Story I: Golden Spear's End
Golden Spear's End
"Come on, Golden! Let's play some cards."
The laughter of the other Royal Guards echoed out over the mountains where Golden Spear had been stationed, the chilling night wind causing him to shiver as his golden armor froze against his olive green coat. Casting a small warmth spell from his horn, Golden Spear started looking around, his eyes on the clouds that had begun forming above them.
After a few moments, he turned back to the other guards who were sitting inside, his voice stern and reprimanding as he spoke.
"You know, we're supposed to be keeping an eye out for any attacks or unauthorized flights over these mountains. We should be on patrol right now." Golden Spear grumbled as the other guards laughed.
"Nothing ever happens this far north, newbie. Get in here where it's warm, and come play cards with us."
Another guard snickered lightly, mumbling something under his breath. Golden Spear heard the whisper, if barely; "He'll learn soon enough. Let him get some frostbite on that horn of his. Namby Pamby unicorns."
The final comment sent the other guards into a laughing fit, pounding the table with their hooves.
Suddenly, Golden Spear froze. He could hear the flapping of wings in the distance, steadily growing in frequency as it approached the fort.
"Guys! I hear something!" Golden Spear ran into the fortress, grabbing a spear from the weapon rack nearby. The guards laughed at his panicked movements as he tripped, sending the spears scattering across the floor.
"Kid, nothing's going to happen. Calm down," An earth pony guard snickered.
Ignoring the laughter of his fellows, Golden Spear ran back outside, keeping his eyes on the horizon. The wing beats were getting closer, the pace matching his heart as it thumped furiously against his chest.
Suddenly, a large eagle flew out from the clouds, screeching at Golden Spear furiously as it descended. Releasing a breath of relief, Golden Spear turned away from the wall, his knees knocking together furiously. "It was a bird. Just a bird."
Walking back towards the fort Golden Spear chuckled. He had been frightened by a bird! This mountain air must really be getting to him, he thought. Just as he got close to the archway to enter the fortress, Golden Spear stopped, a flicker of movement in the corner of his eye alerting him to danger.
Leaping aside just in time to dodge a trio of arrows, they shot through the air and pierced the position where he was just standing but moments before. The sound of metal stroking stone vibrated around him as they clattered heavily on the stone tile beneath his hooves.
Turning his head towards the source of the arrows, Alern saw three griffons, their faces painted with a dull red war paint, notching another arrow to their bows.
"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!" Golden Spear screamed, startling the guards inside. The griffons pulled back on the arrows, preparing to let them fly, and Golden Spear quickly cast a basic shield spell around himself as he saw, almost in slow motion, the arrows fly from their bows.
The first was parried effortlessly by his magical shield, the metal-tipped arrow clattering along the ground as it bounced off. The second pierced the shield, embedding itself in the magic as it attempted to correct itself. The third arrow broke completely through the green magical shield, embedding itself in his flank.
"Ponyfeathers!" Golden Spear cursed, grabbing the arrow with his teeth and tearing it out. Ignoring the flash of pain, Golden Spear charged at the archers, his spear hovering in front of him with his magic. The griffons barely had time to react before the green unicorn was on them, the sharpened iron spear cutting through feathers as it stabbed itself through the first griffon's chest.
Leaping back before the griffons could counterattack, Golden Spear smirked hideously, blood splattered on his golden armor. Behind him, he could hear the sounds of the other guards taking position, their spears leveling out at his sides.
"Those are griffons!" Golden Spear heard one of the guards say behind him. Golden Spear and the two archer griffons stared at each other for a moment as the griffons thought. Finally after what seemed like an eternity, the griffons turned, cutting their losses and beginning to retreat.
As the griffons flew off, Golden Spear noticed another shape among the clouds, the outline shimmering as if reflected off the metal of...
Golden Spear leapt aside, shouting out to the other guards. "HEAVY ARMOR!"
