Chapter 17 Ashes to Ashes

Everyone was applauding the Princesses and their partners for the wonderful performance. off in the distance I could see that twilight and her friends were also cheering me on. Celestia, Luna and Cadence made their way to the stage to say their goodbyes. "Thank you all for this wonderful night, We hope you all had a great time and we look forward to next years grand galloping gala. for now we would like to say thank you for coming and have a good night." Celestia said addressing the guests

All the ponies started applauding again. But shortly after, the windows were shattered, and from the new hole emerged a group of gryphons with crossbows spears and swords. Everyone was shocked and started to panic but the gryphons wasted no time and Fired.

"Fire!"

Time had slowed down and I could see the arrows heading towards the princesses. I had to intervene, and I did, I pushed James to the side, sending him flying in slow motion towards Celestia and I jumped on Luna and Cadance. The princesses were all fine, but for a price, both James and myself felt an agonizing sting going through our bodies.

"ARGH!!!!" The bolts had penetrated my and James bodies. But James got hit with four bolts compared to me, I got shot twice in the shoulder and my chest. I could feel the scraping on my bones.

´´Hurry stand up! you don't have much time!´´

I looked back at the gryphons and saw they were reloading. I stood up and quickly set up a shield to protect everyone in the room, everyone, that is, except for myself. "CRIMSON!" Luna yelled out of worry.

The gryphons shot another barrage of bolts towards me but this time I was ready.

´´My strength and Speed are at your service.´´

Everyone covered their eyes in fear of seeing my gruesome death. But they were surprised to see that all arrows had been broken on the ground next to my feet.

"Give up gryphons. You're slower than Shining armor if you think you can actually kill me."

All the ponies and Gryphons were not ready to see me this alive even with two arrows stuck in my chest. I wrapped my hands around the arrows and removed them from my chest with a minor pain that I quickly ignored. "Fire!" The leader of the gryphon squad order and they did. but a black shadow shield appeared protecting me from the third barrage of bolts.

"That was pathetic! Once more, with more passion this time." I taunted the commander. But my overconfidence was cut short by a small stinging pain.

"Aow!" I looked over the dart and wondered what kind of poison they had laced it with.

"Now, lets see if you can protect yourself from our arrows without your magic. Fire!" The gryphon leader ordered and they did. I could see the arrows flying towards me in a slower then usual speed. I grabbed the arrows in mid flight again and broke them in half.

"Sorry bro, Still no cigar, If you want to kill me you're going to have to do better." All the ponies and gryphons were staring at me with awe. Even the commander was surprised I could fight without my magic.

"Fine then, Soldiers ATTACK!" The ponies saw me get surrounded by the ten gryphons. "ANTHONY!" I could hear the girls yelling out.

´´Finally an excuse to tear someone's arms off.´´ I thought happily to myself.

´´NO! don't kill them in front of the civilians! You can still break their arms and wings however. Use non lethal force´´

´´Can I at least say a cliche one liner?´´

´´Fine!´´

"Any last words?" The commander laughed at what he thought was my imminent death.

I smiled,"More of a speech to be honest." I wrapped my left hand around my closed fist. "The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of the darkness. For he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers." My eyes started to flare As I drew from Legions power. "AND YOU SHALL KNOW MY NAME IS THE LORD WHEN I LAY MY VENGEANCE UPON THEE!" All the ponies and gryphons looked at me in wonder and confusion. They didn't understand what I was talking about. but they knew it was some sort of native holy text.

"ATTACK!" The gryphon commander yelled out. The first three guards tried to impale me with their spears. But I simply dodged all three jabs without even taking a step and using only my balance and speed as an advantage.

The gryphons went for another jab attempt but I dodged the middle by leaning my hips to the left and I grabbed the other two spearheads pulling the gryphons forward and give both of them a quaking punch that sent them towards the barrier that I had put up to protect the civilians. the two gryphons were instantly knocked out cold.

the middle one was terrified for he knew it was his turn. I leaped forward and grabbed him by the throat. Luna and Celestia thought I was going to rip off his head. But Instead I rammed him against the barrier scaring the ponies behind it.

"Swordsmen, attack!" The commander ordered the rest of the gryphons to attack me but I picked up the spear from the ground and they stopped in their tracks. I started doing some acrobatics spinning it around me at a speed causing a small gust of wind to appear...I could hear a loud noise like brick hitting the ground. I gave a dark chuckle which didn't help their fear. I broke the spear in half and threw it to the sides."I don't need a weapon to teach you gryphons a lesson!"

Everyone in the room was surprised by my statement."Fool, Now you will die!" The commander yelled out. The gryphons charged me again and I dodged their attacks. One slash came particularly close and partially scraped my skin on the point of my nose.

