Asphyxious after one miss adventure on Ave world found out just how bad things where with her enemy. Die Leucht, so Asphyxious went in search for away to help. And found one soul could get the ball rolling, after all he was the Dragonfather. And he could not wait to see how his works unfolded.

80 years later.

It took years to build up and careful planning, with a few grave robbing of the few sites that were left. However they only took the best minds who once lived, and hired criminals to raid morgues making it look like it was black market dealers looking for organs and body parts.

This was how Cryx was slowly building up, attacking remote places years apart. Or biding their time before carrying out their plans. Even hiding their attacks as one of Die Leucht monsters getting loss.

Yes it took time, but by using the underground caves and cassems to hide their movements. Even underwater tunnels were used, as well as natural toxic gases or scolding hot heat veins to block any living thing from following them.

Helljacks were only rarely used, because their lord didn’t want to risk the technology falling into the wrong claws. Many undead were made from the remains of those who were trapped in cave ins and the sinkholes that were carefully dug out for years. After they were sure the locals were not going to try and retrieve the bodies. Or just blocking a stream and waiting for years for it to take effect turning into a landslide.

Many mechanithralls were used as well as Scrapthralls as the main digging force, yet when it came to bedrock only then did they use the helljacks. The first undead to be made and awakened was a griffon who started out in humble beginnings, he thought he could change things for the better. Yet it never happened, he was imprisoned for anti government views. When all he wanted was to pass a law to give their people more legal protection, to provant what had happened to him.

He lost years of his life and health yet he didn’t give up, he still tried and then he was killed. Not quickly ever, he still remembered being locked in a chest and dumped in a hole unable to move. Then he realised what was happening, he was being buried alive! He died soon after.

When he awoke again, he was something else. His body was changed, his body was made of iron and steel now. His skull with it witchfire eyes looked up at the one who brought him back. That when he saw his new master, no. His lord gave him a new life as an iron lich. An undead, with a greater understanding of the world. His new lord made it clear that because of the Orichalcum it was too risky to openly attack Die Leucht, so they will hinder them.

Attacking their mines, their railways, slowly changing the landscape making it harder for them to resupply their armies. Yet it would be too suspicious if these attacks happened regularly, so they were biding their time. Waiting years for these events to be all but forgotten about, before attacking their next target.

His name was Grimscythe, his lord gave him that name. He found others to join the cryx’s legions. Engineers who became Necrotech’s, helping to build more helljacks and assembling their new work force/army. Yet this was just for the risen dead, they were not ready for living members to join yet. As they slowly start to believe in their new god, The Dragonfather.

Grimscythe knew to keep an eye on some of their necrotechs, the ones who were still loyal quickly changed their minds. When told they could be just sent back to whatever afterlife they had come from. The few who would not turn on Die Leucht, were simply turned back into lifeless bones. Yet still they kept them, it was better to keep them around in the event they needed a spare soul. Or to make them into Iron Lich Overseer. Three souls, one body.

For now things were slow, it always felt like this after the first decade. They used ghosts as scouts in the wilderness above ground. They knew how to stay hidden from the living, sometimes they would come across lost souls. Living or otherwise, the Dragonfather gave them a simple task. Guild the souls of the dead, so they could pass on to the next life. However not all souls were willing, so they were brought into the ranks of cryx.

It would take two weeks on foot to get anywhere close to where they were set up. Not only that, the air was replaced by deadly gases as well as the temperature dropping the deeper you went. That is not even going into the heat that would slowly build over time once you passed a certain point. However, it would take another few days of travel to reach that point.

The problem was making contact with the living, the ones who were found dying were easy to tempt into joining. The healthy and fearful would not be so easily convinced, he remembered his Lord left them a gift. A drop of the dragonfather blood, Grimscythe was told to give it to a true believer. And they will be the first to spread the word of the dragonfather. But there was risk, they had to be sure they were faithful. If not, the dragonfather blood would kill them.

They made sure to keep a low profile and hidden, never going to the surface unless they had no choice but go above ground. It rarely happened, even so they knew how to avoid the living. Yet Grimscythe always felt like someone was watching them, not the dragonfather, no. When the dragonfather watched them, Grimscythe felt like their lord was watching with interest. As if waiting to see how they would deal with events and examining their choices.

It didn’t matter in the long run, after all they knew their mission. And he would make sure they would not fail, it was night and raining. Meaning it was perfect for them to go out and start their next plan. They were going to destroy the rail track that passed though this forest, sometimes they would even tip off the freedom fighters to do their work for them. Nothing too risky, they were no good to them dead.

He stops and spreads his metal wings out as he hears the caw of a carrion thrall. The undead crow flew down and landed on his arm. They were the best spies, they could not transmit information in detail. But they can transmit images and some sound if they’re close enough. Yet he ordered the undead bird to never do such a thing, it was too risky to lose something so useful.

