The Dragonslayer

"Why are we doing this again?" War Bond asked.

"Our friend is at the top, so we need to climb it." Fenrir answered for the group.

"Your friend just so happens to live on the peak of Equestria's largest mountain." Feral complained.

"Not the largest, just the one of the tallest." Goliath mended.

"Don't you think this is all moving too fast! Like we're rushing this thing a bit!" War hesitated as she and her friend Feral Silver stared at the massive mountain before them. The two wore the magic orbs around their neck as a pendant, to keep a line of communication.

"We're on what? Chapter four! The readers are ready for things to get moving." Goliath answered.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Feral asked blatantly.

"Sometimes he will say things like that, you learn to ignore him eventually." Fenrir answered readily.

“What's with these storm clouds? I noticed them back when the mountain first got in view, why the hell aren't they moving?” Feral inquired, ignoring the two Old Ones.

“It's those Order freaks.” War answered.

“Who?” the party seemed to ask simultaneously.

“The Order of the Storm? Those pegasi who worship weather? They're loons. They believe if they keep their temples in perpetual storm that their gods will bless the land with rain and lightning.” War answered.

“How are they with outsiders?” Goliath wondered.

“Pretty harsh, unless you're a pegasus, then they try to convert you with weird brain washing rituals.” War responded.

“How do you know all this?” Fenrir nipped.

“I'm... well, I was in the military, we keep an eye for all potential threats. A rogue pegasi force like this can cause some real damage.” War replied.

“Let's just get started! Sitting around talking about why this won't be easy wont get us up this mountain.” Goliath huffed impatiently.

With a heavy sigh, Feral began on the mountain path. War stood in place, glaring at the daunting mountain in front of her. The peak was somewhere above the heavy storm clouds. Looking from the base of the cliff, she could see the rain falling on the higher parts of the mountain, as well as the glimmer of white snow near the top. She pondered for a moment where all the water was going.

With an even heavier breath, War followed Feral, who was walking on the path ahead of her.

Three days had passed since the princess had rushed them off on an adventure with very little time to think, or to figure something out to go on. They were relying primarily on the Old One's ability to sense other Old Ones. The trot to the mountain where their friend slumbered had been uneventful and otherwise mundane. Now they had arrived at Thunder Mountain. One of, if not the largest mountain in all of Equestria. When Feral asked why it was called Thunder Mountain, War explained that it was frequented by thunderstorms on a regular basis. Which is probably why the Order of Storms made it home of one of their temples.

The mountain's lowest part, which they now trotted on, consisted mostly of green grass, a dirt pathway, some thick trees, and a steep incline. The grass was a deep green, the dirt path was moist from the near constant drizzle. The trees surrounding the path were also green and healthy. As they trotted forward, very little happened. Until they reached the second layer of the mountain.

Green grass and dirt path was replaced by rocks and gravel. The trees vanished, replaced by bulky boulders. Unfortunately the pathway narrowed, and the rocky surroundings remained a threat, as the drizzle heavied to rain, tripping when this moist was easy. Among the constant danger of falling, many creatures could be waiting from behind, waiting for prey.

Finding it as a pleasant way to pass the time as she had done on the trip to Thunder Mountain. War decided to start a conversation.

“So whats the deal Goliath, who are going to meet exactly?” she asked as she stepped over a small pile of wet gravel.

“My closest friend Ziz. A truly pure creature with a heart of honeydew. Noble, powerful, a great ally to have with us.” Goliath answered.

“That means he's nice. He's a good guy, but he's... just a bit... loud for me.” Fenrir answered much more mildly.

“He worth the climb?” Feral asked, not sure he wanted to make such a climb.

“Completely.” Goliath answered with hint of joy the group wasn't expecting.

“Wait!” Fenrir said aloud. “I feel eye's upon us.” She growled.

Without a sound, three manticores lept from the cliff above. Terrible beasts. The body of a lion, with the face of an ape, but with sharper teeth. Leathery bat wings both muscular and massive protruded from their back. The venomous tail of scorpion raised above their bodies poised to strike in an instant. The manticores opened their mouths, revealing three or four layers of teeth or jaws, ready to rip them apart. The three manticores surrounded the two pairs.

“I've been waiting for this!” Feral stated excitedly as he drew Tooth and Claw, then dashed at one of the manticores without any fear at all, laughing all the while.

War wanted to help, but one of the manticores was on her the second she tried to turn to run in his direction. Drawing her claymore, Justice, she held the blade in her teeth, her neck muscles bulging.

The first manticore had swept it's paw at her, but a quick side step gave her an opening to poise herself for an attack with her massive blade. The next attack was the second manticore's pounce. Goliath's voice in her head sprung her to react, side-stepping again, the attack and swinging the heavy blade in a giant vertical arch, easily cleaving the now landing manticore's wing clean off.

The manticore howled with pain, but the terrible death cry of Feral's manticore filled the air just after. War only looked for a moment. He had Tooth and Claw deep into it's neck, while it's own tail had been forced to pierce through the creatures back and into it's underbelly, disemboweling it. Gore covered the mountain trail, intestine and other organs fought with each other to for what spilled out first. With a final push, then a twisting pull, the wolf yanked off the manticore's head, roaring the viscous howl of a bloodthirsty wolf.

A hard pain hit her side. Refocusing, she saw that the manticore's tail had tried to sting her, but had deflected of her platemail, denting it badly, and definitely leaving a bruise underneath the heavy armor.

