A dark corridor stretched before me, my claws twinkling slightly in the dim light the hanging chandeliers provided as I passed them by. Making my way down, I pressed myself against the side of the corridor. Coming to a stop I could make out two guards that stood not four feet from me. The two bumbling fools not even sensing their imminent demise as they guarded the small Y section of corridor. At the sight of them I could almost NOT contain my inner instinct... The one that bayed for their blood as I looked at them, my lips shinning with saliva and the thought of their blood trickling down my throat as I ripped their jugulars out with my bare teeth.

As my inner animal raged against my control, i began to imagine what I was going to do to them... Gouging out eyes... ripping, tearing throats and rending hides... It was marvelous ecstasy that raced through my veins before I silenced my blood-lust. In all this my tail twitched and writhed at the thought of blood soaking it again... It reacting to my inner thoughts more so than the rest of me. Fully regaining my composure I crept closer, coming up almost upon their very hides as I unraveled my tail and readied my claws... waiting for just the right moment. Seeing it in a twitch of their jaws... I jumped, tackling the one to my left into the cobblestone beneath us. The crunch of bones being enough to jar his mate from his stupor and react... Though not before my tail plunged through his back, severing his spine in two and breaking a few ribs, before bursting his heart and shooting through his chest and into the stone below, sticking him to the spot. The other I just killed by plunging my hand into his brain pan... An effortless kill if anything. But fun nonetheless.

Moving on, I shook their cooling bodies from my limbs, I only left their dead and mangled corpses as a signifier of my passing. Now, hiding in the shadows, I stalked the halls, letting my own shadow like force aura hide me as i passed through any bright lights, hiding me from their sight. Now, with me moving closer to my destination, I could feel my mate's presence in the force... Along with all our allies and those that keep them. As I traveled farther into this abyss called a prison... My loathing for these creatures grew ever stronger... The closer I got to my mate and friends.

Coming up to a corner I stopped, feeling the presence of three gryphons coming my way. Their dark souls like a stain on the force... slick as oil, as murky as blood... and as dark as the void. All that did for me was make me want to kill them more... The force itself even seeming to urge me on... Them, feeling two of them break off from the third and move off and down the hall towards me, my tail twitched in anticipation of the following bloodshed. My hands, tightening as my senses went into overdrive as they came upon my position.

At the first glimpse of armor I struck, my hand striking out and catching the first one in the eye as I dragged it down his face, lopping off a good portion of his beak. His garbled cry going unheard as I turned to the other Gryphon and took hold of his head and shoulder, stopping him from slashing at me with his sword. I then ripped, tearing his head from his shoulders, the sound of tearing cartilage and ripping skin filling the air. And then, with the sound of broken bone, his neck and head came off with a sickening splat... blood and nerve tissue splattering on the stone floor. Turning to the other still living victim I leaned down and picked the blubbering fool up by his neck, crushing his wind pipe as I did so, and then tossed him in to the wall just over where his companion's corpse lay. With a resounding CRACK his back broke and he fell dead on top of his comrade.

Looking down the hall I saw my last foe... His shoulders shaking up and down as he marched towards me. His rank breath coming out in misty puffs as he glared at me. His seething form moved towards me, his form finally coming into the light, letting me get a glance at his true form. His face was scared, his right eye having been covered by a leather patch and his beak partially replaced with a metal plate. He then, once close enough, pulled out a large scimitar. The blade was easily as long as he was tall, a staggering four feet in length from hilt to tip. A truly monstrous weapon for such a small creature to hold. Even at the Gryphons massive-ish height of five six... I still stood the bigger man.

Hefting the blade up he charged at me, standing on his hind legs as his wings helped to stabilize his two legged charge. The large Veteran swung at my midriff as I moved deftly to the side, stepping into his range and tripping him up. In the action taken he then stumbled to the ground and cursed in his native avian tongue. quickly he got to his claws and paws and whipped his lion like tail at me, hoping to throw me off with the ploy... To which I snatched it between my clawed fingers and pulled, taking over two thirds of his tail right off. his howls of pain reverberated through the halls as he dropped his sword and slashed at me with his razor like claws, racking them across my chest as he had surprised me with the lightning like strike.

Giving a short howl I spun around and lashed out with my tail, using the momentum of my spin to add significant force to the hit, sending the gryph reeling back a few dozen feet. Not relenting I chased after his dazed form as he came to a skidding halt next to the other two dead gryphons, his body having rolled through their blood pools by the time he stopped moving. Coming down upon him I struck out with a clawed hand towards his head, aiming to end him swiftly... It was not to be as he flared his wings and jostled me sideways, away from his head and into the cobblestone below. The gryphon then body slammed my confused form and brought me to the ground in a daze, the force then alerted me of imminent danger, I rolled to the left as two clawed appendages came down where my neck and spine used to be.. Next I preformed a back flip into a standing position and lashed out with a clawed foot, striking the oncoming gryphon in the chest, knocking the air from his lungs as he came crashing to the floor.

Seeing the gryphon lay there on the floor, struggling to get up, to get another breath full of life giving air to his lounges, I strolled over to him. His baleful gaze falling on me as I stood before him and his agonized form. Smiling cruelly I quickly dispatched him with a quick twist of my wrist -seeing as I had taken a hold of his head with the force it was quite easy- and watched his body fall to the floor. Giving the now dead body a smirk like glare I turned back towards the other end of the corridor... The one where this little prick came from... I could sense my family was just around the corner there... Being guarded by four very... Different... Gryphons.

Coming to the conclusion that they were gryphons stopped me in my tracks... Seeing as their... Souls, for lack of a better term, were almost completely pure... Even when compared to the ponies i have met while here on this planet...Interesting. So, slinking up to the edge of the corner I peeked around it to see what I could make of them... And I was surprised. They were all what one might consider teens in this race of bird-lion hybrids. Reaching out with the force i touched the closest ones mind, pearing into his memories as to what he had done to have such a good heart... And what i saw... Brought tears to my eyes...

Perspective: Luna Dia Noctis

Months prior to events in the prison.

"General, get us our sister... We have need of her." I ordered stoically as I stomped off to one of the many meeting rooms on this side of the castle. Marching into a room of white and gold, its walls walls were covered with a plethora of old war paintings, mostly those of I and my sister standing over defeated foes like gods of war. Lining the walls along with the pictures were several floor to ceiling pillars, each carved with spirals going up them, both ends meeting in large, tiered bases. In the middle was a large red rug with golden embroidery crowning its edges with a large two foot high table sitting along its center axis, leaving about three feet of the carpet on all sides.

Even as it were, the room was rather spacious.

Sitting there for the next five minutes helped me to settle my mind on the whole incident with Corpus and his... our... Ponies being captured along with him... it was a severe blow to our forces at such an early venture in the war... Moral was all but destroyed with Corpus' capture... And my heart was in no better state than the moral of our ponies... As my thoughts of my captured friend crept into the darker parts of my mind, I was knocked from my melancholy by the sound of my sister bursting into the room.

She strode in wearing her normal regalia, her golden sigals adorning her white fur as her worried eyes searched for me in the gaudy room.

"SISTER!" She cried as she raced over to me, her wings opening up to engulf me in a sisterly embrace... Though my face did warm some when her muzzle rubbed against my neck and barrel... 'Bad thoughts, down! I said down!" I mentally growled as my baser feelings tried to make a guest appearance in my head. Smiling, and only having hesitated for an instant, I wrapped my wings around Celestia as well, nuzzling her neck and face as well. Sitting there I could feel a few of my sisters tears dampen my fur.

