The Great Gryphon Adventure

The entire world seemed to brighten in color as Zecora's head turned, slowly blinking as she tried to look back at Halkan. The light was too bright around him, she brought a hoof up hide her eyes as she heard the wing beats of the dragon close to them. Everything felt like someone had turned down the steady pace of reality to a crawl. She saw every detail in these few brief moments of peace. Glimpse through the hoof that protected her eye of the dragon in all its infamy. Its mouth opening as it slowly beat its large wings against the air to stay put, a flame building at the back of its throat. Saw the flame emerge as it roared in anger, the flames pouring out like a liquid straight for them.

She knew this was the end. There was no hope against a dragon's flame.

Zecora let out a scream. She didn't want to die this way. All her life struggling against the odds, coming to Equestria to escape the untold horrors of her past. She was starting to get back on track in life. Overcoming the impulses of her past to constantly fight for her life. Settling down with new friends to learn how to be at peace. Everything she had worked for. Everything she had hoped to do in this new life. It was all over, another chapter in her hopeless struggle to survive.

At least she thought. Why was she thinking? Why didn't she feel the intense pain of death?

She dared to look. Lowering her hoof. Her eyes went wide in amazement. Not only was she still alive, but Halkan was too. He had somehow managed to get in front of her, kneeling in a protective fashion while protecting them from the flames with a giant tower shield. He had armor on that was completely unknown to her, covering his entire body and glistening in a crimson hue. The flames were harmlessly flowing past the shield as she looked at the helmet Halkan had on. It covered his entire head and through it she could clearly see he was smiling back at her. Those eyes of his were bright, as if he had been endowed by some unknown power, sending a wave of peace over the Zebra.

Everything was going to be alright.

When the flames stopped, Halkan stood. Zecora saw how close the dragon was to them. It nearly frightened her had it not been for the fact of Halkan's look. She watched as the events around her started to happen more rapidly, Halkan raising his sword arm up wielding a long sword that glowed with a silver aura around it. When the dragon roared, he roared back with equal ferocity. Wielding his armor and shield as if they were light as feathers, he leaped towards the beast. What happened next was too fast to observe for her eyes.

It was as if whatever power had granted Halkan the armor was further granting him power over all the forces of nature. His leap was one best described as if the gravity on this world was almost nonexistent. He bridged the gap between the dragon without much effort, landing on its head with amazing balance as he turned his entire body to kneel and arch his sword-arm in a slicing motion. Just as quick the sword easily went through the scales and neck of the beast, severing its head as it tried to react by starting to roar again. No words emitted as the head started to fall, the body soon joining it as it registered the loss of its brain. Halkan fell with the doomed monster, Zecora watching with surprise, in horror, as he seemed to hold on for dear life.

She quickly raced down the remaining portions of the mountain path. She heard the loud THUD the corpse as it impacted the ground, moments later running to the place where it had impacted and seeing nothing but a cloud of dust. For a few moments, she wasn't sure if Halkan had survived. Then she saw a shape emerge from the dust cloud and walking slowly towards her. She could hear the soft clanking of armor as the figure rested its longsword across its shoulder. It casually held the tower shield, raising its head as it came clearly into view. Then there was silence. Zecora gasping, not knowing what to say about what she had seen.

The silence broke as Halkan was the first to speak. "I know who I am," he said calmly. "I remember everything."

"Who are you?" asked Zecora, still in disbelief at what she had witnessed.

Halkan then sheathed his longsword on his back. A soft clink the only indication that the sword rested properly. He began to walk closer to Zecora, his shield somehow folding on itself before all that was left was a small buckler. He placed the buckler on his shoulder-piece, another clink indicating that it was secure. Slowly both hands reached up to take off his helmet. Zecora didn't know what to expect, taking a step back. Halkans previous face emerged, unchanged, with a stern expression. He stood only steps away from her.

"I am Kromulus Regulus," he said, "son of Havok Agamemnon, Leader of the Confederate States of Anagonia and Champion of Order." He smirked, noticing Zecora's expression continue to be one of disbelief. He went to one knee, now at face level with her. When he reached the distance with his hand she almost back further away. Before she could he rested his hand on her equine shoulder, nodding as if satisfied. "I know about you too, Zecora. You helped me in my time of need and showed me the way when I almost lost track. For this, I thank you."

Zecora smiled, knowing that his kindness hadn't changed. She relaxed. During her meeting with Melkos and Celestia, the dark one in charge of Halkans realm had promised her that when the time came for their plan to truly take hold, Halkan would remember everything. He had promised her that nothing would change about him. So far, his promise was kept. She gave a silent prayer of thanks to the divinity from another world, nodding finally to Halkans word of thanks.

"You also shall play a key role in my journey here," Halkan continued. The words made Zecora's eyebrow raise. "I believe I know what that role is, but it is not my right to force it upon you. I know that the road ahead shall be difficult and we shall experience many hardships. Death shall come from all sides." He tilted his head, still smiling. "So I give you a choice. Do you wish to embark on this journey with me or go back to your life in that hut?"

Zecora quickly closed the gap between them. To Halkan's surprise, Zecora was hugging him. For a moment he hesitated. Then he returned the gesture, hugging her back. When she took a step back she was smiling. "I have already committed myself to this task. I believe it's time I tell you the full story as I know it."

Zecora revealed the plan and the dangers ahead. All the while Halkan growing more determined to see it through. When she was finished, they both stood and looked in the distance to the ancient castle. Both had a firm grasp of what they were to do. Together, they had to face the entity that brought hell onto this land. For a brief moment they hesitated on continuing on their path. With a quick glance exchanged between each with a gentle smile, they started to walk.