“What have you found?”

He asked, yet it did not wait to send him the information. It flew away and caws for him to follow. Grimscythe turned to the two necrotech's who were travelling with him. And the small horde of undead.

“Continue with the mission, make sure to leave nothing behind that we were here.”

He told them and followed the bird, the rain was coming down harder now. As he followed he started to hear a sound, it sounded like, crying? When he saw the body, he followed the sound. Using his staff he carefully moved the body over and saw a griffon chick, They couldn’t be more than a few weeks old.

While the chick was crying, he looked at the body. The mother, maybe? He thought as the crow flew off to keep a lookout, he looked down to the face of this griffon and saw they were still alive!

“Please… Save her…”

They asked holding out the crying chick to him, Grimscythe was shocked. Why, why would she hand over her own child to a thing of death like himself? Then he quickly took the chick as the griffon gave her last breaths of life. The chick started to cry even louder, as he carefully wrapped it up in the blanket the griffon had held it in.

There was no time to ask questions, as the crow caws a warning! It was time to leave, he shielded the young chick and took to the sky’s! He was much faster than any living griffon, yet what to do with the little one? It was too dangerous to have it live with them, yet he knew a place where it would be looked after. Looks like he had a detour before rejoining the others.

The rebel fighters had many names and groups, they had a lot of reasons for wanting to fight for their freedom. However on a night like this, many just wanted a warm fire and a roof over their heads.

“Is the plan still the same? We’re moving out at first light to a new campsite?”

Asked a griffon with a bow on his back, as he tried to warm himself by the small fire box that was keeping them warm in the small tent. The others nodded as if they had done this before. One griffon was sharpening a spear, before sticking another log in the fire box.

Lately they have been getting letters dropped off by crows, telling them about when Die Leucht would be on to them or giving them a target to attack. It wasn’t like they needed help, the first time they got the letters they ignored them. Thinking they were a trap. Until they found out later what was inside, it was about a target they were hunting. And where they would be staying.

They all stop what they’re doing when they hear the crow, that was strange. It never showed up in the middle of a storm before or at night. They quickly left the tent and went outside to find out what was happening, weapons at the ready. They heard the crow again, then they heard a chick crying.

They saw the crow on a log it caws at them before flying off into the night sky. They quickly followed the sound and saw in the hollow of the log was a baby griffon!

“Okay what is going on here? Information one thing. But we’re not an orphanage!”

“How can you be so cold!”

Growled one griffon as she quickly picked the chick up and brought it back to the tent to keep it warm. Grimscythe watched them as he slowly disappeared into the darkness of the woods before taking flight. It would be safe with them for now, yet a part of his mind wondered, was this fate?

Grimscythe and the others returned without incident, it will take Die Leucht a few weeks to find out about the damage to the track and even longer to fix it. That pulls both time and resources away from other areas. For now they had an intruder to deal with, the shocking part was they didn’t have any trouble breathing in the toxic air around them. He didn’t understand how they were still alive, unless they weren’t.

“Who are you?”

He asked the pony who was in a business suit and had glowing eyes. This being whatever it was, could be an enemy yet he waited.

“I am diplomatic contact unit Mable, I am here to make contact with the followers of Asphyxious. Lady Aventurine told me they would be… Undead? I take it you’re them yes?”

Grimscythe, was surprised because the dragonfather told no one but him of his full name. So to hear it from another so casually was strange to him, however Asphyxiosu did say if they ran into trouble make contact with Aventurine a goddess. He even said they could trust them.

“You know of the dragonfather, he has told me if my focuses ever needed aid I should make contact with this, Aventurine. How did you get down here?”

“It was easy, you only accounted for anyone who was not modified to deal with harsh environments. I was designed to make contact even in the middle of a war zone.”

He was starting to understand, this Mable was changed not unlike himself. He was brought back from the sleep of death, this one was made more while still living. If they were still living, he wasn’t sure. Yet having an ally was useful, and Asphyxious did say he could trust them.

“I see, why are you here then?”

“To make an offer, we can trade in goods to help you with your goals. We have the same enemy. And Lady Aventurine knows Asphyxious… Entmantly.”

Mable brought out a holo list of the kinds of things they can offer, as well as weapons. The Necrotech’s were eager to get hold of such weapons, yet at the same time their lord said they should work on making new weapons themselves. However, never turn down a weapon you can gain through trade. Grimscythe agreed with this Mable, a trade was made, in time they could become friends. For now, he had an idea for a new cannon for the helljacks that could be very useful.

Mable left a machine behind, before using it to teleport away. It seems it could fold up and be moved, that was very useful. For now the necrotech’s were busy taking these new weapons apart and finding out how they work. Things are going to be very interesting from now on.

Turns out it was harder than they thought, forget about the weapons effects. Like setting a target on fire or freezing them. The weapons themselves were so complicated, the only way they would get any real use out of them would be to graft them to the helljacks.

