The Nights Dagger.

As soon as I picked up the rifle, instinct seems to take over.

Lifting the rifle up and pointing it at the assaulting airship, I can now make out thirty or so ponies. The crew consist mostly of pegasi but one or two unicorns are also on its deck, holding large rifles with patterns carved along the barrels.

I line the barrel of the rifle up with one of the unicorn`s body.

A sudden flash and a sound similar to a loud crack, the unicorn collapses, blood pouring from a hole in his chest in torrents.

Gasping, I drop the gun. “D, did I do that? No! I can`t of. It, it has to have been some pony else...” I say in panic.

“Ha! Nice shot kid!” one of the crew members laughs, no, cheers.

Why did he congratulate me on killing? For taking the life of an innocent pony, for committing one of the worst crimes you can do...

What would master do if he found out I killed a pony...

“Long shot!” I hear some pony yell at me.

Something grabs my shoulder with a painful grip and forcefully pulls me sideways.

“By the god’s boy! Learn to get to cover before you get killed! That shot you pulled off bought all their attention to you!” a gruff voice says from above me.

Looking up, I see that a large grey Minotaur is standing next to me, a large axe in one hand and a club of some sort in the other. A thick, black mane covers his forehead messily while large ebony horns grow out the sides of his head and point forward as if to spear any oncoming enemy.

He gives me a small smile before shouting “Captain! I`ve got the kid! He seems shaken, so I’ll take him bellow deck!” as he says this, he once again grabs me by the shoulder and throws me into an open hatch and into darkness.

I just sit here, slumped against a wooden wall that I can’t see. I sit here, listening to the shouts and gunfire, as I try desperately to give myself an excuse for killing that unicorn.

“If I didn’t shoot him, he would have shot some pony else, maybe even me!” I mumble to myself “it was self defence!”

Suddenly the gunfire stops, but is replaced by the roar of soldiers as the ship shakes violently. Gunshots and the sound of metal clashing on metal replaces it quickly muffled yells of both pain and triumph barely audible over the fighting.

After an unknown amount of time, it starts to quieten down. Slowly but surely, all noise seems to dissipate, leaving only the creaky groan of the ship.

Soon, even this is interrupted as a very familiar voice booms out from nearby. “Ah, hello good captain. Do you know why I’m here?” it has an accent that I just can’t place, but definitely a males voice, and definitely a voice I recognized as well as despise.

“Well, Captain. As you probably already know, I am General Iron Claw of the 5th battalion. As for what I’m doing here, well I’m after a slave. The slave you very recently stole in fact.” I have to make sure me hearing isn’t fooling me. Slowly and silently, I push upwards on a wooden hatch I hadn’t notice close. Before I can open the hatch, a crack of thunder signals the start of a heavy downpour.

My heart beating in my ears, I crack the hatch open and see the entire crew surrounded by ponies in silver armour. The Captain, Lose cannon and a few others are in a separate group. Every crew member has at least 2 guns pointed at them. Standing in front of the Captain, is the good General, his back turned towards me as he questioned the crew one by one.

The sight of the General brings back the memory of when I last saw my family, when he murdered them...

[Flashback, 17 years previously]

“We gave you everything you asked for! What else can we give you?” a sand coloured stallion Pegasus, my father, was saying to a griffin in silver armour, a scar stretching from behind the plain silver helmet to the base of his beak.

“You said that you would leave us with enough to survive! And now here you are demanding more and threatening to bring the griffin army to our door if we don’t give you what you want!” a deep, almost black unicorn mare, my mother, continues for her husband.

“We need slaves. Young slaves. I’m sorry, but we have to take your son from you.” The griffin says

“NO! The only way you will get our son is over our dead bodies! And even then-“my father is cut off by the griffin.

“Then I’m sorry.” The griffin stabs 2 swords into my parents and pushes them sideways, providing a path to me.

[End of flashback]

Seeing this griffin again brings a feeling to my heart that I haven’t felt for e very long time. Hate. Pure and unmatched hate for his very being.

“If you don’t tell me where the slave boy is, I will have to take drastic measures.” He warns.

“You won’t get Long Shot! For as long as he is part of the crew, you won’t lay a claw on him!” the Captain responds aggressively.

“Ah, just like his parents, trying desperately to defend him. But unlike his parents, death isn’t the punishment. You have one more chance. Tell me where he is, or you will face the rest of your lives as slaves to the griffin empire!”

Time seems to slow down as I burst out of the hatch and gallop up to Iron Claw. All I see is red as I growl out from right behind him “I’m right here, you Bastard!” I then pick him up I’m my magic and slam him into all the other soldiers on the deck. Without releasing from my magical grip, I smash him repeatedly into the deck. On the 7th strike, he laughs, sending blood splattering below himself. “You still don’t know your real name, do you? I have no idea what fool of a pony named you that, probably that pathetic noble I sold you to. You know, you have your mother’s coat, and your father’s mane. Your eyes though...” he is interrupted by a coughing fit, spraying yet more of the deck red with his blood. “Your eyes are like that of a dragon! You want to know your true name before I die? Here take this.” He holds out a small piece of paper to me.

Taking the paper from his open claw, I bring it in front of me and find it is folded. “As much as I hate you for what you have done to me, you have helped me in your last moments. So I shall let you die a warrior’s death.” I lay him onto the ground gently and pass a sword to him from one of the still downed soldiers.

Taking another for myself, I get into a sparring stance.

“You gained more than I thought you would be a slave to nobility, like how to give an old griffin an honourable death...” Iron claw responds with a sigh.

We clash blades, trading blows and blocking each other’s attacks in an elegant dance of blades, like how old friends would spar together.

“How many? How many other families have you torn apart?” I ask, tears in my eyes.

“Too many, far too many. Yours was the only time I had to kill though. For what it’s worth, I’m sorry. I don’t expect you to forgive me, but it’s out there. And, I’m glad it is you who will put me to rest. If anyone, it’s you who deserves to put the monster in front of you down for good,”

“I forgive you.” He looks at me shocked, lowering his defence, leaving himself wide open. I slide my sword into his chest. “I forgive you because I don’t see a monster in front of me. I see an old griffin asking for forgiveness for crimes that he did a century ago. I see a griffin seeking closure.” I tell him, as he collapses. As his eyes cloud over, he finally dies with a small smile on his beak.

Ignoring the stares of everything on the ship, I pick up Iron Claws corpse and pull the sword out. Placing him on the other vessel, I clasp his claws around the swords handle and place it on his chest.

I walk back to the hatch and get in. Closing it behind me.