• • •

Had it not been for the warning from Oscar Vladinchi, Anagonia would have fallen by now. As predicted by the deceased hero creatures from another dimension had slipped through portals in time and space. The beginning hours of the invasion were tense and full of chaos, but with Regus at the helm things quickly became organized and hopeful. Thousands of innocent lives had been lost, but just as quick the military had responded with brute force. Thanks to the advanced warning the Confederate States would live, its soldiers quickly gaining the upper hand with the technology and training at their disposal.

Most of the portals were centered close to major population centers. The State of Liberty took the brunt of the invasion, holding the most casualties. From the reports on the ground from commanders the creatures had come in three major types. The first type was the foot soldiers, resembling that of modern wolves but more fierce and lacking in any thought of self-preservation. They were the most vicious and brutal often tearing their victims to shreds and sacrificing themselves needlessly. The second were dragons. They came in all shapes and sizes, varying from creatures resembling Wyverns to gigantic monsters of myth and legend. They proved to be the most difficult to kill and provided a severe problem for the Confederate Air Force. The last were creatures resembling that of a mix between lions and bears. They seemed to control most of the forces, oftentimes leading the battles and calculating the best way to exterminate everything.

There were a few other types of monsters, but they seemed to either be either rare in appearance or completely useless.

Currently the Confederate Military had the upper hand. Human technology was proving to be superior to the magical forces of destruction unleashed by the monsters, as impossible as that sounded. They were just as weak to bullets as they were to bombs and didn't seem to have any capability to deflect or derail attacks. It was if the creatures were designed from the ground up for another type of warfare, one which humanity was not designed for. Whatever the case, Anagonia was fighting back. Hard.

Oscar Vladinchi had made several more appearances to Regus Maxim, informing him that his forces were direly needed elsewhere. When the chain of command was followed and orders were given, multiple battalions of troops and mechanized assets of all types were being teleported to the realm where the creatures had come from. Somehow all the forces on the other side had easily kept in touch with those in Anagonia and were sending reports of genocide upon the native inhabitants by the creatures. It was at this critical point that the military had decided to give the creatures a proper designation.

Nightmares.

The land they originated from was called Equestria. There the Confederate Forces had teamed up with whatever resistance was left from the local military. Already efforts were being done to stop the genocide taking place. Military forces from both Equestria and Anagonia were hard at work derailing whatever plans the Nightmares had for that world. Even there human technology seemed superior in being able to deal with them. However it was soon discovered why the Nightmares were so weak against humanity's capabilities. They were created to completely deal with Equestrian methods of magical defense and offense. Whenever an Equestrian guardsman or soldier attempted a spell of any sort against the Nightmares it had little to no effect. Instead, the Equestrians resorted to standard tactics, working closely with their Anagonian comrades and learning other ways of dealing with them.

Regus was hard at work with other commanders directing the military offensive against the Nightmares on both fronts. Maps of both Equestria and Anagonia were laid out and damage assessments were gathered. He was in the middle of a briefing detailing how much more lethal the Nightmare invasion had been on Equestria than Anagonia. Apparently three cities in Equestria had all but been wiped clean of its population through total destruction. Canterlot, the capital of Equestria, was the focus of this briefing. Regus was about to inform his side of the affair when Oscar appeared beside him. Heads turned both in shock and disbelief, but Regus merely stood. He excused himself from the briefing and heard as he exited the doorway the commanders continue, though in a more solemn tone.

"What news have you, brother?" asked Regus.

They were standing alone in the hallway outside the briefing room. Oscar had a more grim expression on his face than usual. Regus noted it instantly and took it as bad news.

"I bring news from Melkos," Oscar said. "The entity controlling the Nightmares has grown stronger and the portals linking the two worlds keeping our forces together are slowly weakening. If we don't act now, all hope of reverting this apocalypse is doomed."

Regus eyes widened. "That can't be! We've already gathered a foothold in Equestria. The Nightmares are being fought back and we're gaining ground with each passing hour."

Oscar chuckled, maintaining his sad expression. "While the valiant efforts of my brothers and sisters is indeed noted, it is not enough." He shook his head. "Even though your military is capable of combating the threat on equal terms, it still leaves out the power that the entity leading the enemy holds. If it continues to grow, it will adapt and our offensive capabilities will be just as useless as the Equestrians." He sighed, looking straight into Regus eyes. "I think you already know what will happen then. Not even Melkos could stop them."

Regus was in disbelief. He looked down, deep in thought. "Is there anything that can be done?" he asked when looking back at Oscar.

Oscar nodded, "Indeed there is. The first thing we have to do is have faith. The second is to keep fighting and hope that those whom I told you about finish the job."

Regus sighed, nodding. "Very well. We already have three of the Champions you told me to gather. We still don't know where the other two are."

Oscar smirked. "I know exactly where they are." His face went stern. "I also know if we don't help them now, we're doomed."

Oscar then relayed information provided by Melkos. It was a revelation to Regus, specifically because he didn't completely understand the extent of what they were fighting until now. He quickly bid Oscar farewell when they were finished, returning to the meeting to convey new orders. When he was finished the offensive war Anagonia was waging would take a drastic turn in hopes that they could delay the coming doom in time. Everything he could spare in Anagonia was directed to a specific location provided by Oscar. From there, if the five were successful, the final battle dictating the balance of two worlds would see either the beginning or end for both.