"We're fine, dearest Sister, shaken... But fine. We do seek an audience with thee though..." I Stoically said as I wiggled gently out of my sisters embrace. Her face now almost as stoic and serious as mine.

"What would thee ask of me dear sister?"

"There are over five hundred refugees coming this way sister... They need refuge... Can the City house them?" I asked, my apprehension palatable in the air.

"Hmm... It is possible to house them here sister... But if we can we must set up a camp for them off in the country... Away from the contested boarder... But we do have room for now... Herd them the city post haste Sister... We shall be ready for them..." She then began to leave, until she notice I had not moved from my spot.

"Is there something else weighing thou down sister mine?"

"Sister... When we come back... we must talk of what happened out there... But for now know this... We need more troops if we are to win this war..." receiving a nod I turned and walked from the room, knowing my sister was going to think on my words... For now.

Perspective: Corpus

With my mind set and conscience settled, I made my way towards the young guards, seeing that they were now shaking in their skin as I approached. The four of them, *thud*, three of them... Stared at me in complete and utter terror as I approached them... One of them having fainted in his fright.

"Talon break... Come forth..." I called, making one of them piss himself as he heard his name in my new gravelly, husky, voice. He slowly, hesitantly, made his way to kneel before me.

"Y-y-es... Mi'lord?" He answered shakily as he prostrate himself before me, his quaking from almost ready to relieve itself upon the stone floor.

"We hast deemed thee and thy comrades redeemed... Free our allies and thou shalt be free of this place... If thou wishes it." I commanded him, making him shiver slightly at my words.

"... Y-yes M-Mi'lord... Thy will is done..." He cowed before scurrying off to free my family.

"Grace! everyone... Do not harm these pour souls... We dost know their willingness to help thy enemies as if they were their own... Seen their hearts we have... Pained they are..." I then slowly made my way to the darkest shadow I could find... And then wrapped myself in the force... using them both to hide my form from them, while the three gryphons, went about freeing my friends and family from their cells as i watched over them. From the first cell came Sentinel, Rose, and Jazz... From the next came Grace and Roid... From the last one came Ducati and a few of Grace's guards.

In all there were four Mares and seven stallions and the four gryphons in my group. As they all massed around Grace, who stood in the middle of the corridor, I watched over them. The four gryphons were uneasy at first, but many of the ponies there were gather each of them up and wrapping them in a firm hug for all they had done for them the past month we had been trapped here.

"Corpus... Art thou still there?" Grace called as she moved out of the small mob of our friends and allies. She had just finished hugging all of the gryphons that had helped them. She was now looking for me, trying to see where i had made off to.

"We art here Grace... Just... Be warned... W-we dost not look the same as we did before..." I hissed out slightly... My tongue slithering out of my mouth as i spoke. I could see several of my comrades shiver at the sound of my husky/gravelly, slithery voice... This made me smile sadly at their reactions, not feeling all to mad about their reactions seeing as I would have done the same in any of their positions.

"WE can handle it ... We think..." The last part she had whispered under here breath, low enough that she thought I hadn't heard, but I had... And I understood her skepticism. So, not daring to hold back, I walked out. The light shown off of the burning chandelier hanging above... the flame light reflecting off my bare chest and shoulders. Every single one of them could now fully see me for what I was... I now stood at Seven' eight" (7'8"), my body having grown slightly when my bones and muscles reacted to the toxin being released from my brain... My shoulders were now about two and a half feet across the back, giving me a very wide back. They could see my clawed hands and feet, the small scales, which were similar to a barabels, tracked up my arms and legs to about my elbows and knees. Then, on a whim, my tail uncoiled from around my waist and circled my feet, its ten foot six length looping several times around my person.

Looking Grace right in the eye I could see her sadness at what had befallen me. Turning I let them see my back, were around a dozen spines shot out through my skin like a massive sail without flesh to cover it. After looking at my back they then took in the features of my face... The slightly elongated mouth, the shape of my face being slightly more reptilian... and then the sight of my tongue shooting out from between my teeth and lips like a snake.

"Cor...Corpus... What happened to thee?" Grace asked as she covered her mouth with a hoof to keep from crying out uncontrollably.

"This twas but the product of a past internment with a race called the Yuzhan Vong... They decided to tamper with our DNA one day... It used to be much worse though... But after some work our own people had done... they had fixed most of the damage... But the piece of Vong tech that had been implanted i my brain was not in a place they could get to without killing us... So, we had to inplace a few counter measures for such a day that the implanted gland would act up... But our torturer broke through them all... And caused this..." I Sighed, having explained why i looked the way I do. Everyone reacted about as expected... In an unexpected way though... They were all pissed, livid, and filled to the brim with hate... But it was not directed at meee... It was all directed towards a race of being that none of them had ever met... And I hope they never will.

"Corpus... None of this is thy fault... Thou hast saved each of us countless times over the last few months... we would not shun thee for such a dubious reason as this Corpus... Come... Let us go and leave this place..." Grace calmly said as she came up and rubbed her face along my thigh and waist.

"Dost everyone else agree? " I asked, my voice traveling into their minds to break through the language barrier.

"YES!" Was the unanimous shout, and some how the Gryphons with us had said so in the Equestrian/basic language.

Running through the corridors, I led our ragtag group of escapees toward one of the other holding areas of the massive underground prison. One of the thoughts on my mind, now that my loved one and our friends were safe, was the freedom of all the Griffs that these barbarians had locked up in the 'nursery' section of the complex. Grace and the others also had a good idea of what I was doing, seeing as I had told them my plans. Grace and the others were all for it, rescuing the other Griffs that is.

As we came around a corner, everyone trailing by a good couple yards at least, I ran into a patrol... Seeing them I deftly evaded their spears and battered them into bloody pulps. Breaking necks, backs, and cracking skulls. The six man/gryph patrol fell in moments... Everyone just running past them as they tried to keep up with my quickened pace.

Making several break neck turns we caem upon a small hub one could say... It was a large room with several floors/levels that had wood bridges connecting them from great distances. With a large dome like ceiling, one that was at least several stories high, that we could see many a Gryphon flying under to get to the higher up echelons of the hub.

"Hide!" I quietly shouted to my fellows. Each of them scattering to the small crevices that littered the corridor. I then walked out into the room, raising my hand up into the air as I gathered the force around me... Turning it into force lightning as it flowed through my body and into my hands... As I gathered more power around me, letting some of it run wild so I wouldn't have to completely focus it all, I began to create a proverbial storm... As the ball of lightning in my hands grew, so did the amount of violet light that poured off my form... Alerting my enemies to the presence of such a high threat in their midst.

As they all began to take notice, some ran and some charged... One retreating while the other fought to live... I unleashed the power, aiming it up and away from m allies and myself... Letting the energy of the force have its way with the wood and metal in the room... The sound of feral screams rebounded off the walls in the dome, granted most sounds were around out by the sound of crackling lightning. As the bodies of scores of gryphons fell to the ground, I had to use the force to knock falling pieces of wood out of the way, and away from my friends.

Many of the gryphons that had been caught in the attack were now charred husks falling from the sky. Those that weren't dead wished they were as most of their feathers were burnt from their bodies. And like the flightless birds they now were, they fell as well. Grasping a hold of a falling sword, it was about a foot and a half long, I went about finishing them off. The floor was now littered with the dead and dying bodies of the gryphons, many of which were covered with the masses of burnt wood and metal that had been destroyed when I unleashed the force on the bridges and other ornaments that were in the room.