"Stay Focused Hatchling!"

With another long swipe, she cleaved the tail of the manticore be fore it had time to retract the stinger. The pain made the monster rear up in it's hind legs, stinger-less tail flailing about wildly. Instantly countering, War slid the blade into position underneath the beast, the blade leaving a line in the dirt. Then as the monster began to fall back down, she gave a powerful vertical upswing, slicing the beast cleanly in half vertically. It just fell limply in two pieces. Viscera raining down like gore filled pinata.

"Focused enough for you?"

War instantly turned back to the one winged manticore.

It had a number of deep looking cuts along it's legs and underbelly. Feral slid beside War his cloth armor wet with more than just rain. He had been clipped. The claws of the manticore managing to nick him in the side.

“You two alright?” War said clearly despite the hilt in her mouth.

“We'll be fine, get to his side, I'm going to put his face in the dirt, you cut off his head!” the wolves replied with an odd voice, as they seemed to be speaking simultaneously, their voices mixing.

The two ran at the last remaining manticore. The beast roared, blood rolled down it's wingless side. Feral dashed straight at the beast. War flanked him, reaching it's side.

A feint from Feral baited out a claw swipe, the counter attack on Feral's behalf plunged Tooth and Claw into the manticore's forehead. Gripping onto the daggers, Feral forced the manticore's head low. Already in prime position, War brought down the blade of Justice, which beheaded the beast with ease.

Tooth and Claw cut out slabs of manticore meat to eat later. They were now stored in a special pouch of Feral's lightweight saddle bag. Save for the slab Goliath had wanted to “taste”. A healing potion was all Feral needed to patch himself up. As he stopped to let the magic potion do it's work, War removed her plate mail, and tried to un-dent it, as well as examine her side, which was sore and bruised heavily, luckily the stinger came at an angle, head on, she would have cracked a rib for sure.

Back now on the trail, the two pairs resumed their travels. The rocky mountain terrain less of a threat as it was now three manticores were gone.

“Where'd you learn to fight Pup?” Goliath asked curiously.

“Who? Me? Just something I have been doing for a while. Gotten good at it, Fenrir makes me better.” he answered.

Goliath just snorted.

Now that they had returned to following the path, War wanted to strike up a new conversation.

“That reminds me. You're an escaped convict?” War asked.

“He is, not me.” Fenrir stated immediately.

“Yeah yeah.... Before I met Fenrir, I was in a bit of trouble with the law.”

“What'd you do?” War stated what Goliath was thinking.

“What does any criminal do? Poor life decisions.” Feral responded.

“What did you do in particular? Fenrir?” Goliath pressed.

“I won't say anything my pup doesn't want spoken.”

“Nothing big. Prison taught me to be quick anyway.” Feral stated.

“You weren't fast enough to dodge those claws.” Fenrir teased.

“Sorry, I was trying to keep an eye on your lizard buck-friend.” Feral replied in an attempt to counter.

“Or were you trying to get a look at War Bond's flanks?” Fenrir said suppressing a giggle. War Bond shot him a raised eyebrow tinged with a slight glare.

“Hey now, if I wanted to do that, not even you would notice Fenrir. Besides, that armor leaves everything to the imagination, that's too much work for me.”

A heavily armored hoof hit him in the back of the head.

“Hey, you did the same thing! You took a glance at me getting the first, and best, kill, and you got stung by those things!” Feral exclaimed.

“But this armor that leaves “everything to the imagination” lets me take a hits! Unlike that paper you have on!”

“And don't forget we also have dragon scales, you squishy wolves!” Goliath stated with a hearty laugh.

War mostly sat back as the three bickered lightly, and made each other laugh. She was surprised. She knew that Fenrir and Goliath were old friends, but Feral was surprisingly chummy with Goliath. He was much better at being “friends”... a better socialite then she was.

Almost like a wall of ice, a bitterly cold wave crossed over her. Her first real battle had just flashed by. She had been trained in the art of combat for years. But it was her first real battle. It was not sitting back and letting Goliath do the fighting, not sparring with her fellow soldiers. It was nothing like a sparring match. It was faster, scarier, more dangerous, more taxing on the mind and body. And she was barely realizing it now. Her first real kill. It came so easy. She questioned it, the pit growing in her stomach clenching tightly.

She had the dragon in her head, and she had hardly joked and laughed with him. In fact, in her private time with him, he mostly stayed silent. She wanted to become good friends with these wolves, and Goliath. Everything was happening so fast. She was just... overwhelmed. Yet... the smile stayed on her face. Talking telepathically to Old Ones and a Lycanthrope, this was crazy, far beyond anything she had dreamed would happen to her back on that base.

She really liked her new friends.

“Fenrir seems really sweet, Feral can get... intense, but he is charming and means well. Goliath is... odd. But his want to make me happy despite our rather odd relationship is really heart warming.”

This helped subdue her stomach, and relax a bit.

“Things are bad, but these ponies and... things... beings around me... have the same goal, and we're working to achieve it. It's not as bad with them here.”

Of course, she had forgotten that the orb around her neck transmitted ALL her thoughts to everypony else with an orb...

“See?! I'm her favorite! I'm sweet!”
“What? No way! I'm charming! I'm her favorite!”
“Fools! I'm heartwarming. Thus I am the favorite!”

War Bond hid her blush by adjusting her armor. Looking toward it to make sure it set correctly.

