"♪Now ol' Nagash heard we were up to no good/Rolled up with his goons into the neighborhood.♫" The rhymic tones of Zeb filled the circular room as Rubric and Corona worked on the hellevator. "♫Big T and Proper G grabbed some homies/And now they're out in the Fields taking the fight to our enemies.♪"

"I am not sure that last part rhymes. The syllable count is off." The runic dragon criticized. "And do you have to do that here?"

"It's a work in progress. I already had to go back and take out any mention of Grogar." The zebra bard retorted. "And since Queen Blaze commissioned it, I need her input."

"The Grand Exodus is worth immortalizing at least as a ballad." The Infernal Alicorn concurred. "Are you about finished, Rubric?"

“The containment runes are in place and I have checked and doubled checked every variable I can think of.” The draconic heretic sighed as he ran over a mental checklist. "Hmm... Zeb, if you can spare a moment, I could use your talents for something."

"Ehh, magic is not really my strong suit." The zebra warned as he made a note of his progress. "'less you're talking about the magic of lovin'."

"I am not." The dragon blew smoke out his nose in mild disgust. "Take a look at these runes. Do they not look familiar?"

"Huh. Like chicken-scratch tabs." The bard oriented himself so that he could view the runes more clearly. "Is this your roundabout way of requesting a tune?"

"These are harmonic runes." Rubric said curtly. "They function the same as other glyphs but need a bit of literal tunning."

"Oh, I see." Zeb nodded in understanding as he unslung his guitar. "Give me a sec..."

The scholarly salamander gave the sharp-dressed zebra some space as he began strumming. The dulcet tones were soon joined by a rising thrum as the runes responded to the chords. By the time he reached the last glyph, the warm acoustics had morphed into a throaty roar that Zeb could only describe as 'metal'. The bard turned to his pair of spectators who applauded politely.

"Hot damn! I have to write that down!" The zebra said with a laugh as Rubric approached the now glowing runes. "I think I'll call it 'Raising Hell' or something."

"We will be raising something, that is for sure." The dragon said with a satisfied nod before he turned to the fiery Alicorn. “I should warn you, Corona, despite all my precautions, this is still quite unorthodox. Hellevators are usually mechanical in composition which are far more stable and-“

“Will it work?” The Hierarch interrupted the wordy wyrm with a glare that said she was not in the mood for his usual long-winded explanations.

“According to my notes, it should.” Rubric said as he took a few cautious steps back. “Whenever you are ready, we may proceed.”

The Alicorn nodded and focused on the hole in front of her. While she had not yet completely recovered from her earlier feat of moving Dis from Wrath to the Fields, the Infernal Queen was not about to show weakness again. Corona's horn sputtered for a bit before igniting and sent a plume of her wicked magic over the opening. Rubric's thrumming runes intensified as they contained the magic in a sphere. The soon-to-be Hellevator glowed liked a miniature sun before a beam of energy shot down into the yawning abyss below. The denizens of the lower Circles watched the lightshow as it passed through their Hells on its way back down to Pandemonium. In the Woeful City itself, the eagerly waiting hellions and their leaders backed away as the Hellevator dropped out of the burning sky and landed in the vacant square over which the capitol once floated. A few of the Banished cautiously approached the fiery column, unsure how to proceed.

“I guess this is our ticket outta this dump.” A zebra said as she craned her neck to look up the Hellevator. “So who’s willing to make the first jump?”

“I volunteer…” A minotaur raised his hand only to grab one of his troops by the neck. “…this brave soldier.”

The demon could only gargle some intelligible protest as it was hurled into the conflagration. Half expecting the ‘volunteer’ to burn up upon entering the flames, the hordes of hellions and their living commanders were pleasantly surprised when the fiend shot up the fiery column and out of sight in one piece. With immediately immolation no longer a concern, a few more demons willingly entered the Hellevator before the main body of the army rushed in. Cheers and battle cries rang out across the perforated Circles as the Grand Exodus ascended with all speed to the Fields of Punishment. The Alicorn, zebra and dragon moved from the terminus to a balcony to witness the fruits of their labors. A demented grin crossed Corona's features as her forces spill forth from the Hellmouth.

“Is it not a glorious sight?” The elated Archfiend asked giddily. "Be sure to include this moment in your epic, Zeb."

"Way ahead of you." The bard confirmed. "Hmm, I've used 'grand' a lot. Rubric, you know a good synonym?"