So Grimscythe asked for help, and the dragonfather gave it. A portal opened in a remote location, where even if someone did know about it. They would be gone long before anyone was sent to investigate.

What walked out was a number of Iron Lichs, Necrotech’s and helljacks. There was Ponies, Diamond dogs, and even a changelings. As they quickly went to Grimscythe and he led them away back underground. It was very surprising to him, Grimscythe thought he was the first to be given a gift like this. However he may have been wrong, the other iron lich’s welcomed him like a brother.

The necrotech’s were even more eager going over every inch of the new helljacks that were with them. Grimscythe explained his plans and the other lichs were in agreement. They had brought up how they could shield the cortex of the helljacks. That would be a boon in itself, because the jacks could run on anything as long as it made heat.

So the necrotechs scrambled to come up with new ways to power the helljacks that were not coal or dark magic powered. Grimscythe was shocked that the dragonfather would use dark magic as a fuel for such machines. Yet the crystals grew in the crystal empire back on Asphyxious world.

It would take a few years, but they did manage to make a helljack engine that ran on other fuels. Such as one for methane gas, however that was mainly used for the smaller or light helljacks. Seeing as it was too dangerous to loud up a heavy helljack with such a thing.

Another was powered by refined oil, its smoke was less noticeable yet it burned through the fuel faster. Another used hydration, it was tricky and could only be used in small amounts. It gave impressive speed, so it was only used for their flying helljacks. Something that still surprised Grimscythe that they could build one that fly's, yet he could fly and he was just as heavy as a bonejack.

However there was one resource the new lich’s warned him about, necrotite. It was unlikely they would come across it on this world. But if they did find it, they were given strict orders about how to handle it. One make sure the living do not go near it as it could poison them and even kill them, two harvest it and remove it from the area as quickly and quietly as possible.

Necrotite was only found in places of great slaughter, the coal would be slowly bathed in the blood and death of the living. Making it into a potent fuel, that once set alight will not stop burning even under water. Until it runs out.

Grimscythe grew worried, if all it needed to form was coal and slaughter then it was very easy to make necrotite. It would take years of battle for necrotite to form. They needed to adjust their plans, first look into places of battle with the most heavy loss of life. Then search the local coal deposits if any to make sure there is not a trace of necrotite, if it is found. Then they will do as their Lord warned, harvest it and move it away from the living. For if Die Leucht were to find out about this, it would give them a deadly new weapon. That the living were not prepared for.

While this was all going on Asphyxious used the fact time did not run at the same speeds to his advantage. Modifying and improving his helljacks and their weapons. He knew this would mark him as a mad king, even going as far as to say a warlord of death. Yet why should such mortal labels matter to him anymore? He was the Dragonfather now, mad or not there was nothing more dangerous than a dragon's wrath.

Yet at the same time, he had other problems to deal with. Such as his followers' little rampage while he was gone, it turned out they even pissed off a few displaced while bringing the other cryx to heil.

Yet some of these displaced brought new thoughts to mind, what if they did manage to end him? Would it mean the end of him or maybe, the next step in his evolution? Asphyxious was in no hurry to find out, so he was going to prepare his followers. After all, if they were wiped out what was the point in him gaining so much power in the first place?

He smiled to himself, maybe he truly was mad. Asphyxious could not help but laugh, he was going to bring hell to them all. His last name was Hellbringer, it was about time he lived up to that name. It was time to show the other displaced, what war really means.

Grimscythe cryx have started to call themselves the Vipers of Cryx, much like how the dismonad dogs under the dragonfather call themselves the Wolves of Cryx. Grimscythe thought it was appropriate. Seeing as they mainly lay in wait and only strike when their enemy is alone and unaware.

It has been 30 years now, and they have made a vast tunnel network. They hid much of it in the already existing underground caves and caverns. Just to be sure, they moved there necrofacttorium deeper underground, they only just got this new one built five years ago. The necrotech’s designed it so it can easily be taken apart and moved at a moment's notice.

For now they had to stay away from the battles of the frontlines. As much as going to such a place would be abundant of replacement ‘materials’ however it was too risky to even think about it. However they did manage to get lifeless clones from Mable, so it wasn’t that bad. The problem was the clones didn’t have any souls, and because they were made raver then born. They had to find a way to program the violent behaviour that would have been found in the revived dead.

Lately the criminals in the griffon lands have been dropping, no doubt Die Leucht had something to do with it. The vipers of cryx were careful to make it look like any criminals who went missing by their hand, were few and had a large sum of coins on them. To make it look like they made a clean getaway.

The criminal masses unaware they were added as just another body to the scrapthralls. Grimscythe would much like to attack, cut down all in their path and harvest the fallen adding to their numbers. Yet it was not time, they needed to wait. They needed away around the orichalcum, there must be a way to ever remove its magical absorbing properties. Or to protect themselves from it. But how?