"Everyone! Go, Go, Go!" I yelled, waving them forward with my blade as I hacked, slashed, and maimed the fallen ... leaving no survivors. Quickly they made it to the other side, waiting for me. I caught up quickly and led them up to the fifth level, there was a sign hanging over it that read 'Nursery'... It was slightly charred and hung low on one chain.

"Alright... We are just here to free the women... No heroics! We get in, free them, get out... Simple." I then directed everyone ahead, keeping the sword I had picked up... even if it was just a toothpick. Filling into the tunnel/corridor, everyone being rather speedy with their movements, left me with bringing up the rear... Granted I got to stare at Grace's rear for a while, it was a good concelation prize.

*Splash*... *Screlch*... *Ching*... *Shink*... Three gryphons fell as I walked between them, delivering fatal blows as I passed.

Grace and Ducati had split of and taken half our group with them when we had gotten to an intersection... I had told them that there were prisoners in both directions... Which was true... Save for the fact that there were fewer guards that way. So, with Jazz and the gryphons, we stealthily made our way down to the cells... and the dozen or so guards.

Jazz and Talon Break took to the highest places they could find while we were down here, the two of them looking for unsuspecting members of the guard to pounce on... so one could bash their skulls in and the other could slash their throats. Morbid I know... But when you have been tortured by these bitch-ass mother-fuckers for a month, or so, the you would understand... Even though all of us were unarmed and under fed... We were a force to be reckoned with.

I hadn't found our weapons yet... Hence our unarmed state's... But I was going to put that on top of our list of things to do after this. I was sorely missing my sabers and armor at ths point... Granted I knew I was going to have to modify my armor for my new appearance... Slightly anyway... Hopefully the magic here will be able to undo some of my changes... Shaking those thoughts from my head I concentrated on the task at hand.

Throwing my sword like a knife, I impaled a gryph in the chest with said blade. He fell to the floor in a torrent of his own blood gushing from his wound. Three more then took his place as they charged at me... None of them noticing the two sneaky bastards above them... I love this kind of ambush! Just as they passed under their position, the two of them fell on them, breaking one's back and the other digging his claw into anothers neck. As Jazz finished of his target, Talon quickly slit his targets throat and moved onto the next one, the boy not even having any regret on killing his fellow gryph.

Tallon then quickly made short work of the other gryphon, whom hahd been stuned by the quick work, and gutted him with his hind paws when he tackled six of us, that being me, Jazz, and the fou gryphons on our side, then ran on further into the labrynth of corridors. Ducking around corners and vaulting over falen banisters we came to a large locked iron bar door. I had Tallon and his comrades deal with it while Jazz and I kept watch for any flanekrs...

Five minutes into them trying to pick the advanced lock... We had trouble... From around one of the corners at the 'T' a few yards away came the sound of heavy hoof falls... Severl pairs of them... Turnin the corner wre four of the biggest Minotaurs I had ever seen... Even bigger than theon e that had ambushed me and Jazz a month ago... They stood at almost eight foot six... They were monsters, each one was covered in armor from head to toe... and they each held a massive battle axe in their hands, along with a larger than life great sword on their backs...

"Kriffing bastards..." I whisspered as Jazz and I sized up our new opponents... What a drag...

"Buck..." Was all Jazz said as he let his wings droop at the sight of them.

"What ah've we 'ere boys?" the lead Minotaur, a red and black spotted bastard, sneered out at us.

"Yeh, boss! Look ahd 'em! They's look puny!" The one to his right said, a back and grey one, upper half black, bottom half grey, snarled.

"Lets eat'em boss!" The one at his back right yipped, it was to dark to see his color.

"We think not, Chut'ah's..." I grined evily as my tail slowly unwrapped from my waist. Jazz even got a sadistic grin plasterd on his face as he saw what I was doing.

"Grrr, Get them!" The lead one snarled. The other three charged forward, weaving past him, their axes swinging wildly at us as they got closer. Both Jazz and I also charged forward to meet them, our minds made up on what we were going to do. As they got closer I jumped up over a waist high swing and reeled back as I then punch the shithead in the face, sending him back a foot or two ,dazed.

Jazz, on the other hand, rolled under the swing and ceam up headbutting the Minotaur in the crotch... I felt about this much )( pity for him right then... But laughed when he whimpered and fell over holding himself like a child. Jazz then kicked he mighty axe my way, skidding it across the stone floor and right into my awaiting hands. Then, in spinig motionn, I wheeled around and up, burrying the smile of he axe up to his cholerr bone, splitting him open from crotch to just under the base of his neck. Leting go of the, now lodged, weapon I picked up my foes on Axe and lept at the third one, batting his Axe away with the force. At the apex of my jump I swung down,aiming for his head. At the last possible moment he tried to block, bringing his Axes long hilt to bear against my own blade.. . The instant they clashed, they shattered, sending thousands of metal shardes flying throughout the room.

Everyone ducked for cover as the shardes rebound and ricochet around the room, several of which got stuck in my arm and chest.

Paying no mind to the pain, i hooked a right, straight into the beastes cheek. Reeling from the blow, he looked at me in confusion, trying to figure out what just hit him... And like a lightbulb blinking on, he understood... And then he got mad, unsheathing his great sword and leveling it at me before he flurished and made for a bisecting cut towards my shoulder. An the just like that I lashed out with the force, unleashing a torent of power at him, sending him back, his body like a ragdoll as he flew.

Him and his sword went tumbling off towards their leader, whom had somehow stood up to the onslaught.

With his brow twitching in anoyance, he suddenly relaxed and started laughing.

"Well... What dost we have here..." He said darkly, as he walked over the dazed form of his subordinate he buried the whole smile of his Axe -along with most the face- into his subordinates back. He let go of the handle as he moved closer, the long hilt waving back and forth from the released tension. Then he stopped, not ten feet from me, and raised his his left came a blue- black glow, while his right began to glow a my causion I began to gather the Violet energy of Sith lightning... Along with enough energy to throw back his attacks if needed.

"Jazz, get behind us... We dost not know what his powers are." I muttered to him. Getting a nod I focused more on the new curiosity in front of me.

"Thou ready... Prisoner?" He asked as a sadistic grin crawled onto his lips. Suddenly he shot forward with his left-hand, unleashing a torrent of blue-black water. The water even seemed to have a small current of electricity running through it.

Eyes widening I lashed out with the energy in my hands and pushed against the attack with my lightning and force energy. His attack of water and lightning railed against my defenses, the overflow splashing onto the floor in front of me and off to the sides. The splash of water were negligent at best as I concentrated on defending my small band of misfits, what caught my attention though was the thousands of volts that suddenly arched through my body. Having not noticed the metal tip of my tail drift into the water, I was subject to the natural tendencies of water, lightning , and metal... No Buenos...

"FUUUUUUCK!" I howled as the power coursed through my body, snapping me of my concentration on my powers. Floundering under the onslaught, Jazz acted. Him not thinking on his actions, struck out at the massive beast of a Minotaur, striking said creature across the face with his fore hooves. Reeling from the blow, the Minotaur stumbled, losing his focus as it shot from me to Jazz.

Staggering, both combatants got up from their quick altercation and glared. Then, in a split second decision, our enemy launched a gout of super heated earth/stone at Jazz, tearing a hole in the ground as the almost magma like stone and earth came flying at us. Jazz quickly got out of the way as the psychopath lobbed another volley at him. Recovering moments later,I ripped a chunk of stone out of the wall and tossed it at the Minotaur.