“Even my extended vocabulary is having difficulty finding the appropriate words.” The draconic heretic mused aloud. “Although the phrase ‘in need of direction’ may be applicable.”

The drake pointed down to where the demons were wandering about as if they had no idea what to do next. Corona brought a hoof to her face and sighed heavily. It had not occurred to her that most of her minions would be disoriented after their trip up the Hellevator and some had never been to the Fields of Punishment.

“Hey!” The Alicorn shouted down to the aimless hordes as she helpfully shot a flare of magic in the relevant direction. “The Brass Gates would be that way!”

“Thank you!” Someone shouted back.

The throng promptly reorganized into something resembling legion columns with the Banished at the heads of each and marched towards the distant battle while the three looked on. Their viewing was interrupted by a heavy knock on the door behind them.

“Enter.” Corona said absently.

“Some of Tirek’s vanguards have returned.” One of her brutish bodyguards rumbled as he and his compatriot entered with the hellion in question cowering behind him.

“Oh?” The Infernal Queen shared a curious look with Zeb and Rubric before facing her custodians. “Have the revenants been routed already?”

“If only the powers that be had been so kind.” The demon said weakly as the brute unceremoniously ushered him in before the Archfiend. “The Dark Lord Pol'ydegmon and his minions have pushed us back to the prison towers. I was sent back here to check on the status of our reinforcements; we need them in the worst way.”

“Weakened by inaction, eh, Rubric?” The Hierarch shot the heretic a critical glare.

“It was just speculation on the part of a third party.” The drake said defensively. “Reality often laughs in the face of such predictions.”

“You can tell Tirek that he will have his reinforcements shortly.” Corona turned her attention back to the scout. “I’m sure you saw them on your way in.”

“I…I did, your majesty.” The vanguard said uneasily. “But… I don’t think they will be enough. I’ve seen Undying rip apart demons like wet paper! It’s like they’re unstoppable! And there is this... this witch that ensnares us with serpents and makes the very air explode around us! And do not get me started on the freaks that wear the faces of-”

“I think this one's morale has been shattered. ” Rubric interrupted critically. "It is making things sound worse than they actually are as some sort of coping mechanism. Perhaps to salvage its ego after having lost a fight."

"Still, if big bone daddy Nagash has brought his A game, maybe we should..." The zebra tried to add his input only to receive a withering look from the Archfiend.

“If I wanted your opinions, I would ask for them.” The fiery Alicorn frowned and returned her attention to the demonic scout. “And you, keep those doubts to yourself. I don't need doom and gloom eroding the resolve of my Exodus.”

“B-but…” The despondent demon made to argue further but wisely thought better of it. “Of course, majesty. I will not let my weakness spread.”

“If I may interject for just one moment, you mentioned a witch earlier?” Rubric asked before the scout could be dragged off. “I have no doubt that Geist has battlemages under his command but what makes this one stand out?”

“Oh, she is straight out of the old tales of megalomaniacal sorceresses!” The fiend said in ill-disguised disdain. “That Kly'menus has not sent her soul screaming to the Eighth Circle is a mystery for the ages.”

"Interesting..." The runic dragon rubbed his scaly chin in thought.

“Rubric's next conquest aside...” A nonplussed Corona deadpanned. “...I assume Tirek is holding his own.”

“As best he can but, as I said, we've been pushed back to the prisons.” The hellion did not sound confident. "And he is but one centaur against a god."

“Your enthusiasm is very reassuring.” The Hierarch huffed irritably. “Now get out of my sight.”

The two bodyguards gave a quick nod and dragged the wretched vanguard out of the Infernal Queen’s presence. Alone once again, the dragon, zebra and Alicorn looked back out over their marching armies. Rubric rolled his scaly shoulders and flexed his wings, indicating that he wished to depart.

“If you have no more use for me here, I would very much like to take the field myself.” The wyrm said. “Lend my talents to our beleaguered demons-at-arms. Tirek did want me in reserve after all.”

"Nah, you just want to see this witch-bitch for yourself." Zeb teased with a coy smirk. "Hey, to each his own."

“I was about to send you out anyway.” Corona ignored the bard as the drake bowled him over with a swipe of his tail. “I’ve known dragons to end battles with their mere presence.”

“Unfortunately, it appears this one may not be such a case.” The heretical dragon said as he spread his wings. “Nevertheless, I shall take great pleasure in demonstrating my superiority to demon and revenant alike. Farewell, your Infernal Majesty.”

