Killing the dark horse within the thick armour instantly. The iron ball struck its owner's shield and just landed with a thump on the ground, even with a sword in its head was the dark horse not knocked over by the heavy weapon, proof of its great physical might. But even that is not going to save you from having your skull pierced by a giant blade.

The earth pony quickly jumped off the still standing corpse, warily eyeing it as it swayed a little, before letting out a soft sigh of relief as it fell over its side, dead as could be. Guts then looked towards his wide-eyed troops and made a forward motion with his free foreleg and shouted at them. "Take the gatehouse and lower the drawbridge!"

[End Battle Music]

As one the bronze soldiers broke out of the stupor and rushed into the gatehouse alongside their officer. Once inside they quickly dispatched the dark horses in the process of sabotaging the gears of the drawbridge. Thankfully were they quick enough to claim the gatehouse before they could do so.

With the gatehouse of the fort claimed they lowered the drawbridge to the mainland and the central columns o the Bronze Army quickly marched inside and began to clear out the dark horses within the structure. The no longer burning towers in front of the fort had their gates smashed open and quickly laid claim to by the stragglers behind the front line and central units.

But while the central column had been struggling with laying siege to the fort and the two towers. Had the two flanking sections of the Equestrian forces been trying to lay siege to the castle walls. They had charged towards the river banks, carrying their ladders over their backs as they trampled over the moist grass.

Then as soon as they reached the edge of the moat they planted the front portions of their twenty ladders into the ground and began to heft them upwards to lean them towards the castle walls.

Sadly that's when the truth of the situation was made clear. As even with the forces having used all of their metal rods to lengthen the ladders to be as long as they could, the ladders only managed to land halfway up against the enormous castle walls.

The width of the river that acted as a natural moat and the height of the walls themselves, made it near impossible for siege ladders to reach the upper portions of the walls. Even if the ponies reassembled all twenty ladders to create ten extra-long ladders, would it not be possible to lift them, even with magical support.

Thus the two forces were left with no way to properly reach the top of the walls. They still had twenty meters left to scale before they reached the battlements of the walls. The Bronze Army was in a bind and the Silver Army was about to move in to aid them, or they would had it not been for one major issue that they were about to discover.

Sergeant Golden Shower was a proud veteran of the first two crusades and he was a former Knight of the Sun Guard, having retired to act as an instructor for future generations. A pale white pegasus with black mane and tail, he had the cutie mark of a black rain cloud with five gold coins dropping down from it like raindrops.

A specialist in Fly-By-Attacks and Bombardments, he had decided to take it upon himself and his squad of twenty to fly up to the walls and secure rope ladders for the bronze soldiers.

"We take off now! Let's show these dark wankers what we're made of! Ave Equestria!" The Silver Sergeant cried out to his unit who cried out together with their leader before all twenty-one of them took flight.

As they flew over the huddling bronze units they moved upwards to avoid the range of the dark archer's arrows. And that's when one of Golden Shower's troops spotted something going on at one of the towers. "Sarge! I see something moving at the top of the second tower to the right of the middle of the western wall!"

All of the units turned to look at what was moving and blinked when they saw a long, thin, wooden barrel mounted on some kind of triple jointed metal limb connected to a rotating metal platform. And then Golden Shower realized that it was aiming in their direction.

"They are aiming for us! Scatter!" The unit flew apart to escape the attack from the weird-looking weapon.

But even as they broke formation, the weapon fired, and out of the holes at the end, erupted small clouds of smoke as a stream of large round pellets flew out of the weapon and towards the unit of pegasi. The unit thought they had managed to evade the weird-looking attack, but it was not that simple.

As the pellets flew through the sky they were starting to smoke and glow, creating a mirage of them turning into a group of flying bolts of white light.

And then they burst apart in a bright explosion of light and air pressure. An almost visible shock wave moved through the air and struck each of the pegasi. The powerful burst of intense air pressure scrambled their eardrums and shook their heads so intensely that they lost all sense of balance and were almost unconscious.

They plummeted down towards the moat but were miraculously able to fall close enough to the shore of the moat to impact the moist soil. Loud thumps and clangs were heard as the pegasi soldiers crashed into the soft wet ground, leaving a unit of twenty-one unconscious pegasi lying down in ditches made by their crash landings.

So the situation was as follows.

The dark horses defending walls were firing down a constant barrage of arrows at the bronze soldiers, while they also had several towers with long-ranged air burst launchers capable of shooting down large groups of pegasi. Not to mention the catapults firing barrels of glue or oil at them. So currently where the bronze soldiers hunkering together in turtle formations, forming giant shells of sacred bronze as a near-constant stream of blunt arrows and liquid-filled barrels struck at them.

While the pegasi forces of the Silver Army were forced to remain grounded after watching one of their smaller units being shot down by an exploding air burst from the weird-looking barrel-like cannon.

Thus, even as the fort of the river was finally claimed, had over seven hours passed since the attack upon the castle was made and sunrise was imminent. Even with overwhelming odds had the castle's main walls not even been touched by pony hooves when the first day of the siege ended.

Princess Celestia was deeply upset by this setback but felt reassured that given her forces' newly obtained experience with the siege, they would perform better the next day. For she did not feel comfortable laying siege to the castle at night. With the dangerous river and not to mention any unknown plots of the castle's current owner, she could not take that risk.

And she was not willing to risk her soldiers at a night attack when most of them were still just raw recruits.

Nor did she feel comfortable attacking the castle with her magic directly, she had an ominous feeling that, that was exactly what Maleficus wanted her to do. She had to play it safe or she would once more fall victim to his wicked schemes and lose yet another attempt at bringing him to justice.

(Scene Skip)

Up on the top of the castle was a certain alicorn stallion standing by the edge, looking out at the glowing fires of the ponies' war camp and within the river fort of which they had claimed. He was rather proud of how well the ponies had done during the siege.

*I honestly thought that they would be unable to lay claim to the first line of defence for at least a few days. But for them to claim the first line of defence within the first day is far more than I was expecting.* Maleficus thought to himself as he looked down at the fort in front of the main gate of his castle. The ponies would be able to reach the main wall and gatehouse by the morning.

Even with the high walls and towers offering great range and height superiority over the attackers was he sure that the ponies would find a way to breach the defences of his castle-like they had done on the river fort today. They had proven very capable of overcoming obstacles and defying the odds. It made him feel like he was watching a group of humans trying to beat the odds in an action movie and succeed. It felt... nostalgic.

*I must admit that it might be possible for Celestia to end up winning this fight. Well... if she can complete the objective. After all, this fight is not just focused on me. But this castle itself. And I hope that she realizes this, or she might lose even without realizing it.* Maelficus turned around and walked towards the large peach tree growing before the main gates to the palace. He gently plucked one of its ripe fruits off its branches and began to eat it, enjoying the sweet flavour of the fruit while looking at the tall tree.

*After all. This would not be a proper version of Minas Tirith, without a magical tree now, would it?* He thought as a smirk grew on his muzzle before he spat out the seed of the peach onto the soil next to the tree. The alicorn then watched with amusement as roots reached out of the soil like tendrils. The thin strands reached upwards and began to entangle the seed lying on the ground, and with a steady phase pulled the seed down into the ground.

(Scene Skip)

The floating city of Jarngard flew over the Foal Mountains at a slow but steady phase. Several dozens of Sky Ships were flying alongside the sky island, with several more docking with the floating city's Sky Dock and at several docking positions along the city walls.

Said fleet of skyships had no real actual designation yet, but the local called it the Storm Hammer Fleet. In honour of their warlord Thunder Hammer.

The fleet itself was a mixture of the various types of ships the four factions had control over, the horses knew to not leave their homes defended by a single type of ship. Variation was important in battle, it made it possible to utilize other options when another would fail.

Thus were horses of the Samurai, Knight, and Sparta factions taking part of the fleet as well to man the other ships. Officially included to act as 'diplomatic' envoys to represent the unity of the Horadrim Kingdom. While in truth were they just looking for an excuse to keep their fleets well balanced and strong to make people not realize the deeper connection between the Horses.

Politics is a certain headache for any living being, be it natural, supernatural, or unnatural.

While the horses' Sky Ships were powerful and numerous could the horses not employ all of the fifty flying ships in their home for just patrolling the island. They kept about half of the skyships docked in the Sky Dock or on the city walls. Making it easy to deploy more ships in case of an emergency.

It also made it possible to add day and night shifts for the fleet's crews as to not make them remain too long on the ships.

And while one might think that the horses would just change shift at the same time was that incorrect, they would send in one ship at a time in a steady interval, with the last being the flagship of the fleet. It makes the process long time consuming but it kept the fleet in top condition.

One of the recently changed crews was upon a large skeid longboat named 'Långsvärd' or 'Longsword' in the pony tongue. Its crew of fifty fresh Viking warriors floating at the east-most edge of the fleet's formation.

A young stallion raider was sitting on a barrel looking out towards the cloudy horizon, slowly dragging a whetstone over the edge of his long-shafted axe. His pony name was Silent Hero, while his horse name was Sigurd. He was a light brown pelted horse with a reddish-brown mane and tail, with a pair of green eyes.

He was equipped with a harness with a pair of cauldrons, a loincloth, and a set of belts for several pouches, bottles, and other little items. He was wearing a Viking helmet with a visor, decorated with a pair of curved dragon horns, with a chain mail coif hanging down the back of the neck, with a set of openings to let his braided mane free.

As he watched the horizon he absentmindedly checked the sharpness of his axe by scraping it lightly against his horseshoe covered hoof. *Calm as ever. It almost makes you wish for something exciting to happen with just how boring these routine guard duties can get without anything going on.*

He rotated his axe a bit before holstering it onto his back in the harness. And he turned to leave to get some water and fruit from the hold when he noticed something at the edge of his vision. Swirling around he quickly pulled out the spyglass strapped to his belt and looked out towards the eastern horizon, and his brow furrowed at what he saw.

From behind the thick white cloud emerged around a hundred large flying ships, not like the skyships of the Horadrim Kingdom. These were frigate like ships being held afloat by a large oval-shaped balloon that was covered by metal plates and held to the ship with thick ropes and fabrics shaped into a hexagon-like pattern. On the top of the balloon was a metal structure that had two strange-looking antenna-like structures sticking out of its sides, while at the peak of the metal structure was some sort of glass dome containing something that was sparkling and glowing bright blue.

At the front of the ship was a large crown decorated eagle head with an open beak, with what looked like a large cannon barrel sticking out of the opening. the ships were apparently being propelled by some kind of large fan-shaped propellers at the rear of the structure.

Each ship was identical to the other in size and design, and there were at least eighty if not one hundred and twenty of them. They were larger than most of the ships used by the horses except for the slightly larger ships. And they looked rather slow and clumsy, but sturdy.

But the problem was not only with these massive eagle ships, no, but the armada was also surrounded by wedge formations of around five hundred flying soldiers, heavily armed griffins to be exact. For they could not be anything else. The bodies were four-legged, with the rear being the back part of a lion with a tail. While the front was that of an eagle with wings at the center.

Every single one of the griffins was armed with well designed aerial armour, light leather combined with chain and plate, to allow maximum protection while not hindering their mobility or making them slower. The manner of metal they utilized was unknown as it had been painted, the plate was painted blue while the chain mail were all painted in a squared pattern similar to that of a tartan pattern of the Scottish kilts from Maleficus homeworld. The specific colouring of the pattern was lines of white with two purples lines on either side of the white line, with a red square in the center, and repeat all over.