Before long they were surrounded by rocks and boulders.. The height of the mountain was growing more apparent, the incline was getting steeper. The peak was still out of sight. They just kept going, kept following the path. They really hoped that the path continued to the peak. Scaling the mountain horizontally with hooves would get hard.

I close my mind...

what you see
its surreal
eternity

lost my love...

lost their life
what you hear
trapped by fear...

“You're singing it again.” Fenrir stated quietly

“Am I? Sorry.” Feral stated solemnly.

“What was that? The song I mean.” War asked.

“Nothing. Forget about it.” Feral answered

“We have not long before sunfall. Perhaps we should consider stopping until the sun raises. It would be a nasty fall down.” Fenrir added quickly.

The two pairs soon began to build a shelter among a high set stage of boulders and rocks. Mostly out of twigs and leafier branches. The very little extra they had scavenged became a campfire, which both Feral and Fenrir agreed would bring moths and bugs, but stave off night time predators.

War set up a leaf and moss based “mattress” of sorts. Rocks did not make the greatest pillows. It wasn't until she had already finished her mattress, that she realized she would likely sleep in her armor for protection, and it really didn't matter all that much.

Feral didn't have a problem with sleeping on the bare floor. His fur and coat made good blankets, and it also had the benefit of being soft. He coiled into himself much like a real, fully canine creature would have. He had stayed like that the entire time War built her mattress. It wasn't until soon after that she finished that he pulled out the manticore meat and threw it upon the flame. Fenrir's words passing over War and Goliath's mind just like real sound would have.

“Eat. Keep your strength up, you too War.” Fenrir mothered.
“As long as it's not bunnies again, I'll eat it!” War replied with a grin.

The sky was growing darker. Not from the worsening of the clouds overhead, but the setting of the sun. The dull gray of the sky transformed into a dark starless sky, eerily reminiscent of the other world they had visited. The rain seemed to worsen. The light rain that had been their companion had changed into a solid heavy rain. The telltale signs of a storm seemed to become much more obvious.

“Stay near the fire, the cold weather will slow us down.” Goliath explained. War had forgotten the negative effects of being cold blooded. She did not want to feel that pure icy cold again.

The meat was ill-prepared. Cooked through and through, slightly burnt, and mostly flavorless. It was a bit haunting to War that she preferred the taste of fresh still bleeding bunny rabbits.

Once night began, War tried to sleep, despite Goliath's protests. Feral scouted ahead, surveying their surroundings every so often, keeping weary for any predators lurking on the mountain. After a few hours of silence, laying down with her eye's closed, War Bond realized that she required significantly less sleep then she realized. She remembered Goliath telling her sleep wasn't required, but she hadn't actually slept since before she even met Feral. Back at Lyve Wyre's...

“Lyve is probably worried about me...” She thought as she opened her eyes, staring into the crackling flame. “.. serves her right.”

“If you don't mind... who is Lyve Wyre to you?” Goliath stated, differing from his normal silence.

She wasn't entirely sure what to do, but Feral's voice filled her head.

“Bond with Goliath as you would any friend. Talk to him. Trust him. The closer you grow to him, the higher the sync rate. The higher the sync rate, the more in tune you will feel with your body. "

She stuck a hoof down the neck of her armor pulling out the orb allowing for telekinetic conversation. She set it down just to the side of her, the string of the pendant blocking it from simply rolling away.

A cold wind blew over the pair.

"She's an old friend, who I ignored for a long time... until I had no choice. Even then we really haven't been friends... for... reasons..."

"You need not tell me everything Hatchling. If speaking of this... un-comforts you, you need not speak."

"It's... stupid. Just the drama of a dumb teenage mare. I won't bother you with the details."

"However you wish."

"We got into an argument, stopped talking. Well, I stopped talking to her. She tried to get a hold of me, but I ignored her. Eventually she gave up..."

"We must all face our demons one day. This world is an equilibrium."

There was a pause for a moment, then a smile slid on war's face.

"Thanks Goliath... I think I understand what you mean."

"I know I can be... very... silent. But we are together for a reason. You may not realize it, but you are now my Hatchling. I wish to be your... companion."

"That's really sweet of you... I think"

War smiled. Perhaps Goliath was... nicer than she first thought. The two spoke for a while, not exactly about anything in particular, the two just talked.

"Hey, Gol, What kind of... Old One is Fenrir? If you don't mind my asking."

"She is the kind of creature that...you respect. One wants her on your side. She can be a horrifying nightmare, or a wonderful ally."

"I mean in ways that don't have anything to do with like... fighting."

"She is... a passionate creature. With several emotions. She also has a tendency to want to...be something... great?"

"What? Great? I'm... confused"

"Yes I know. Just know to stay on her good side. I was a bit of the... leader back in the old days. Our circle of friends mostly listened to what I stated. She was the... second... she did not like that and made it known regularly. However, she never directly challenged me for control, she knows I can best her in battle. Other then that she can be a bit... overbearing at times."

"Overbearing?"

"You'll see... wait... I feel something..."

Without warning, a figure slammed into the rock beside the campfire. Instantly back on his hooves, Feral turned over to War Bond. His body was beaten, dirty, and his clothes were stained with blood.

“This cunt's tough, I can't gank her!" Feral and Fenrir's voiced mixed into each other angerly, the snarl they made simultaneously didn't lighten the tone.

"Sorry!" Throwing the orb back on she looked over in the direction that Feral came flying in from.