With that, Rubric dove off the balcony and caught the acrid wind beneath his wings. The dragon flew above the columns of marching demons along with other hellions capable of flight. Even with the ill news that the vanguards were struggling against the Overlord of the Underworld and his murderous minions, Corona was confident that with the Grand Exodus from Tartarus finally underway, it was only a matter of time before she took the Immortal Throne.

"Then the real work can begin." The Infernal Queen said with an evil grin. "Come, Zeb. We will have a better view from my chambers and you can conduct your ballad in peace."

"At the risk of being roasted, that sounded like an invitation." The bard jested but only earned an exasperated roll of the eyes from the Hierarch. "Now where was I... ♫Corona, oh she is very fine/called up the heavies to back up the line♪"

Within one of Dis' lobbies, a collection of injured vanguards waited for one of their numbers to return. The guard demons had granted them a short reprieve from the fighting but had made it clear they would be thrown back into the fray soon enough. Until then, most of them wandered about the room while the leader and one wearing a cloak conversed in hushed tones.

"I don't hear anyone being burned alive." The hooded fiend chittered. "I guess that's a good sign."

"I'm more worried about his choice of words." The vanguard officer whispered back. "There is a reason most drones stay silent."

At that moment, one of Corona's hulking bodyguards returned with the demon in question. It was roughly shoved into the room where it rejoined its fellows on a couch. As far as the officer could tell, it looked no worse for wear.

"We'll give you a few more minutes to recover." The brute rumbled. "It's back to the fight after that."

"Fine." The leader nodded. "We'll be out of your horns before long."

The bruiser just grunted as it shut the door behind him and left the vanguards alone. As soon as his heavy steps faded, the drone dropped the pitiful act and knelt before the disguised Chrysalis. She siphoned off the little bit of hope it had managed to collect and distributed it amongst her meager swarm.

"Hmm, not much but I understand demons are not the easiest things to leech off of." The green-eyed 'vanguard' said plainly. "Did you learn anything about our hosts?"

"They've brought up reinforcements from below." The drone buzzed. "Also, they have a dragon."

"That explains the rumbling we felt earlier." The Matron said with a frown. "I hope Shining is prepared for what's coming his way. What else?"

"The Alicorn has a zebra with her composing some type of song and those bruiser demons within earshot." The 'vanguard' continued. "I thought they could be a means to get closer to her but..."

"We would have to lure them away first." Elytra finished.

"Right." The infiltrator nodded. "Other than that, I tried to big up our allies as best I could. Not sure it did much but Corona did not appreciate it. That pony runs on hate. *Blech*"

"I would be surprised otherwise." Chrysalis scowled. "Alright, let me think a minute."

The drones and nymph sat in dutiful silence while their Queen paced back and forth. Infiltrating the floating tower had been easy enough but now the question was what to do now. Given the size of her swarm, overwhelming the capitol as she had done at Canterlot was not an option. The shapeshifter paused in her pacing as a plan began to formulate.

"I know that look." The Swarm Princess grinned. "Momma's got an idea."

"Yes, she does." The Matron confirmed. "Drones, there is not much else you can do here. I want you to slip in with those reinforcements going out and, heh, do what you do best."

"Kekekeke." The disguised insectoids let out a quiet, syncronized laugh.

"Does that include me?" Elytra asked.

"No. You and I are staying here." Chrysalis shook her head. "We need to take down Corona or, failing that, find a way to cut off the demons."

"Okay, up and at them." Any further planning was lost as a guard suddenly barged in. "Wow, you forming a cult or something Kru'zik?"

"Just- *ahem* -just amping us up before we go back to the meat grinder." The 'leader' answered quickly. "Do you mind seeing them off? Me and...Hoo'die here need to talk with Her Infernal Majesty."

"Uhh...okay." The demon gave the cloaked 'vanguard' designated 'Hoo'die' a sideways look. "Don't wait up."

The drones filed out after the now wary guard and disappeared down the hall to rejoin the demonic onslaught. The disguised Chrysalis silently wished her offspring luck as she and Elytra ascended the tower. Along the way, a pair of patrolling demons approached them. The 'leader' considered just letting them pass when she reconsidered. Her current disguise seemed to be known to the guards of Dis and questions would be asked if 'he' remained in the tower for too long.

"New disguises. Use the window to dispose of the bodies." The Swarm Queen whispered to her daughter. "I got the one on left."

"Check." The Swarm Princess nodded subtly.

"Hey, Kru'zik." One of the guards greeted plainly.

"'sup." The 'vanguard' did not even try to guess or pronounce a name.