All of the griffins were wielding crossbows while having either swords and shields or, large great swords, as a melee weapon, no differences.

Each unit and each ship, had a banner upon either mast or pole, bearing a heraldic image of a gold-crowned white eagle head in the center of a six-pointed yellow star-shaped field, with a purple background. With a red talon held within each of the star's six points.

And among the armada could ten large dragons be seen, each covered in blue plate armour. All of them as large as a three-story-tall building. And, though it was hard to see, could Silent Hero make out what looked like either large box-shaped baskets or large wooden crates, tied to the dragons' backs.

Slowly the young raider lowered his spyglass and muttered to himself as he looked at the approaching army of airships and griffins. "...Oh... oooooh... shit... this is not good..."

He then pulled off one of the horns on his helmet, held it to his mouth, and blew into it. A loud rumbling tone echoing out over the skies. Young Sigurd repeated this three times, making it a total of four signals, signaling to the rest of the sky fleet about approaching enemies from the east.

Returning his horn to its spot on his helmet Silent Hero walked over to the front of the boat as the captain began to bark out orders. And he looked out towards the approaching army and its fleet of airships. While the sky fleet shifted and turned, facing the unknown army approaching their home. *I did not even speak out loud and yet Murphy's Law was still invoked!? Damn... that's terrifying.*

He would not mention his treacherous thoughts that might have invoked the sudden invasion of their air space, better to not risk it any further.

(Scene Skip)

Upon the central ship of the fleet of airships stood a tall black pelted and brown feathered griffin bearing a full-body plate mail armour with a mantle strapped over his left foreleg and over his back bearing the tartan pattern that the rest of the army was wearing. Upon his side was a curved sword with a fork like cross guard shaped like a four-fingered talon.

His left eye was replaced with a clear blue crystal ball, with a nasty looking scar that looked like something head tried to either eat or tear off the left side of his face. On his left pauldron was an engraved image of a heraldry in the shape of a white circle with the image of an iron-gray griffin biting through a sword.

He was Earl Cahal, Ruler of the Eagle Coast, Patriarch of the Ironbeak Clan, and Admiral of the Third Fleet of the Royal Navy of the Kingdom of Gryphon. A veteran of several wars within and without of Gryphon, and older cousin to King Craver, the current ruler of the Griffins.

News of these nations of equine beings with powerful magical artifacts and rich vaults filled with wealth had spread out from the south, being carried by the dragon mercenaries Cahal hired on a regular basis. It had come as a surprise to all of the griffindom when the tales of the rich nations and their skirmish with the dragons.

When words had reached the King had he been swift to order preparations and war plans to be made. And Cahal was proud of his younger cousin, he had ambition and goals, and though his personal habits might be a bit distasteful was he King, and thus could be given leniency for his acts. After all, none of those he had eaten had been of legit royal blood, being chicks of concubines and slaves. And the servants were there to serve the king, what did it matter if a few of them did so in another manner?

His young cousin's rule was far more profitable and glamorous than the old King, it had been a great satisfaction to aid the young king claim his throne from his useless father. Even if the old bird had been Cahal's uncle was he far too weak and paranoid to be a proper king in his eyes.

Craver was a better ruler by far, even with his odd dietary habits.

Walking past a line of sailors pulling ropes and preparing weapons he looked towards the large floating island and the fleet he had been preparing to assault for the past year. Utilizing the enhanced vision of his crystal eyeball he examined the fleet and the defensive structures of the islands. Muttering to himself as he tried to keep his awe in check at the sight of a floating island. "The reports spoke of it, but it is clearly much different to see it in person. A floating island, a magnificent sight."

A slight smirk could be noticed as the cheeks of the old warbird shifted a bit, and he walked over to his second in command, who was also his nephew, and spoke out in an excited manner. "This will make for an excellent tribute for our nation's power, if we can learn to utilize the secrets of the island we can finally overwhelm our neighbors and get control over the lands. The first of many grand prizes to claim for our king and nation. Ain't that right Bevyn?"

The younger griffin shared his smile, but it was a bit on the uneasy side as he did not have his uncle's experience or self-confidence. Or delusion. "Very true uncle Cahal, but what about those reports we got from our scouts in the south about the ponies and horses killed off one of the Dragon Lords?"

Shaking his head the older griffin scoffed at the mere notion and pointed a claw at one of the dragon mercenaries flying among their fleet. "Just tall tales and rumors created by the ponies and horses to dissuade more dragons from attacking them. The old King might have feared those rumours but King Craver has a better spine and sense of things than that paranoid coward who I once called uncle. Any griffin worth their hide knows that dragons do not falter for anything, much less so a Dragon Lord. The only thing they care about is food and gems, and as long as you can provide either, or both, are they more than willing to serve us short-lived being for a while."

The younger griffin nodded to his uncle's words, never speaking out his unease that both his uncle and the King had forgotten one crucial piece of evidence that supported the tales from the south.

Over four hundred dragons had flown west nearly two decades ago to perform their annual raid upon the pony lands. And out of the around half a thousand dragons that left, returned less than a hundred. There had been an all-time low activity from the dragons ever since and there were even reports of ponies making colonies along the coastline by the Dragonlands.

But the King had dismissed the possibilities of such a large number of dragons being slain and just made the logical conclusion that the majority of the dragons who left had decided to make new homes in the pony lands. It had made sense for many, for few had even considered the other option a possibility.

And the King was also certain of the weakness of the ponies and the limited might of the horses, weakened by the dragon raid. With the reports of the wealth of the horses and ponies, not to mention their magical abilities and artifacts, made the recently discovered nations of Equestria and Horadrim very valuable for Gryphon.

At least that was what King Craver's ambitions were, and they were mirrored by the military officers and nobles of the kingdom. So young Bevyn could only follow his superiors' lead, even though he felt that this course of action would only bring disaster upon not just themselves, but the nation as well.

(Scene Skip)

War Lord Thunder Hammer glared out from one of the balconies of his castle, the admiral of the fleet had told him the situation through the use of the Comm Orb in the flagship. "So they think we are just going to roll over and let them plunder us eh? Well now. That won't do."

He turned around barked out orders as a group of officers and messengers. "Prepare for a siege! Order the Shamans to engage the Shield Ritual! Tell the Storm Hammer Fleet to show these pretenders how real warfare with boats is made! We are Vikings! The Wolves of the Sea and the Eagles of the Skies! Let the Gods and our Father witness our Valour! In Glorious battle!"

Thunder Hammer then threw his maul and slammed the pommel into the floor, cracking the marble and releasing a short burst of rumbling thunder and lightning. And then he roared, his eyes glowing with sparkling blue lightning. "Valhalla!"

And he was joined by the rest of the horses in the chamber, and those outside of it, shouting out to their Warlord's speech, which had echoed out over the major vicinity of the entire castle.

"Valhalla!"

(Scene Skip)

[Play Battle Music: "Maelstrom Battle" - Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End]

[Disclaimer: I do not own this music, it is owned by Disney, please support the official release and the YouTubers who give us the chance to listen to such great works of musical wonder.]

While the fleet moved into formation was Jarngard swarmed with activity, civilians were running into the safety of the underground chambers or the large central keep on the peak of the island. Viking soldiers and guards within the city were preparing weapons and tools, manning the towers and walls of the island, while the ships docked to its harbours were slowly casting off one by one to join the fleet in defending the floating city.

But on the outer walls of the city, were some of the towers being prepared for a different purpose. Towers standing taller than the rest with four long horns sticking out of the sides of the towers, ending up in sharp points, almost like split spearheads or one edged dagger, making the top of the towers appear almost like scepters or claws.

A group of robed horses was standing on top of one of these outer towers, standing in a circle. Each of them was wielding a ceremonial dagger. Holding the dagger in their right foreleg they stood up on their hind legs and began to dance together, chanting and swirling their daggers in sync. Their chanting grew louder and a golden light began to emit from the ground beneath their hooves as a pattern of runes began to emerge out of the stonework, as if it was bleeding golden light.

With a final cry, the robed horses pressed the tips of their daggers against each other, forming a star-like pattern with their daggers and forelegs. There was a rush of heat as the magic of the shamans joined together. The runic array beneath their hooves filled the entire floor of the top of the tower, even stretching out into the four-blade line pinnacles on the sides. There was a moment of silence as the light seemed to fade before suddenly a pillar of light shoots out of the tower's center. It expanded upwards like a laser moving in slow motion, when it reached three-quarters of the height of the mountain it started to bend and expand towards the island's central point.

As the expanding light beam reached the air above the ship docks, it was meet with eleven other beams of light emitting from the other outer towers, and as they connected was an almost birdcage like form made. But then the golden light began to expand and shift, flowing out and expanding until there were no longer any gaps, leaving the entire city covered by a golden force field.

As the force field completely covered the city were the ships of the horses taking up formations to face the enemy. One group of ships from the rear of the fleet were moving in another direction, while the rest of the fleet began to create a large bulwark to defend the island.

The griffins and their fleet of Air Ships were charging towards the city and its gathered fleet, the ten dragons moving at the front. With gusto and glee screeched Earl Cahal out to his troops as he witnessed the magnificent sight of his ships and dragons' charge towards the enemies. "Signal all ships to take no prisoners! There shall be nothing but the might of Gryphon remaining after this battle!"

One of the messengers walked over to a large metal barrel and struck it with his talons. Bright flashes of light began to erupt from the lightning-filled dome on the top of the ship. The light was released in a pattern, acting as a coded message system for the rest of the ships to receive orders without the use of messengers.

But even as the order was given, were the charging griffins and their dragon allies caught by surprise by what came next.

Five Atakebune had taken the front formation, with five Trireme ships above them and five Carracks above the Triremes. They made up the frontal guard of the horses' fleet, and as the griffins and their dragons charged towards them with clearly ill intent, the horses aboard the ships fired their ship's weapons.

The Atakebunes' front barrels shone in bright light and the griffins at first thought that it was some kind of blinding attack and closed their eyes to not get blinded.

Five glowing balls of condensed energy flew through the air, erupting out of the front barrels of the Atakebunes.

The first flew at one of the closer dragons. With his eyes closed was the fire breathing giant creature unable to see how the small spherical force field flew straight at him.

It impacted the dragon at the left side of its skull, the mighty scales, flesh, and bones were gorged apart by the intense ripples of momentum from the compact energies making up the sphere. The magical energy projectile flew out of the back left side of the dragon skull, showering the air in bits of the dragon's skull while the body went limp and began to fall downwards.

The orb flew further and struck an unlucky group of five griffins, their bodies were torn apart and scattered into the winds as the sphere struck them. Before it finally ended its journey by impacting the front of the blimp-like balloon on one of the airships, rupturing it in the process.

Bluish gas erupted from the deflating metal-plated blimp and caused severe nausea to the griffins nearby. Right before it detonated into a cloud of plasma as the container on the top of the balloon broke as the blimp collapsed. The entire ship fell down like a falling blue star as the plasma fire trailed after it like a tail of liquid fire.