A tiger stood glaring at them both.

"That's Regal Goliath! Atlas sent her to kill me!" Fenrir snarled.

The tiger stood with an overconfident smile.

"That's no tiger, it's a mare! Their like us!" Feral spat.

The mare trotted forward. Like Feral, she was much furrier. Her fur and coat were a crimson, with black stripes of a tiger trailing through over her body. Almost making her look like a zebra, but the wider head, sharp teeth, set of claws on the front of her legs instead of hooves, and feline eye's glowing from the campfire ruined the illusion. She wore only a cape around her neck. Her confidence was swimming off of her.

"Goliath!... Oh well, I'll have to try again later, for now, Meet Silk Sword. My soulbound mare." the Tiger stated calmly. Her voice a haunting mix of two, just like Fenrir and Feral.

Feral looked bad, he was bleeding much more then they had ever seen him bleed. But Regal and Silk didn't look to much better. Their wounds were pretty even, but Feral had gotten hit one too many times. A large bloody claw mark was raked into his chest, still bleeding and fresh. Regal had a very good wounds too, and what looked like a pretty good stab wound in her right leg. They had obviously been pretty evenly matched.

“Of all his allies, Atlas sent you after us?” Goliath growled.

“Well, he didn't know you were around. Sorry, but we'll have finish this later. This info is important, Atlas needs to be made aware of it. We had no idea that this the other force was... you!” With that she jumped down the mountain side, and out of view.
“Coward! Come face our claw!” Feral and Fenrir roared out, falling on their side on the gravel coated floor..

It was no use, War tried following, but the steepness of the cliff and her full body plated armor weight wouldn't end well. They saw the striped mare dodge into low foliage and out of sight.

Immediately feeling her body twist, she felt herself move back, Goliath was controlling her movements.

“How the hell do she beat you two!” He sneered.

“It's those damn paws!” Feral shot back.

“How did paws beat you!” Goliath boomed, War didn't like his anger, but somehow, she was starting to get frustrated herself. Not at Goliath, but at the two wolves. She agreed with each words Goliath spat out their shared mouth, as he scolded them. Which he did for a solid ten minutes,

“She got the jump on us, padded cat feet! Plus the damn rain! We couldn't hear or smell her coming, she got this first strike in, set us back a bit.” Feral defended

“How could you let her sneak up on you! You two are supposed to be better than that.” War found herself scolding as well.

“Why the hell did you not hear us! He howled, roared and even used the damn orb!” Fenrir seethed

“Two of us and only one of her and she got away!” Feral added.

The two dragons were silent. Then after a long while, War took back control, going to her saddle bag for medical supplies.

“We still have a long way to go. C'mon.” War offered a few bandages and a healing potions to the hurt wolves.

After the two patched themselves up, they coiled up and licked their wounds. After a period of hostile silence, the party continued onward as soon as the suns first rays began to brighten up the gray sky. They climbed up the mountain slowly, the path slowly dwindling into a barely traceable line of used gravel and dirt. They trotted for a good while in silence, but it was once again it as War who broke the silence. They spoke as they trotted on.

“So who is Regal.” she asked, breaking the tension.

Not really to her surprise there was no immediate answer. It was a surprise however, when Feral answered.

“You know these two are Old Ones?” Feral answered.

“Yeah.”

“And how we're going to find a few more?”

“I do, but what does that have to do with anything?”

“Well, that was something from their past who wasn't a friend. Far from it.”

War chose to hold her tongue. This... was a lot. She was really starting to get the feeling of being caught up in something much, much, much bigger than she initially assumed.

“I need to be careful, there could always be more monsters here. Feral and Fenrir are good, but they aren't in perfect shape at the moment nor do those knives do much damage. Goliath an I have some good power, but my attacks are slow. Now everypony is mad at each other too. Damn, why did I get angry? I felt bad when I first saw them so mangled and I'm the one who took off the orb! But once Goliath got mad... so did I. This is... fucking crazy! We don't even have a full sync rate and yet he is affecting my brain. Come to think of it.. I've never seen those two not feel the same... emotion, they were both mad earlier and are both mad now. Yet when at the same time they both seemed so much more calm earlier. This is fucking scary. Wait... can't everypony hear... my.... thoughts?”

“Yes” They all replied.

“Shit! Again!”

That gave the party something to chuckle at.

War felt her leg lift up and grab Feral, it forced him into a headlock. Goliath was controlling her again.

“What the-”

“Next time we'll kick that cunt's ass and send her back to Atlas with her tail between her legs!” Goliath boomed, as he moved War's body and gave the wolves a hard mane tussling. Like a older brother picking on his younger sibling.

“Aww Fuckin-! Stop it! Lizard-breath!” Feral growled.

“Why are we giving them a noogie?” War asked, but Goliath didn't respond.

“That's his way of saying “Sorry for being a complete asshole” is all.” Fenrir stated with frustration infecting her voice.

Goliath let go and gave the wolves a hearty punch in the spot where a claw had previously dug into.

“Apology accepted.” The wolves replied.

“Let's just get up this damn mountain, this stupid rain is making you smell like wet dog.” War teased.

The wolves replied by giving their whole body a vigorous shake.