"Hold up a sec." The other guard stopped them and looked to the cloaked 'vanguard'. "Where did you get that? It looks Equestrian."

"I...picked it off a shade who was sent here." 'Hoo'die' said hesitantly. "He wasn't going to use it."

"Huh. Odd." The first demon cocked his head to the side as he shifted his attention. "The condemned are stripped of their possessions when they are damned."

Seeing that her daughter was being cornered, the disguised Chrysalis got behind the two guards. Before the impromptu interrogation could continue, the changeling Queen sucker-punched the first guard in the back of the head. The demon went down like a sack of bricks as his partner rounded on the elder shapeshifter with a fistful of flame. Elytra slammed her fist into the fiend's face but only managed to hurt her hoof and foul the fiend's aim. Chrysalis dodged the fireball and dropped her disguise to assault the demon with a barrage of emerald bolts. The guard powered through the assault and got a meaty hand around the Matron's neck.

"Mom!" Elytra shouted as she leaped onto the demon's back and hammered her fists into his face.

The fiend stumbled and thrashed about as he tried to dislodge the changeling Princess. He inadvertently tossed Chrysalis against a wall in his blind flaying, stunning the Swarm Queen. The guard stumbled precariously toward a window and backed against the sill. With a surprised gasp, the demon lost his balance and tumbled out into open space with the nymph still latched to his back.

"Elytra!" Chrysalis cried as she scrambled up off the floor and rushed to the window. "No, no, no, no!"

She looked outside to see the demon dashed against the rocks below but no sign of her daughter. The Matron was about to fly out to look for her when the smaller changeling buzzed up into view sans disguise.

"I'm alright." Elytra said breathlessly. "Sucker had a thicker skull than I thought."

"Oh, sweetie, you nearly gave me a heart attack!" The Swarm Queen held a hoof to her chest and sighed in relief.

"Sorry." The nymph said sheepishly. "Next time, I'll probably use magic."

"Did you at least get a good look at it?" The elder changeling asked as she guided the Princess back inside.

In response, the sapphire-eyed shapeshifter burst into sickly green flames and reformed into the guard demon. Her mother just smiled in approval as she did the same. After taking a moment to get their voices right, the 'guards' disposed of the unconscious demon and resumed their climb up the tower. They only took a few steps before one of the 'guards' suggested that his partner fashion his cloak into something less noticeable or think of a better excuse for possessing it.

"I'll just growl in their face that it is none of their business." The hooded 'guard' decided. "Besides, I like having it. It makes me feel hidden and stealthy."

"That probably comes from its previous owner." The other 'demon' mused aloud. "Just be careful in the future. Remember that we need to minimalize tells."

"Got it." The cloaked 'fiend' nodded in understanding.

The quick lesson concluded, the two continued to climb the tower. They passed a few other guards without incident and were soon a few steps away from the Hierarch's chambers. There was just the matter of her hulking bodyguards and a small group of demons who carried out Her Infernal Majesty's will.

"No alarms, no rushing guards and no nosy unicorn snitches." Chrysalis muttered under her breath as she and Elytra stood to one side and tried to appear as inconspicuous as possible. "Our luck just needs to hold out a little longer."

“Har har! Look at 'em run!” Fleabag chortled triumphantly as the badly depleted vanguards began to break off from combat and flee deeper into the Fields. “Those pansy ponies at da empire put up more of a fight! Er, sorry boss.”

“They’re not running, they’re regrouping.” Marshall Armor ignored the slight at his former subjects. “These were just scouts. The main force has only just arrived.”

Indeed, the approaching hordes of demons were close enough for the former captain to pick out important-looking individuals that he suspected were officers or their infernal equivalent. What was more, unlike the disorganized scouts, they appeared to possess some degree of military discipline. They had also brought their answer to the Undying's artillery mages in the form of hulking demons lobbing balls of roiling plasma at the Undying.

"Bombardment incoming!" Someone shouted as the glowing green hellfire arced through the air. "Scatter!"

The heavy armor of the defenders proved to be detrimental as some were too slow to evade the assault. The very ground shook as the plasma impacted amongst them with deafening booms. Revenants and hapless demons alike were either vaporized instantly or blown apart in a shower of dust or blood. Despite the friendly fire, the vanguards continued through the bombardment toward their compatriots. While part of him wanted to pursue the fleeing fiends and run them down before they could join their fellow demons-at-arms, Armor decided it was better to reform his own ranks while there was a break in battle. But first, he had to deal with the demonic artillery.