Several dozens of griffins barely had time to scream as the blue flames engulfed their bodies. Even before their bodies were burnt away into nothing was the intense heat of the plasma causing black vapor to erupt out of their orifices, eyes, ear holes, and beaks as their body fluids were almost instantly vaporized from the heat. Their insides boiled to shriveled up charcoal before the blue flames even touched their dead bodies.

It all took less than a few seconds to occur.

The second shot struck the chest of another dragon, like the first it tore open a round hole into the body of the large creature. But unlike the first was this force field sphere unable to travel all the way through and instead, detonated.

The dragon let out a pained cry as its abdomen bubbled up in an unnatural fashion before its hide and flesh beneath its upper chest erupted like a water balloon. A geyser of blood and gore sprayed outwards from the dragon's midsection, painting the heavens with a red rain. The creature fell downwards, its limp shape showing how its entire midsection had been torn clear of flesh, revealing the creature's spine, ribs, and pelvis bones. The only flesh left between the chest and the pelvis were pieces of its internal organs and flesh hanging off its spine.

Though the third shot missed its intended target since the dragon in question shifted a bit as the force field was heading towards it, it still struck one of the ships behind the dragon. In a brutal explosion of shards of wood, metal and gore were the entire lower section of the ship torn asunder, leaving only a large metal plated blimp balloon that was starting upwards without the ship or its counterweights to keep it from floating off.

None of the crew members survived the detonation of the ship.

The fourth energy projectile gorged through another dragon's left wing, tearing the appendage in half as the mythical creature screeched out in pain and fear as it began to tumble down, trying to regain altitude with its remaining wing. Its body slammed into the jagged peak of a mountain and pierced through the dragon's stomach and out through its back, leaving it impaled upon the mountain top.

But the sphere kept going and struck the side of one of the air ship's balloons, tearing out a large gaping tear in its side. The ship began to fall instantly as the gas was expelled out of its container. Griffins abandoned the ship as it fell down toward the mountain range bellow, and as the ship struck the rocky surface, it detonated in a large thunderclap of lightning and plasma fire as the electric filled dome cracked and the no longer contained lightning ignited the gas.

The force field sphere flew away, not hitting anything else, before suddenly wobbling in its shape, before erupting in a massive burst of magical energy. Several ships and griffins fought to remain airborne as the shock wave slammed into them. Around fifty or sixty griffins fell down unconscious, unconscious from being struck by the powerful pressure of the shock wave. While five airships crashed into the ground or each other, before hitting the ground, erupting into fiery wrecks of blue fire.

And then the fifth shoot struck its target, striking the dragon in the snout, the flesh and scales shredded apart as the sphere gorged through the dragon's skull before erupting out of the back, leaving a headless corpse to fall to the ground. The sphere flew for a short time before slamming into the side of an airship, causing it to explode into blue-fire as the projectile detonated inside its wooden frame.

Admiral Cahal growled and glared at the finned ships that had just torn apart four of his dragon mercenaries and over a dozen of his one hundred airships. "Those magic farting donkeys will regret this insult! None but Gryphon may rule the sky! Give the order to the fleet! Prepare to fire the Tintreach Cannons at the ships! Focus your fire at their oars and sails! Give them Blood and Thunder!"

A joyous cry filled the ship and signal flags were waved to the other ships. Bevyn kept his personal opinion of the situation silent, he had a feeling that the Tintreach Cannons of the airships, would prove less effective than his uncle had intended. *Those cannons may be the greatest engineering feat our race has produced in the last two hundred years, but that still does not mean they will be as effective against these sky ships like they are against our airships or non-lighting aligned dragons.*

Upon each vessel moved griffins at the front, pulling levers and adjusting pressure valves on a set of pipes. The beaks of the ships lowered their lower parts and the barrels rolled out, adjusting in length until they were sticking out two meters from the beaks' tips.

One of the griffins of each crew was rotating a vertical wheel with a handle on it, rapidly rotating the metal circle as three gemstones above the wheel began to glow blue. As the third gemstone shone the crew member would shout out to their superior officer. "Tintreach Cannon loaded, aimed, and ready to fire Captain/Admiral!"

The leader of the airships would raise their talons, holding some manner of weapon or spyglass, and point it at their targets. And then they would cry out the griffins' ancestral word, for shot, or fire. "Scaoil!"

A series of loud resounding cracks filled the air as one by one the massive airships released their lethal loads. A blue flash of light emerged from the tips of the cannons and was released in a sphere of sparkling blue lightning. They flew at such speed it was less of a projectile and more like a slow-motion moving lightning bolt, still fast, but not as fast as its naturally occurring variation.

The lightning balls struck at the wooden masts of the ships and the oars as well, intense light emerged from each strike as the energies of the lightning bolts surged out over the ships. Only to somehow be redirected into the clouds beneath the ships, and after a few seconds, the electrical arches had disappeared, absorbed by the clouds beneath the horses' skyships.

All the griffins could do was stare in shock and horror as the mightiest weapon of their nation, had its power and potency rendered null and void.

Admiral Cahal reacted more vocally and aggressively once he recovered from his shock. His voice crying out over the stunned crew staring at the horses' fleet, which was no longer floating passively, but moving towards them. "What!? What happened!? Why are those ships undamaged!?"

One of the officers, who had been looking with a spyglass, cried out to the admiral to give his report. "The skyships admiral! They absorbed the lightning bolts! The cloud beneath them appears to act as lightning rods! The horses don't even look like they got zinged!"

Young Bevyn held back from openly scoffing and rolling his eyes at those words. Instead, he mentally berated his fellow griffins as they panicked about their cannons failing to damage the horses' skyships. *Really? You don't say. It must be highly improbably, no? For, what-ever reason would anyone ever assume that a race of equines sailing on boats riding storm clouds would know how to handle lightning strikes being aimed at? Incomprehensible.*

His uncle screeched out in anger, punching through the railing before the steering wheel of the ship. And began to rant while glaring at the approaching ships. "Damn it! All non-essential crewmembers! Prepare yourselves for boarding actions! We outnumber them still! Kill them all!"

Bevyn flinched as the crew drew their arms and screeched out together, he silently stepped back into a shadowy corner. He did not like how things had been going and he just knew that even his uncle, famous for his physical prowess, would find the horses easy prey.

The two fleets flew towards each other with rapid speed. A wave of projectiles erupted from the carracks, the triremes, and the atakebunes. Ballistae bolts pierced through reinforced balloons that would ignite into blue flames, canisters splattered vile concoctions over griffins and ships, while bolts of magic erupted from the hooves of the magic users located on the different ships.

In response to the volleys of projectiles were the griffins arming their crossbows and firing as good as they could at the ships and their crews. The crossbow bolts shoot through the wind in low arches and struck wood, flesh, or air as the griffins utilized their natural skill of flight as well as their well-developed eyesight to take potshots at the horses.

Most of the airships had given up on utilizing their Tintreach Cannons, instead, they armed small ballistae and readied crossbows. Firing with increasing fervor at the horses and their skyships, even gong so far as to put the bolt heads into braziers of burning tar before firing, trying to put the ships on fire, though only managing to burn small holes in the sails at most.

But not all griffins had given up on their Tintreach Cannons. At least two dozen ships were still firing them as their crews tried to figure out a way to get past the anti-lightning defences of the horses. Even as the horses' ships kept enduring the strikes of the lightning balls.

The remaining six dragon mercenaries, seeing four of their numbers gone but never saw how or why decided to take action. They flew towards the approaching horse fleet and opened their maws to release torrents of fire upon the first row of ships. That's when several crackling booms erupted from the skeids at the front of the fleet, as they swung their oars upwards and then down.

Out from the clouds beneath the skeids came a magnitude of thunder and a torrent of lightning. And the dragons, covered with their metal armour, were the perfect lightning rods. The six beasts cried out in pain as hundreds of lightning bolts struck at their bodies and scorched their hides and flesh, smoke began to erupt out of their throats, their eyeballs melted, and finally, their bodies practically shriveled.

The black roasted shapes of the dragons fell, and as they struck the ground, was all that remained ash and bones scattered across the mountains. And now the griffins' fleet was without its draconic fire support.

And then the two fleets clashed.

(Scene Skip)

Griffin warriors flew at the ships, crying out war cries as they wielded their various weapons, while others held back and kept firing crossbows at them. The horses, however, responded in kind.

Several dozens of griffin warriors flew at one of the smaller ships that had the strange fin-like shapes on its form. They were meet by a group of fifty horses dressed in strange exotic armour, wielding long curved swords with frightening-looking helmets and masks covering their faces.

The griffins charged at the samurais- And the samurai, in turn, spread out into a line, by doing so they were essentially blocking the griffins from reaching the doors leading to the lower section of the ship., Then they shifted into a stance, standing on their hind legs, holding their swords by the sheath with their left foreleg while gripped the handle of their swords with their right. With said swords still in the sheaths.

And then, as the griffins came charging, the samurais breathed, closed their eyes. And then as the griffins came within two meters, they opened their eyes and blurred. It was like the fifty samurais had disappeared.

The griffins blinked and looked around, trying to figure out what had just happened. When they heard the sound of metal being sheathed into leather-covered wood. From behind them.

Turning around they saw the fifty samurais, in the process of slowly sheathing their swords. One of them saw this as an opportunity and cried out to the others. "They have their backs to us! Kill them now!"

"Sorry but that won't be possible." One of the samurais commented as he slowly turned around, the sword in his sheath, just an inch from behind inserted completely.

The griffins looked at each other in confusion as to what was going on. But the one who had shouted out hefted his large sword and glared at the samurai. "Oh? and why's that? If you mean you surrender th-"

But the samurai interrupted him before he completes his sentence. "The reason is simple."

And as one the samurais clicked their swords into place, and spoke out together to the griffins in cold, dark, voices. "Omae wa no shindeiru."

[Disclaimer: I do not own this clip nor the anime it is originally from. This is here just as a reference, please support the official release and the Youtuber who posted this small clip.]

"What kind of garbling tongue is th-kgh." The griffins words ended as thin red lines emerged across his neck, chest, and head. As did it over the rest of his fellows, and in a spray of blood and gore, the bodies of the griffins split apart. Leaving piles of gore on the wooden planks of the ship's deck.

One of the samurais quickly raises a hoof at the sight. "I am sooo not going to be the one that has to clean that up!"

(Scene Skip)

Another group of griffins was on one of the airships, aiming crossbows with fire bolts at the closest ship approaching them. Even as they fired upon the wooden frame did it not catch fire, much to their frustration.

But then one of them noticed something. "Say, is that ship trying to ram us?"

They all blinked and looked at the fast-moving ship, its strangely painted bow was looking straight at them, the rows of oars were rowing rapidly while the large sails pushed it faster. This was the warship of the ancient times of Greece, the trireme, it was built not just for fighting side to side or by distance. Its bow was designed with a long pointed wooden pole with the end equipped with thick metal plates.

It specialized in ramming ships, sometimes even going so far as to split them in half given enough momentum.

The captain of the airship cried out to his crew as he began to pull at the steering wheel of the ship."Evasive actions! Do not let them ram us!"

But it was too late, the trireme slammed into the port side of the skyship with a loud crack, the metal enforced wood to give away to the runic enchanted battering ram of the ship. The griffins abandoned ship, taking flight off the doomed vessel as the trireme pushed through it until with a loud crack, the entire thing split apart like a broken cookie.

