After a long days march the scouting party was soon within reach of the fortress and already they could tell something was amiss. Crows circled above cawing loudly while smoke rose from within the walls, the commander ordered his men to ready their weapons as they neared the shattered gate of the fort and what they saw horrified them.

Bodies of pony and warg were scattered across the courtyard and the smell of death hung in the air, by the look of things the attack happened not too long ago before their outpost was raided, many of the corpses were either missing limbs or had their guts spilled on the floor.

Some of the soldiers began puking just from the smell while others trembled seeing the carnage that had happened here when suddenly a crash was heard coming from within the storage room near the south gate.

"Iron Forge check it out, Archer go with him."

The commander ordered in a silent tone so as not to give away their presence.

The two slowly made their way to the storage room and heard a faint rustling coming from within, giving a quick nod to each other both quickly stormed into the room weapons at the ready but to their surprise what they found was a female pegasus with a wound on her arm trembling in fright

She had a gentle look about her and they could tell she was a medical pony judging by the way she patched herself up and the fact that she was carrying a bag with a big red cross on her side.

"WE HAVE A SURVIVOR!!"

Shouted Archer as the others came rushing over to see her. The commander was first to approach her offering a flask of water and without hesitation she grabbed it chugging down every drop before gasping for air finally calming down handing the empty flask back.

"Easy soldier. What's your name?"

"My...my name is Melody."

The commander was surprised upon hearing her name for she was the daughter of one of Commander Hurricanes most loyal troops; former Private Pansy.

Once she settled down Melody explained that during the night a large pack of warg troops stormed the fortress catching them off guard and slaughtering everyone but her, they tried to send dispatches for reinforcements but were cut off and she also recalled hearing a deafening roar followed by a horrid smell before the fighting stopped.

"Stormwind. Take the rest of the men and begin burning the bodies, salvage what weapons and armor you can."

"Yes sir."

Though it seemed heartless there was no time to give the bodies a proper burial, not without exposing the others to disease. Funeral pyres were soon lit across the courtyard even for the enemy and Melody being the gentle soul she is offered a prayer to her fallen comrades while Storm Wind bowed his head in respect.

Once things had quieted down repairs were soon made and the salvaged supplies were all accounted for which was strange since it was clear the enemy had won the battle here, Storm Wind and his friends noticed this as well. Fresh weapons along with food and water were among the cargo.

"They weren't here for supplies...they were looking for something. Search the rest of the fort!"

The soldiers did as Storm Wind commanded but found nothing so far aside from a few more corpses in the halls when suddenly Storm Wind came upon a sacked record room with a slain unicorn who by the look of him was the clerk and clutched in his grip was a lock box key and among the ransacked debris was a single box obviously hidden before the clerk was killed.

Growing curious the young stallion grabbed the box, opening it with the key he found and in it was a single scroll with a seal that had not been seen in ages; The Seal of The Royal Alicorns.

The Alicorns were once the sovereign rulers of all Equestria but were believed to be wiped out during the war against the forces of chaos centuries ago, breaking the seal Storm Wind examined the scroll of the ancient bloodline and discovered it had a special enchantment upon it showing which members of the family were deceased and which were still alive and to no surprise many were indeed long passed but as Storm Wind read further and further down the bloodline he discovered something that shocked him to his core.

"By the ancestors...COMMANDER!!! COMMANDER!!!"

Shouted Storm Wind as he rushed through the halls holding the scroll tight in his grip until at last he found the commander still in the courtyard overlooking the repairs.

"(pants heavily) Commander!"

"Steady man! what is it? You look like you seen a ghost."

Stated the commander looking at the young soldier like he had gone mad, as Storm Wind caught his breath he handed the commander the scroll showing him where he left off and just like him the commander became shocked at what he was seeing. Out of the entire bloodline only two Alicorn children remained but their location was unknown, before he could say anything more a horn call was sounded followed by the roar Melody had mentioned earlier.

"Oh Tartarus..."

"Commander what is it?"

"TROOOLLLL!!!!"

A large troll came smashing through the wall with a group of Thirty wargs behind him, after seeing the previous carnage there was no dboubt that this was the creature who caused it. A handful of soldiers came charging at the beast only to be smashed into the ground by its club before Archer shot an arrow in its eye grabbing the trolls attention.

"STORM WIND! HELP ARCHER WITH THAT TROLL!! IRON FORGE YOU'RE WITH ME! We have to hold the courtyard!"

"YES SIR!!"

Using his flight capabilities Storm Wind buzzed around the troll cutting it where he could with his spear but the hide of the beast was tougher than stone on the back and it was too dangerous to attack from the front save for Archer shooting from a safe distance while in the courtyard Iron Forge made good use of his axe taking down line after line of the enemy with each swing, even cutting through their shields and armor.

"COME ON BIG BOY!!"

Storm Wind shouted at the troll taunting it so as to keep his focus on him and off Archer until at last the wargs were dealt with leaving the rest of the troops to join in the fight and in the heat of battle Archer spotted a coil of rope tossing it to the commander and Iron Forge while the others encircled the troll.

"When I give the signal pull! Iron Forge! try to push him back!"

Iron Forge did as the commander instructed and began driving the troll back with each strike while the soldiers tied the rope under its ankles narrowly escaping the swing of its club.

"NOW!!"

"AAAAAGH!!!!"

Storm Wind charged in as the troll was tripped up by the ropes tied to its feet plunging his spear right into its skull, killing it on the spot as the soldiers cheered seeing the vanquished beast. The three friends nodded to each other as Storm Wind yanked his spear out of the creatures skull.

A party was soon held in honor of their killing of the troll while the wounded were tended to by Melody with some of the troops actually trying to hit on her, all but the commander partook in the celebration as he examined the scroll given to him by Storm Wind before calling him over.

"(sits down)You wanted to see me sir?"

The commander said nothing as he chugged down some cider before rolling up the scroll and handing it back to him.

"You must take this scroll back to Canterlot and find Clover the Clever. She will know what to do."

"Understood sir. When do I leave?"

"Dawn. But you must be quick I fear the enemy may know of our discovery."

The commander unfortunately was right for while they celebrated a warg who escaped from the battle had just arrived to a ruined fort with campsites all over and in the center stood a large tent for the leader; Gor'Zan himself.

The warg entered hesitantly as the guards pushed him in to see his master feasting on some meat looking rather displeased.

"The scroll master...we lost it."

Gor'Zan growled in an annoyed manner glaring at the smaller warg before him as he continued to eat his meal before asking a question as he walked up slowly.

"Tell me? how is it...that a handful of my best warriors along with a troll....WERE BESTED BY A FEW EQUESTRIAN RATS?!?"

In a fit of rage Gor'Zan grabbed the kneeling warg looking rather excited as he slowly crushed his throat hearing him gasp for breath while his legs kicked in the air.

"PLEASE!! (gasps for air) It was a Pegasus who interfered!!"

"A pegasus?"

The chieftan grew curious as he released his grip, allowing his minion to speak further before he sat down again.

"Yes. A young warrior! he was donned in black armor, not like the rest."

A smile suddenly grew on the warg chieftans face knowing full well you the young warrior was before giving a short laugh.

"So Commander Hurricane had a son did she? Send out word to the other clans! There is a price on his head!"

Soon messengers began pouring out in every direction to the other clans while back at the fort Storm Wind took his friends and their new companion Melody with him to return to the border outpost while the others awaited reinforcements and in his saddlebag was not only a treasure of the past but perhaps the one thing that could determine the outcome of the war.

The End.

Author's Note

Parentheses will be used to describe certain actions the characters are doing.