Fractured Darkness

Fractured Darkness
Chapter 6: Rise of The Iron Wall

By: Major Frostwing

Our arrival in the Griffin Empire went smoothly all things considered. My soldiers were now in their standard clothing which helped them to blend in except for Mythril who opted to continue to wear her training clothes. I told her it will be unnecessary but she was adamant and I couldn't force her to do so. Our first order of business was to go to the castle and speak to Emperor Iron Wind about my role in his tactician's board. Then we would be moving on to the highest security prison on this side of the world to get my soldiers. And then on to my new training grounds... Which I will have to build... From scratch.

I let out a sigh as we all walked up the stairs to the throne room. It was going to be a stressful day for me.

"Not getting cold feet are you Jon?" Wind asked as I shook my head.

"No just going to have to tap into some deep reserves to have the training grounds built as fast as I want it. You know it will be completely isolated right?" Wind nodded his head.

"You wanted perfect privacy and I accepted that. Will you require anything else?" I cracked a smile shoving my hands into my pockets.

"A fucking miracle." I said as we reached the top of the steps the doors being opened before us to reveal the Emperor sitting in his throne.

Stepping into the throne room was interesting to say the least. I was so used to all the gold and marble everywhere when I was in Celestia's throne I forgot how the others set up their own rooms. The Throne room of the Emperor was a cold stone floors of grey with bright silver columns leading all they way up to the throne it's self which was composed of the same metal. Banners lines the walls each showing the main households of the kingdom. I looked at the tapestries with a low whistle. Then I saw Emperor Iron Wind's royal guard. Each wore full face helmets of steel inscribed with runes and symbols of honor.

"Jon... A pleasure to have you in my throne room." The Emperor said as he leaned on his fist.

"Emperor Iron Wind." I said with a bow. "Thank you for being so understanding in these troubling times." The emperor let out a laugh as I stood straight.

"For the one who helped release my country from the grips of that tyrant and brought back the pride and honor of my race think nothing of it. I will honor what my predecessor Emperor Old Bird set forth. Now what can I help you with on this day?" The emperor stood from his throne walking down towards me. His soldiers followed right behind him at the ready. My soldiers became uneasy a few of them reaching for their armor bracelets.

"None of that." I ordered as they all stood straight. "We are trying to have a conversation." That calmed them down if just barely. "I will get right to the point." I turned to address the Emperor directly. "Due to a set of rules set by my predecessor years after I first retired I have been banished from Equestria. My soldiers are being hunted down and are to be executed. I have come to you for asylum and I am willing to offer my services to you for this favor." The Emperor looked me over for any sigh of deceit before shrugging.

"But of course. This is but a small favor that I can easily grant. What do you require?" The Emperor asked as one of his guards cleared his throat. "Are you questioning the judgement of your Emperor?" Emperor Iron Wind asked glaring at his guard.

"I would never do something so foolish my Emperor. I am just set on edge being around Sir Jon is all." The guard said as I let out a chuckle.

"It's probably because I am trying my best to suppress my magic. It's rude to flex one's own muscles in someone else's throne room." I said with a dismissive wave of my hand. "Even my unicorn blessed soldiers are doing it out of respect for the Emperor." I said as the Emperor looked away from his guard to look at me.

"See no reason to be on edge men. Jon is a hero and a well respected man we should treat him as such. Now what do you require of me." I cracked a smile pulling a sheet of paper out of my pocket handing it over to the Emperor.

"I need everything on that list as fast as possible. And I can pay for everything if you so chose." The Emperor looked over the list stopping at the last item on the list.

"The recruits and land are of no issue... But the criminals... That I can not allow you to have for free. You will have to pay their bail along with their bounties." I thought it over for a second before shrugging.

"Money is no issue. Make it happen." I said as The Emperor cracked a smile extending his hand which I seized in a hard handshake.

"Can't wait to see what they can do." I couldn't help but laugh at that.

"That's what Celestia said before my troops crushed her strongest." The Emperor shared in my laughter though a little more hesitant.

After everything was set into motion we were escorted to the prison simply known as "The Box". A completely steel block with only one entrance and one exit. The security was the highest on this side of the planet and the entirety of the criminals were griffins. I pulled out a scroll and gem out of my magical storage writing down a quick message before sending it on it's way. I waited a few minutes before a bright flash of light revealed exactly who I wanted.

"Reporting as requested Sir." Shatter said saluting me.