“Excuse me, Sir Grimscythe?”

Asked one of their newly risen unliving, she was one of the few who were found abandoned in an old mine that was quickly closed. Because of a cave in. When the vipers of cryx found them a week later there were only three survivors, who lived by eating their dead co-workers. It left them scared mentally but thanks to the dragonfathers knowledge, they saved them. However they could never return back home.

“I have the reports, are you alright?”

Grimscythe sent to her the feeling of smiling as he took the report, the war was still a slow grind. According to the group that was sent to keep an eye on things, Die Leucht sent back a number of trucks filled with dead griffons. Wait, trucks? He thought about that, they would need to transport them across vast distances. Thanks to the sabotage to the railway, large areas of it were cut off until they were repaired. Grimscythe turned to her and asked.

“Do our people still have burial rights for the dead?”

“Y-yes, why?”

“Because I think we have just found a way to boost our numbers.”

A transport convoy was driving through the night, they couldn’t stop until they reached the next settlement. The driver couldn’t keep his eyes open much longer, if they didn’t find a place to stop soon he was going to pass out. The griffon turned to his navigator who had fallen asleep, he frowned and hit them with his wing to wake them up!

“I’m up sir!? Ready to run drills sir?!”

The younger griffon yelled, making the driver laugh at him. The younger griffon growled at him but it was worth it.

“Good of you to join us, if I can’t sleep that means you can’t ever. Are we close yet?”

The younger griffon grones, as he starts pulling up maps. He looked back to the road, it was a dirt road. Worse the headlights were almost useless, you couldn’t see anything until it was in front of the truck. He also didn’t like the idea of transporting bodies. It was unsettling, worse if the boxes were not sealed properly. He heard stories about how one box wasn’t and it was only opened once it reached one of the main cities. It was called the fly box horror incident.

“Take this next right, there should be a village we can stop for the night.”

“Good, it's starting to rain. I hate driving in the rain, more likely to crash than find our way back.”

The three trucks made their way into a little village, at first it looked abandoned until they saw one torch light hanging from an inn. The six soldiers got out of the trucks as two of them made their way to the inn.

They went inside and found it was almost as cold inside as it was out, at lest it was dry. They looked inside and only saw two hooded griffons playing cards in the corner. One of them they saw was missing a leg, while the other was missing both of their wings.

“Vets of the war, most like.”

Said the older griffon to the younger, the younger one smirked at that. They rang a small bell at the desk and a griffon with a hood over their head walked out feeling their way to the counter.

“Yes? Can I help you?”

They quickly worked out the griffon was blind and could not see. The younger griffon smiled and quietly went round the counter while the older soldier talked.

“Yeah, we need six beds for the night.”

“Well you’re in luck, not many come here any more. It's been years since we’ve had visitors. What is your name sir?”

“I’m Razerbeck and this is Ribs, we call him that for his love of anything that meat.”

While the Inn keeper talked, Ribs was looking for anything of value and smiled as he found a bag full of coins. He saw Razerbeck look at him, Ribs just smiled and was carefully taking a few handfuls out of the bag.

“We hope you enjoy your stay, I’m sorry about this. I won't be able to make you breakfast when you wake up.”

“It's fine we’ll make our own.”

He said as the others walked in and followed Razorbeck, round back to their rooms being led by the inn keeper. Little did they know, the other two occupants of the inn watched. One turned to the window and their eyes glowed.

The six soldiers had to share one room, it was fine by them as Ribs was already splitting up their ill gotten gains with the others. Razorbeck was one of the few who thought of themselves as a real fighter. He watched how they made fun of the griffons who could no longer fly or walk. Razor saw much of the same thing happen to his own friends.

As soon as you could no longer fight, it was like you were an outcast from everyone. The worst case was when they were abandoned by their own families. When did things turn out this badly for them? Everygriffon was getting ready for bed and went to sleep.

Meanwhile as they sleept, the blind griffon made sure they were sleeping. Before the bandages over his eyes glowed. As he cast a silence spell on the building. He turned away and went back to the others, and nods his head. The other two nod and one waves at the window.

That when the vipers of cryx moved in, they gathered around the trucks. The unliving get inside and start reading off the marked boxes, pointing at one as the scrapthralls started taking them out one by one. Once they were moved away, a diamond dog necrotech started carefully opening the boxes once they reached him.

The bodies were then taken away as they carefully changed the papers for copies, with the body listed as missing. Only leaving behind whatever uniformed were on the bodies. It will take them a few hours to be done, by then the drivers will be none the wiser. They were careful to put the boxes back the way they found them, however one body could not be left behind. It was the body of a general, they knew what to do. They had to take this one with them!