Blinded by hate, he never saw the small stone boulder flying at him. The stone crashed against his left shoulder, spinning him around as he rock pulverized his shoulder,crunching bone and mincing cartilage. The end result was a mass of bones erupting from the profusely bleeding skin, though most of the skin was flayed from the muscle by the rock, so now the muscle was one of the only things holding it all together. Slapping his only working hand against the gored limb, he fell to his knees in pain.

"Kill him Corpus! Kill him before it's to late!" Jass screamed as he tried to get away from the Minotaur. Whom now was nothing more than an open nerve, one lit aflame by the pain.

Thinking fast, I flew over to the red and black spotted bastard. Shoulder checking him into the stone floor, I straddled his chest and dug my fingers into his temples; pushing my mind into his with the force. By doing this I was able to look into his thoughts... Something I will always have nightmares of.

"Firm Brass, take Golden Promise and... Convince them of their secrets." A short eye patched gryphon said, his body covered in regalia of the royal court.

"It shall be done, mi'lord." Firm Brass (also known as red and black spotted bastard) knelt before the gryphon, paying homage to his Future king. As the leader left, LongEared Silver spoke up.

"Why do we serve a trait'ah like 'im? On' tha' would see 'is king dead?"

"Pays well... End ah story." Golden Promise quips as he smacks LongEar and walks off.

"Drain... life..." I muttered as I forcibly pulled the life force from Firm Bronze and into my own body, killing him with nothing more than my mind and the force.

Reeling from the new information, like the fact that we are fighting a ghost war, and that one of these fuckers had rapped Grace... I was unable to keep myself from falling over, ending up sprawled across the cobblestone floor along side the now dead, and slowly cooling, minotaur.

Jazz, seeing my distress, ran over to help me right myself... Though we had a few issues, one of which was the fact that there was still a few hundred volts of electricity running through my body wreaking havoc with my nervous system.

"Jazz, dost thou know of any others like this fellow?" I asked begrudgingly, hopping against hope that he would say no.

"There are a few others we have heard of, Corpus... Though not like this... The closest thing I can think of are our mages in the College and the shamans of The far south... This is an all new encounter for me Sire..." Jazz said as he helped lean me against the gate next to our four Gryphon allies, whom of which had been working on getting the gate open as quietly as possible... Though now we all knew that was a shot goal.

"Mi'lord... Dost though need us to c-carry thee?" One of the gryphons asked, I couldn't tell who, as they worked on the gate.

"Nay, we will be fine... Just give us a minute to rest and get on our feet again!" I grinned encouragingly as they went back to their work with dire enthusiasm.

"Hmm?" Jazz asked as he sat down on his haunches beside me.

"Twas just them asking of my state and for if we required their assistance... We turned them down in favor of just resting for a bit... Something we thinks we both need right now." I said smiling to my friend, getting a chuckle out of him.

"Aye, tis a good plan Sire..." Jazz then lazily yawned and began to preen his wings... Which looked rather unkept by the way many of them stood out at odd angles.

"Did they harm them Jazz?"

"Hmm? Oh my wings? Nay Corpus... Lest not that I remember. But if we feel any pain, we salt let thee know my friend." He smiled and went back to his work, preening his feathers back to their proper sheen.

Sitting there I began to pull on the force, letting it run over and through my body to help ease the pain from the electrical shock and repair the damaged synopsis of my nervous system. Images of events that Firm Bronze had experienced ran through my head as I sat there. The image of that unknown gryphon coming up more and more the deeper I looked through the memories I had skimmed.

Traitor, backstabber, and usurper; these words began to attach themselves to the image of the unknown gryphon with the eye patch... Even from this pour bastards memories I could feel that this gryphon was different from the rest... Darker, twisted... and filled with a power that I felt somewhat familiar with... But did not fully understand.

"Jazz, mine friend... After this, if we live... We wish for thou to resign from this war..." Jazz began to form a protest, until I silenced it with a hand. "We would like to take thee and a few of the others here on as... Guards... one might say... Though ones personally trained by us... Dost that sound good to thee? Like a fair trade?" I asked, a slight -though mischievous- smile creeping onto my, and his, faces.

"Commander Corpus, leader of the third and hero of the common soldier... It would be my honor to serve with thee... Mine friend and brother!" Jazz beamed, a full on blinding smile etched into his face, representing all the glee and honor he felt at such a request. But, even though he was showing glee and honor, one could still see the hint of mischief in his eyes... Something that would be long since known as a sign of hope for his allies, and a sign of utter destruction to his enemies.

"We thank thee... our friend... And brother in arms..." I then embraced the slightly shocked Jazz as several tears slowly fell from my eyes... The thought of regaining what I had just lost bringing a new form of hope into my heart... Little did I know at the time that tragedy always follows happiness... Even if it's many decades later.

With the gate open and the four Gryphons leading us in like prisoners, we skulked around the corridors, coming up to the only guard hub for this area of the breeder camp. Talon break was leading our little band of misfits when we ran into the hub, all apart of the plan thankfully, as he led us into the 'office' were the sections warden was sitting.

"Jail Master Dark Feather... We dost carry the 'monster' with us... We hast brought his choleric self here for a new round of breeding Jail Master... Is the regular room ready, or dost thou have a different room set up for this evening's festivities?" Talon lied smoothly as he had our other comrades usher us in. I got to hand it to the fellow... He can sure spin a yarn with the best of'em!

"Shut you're gods damned whore mouth you daft bastard! Just put him in the regular pin... No need for such eccentricities with this one!" He growled as I gave him the stink eye. Racking his metal sheathed claws across the stone, he lazily gestured towards an empty room not twenty feet to our left... Right next to the entrance to the prison block. All six of us gave each other looks of -'Really... Fucking Really?'- before marching over to the awaiting door. Talon and his friends stacked on either side of the entrance, making sure we went in, Jazz showing a little bit of ire and suspicion as we walked through the threshold.

"Corpus... Are thou sure we can trust them?" He asked pensively, his brows arched in confusion.

"Aye Jazz, we can trust them... I know their hearts well enough..." I said with a devilish smile, letting on to the double meaning of my words. Yes I knew their hearts... Very well with the force and all its majesty... And also where they were, figuratively and literally... So I could crush them if they ever betrayed us and get us all out.

"If thou sayeth then I shall believe..." He let out pensively, his head bowed in resignation. Talon then closed the door... And latched it... And then placed a lock on it... Though he didn't click the lock, but he did trick the warden into thinking he did by smacking it against the metal bars a few times.

"Everything is under lock now... Is there any other aid thou hast need of requesting Jail master?" Our feathered friend asked abrasively, letting his disdain for the Jailer come out in his voice.

"Go stuff your self Talon!" The Jailer snarled as he went back to his papers.

"Sorry... But..." Talon cooed as he strolled up behind the Grumpy Gryphon, "It seems we need your key." Dark Feather then flipped around to reprimand the young Gryph, but soon found a dagger in his chest and a set of claws in his throat.

"Like I said... We need your key..." Talon break whispered as he ripped out his superiors throat and twisted the knife in his chest. The dead and slightly mangled body of Dark Feather fell to the floor with a few muted gurgles as Talon stepped over him and retrieved the keys to the prison block and cells beyond.

"Lets move!" Everyone nodded as I tore of the door to mine and Jazz's temporary holding. Talon, already in the process of unlocking the door to the female holding cells, smiled greatly at my enthusiasm.

Running down the halls, Jazz and I followed Talon with great interest. The gryphon was acting like he was on a mission... One that made everything else on this planet seem like an insect in comparison. As we went we unlocked as many cells as needed, letting out all those that had occupants as we raced after Talon and his goal... Though we knew not what it was. Jazz and I would oddly look at our other companions to see if they had any inkling as to where our impromptu leader was taking us... But all we got from them were the same confused looks we had when thinking about what the hell was going on.