"Shatter good to see you. I am going to be getting some new recruits for the second generation. Mind helping me pick out the best of the best?" I asked as he looked at our location smiling.

"Of course Sir. This is my area of expertise after all." I patted him on the shoulder before moving into the prison.

Normally a prison would be loud and rowdy whenever there was new entries but it was completely silent. Each of the prisoners were staring out of their cells at us as we moved through the cell blocks towards our destination. The maximum security wing which lead deeper into the earth. Four different security checkpoints each to scan for weaponry and other means of escape I was given several inhibitor ring to wear on my hands just to enter to wing. The cells seemed to be sensory deprivation chambers. No visible way to see into the cells or even enter them. "Where are the most dangerous?" I asked our escort as he looked back at me before motioning to 10 cells that had large steel door with runes etched all along the doors.

"Electrical runes... along with some insane reinforcement runes." Shatter said with a low whistle. "These guys must be high class." I nodded my head walking up to the first door nodding to the guard. He motioned the the door master who hit a few keys deactivating the rune relays before the first door opened. The room was unnecessarily bright but that was to dull the senses of the prisoner. The prisoner stared right at me as he sat chained to the floor of the room.

"Hello there." The griffin said looking up to me. "Are you the new warden or something?" He asked as I let out a short laugh.

"For you and your nine other companions I guess you can call me your warden. But I would rather you call me Jon." I said walking into the room. "Or better yet you can call me Sir. I am conscripting you into my second generation of soldiers. An elite fighting force specializing in unmitigated force and iron fist tactics." I knelt down in front of the prisoner as he stared right at me.

"And what if I just cut your throat and escape?" He questioned getting his feet under him as I only cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Shatter. If this little bird even thinks of escape I want you to break his legs... and then his wings." I ordered as Shatter gave me a salute.

"With extreme prejudice." Shatter responded. as the bird looked over my shoulder. He quickly raised his clawed hand dragging it across my throat and was about to run when I seized him by his face lifting him upwards.

I felt my throat close back up as I spat some blood on the ground to clear my throat. "Now that was just stupid." I said as the bird thrashed in my grip. "I am giving you the chance of the lifetime and you are trying to throw it away. Don't you even realize I am giving you your freedom?" I asked him as he socked my in the jaw.

"BULLSHIT! I will not serve the Emperor. All he does is sit up in his castle while the rest of us have to scrape by just to survive." I shook my head slamming him down to the ground keeping my grip on his face.

"You won't be serving the Emperor. You will be serving me. I will break you down. I will rebuild you into the most deadly killing machine in the world. YOU WILL BE FREE!" I roared into his face. "So what will it be? Stay in this cell and rot away? Or will you join me and became something even greater?" I stood up extending my hand to him. He looked to my hand and then up to my eyes.

"Holy shit... You're serious." He muttered before seizing my hand. "Let's see what the fuck you can pull off Jon." I smiled before clocking him across the jaw to a resounding crack.

"You will refer to me as Sir. You have yet to earn the right to call me by name. Now get up." I turned away from him exiting the cell. "Get his chains. That's one of ten." I said to Shatter as I moved down the line of cells. Each one received their choice and then their introductory beating. Soon enough we made our way back to the top of the prison. Whispers echoed through the halls as we moved each of my ten prisoners remained silent not once looking at the other inmates. Maybe there was some hope for these birds. Now begins the hard part.

"This will be the area where you will train your soldiers." A guard told us showing us a large patch of land. "The construction teams are on standby. Just need you to give the order." The guard said as I only rolled my eyes.

"No need I can do it faster. Mythril. Move everyone back." I ordered as Mythril took control of her squad issuing orders like a machine gun. "Watch your step!" I said as I flexed my magic encasing a section of earth in my magical grip. I shoved my hands down as a staircase formed in the earth leading us downward. I continued to shape and move my magic. "Creating the cavern is going to be a bitch." I muttered as I tapped into my artifact's power. My skin turned black as night and my hair took on it's wispy nature as I shoved the earth downward creating the cavern for the training ground. I flicked my wrists as glyphs appeared all along the ceiling holding it in place. Another flick of my wrist burned the glyphs into the dirt before runes surrounded them sealing the gravity magic into the dirt. I let out a sigh before reaching into my storage pulling all the necessary materials out and began to assemble all the necessary buildings and training grounds. Several runes etched into the materials that would repair them if damaged. and finally the training grounds were complete.