"Mages! Focus on those big bastards!" The Grand Marshall ordered. "Everyone else, loose formation! I don't want to lose a whole cohort to one blast!"

The Undying shouted in confirmation and began to reform their lines in a bustle of clanking metal. The mages exchanged a few barrages with the bruiser demons before they switched methods. Rather than the potent but relatively slow bombs, the revenant unicorns conjured giant bolts akin to those fired by ballistae. The lightning-fast projectiles proved effective as the brutish fiend were forced to hunker down lest they be skewered by the deadeye mages. With the artillery duel at a stalemate, Armor took stock of his troops. The center and wings were battered but as resolute as ever while the nearly depleted skirmishers had been granted a much-needed reprieve in the form of the Praetorian Gigantes. The ex-crystal unicorns had reaped a bloody toll on the vanguards and seemed eager to increase their tally.

"Lost only a few archers and the mages are untouched for now." The late prince-regent concluded as he was joined by the only living soul in his army. "How are you holding up, Lulamoon?"

“She can’t believe she’s saying this, but the Cut and Bruised Trixie misses having to deal with the beasts of the Everfree.” The magician said with a tired shake of her head. “These demons are insane!”

“I would say desperate and enraged but that works too.” Armor said with a huff. “Think you got a few more shows in you? Our audience just got bigger.”

The former traveling magician glanced down at the protective amulet around her neck. It was noticeably dimmer than but still produced a healthy glow. She made a mental note to conserve her remaining magic by going more for effect than presentation.

"Trixie never fails to perform!" The azure unicorn said confidently. "Hostile audience be damned!"

If that was an intended pun or not, the Undying Marshal did not have time laugh or groan. A full-throated roar emanated from the demonic horde as they charged the defenders in a tide of steel and wrath. Bruisers and revenant mages opened back up, divided their fire between bombarding the other's lines and counter-artillery lances.

“Fireteams! Focus down hard targets! The rest of you, hold fast!” Armor shouted. “Not one step back!”

The revenants shouted battle cries and colorful taunts as they braced for the avalanche of hate bearing down on them. As the gap between the two armies closed ranged troops on both sides opened fire. Hails of cold iron bolts and black arrows flew past burning fireballs and wicked plasma blasts. In time, the demons came within range of the former crystal unicorns who proved just as devastating as they had been at the Brass Gates. The front runners were cut down in a storm of Khthonic bolts, forcing those behind them to take cover behind juggernaut-esque shieldbearers. With the advance of the demons slowed somewhat, the Grand Marshal turned his attention to the admittedly neglected aerial dimension of the battle. As it was on the ground, the flying revenants were holding their own but there seemed to be no end to the hellions filling the skies. Unbeknownst to him, a certain tiger-hawk was having similar thoughts as he slashed through the wings of an ex-pegasus and sent her plummeting to the ground.

"I say, these blighters are slow but they can take a beating." Gordon panted in fatigue as he noticed his victim pick herself up off the ground, reattach her wings and rejoin the fray. "Where is that blasted Rubric when I need him?"

"We sent runners back to Dis some time ago." One of his wingmates reported as he fell in V formation beside him. "The ground forces are here so he must be dragging his tail or something."

"Hey, MG!" Another called out. "Look down there! I think that's the mook commanding the dustbins!"

The hellion pointed down below to a unicorn revenant in more ornate armor barking orders. While he had seen other knights with ornamentation, there was no doubt this one was integral if not vital to the defenders' efforts. The griffon circled above a few times as he weighed pouncing on the opportunity to cripple the Undying's leadership against coordinating the ongoing air war.

"You two, take over from here." The Major-general decided as he nosed over into a dive. "A meeting between officers is a formal affair."

Gordon swooped in low and quiet just as the demons fell on the defender's positions once more. With his focus on the next phase of the battle, the Grand Marshal did not notice the tiger-hawk alight on a rock behind him. The griffon took a moment to admire his counterpart's decorum before he announced his presence.

"Hello there." He said lightly.

Armor glanced behind him to a well-dressed and living griffon smiling at him. As he turned to face him, the late prince-regent recognized the uniform and the badge denoting rank on his shoulder. To say the muttonchop sporting tiger-hawk stood out from the rougher demons was an understatement.

"Major-general." The revenant unicorn returned the greeting dryly. "You are a bold one."

"It may now be an antiquated practice but I believe in civility between those of rank." Gordon said as he kept a wary eye on the minotaur and diamond dog that were now flanking Armor. "As well as offer the customary duel."