The path was thin. Nothing but a bent line of rocks loosely strung together. It was obvious that non-pegasi rarely used this path. The thick clouds were now nearly black, and drenched the party as well as the terrain. The rain had grown into a monsoon. Pouring down fat drops of rain that seemed to form a series of small rivers in the rocks. Large boulders claimed small puddles and pools of water. The traces of all green seemed to vanish, any plant to reach this high was drowned or sent back down by the ebbing tide of water. The rocky surface was fragile. War's steps sent a series of rocks tumbling downward in the streams with each step. She feared tripping. Feral's poise didn't seem to faulter from heavy downpour, but War noticed how he was slowing down considerably, still bruised from losing that battle with Regal and Silk Sword.

“Where is all this water going, it wasn't pouring down from where we climbed up?” Feral asked as he drudged upward through the narrowing path. He didn't have to speak, as whatever force made the orbs link up didn't seem to be lessened by the rain. They could still hear thoughts clearly.

“Perhaps the Order fellows War spoke of are collecting it. I doubt they can get working plumbing and water up here, let alone tap water for cooking and cleaning.” Fenrir answered.

“Or it could be collecting in a natural waterfall or something.” War tried.

“Maybe the mountain is absorbing it, could be why it's so green down there, but so rocky up here. Like a cut rose growing thicker rather then taller.” Goliath replied.

“Could be all three for all we know.” Feral contemplated.

The two pairs continued up the path. The heavy rainfall soaking them. Feral's cloth armor already torn, provided little protection, he was soaked to the core, his thick fur was heavy, and is body was sluggish. War's heavy armor was already heavy, the water mostly went around it, only squeezing through the tiny gaps in the armor, and being dragon slayer armor it was well insulated, she was warm, but the day of climbing and soaking in water made it lose that warmth, however slowly. She was cold blooded, and the cold was ebbing in on her. Soon she would begin to slow down like she did before.

In the downpour, they stood in a box. The path ended a steep wall of rock in front and to the sides. The rocks had trapped them, the only way to go was back the way they came. They were close to the clouds now, they had climbed a great distance. The didn't suspect the several scorch marks on the floor and walls at all.

A bolt of lightning struck down at War's feet. The sound made her ear's ring, and the sudden bolt startled her. She jumped back. But still stood.

Feral let out a grunt of pain. Stumbling slightly as he held his ears.

“Their hearing is far more sensitive then mine! That must have hurt...”

“IT'S A-” Fenrir was cut off...

A second bolt of lightning stuck down, this time hitting the wall just behind War. She ducked down as a result, but this time her ears went into a great whine.

Feral hit the floor, desperately holding his ears in an attempt to block the thunder.

With a flash the third bolt landed where it was aimed. Hitting War and numbing her entire body. She didn't feel herself hit the ground. She could no longer hear, but she could still see the flash that came with each bolt. Several more were fired. None hitting her again, or Feral. The booming sound was enough to render Feral unconscious. The blast of lightning had stopped War, brought her down in an instant. She wanted to figure out what was happening. But everything went black. The last thing she heard was Goliath.

“They... got a preemptive strike on us...”

War came to her senses slowly. Her vision a blur. She first noticed her inability to move. When her vision cleared she noted the fact she was behind bars. She realized that she could no longer hear the rain. Instead she heard a loud howling. Whether it was wolves or the wind, she couldn't tell. She felt that she was not wearing her armor, and Feral was nowhere in sight. She was bound by chains, stuck up against some wall. Noting her surroundings, she saw that she was in some kind of stone fortress. The cobblestone floor and walls with wooden torches were a give away. And the number of cells suggested she was in some kind of dungeon. She could smell the coppery scent of blood. But more overpowering then anything was the sheer overwhelming cold.

“War? Can you hear me now?” Goliath asked.

“Yeah... I can... Goliath... cold...” she stated. They spoke through thoughts, she didn't want anypony to realize she was awake. She didn't know why she was so unbelievably sluggish however.

“We're freezing to death. We need to warm up. We are trapped however, and we don't seem strong enough to take dragon form.”

“That's... not good.”

“I believe it's those Order ponies you mentioned, they caught us in a trap. Boxed us in, then sprung!”

“What... about... the others? Can you... sense them?” she struggled to think clearly.

“I can feel Fenrir, and shes moving. Either she escaped and is prowling around here, or they're moving her. I can't tell. As for Ziz, I can definitely feel him above us.”

“Armor?”

“They took everything from us.”

“How aren't... you so...”

“I've been cold blooded far longer than you. I'm much better at dealing with it. But it's hard. Losing focus.”

“We need... to escape.”

“Don't fight it. We need to conserve heat. Let Fenrir or Ziz free us. We can get these Order folks back after we warm up.”

“But... what if... they are hurt?”

“Fenrir takes more than that before going down. She's a stubborn bitch.”

“What about... breath... fire breath.”

“You don't know how, and I can't. I'm not strong enough right now to do it for us.”

“I can try...”

“Don't, you'll burn our insides. It's instinct for dragons, not ponies.”

“Have to try... are we... gunna let Fenrir...save the day? Let her... be the alpha?”

There was moment of silence.

“Steady your breathing. Focus, you'll kill us if you fail.”

War did her best to steady her breath. It took several minutes, but eventually she hit a rhythm.

“Good... now, give a deep breath.”

War took a long hard breath.

“When you exhale, start by biting your teeth and flicking your tongue, make sure your mouth is wide open and both are out of the way. Then just breath out.”

War tried, but nothing happened.

“Again!”

On the second attempt nothing happened again. She was just taking deep breaths.