A massive griffon, twice as tall as the archers, landed inches from the other guards, his body completely covered in a silver metal. The armor covered every inch of his body, seeming to glow unnaturally in the limited moonlight. The guards took a step back, unsure about this new threat.
The silver-clad griffon smiled mercilessly, raising a large claymore over his head. Diving aside once again, Golden Spear watched as the griffon brought down the claymore directly on top of another guard that was unlucky enough to be nearby, slaying him in one strike as it slashed through his armor like paper.
"You know, you ponies had a good idea, using White Steel for weapons. Although now, it's our turn to have the advantage," the griffon taunted, drawing a second claymore from its sheath on his back. Grinning wickedly, the griffon held it in his other talon, the silver metal shining vibrantly as he prepared to strike.
Golden Speer gritted his teeth, grabbing the fallen guard's spear with his magic. Using a quick velocity spell, Golden Spear 'threw' the weapon, sending the deadly missile directly at the griffon's neck.
The griffon's armor literally came alive, thickening along the griffon's neck the instant before the spear struck, causing it to fall to the ground uselessly. The griffon turned to Golden Spear, grinning at him.
"Griffons can't use magic..." Golden Spear said under his breath. Raising one of his claymores, the silver griffon swung it downwards towards Golden Spear's head. Preparing for death, he closed his eyes.
A clang of metal against metal echoed across the fort as Golden Spear slowly opened his eyes.
Another guard had leapt in front of the blow, blocking it with his wing. Silver metal streamed along the guard's wing, forming a blade to deflect the blow.
"White steel wingblades, eh? I thought those were outlawed?" The griffon smirked, swinging the other claymore down at the guardspony. Grunting, the pony used his other wing to deflect the new strike, his wing feathers turning into the same silver metal that the griffon's armor and weapons were made of.
"Not for the Royal Guard," The pegasi snidely stated, slamming his hooves into the ground and pushing back against the griffon's swords. The sudden push surprised the griffon, forcing him to take a few steps back.
"You dummies! Get back into the fortress and warn the Princess! Sound the alarm!" The pegasi guard screamed as he pushed, eying the other guards and Golden Spear.
The sound of the pegasi's voice seemed to snap the other guards form their stupor as the clashing of metal on metal echoed once again across the fort. Golden Spear ran inside, grabbing an inkwell, quill, and parchment hurriedly as the other guards started engaging the silver griffon.
"Important message from Whitecastle Keep. Griffons have attacked. Silver griffons using White ste-"
A sharp blinding pain suddenly appeared in Golden Spears' chest as the blade of a sword punctured through his armor. Sliding out with a snickt, Golden Spear fell forward against the parchment, blood spilling against the tale, covering part of the message.
"I'm sorry, unicorn. Were you busy?" A feminine voice asked. Pushing himself up against the table, Golden Spear felt his blood flowing from the wound. Knowing it was a matter if time before he bled out, Golden Spear grabbed the parchment with a hoof, smirking.
"No, I just finished."
His horn glowing for an instant, the parchment was suddenly enveloped in a green flame, turning it to smoke before his eyes. Flowing out of the fort, Golden Spear's eyes watched it fly away as the sword severed his head from his body.
"Blasted little pony!" The female griffon screeched, kicking his head out the window. Her feathers were covered by the same silver armor as the other griffon, shimmering in the candlelight around her as she twisted her head towards the doorway. "Asbjorn! Are you finished out there?"
The second silver-clad griffon walked into the fort, smirking. "Didn't expect that pegasi to have wingblades. Sorry about that."
The female griffon glared at Asbjorn, her eyes red with rage. "They got through to their blasted Princesses! Now they'll be prepared!"
Agni smirked. "You think that matters now, Brynja?"
The female griffon smiled wickedly. "No. Not now."
Above the fort, hundreds of griffons flew from the clouds, making their way over the mountains and into the lands of Equestria.
"Nothing can stop us now."