"Seeking out one's counterpart in a battle is a good way to get killed." The Marshal criticized knowingly. "But I can tell you're from a more 'civilized' age."

"Hardly, sir." Steel Hands said with a low growl. "If he is who I think he is, he's little better than a pirate."

"Knossian, please, I was an expedition leader." Gordon corrected as his feathers ruffled slightly. "The fact that I acquired numerous artifacts that happen to be made of precious metals was all part of my duty to king and country."

"Jus' give da word, boss." Fleabag whispered. "Wez krump dis featha 'ead good."

"No." Armor shook his head as he squared up to the griffon. "I'll deal with this imperialist scum myself."

"Then let us dispense with the pleasantries." The Major-general dropped the smile as he raked his talons on the rock underneath him. "Queen's rules? Or do you prefer 'Princess'?"

“I serve a King now.” The Grand Marshal said as he charged up his horn. "And I must say, I'm growing to like his rules."

The ashen stallion fired a lance of Khthonic energy at the tiger-hawk. The militant avian rolled out of the way and launched himself at Armor with a flap of his powerful wings. The two clashed just as the lines of the Undying Order and the Hordes of the Grand Exodus met once more. Cold-forged dark steel and ashen vessels held against hellishly warped steel and infernal flesh while the Marshall and Major-general tumbled across the fire-flecked ground. The griffon’s flesh-rending talons scrapping across the unicorn’s armor looking for purchase while the unicorn drove his hooves into his midsection. The combatants came to a stop with the large avian on top. Gordon raised a talon and took aim for the eye slits in Armor’s helm only for the revenant to get his hind legs under the tiger-half and buck him off into a rock with a hard thud.

“Strong for such a posh bird.” Armor murmured to himself as he got to all fours. "Can't fault him for that."

Intent on ending their duel early, the revenant fired off a black bolt aimed at the griffon's head. The Major-general ducked the beam at the last moment and used the resulting blast to launch himself at the Marshal. The ashen unicorn sloppily fired off another bolt that only grazed Gordon's cheek as he bowled into him. With a horrific shriek of tearing metal and a shower of sparks, the tiger-hawk's talons bit deep and took hold. Armor found himself being carried up into the air as Gordon used his momentum to gain altitude. The unicorn struggled to free himself before they got too far off the ground but the large griffon's hold was not easily defeated. He charged up his horn but Gordon had the foresight to grab Armor at an angle that left him unable to shoot at him. The tiger-hawk chuckled to himself as they leveled off a dizzying distance off the ground above some particularly jagged rocks.

"Do you know how certain birds eat tortoises, old chap?" The Major-general asked rhetorically. "It involves a long drop and a quick stop."

“Skreeee!” A soul-harrowing call split the air just before Gordon let gravity break his foe.

Through the raining ash and cinders, a massive number of winged creatures flew over the Brass Gates. At the head soared the unmistakable form of the Hand of Death, scythe at the ready. Behind the Grim Reaper were scores of red-skinned daemons that snarled and growled in feral bloodlust. As soon as they reached the battle, some dove down to join the fray on the ground while others remained airborne to relieve the long-suffering aerial revenants. The demons were not prepared for the sudden onslaught as the ultra-violent Keres tore into them with horrific abandon.

"Bloody hell!" The Major-general juked out of the way as a passing daemon took a swipe at his wings.

With his opponent focused on avoiding the war's newcomers, Armor quickly searched for a way out of his predicament. He thought of one as Gordon unintentionally flew them toward one of the Fields many prison towers. It was a trick that had worked once before and he liked the odds it would work again.

"I wonder if there is a name for this tactic." The late unicorn muttered as he ignited his horn once more.

The Marshal fired off multiple volleys of Khthonic energy. Once they were a fair distance away, they slowed and congealed into melon-sized spheres that remained suspended in the air. By the time the tiger-hawk noticed his foe's ploy, he was already amongst the minefield.

"Oh, you cheeky-!" Was all Gordon could say before a now grinning Armor brought his hooves together and detonated the floating bombs.

The revenant's armor took the brunt of the blast but the griffon was not so lucky. With an agonized squawk, the militant bird dropped Armor as they tumbled through the air. They landed painfully atop the tower, the unicorn's weight bringing him to a sudden stop while the tiger-hawk had to dig his talons into the roof before he slid off. The late prince-regent righted himself and checked to see if anything was broken. Aside from some fresh gashes and pockmarks in his armor and a limb that had twisted the wrong way, he was still in one piece. The same could not be said for Gordon as the scorched griffon hauled himself up onto the roof. His uniform was in tatters and the left side of his face was ruined with blood flowing freely from his deafened ear and put-out eye.

