With a healthy burn and cherry aftertaste, I was feeling a lot better, laughing with the girls as they told stories and jokes. The din of the bar was more than loud enough to cover our conversations to all but those within our immediate proximity, for which I was thankful. Honestly, if it wasn't for the alcohol, half of these jokes wouldn't be nearly as funny as they were now.

"And then she said, Oatmeal, are you crazy?!" Rainbow finished, to which Applejack and Gilda laughed heartily at. I chuckled a little before taking another drink (it was mead now) before wiping the back of my paw across my beak.

"Hey Adrian, ya got any jokes?" Applejack speaks up, her voice only barely slurred.

"Well, none that you all would find funny." I admit,

"Aw, come on big guy!" Rainbow urges, "I wanna hear sshome." yep, she was definitely gonna have to go home soon.

"Alright, alright. So two stallions walk into a bar, and the third one ducks." I relent with a grin. Applejack laughs, Gilda chuckles, and Rainbow just looks at me confused.

"I don't get it." Rainbow says, scratching her head. This only makes me chuckle.

"Don't worry about it, Dash." Gilda says with a shake of her head and a smile. Applejack shakes her head quickly, as if remembering something important.

"Shoot, ah almost forgot! Adrian, how'd ya like to come work at mah farm?" Applejack pipes up. I raise an eyebrow at this... this was sudden.

Then again, so was the invitation to go out drinking. Must be a woman thing.

I'm gonna have to agree with you, there.

"Why not? Better than getting stung by manticores and sitting around, eh?" I chuckle again. "But sure, I'd love to."

"Great!" she gives me a grin, tipping her hat up. Working on the farm would give me something to do, at least, even if I don't exactly need the bits.

"Oh, oh! I got a good one for ya!" Rainbow pipes up as I take another drink.

+++++

The once proud city of Coltava lay in ruins, homes burning and other buildings reduced to rubble. The Griffon army was quickly advancing on the castle, the only place left untouched by the winged bastards. The only soldiers remaining where emotional wrecks, having barely escaped the furious onslaught of what could only be called a monster.

The news brought back by the soldiers and the destruction outside disheartened the duke greatly. The escape routes were blocked by advancing Griffons, and if they were caught by that thing, none of them would make it to safety, to warn the Tzar of the surprise attack... he paced as he thought, his dark blue robe dragging along the floor behind him

"S-sir! The Griffons are falling back!" a soldier announced as he burst into the grand hall. Shortly after the surprising news, everyone in the room was knocked to the ground as the ground shook with a resounding *Boom*

"I think I know why, soldier." the duke sighed as he got back on his hooves. "To hell with avoiding capture, evacuate the castle! Quickly-!!"

*SCREEEEEEAAAAAAA*

+++++

Lesson learned, pegasi aren't very good at holding their liquor. We were leaving the bar, and Gilda had to carry Rainbow Dash. Of course, I was swaying slightly as we walked, so I shouldn't be one to talk. Thank the gods I'm a lucid drunk.

"Well, I'm gonna get Dash here home, so I'll see you at the house." Gilda says with a flap of her wings. Applejack gave me a nod, her cheeks slightly red from the alcohol (I think)

"Ah'd better git home. Goodnight, sugarcube." Applejack smiled, punching my shoulder playfully. I chuckled at the farm mare and nodded.

"Night, Applejack."

With that, we parted ways, her headed west of Ponyville, and I headed home. The stars twinkled joyfully as I stumbled through the streets. There weren't a lot of ponies out and about at this hour, thankfully. They stare enough as it is.

It didn't take long to get home, and the door was unlocked. Walking in, I could see Scootaloo sleeping on the couch, kicking every once in a while as she dreamed. It was a heartwarming sight.

I could feel the floor pitching beneath me, and quickly ruled out going upstairs. No way I was gonna be able to do that without another trip to the hospital. So, carefully making my way to the couch, I sit down and leaned back.

I was asleep before my head hit the cushion.

+++++

The castle was in chaos, pieces of the walls and roof crumbling under the colossus's relentless attacks, ripping away entire segments of the outer walls. It's screeches of rage and blood-lust were strong enough to shatter the windows, and many of the soldiers and servants had already suffered damage to their hearing. What centaurs weren't running were clutching their heads in agony or hiding with a thin hope of surviving.

With a particularly violent rumble, the entrance grand hall caved in, trapping the Duke and a few servants. But while their only exit was blocked off, another was opened... as an enormous lions paw ripped the wall away. The purple fur of said paw was stained red and matted down in a combination of dirt and gore, attesting to the sheer number of centaurs this creature has killed.

The paw lashed out, trapping the Duke and servants in an iron grip, before slowly pulling them out into the open air, and into the sight of the monstrosity that had attacked them.

No longer confined to the castle, they could see that the monster was a hybrid Griffon-esque creature almost the size of the castle. It stood on two legs that ended in equally filthy hooves, the purple fur around it's massive ankles facing a similar discoloration as it's paws. It was riddled with scars and open wounds across it's muscled body, but that wasn't what grabbed the captives' attention. It was the eyes of their attacker that held their horrified attention. The very air around it's bloodshot, violet eyes seemed to crackle with magic and it's own, unadulterated rage. The feathers around it's eagle head were, strangely, grey in color, save for a few patches of red from an open wound on it's cheekbone.

The servants screamed in pure terror at the sight before them, but the Duke stayed silent. Better to die with dignity, right?

It's eyes focused of the Duke and, to his horror, it's beak curled into a sadistic grin, revealing it's jagged, blood-stained teeth, before opening it's beak even further, before slowly bring it's paw to it's mouth.At this, the Duke joined the servants in struggling to break free. A blast of humid air hit them, the scent of bodies digesting almost driving them to vomit.

Their struggles were in vain, however, as they were brought passed the edges of it's beak and saw the nearly uncountable horns and bones stuck between it's teeth, the last thing they would see before adding to the collection. Except the Duke, who saw the creature's bottom jaw close in on them.

*CRUNCH*

Needless to say, Coltava fell that day at the hands of Adrian.

Author's Note

I'm not gonna lie, I had a lot of fun with this chapter.