“Again!!”

This time something caught, and her mouth filled with flame for an instant. The surprise made her clench her teeth, smothering the flame and causing her to cough up smoke.

“Better, you did it. Good thing you shut your mouth early. Any later and you'll explode your head. That is fine, that is natural, let it happen, don't think about it, together this time!”

The pair harmonized, focusing on breathing together.

In a breath, a burst of flame flowed through their mouth, hitting the floor and staying a moment before flickering out. The heat felt wonderful, but now they had to catch their breath.

“Great! But we need something to lite. Our fire needs fuel.”

The warmth from her fire was reliving, but quickly fading. The sudden energy was all she needed to form a plan of action.

Goliath could help but grin at his Hatchling.

Fenrir and Feral sat in a cage. With a number of other mountain wolves. When Feral awoke, his vision was filled by his forepaws being licked clean. The taste of blood in his mouth. Shackles around his ankles.

“You're finally awake Pup.”

“What the situation, what happened?” Feral asked quickly, regaining his senses almost instantly.

“A trap, the fools threw us with the other wolves.” Fenrir replied calmly.

Taking control of his now fully wolf body he glances at the bloody mess of a wolf carcass laying in the center of their holding cage. Still wrapped in it's chains. Just as the other wolves caged with him were. The scent of urine and feces was strong. Those who forced them in here didn't clean the cage well or often. It was infuriating that countless wolves had been trapped in such a confined space, and left in such poor conditions. He was furious.

“That pup was the former alpha, thought he could take me. Died a fool's death.”

“So whats the escape plan?” Feral growled.

“Figured I'd let my little jailbird break us out, was waiting for you to wake up.” Fenrir stated calmly.

“Can you feel Goliath?” he nearly snapped.

“Yes, slightly, he's just cold. He'll get himself free and start rampaging through this place sooner or later. Now that were high and dry, as soon as he feels us moving around he will feel the need to free himself. If not, then that mare surely will convince him. However, using the time I had alone to think I realized three things.”

“What's that?”

“One, when Regal got the drop on us... we couldn't feel her presence, but she knew where we were, but she felt Goliath, and didn't know it was Goliath. This may prove to be a problem in the future. Second... Ziz is coming. I feel him descending, he must feel us and want to know who we are, I highly doubt he will recognize us. Remember how we couldn't recognize Goliath once he had been soulbound. Third... I definitely feel Ziz... but also something else. Either he is soulbound like us and even more bonded then we are, or he has company.”

“This just keeps getting more and more complicated.”

“Would it be fun if it was simple.”

Using his claws to pick the shackles that were on his neck and ankles, Feral grinned. The locks succumbing to his will in seconds each. He was free in under a minute. he stretched, his front legs extending low, his back legs standing tall. He stretched like any hound would after a nap.

“I guess not, damn that nap really helped my focus. That or these locks are shit.” He replied through clenched teeth...

“Probably a combination of the two Pup. Now free the pack, and lets lay siege to the bastards that thought they could imprison wolves! Let's tear them asunder!” Fenrir was boiling just as much as he was.

“I was thinking the same thing.”

A bloody scream filled the air. War bond was screaming in complete and utter agony. Screaming a terrible blood curling scream. The howl filled the halls and dungeon.

Three Order pegasi dashed to her cell. They wore thick black robes over their entire body. They were wrapped in those robes, scarves hide their faces, and odd flaps sat on their back, one can assume it was a type of opening that would allow wings to slide through. Snow thinly coated their robes.

She lay motionless pinned against the wall.

“It was screaming...” One of the three stated. The pegasi opened her cell and two stepped inside with her. They moved close to investigate.

“Do you smell that?” the one who stayed back uttered.

“Yeah... kinda like... burnt... sulfur?”

A tidal wave of bright pink fire roared out War's mouth. Bathing her two onlookers in fire, the third was hit with the wall of heat that the fire pushed forward. The two were completely absorbed in the fire. They both tried to scream, but the flames engulfed them so heavily that the attempt to draw breath filled their lungs with flames. They had no air to breath, and the air above them was superheated. Their eyes burst and burned away from the intense heat, their blood boiled. They were cooked almost instantly. The robes they wore had vanished, as did all fur and feathers. Nothing but charred flesh remained.

War tore herself down from the wall and stood over the still flaming charred corpses of two Order pegasi. The chains that bound her breaking due to her powerful body, but she still wore the shackles and collar. The third was frozen with fear, staring in awe as War's pale body seemed to flush with color again.

She let out a breath of thick black smoke.

“Where's my stuff?”

The pegasus didn't answer, he couldn't. He was frozen in place due to sheer disbelief. Unrelenting fear.

He looked at her dragonic eye.

“You're a monster...” was all he could get out his mouth.

His scream filled the air. The empty dungeon flashed an eerie pink. As the dragon's flame flickered in the dark. A bloody scream filled the air. The Order pegasus was screaming in complete and utter agony. Screaming a terrible blood curling scream. The howling laughter of a dragon filled the halls and dungeon.

A great and loud howl of a large group of wolves filled the air.

More screams filled the fortress halls. Wolves were loose and wild. Rabid and furious, they relentlessly sunk their teeth into every Order pegasus they found. Among them was a giant, a wolf twice the size of any pony. It laughed as it's claws tore pegasus after pegasus into ribbons of wet bloody meat for the various pack members who followed. They traced a bloody path of destruction through the Order barracks. Pegasi desperately ran toward the inner sanctum. Most ran past leaving other's for dead.

