After That Fateful Night- The Angel's Story.

The pain was unbelievable.

Loyal could hear the griffon War Chieftan cackling loudly as he had a spear withdrwn from his chest. Of course the wound sealed rather quickly with no mark at all so the Chieftan did the only thing logical in his head, he drove the spear right back in.

Thane watched in horror as the Chieftan drove his spear in and out of Loyal's chest while the stallion grimaced in pain.

"Hullo ass! Why don't you try that with me, eh? I think you're too much of a lass to do it!"

Thanes smart remark only achieved a backclaw from his own guard.

'An' that just proves they know I'm a blood mage.'

"Hurts doesn't it? Hahahaha, I love it, I have a never dying toy to play with, oh what fun you shall bring me as you feel my tools peirce your hide!"

"You sure do take a lot of pride in your strength, for a patsy griffon that can not even full peirce my body." Loyal grimaced.

The chieftan took the challenge as such and rammed the spear fully through the stallions body.

"Ahar! and how was that meat?" the Chieftan cackled.

"That was the most disgraceful attempt I've ever seen. I know filly's that have more strength!" growled Loyal through a face contorted in pain.

The Chieftan flew intopa  rage and started to skewer the stallion repeatedly until he heard an odd snap.

"Guards, what was that?"

The answer became clear as Loyal took hold of the Chieftan's neck and throttled him.

"That was the rope, the one that kept me from you!"

Laryia shook tears from her eyes as she lifted herself from the cold stones that made her cell. The only source of light was a small window cut into the stone above her.

"Ah, so this is one of the three trouble makers that interrupted our assault on the pony caravans. You saved how many? Regardless we still destroyed three of them." gloated a rather proud looking griffon.

"Oh, you must feel really tough then, you took down three caravans out of 30, and lost over half your force to 3 ponies. Yes, I must say I'm quite impressed." Laryia shot back sarcastically.

Reaching through the bars of the cage the griffon gripped Laryia by the throat and dragged her to the edge of the cage bringing the two face to face.

"Watch your tone, meat! I have full control over you and I will not take any of your lip!"

"Fine! Take this instead!" Laryia shouted as she slammed a hoof into her captor's face.

'I'm going to die anyway, why not make it fun?'

The enraged griffon ripped the cage door open, intent on beating the foalish mare to death, when a second pair of claws gripped him and pulled him right back out.

"Brother! You are not to be here! Remove yourself before I have you reported!"

The saviour griffon turned to Laryia and uttered a simple command while securing her with a gag, "Come with me."

Shaking her head, and realizing she didn't really have a choice in the matter Laryia trotted after the griffon.

She followed him up a flight of stone steps and out into a griffon village. She continued trotting behind him keeping her eyes on the ground, but still caught the looks of the other griffons they passed.

"Ignore them." the leading griffon told her.

The griffon lead the bone-white mare up to the main house, obviously belonging to a war chieftan. Leading her inside the griffon ushered her up a flight of stairs and into a hall way. He stopped at a door and pushed it open.

Laryia watched him push the door open and motion for her to walk inside. Glancing into the room the first thing that caught her attention was a large bed. Her mind flashed back to the looks many of the village griffons had given her, alot of them had been suggestive.

Laryia's body froze up as her mind started racing. She shook her head and took a half step back when the griffon spoke up.

"It'll be easier if you just step inside."

Shaking her head even more Laryia tried to take another step back when the griffon grabbed her and threw her inside to land on the bed.

The griffon stepped inside afte rher and shut the door. He walked up to the bed and got half way onto it when he reached out towards the mare, who's eyes were threatning to spill over with tears as she layed shaking on the bed.

Putting on a nice(r) looking smile the griffon shushed her, "Shhh shh relax, I'm not here to hurt you." as he reached back and removed the gag from Laryia's muzzle.

"I'm Chavon, eldest son of Elder Lyons. You are?"

Laryia stared at him as her mind recovered before realizing that she needed to answer.

"I'm Laryia."

"That can't be all, you are a unicorn, you've got to have something special, am I right?"

"Well, yes... apart from average magic, I specialize in Necromagiks."

"Hmmm, I've not heard of that before, what is it?" inquired Chavon while he seated himself on the floor, leaning against the bed.

"It is the magical control of death and the recently deceased. I also am skilled with illusion magics."

"And Illusion is, hmm, the ability to alter what others percieve, am I right?"

"Yes." Laryia reponded, still rather on edge.

"Relax, like I said, I won't hurt you. And illusion magics, huh? That'll come in handy since I've laid claim to you."

Laryia gulped, mind quickly moving back to previous undesireable scenario's.