The next morning, Razor got up early and woke the others as they woke up. They found the blind griffon was making tea. As they made themselves at home. Razor felt bad for the blind griffon as the others joked, and were openly stealing from him in the open. Taking as much food as they can with them. As they were getting ready to leave they saw the wingless griffon was trying to grow crops. While the one with a missing leg was watching out a window.

“Come on let’s go, I got you some ham!”

Razor looked at Ribs as he handed the meat to him. Razor took it and looked at it, he didn’t feel like eating. In fact he felt sick looking at it.

“Don’t you feel bad about taking the inn keepers food like that?”

“Oh like who’s he gonna tell? It’s not like he can tell anyone what we look like!”

Ribs laughed, as Razor started the truck up and took a bite out of the ham. It was good ham and started driving away leading the convoy of three trucks away. Unaware of the footprints in the mud. That one of their trucks drove over.

General Ironclaw or Irons for short, was a proud griffon as he stood and smiled to himself. He was standing before his commander as they waited to hear his report, Iron was sure he would get a medal for this.

“As you can see sir, we’ve pushed them out of the edge of the city. All we need to do now is keep going on the offensive and we’ll take the whole city by weeks end.”

He said confidently, as the commander stared at him as if looking through his soul, It made Iron a little worried when the commander got like that.

“Good work, now tell me how many griffons are already on their way to reinforce your battalion?”

Ironclaws was confused for a moment but quickly answered anyway. Surely this was a test, to make sure he could remember what was asked and what was being sent to the front lines.

“We lost over four thousand, but we can easily replace that number in a few days thanks to the draftees from the outer settlements. We can send them in first to take the worst of things until reinforcements arrive.”

The commander nodded, as Irons smiled more sure than ever now. Yet he couldn’t help but get this nagging feeling, like he forgot something important. It was on the tip of his talon he just could not remember what it was?

“What about the other movements of the army. Where are they moving now?”

Ironclaw went on telling him everything, yet the longer they talked the more things felt out of place. He stopped at one question as he looked at the doors behind him, leading into the office.

“Something the matter, Ironclaw?”

Asked the commander, Iron wanted to say no but stopped himself. No, this was wrong. Somegriffon should have come in by now. It was unusual for no one to see the commander, let alone Iron by himself. The commander never did one on one meetings with anyone, in fact the commander never waited for Iron to talk this much. He would always yell at him to get to the point!

“Who’re you!”

Ironclaw shouted, reaching for his sword, only to find it was missing along with his gun! Iron then started calling for the guards, only no one responded. Ironclaw ran for the doors and tried to open them. Only they wouldn’t open!

“I see… There is no point in pretending any longer.”

Said the commander as he waved his hand, as his voice started to change. Iron turned back and saw the commander form melt away like fog as a tall metal thing stood where the commander sat. Its head was only the skull of a griffon staring back at him. As the room changed into a vast cave.

“W-what tricky is this? Where am I? Where is the commander?!”

“Forgive me, when calling back a soul it’s simpler to just go alone with their strongest memories of their lives events from before. It also was much easier for you to answer my questions if you believed you were still living.”

Ironclaw didn’t understand, just what was this monster talking about?! Iron thinks as he thought of escape. He turns around and tries to fly only to find he is not moving. He is still in the same place he tried to fly away from, what was happening? What was going on!? Ironclaw panics as he tries to fly faster.

“You will understand soon. Just look down.”

Ironclaw felt a horrible feeling in his guts, every impulse in his mind was screaming at him not to look. Yet he did and what he saw made the battle hardened general scream.

“What is that!?”

What he saw was his own body, in a magic cycle. With runes carved into the flesh and bones. Grimscythe walked around the ghost that was brought back to speak with the iron lich.

“It's simple, I brought back your soul to get information. Now that I have it, you can go back to your eternal rest.”

It was only now that reality was crashing down on his head he remembered everything. He had died, a pegasus had run him through the neck. He remembered laying there bleeding out in pain. Trying to call for help only to die. And he was about to be sent back to wherever his soul came from!

“No wait! Hear me out, I can be useful! I know more than what you asked, I-I know about an ops unit that is going to kill off a town! I can tell you where it is! When they’re going to attack! All you need to is-!”

“Goodbye.”

With that one word, Grimscythe cancelled the spell and Ironclaw soul was sent to whatever afterlife he came from. With the knowledge he had just betrayed everyone, worse he was sent back with the knowledge this wasn’t the first time his soul was brought back! Grimscythe walked away from the body. As he stops next to an iron lich with a dog’s skull for a head.

“So what do you want to do with him? Turn him into another scrapthall?”

“No, I believe we can find another use for him. I’ll leave the body in your capable paws.”

The Diamond dog lich laughed as he went over to Ironclaws body and dragged it away. Grimscythe had a lot to think about. It was already too late for most of the info to be useful, however they can find use in other ways. He went up to the new-u and made a call, after all information was just another weapon. If used properly.

Nine years later.