"Okay enough playing around." I said, starting to take the situation seriously. I charged two of the eight gryphons and gave them each a roundhouse kick sending one against the barrier again, and the other was sent towards the door breaking it in half."YAY, ANTHONY!" I could hear my friends yelling out in support.

"This isn't possible!" the commander said in denial, not believing how easy it was for me to take the guards out. He looked at at one of the dropped crossbows and picked it up, He aimed to towards me, hoping it would hit me. He pulled the trigger and the bolt was fired.

a loud slap noise could be heard as they all saw I had caught the arrow in mid flight heading towards my head."No....THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE"

I broke the arrow in half while still keeping my stern grip on it. "That was the last straw. CELESTIA, CADENCE, LUNA, PUT UP ADDITIONAL BARRIERS!" I ordered the princesses and they wasted not a second and put three more barrier around the civilians. "THIS ENDS NOW!" I said with my eyes flaring with rage and power. I jumped up several feet in the air and smashed with both my hands on the ground, breaking the barriers and snapping the legs of the gryphons from the vibrations, and sending them flying against the pillars and walls of the room. they were all unconscious. all except the commander...

The commander didn't know what to do, He looked at the cataclysm of destruction that had just occurred and he saw that the human had broken not just his own barrier but also those of three princesses, that posses the most powerful magic known to the world. The large dance floor had a circle of impact where I had smashed it.

The commander knew there was only one way to escape with his life. While I was reeling from the power burst. It felt like my body was also affected by the full capacity of my strength...It felt like my heart stopped beating for a couple of seconds, and not in a touchy feely way...

The commander charged towards a white mare with pink mane, I remember by the name of Fleur de lis. "AHHH, Help me!" Fleur yelled out in fear.

"You are indeed a incredible fighter and I see now why you humans conquered the world. But I know of your weakness, to protect these puny weak ponies. If you don't let me leave here I will kill her!" He said with as much venom in his voice as he could spit out.

I was still, with both my hands on the ground still reeling from the power burst but I felt my magical power returning to me... But also something else. "YOU WILL NOT HARM HER!" I yelled with a burning, quaking voice resembling Legion's. The entire city could hear my roar and everyone, including Luna, were afraid for what was going to happen next.

"SOS DU LAAS!!" A crimson red beam was shot towards the gryphon commander and it went through Fleur.The commander fell to the ground out of the loss of strength and the beam was still channeling. "ARGH!!!!!!" the immense pain that I was warned would take hold of me, I could feel the same pain he did. Everyone saw how he got older and older...Until he was turned into ash. And I was on the ground with my hands and knees still feeling the horrible pain of being turned into ash..

All the ponies were staring at the recent murder... they all couldn't believe their eyes. I had killed a living creature. I myself didn't give a shit about the lives of those who threaten me. But I remembered one person's life I had completely forgotten about...´´James...´´

"JAMES!" I ran towards my mortally wounded brother, and I saw where he had gotten hit with the arrows...

"Crimson...." Luna said to me, putting a hoof on my shoulder to comfort me. "Legion can you heal him ?"

´´Forgive me, but I cannot. While I do know of a spell to heal injuries such as this, I'm afraid he's too far gone, the shock that comes with such a spell would end his life before it could take effect.´´

...."No, he can't..." I replied slowly, letting despair and hopelessness take over me. I took a glance at the wounds, two hits in the lungs, one in the heart and, one in the kidney...

James opened his eyes and saw the tears running down my face..."Anthony..."

"Shhh, save your strength." I said trying to ease his pain.

"I don't need it... What I need to know if the princesses are alright..?"

"We did..." I slowly said to James, reassuring him.

I could hear the hoofsteps of the mane six getting closer.."...James..."They said with eyes completely swollen red and about to cry from the loss of our friend...

"Shhh..." He said trying to comfort the sobbing mares.."My job is to protect Celestia by any means necessary. Even at the cost of my own life." James coughed up more blood and almost seemed to be fading away..

Just as all hope seemed to be lost, A fiery bird appeared from the dark night into the bright room where the crowd was staring at the dying human.

"Hey Inferno." I said trying to make it easier for him, He and James were good friends. Inferno took a closer look at James wounds.

*Squawk* Inferno said to me but I didn't understand it...But someone else did.

"WHAT!!??" Fluttershy yelled out.

I looked at yellow pegasus trying to understand what got her so worked up. "What did he say Fluttershy?"

I saw a tear fall from Fluttershy's cheek to hit the ground. she sobbed trying to gain the strength to talk."...He said..." She took another second to sob before talking again. "He said...Kill me.."

I looked at Inferno. "WHAT!?, WHY?" I asked the orange and red phoenix.

*Squawk*

Fluttershy was taken back by the answer she had gotten."He said...his death will...Heal James..."

I remember then what happened in the forest the day I killed those teenage dragons.. "She is right. The phoenixs magical essence will restore your friends life. You know what must be done." Legion said taking over control of my body for a short moment.