"Sith spit talon! Where are thou taking us!" I yelled, getting slightly irritated with his silence and running about.

" I'm taking us to a...Friend of mine... I had lost her many months ago... But I saw her name on the Registrar back there... You would not fault me for wanting to find her would you?" Talon cried out between huffs of air as he led us down the long thoroughfare.

"Oh... Then lead the way Talon... We'll follow thou... And free thy mate!" I finished with a conspiratorial grin plaster on my face, it getting bigger as Talon spluttered massively before shutting up and focusing on running. Jazz just looked at the two of us like we were idiots and smiled, following my lead as the rest of us. As we marched everyone -minus Jazz- stopped, a low his rising up from the bowls of our very being...Something... Dark was afoot up ahead... I motioned for Jazz and the rest, save Talon, to head back and hook up with Grace and the others.

Heading my words, and the look of finality I gave him, Jazz led the others back to the main hub for this area. There they met up with the freed Griffs, getting them to follow was a slight chore, but thanks to the help he got from the others I had sent with him he got the job done and they headed off to find Grace and Ducati.

I digress though, Talon and I were now on our way towards the disturbance... I could feel it in the air, and more notably the force, as we got closer. By the time we got to the end of the thoroughfare, we had freed almost sixteen females... A large number for all the space they had... Which was dismal at best. Several of which were now tagging along with us, One of which was a Gryphon I had been... Mated with a few days back... She was a nice sort and not one to get in an argument, less it was to stop an even bigger argument from erupting.

I had learned as much from her during one of our 'talks' after hours, when she would bribe a few guards with a good night out so she could talk to me.

Her name was Ebba, which means Strength, and she was the niece of Dark Claw... She did not leave my side during our march on the pit of darkness that Talon and I felt... Though I was yet to discern a way as to how he was able to sense the darkness as I could... Questions for another time I guess.

"Talon... Wait." I then stopped and used my enhanced strength to pull a few bars out of one of the empty cells we were passing. I took out around ten of them and tossed a few out, leaving myself with three of the long metal beams. "Take this Talon... Thou shalt need a weapon by thy side for what is to come. We know this..." I intoned with a grave voice, making him latch onto my proffered weapon with a vice like grip.

"Thank thee, my brother in arms... We could not have done any of this without thy brawn and brain!" Talon smiled magnificently at me as he took the weapon in good graces. Everyone else just stared in awe at the amount of trust we placed in each other to speak like that, all save Ebba for some reason... We had only spoken a few times, yet she seemed to trust me, interesting and something to look into later.

"Alright, when we get in there, the girls are going to go left... Keep to the shadows and wait for an opening. We don't need to lose any of you at this time and place, so let the two of us do most the work... Ebba, make sure they do not do anything reckless... Talon, the two of us are going to take the right, keeping to the shadows at first so we might be able to surprise who ever might be the cause of the darkness there." Ebba and the girls nodded, determination burning in their eyes as they tightened the grip on their improvised weapons.

"Sounds like a plan to us, right girls? What about thee Talon?" While the girls whispered back and forth about what they would do inside, Talon had a look on his face. He was trying to think of anything else to boost their likelihood of success... But couldn't really think of anything... Save maybe...

"Corpus... dost thou have any abilities that might blind an opponent? Or maybe something that does explosive damage?" Talon asked as he looked up to their troops towering companion.

"Aye, we do... I'll gather the necessary energy to preform them as we go, they will be ready ten times over by the time we engage... That sound kosher enough for thy plan Talon?" I quirked a brow at him as I then lazily floated a small ball of red and black energy in my hand, making it float up and down for emphasis.

"Aye... show off, that is grand indeed... We shalt need that for later I suspect..." We all nodded and started walking again, the girls talking in hushed voices about what they were going to do when they got the chance. Talon and I took up the front and back respectively as we all marched at a slight jog towards the end of the corridor, not twenty feet away from us at this point. Stopping, we readied our weapons.

Kicking the door open I tossed a small ball of white light into the room, a condensed ball of lightside energy that was basically turned into a flash bang. Everyone looked away as it went off, filling the room and most the hall with light, before we all rushed in. We each took cover in the dark corners of the room, keeping the target of our assault in the dark as to our location as we began to size him up.

Standing in the middle of the room was a large stone table, roughly three feet across and six feet long... and on it lay the Female gryphon that we had come to rescue... Now, standing at the foot of the table was a large gryphon.

He stood at about five six and was dressed in dark red robes with a symbol of a bloodied... Hand?! No joke... There was a bloodied hand embroidered on the sides and back of the Gryphons cloak and robes... The embroidery was done in gold, and with being laid against the blood red robe made it look almost exactly like a bloodied hand. The gryphon was also holding a ceremonial dagger, which he was holding in front of his face to guard against the bright light that had invaded such a dull space not five minutes ago.

"NOW!" I yelled in Avianst as I used the force to yank him away form the stone table like alter. He landed on the other side of the room in a heap of robes and pain. He then got to his feat and growled out a few words in a different language before thrusting out with his dagger and pointing it at me. As soon as the last word left his mouth, a large gout of black lightning arced from his blade tip and struck me in the chest, throwing me back.

Talon and the rest were shocked and flabbergasted at my quick 'defeat' them already working hard to free their captive sister/mate... Who ever she was to whom ever I don't care!

"FUCK YOU BUDDY!" I then flipped up from my spot against the door, landed on my feet and lobbed a few small globes of bright energy at the fucker that electrocuted me. The balls flew through the air and scattered around him, sticking to their targets. A second later they exploded in a bright flash, unleashing a large whirlwind of kinetic energy on the little fuck that decided it was OK to try and sacrifice one of his own kind.

As the dust from the attack faded away, we could all see that the little shit was still standing there... With a force forsaken shield bubble thing encasing his body.

"Did he just..." I asked rhetorically as I stared, mouth agape, at the mage. He was heaving slightly with the exertion of erecting the shield, but was otherwise unharmed

"You mean, create a protective layer of something and stop your, whatever it was, from hurting him? Then yes... Yes he did..." Talon said as he stared wide-eyed at the untouched figure I had just tried to kill.

'Well fuck...' I tensed and gathered more energy to try something new... Or old with a new twist. "Try this on for size ya magical red dot!" I yelled as I lobbed a 'black' ball of force energy at the robbed gryphon. This time I made sure to hit him with it, making it latch onto his chest.

When it went off this time though, it unleashed a black fog like substance that soon engulfed his body, seeping into him through his eyes nose and ears as he began to shake and spasm on to the floor. His epileptic body then began to fire off small spells of light and energy, similar to force lightning and force push and the rare force illuminate. Seeing my error, I yelled, motioning everyone to get behind something as he went into his death throws... But that's when the screaming started.

"No sram! Tar grate tarmine! kallista! No losh nahframe... Kreem! Krrem NAW! KREEEEEEM NAAAAW!" Were his final words as he suddenly snapped his own neck with the force of his thrashing, blood then began to leek form his ears and nostrils. All the Gryphons in the room stared wide eyed at the now dead body of the mage, all looking like they had seen a ghost. Looking back and forth between the corpse and then myself, they all took a massive step away from me, just one... But it was enough to tell me that they did not trust my powers anymore, as if I could blame them.

Making one relive their inner most horrors, as if they were real, is not something anyone, gryphon or otherwise, would ever want to experience. Granted, none of them even knew WHAT the hell I had done to the Gryphon, they still feared it as the dark ability that it was.