The Vipers of cryx have made themselves into a ghost story among the Die Leucht troops. Of shadowy figures moving in the darkness of woods, when a heavy rainstorm hit. As well as residents in small and what they thought were abandoned villages would be populated one day and then gone the next. It was just hearsay, ghost stories, yet it was annoying that some info did leek about them. For now it was just gossip. They will need to lay low until these stories die down.

Grimscythe was overseeing the contraction of a new helljack, the dragonfather offered the idea of using magnets to make a projectile move faster. At the time he didn’t really understand it, but as his Lord explained in more detail he slowly started to understand. The faster an object moves the greater the impact once it hits something. He tested it on a small scale and was shocked by the results.

Normal steel armour was punched though like paper, a hole no bigger than his own claw. Yet the biggest shock was how the steel reacted once it was hit, it was like the armour turned in on itself. If someone was wearing that, their rib cage would have been broken or worse crushed. And that was with just a small block of steel.

This new weapon could be lethal, the better question was how would it react to orichalcum? Could something moving that fast do the damage he was seeing? The first test destroyed the weapon, yet even so. The attempt to build a working prototype was worth it. The problem was they needed a way to deal with their enemy quietly, not load and call everyone to where they are.

Magic could help, but the Vipers of Cryx wanted to leave the smallest magical footprint as possible. They didn’t know if they could be tracked, but it was batter to assume they could. And to cover their tracks, the news Grimscythe got today was… Worrying. They got news that Die Leucht was taking prisoners again, he knew full well what would happen to them. The prisoners would be taken to work camps or worse test subjects.

They needed to lay low, yet felt conflicted as he watched the image on a hologram from the newu. Grimscythe knew he shouldn’t feel anything, yet a slow burning anger was building inside of him. To be brought back had risks, the dragonfather said they could lose their empathy for others. Or maybe some other emotion, Girmscythe wished he had lost it then he wouldn’t feel such rage at how his own people were treating other living beings.

He wanted to act, yet remind himself they were playing the long game. To be nothing more than a story was perfect for them, he stopped as he thought about it. Yes, being nothing but a boogeyman was perfect for the vipers of cryx. They could use this and spread such terror that Die Leucht would have no choice but to try and silence anyone who knew, pulling griffon power away from the front!

Another image popped up and this was what pushed him to action. The image was of a family being pulled apart, the kit taken away while the parents were sent to camps. Grimscythe acted, it was risky and could expose them. But he could not stand by anymore, they needed to act now! He only scolded himself for not doing something sooner. He walked into the necrofactorium at the assembly lines as a new Helljack awaked and stepped off to be called for by a warcaster. It was time for the Vipers of Cryx to show their fangs.

Three years later.

It was raining, the guard outside hated the rain. It made it hard to fly and their feathers would get water logged. It seemed pointless to him, because no one else knew about this building in the middle of nowhere. It was once a place for their war prisoners, now it was something else. The young of many races were brought here, to be for lack of a better word brainwashed.

For every failure a new method was thought up, he hated it but this was war. Better to turn them to the griffon empire as new citizens, or they would be sent off to some unnamed lab or so the romer goes. Even he didn’t know what happened to them once they’re taken away.

“Ewww, how much longer do-o-o-o we have to stay out here for?”

Asked the guard standing next to him, he looked at the fat griffon who was wiping their beck and trying to stay dry in this down pore. It was a hopeless attempt as he saw the guard using his own wings to try and keep himself dry.

“Another ten minutes, give or take. To be honest, I’d rather be out here than inside.”

“I know what you mean, the brats w-w-won’t stop crying. How a soldier meant to get any s-s-s-sleep!”

He frowned at the fat griffon, at that thought. He couldn’t believe this guard thought of himself as a soldier. At least the bunks were warm and dry, yet because this place used to be a prison. The large open spaces echoed, it was a depressing experience. It made him question his life choices, maybe he was better off working at his mother's meat shop. He wouldn’t be standing here wet, cold and miserable.

“W-what’s that? c-Chopper?”

Chopper looked out and saw a light, a single lonely light in the woods. Chopper looked to the other guard, as they looked at each other. Chopper didn’t know, maybe some other guard got lost?

“Don’t know, better call it in Mordan.”

Chopper replied, as Mordan ran off inside. Meanwhile Chopper watched as the light slowly moved out of the woods, yet it was still unclear what it was. It was too dark and the light looked wrong. It took five minutes because a group of armed guards walked out with their captain.

“Report.”

“Unknown sir, whatever it is. It’s waiting at the edge of the wood.”

The captain looked annoyed and waved for his group to move out. Chopper watched with Mordan as they stood in the rain. They moved closer once the captain waved them over, when they got closer they saw a hooded… Thing. There was a glow under its cloak and it seemed to be swaying from side to side.

