I won't reveal names of background characters until someone else in the story actually says their name.

The two griffins nearly fell forward from the force of the blow. "I hope I get double pay for this!" the male exclaimed. They despterately strived to keep from falling onto the marble, spiral staircase in front of them.The large wooden door behind them, however, still stood. The structure being built into a cliff excluded all sunlight, but it gave great advantages in durability.

"We aren't in this for the money, remember?" The female griffin replied.

"You guys aren't in this for the money. I am."

The door lurched forward again, and they both stumbled forward a little. Now the door looked like it was about to cave in. There was some muffled shouting outside, as they quickly rushed back into place. There was a pause, and they looked at each other, puzzled. Suddenly, the door lurched forward, and they both tumbled down a few steps behind it. A black, make unicorn with a grey mane stood there, an extremely angry look in his eyes.

The male griffin immediately got up and flew at an alarming speed toward him. They rolled over of each other in the dark, and the griffin came out on top. The unicorn cast a flash of light in hopes of staggering his adversary, but to no avail. The griffin's claws had already come down, and slashed him in the throat. A stallion came from behind him, bringing his forearm down on the griffins shoulder. The griffin, however, brought his arm around and twisted it with that of the stallion's. The stallion reflexively brought himself in close to prevent his arm from breaking, but this only delayed the inevitable. The griffin brought his arm further, and a cracking could be heard from his arm. The stallion grunted in pain, and the griffin brought his leg up and sliced the stallion's chest, ending his suffering.

Meanwhile, the other griffin had come up with a shortsword, and attacked the other assailants. A burgundy pony had charged her, a lance attached to him. The griffin merely swung around, and quickly slit his neck. An enemy griffin tackled her, but she turned her arm around and sliced his wing. He grunted in pain and quickly got off. She turned to finish him, but darted left at the last second from an oncoming axe. Dazed, the wielder tumbled forward, and she stabbed him. The other griffin had gotten his bearings, and charged at her again. He slashed her back only to discover she was wearing body armor covered with more feathers. He stepped back in astonishment. The female turned around, gave a mocking smirk, and stabbed him.

All this happened in a matter of seconds.

"Eesh." the male spat. "I thought that we weren't suppossed to survive this..."

"We aren't" The female said. She paused, listening intently. She knew there was something more to come, but not what. She only heard the wind rustle the leaves. Or...

"DUCK!" she yelled as she dived down. The male cooperated instantly, just as half a dozen arrows shot by over head. There was a scream behind him. "ARIA!" he cried, as he turned around to see his partner bleeding with an arrow stuck in her back. She grunted as she struggled to get up.

"GO!" she yelled. The male griffin responded immediately, and he dashed back inside. The archers began to emerge from the bushes as mere silhouettes. "I'm dead anyway" she silently told herself. She removed the arrow, and with a roar, she dashed forward.

*--*--*

"Close the gate!" the male griffin yelled as he sprinted down the long flight of stairs. The ponies in the room below pulled a large lever down, and two huge chunks of iron slowly began to close in from either side. The griffin dashed trough, and the gate closed with a large BANG! On the other side, two more would begin closing from above and below.

"They..." The griffin huffed, "Killed Aria," huff... huff... "with," huff... huff... "crossbow's!"

"They can use crossbows?" A mare with dark green fur and mane asked.

For whatever reason, skilled archers were not exactly common in Equestria. Everyone did know that part of this was because the lack of conflict at all for it's entire history.

"Very well," the griffin responded. "Five arrows almost hit me at once."

There was a series of faint noises, impossible to describe, that sounded from ouside. The room suddenly shook, and there was an ear piercing roar.

"Guys?" a male pegasus yelled from an upper balcony in the gigantic room. "They have a hydra!" a very worried look was on his face.

He was looking trough the eyepiece of a telescope extending from a wall. It went all the way outside, where a small piece of glass was placed in the cliff. It was to high and small for anyone to see without looking for it. It could not move however, and one looking in it could not see what was happening for a few meters in front of the door.

"They have a what?" The green mare asked.

"You heard me, boss." the Pegasus responded.

"Sweet Celestia, what the clop are we supposed to do now?"

"Language not appreciated" one of the other ponies said.

"Whatever"

"So what do we do now?"

"There's nothing TO do. I can't believe it, but it's over."

"Well THAT'S cynical. How about we sacrafice you as a distraction, and the rest of us go?"

"Buck you!"

"GUYS!!" The leader exclaimed. We have to go with plan B. Hit the switch."

"That way's dangerous, you said it yourself!" somepony protested.

"If it was too dangerous, I wouldn't have made it a plan B."

One of the ponies pushed a small, yet conspicuous stone in the wall, and then released, letting it come half way out of the wall. He then pulled, revealing a small space, with a lever inside. He pulled the lever down, then turned it clockwise until it was upside down from it's original state, and finally pushed in. There was a scraping noise, and a large chunk of the wall opened up with a cloud of dust.

Suddenly, there was a bagging at the main door. "We're out of time!" the lead pony shouted. "Doc, are your documents secure?"

"As secure as they'll ever be. It's been a pleasure working with all of you. Make sure you all have your medical kit. It will help more than you think." A light brown stallion with a white mane stated as he walk into the room.

A third of the ponies hurried through the newly opened passage, and there was another bangging at the door. "Good Luck!" the last pony shouted as he galloped through. One of the ponies left behind gave a salute as the door began closing. Only fear and determination was on their minds, as they prepared to fight a battle they knew they would not win.