Order sentries arrived with large spears. They slayed the beasts from a distance. Stabbing and slashing wolves before the claws and fangs could reach.

“How'd these mutts get loose?!” a sentry roared as she pierced a wolf with a lance. It's high-pitched whine calling more wolves to the front lines.

As a great shadow turned the corner, she got her answer.

Feral moved into view. His wolf form dwarfing the sentries, he barely fit in the cobblestone hallway. Nearby wolves stepped away from his path. His gaping maw soaked with blood, his claws dragging entrails and viscera. Hunks of pony gorily dripping from his mouth alongside red oozing saliva. His dark fur was darker with blood. His eyes were filled with rage.

“I SHAKE YOUR CORPSE IN MY JAW” he snarled, before giving a roar that spat blood and chunks of pony meat from his jaw. He began to run toward them.

“FALL BACK!” The sentry screamed.

“WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT THING” a sentry screamed in terror. Feral barreling toward them.

“FALL BACK!” the sentry leader order as she ran toward the wolf. “PROTECT THE OVERLORD.”

Her allies dashed away in a moment not turning back. They left their captain without another word.

She lunged forward with her lance at the beast, but a claw swipe knocked her lance to the floor.

“Your valor has saved you this day. Be not a fool who rushes death. You get to live the rest of your life. Enjoy it.” the monster spoke.

The beast swatted the sentry to the wall. Feral looked back at the pegasus. Then continued on his way.

Wolves overran the halls, the sentry looked at the halls. Wolves walked by her without even the the slightest hostility toward her. They knew she had been left alive.

War Bond rushed into the armory, but Sentries followed and flanked her.

She was surrounded in a moment by seven armed sentries. Yet none had the courage to strike. They all feared her counter attack.

Once a sentry worked up the bravery and lunged at her with a lance, She swiftly dodged, side-stepping the attack. Not slowed by the heavy armor, or the cold, she was swift. With a disarming strike at the lance she took the weapon right from the pegasus' grasp. Taking the lance as her own, she swiped a heavy swing. Cleaving the pegasus of his forelegs. He cried in pain, but a thrust sent the lance through his brain. All of this in one smooth flowing motion.

Using the opening, she dashed forward, placing the lance in her mouth as she galloped over the fallen sentry. With a full body spin, she lacerated two more before dashing through a hallway. The guards gave chase. But immediately halted as she stopped to take a deep breath. A breath of fire blazed through three more.

Dashing through the flames, she finished off the remaining guard in a flash of her blade. She dropped the lance, waiting to be reunited with her claymore, she would have hated if the blade saw her with another weapon.

Kicking open the door to the armory, she gazed at a assortment of weapons. She and Goliath grinned at the weapon cache they found. They spotted Justice hanging on a wall. Tooth and claw were missing, as was her armor.

“Overlord! Both prisoners have escaped, they are far more powerful than we assumed. They are not mere defilers of our hallowed ground! They are monsters. The mountain wolves are loose and feasting on our kind! The she-dragon is reducing our greatest warriors into ash!”

“The gods are mad at our ignorance. They wish for us to overcome this test of faith. Victory is assured child.” The Overlord spoke with charisma. His robe was a bloody crimson with gold edging.

With a pull of a lever, the ceiling of the Overlord's quarters opened, letting the snow from the outside pour in. The blizzard that had formed at the mountain's peak filled the room quickly.

War Bond trotted into a hallway full of wolves. They quickly sniffed her body before dashing off. She pondered that for a moment before seeing the shadow of a giant turn the corner. The blood soaked Feral Silver moved into view. She gave him a astounded look.

“You're huge!” she beamed.

“Ahh yes, We are aren't we?” Fenrir and Feral replied in that odd mixed voice. Their body shrunk down. They transformed into Feral in his half wolf state, the form she had come to see as his normal body.

“Better?” He asked in his own voice, spitting out chunks of meat he hadn't noticed were in his massive mouth before. Blood still soaking most of his coat.

“Giant wolf mode seemed more helpful.” she stated with a bit of disappointment.

“You do realize that it's a blizzard outside right? Ms cold blooded.” Fenrir asked.

“Figured, but we will be fine.” Goliath answered, giving a puff of fire.

Feral formed a claw and removed War's shackles.

“You pick locks?” War asked.

“Possibly.” Feral answered sarcastically.

War Bond rolled her eyes.

“Fenrir, Do you feel Ziz coming?”

“I do Goliath. I believe he been soulbound, just like us.”

“I sense it also. Something is off. My horde says he is just got company.”

“You still owe me some three or four hundred rabbits, and about six or seven hundred hordes of treasure, remember?”
“No.”

The two pairs walked into a large room with an open roof. It had been wrapped in snow. They sky above seemed to swirl with clouds. The wind howled and flung snow about, but no snow was actually falling.

War felt the cold of the snow. “Why are we outside?”

She felt her head crane upward. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Feral do the same.

Feral and Fenrir began to give a great and loud howl. She heard every wolf in the building do the same. She felt her own body take a deep breath as Goliath prepared to roar.

“ZELLION HEAR YOUR COMRADE” Goliath bellowed a roar that echoed on the mountain top, it shook the entire temple.

The wind stopped. The clouds above seemed to swirl even more somehow. Twisting and showing all onlookers a spiral of clouds. Lightning flashed above. Giving a shadow of something above lurking in the clouds. A figure descended from the clouds.

