Blood was everywhere.

Blood coated the oak floors. Blood dripped from the walls. Blood splattered onto the floor, dripping from pony hooves.

Ponies of all types and sizes stood, limped and sat along the corridors. Their white cloaks stained a deep dark red. They all coughed, wheezed and bled. Trying to cover their wounds. They had enough. They wanted this all to end.

A stallion in a black cloak, which was tinted red, trotted through the blood soaked halls. An angry glare upon his ice blue face. His wings twitching furiously by his side.

A unicorn mare trotted beside him. Informing him of their losses.

"I'm sorry, sir. But....we have less than a eighth of what we had before. The griffins are too strong for us. They're wiping us out too quickly." She stated as they entered an office.

"There is no other choice. We have to keep on going, head strong." He sighed. He wasn't meant to be a killer. Ora leader. But he was doing what he could. And it wasn't enough.
"I don't know what to do. I was not born for this. Dashie was. She would know what to do. She would know how to plan an attack."

"But she's no longer with us. You have to continue her memory." Lyra insisted.
"Nopony is born great. Nopony is born a leader. You have to make your way to the top. With others to help." She smiled. Soarin felt his hopes rise slightly.

"I'm so glad that you're here to help."

"As am I-" The unicorn was interrupted as a mare burst in. Her blonde hair dirty and riddled with blood.

"Lyra!! It's Bonbon!!" Cloudkicker shouted. The stallion watched as the colour drained from the unicorn mare.
"Her team were wiped out completely. Only two survived. Herself and Rarity."

"Where are they?" Lyra croaked.

"Ponyville hospital. Rarity saved Bonbon by teleporting her to the hospital."

"But....they were on the other side of Equestria! No unicorn can perform such a strong teleporation."

"It doesn't matter. Go to the hospital, Lyra. Bonbon needs you." Soarin ordered. Lyra gazed at him with teary eyes.

"Thank you." She whispered before galloping off. Cloudkicker opened the door further, allowing two more ponies to enter.

"Applejack! Rarity!"

The door shut as the pegasus left. Leaving the three ponies.

"Rarity, are you okay?" He asked. The white unicorn looked terrible. Her indigo curls were ragged and dirty. Her cloak was torn and bloody. Her horn was singed black and sore. Soarin gazed at her eyes. Which were sore and tired.
"Stupid question. Applejack?"

"Ah'm fine." She muttered as the unicorn leaned against her.
"This has got ta stop."

"The Creed cannot go any further. We're lost. We're dying." Rarity croaked, sitting on the carpet. Her horn lit up dimly as she was enveloped in a light blue aura. As it faded, she looked as neat and tidy as ever. Her fur was cleaned, her curls were perfect, her horn glimmering white, her cloak in one piece and her eyes shining bright.
"A little trick I learnt off Celestia."

"Ya'll mighty strong in magic, Rare."

"Everypony is strong in their own ways." She sighed. "How are you coping, Soarin? With Rainbow gone..."

"I've had better days. I'll mourn her when this is over." Soarin muttered. Gazing at photo of his lover and himself. The two were smiling brightly. The stallion held his head down.
"Equestria is more important."

"The griffins are too strong. We can't go on any further."

"We must. We need to find something. A weakness?" He urged.

"None so far. We can't un-hypnotise the armies. We're weak. We're going to die. Equestria is going to die."

"Not on my watch. We can defeat them. They're just another enemy." Soarin shouted. "They're just another enemy that we need to kill. We always kill our enemies!!"

"Woah, we don' always kill our enemies. Nightmare Moon wasn't killed. Neither was Discord." Applejack stated.

"Indeed. We assassins sometimes compromise with our...victims."

"Well, this enemy needs to be killed!! They've slaughtered too many ponies!! They're destroying Equestria!! They....they murdered my Dashie..." The pegasus slumped to the floor. The two mares stood in front of him, unable to say anything to comfort the stallion.
"Why did she have to be an assassin? Why? Why did she have to die?"

"Oh Soarin, we're so sorry. We miss Rainbow as well. She was a great friend, and great leader." Rarity soothed the crying stallion as he held the photo of the mare he loved in his arms.

~~~~~~

Ponies in the halls gasped in shock and surprise. All staring as the mare trotted through the walls. They all whispered to each other, unsure whether they were awake or not.

The mare trotted with a smirk. Her black cloak swaying as it drifted just above the puddles of blood. She fluttered her feathered wings as she walked confidently down the hall.

"It can't be..."

"But she...she's..."

The pegasus chuckled to herself as she heard the whispers of ponies behind her.
"That's right, mama's home!"
She watched as the all the ponies' faces light up in confidence and hope. They finally found a flicker of hope. If she was back, then the Creed would be strong.

The mare sighed as she reached a large wood door. Raising her hoof, she heard a stallion cry within the room. Her heart broke in two as she heard him wail.

~~~~~~

"I miss her so bad. I haven't stopped missing her. I can't forget her. She was my everything." He sobbed. The two mares tried comforting him until a series of knocks caught their attention.

"Sorry. Sir Soarin isn't available right now. Report to Lyra...no, report Cloudkicker." Rarity called. But the pony knocked again.
"Excuse me but go away."

"Non possum deserere, quia hoc mihi est ad portum. Aut vos postulo auxilio." The pony behind the door muttered. Loud enough for the mares to hear. Rarity was about to shout again, until Applejack shoved her hoof into the unicorn's mouth.

"Hold it there, Rarity. Ah...it sounds like..." The earth pony opened the door, making the two mares gasp. "It can't be!"

"I heard that I have a new leader. I would quite like to meet him." The cyan mare grinned. The two other assassins moved aside, allowing the mare in to the room. Both wide eyed and open mouthed.
The pegasus trotted up to the crying stallion, who wasn't paying attention. She stood in front of him and stroked his mane.

"Soarin, honey. I'm home." She smiled with tears falling from her eyes. The stallion gazed up at an instant. His emerald eyes wide, and overwhelmed with tears.
"I'm sorry I took so long." She removed her hood as the stallion jumped up at her. Wrapping his fore-legs around her neck. The two other ponies blushed, and smiled for their friends as they kissed. They waited so long for this. Their hearts finally placed together again.

"Soarin, I am so sorry for doubting you. I'm sorry for accusing you. I knew that a sweet stallion like you wouldn't do such a thing, but I was so confused and-" Rainbow cried. Interrupted as an ice blue hoof was held against her lips.

"It's okay, Dashie. You're here. I'm here. Together. That's all I care about." He croaked. The two collapsed to the ground in each other's embrace. Sobbing and hugging as they were finally together. The two mares quietly left the room, shutting the door and leaving the two. They walked quietly, holding grins of joy. They finally had hope. Hope for Equestria. The great leader was back. By the side of her lover.

However, the war still loomed over them all. The griffins grew stronger each day. Even with a new leader, they were running out of options and time.

But, they didn't know of the oncoming darkness. Coming their way.

Author's Notes:

"Non possum deserere, quia hoc mihi est ad portum. Aut vos postulo auxilio."-"I can't leave, for this is my haven. And you all need my assistance."

Whoo! Another crappy chapter!! I kinda got lost with this story, but oh well. Next chapter will be about earlier on. And they will soon explain who D.A.R.K is. Also, a bit of Dislestia will begin to grow at the end of the next chapter. Yay!!

Thank you for reading and comment below