War has come to equestria

King Sombra has gathered his forces in secret and allied himself with the changelings and other dark forces.

Manehattan, Baltimare and Fillydelphia have fallen along with The Las Pegasus, Stalliongrad is devastated but is holding out, The Crystal Empire stands besieged, there has been no word from Appleoosa or Dodge Junction in weeks, Cloudsdale has repelled several attacks but expects a new offensive to be launched against them any day. There have been strange rumblings reported from the mountain Canterlot sits upon, but their source remains as yet unknown. So far ponyville been spared from combat, but there are dark stirrings in the everfree forest at their doorstep…

Here we have Applejack saying one last farewell to her brother Big Mac as he answers the call to arms as more and more troops are needed to bolster the defenses and hold the lines as the war drags on into its fourth year. She too must answer the call as Princess Celestia has called upon Princess Twilight and her friends once more for yet another dangerous mission.

I commissioned this piece from Danji-isthmus at AFC this year, very happy with the result

artwork by   https://www.weasyl.com/profile/danjiisthmus

original here https://www.weasyl.com/submission/297324