I glanced at Inferno..."Are you sure this is what you want?" I asked Inferno, not knowing what to hope for...

Inferno nodded...

James was barely awake... He wanted to do it as painless as possible. "Its been an honor brother," James said to Inferno. He may not have known the phoenix long, but he was still good company when they were with Celestia. Inferno stepped up to James and the human put his hands around his neck. "Good bye brother." And with a muffled crack sound Inferno's body went limp and his ethereal fiery wings were extinguished...

I stood up to look away from the death of a friend. and put my left hand on my closed fist again to say a prayer even though I didn't believe in them. "Though you walk through the valley of the shadow and death, you will fear no evil: For thou art with the lord in his house and thou shall look down upon me from his house and watch over us."

Everyone in the room heard the prayer and Fluttershy started to cry at the loss of life...´´65..64..63..62..61..60´´Legion counted down the time left until James would absorb the phoenix's essence.

"ten..nine..eight..seven..six..five..four..three..two..one.." Inferno's body started to glow in a golden a white beam that shot out to James. All that was left was the ash of the phoenix...

"Zero.." I saw how James eyes opened up and his breathing and pulse was at its normal rate again...Now that I knew he was fine, all I wanted was to be alone..."Kendov Sil Mulaag!" I used my dragon roar and from my suit sprouted two black wings ruining the already destroyed suit. ´´I'm sorry for your loss´´

´´Leave me alone.´´ I said to Legion, not wanting him to bother me at this delicate moment. I flapped my wings and before anyone knew it I was gone left alone with my own thoughts.

***Luna POV 10 minutes after Inferno's death***

Several guards showed up to take control of the situation. A group was responsible for escorting Dawn Fury. While another group responsible for keeping the elements safe, and another to imprison the gryphons that had survived.

Tia stepped up to talk to the scared guests. "Fear not my little ponies...The threat has been removed...It's tragic that the wonderful evening was ruined like this, but it's time to go home. We will investigate what occurred tonight, until then you may all leave now."

The ponies were still very shocked from the death of the gryphon commander, and death of Inferno. But nonetheless they left the room and made their way home. "Sister do you believe Crimson will be alright?" I asked my sister looking at her worriedly..

"He will recover from this. But he won't forget this." Celestia down in sadness. But what really bothered her mind was that she didn't know how the gryphons could have gotten past the barrier..

"Auntie What happened!?" Cadence yelled out, seeing the empty room and destruction. I snapped at realization that she was here when Crimson slammed the ground. "Cadence! What happened to you? Where did you go?" I asked my niece.

"I was teleported out of the castle by my husband after I had put up the barrier around the ponies." She said in a slightly angry tone at the thought that she had abandoned her friends and family."What happened here?" she asked looking around again.

A small measure of anger crept up on me as I thought to myself ´´How did the gryphons get past Shining Armor's force field..´´. "I will let my sister answer that question. Right now I need to find Crimson"Tia gave me a nod of approval before I left the dining hall.

***Luna's room 20 minutes later... ***

I sighed at my failure of finding Crimson.As I opened the door to my room I saw a bouquet of Moonblooms. "Moon Blooms? I haven't seen this flower in a thousand years." I remembered then, what was so unique about the the flower. It only grew in..."Moonlight." I said to myself in sadness. I approached it and saw there was a note.

*Life thrives even in the light of the moon my beautiful princesses of the night. May this be a reminder that your place in the world matters.*

Drops of tears fell on the note as I knew without a doubt that the flowers were from Crimson."Oh Crimson, how could I be so foolish to let you go." I said to myself out of self loathing.

Like it was controlled by fate, a thought made it's way through my mind and I knew in my heart that Crimson would be there. I used my magic to open the balcony door and spread my wings ready for take off.

I jumped up and started flapping my wings. I knew where Crimson was and I made my way up to the clouds. I searched through many of them until finally..I found him sitting on a large patch of clouds that were arguably the biggest in the city..I landed next to him and I knew that he already figured it out that it was me.

"Crimson?" I asked stepping closer to him.

"Leave me alone." He said with a dark and sad voice. I saw he tried to hide his face from me.

"Crimson please talk to me." I stepped closer getting a better look at his face...He was crying..."Crimson?"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" He yelled with a very angry tone. I stepped back. A little afraid from the outburst and it was making my heart bleed to see him this mad at me. Nonetheless I granted his wish.

I sighed before spreading my wings again. "Very well..." A tear fell down my cheek as I thought on how Crimson wouldn't let me help. Like a wolf that won't let you mend his injured paw. I flew down from the Clouds and made my way back to my room. I looked at the bouquet of flowers he had left earlier.

"Mother, please ease his suffering" I spoke to the sky, hoping she would hear me and answer my prayer.