The ship fell apart, several large wooden pieces of the vessel falling while the no longer weighted down balloon flew upwards into the heavens.

And as this occurred, were the ballistae of the trireme aiming, and firing upon the fleeing griffins and the surrounding airships.

(Scene Skip)

The carracks flew with strong and steady momentum through the heavens. Their crews armed the slingshots with canisters before flinging said canisters at the griffin forces. No one dared to use the harpoon launcher, however, as the volatile gas of the airships' balloons made the horses unwilling to risk it.

One of the knights on one of the carracks had just grabbed hold of a clay sphere canister, put it in place in the sling shot's bowl, and pulled it back. Carefully aiming the knight visualized the intended arc of how they intended for the canister to land. And then they let loose.

With a loud twang, the projectile was released from the slingshot launcher. The container flew upwards, forward, and then downwards, before hitting the wooden deck of the griffin airship. Its fragile structure shattered and thus released the content within.

Thick black goop splattered across the deck, some even hitting the griffins who were quick to wipe it off. Which was not working, as when they tried to rub off the black goop it smeared and stuck to their talons like glue. And then the black cook suddenly began to bubble and swell. Before suddenly it began to expand and bloat out like a growing mass of bubbling tar.

For that was what it was. Self boiling and expanding tar.

Screams of agony and fear began to fill the airship as the black bubbling mass grew quicker and quicker, those unable to evade it was stuck in its mass and quickly submerged into the tar. Those who had been struck by splatters of tar were screaming out in agony as their feathers, flesh, and blood was boiled as the bubbling tar began to expand out over their bodies.

The captain was the first to abandon the ship, but he did not get far. Even as he rushed to the railing and jumped off, spreading his wings to take flight, when he was interrupted. The sound of something whistling through the air heard was heard for the instance of a second before it ended with the abrupt screech of a bird in pain.

And then the captain of the ship slumped over and fell towards the ground far, far beneath the warring ships, an arrow sticking out of his left eye socket.

All griffins who fled were quickly shot down by the group of sixty long bow-wielding archers firing from the carrack. None were able to flee or aid the ship as the tar kept growing and growing.

As the ship's upper deck was completely covered in tar was the groaning sound of straining supporters heard from the metal-reinforced ropes and frames holding the blimp-like balloon in place as more and more weight came upon the ship. That scene was being replicated on four other airships floating a few dozen meters away from the broadsides of the carrack.

The captain of the ship raised a hoof and pressed it against his muzzle, before blowing through the specific shape air holes of his horseshoe, to signal the archers with a set of Morse coded whistles.

As one of the archers pulled out an arrow, and held it out, as a Horadrim mage, standing next to the captain, held out a staff of wood with a crimson gemstone on its end, and released a burst of red energy from the staff. The light spread out over the archers, and the arrowheads, burst into flame, flames that did not appear to be releasing smoke or turning the metal black or charcoaling the wood of the arrows' shafts.

Then, the archers pulled back their arrows, aimed carefully, before releasing them. and as they did, the carrack sky ship raised its speed and flew away from the cluster of damned airships.

Five groups of twelve fire arrows streaked out across the skies in high volleys. And then, they struck the five bloated airships, some struck the balloons, some struck the metal plates, but most hit the deck. Where the growing mass of bubbling tar was located.

There were five bursts of fire, each explosion of heat erupting in a golden flare of light. Only to be replaced by an even more intense flare of blue light, as the balloons of the airships erupted as the flames melted through the metal frame and fabric of the balloons, and ignited the gas inside.

Five burning wrecks fell towards the ground, and so did seven more ships, as other carracks handled their own foes.

(Scene Skip)

Over a hundred griffin warriors flew at some of the longer, but less intimidating boats. Sure they had dragon-formed figureheads but from what the griffins could see had they no proper defences outside of their lightning bursts, and the griffins were confident that they could evade such nuisances.

They flew down with loud war cries, wielding greatswords and axes. That's when a loud meaty thunk was heard, and the leader of the charge fell, a smaller than average axe sticking out of his split skull. But no one noticed, they were far too deep in their rage and lust for battle.

Griffins took no heed, as a rain of axes, spears, and arrows struck at their charging forms. Not even as their numbers went down by a third before they even reached the ship.

The first attacker screamed out as he raised his large weapon and made a downward swing at the horse standing closest to the railing. His cry was cut off into a gurgling as the horse raised his own large sword and not only blocked the griffin's attack, he put so much strength behind the strike that the griffin's own sword slammed back and sliced into his neck and was buried halfway through.

With a loud thud, the dying griffin struck the wooden deck of the longboat. And he blinked, as he tried to figure out what had just happened.

And he saw it. He saw the large horses, each decorated with pieces of animals as trophies or armour.

He saw two of his fellows charge with shields and axes at a horse wielding a sword and shield. The horse blocked their stricks and pushed his shield back at them ,making them recoil backwards. Where the horse made a step forward and with two rapid thrusts of his sword, pierced through the griffins' throats and out of their necks, the floor splattering with their blood as they fell over, dead.

At the same time was a large horse wielding a long-shafted axe rushing at a group of four griffins who were charging at him in turn. The first had their swing deflected before a powerful tackle struck their midsection. They were then hefted up like a sack of grain over the front of the horse, who then used them as an improvised battering ram.

It ran forward, pushing over the other three, before slamming the disoriented griffin into the mast of the ship, before kicking said griffin in the face, a loud crack was heard as the griffin's neck was broken. The warrior then swirled around, and with a brutal left side swing, cut off the head of the second griffin soldier. The third, who had recovered, tried to make an effort to strike back, only for the pommel of the axe to shatter his back before the axe struck him in the skull and split his head in half, all the way down to the neck.

The fourth griffin tried to attack the horse warrior while they were busy yanking out their axe from the third's body. But the axe-wielding berserker like brute reached out with their left foreleg, deflected the thrust of the griffin, and then kicked them in the gut, making them hunch over. Before punching them in the face, knocking them to the floor. Then with a savage downward swing, it struck the prone griffin in the stomach, the axe piercing through the plate with ease.

And then with a savage pull, it dragged the axe downwards, splitting open the griffin's stomach, while dragging out parts of its intestines. It took less than two seconds to do so before finally tearing the weapon out of the groin. Splitting apart the intestines in the process. The prone griffin had been screeching through the entire ordeal before going silent as the weapon finally left their body.

There was a horse dressed in robes decorated with various parts of animals, with the skull of a dragon or large lizard acting as a helmet or hood, hard to determine as the skull was partly covered by the hood of the robe. It was wielding a long ceremonial dagger, and as griffins charged it would the horse evade their attacks, before slicing the dagger at any exposed parts of their body.

Then it would drip the blood onto its free hoof, before chanting in some weird exotic tongue. A crimson glow emerging from its hoof, and then all of those the blood had come from, let out screams of agony, as their flesh began to wither and dry out. But they did not fall as the final liquid of their bodies left them, instead, they stood there as shambling dried up corpses, their hollow eye sockets glowing red.

But as the still living griffins charged at the horse mage, reacted the dried up corpses. They let out shrill soul quivering screeches, like a dying eagle screaming within a dull and dark cavern. And then they charged, their bodies moving at the same speed they had when alive, but no longer bound by the limits of the mortal flesh. And the mage just stabbed more griffins as the newly converted corpses fought for them now and began the process again.

Nearby was a horse wielding a spear and shield moving through groups of griffins, deflecting blows, before stabbing the pear through them. The horse was agile and merciless, it did not matter if their opponent was unarmed, wounded, or unconscious, they would kill them swiftly and efficiently.

Alongside the spear-wielding killer was a mad horse wielding a pair of axes, it ran forward, screaming out in an utter frenzy, slashing and hacking at anything within sight. sight. A few griffins were brave, or foolish, enough to face the mad horse. One tried to attack from behind, only for a spear to pierce through their back and out the front as the spear wielder protected the berserker.

Another griffin valiantly charged at the frenzied axe wielder. Utilizing a shield to block the flurry of blows the griffin tried to use their stamina to outlast the warrior's frenzy before attacking. But before even ten seconds had gone by was a loud crack heard as the griffin's shield was split by the warrior's left axe before the startled soldier had their face split in half by a blow into their cheeks from the right axe.

Even with his body dying the griffin watched in fascination and horror as the various barbarians broke down his fellows in a slaughter, unlike anything he had ever seen.

He could only stare, not even noticing the approaching blade of the horse that had cut him down in the initial assault. Even as his neck was decapitated, even as his head went tumbling across the floor, the griffin's face never lost the look of horrified awe upon its surface.

(Scene Skip)

Admiral Cahal could only stare in silence at what he was witnessing.

His fleet of a hundred strong airships and over five thousand air forces and ten dragon mercenaries were being torn apart.

The airships valiantly shoot bolts of wood and lightning at the airships. But beyond killing a few individual horses or damaging some oars or sails, was there no real visible damage to the horses' fleet.

Blue flares of ignited airships erupted as the sky fleet retaliated with much more efficient salvos. Even though the old griffin could see two or three of the horses' sky ships catch fire by being too close to the erupting airships, could he not feel a sense of accomplishment or satisfaction. He felt hollow inside.

Seven airships flew with intents to take out three of the box-shaped and fin decorated ships with sheer physical might. Only for their bows to slam into a force field that was erected around the ships. The front of the ships was crushed against the energy field, crumbling and grinding the bird heads and the lightning cannons at their fronts into flattened scraps of wood and metal.

Then there was a bright shining flare of light from the finned ships, and the shields suddenly doubled in size. With loud horrible crackles and booms were the seven airships wooden and metal frame shattered. The balloons, no longer bound by the ship frame, floated upwards towards the heavens.

Griffin airships and horse skyships were flying wildly all over the clouds above the fol mountain. Blue flares of light emerging every now and then whenever airships exploded. Bolts of lightning, metal, and wood were streaking across the distances between the ships. Mixed in with ballistae bolts and lightning bolts were force field balls, canisters, arrows, and throwing weapons.

It was utter chaos, but the difference between the airships and the skyships was obvious. The airships were extremely volatile and their main weapon ineffective against the skyships, which variations of not just ships but armaments and troops, making them more capable of handling the airships.

Admiral Cahal pressed his talons against the railing and closed his eyes, taking a deep shuttering breathe as he felt the numbness leave him, being replaced by heart-wrenching despair and self-loathing. *This is wrong! This is all wrong!*

The once mighty and powerful Third Fleet of the griffindom's Royal Navy was losing. Badly. All because of him and the rest of the nobility's lack of foresight and lack of options. He, and they, had never considered anyone able to withstand the force of their fleets and the lightning spitting cannons. Now, he was proven wrong. Oh so wrong.

*Someone wake me up from this nightmare!*

But his mental contemplation and self-suffering were disrupted by the cries of his first mate screaming out from the bow of the airship. "My lord Cahal! Enemy forces are approaching from the front!"

Two longboats flew out towards the flagship, upon them stood large horse warriors preparing to board. The sound of drums being beaten could be heard over the sound of the large sky battle.

Spitting to the side the old griffin pointed his saber at the approaching vessels. "Prepare for battle! We shall board their ships and use them to destroy the rest!"

A plan began to fill his head, if he could rally his forces and get hold of one or two of the horses' skyships, then he could at the very least disrupt the horses' forces enough to retreat and rally the remains of his fleet.