"MOVE INTO THE CAVERN AND ABANDON ALL HOPE OF SEEING THE SUN UNTIL YOUR TRAINING IS COMPLETE!" I ordered as my soldiers forced the new recruits into their new home. "There is to be no entry into this training ground until their training is complete. Tell the Emperor I will see him when the task is complete and no sooner." I walked down the steps reaching into my storage pulling out thousands of steel swords. The blades began to heat up melting into a giant ball of molten steel and with a subtle flick of my wrist the steel formed two large doors blocking off the entrance to the training ground. I held my hand up focusing all of my magic into the seal which covered the door in a bright purple locks and chains.

"Sir The soldiers are ready for you to address them." Mythril said saluting me.

"Good. Suit up pass the order." I ordered as I poured magic into my bracelet forming my suit of armor along with Umbra and Solaris. Umbra gave two hand motions as the others suited up in their own black armor. The recruits looked to their new wardens with a bit of fear. Mythril channeled her magic as she adopted her own suit of armor. "ALRIGHT YOU FUCKING WORTHLESS SHITS!" I barked catching all of their attention. "I AM YOUR COMMANDING OFFICER! YOU WILL ONLY REFER TO ME AS SIR! THE SOLDIERS THAT STAND AROUND YOU ARE A PART OF ME! IF ANY VIOLENT ACTIONS ARE COMMITTED AGAINST THEM THEY HAVE STANDING ORDERS TO BEAT YOU DOWN LIKE THE FILTH YOU ARE!" I walked up to the fore front of my new soldiers. "THERE IS NO ESCAPE FROM THIS ROOM! ANY ATTEMPTS WILL RESULT IN YOUR BEATING AS A WHOLE! I WILL TOLERATE NO INSUBORDINATION NOR WILL I TOLERATE FAILURE! YOU ARE TRAPPED HER WITH ME AND MY SOLDIERS UNTIL YOUR TRAINING IS COMPLETE! UNTIL THEN YOU HAVE NO NAMES! YOU HAVE NO FREEDOM! YOU HAVE NO PRIVACY! AND YOU HAVE NO RIGHTS! I NOW OWN YOU ALL AND WILL DO AS I SEE FIT UPON YOU! WELCOME TO CAMP NIGHTSHADE!" I yelled out using my magic to amplify my voice. I could see the uncertainty in all of their faces except the criminals. They are used to talks like this but at least I make good on my promises of pain.

"S-Sir I have a question." One of the griffin recruits spoke up though a little hesitant. I looked to him before marching right over to him with purpose. Once I was before him I got right in his face.

"Is there an issue with how I run things? Trash?" I asked as he seemed to cower under my glare.

"W-Why are there criminals here? Be-being a soldier is a position of honor." He said starting to lose his nerve.

"Oh are you saying that because they are criminals they have no honor?" I asked standing up straight thinking it over for a second before walking away from him. "Mythril. Issue a beating to this trash for his ignorance." I ordered as Mythril grabbed the griffin by his shirt dragging him in front of his other trainees and proceeded to beat the poor thing like an abused drum. "ALLOW ME TO MAKE THIS PERFECTLY CLEAR! AS OF RIGHT NOW NONE OF YOU HAVE ANY HONOR NOR PRIDE TO SPEAK OF! UNTIL YOU PROVE YOURSELVES TO ME YOU ARE NOTHING. YOU ARE WORTH LESS THAN THE DIRT UNDER MY FEET! THE ONES WHO STAND BESIDE YOU ARE YOUR COMRADES AND THEY MAY ONE DAY SAVE YOUR LIFE." I glanced over to Mythril who had stopped her attack on the griffin. "GET BACK IN LINE OR I WILL HAVE YOU BEAT AGAIN!" I barked out as the griffin stood shakily making his way back to his ranks. "Now what are they again trash?" I asked the trainee as he looked at me then to the criminals.

"Th-They are comrades... Sir." He wheezed out as I nodded.

"Good. Now RUN LAPS AROUND THIS ROOM! FIFTY TIMES GET A MOVE ON!" I roared out shooting into the ground at my feet. "THERE ARE NO WASHOUTS IN MY ARMY SO MOVE! NO SLOWING!" I roared as the trainees began their laps. "Mythril you and your soldiers watch them. Issue their beatings if any stop." Mythril gave me a crisp salute motioning for her soldiers to carry out my orders.

"Sir what will the unit be called?" Mythril asked as I cracked a smile.

"The 116th Battalion. The Iron Wall."