It's body was a deep dark wooden brown, with white feathers around It'd head. It was something different. A pegasus unlike any other. It's entire body was coated in feathers. With a massive pair of wings flapped softly. On the pegasus' face, no muzzle, but a beak. No hooves, but a pair of talons and paws. The realization was sudden. It was no pony at all. But a griffin.

The wind started up again. Mid-descent the griffin moved with the wind, flailing.

“Whoa! Updraft!” It screamed in a female's voice before she came crashing down suddenly. Landing beak first in snow, she was buried to her hind-legs in snow. Her laugh could be heard through the snow.

“Umm need some help?” War bond asked mildly. A second later, the griffin pulled herself from the snow, large grin on her beak.

With a point toward Feral, a charismatic voice of Ziz spoke from the griffin's mouth.
“Fluffy-” the griffin turned and pointed a talon at War Bond “-sulfur breath.”

“Zellion.” Fenrir stated with a deep sigh and a face-hoof.

“Ziz.” was his reply.

“ZIZ!.” Goliath roared. War felt her body lunge to pounce on the griffin. She wrapped her legs around Ziz and give a powerful squeeze.

“GOLIATH!” Ziz roared back as the griffin's body wrapped it's legs around War.

War felt her muscles clench up. Tightening her grip.

“Brace yourself.” Goliath echoed in her head

War's entire body felt the shock of electricity flow through her body. Not like the bolt from earlier, but much more controlled. It bounced around her body, like the shock was being... friendly. Hurting more then anything else.

The two dashed apart in a second. Goliath roared a dragon's bellow. Ziz let out a loud avian screech, like a falcon diving on it's prey.

“Okay you two. That's enough intensive cuddling. We are in enemy territory. We need to get off this mountain.”

“You're right Fluffs, these guys are nuts. We gotta jet pronto.” Ziz voiced through the griffin.

War took the bag she recovered from the armory and gave Ziz an orb.

“So you can just think your thoughts to us instead of talking through your friend.” War answered before the question was asked. “I'm War Bond by the way.”

“Freya. Why are you two so bloody? Why are you here? What's happening?” The griffin replied.

“Feral Silver. We had to fight our way here. As for the other sh-”

“Formalities later, let us leave this place.” Goliath ordered.

“Whoa! I heard that! These little things are neat!” Ziz beamed.

“We can all hear all of both your thoughts, so keep that in mind.” War warned.

“If you want to think to yourselves, ground rules are to just let us know before you take it off.” Feral stated with a glared toward War Bond.

“Okay, we can chit chat later let's get off this mountain!” Fenrir spoke.

“How are we going to do that?” Ziz questioned hastefully.

The three pairs looked to the edge of the mountain cliff, a bit away as the temple was built away from that edge.

“Let's get out this temple, then figure something out!” Goliath commanded.

“Just wing it?” Ziz asked.

“Pretty much.” Fenrir echoed.

The three dashed through the halls, several sentries chasing and hunting them down. The horde of wolves ran free but were not being considered the largest threat. Freya wrestled herself a lance and proved quite skilled at wielding it. War Bond continued using her fire breath to blaze just about anypony foolish enough to get too close, and block the path behind them with flames. Her blade was too slow and wide in such confined quarters. Those who dodged the flames met with Feral's claws or Freya's lance. The dashed through halls, kitchens, dungeons, they searched for an exit while avoiding encounters.

War's breathing was getting heavy, and her mouth felt like she had been crunching jalapenos. Feral seemed to be slowing down, and he wasn't reacting as fast as when they started. Freya was more confused then anything else.

“What's going on?”
“Why are we killing these Order ponies?”
“Are there anymore of you guys?”
“What is happening?”

“We'll explain everything once we're safe.” Goliath replied.

Her questions unanswered, she was hesitant to fight.

“If Ziz trusts them then that should be enough for me.”

The three ran in vain, they were confused by the layout. They agreed that it was sheer luck they found each other in the maze of a temple.

“Fuck this!” Goliath roared “We are leaving!”

War felt her body stop and face a wall.

She knew what Goliath was going to do.

War Bond's body went crashing through the cobble stone wall. She burst through and landed on her side. The hole in the wall showed nothing but another room. She felt her body get up and shake off rubble. A gash had cut through her leg, but she and Goliath ignored it. Getting a running start, she broke down three walls before reaching outside.

The wind was loud and the snow was heavy. War picked herself up she stumbled about for a moment, her side was covered in gashes and three or four sharper rocks stuck in it. Freya dashed to the mountain cliff. The others dashed to follow her. Feral stood to her left, War to her right. The three, or six rather, gazed down at the mountain edge, the steep slope and jagged boulders made the base of the mountain terrorizing.

War gazed down at the mountain, then felt the griffin's leg moved over her and gripped her body.

“What are you doing?” War asked as she looked to the griffin beside her, noticing she had grasped Feral in a similar way.

“Oh... no fucking way.” Feral's thoughts were cut off by the sound of pegasi at their back.

“THOSE ARE THE DEFILERS END THEM!”

“This is a bad idea.” Fenrir stated.

“Could be worse.” Goliath added.

“What are we doing?” War asked.

“WINGING IT!” Freya shouted. With a crouch, the griffin bent her knees. With a leap of faith, the griffin held on to the two pairs as she lept off the mountain's edge.