His words gave his crew and officers the boost they needed to prepare for combat. Crossbows were gathered, swords were drawn, shields hefted and axes wielded. The griffins moved into formation, they could not risk taking flight with the number of ranged weapons in the air. Thus they decided to make their stand on the ship before trying to board the boarders' ship in return.

The two longboats weaved through a rain of lightning and mundane projectiles, the carved serpentine dragon heads at the bow of the ships each had an oil lantern burning within the open jaws. Upon the ship stood barbarian like horses with grappling hooks, ropes, and ladders. Some were even ready to leap off the railing of the skyship to launch themselves over at the airship. The clouds beneath the two skyships rumbling as the oars rotated through them as they started to align with the airship, essentially flanking it from both sides.

Two rows of crossbow-wielding griffins were aimed at the horses upon each ship. Even with the low deck of the ship making it difficult to target them directly, could the crossbows still make an effort. But even as they aimed at the line of warrior horses, they could make out the smirks upon the warriors' faces with their griffin eyes.

Talons gripped triggers, the bent wood flexed out, pulling the string as it did. And with soft twiphing sounds, the bolts were released. At a range of less than five meters, the crossbows' bolts could penetrate armour plate with ease. and with these lightly armoured foes, it should have pierced through their bodies.

Instead, as the bolts struck at the pelts of the horses, there were resounding sounds of metal striking rock, and the bolts deflected off the horses' hides. And that's when they noticed it, behind the rows of warriors stood a group of knife-wielding mages, glowing in toxic green lights that were being emitted towards the warriors, rendering their bodies impervious to the bolts.

One of the griffins just stared blankly at the sight, before muttering out a curse. "Plucking hell."

The horses raised their weapons towards the heaves, they tossed their heads backs, their manes flurrying into the wind. And they cried out as one into the heavens, their battle cry. "Valhalla!"

And then they jumped off their ship, screaming out wordless battle cries as they savagely leaped upon the defenders. A row of weapons slamming down with the force of a stampede of iron.

The Griffin warriors at the front raised their shields to hold back the invaders. But the griffins had overlooked a lot when it came to the horses. They had kept considering them to be just very big earth ponies.

Horses are not only larger than ponies, they are also much heavier and much, stronger. The weight of a full-grown horse, dressed up in light leather to heavier chain mail armour, each carrying at least one-tenth of their body weight in gear, came straight down towards the round griffin shields, wielded by griffins, who were a bit larger than an earth pony, but was about as light as a pegasus because o their bodies' bone structure.

The result was the front row of griffin warriors had their forelimbs' bones shattered by the impact. They ended up collapsing beneath their own shields, not just because of the pain, but also because of the force of the impacts. And as they landed on their backs, wings pressed down to the deck, came the full weight of the horses' bodies, coming down from a two-meter high jump, down upon the shields over their bodies. The front line warriors had most of their bodies crushed beneath said shields as the horses trampled on and over their bodies.

Screeching war cries erupted from the great sword-wielding griffins swung at their larger foes. Two horses failed to block or duck away from the swings. One raider horse had his left foreleg sliced halfway through by the heavy blade before the bones made it get stuck.

A berserker warrior had his head cut off as he had fortunately entered a frenzied rage a bit before reaching his enemy. Which became his undoing as the griffin managed to land a lethal blow to his neck.

Then the crossbow griffins, having reloaded their weapons swiftly, shoot a volley past their fellows. Now only a meter away from the wave of horses. Hoping that the tribal dressed mages' magic was no longer in effect.

And it no longer was.

Twenty bolts were fired at each group. Five horses were struck in vital points like the head, throat, or heart and fell to the floor dead. The rest of the horses pushed through the wave of bolts, except for a few who faltered as their bodies became pin cushions and could no longer move without having the bolts removed.

The horses came upon the griffins like a stampede of muscle and iron, blood sprayed over the wooden deck as griffins and horses began to brutally slice each other up. Griffins fell to the floor, clutching bleeding stumps, or broken limbs. Horses neighed out in pain and fury as they pushed through the bolts and blades of the griffins.

Soon total chaos was filling the entire ship as the horses pushed the formation of griffins apart, and began to tear the feline aligned birds apart even as their own blood painted the surroundings. Their tough bodies and minds were able to push through wounds and pain that would have been too much even for veteran warriors.

They were Vikings, they lived and died for battle, they were the merchants of gold, blood, and war, trading blows with their foes while in battle. While trading goods and gold in preparation for the next bout.

Admiral Cahal watched with a grim look on his face as his forces tried to repel the boarders. The odds were just not in their favour, the horses outnumbered them at least three to one. His griffins had managed to kill around ten or twelve of them thus far, but that left about ninety more.

He knew what he had to do. It was time to signal the retreat and have all available airships escape while having those lost self destruct. Including his own.

The old griffin moved with surprising agility for his size and age and began to rush towards the steering wheel of the ship. There he could send out a last-ditch signal to his forces by flaring up the lightning being emitted from the dome of the blimp of the airship. It would cause the storm stone within to become unstable and possibly explode, but he was not concerned. He was an old warrior and he would serve his King even if it meant his life.

But as he ran up the steps towards the steering wheel, he heard a loud tramping from behind and barely had time to turn to the left, as a long-shafted and beard edged great axe was swung towards him. The blade of the weapon split through the steps of the staircase, rending half of the boards into splinters.

His sable sang as he sought to decapitate the raider who had just tried to kill him. Said the raider raised a hind leg and kicked the large griffin in the chest ,sending him into the railing of the ship with a loud clang. Before jerking out his weapon from the ruined staircase.

The tall horse stood on his hind legs and held his axe with his forelegs, glaring at the old griffin who was rubbing the dent in his chest plate. Getting up from the hit the griffin admiral let out a screech before charging the horse, who ducked aside the strong swing.

Cahal was not finished however, he utilized his own momentum and the claws of his rear legs' paws, to suddenly turn a lunge after the horse with a thrust towards the young raider's stomach. The young warrior used the shaft of his axe to deflect the blow and swung the pommel at the griffin's head.

But the old warbird evaded the strike by ducking and then tried to use his free talon to rip open the horse's stomach. Only for the horse to raise a hind leg and kick at his chest again. The old griffin evade the strike and was now at the defense as the silent warrior made several rapid slashes, thrusts, and swings at him in quick succession.

The Earl knew he could not block the strikes of the raider, it would either break his guard, or his bones or leave him open for an attack from the horse's hooves. He could deflect and guide away from the strikes, however, showing an agile and skilled usage of his thick saber to attack the axe as it was swung at him, forcing it aside as he did so.

As the two fought had the rest of the horses killed or subdued the rest of the griffins on the deck. and had gathered in a circle around them, chanting out together as the admiral fought the young raider.

Finally, the admiral had, had enough of the cat and mouse play and decided to take a gamble. He reached into a pouch on his belt and pulled out a vial. Which he threw at the raider.

The vial shattered against the raider's torso and instantly a thick cloud of smoke filled the area. Cahal covered the nostrils of his beak with his free claw before making a lunge at the place he could see the horse's shape. And made to stab him in the head.

Then the edge of the axe came bellowing from the right, right out of the smoke and struck him in the side. A loud echoing clang erupted as the edge of the axe head slammed into the griffin's plate mail, but it was slightly dampened by a loud crack, as the admiral's left-wing had its central join shattered from the impact. The strength behind the blow sent the old warbird tumbling across the wooden floor.

But he was not willing to give in, he struggled up from the floor, coughing up a bit of saliva as he did. The breastplate had protected his internal body parts, his wing was broken, but he had not broken any ribs or had any of his organs damaged.

The young warrior calmly walked forward, and for the first time of the fight, he spoke. His voice calm and low, almost like a whisper. "You have fought well, but you are not going to win. Give up now and our Lords may be merciful."

Cahal did not know just what aggravated him more. The fact that this young yelp of a ground-bound beast had managed to hurt him so much in a single blow, or that he was being offered the chance to surrender. Him!? Cahal Ironbeak!? Admiral of the Third Royal Fleet!? Clan Elder of the Ironbeak Clan!? Earl of the Eagle Coast!? Him!? Surrender!?

It was kind of obvious what made him the most pissed. And he used this anger to make a jump from the ground, utilizing his feline hind legs to make a swift lunge at the horse's exposed and unguarded torso. "Shut up and die, you useless ground dweller! The heavens belong to us Griffins! You do not belong here!"

The horse calmly stepped aside from the lunge, even with the old griffin's speed had he been able to predict the attack. As the old warbird had used several similar moves during their brief fight. As the griffin passed him by, the young raider raised his axe and swung at his foe from behind. "That is your opinion catbird. Here's mine."

Another loud clang erupted as the heavy axe struck the old griffin's plate mail in the back. Sending the old griffin tumbling and rolling until he struck a group of stabled barrels, knocking them over. The old griffin staggered up and glared at his enemy, still not dead even after taking such a powerful strike. But as he struggled to stand, he felt his legs give away beneath him, his energy and strength gone. "Ach! Y-you fucking stupid b-beast. I am Cahal Ironbeak! Earl of the Eaglecoast and Admiral of the Third Royal Fleet! And I shall make you suffer!"

"The interrogators will handle you and your fellow officers, whatever rank you may be. This is your loss." The young warrior said calmly, almost whispering, as he walked towards the griffin as he was trying to stand up from the pile of barrels. Only to slump back onto them. His old body was unable to do any more physical efforts.

Sneering at the young horse the old griffin pointed a claw at his face. Contempt, arrogance, and smugness almost glowing from his eyes as he mocked the one who had defeated him. For in his mind, even if he lost the battle here, would the horses and the ponies, never win the war. Not losing this confidence one bit, not even as his words fell sluggish and stuttered as his aged body began to shake and shiver with exhaustion. "Fool. We a-are just o-one o-of many f-fleets. T-this was j-just the f-first target. Y-you a-and the p-ponies s-shall fall to-to us. A-all s-sh-sh-shall belong t-to King Craver."

"Again. That's your opinion. And here's mine." A horseshoe equipped hoof struck the downed admiral in the cheek and knocked his head into the side of the barrel he was leaning against, knocking the old griffin out cold. The young raider looked at the nervous and skittish looking Bevyn, who had not fought against the invaders, rather giving up instantly.

"We assume that you will cooperate?" The young raider asked as he stood there, leaning against the handle of his axe while he held the axe head against the deck.

The young griffin nodded and knelt down, slowly, with shaking talons, unsheathing his sword and holding it out in surrender. "Y-yes. Ahem. I am Bevyn, son of Greta, Second Youngest Heir of the Ironbeak Clan. I surrender to your superior might."

As one the horses raised their weapons and roared out to victory, except for the raider who had just beaten the Griffin Admiral. He was contemplating what the old warbird had said and he knew that things were about to get tense for not just them but the ponies as well.

But for now, he had to find the admiral's cabin to discover any possible items, maps, charts, and what not to bring back to his superiors. If this was to be a large conflict, they needed information.

The battle around the defeated flagship ended shortly afterward. With barely ten airships fleeing eastwards with about three hundred griffin troops on them, unwilling to get left behind. And the fleet signaled out with its horns and flares whilst the crews cheered.

Victory.

Thus marked the end of the first battle of what would in the future be referred to as the War of the Red Rains.

