border, discovered by Lion's Roar's squad during a routine patrol. The band readied their weapons and rushed to the aid of the village, despite being severely outnumbered. Loyal Wing and his friends fought hard, gaining the upper hoof in the battle until a single unicorn stepped forth from their enemy's forces.
"I am Tal Rassa the Machinator, and I shall bring your doom for foalishly standing in my path!" Black magic spread from his horn to envelope the area. When Loyal Wing blinked he found himself falling from the skies as he always feared as a Colt. His wings failed him when he needed them most, though they had never done so before. He screamed into the open sky for someone to help him in futility, knowing there was nopony to come to his rescue. His resignation was broken by the mighty roar of his commander, snapping him from his delusions. Loyal Wing recovered himself to find the old Stallion who had saved him from his nightmare riddled with arrows and bleeding wounds. There was no way to tell how long Loyal Wing and his friends had been under their illusions, but it was obvious that Lion's Roar had defended them for far too long. The Stallion turned to Loyal Wing as best he could, speaking low and roughly.
"Well it's time to step up boy. I know it's been a rough ride over the years but remember that everypony is here to help you and you need to make sure to stand by them all. It's not all on you... Now get these misfits together and send them to the jaws of Cerberus." The Stallion collapsed under the weight of his wounds. Loyal Wing's determination steeled over as he moved to Lion's side. He knew that a direct hit would spell disaster, so he removed the less damaged bits of Lion's black steel armor and fastened it to his chest and forelegs while his friends bought him time. As they began to falter Loyal Wing fell upon the nearest enemy with his glaive, riding the mortally wounded pony into a trio of others before taking to the air once more.
"Stand together my friends, the day is not yet lost! For Celestia, for Equestria, for those we love, and for out fallen comrade! Seek victory and turn these beasts from our borders! CHARGE!" The soldiers were spurred on by Loyal Wing's words, joining him to push back their foes. Loyal Wing lead them as one, striking together and covering each other as only those have trained and lived together for years can. Seeing a chance, Loyal Wing dove around one of the many pegasi he had faced today, slamming into an energy shield thrown around Tal Rassa. The Unicorn struck back with magic, unable to snare the pegasus before Freelance would intercept with his own spells. Loyal Wing flipped into the air as Dive Bomb flew just overhead, stopping his momentum and dropping him just inside the range of Tal Rassa's momentarily dropped shield. Iron Side's lessons were well learned, the unicorn foe falling quickly to Loyal Wing's hoof to hoof skills. Loyal Wing realized in that moment, as Tal Rassa limped away on a broken hock, just how far he had come and how lucky he was to have each pony who was here with him today. Each one had allowed him to survive this battle, in one way or another.
Tal Rassa fell on his side as Freelance's spell cracked his other hock, dirt and blood caking his armor. His horn glowed once more, fighting through Freelance's attempts to subdue him. Darkness enveloped Loyal Wing's vision once more as Tal Rassa shouted.
"Let your own fears destroy you where I could not!" Loyal Wing found himself once more falling from the sky, his wings once more unable to save him. He fought past the fear, remembering that he alone can't salve every problem. He pictures Freelance and Iron Sides correcting his path, Dive Bomb catching him from below to land gently. He realized the strength that he shares with his friends is unbreakable, the illusory world of Tal Rassa shattered around him as he found himself staring at the Unicorn. Tal Rassa was stunned at the resolve of his foes, each and every one of the ponies standing before him had thrown off his spell. Tal Rassa attempted to crawl away, muttering to himself in a fevor. "No... NO! No pony could ever break my fear spell!" Loyal Wing stood tall, hefting his glaive as his flared wings balanced him on the air.
"Huh. Maybe I'm a lion. What do you think?" He dove forward and buried his glaive's blade in Tal Rassa's chest, finally ending his reign of terror in the area.
***
That day saw Loyal Wing promoted to the leader of his squad. Together they oversaw and defended the construction of the Roaring Gate to protect the villages in the south from further attacks during the war. They won many hard fought victories against the many enemies of Equestria, even leading successful covert operations on the personal direction of Princess Celestia. In time, the war would end. While returning from investigating a false alarm to the west Loyal Wing passed through the small town of Ponyville. He decided to show off a bit to himself, just to keep his skills sharp obviously, by weaving between the trees of the minor landmark Sweet Apple Acres. Nearing the end of the row he had chosen, one of the trees suddenly shifted and one of the branches caught his outstretched wing. He lost control, barreling into the mare who had bucked the tree. The pair were showered in apples, recovering from the shock of the crash a minute later. As Loyal Wing pulled himself from the pile he caught the eye of the orange mare, and our Hero Loyal Wing would find himself facing a whole new set of challenges in his future.
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