"Corpus... Let us leave..." My newest ally muttered as he and a few of the other females went and freed his mate. I sighed deeply as I fell to my knees and leaned against the cold stone. I let myself relax as best I could after everything that had happened, the torture, the forced conception... all of the beatings that broke the mental barriers my sorcerers had placed in my head... I let the weight of my failings fall on my shoulders.

"Corpus?"

"Yes, Ebba?"

"Where are we going now... We are many miles within the gryphonian border... No town near us will take in a group of ponies and gryphons, they are to xenophobic for that..." Nodding she sat down next to me, her voice catching simply on her last words.

Nodding I placed an arm around her small frame, giving her what small comfort I could to her damaged soul. Sighing, she picked herself up and sat in front of me, staring into my eyes with her deep emerald green eyes. She had this look of regal grace about her as she fluttered her wings to get comfortable. Her chest was decorated with white spots that began just at her collar bone and stopped just short of the end of her ribcage. The rest of her feathers were a light brown that looked just a shade lighter then chocolate, and were very dexterous. Her wings, when stretched, reached about six to seven feet in either direction, almost as big as Luna's wingspan, if not the same.

Her head was crowned with a few golden feathers that traced along the lower part of her crown, almost perfectly simulating a crown on her head. Her beak was also a prominent feature of her face, looking almost like it was burnished gold. Her back half was also of the same color fur as he beak, the Burnished gold fur flowing gracefully over her lithe figure. Her tale was also quite striking, being tipped with a white tuft of fur and being around six feet long is a rather striking feature.

"Corpus... Dost thou think we will be free of this cruelty if we come with thee?" Ebba asked as she gave me her most innocent stare. Her eyes glistened and became dilated beyond what most would think possible and were beyond soul rending anymore.

"We dost not know... We had saved one of thy sisters many months ago... But she was in a coma last we had seen of her... And those that had caused this are currently dead and damned. They suffered for their crimes is all that we shalt say." I leaned for ward and looked her in the eyes, knowing that our whole conversation was being listened to by everyone in the room, knowing that I was going to be their savior, or their executor if, better yet, when we got back to the ponies.

"Will the protect us then, if thou are to set us free of this place?" Ebba asked, tilting her head to the side as she looked at me.

"Aye, protecting thou will be our purpose when this escapade is done and over with." I answered, smiling slightly as she brightened slightly at my words. Also, after hearing this, everyone else there released a breath they hadn't realized.

Sighing I began to get to my feet, dusting myself off in the process, and stretched. I then looked over at the fallen form of the mage, seeing his robes and cape laying a strewn across his disheveled form. Giving a cursory glance at myself and then at the clothing, I gave a small growl of irritation.

Note, please, that this entire time I have been running around Ladies and Gents, I have not had any clothes on. None, nada, zipo, I have only had my tail to hide my shame and protect it from the weary swipe of claw and weapon during my battles to this point. So, now seeing an opportunity, I seized it.

Walking over to the downed gryphon I knelt down and carefully dissuaded him of his current attire. Laying the robes off to the side, the cloak being laid on top of the other garments, I then took the gryphon in my arms and placed him on the stone table. The very same table that my compatriots had cleared moments before. I then took one of the massive flag motifs that hung around the room and draped it over his body.

Moving back to the clothes I took the robes and made them into a pseudo kilt like skirt. I then took the cloak and wrapped it around my shoulders, creating a sort of cape like scarf.

"Corpus, art thou ready?" Ebba asked as she walked up next to me, her wing coming up to touch my shoulder.

"Aye, Let us be gone!" I then motioned everyone towards the door, Ebba following right beside me.

"Grace, GRACE!" I called over the din of voices echoing around the cavern.

We had all met up in a cavern like cafeteria room, not many of us had eaten for many days and were readily stuffing faces and bags with what one could carry. As of now though, I was looking for my mate, Amazing Grace. Whom was now, that I could see, helping an overly pregnant gryphon with her food, also with getting a spot to eat at.

Seeing them I nodded to myself, I then sought out Ducati and Roid, knowing that they were going to be around I needed to get a word in with them. I also kept an eye out for the infamous trio; Lone Sentinel, Amber Rose, and Jazz Heartstrings. Sighing in defeat I went and sat down near the exit to the room, keeping an eye on everyone.

There were now roughly sixty ponies and gryphons in the room, all of which wanted to leave and never return. Talon and his bunch were off in a corner looking over their wounded, Ebba was somewhere... And the rest were busy talking amongst themselves. Ponies and gryphons seemed to get along quite well, seeing as Jazz was currently putting a move on one of the not so overly pregnant girls walking around... And that right there was going to be a problem.

Ninety percent of these gryphons were going to be giving birth in the not so distant future... The rest of the girls that weren't pregnant all huddled around them like they were the most precious things on this planet. Admirable, but not rightfully true, still admirable though.

Walking over I joined Grace and her companion at their table, along with many others. Several of which bowed their heads in difference to my presence being there.

"Think not of my being above thee, we art just the same as any other... Do not think highly of us for our actions..." I prattled off as I sat down, holding several rolls in my right hand as I waved them of with my left.

"OH! Corpus! tis such a wonderful sight for sore eyes to look upon thee again!" Grace exclaimed as she shot to her hooves and lunged over the table at me, embracing me for all her worth. And not one to be out done, I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her the rest of the way across and into my lap. Pulling her back gently I gave her a loving kiss on the lips, to which she deepened and slithered her tongue in for some action of her own. The gryphons sitting around the table all blushed at such a casual showing of affection, which I did not feel needed to end any time soon.

About a minute later Grace pulled back for air and gave me a sweet, loving, ecstatic smile. Her beaming up at me as I stroked her mane.

"So, what all has befallen thee these last few weeks?" I questioned, giving her a curious glance as I began to braid her mane into dreads.

"Well... We would imagine it was similar to what thou faced... Days without water... Visits... and a few sessions of torture for information... The last of which I'm rather proud of... Having never broken under their ministrations." Grace said as she gave me a half smile, though I could see her pain and loss in her eyes. In the force, her soul looked like it had been beaten with an ugly stick... Her aura was literally black and blue from all the mind rape they had preformed on her.

All I can say is that they are lucky they are dead now, lest I get ahold of them and rectify the situation... painfully.

"Grace... My dear, thou said that thee had been 'visited'... tell us... What did they do?" I asked with an innocent looking face, even as all my emotions were plain to see in my eyes and the force.

"W-well... There was a few Gryphons... They... They... Then there was a Minotaur... He... Did things... And... and..." She then broke down as all that had happened over the last few weeks came crashing down on her mind, breaking it into thousands of fragments of its former self. Berating myself for my stupidity I drew her in close and wrapped her in my aura, letting the force in its entirety flow through the two of us... Letting its currents drag her consciousness to the glow of the light. In the process of this though, so that she would not be lost to the force, I tied her down to this realm with my own soul.

She now lay against my chest, sobbing silently, as the rest of the beings in the room stared at me in awe and pity. Awe of my ability to calm such a distraught mare. and pity for knowing that she was mine... and what had been done to her.

"Ducati... Gather everyone... We are leaving... Take Grace and have Jazz help thou carry her, we art to search for our weapons and then we shalt find thee... Just leave and hide is all we ask of thee and thy companions."

"Aye Corpus, Just don't take long Sire, we dost not know when we will need thou again..." Ducati then went over to Jazz, carrying Grace on his back, and got the stallion to aid him. I then went off to find Talon... And the rest of the resistance.