The captain ordered for it to surrender yet it just stood there, one of the guards moved in to grab it arm. When suddenly it screeched and wrapped its arms around the griffon that approached it! There panic as the group tried to free their comrade, the captain had enough and pulled out his sword and stabbed it.

The light faded as it fell on top of the griffon dragging him down with it. The griffon yelled in pain and for someone to get it off of him! The captain pulled the hood off, to show a griffon skull with a glass lens over one eye as well as a number of tubs and metal grafted to its bones holding it together.

“You two, get some tools and help. Looks like we got one of the lab birds' pets running around.”

They nodded and ran back, Chopper then heard the trapped griffon yelling about hearing a noise? Then there was an explosion! Chopper and Mordan looked back in horror, the group of guards were screaming in pain as some rolled on the floor on fire. While another had what looked like a metal claw stuck in their chest. Others were crying out they couldn’t see or hear. As some got up confused about what was happening.

Chopper ran back to get the dazed griffons to get the wounded inside, the captain was the worst one off by far. As Chopper saw a part of the beak of the thing in the captain's eye socket, he was already dead. That said nothing about the shrapnel in the dead captain's chest. Chopper wasn’t sure which bones were the captain’s or the monster?

While he was getting them back to the facility, Chopper then saw Mordan pointing and waving his arms. Chopper looked back while carrying a blind griffon and saw more glowing lights, some looked like eyes. Then larger siloets light up something big glaring at them with glowing eyes!

“Get inside! Hurry and set the alarms!”

Chopper yelled, as the glowing eyes watched them enter back inside the building. Once inside other guards had shown up demanding what happened. Chopper yelled back they needed to arm themselves and lock down the building. Chopper didn’t have rank but a half dozen wounded griffons meant only one thing. They were under attack!

The building was made of two parts, the main entrance and the courtyard before entering the main building. In the event of an attack the main building can be used as a fort, Chopper knew they needed to lock the gate then head for the main building. For now it was the only safe place here.

“What do we do with the wounded?!”

“Leave them! We need to think about ourselves!”

Two griffons talked before everyone started leaving, Chopper couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Leave them? There were more than ten griffons wounded here, they can’t just leave them here. Three have already died on the way, the rest were crying out in pain and for help.

“Help us!”

Called out one Griffon, as the ones who were deaf still tried to help. Chopper only left when another griffon pulled on his shoulder and he started running as well. Once outside, it was chaos. The watchtowers were being attacked by birds?! He had no idea what was happening, as he watched one griffon fall out of one watchtower as the flock of crows followed. Pecking at the griffon face and any exposed part of their body, the birds were even picking the griffons wings clean of feathers before going after the flesh underneath.

One griffon tried to fly away, there was a roaring whistling sound before something large knocked the griffon out of the sky! It was some kind of large metal bird, only the glow coming from it chilled him to the bone. It let out a horrible screeching sound before diving on their group!

“Duck now!”

Chopper yelled, as everyone dived for the floor! Chopper could feel the rush of air overhead before hearing a scream of pain! He looked up and saw one of the guards was in its metal claws while being pecked at by it, before flying over the forest, as another flock of crows was following. It then drops the griffon and the birds go down after them into the woods.

“Move!”

Somegriffon shouted and everygriffon got up and ran for the door, once inside they sealed the door shut! They all gasped for air and struggled to understand what was happening, they were deep in griffon territory. No one should be able to attack them this far away from the front lines!?

“Someone get in contact with command! Tell them we’re under attack!”

“We can’t, the line is dead!? We’re trying to fix it!”

“Somebody wake up the dayshift and get there captain!”

“It's the storm wraiths, they’ve come for us! They’re the dead and fallen of the war come to make us pay for our sins! They’ve come to take us to the eternal abyss where our souls will never see the light of day again!!!”

“Shut up!”

Yelled one griffon, as Chopper saw the one yelling grab the frightened griffon by the scruff and shack him. They were shaking them so hard he was afraid they would snap his neck.

“They’re just stupid stories! Storm wraiths aren’t real!”

“What is going on here?”

That is when the captain of the day shift showed up with all his troops. Some of them looked half awake, it brought Chopper some relief that he was here. It brought order in a sea of panic and fear. The panic and fear came flooding back as they heard the scratch of the flying monster outside, as it sounded like it was flying over the building!

That seemed to wake up any who were still half awake, as they looked around alarmed and holding up their weapons. Chopper told them what happened and about the death of the night shift captain. The captain told everyone to get armed in the armoury however they didn’t have enough armour for everyone. The armor was meant for dealing with riots in this place when it was still used as a prison.

“You two warn the scientists about what is happening and get them into the basement!”

Chopper did as he was told and found Mordan who was clutching at his chest breathing hard. Chopper got him moving as they went off to carry out their orders.

Grimscythe watched as the living ran inside the prison, they had already cut the landline making it look like an animal did it thinking it was food. The light helljack called a Shrike was finally getting some use, they’ve had it sitting around for 20 years. He made sure to have it maintained for the day it would at last be able to take to the sky’s.