[End Battle Music]

(Scene Skip)

Lord Asclepius, or Cursed Blessing as he preferred, was about to get ready for bed in his private quarters within the stronghold of Girthenburg. Dressed in a fine nightgown with a glass and a tankard of water standing on his nightstand if he found himself thirsty.

When there was a loud and rapid knocking on his door.

Letting out a tired sigh the elderly-looking horse looked longingly at his bed before turning towards the door. "You may enter, I have not gone to sleep yet."

A clearly distressed horse mare dressed in Horadrim robes came rushing into the room, after having kicked the door open. And was screaming to the horse lord, in a very, very rapid manner. "WejustreceivedwordsfromWarLordThunderHammer! AfleetofairshipscrwedbygriffinsjustattemptedtoattackJarngard! Hereportsthatthereisatleastninemorefleets! TheyaregoingtoattackcitiesandcastlessalloverEquestriaandtheHoradrimKingdom!"

Cursed Blessing, blinked, slowly. And then he started to recap what he had just been told, in slow motion. And then, after a minute of recap. While the clearly panicking mare was pressing a sack of cloth against her muzzle as she tried to calm down, staring at him. And then slowly the temporary Ruler of the Horadrim Kingdom said. "What?"

(Scene Skip)

[Time Remaining. 28 Days]

Within the war camp of the Equestrian Armies were ponies moving beneath the cover of the few remaining hours of darkness. Though even then was the sky slightly lit s is common during the summer season.

They were moving in accordance with Princess Celestia's orders.

Words had been whispered across the camp, orders sent by silent messengers to the officers of the three armies. To be verbally given at the cover of darkness. And the orders had been received and the ponies were acting to fulfill their Princess' orders.

Lines were slowly put together, hushed whispers were quelled with short sharp hushing. The ordinary foot soldiers were clueless of what was going on, well most of them, a few were were starting to, or already had, realized what the purpose for their nightly assembly was.

And their theory was confirmed. When a golden light shone from the war camp where Princess Celestia resided, and the sun began to rise on the horizon, and as it did, was a war horn sounded. And as the sunlight struck the valley, it struck directly at the white castle, while leaving the soldiers on the grassy plains to be in the shadow of the mountains behind them.

Then, as one, every single officer of the Three Armies, raised their hooves, pointed their weapons at the castle, and shouted out a single command.

"Charge!"

As a single massive stampede, the ponies charged forward, moving in a great single unity for a single goal they rushed ahead. Pegasi flying over in a massive flock of spread out wedge formations.

And Princess Celestia, dressed in her golden armour, wielding a rune inscribed sacred bronze spear, smirked towards the castle holding her hated foe. "We halt take thee and thy foul forces down, with the Sun as Our ally. Thy shalt perish."

Unnoticed by all, were the flashing light of the Comm orb within the Princess' private chambers. All officers were on duty and there was too much work to tend to the wounded and to handle the grand assault to properly keep track of everything. Even the Princess herself failed to notice it, her mind clouded with a desire for vengeance and justice.

(Scene Skip)

"Clever girl, Celestia. Real clever. I am actually very impressed by this. A way to utilize not only your natural talent to blind my forces but to also get your own force time to adjust to the sharp light because of the reflective properties of white colours. Very clever." Maleficus said with a smile as he sat on a sun chair, a pair of sunglasses on his face, while he was looking upon the charging stampede of ponies.

No doubt would his castle fall, all of his forces had still not recovered from having their eyes blinded by the sudden sunrise. They would have to spend a precious amount of time to no longer have their vision impaired.

He watched in amusements as three large siege ladders were carried into the river fort and how pegasi used ropes to lift the massive metal ladders upright, before pushing them over, slamming into the upper battlements of the gatehouse of the first wall of the castle.

Munching on a bowl of peeled peach slices he nodded in approval as he watched the ponies rush up the ladder and charge his still disoriented troops. Blood began to colour the white stone of the castle's ramparts and towers as the ponies pushed against the defenders. The main gatehouse was overtaken and the controls for the drawbridge were put to use lowering the large wooden bridge down for the main forces to charge at the gates. Only to discover the gate to be blocked by a massive set of wooden gates reinforced with bands of rune engraved metal.

"How are your ponies going to get the gates open? The controls are not in the upper portion of the gatehouse but beneath it in a hidden cellar." He muttered to himself as he watched intently as the ponies in the gatehouse and the walls began to move outwards, fighting his black armoured horses whilst trying to find the hidden controls for the gatehouse.

That's when he saw it, a large group of gold armoured support unicorns was gathered in front of the gates and examining every crook and edge. And he began to smile, feeling a deep sense of pride, as the unicorns found the holes beneath the gate, where the chains and gears of the mechanism to operating them could be seen. After that discovery, the unicorns spread the word to the other forces.

"Smart. Very good use of your common sense there." They swarmed the lower parts of the tower-like ants, even going as far as to fly or climb, down to the courtyard behind the large gatehouse to get to the cobblestone road on the inside of the gates to get looking.

The gatehouses of this castle were special. None of them had any direct doorways or stairs leading to what lay behind them. They were only connected to the walls on either side of them. To get down to the courtyard, without flying, climbing, or jumping down a nearly twenty-meter fall, they had to reach one of the towers, which were far more bottlenecked and only connected to the 'zone' of the castle they were part of. Thus they were not connected to other parts of the city wall, and thus only had one entrance, unless connected to a smaller gatehouse to cut off invaders.

And it was like this, for every single tower, gatehouse, and wall, which cut off the castle into several different zones. None of the walls, towers, or gatehouses are connected to the other walls in the other zones. And there was also the fact that the inner zones of the castle were much higher up and thus made it even more difficult as the defenders could rain down arrows, stones, and other things upon their foes as they tried to invade the castle's deeper areas.

This was Project Whitestone.

It was a castle the focused entirely on making it as difficult to take over as possible. But Maleficus knew that those were the odds if your opponent was human, and not an intelligent being who had either great physical attributes, magic or flight.

Thus he had enchanted the stone to be able to absorb magic, whilst engraving various runic arrays to make the energy disperse into various magical functions to keep the magic from overloading the absorption ability of the castle.

But the ponies were persistent and the alicorn stallion felt his grin grow wider and wider as he watched the ponies open the gates to let in the rest of their forces. He watched them take over the castle bit by bit. Killing his forces as they fought back with non-lethal weapons. Blood and gore were painting the white stones of the castles like raspberry jam over a bowl of vanilla ice cream. "For some reason am I craving for cake... gods... I can't figure it out. But a cake would be nice."

A thick smell of blood and death was filling the air even as Maleficus calmly sat there, watching as the ponies breached past the second inner zones and began to overtake his siege engines.

His troops had recovered from the assault and were desperately trying to defend their positions to the best of their abilities. But with the pegasi assaulting the siege engines were his forces unable to properly defend against the invaders as they bit by bit took over the castle's walls. Until they reached their final obstacles, the gateway into the central keep. The very same building that was the only way to reach the massive cliff Maleficus was seated upon.

Why had the pegasi not assault the large cliff? Because of the invisible barrier of wind that would blow them away whenever they came into range. It was as if some invisible giant was blowing wind at them whenever they came within a certain distance of the clifftop.

"One must cover all the bases when it comes to defence. Above, below, behind, in front, sides, and within." Maleficus said calmly as he got up from his sun chair and stood up on his hind legs, and stretched a little before holding his forelegs behind his back, walking towards the pointed end of the cliff.

"True there are no perfect defences. But there is no such thing as perfection anyway, so why bother seeking perfection? Just improve from what you have learned, adapt, change, and rise above your past failure." He kept talking, even as he took one last glance at the floating screen, watching as his horses fought in all manners of defensive retreats against the ponies

"This is the pure basics of all life's hardships, not just warfare or combat. To overcome, to improve, and to adapt. Those were the three things that let my race become the alpha species of my world." Maleficus dismissed the screen, putting it aside with a telekinetic grip into a pouch on his belt. And he stood before the edge of the cliff's pointed edge. Down below he could see the horses and ponies fighting as the morning sun shone upon the red-painted white rock of his castle.

"But I know it can be told to other species as well. And I must say, that you have truly learned from your past failures. I am actually rather proud." He turned around and calmly walked towards the tree by the main entrance to the keep, the wind swaying his mane. As he reached the tree he felt his wind barrier give away to something, and he calmly looked down at the slowly growing sprout of the peach see he had laid down by the tree's roots yesterday.

"In the past, you would no doubt have rushed foolishly straight into a conflict. No foresight. No taking advantage of the terrain, not utilizing your special talent to blind my forces." Not pausing he just raised his head slowly and looked up at the green leaves of the branches with their, almost golden pink, peaches glistering in the morning light with droplets of dew trickling down their round shapes. Not even looking back as the sound of four horseshoe-protected hooves slammed into the ground behind him.

"You have improved quite a lot, Celestia."

(Scene Skip)

Princess Celestia glared at the back of Maleficus as he stood there before her. Even with his forces faltering as her own was taking this ancient castle from his twisted hold, he was still mocking her. She had received words that her forces had been unable to find a way into the keep of the castle.

She had decided to take care of it herself as none of her unicorns could figure out how to dispel the wind barrier or the enchantments of the castle's gates, which were keeping them out. So she had flown straight into the wind barrier and had to try at least two more times before she managed to get past it.

And what did she find? Her hated foe, standing calmly by a fruit tree, a strange folding chair resting by a line of flowers. A bowl half full of sliced fruit lying on a small stone table by the chair. *Hath he been loitering up here for these past two days!?*

Pointing her spear at her hated foe she snarled out. "Curb thy mocking tongue villain! We shalt not fall to thy mocking!"

Maleficus slowly turned around and gave her a raised eyebrow, almost as if he was honestly confused. Then he spoke. "I am seriously concerned about you Celestia, can't you take a compliment?"

She felt her cheeks grow red as embarrassment at the sheer thought of being complimented by this brutish fiend. "Silence! We hath told thee already! We shalt not be swayed by thy lies!"

Sighing Malefius rubbed his forehead while speaking up with closed eyes. "Okay, dropping the subject."

Celestia was not sure why but she felt even more mocked by that action. "Shut it thou foul thing! Surrender to Us so We may deliver justice for Our sister and citizens upon thy twisted self!"

"...You already know my answer to that stupid request." She faltered a bit. It felt strange, Maleficus was not acting entirely like himself. He was not as... vigorous. Not as energetic. In fact, he seemed almost... apathetic? No, not that far... Lazy? Maybe? Whatever it was, it made him seem almost... weary, tired even...

She shook her head, clearing her thoughts. What did it matter if he was acting weird!? She was here to punish his twisted self for his crimes not to examine his mental state of mind!

Assuming a stance with her spear she glared at him and screamed out at him once more. "Just stop it with the talking and fight Us thy fiendish monster!"

"Very well. But I am just going to make things easy or you Celestia and explain the rules of the siege. This battle has never been about me, or you. It's been about this castle." Maleficus pointed his left hoof towards the tree and suddenly swept it around in a circle, and two lines were cut into the pavement in front of the tree as if cut by an invisible blade.

"You and I are going to fight here. All you need to do to win is to get past me and touch the tree. All I have to do to win is to last the hour that it will take for the sand in this hourglass to run down. That's it." Celestia stared at him, trying to figure out just what the buck she had just heard.