"Talon, we need this of thou... We cannot just let them go where ever! They need a leader! and thou hast proved a magnificent one in the time we hast known thee!"

"Corpus! We art not a Gryphon of leadership material! We art but a simple guard! We art unskilled in this endeavor in which thou hast asked us to partake in!"

"That is why we ask it of thee! Thou has no Preconceptions! Just instinct! and that is what these free peoples will need to survive until we get to the Ivory City! Just help us! That is all we ask..."

"... Hugh... Fine Corpus... We shall aid them... But do not expect any more from us after this!" Talon then spun on his foot and marched off to find the rest of his kind, readying them for the long march to Pony held lands.

Ya know... If you weren't off gallivanting around looking for your damned swords, this wouldn't be an issue right now... And you are DAMNED FUCKING LUCKY!

'yeah... Tell me about it... If the children here were not taught in their old language then most of them would not even understand a damn word I said!

=No shit Sherlock?=

Hi heart, how ya doing! Haven't spoken to ya in a while!

=I know, been busy trying to keep this guy in line with his feeling for Luna and grace here... and also this Ebba chick that's decided to take a liking to him... Thought I think its simply platonic in nature...=

'So... What are we going to do about Grace?'

What are we going to do about grace.. What are... WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT GRACE!? I'll tell you! We are going to shed every drop of blood those gryphon bastards have, skin their hides, grind their bones, and pluck out their eye balls, turn it all into a jam, and then force feed it down their throats!

'Sounds permanent... Me like!'

=You're both insane... But then again you're me so I don't have much room to judge. But yes... RIP OUT THEIR SPINES AND USE THEM AS JUMP ROPE! HANG THEM BY THEIR ENTRAILS AND WATCH THEM DIE A SLOW PAINFUL DEATH! KILL THEM ALL!=

...

'...'

=...=

'A little far?'

Naw... Just creative...

=Eh=

'Good enough for me, now lets find our weapons!'

Running down a few halls, barreling over anything that got in my way, or just killing it if it was gryphon in nature. I made my way towards the local armory, in which I felt my weapons were placed. My garments fluttered as I moved, whipping about at the high speeds I was moving. Looking over my shoulders I could tell that I had several dozen pursuers, many of which were injured thanks to my own actions against them.

Hurling several blasts of the force back at them , I launched myself into a wall, which I also bounced off of and continued my sprint down the dark halls of the prison.

Leaping over a kneeling Gryphon, I kicked the one next to him in the face, launching him back in to the wall with a loud crunch. In that same instant I smacked aside the other with my tail, making him reel in confusion and pain as he went spinning down the corridor a ways.

Not stopping I continued on down the corridor, spinning on my foot as I made a right and then spun over a scimitar and shot off, using the force to speed myself along. I then crashed into a corner, being tripped by an oddly shaped slab of rock. Careening into it I broke my nose on the corner and spun into a small group of guards, bowling them over with my immense size and weight.

Bashing a few in the head with my elbows, I shot up and took off, reaching my objective with my next few strides as I came to a heavy wooden, iron reinforced, door.

Leveling my hand at the door, I ripped it off its hinges and brought it out into the hall, to where I then tossed it into a group of incoming guards, killing a few and injuring the rest.

Walking in I shot a few bursts of Sith Lighting at the few guards there in, frying them in their seats as I walked the isles looking for my weapons. I found hundreds of different armors and weapons stacking the shelves. Maces, bows, crossbows, short swords, long swords, bastard swords, even a few tonfa looking weapons with blades and studs lining their surfaces. There were a few axes, a massive executioners axe, a dual headed great axe, a few small hand axes in several different styles ranging from curved handles to Axe and spade heads... A rather interesting assortment of weapons indeed.

In one corner I even found a few polearms; Poleaxe's, pikes, clubs, spears, hook axes, and a few dozen axe and hammer poles... They really loved their polearms... Then, rounding the corner of the isle, I saw a small crate. The force was drawing me towards it. My excitement began to rise as I got closer and the pull of the force got stronger.

Now standing over the box, I peered inside... And to my astonishment I had found them, well... Most of them... All but five of my sabers were in the box... Which is more than enough for my purposes... But having still, they had my other sabers somewhere else... And there was nothing I could do about it right now, save let the force guide me towards them when they were near.

So, I grabbed my sabers and clipped them onto a small belt I had found near the swords. Tying the belt around my waist I then took off towards where I knew the exit was, using the force to boost my speed and reaction time as I bounded endlessly down the halls and corridors of the prison.

Perspective: Luna

Meanwhile: sixth week of Corpus' imprisonment.

(And yes, I realize this time stamp makes little sense, but it will in a little while!)

Looking out over the land scape I scowled, seeing the smoke rise from e beyond the horizon put a damper on my mood. Granted it wasn't all that good today anyway... We had lost another outpost just south of Matella, a small farming town a few hundred miles south of us... We had only gotten a messenger form there a few hours ago, which also told us that the town there was also most likely in ruins as well. and with the smoke rising from that direction... It did not bode well for the moral of the divisions we had stationed here in Fletston...

The 3rd 6th and 8th were here under my personal command... All six thousand ponies and their six hundred some-odd quarter masters and the like. Commander Clydesdale in charge of 6th along with most of the towns defense force. He was being charged with the areas defense, seeing as the town led to a strategic pass that led most of the way to ivory city... It was a very well fortified town, being almost turned into a massive fortress as it were.

Captain Dark Star was, currently, in charge of the 3rd, seeing as Grace was not here to take charge of her forces... Wherever she and Corpus were... Captain Dark Star was directly under my command, seeing as he was only just promoted to Captain not a month ago. He was a veteran of the eastern campaign... like most of the third. He, along with most his men, were in charge of passing on any knowledge they had on how to fight the gryphons.

The 8th was currently without a true leadership, and as such I was assigned as their unofficial commander until somepony better was found to better lead this rag-tag group of militia stallions and mares... So until then I just went about teaching them the best I could on how to defend themselves and on how to use their weapons offensively.

Looking to my left and right I could only breath out a sad sigh at all the stallions manning the battlements that had been erected around Fletston, the brick and mortar walls standing over twelve feet tall as they provided a sense of safety for the civilians within.

"Pri-Ahem, Commander Luna, I have come to inform you that your men art ready for you... What would you have them do Ma'am?" My Aide-de-camp Carbon Heart asked as he presented me with a salute.

"At ease Carbon, we will see to them shortly Carbon, thou may take leave and enjoy thyself on the town." I graced him with a understanding smile, this young stallion had been helping me with my command for most of the month that Corpus had been absent, delivering me all sorts of missives and such from the other generals form the seven other campaigns that had cropped up since the war had started.

One day I even received word from our current archmage; Starswirl Cardamom. He was an excellent mage, possessing an understanding of magic that even rivaled mine and my sisters own. He was rather short though, standing at only three feet tall. Though he did have one thing going for him... He was only seventeen... Not even in the prime of his life yet and he was creating hundreds of new spells and coming up with many new inventions everyday.

In one of his missives was a weight spell, along with a few other spell formulas, and the designs for a... Chariot I believe he called it. Something that we could use to transport hundreds of units long distance with minimal waste of stamina. The only drawback was that it would need Pegasi to pull through the air... Hence the weight spell and flotation spell that was also located in the missive.

Now, Carbon had given a bow and left to go spend some of his time with the local... 'entertainment' and be a colt for once in his young life.