"No no, not like that, well, sorta like that. Let me explain. As being a prisoner I've laid claim to, you are expected to do everything I say. On that note I, as a male, am expected to do what all males do," seeing the poor mares eyes widen he quickly recovered, "but I don't wish to do this with you. This would seem odd to most. If I can trust you enough, I can remove your anti-magic halter at night. If anyone notices it, I can say you were magically stimulating me, but in reality you can cast a spell that makes it appear we are sleeping together and such."

"You...you would do that? Why, I'm just a pony... not that I'm not grateful I mean, it's just... odd." Laryia finished lamely.

Smirking at this Chavon replied cooly, "I don't agree with this war. You ponies have as much right to life as we do. Ife we griffon say that we have more of a right to life than the ponies, then what's to stop dragon's from coming to a similar conclusion?"

"That makes sense."

"Yes, now come it is time for dinner. Here are your rules, you do not speak unless I give direct permission. You will sit behind my chair on the ground, for that I will apologize now. You will eat only what I specifically hand to you, and most importantly, you will warn me of anyone who harrasess you in any way with the exception of physically pushing you out of their way. Do you understand?"

"Umm, yes." replied Laryia cautiously.

With that Laryia followed Chavon out of the room.

"You're going to tell me where they went!"

"Please, please no more!" came the strained response.

"Then answer me!"

"Griffonia, a village just inside the borders noth east of Stalliongrad!"

"Good."

"So you'll let me go?"

"From this world? YES!"

The last thing th captive griffon say was four glowing eyes.

"You're feeding that one a bit much, don't ya' think Chavon?"

The griffon in question looked at the perfectly appropriate amount of food to fully fill Laryia's stomach.

"Nah Barkus, she's kinda bony."

Barkus grinned at this and replied, "Well I'm sure you'd know!"

The table of griffon's guffawed, and so did Chavon, while Laryia blushed at the insinuation and munched at her meal.

"So what was she like? Did she cry, did you have to force her?"

"Nah, she teared up a bit, but I explained the situation and she just went along with it. And as for what she was like? Like she'd never been touched."

Laryia couldn't help but admire how slyly Chavon told the truth without allowing others to discern what he truly meant.

Dinner continued without incident until the 'most delectable meal' came out. Laryia started retching and threw up her dinner as she saw what was brought out. It was a Solar Guard, still wrapped in his armour.

Laryia suddenly felt a stinging pain as the griffon, Barkus, backclawed her. He made to do it again when Chavon bowled him over and threw him against a wall. Rising to his feet, Barkus roared at Chavon, "That little bitch puked on my back, how dare you stop me!"

"Do not presume to yell at me Barkus, I DO out rank you. WOuld you have responeded any differenlty if it was one of us brought out as a meal!" suddenly realizing how his reply might have sounded Chavon quickly added, "Besides, I wish her to make use of her mouth tonight, and I don't want it damaged!"

Thinking he'd avoided having the mare harmed further, Chavon made to leave when he heard her yelp. Looking over his shoulder he saw that Barkus had simply kicked her in the side.

"I'm soorry about that Laryia." Chavon apologized when they were in his room.

"No, I did puke on his tail alittle."

"I meant I'm sorry you had to see that. I don't partake of that kind of meal myself. Now ready yourself, we are going out tonight. I have something that you will find interesting."

"Easy, we cannot rush in on this group. Besides, they appear to not started their event yet."

"You're point?"

They await somepony, obviously of importance. We wait for the important one to arrive, then we attack.

"Fine then." came the annoyed response from the darkness, only broken by four glowing eyes.

"Where are we going Chavon?" Laryia yelled through the air, trying to make herself hear over the rushing air.

"To meet friends. I'm not the only griffon of the world to find this war a waste of time!"

After another 10 minutes of flying Chavon landed just inside a clearing filled with about 25-30 other griffons.

Laryia immediatly dropped off Chavon's back and followed after him, staring at the ground.

"Da', great to see you!"

"And you, Chavon!" replied a age worn voice, "Oh, what's this, you've got a friend? Well then little miss, what is your name?"

Remembering protocol Laryia made to look to Chavon for his say-so when she felt a claw gently move her head to face the wisened old griffon, who was smiling warmly.

"You do not follow protocol here little miss, I am Elder Lyons. This is my group of rebels against this war. Now, I ask again, what is your name?"

"I am..." the rest of Laryia's response was cut off as a pair of ponies dashed into the group, obviously battle ready.

Out of pure instinctual protection for her new found allies Laryia magically secured the two stallions and brought them to the light to find....

"Laryia! You're ok!" Thane shouted with unreppresed glee.

"Yes I am Thane, but what are you doing here?" asked Laryia, still holding the two stallions aloft.

"We came to free you from these monsters! Now let us down so we can help you!" Thane shouted.

"Well well, little sir," spoke Elder Lyons, "I take it you two are friends of Laryia. Well she's perfectly safe with us."

"Mmm? So who are you exactly?" quested Loyal.