"An aerial minefield." The Major-general managed a crooked but malicious smile despite his condition. "Clever. You would have done well in the air corps even if you were a unicorn twat."

"Whatever works, you posh prick." The Grand Marshal retorted as he corrected his limb with a painful sounding crack.

The two officers took a moment to compose themselves before their duel renewed. For all the damage he took, Gordon could still fly but with the keres contesting control of the skies, he was wary of staying in the air long. This suited Armor just fine as he had no desire to be carried off again. Talons and burnt feathers clashed against hooves and armored dust atop the prison tower in a microcosm of the greater war for the fate of the worlds.

A hail of burning of brimstone and wicked bolts of crimson lightning continued to rain down on the war in the Fields of Punishment. At the center of this maelstrom of battle, Tirek and the Khthonic Theoi exchanged blows that would have obliterated lesser creatures ten times over. Initially, revenants and demons alike attempted to interfere on behalf of their respective masters but a hellish blast from the empowered warlock or a soul-shattering blow from the Dark Lord quickly dissuaded both parties of this notion. Thus the two were granted a wide berth as they dueled; a small oasis in the wasteland of combat. The armored centaur favored using his newfound power to beat his opponent into submission with burning fists or try to immolate him with blasts of hellfire. The Necroarch, to his credit, proved that his seasoned appearance belied a stallion more than capable of blocking or even parrying the worst of the champion’s attacks with his anti-magical bident and immortal physiology.

“Damn it, you old bastard, you don’t go down easy.” Tirek grunted as they locked together after he attempted another charge, his crossed forearms braced against the shaft of the Lord’s cold-iron staff.

“Would I have sought you out if I could?” The pale horse asked rhetorically.

The Theoi twisted to the side and let the centaur lurch forward. Before he could recover, the pallid king thrust his weapon into the side of the champion’s lower half. The warlock growled in pain as what felt like a freight train slammed into his side. The hell-forged plates buckled under the strength of the ancient Lord but defeated the lethal points. A contemptuous backhand from Tirek knocked the pale horse away for his trouble. A quick wave of Titanic magic was enough to mend what he was certain were a few broken ribs. Before the caliginous cleric could get back into melee, the warlock charged up magic until the veins in his arms began to burn.

“Can't dodge this.” The pallid pony braced himself as the centaur aim both his fists at him like cannons.

Tirek unleashed a devastating blast of power that enveloped his opponent and continued on through the battling armies before slamming into and destroying a prison tower. Rather than be blow away as the champion had intended, the wily Theoi instead galloped toward the centaur though the beam of infernal power as if it were just a strong breeze. He emerged from the blast with hellfire burning away his heavy robes and drove an ashen hoof into the warlock’s face. Tirek’s vision exploded into stars as he stumbled back from the blow. Despite this, he had enough wherewithal to grab his opponent’s staff when he attempted to impale him through his uncovered head. The centaur heaved and tossed both the bident and its wielder to the side, putting some distance back between them.

“That felt like a blast from the past.” The stygian stallion thought as he landed and reformed his robes out of the shifting shadows. “Kampe tried the same thing with similar results. I wonder…”

“Did you take that power from a Titan down in Wrath?” The Dark Lord asked simply. “Trapped in a wall and bleeding like a waterfall?”

“That’s awfully specific.” The warlock said as he wiped a trace of blood from his lip. “You’ve faced it before?”

“That confirms what I felt during the river crossing.” The Necroarch thought. “Hubristic mortals never learn.”

“Indeed, I have.” The Theoi said as if it was obvious. “Who do you think put him there in the first place?”

“Oh.” Tirek mentally kicked himself for not considering that. “So the old tricks won’t work on you. Let’s try something newer then.”

With it now clear that Titanic power alone would not be enough to put down the Dark Lord, the centaur tapped into the malevolent power of the artifact hanging around his neck and fired a barrage at the King. Even though the Theoi managed to deflect a few with his staff, it only took one shot getting past his defenses to knock him off balance. Tirek capitalized on the pale horse’s momentary vulnerability by following up with a charged blast that blew him off his hooves. The pale horse tumbled across the rocky ground before coming to rest in an undignified heap.

“That’s more like it.” The crimson champion smirked as he galloped after his foe.