Sighing I slung my cloak over my shoulders and stepped out of the gazebo-like command center, it had been erected on one of the in-town built battlements-turned dais. I then walked around to the side of the dais, where a large ramp was placed for easy access, and began my journey to the training fields just north of town, to where my personal forces were training in their hoof-to-hoof combat.

"Dark Wing, spread those wings! Those blades on them are going to save you life if you actually use them!" A gruff voice yelled out as I got closer to camp.

"Hoof Tin, kick higher! Do you expect them to hobble on the ground as you kick them!? I thought not! Dim Night, do you want me o come over there and SHOW YOU how to do a pushup?! Good! Now keep it up!" The voice yelled again, not even stopping to really catch a breath.

"Alpha Mons, We art here as thou hast requested... What seems to be the problem Sargent?" Looking at him quizzically, I gave him a small smile and waved a wing about the large field where my two thousand strong force was busy training. "Dost this ragged bunch of soldiers prove to much for thee to handle?" I asked teasingly as he blushed up a storm.

"No Ma'am... But I did want to give you this... It is a progress report on how you men are doing thus far... And to say the least I am impressed with their steady growth. All four battalions seem to have broken down into twenty squads each, giving each of their Sargents and any that get placed into officer positions a manageable group to work with. It was mostly you Aide-de-camp's idea, but it was put into action by most of the Line soldiers here in front of you." He said as he waved a hoof at the three hundred some-odd trainees in front of me, all of which were going through shield and sword training, or as what a private so aptly named, Sword-n-board.

"We see Drill Sargent, is that all?" I asked, quite curious as to if he would really pull me away for something like this, granted it was a good thing he informed me of this... Though he could have just told me in a missive or himself.

"Yes, there is... I was talking to a few of the men form the 3rd and the 6th. I had seen a small flash of bronze a few nights ago... But I was drunk at the time and not entirely sure of what I had seen... So I have been asking around the past few days and I think we may have a scouting party spying on us..." Hearing this... My heart sank and my gut felt like it had a rock the size of G-R settle in.

"Th-thank thee Sargent... We will gather a few rangers and take care of this immediately..." I then gave him a stiff nod and walked away.. Feeling the dread well up in my gut was not a pleasant feeling in the least I must say... And now I was off to deal with a new threat to my soldiers... and their welfare.

Perspective: Corpus

Barreling out the front door of a prison was not my idea of fun, though it did hold it's own merits when you get to see the astonished look on the faces of the guards there when their post is blown through a second time... And let me tell you... those faces are PRICESLESS! Haha!

As I ran I jumped over a large bolder, though I did spin around and look at my pursuers with a Cheshire grin plastered on my face as I flicked my wrist at them... Sending a proverbial storm of stone, sand, dirt, and mud their way with the force as I vanished out of sight. In my other arm I now carried a bock full of swords and crossbows, a good thousand bolts of said bolts corssing being strapped to my right thigh as I ran. Across my back I had several polearms strapped to it, which I had tied together earlier, along with a quarter staff that had a blade attached at either end.

In other words... I was a fricken walking armory! I felt so~ badass right then it was making me giddy with excitement!

Getting about a mile away from the prison I began to search the force for my fellows. looking high and low for them as I scanned the environment for their life forces. Looing in crags, small valleys, and the occasional cave, I soon latched onto grace's and Jazz's life forces.

Sensing them up towards the north I took to the force, leaping over gorges, fallen trees, and the occasional predator that got in my way.

'Damn it... This place if kriffing huge!' I mentally crowed as I leapt over a feathered snake like bird. "Up you're too bird!" I yelled as I zapped it with a little bit of lightning as I landed on the other side of it, making it run off into the bushes.

'Alright... They should be.. around...' I looked around for a moment until I found a small cave entrance, "here!" I shouted in glee as I raced over to the entrance and shouted inside.

"Corpus of Equestria comes before thee!" announcing myself I entered and brought one of my sabers to bear, lighting up the cavern with a menacing red light.

"Corpus! Tis that thou that walks in the red gloom there!?" Yelled the voice of Lone sentinel as he and his 'mate' came walking out to me from behind a boulder.

"Aye Sentinel! Tis I! It is good to see thee our friend! How goes everyone? No conflicts we assume?"

"Nay Corpus.. Everypony is just waiting for thee to lead us back home... Jazz has not shut up for the past three hours about what thou had done in the corridors of that wretched prison... And most those that heard the tale were grateful... Well all those that could understand it were, not to sure of the gryphons seeing as it is hard for me to read them like my own race..." Sentinel sighed and looked at Rose.

"Take a nap dear friend, thou has done more than enough for us this day, we shalt rest here for the night and then leave in the morn." I declared as we walked towards the larger caverns beyond, where we were greeted with cheers and rapture by those near and dear to us.

Time skip: next morning

After many hours of much needed rest, we made way towards the north, in the general direction of a smoke stack off in the distance... Before leaving I had made sure to arm everyone with what they could handle best, giving the gryphons the poles and long range weapons, seeing as they had better dexterity than the ponies, and could fly to give covering fire if need be.

Traveling by the shade of the tries, we hid so that the patrols looking for us were unable to find any clue as to our whereabouts. Roid was currently carrying Grace, and was also surrounded with all of the pregnant gryphons form the prison... Talon and his three brothers, which I had learned were his real brothers, stayed close to help keep watch.

As we neared the smoke stack, I could smell a hint of burnt flesh tinting the air with its sickly sweet aroma... Something that everyone seemed to pick up as we got closer to the smoke.

"Everyone... Be prepared for a fight... Roid and Talon will hang back and watch the girls... the rest of you are with me. We are to recon only... If there are any survivors we go form there... Just watch your backs everyone!" everyone nodded and took off, Jazz and my other two friends hanging back at my side, nodding the four of us shot off towards the smoke in search of anything suspicious.

"Luna, we will be home soon... just... Wait for us a little longer..." I whispered to myself, hoping that we would be able to see each other soon.

Perspective: Luna

Seven weeks after Corpus' was capture/one week after the smoke appeared

"QuickSilver... Any news on Knight Corpus?" I asked, not looking up as I skimmed over the troop movements for the next few days. The gryphons had taken Huffington in seconds, raising it to the ground. I had also gotten reports that StallionGrad and a few of our other northern settlements had been attacked/or raised to the ground. This had all happened within days of Corpus being captured and taken form us. Our greatest weapon and ally... And my closest friend and companion

"Nay princess... Nothing as of yet, but, I have my men keeping an ear to the ground as to his location and any information concerning him... We will find him Princess, a creature like him does not die easily." QuickSilver said as she bowed, leaving me to my work as she went about delivering her letters to the other stallions and mares.

Right now I was alone on the battlefield, my sister was at home, petitioning our old allies for support and aid in our trying times... But she was also organizing a draft... A sort of Royal decree making all eligible Mares and Stallions prep for war... It was not something we had done for many decades... But we were doing so now.

"Corpus... WE wish thee were with us..." I cried softly, a few of my tears falling onto the map in front of me.

"We know..." A ghostly voice said, raising the hairs on the back of my neck as I whipped my head around, trying to find the speaker.

"Corpus?" It sounded so much like him... But I knew it couldn't be, he was nowhere near here... So going with the fact that it was most likely my nerves getting to me, I got back to work... Waiting for my friend to come home...

Fin

Author's Note

The end

It's been a blast everyone! I have loved writing this story for all of you to enjoy! But I must draw this era to a close... And move on to the next... I hope to see you all in the next chapter of this amazing saga: Darkness Rising/Fall of a Great...

Either of those will be the name of the next story... So keep a look out everyone! And thank you all for your words of support and reading this story all the way through! It's been amazing!