"Art thee mocking me again?" She was so flabbergasted by the absurdity of the situation that she just had to ask. Not even noticing how her grammar shifted slightly at the end of her sentence.

[Start Battle Theme Music: [RWBY - This Will Be the Day (Male Cover by Caleb Hyles) feat. RichaadEb)**]**]

[Disclaimer: I do not own anything copyrighted. This includes all of the copyrighted lyrics and youtube videos I use to give a touch of flair to my stories, please support the official releases along with those who work hard on these great youtube videos and their fanmade dub songs and original songs. Please support the official release.]

Maleficus shook his head and reached to behind his back, and pulled out a spiked handle, connected to a chain. He gave the handle a hard tug and revealed the chain to be about seven meters long, with its end connected to what could only be described as four axe heads melted together into a thick flail.

Iron plates floated up from behind the stallion, and placed themselves on his head, slowly covering his skull with a thick shell of iron, which then seemed to melt together into a, not solid, but interlinked, helmet. The stallion then spun the handle of his weapon, and the chain began to almost shift and slither like a metallic snake, the flail whip's head streaking through the air as the chain began to swirl and rotate around him. "No. I am not. Get past that line, touch that tree. And I will surrender. You will win. That is all you need to do."

Celestia's right eye twitched a bit, and her eyes began to spark, her horn began to glow, and then her face narrowed, her mane and tail burst into fire and her eyes began to glow like stars. And she roared out in utter fury before charging, one more, not noticing the slight slip in her grammar. "STOP SPEAKING YOUR FOUL LIES!"

The runic pear was thrust toward Maleficus' head, but before it could even reach five meters of him was it repelled by the thick chain of the flail whip. He kept silent, and just kept controlling his weapon, making the Princess roar out in frustration as she repeatedly tried to slash and stab at him. Every time the broad spearhead was swung or thrust at him the iron chain seemed to detect it and intercepted her attacks, deflecting them away from Maleficus.

Sparks flew through the air as the golden spear clashed against the chain. Celestia's eyes were narrowed beneath her golden helmet as she glared at her foe, ready for his snarky insults. But they did not come. Maleficus was awkwardly silent, she had never actually thought about it, but now she realized that he had always been trying to talk whenever they fought before. Now, he was just silent.

Celestia's eyes twinged green for a few seconds and the air in front of her ignited with a golden glow as she fired a blast of intense magical energy at Maleficus at point-blank range. But then lines of glowing blue light appeared all over the swirling chain, forming together into runes, and the blast was dispersed as the chain spun around like a tornado.

Her eyes widened at the sight of the chains dispersing her magical attack and then they narrowed as she spotted the runes. She recognized those runic arrays. And she was furious at the sight, those were the same runic arrays as the chains used for her Restricta siege engines. Her ponies had spent a lot of time and effort making them ,and here he was, utilizing them against her. "Foul thief! Thou hath stolen mine ponies' works to use against me! Those chains' runic enchantments art the same as mine Restrictas!"

The Princess of the Sun burst forward with a wordless war cry, intent on crashing through his deflecting chain. Maleficus just sighed, leaning back to avoid the spear aimed at his throat. Even as he leaned back ,he reached down with his free foreleg to keep his front body from falling over. He then raised his left hind leg and kicked Celestia in the front.

There was a loud resounding clang followed by a pained scream as Celestia found herself sent backwards, the chest plate of her armour dented with a deep hoof print. The enchanted plate had been buckled in so much that it was digging into her fur.

She landed with a tumble but quickly leaped up on her legs once more and glared at Maleficus, who was once more standing up, swirling his whip-like flail. Celestia focused her magic into her limbs and with another wordless cry, she made a forward leap, while releasing powerful bursts of air from her hind legs' hooves. She pushed past the swirling chain with the shaft of her spear and tackled Maleficus in the front.

Maleficus fell on his back with a loud clang, grunting a little as he smacked into the cobblestone pavement. Celestia stood over him, raising her spear with both of her forelegs above her head, and made a downward stabbing motion towards his neck.

The stallion stretched out his wings and pushed himself to the side, Celestia's spear struck the cobblestone pavement next to his head and pierced the spearhead halfway through the enchanted stone. Cracks spread out like cobwebs around the impact of the spearhead.

Snarling Celestia pressed down a hoof on his barrel her eyes started glowing like neon lights, her tail and mane ignited into golden flames. And her horn ignited with a golden aura, golden blades of light appearing above Maleficus. Said alicorn's own eyes started burning with a crimson aura while his mane, tail, and hoof pelts ignited into toxic green flames. As Celestia's magical swords flew down towards him, he flapped his wing and with a powerful gust of wind flipped himself two meters away from Celestia, who lost her balance when he managed to push himself free from her hoof.

Suddenly shifting he lashed out with a kick with his left hind leg and struck Celestia's leg that had been pressing into his body, the impact shattered the bones just above her hooves. She fell to the ground screaming, losing the grip on her spear s she clutched her leg.

Maleficus rolled over the pavement, and after two rolls he suddenly pushed all four of his legs down into the ground as he rolled onto his front. The force behind the pushing limbs flipped him five meters up into the air, where he spun around two times before landing with a loud clang on all four on the pavement.

Celestia glared at him and stood up, her leg healed from the damage, but before she could reach out and grab her spear was her breath pushed out of her lungs as the heavy flail head of Maleficus weapon suddenly lashed out at her from the ground and slammed into her breastplate with a loud crack. She went flying into the air,only to notice the chain of the flail was now warped around her midsection, and at the end of the chain, once more gripping the handle, stood Maleficus.

"Oh glue." Was all she could mutter as she realized what was about to happen. Then Maleficus twisted the whip flail and the chain turned, sending her slamming into a stone pillar, making her lose her breath once more. The impact was enough to fracture her armour and she spat out blood as bones broke from the impact.

She had no time to recover her breath as she found herself torn away from the pillar, spun around in the air by the chin before slammed into the ground with a loud metallic crack, shards of golden plate flying around. The Princess of the Sun tried to focus her magic but her focus was broken when once more she was dragged into the air by the chain and slammed into the raiding of the cliff.

Maleficus flailed her around like a ragdoll, slamming her into various parts of the garden of the cliff. It was like being dragged around by a fishing line by a sadistic fisher.

Finally, Celestia managed to focus her magical energies enough to enhance her own strength beyond the normal of her alicorn body. She grabbed hold of the stone pillar she had just been smashed into and reached out to grip the chain herself, her face covered in healing bruises while blood was leaking out from her mouth and several parts of her body. And then she screamed out a slightly strained wordless cry of rage, before tugging the chain towards her.

Maleficus was heavy however and only lost his grip on the flail whip rather than being pushed towards her, resulting in Celestia getting out of the chain holding her. Said Princess, her wounds still healing ,flew at him with a golden aura surging from her body with a scream of utter fury.

The stallion crossed both of his forelegs and crossed them in front of himself, Celestia's hoof slammed into his forelegs with a loud resounding clang. Whilst the armour and flesh of his forelegs were torn and rendered by the force were the bones undamaged. The force of the strike sent him scrapping back five meters, almost pushing him into the peach tree.

Maleficus lowered his forelegs and watched as Celestia, still burning with anger, flew towards him, gripped her spear, and screamed out at him whilst making a powerful thrust towards his face. "DIE FIEND!!!"

Then, there was the sound of gentle ringing, as the sand of the hourglass, ran out, and a small gentle bell rang from somewhere upon the cliff. And Maleficus reached out with his left foreleg, and caught the spear in mid-thrust, the force of the thrust making his burning mane shift and spark.

He reared back his other foreleg and brutally punched Celestia in the face. The strike buckling her helmet, deforming it from a shape of protection and into a torture garment. She flew backward, tumbling and rolling for a good dozen meters before rolling to a stop.

Dropping her spear to the ground he recalled his weapon and rolled up the chain, strapping it to his belt. And then he walked forward.

Celestia snarled and stood up from where she had landed and got into a fighting stance, ready to retaliate any move he would make towards her. He approached and calmly walked towards her, and as she made ready to counter his next assault.

He walked past her.

[End Battle Music]

Blinking slowly she tried to figure out what had just happened, then she turned around and snarled at him. "Where art you going coward!?"

"I have won. So there's no reason to remain here." The Stallion calmly stated as he walked over to the edge of the cliff and looked down at his fighting forces. They were struggling, but he could see that the ponies had taken over more than 90 percent of the castle's defences, the only true point left was the keep and the cliff where he stood.

"WHAT!? This fight is not over!" Celestia screamed out as she telekinetically retrieved her spear and got ready to charge, intend on keeping fighting.

But Maleficus just shook his head. "I stated the terms of this fight Celestia. You would have won had you touched the tree before the hourglass ran out of sand. But you did not succeed. And thus. You have lost. Sure you may have obtained a strategic victory over my forces. But you haven't claimed the central keep and thus cannot claim to have won this siege."

"Fool! Those art terms thy wouldst hath no uphold anyhoof!" She cried out, frustration and anger fueling her voice as she stomped on the ground. Unwilling to accept defeat by his terms.

"I would have. But I do not have to, now that you have lost." He calmly spoke while slowly he began to trace the air, a line of crimson light taking shape upon the empty air as if he was painting something with a solid red light. Or rather, solid mana.

"No! We shalt not accept this!" She cried out and made to charge at him, only for suddenly a swarm of wooden roots and branches to erupt from the ground beneath her and engulf her body. Celestia let out a screech of shock as her body was suddenly bound by wooden tendrils.

The roots ran deep and had great strength, and thus pulled the alicorn mare's body to the ground, forcing her limbs apart, growing over her like a sentient rope instructed by a master binder. Even growing over her horn, making her cringe as she felt her magic unable to breach the branches' hold even with magic. It was like they were absorbing it. Her burning mane and glowing eyes returning to normal as her power was drained.

"The Sacred Peace Tree of Whitestone only protects this place, this keep and its garden, from invaders or saboteurs, she does not care who rules the keep. As long as it is ruled and she and her kin are taken care of, she will protect it, and I am considered to be her ruler. As you did not manage to stake claim over her as the new ruler by beating me or my terms." Maleficus explained to her as he slowly pained the runic array into existence before him.

"Foul beast! Thou corrupt touch shalt not blighten these ancient ruins!" Celestia cried out from her bound state.

But Maleficus just shook his head. "I am leaving Celestia, this is your loss. Once I leave, you may lay claim to this place and its holy tree. But know that you have lost this Crusade, just like the last two. Nothing will-"

That's when he's interrupted, not by Celestia, not by the warring forces in the castle. Nor by the fickle ways of nature or chance. No, he was interrupted, by the sound, the sound of loud and echoing rumbling, of a horn being blown.

The Signal Horn of Canterlot was being blown. In a long and drawn out signal, not a short and repeated sound, but in a single, long, and drawn out signal. And by the paling look on Celestia's blood-stained face, she knew what that meant, just like he did.

Canterlot was being attacked, within its walls. Something had breached the city's defences and was assaulting its interior.

[Start Dramatic Music: Batman Begins Theme Song]

[A/N & Disclaimer: I actually intended to have a Soundtrack for the clip rather than the entire conversation, I just found it fitting, the dramatic build up is just amazing. So if anyone can find me the soundtrack for this scene would be wonderful. So for now, just ignore those conversations and dialogues.