The resurrected Theoi lay still for a moment as the residual power of the Heart of Darkness crackled painfully across his pallid body. While he could brush off Titanic power with practiced ease, this was leagues above anything his ancient foes had brought to bear. The only saving grace was that his innate anti-magic still seemed to be able to negate or deflect it with some effort.

"Still hurts like hell though." The Dark Lord thought with an agonized spasm.

He grunted with exertion as he reached for his bident that had landed a short distance away from him. He just got a hoof on it when Tirek stamped his own forehoof down on his leg, pinning it in place. With a sadistic chuckle, the centaur used one of his hind hooves to stomp down on the Theoi’s back while he wrapped his arms around his neck in a vice-like chokehold. The stygian stallion tried to pry himself loose with his free hoof before the champion broke his back and neck at the same time but was unable to find purchase. Something caught Tirek’s attention as he looked beyond their arena deeper into the Fields of Punishment. His face split into a triumphant grin.

“Ha! You fought well, your mute majesty, but this battle is mine!” The warlock proclaimed as he craned his seemingly bested opponent’s neck to look at the battle around them. “Your minions crumble and fall before our might. It is only a matter of time before total victory is assured.”

Indeed, while the arrival of the Hand of Death and the keres had blunted the demons' progress, the tide of battle had slowly but steadily shifted against the Undying. The near-constant stream of reinforcements from the lower Circles allowed the demons to absorb any losses inflicted upon them; a luxury the revenants did not enjoy. Like waves upon the shore, the stalwart defenders were being worn down. As Tirek had claimed, it seemed that victory would soon be his if something was not done. The Necroarch decided to remedy this problem by pointing out something the champion had rather foolishly overlooked.

“I am afraid you have made a classic blunder, Tirek.” The Lord of Shades gasped out despite the pressure on his neck.

Before the warlock could argue otherwise, the pale horse drove one of his hind legs into the knee of the leg that was not digging into his back with a sickening crunch. The centaur managed to keep his hold around the stallion’s neck but had to shift his hooves to remain upright, inadvertently freeing the foreleg grasping the King's staff. In that split second, the Theoi brought his two-pronged weapon up and stabbed blindly at the bearded face of Tirek. The champion flinched away just in time to save his eyes but that did not stop one of the prongs catching his nose ring. The centaur felt the excruciating pain even before the pale horse pulled his staff free, taking his ring and a bloody chunk of his nose with it. Tirek roared in a mix of pain and rage as he slapped both hands over the veritable geyser of blood now gushing out of his face. Now with more room to maneuver, the Dark Lord drove the blunt end of his bident into the momentarily stunned centaur’s lightly armored underbelly and got him completely off his back. The Theoi got back to all fours as Tirek repeated his trick of treating a wound with Titanic magic, a colorful and varied stream of curses accompanying his efforts. The Dark Lord used the brief reprieve in their duel to address the defenders' predicament.

“You entered into a war of attrition with a necromancer.” The patron of the Undying Order continued his train of thought as he raised his staff and brought it down with resounding gong.

The sounds of battle suddenly became muted as a deathly chill flooded the scorched Fields. The bodies of the fallen revenants began to twitch and spasm as their vitality was restored by their Overlord. Ash and dust knitted back together while disembodied shades were returned to their vessels if they had one. The demonic hordes suddenly found themselves caught between a hammer and an anvil as the Undying they thought they had slain rose up and attacked them from behind while they were occupied with the remaining revenants. The resurrecting wave went beyond the immediate field of battle and raised those who had fallen as far back as the Brass Gates, resulting in a small column of Undying rushing to catch up with the main force and rejoin the fray. With but one motion, the Lord of Shades had undone all progress the demons had made against his army and shifted the balance of power.

"Neat trick." Tirek growled after he finally staunched the flow of blood from his shredded nose.

"They are not known as the 'Undying' for nothing." The Theoi said candidly.

“Then the only way to win now is to kill you.” The champion said as he pointed a challenging finger at his foe. “Such is the way with keystone armies.”

“Not quite.” The Theoi thought. “True, my servants succumbed to the ages but it was not immediate. Plus the daemons are not wholly dependent on me.”

“You are welcome to try, son of Ixion.” The Dark Lord said as he contemptuously returned the gesture with his bident.

In doing so, he slung the bloody piercing and chunk of nose meat back at the centaur where it bounced off his broad chest with a light 'tink'. The centaur answered the challenge with a burst of malevolent power and charged the Necroarch. The Khthonic Theoi stood his ground and prepared to go another round with the champion of Tartarus.