Chavon answered with pride, "We are Lyon's Pride, we disagree with this war, as I'm sure you do. Can Laryia let you down without you attacking?"

"'Course."

Laryia lowered her two friends down when a Solar Guards spears went flying past them.

Loyal spun around and dug into his other side immediatly and erected a shield for all in the clearing as hordes of ponies came pouring out of the woods.

Attacks rained down upon the shield constantly as minutes went by, and Loyal felt his hold of the shield begin to slip.

As the shield broke open directly infront of Elder Lyons, Loyal looked on with horror as they saw a spear hurled by a Lunar soldier. Just as the spear left his hooves there was a familiar yell as a mare in Solar Guard armour stepped forward screaming, "Hold fire, HOLD FIRE!"

Everything froze as the Solar Guard stepped past the Lunar soldier and removed her helm.

"Snowberry!" cried Loyal, who was about to greet her more warmly when a god awful, heartwrenching cry tore through the air. It came from the direction of Elder Lyons. Everyone, both pony and griffon turned to seek out the cause of the uproar.

What was seen was Thane, tears pouring from all four eyes, as he sat with Laryia's head in his lap.

That errant spear thrown before the ceasefire had found it's mark, not in Elder Lyons as planned but instead firmly planted in Laryia's side, nicking her heart.

"Please, no, WHY!" Thane cried out.

With volume little more than that of a breath Laryia whispered to him, "I'm sorry Thane, I've always wanted to.....*cough*... to tell you...." Laryia stretched her head up, and as Thane leaned down to hear her better, thier lips met. With that last, and first, true kiss, Laryia's flank stopped moving, and she became motionless.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Thane screamed as he pulled his knife and drew it sharply across his right foreleg. The red mist tell tale of his magic started working on Laryia's body, trying to start her ruined heart. Desperation flooded through the pegasu as he drew the knife across his other foreleg, but still to no results.

Loyal, unable to stand watching the stallion's suffering, started tyo dip into his power and go fetch Laryia from Thanatos' grasp when a scythe sliced into the grass before him.

"NO LOYAL! I will not allow you to take another soul from me!" Thanatos roared as he stepped out from a portal he'd openned. "I am more than tired of having you come and steal back souls that I rightfully hold claim to reap! I am more than tired of souls escaping my grasp! More than that though, I am tired of the influx of souls caused by this senseless warring!"

With this Thanatos flung his cloak wide, and from the dark abyss inside, Laryia stepped out, rushing over to Thane's side.

"Loyal," Thanatos replied more calmly, "Consider this my peace offering, as I have decided to join your cause."

Smiling to himself, Loyal stared at the awestruck faces all around him. Slipping into his power, Loyal rose into the air and yelled out in his booming voice.

"MY BRETHREN, BE YOU PONY OR GRIFFON, WE STAND, ALL FOR THE SAME CAUSE. WE STAND NOT FOR OURSELVES, WE STAND NOT FOR WHAT WE WANT! NEIGH! WE STAND FOR ALL OF THOSE AROUND US, WE STAND FOR THE HELPLESS, CAUGHT BETWEEN SIDES. LOOK AT WHAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED IN SUCH A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME! LUNAR SOLDIERS AND SOLAR GUARDS TOGETHER,AS PONIES!" Loyal yelled, motioning to the mixed rebel forces, "AND GRIFFON AND PONY, GIVING LIFE TO SAVE ONE ANOTHER! WE ARE NOT A FORCE THAT SEEKS CONTROL, BUT ONE THAT SIMPLY SEEKS PEACE."

Lowering his volume, Loyal continued with a final statement, "Now let us make camp, for at first light we make our plans!"

With that everyone set off in different direction, ponies and griffons intermingling. Snowberry was talking to Chavon and Lyons, while Loyal trotted off to find food.

Thane and Laryia disappeared into a newly erected tent as she saw to his wounds.

"You silly, you could've hurt yourself trying to bring me back, what were you thinking?" Laryia fretted as she aplied bandages.

Words thick with emotion Thane leaned in to her and replied, "Don't leave me, I'm sorry, I'll fix this if it costs me my life. That's what I was thinking."

Tears of pure joy slipped from Laryia's eyes as the two ponies lips connected. Guiding her down to the ground gently, Thane and Laryia found themselves realizing that there was nothing else in the world better than the pony in the their hooves.

Author's note: Gragh, damn this took me all day. You know what got me through this, good music. SoundoftheAviators, 'Flower of the Season' by Bronyfied, PrinceWhateverer, and other brony music artists. Anyway this one took me most of the day to get done so sorry for the later post up time. Oh and for anyone wondering about the time line of this. Pay close attention to Chavon's younger brother yelling at Laryia, then pay attention to the chapters right after Nightmare brings back Twi