A/N: This Video was supplied to me by one of my great readers Lord Rage. Thank you Lord Rage for providing me with the correct Theme Song. The old video link is removed. You may check out youtube for the other video. Batman Begins Clip 9 Back up. It is a good video.

And as always, please know that I own nothing of what I am using here, this is just me giving flavour to my story. I claim no ownership of this video or its content, please support the official release and the ones who contribute to the youtube viewers.]

Stopping his tracing Maleficus looked eastwards and slowly he pulled out the Interface Screen and began to zoom in at the Capital, he could not use one of his black beacons, it would be too soon to reveal his connection to them. And that's when he saw it. A swarm of what looked like balloons floating over Canterlot, explosions, fire, and flying troops covering the city like a swarm of battle.

And then his chest began to feel cold and strained, as he felt fear and anxiety fill his soul. For within that city lived those most precious to him, and by the looks of things, they were in very big danger. And Celestia and her forces, were too far away to reach them in time.

He dismissed the screen with a rapid swipe and turned towards his runic array. And with both, his forelegs began to rapidly complete it, and as he did so he spoke to Celestia.'

"I am going to release you from your bonds soon Celestia, and then I and my forces are going to leave. To save your City." Celestia's eyes widened and she began to struggle even harder with her bonds. Not even caring if the roots and branches are digging into her wounds or tender spots, causing her some pleasant, if humiliating discomfort. But the plants would not give to her efforts.

Maleficus traced the final rune of his array and the floating structure of runes, lines, and curves began to glow and rotate. And then it began to spin, faster and faster. Then as the thing seemed to turn into a spinning circle of red light, Maleficus reared back his right foreleg, before punching into the center of the spinning disk.

There was a resounding clang, and the runic array, shattered, not into shards or fragments or fading sparkles. But into particles, dust. A cloud of red dust began to expand out over the castle, floating out over the fortress. And as it did, Maleficus raised his left hoof, and a soft crackle was heard, and the defensive barrier in front of the gates of the keep, disappeared.

"'What foul things doest thee intend to do to mine city!?" Celestia cried out as she raised her head to glare at Maleficus. Even as a soft, skittering sound was slowly echoing out from around the city.

Maleficus just turned to look at her with a raised eyebrow before shaking his head. "I intend to save it. For reasons I am sure you would understand if you would only stop this madness."

Celestia just remained silent glaring at him, trying to figure out what wicked plans he had in store for her subjects and capital. Would he utilize the opportunity of whatever was harming her city to invade it and take over? Would he destroy the last things she held dear? Would he remove the Elements of Harmony and release Discord? What was this wicked thing planning!?

Even as her mind built up more and more theories, would her eyes shimmer and twitch green once every five seconds, unnoticed even to Maleficus, as her helmet covered her eyes.

And that's when she heard it. The skittering sound was now rising in volume, echoing out from the city. And her mind was temporarily distracted as she tried to see what was making that sound. "What be that infernal noise?"

Maleficus just grinned and folded his forelegs behind his back and walked over to the edge of the cliff and looked out over the besieged fortress. As a crimson light began to cover its surface. "Backup."

(Scene Skip)

Captain Guts walked past the line of troops standing guard in front of the main gates of the citadel's central keep. The barrier holding them away from the keep had been removed and everypony was marching into the city as good as they could. Some marveling at the ancient statues and mosaics scattered across the entire thing. It was like the entire keep was one big memorial to ancient heroes and/or villains.

The strange dragon statues decorating the keeps' top walls were unsettling though, about fifty such statues scattered around in different positions. Only wings and legs with a tail and snake-like neck, no forelegs. Which was the weirdest look for a dragon Guts had ever seen. Still quite big and had some mean looking stingers on their tail tips.

He soon reached the top floor, where a group of fifty heavily armed Bronze soldiers was standing before a large set of white wooden doors. It made the earth pony wonder why they hadn't gone through the doorway yet. "What is keeping ye here?"

"We're pretty certain Princess Celestia is fighting Maleficus out there Captain. The doors are not willing to open, we're not sure how to handle the situation yet." One of the younger soldiers said as he made a show of pressing a dagger against the doorway. Only for the door to glow and the dagger of sacred bronze to melt like a wax candle, falling to the floor into a puddle of melted bronze. There were several such puddles on the floor of the doorway.

The soldiers turned to Guts and shrugged to him, unable to figure out how to get through.

"Buck. This is complicated. I will go out and see how the rest of the siege is going. Keep an eye on this place." Guts said before he marched back out. And that's when he heard it. A skittering sound, like a swarm of vermins and beetles making a crescendo.

"That sound rather ominous. No doubt trouble." He muttered as he walked out of the keep's gatehouse and blinked as he saw the entire citadel glowing a crimson light.

"This is unreal, Just what the buck is going on here!? This magic is giving me chills!" One unicorn captain in silver armour stated as he looked around nervously. Guts walked over to the battlements of the ramparts and looked down. The entire fortress was glowing red. The sound of skittering rodents and insects echoing out over it in a very freaky manner.

And that's when one of his troops standing watch on top of one of the towers standing by the fortress' inner wall, suddenly cried out to him. Their voice was amplified by a Gold Soldier unicorn enhancing it. "Captain! Something is happening with the Dark Ones' corpses!"

Swirling his head he looked down at the pile of corpses on the pavement at the base of the wall he was standing on. and he watched in horror as the corpses were twitching and squirming. Like worms were crawling beneath their fur and flesh and expanding.

He turned towards his fellow Captain and cried out to him. "Burn the corpses! Maleficus is resurrecting them!"

But it was too late.

One nearby corpse staggered up from its once prone position. Its cut off head came flying out of nowhere and attached itself to the stump of its neck, and the cut off or burnt pieces regenerated. The horse opened its mouth and reared back its head and let out a cry like a mixture of a horse and a rodent, revealing four pairs of long jagged fangs jutting out of its lower and upper front row of teeth.

The flesh on its side began to bulge out and there was the sound of ripping leather before in an explosion of blood and black ichor, erupted a pair of large leathery dragon-like wings out of the horse's back. It then flapped its wings and flew up into the air, howling out its unnatural cry as it did so.

Another corpse, this one split in two, simply regenerated into two new horses, the bones growing out of the halves, then covered by veins, muscles, organs, tendons, nerves, flesh, skin, and fur. They two cried out and flew up to join their newly resurrected brethren.

All over the battlements, the towers, the gates, the halls and the fields. Wherever the corpses laid, they began to twitch, heal and then mutate. Black leathery bat wings were taking to the air as once dead horses took to the heavens, crying out together. Within a minute was the sky above the city covered by a massive swarm of bat winged horses, flying in a spiraling manner above the city, before moving like a massive black tendril around the cliff and up towards the edge where Maleficus stood.

And that's when the crumbling of rock could be heard. And Guts looked to his left and stared in horror as one of the 'ornament dragons' on the side of the keep's walls, began to crack. Grey marble began to flake off as black thick scales and dark grey membrane and brown claws broke free. The dragons let out screeching roars before taking flight, flying off to join the swarm of bat winged horses, flying towards the cliff where Celestia and Maleficus were.

Guts could only stare and mutter to himself. "Well... shit."

(Scene Skip)

Celestia stared in horror at what she was seeing.

Bat winged, or dragon winged, horses and strange looking scorpion tailed dragons, were flying in the air before the edge of the cliff, crying out together like a swarm of horrors from an forgotten story of evil and darkness. The dragons as black as the night, burning eyes, claws like talons, rows of saw like teeth.

Corrupted horses built more like a combination of beast and pony. A twisted insult to nature, a mockery of what had once been magnificent beings. Now rendered into a perversion of all that was equine.

What manner of ancient evil had Maleficus brought to life? And what manner of evil rituals had he learned to twist the horses into such monsters?

And she muttered to herself as she stared at the monstrosities, contemplating her fearful thoughts of what was occuring. "What hath thou wrought upon this world?"

Maleficus just smiled and turned around, his hooves, standing by the edge of the cliff. And he spread his forelegs, as if to present a great masterpiece of art to the world. "These are but a byproduct of my work, of my research. They are a stepping stone to master things I could not do on my own. These are my Thestrals and Wyverns, and with them. I shall free Canterlot."

"Please... Do not hurt them... anymore." Celestia's mind was reeling, she was having flashbacks. The horrors of the past, the painful memories of the dead bodies, the burning corpse of her mentor. It was making her tear up and shiver, her anger overwhelmed by her sheer terror and sorrow of what would happen to her ponies once these monsters entered Canterlot.

Maleficus lowered his forelegs and gave her a sad smile. "I never intended to hurt anyone. Nor do I wish to either. I will do my best to keep your subjects safe Celestia, I will not bring harm to them."

And then he stepped back, and fell down off the cliff, spreading his large feathery wings to gently glide down onto the neck of a particularly large wyvern. And then, as one ,the massive swarm of the newly born thestrals and wyverns, flew away from the castle. Uncaring about the arrows, spells and stones being launched at them by the fearful ponies. Ignoring even the pegasi trying to attack, as they flew east like a black storm cloud of omens.

Towards Canterlot.

[End Dramatic Music]

Unknown to him, had Celestia not taking his words as reassurance. If anything, they had made her even more despairing. and as the roots let her go, as the soldiers were let into the garden as the Holy Tree stopped blocking the doorway, she cried out to her troops.

"Stop him! He's heading towards Canterlot! We hath to stop him!"

And as one, the armies of Equestria, felt a great chill of fear enter their hearts at those words.

A great panic spread. The soldiers scrambled to pack up and return to their home. Celestia left a force of soldiers, unattached to Canterlot, to care for the Whitestone Keep for now. But personally, she wanted to take flight and fly after her hated foe.

But she could not fly. It was like her wings just went limp whenever she was about to take flight, her mind, soul and heart had been rattled. She could not focus. She could not concentrate. She could not fly.

Celestia was ground bound by sheer terror alone, and would have to return on hoof. Even as she sent her air units of the Silver Army to fly for Canterlot, she prayed to the Gods.

Even as she and her forces ran like a massive stampede through the mountains, tunnels and forests in their path, she prayed.

She prayed for hope, that she would not be too late to stop him.

She prayed for any pony that could put a stop to whatever horrors Maleficus would unleash upon her home with his horde of monsters.

She prayed. And she ran. For home. For Canterlot. For Luna.

To Be Continued

Author's Note

Staadnauthursil: Oh boy this one is a dosey. It took a while but I am finally done. Gods this was an effort. Bad economy is NOT helpful in any manner. Hopefully I will be able to get the next chapter done without such a delay. Again.

Pinkie: Yay! Happy chapters day and happy birthday!

Staadnauthursil: Thanks Pinkie, but my birthday was about a week ago so a bit late there.

Pinkie: Not my fault you won't let me bring a party to your home.

Staadnauthursil: Sorry but the last time you went to this dimension, you caused bit of a disaster.

Pinkie: I said I was sorry!

Staadnauthursil: Anyway. Thank you all for your patience and hopefully you will enjoy this new chapter. As always, I accept all reviews and comments. If possible can you support me on Patreon to give a bit of a boost in my less then stellar wallet situation. I would appreciate it a lot.

Patreon Link: https://www.patreon.com/TreasureHoard