Near the lawless center of Equestria was a town. Though the largest and most well fortified of any in the land, it was still looked at little more than a refuge camp. A temporary respite to the weary. A minor balm to the forsaken. Walls that held the an imitation of safety and soldiers that held the illusion of strength. This was Redheart's Refuge. Atop a high hill in the middle of the town, there was a manor that seemed almost out of place in a place so far from the larger cities. Redheart Manor, the heart of Redheart's Refuge, to pardon the redundancy. The whole fortress town centered around its massive splendor. Though from without it seemed magnificent, it was far more empty inside than it once was. The owner of this mansion had given as much as she possible could for the people that gathered behind her walls. Perhaps it was why she had a habit of spending so much time outside them now. 

On a lookout at the very roof on the manor sat Lady Redheart herself. The white mares was old and frail, a shadow of the woman she was when this war began and she had been no spring filly then either. Oh but her eyes. Her bright blue eyes all but shined with intelligence, wit, and more raw willpower than a charging juggernaut. From here she could see all of her city, all of her children, and all of those helpless souls that looked to her for hope. But today she was not looking down at her city. She was looking up. Towards the horizon. 

She looked to the East and saw the mountain range of Twilight's territories. Unnatural light colored the sky in that direction some nights. Signs of magic's being harnessed beyond any ponies imagination or ability to truly control. To the south she could make the vague shape of the white city of Mannehatten. The walls so high now that they contained enough stone to build and rebuild her entire refuge ten times over. and enough wealth to buy her city twenty times over. To the Southwest she saw the distant billows of smoke from the ever burning great forges in the heart of Earthborn lands. It had become a constant site since the houses formation. There ponies were constructing devices for war on a level never dreamed of. To the west....was the Everfree always that close? When she had been a child it had always seemed so far away. Now every day the unnaturally large trees loomed just a tiny bit closer than the one before. To the north, the great sky cities. They used to be one of her favorite sites. The large white cloud structures, great cities in the sky. Each one now a massive dark thunderstorm black. Every city ready for war. And when she closed her eyes and listened closely, she could swear that she could catch the stray laughter of some poor dead thing on the wind, a victim of the Cult.

Equestria was dying. And not a clean death. It was ripping itself apart from every cell and in every way imaginable. And no matter how hard she tried, her refuge wouldn't survive the inevitable outcome of these clashing giants. She knew they were all running out of time. That was why what they had planed was all the more crucial to complete. 

A pegasus landed on the platform next to the elderly mare. Dressed in the armor and colors of The Children. The name of the forces that were pledge to her and her towns defense. "How are my Children fairing today Captain?" the old mare asked. 

"They are...on edge today. Hardly say I can blame them. I know more of the details of what is happening than them, and my feathers feel like they're more on edge than ever. So few of our soldiers know the whole story...I understand why you keep them in the dark, but I wonder if it is wise."

Red heart rose her head and cast a dignified smile to the pegasus. "The Children's job is to protect the refuge and its people. They don my colors, take my oaths, and they will do as I say. They have enough on their shoulders without worrying about the fate of the whole kingdom."

The captain smirked "Fair enough...I can still hardly believe any of this will work."

"Then why not fly off? Pick a side you believe will win?" Redheart asked, only half joking if she was honest. With so much chaos, and her trying so hard to be independent of any of the houses she was almost certain they were constant attempts to slip spies into her ranks. She liked gauging her higher ups loyalty from time to time. "You are a strapping young Pegasus. I'm sure you'd find a fine place in any army. Seems better than dying for one single city."

The captain nearly laughed full out loud "Because I don't think any side will win anymore, not in a way worth winning, and much less make a place worth living in. I rather die trying to make the world a better place than live in a world made by monsters."

Redheart nodded her head and turned to head inside her home. "And that is why I made you Captain. We'll all need that kind of resolve if we want the slightest chance of this working. Tell the Children to stay vigilant. Most of the chosen, if not all, should be arriving very soon. If anypony shows up matching the right description, then they are to escort them to the manor." 

"Yes Ma'am." The captain said, giving a quick salute before taking off into the air. 

The war for the rule of Equstria had been raging for years now, and it was a battle that nopony would win. It had brought only pain ruin to their once strong nation. So she was about to begin something entirely different and far more important. A brand new war. The war for Equstria's soul.