They had brought three, having them take turns flying back into the clouds. The carrion thralls were used to distract and help slow down anyone trying to escape. There were several others joining this fight. Helping to coordinate the undead horde, as they moved in slowly.

The wounded who were trapped can be dealt with over time, the prison was the main target. They had a time table to keep, this needed to be dealt with before the storm passes. Lucky for them it should last for a few more days.

The prototype wasn’t ready for this fight, however the helljacks they did have would do for their needs. He looked to the others as they gathered around him to hear his orders.

“This is a recuse, save who you can. We cannot let one innocent soul be lost, understand.”

“Shale we harvest anyone we find… useful?”

Asked the iron lich with a changeling skull, their metal body looked much like a praying mantis. With it long limbs. Next to him was the Iron Lich Diamond dog who had a new thrall standing next to him, Grim noted how it was modified to act much like the iron lich overseers. Only it had two heads, as he knew who this once was.

“Yes, the necrotechs will join us. After all, we’re trying to become a horror story. Leave anyone who you think won’t be believed or taken seriously if you can. After all, fear of the unknown is the worst enemy one can have on their mind.”

Chopper was looking out a window with a rifle, it felt useless to him as he saw the birds were picking at the dead. And even using the watchtowers as their new nests watching them. That when the metal bird landed on one of the towers, now that it wasn’t flying around at high speeds. He could see more details.

Its wings ended in blades as it stood on thin legs with hook like blades for feet. Its body was fat and round as the glow could be seen from its ribs? Or was it a spine? Its narrowed head turned with the glowing slits for eyes, it looked right at him and screeched loudly! Chopper hid behind the wall, hoping it didn’t see him.

As he looked to the other guard who was on look out with him. This wasn’t a normal attack, there were no reports or even news about monsters like this. They would know if these things started showing up on the battlefield.

“Think they’ve given up?”

Asked the other guard who took a peek out the window. As Chopper looked to the others who held their own guns watching, waiting for movement. It was nerve racking waiting like this, it hasn’t even been a full hour yet and every one was on edge.

“Movement!”

A yell called out as everygriffon started smashing windows to point their weapon barrels outside. They may have orichalcum bullets, but they didn’t have enough of them for everyone. The armor and swords were given to their best fighters, he saw them at first. The almost walking half skeletons of metal and bone walked towards them almost casually like going out for a daily stroll.

Then he noticed the others walking among them, hunched over with large fists. Once they got closer he saw to his horror they were metal fists and claws, the garnet thing looked at them with a deep hunger that gripped his soul. It screamed as it ran ahead, and an army of similar monsters quickly followed!

“Fire!”

Everyone started shooting, the monsters didn’t seem to care if they were wounded or not, as they mindlessly kept moving forward, they trampled the fence ignoring the barbed wire they were tangled in. They were strong enough to pull themselves free or simply tear the wire off.

“What are these things!? I’ve shot one in the chest and it won’t go down!”

Chopper was having the same problem as he shot one in the leg and only made it stumble before it went back to running again, did they not feel pain?! He thought then shot one in the head, he got lucky as it fell twitching. Another was shot and it glow went out, that one must have been hit with oricalcum bullet.

He then noticed a slightly taller one of these monsters pick up or drag it dead away and went back the way it came. That was strange, these taller ones didn’t act like the rest. He tried shooting it in the back of the head, only for it to side step and take off into a run. How did it dough his shot?

That when he saw something with four glowing eyes, at the back of the hoard. With its arm out, before a shot was fired it moved it hand and the tall monsters followed. Like a puppet on strings!

“The one with four eyes, it controls the rest! Somegriffon shoot it!”

Called out a voice, chopper was glad he wasn’t the only one to notice. The ones who had taken aim, knowing they were somehow magical. The orichalcum bullets would kill it and end this. They fired and Chopper heart filled with hope, before something large stepped in the way getting hit instead. It looked like some kind of huge metal insect or crab, it held up one arm that had three barrels on the end and they were slowly turning, picking up speed!

“Take cover!”

Chopper shouted before it started shooting back at them, there were screams and yells of surprises as it quickly end’s before starting up again. One of it round smashed through the window and he looked up and saw a metal spike in the wall, magic runes glowed on the spike and it quickly turned to dust.

He didn’t understand as it kept shooting and there was a short gap between shots. He waited for the moment it stopped shooting and looked out at it. He saw what he thought was it louder and saw the spike-like rounds reappear into it louder, he ducked back inside as it started shooting again!

“The damn thing got a teleportation spell on its bullets!?”

Chopper called out, as he heard a cry of pain from somegriffon being hit. In one way, it was a good way to save ammo. Having it teleport back to you in its louder. Whatever it used, they needed it gone but they didn’t have any heavy weapons. Just then a metal hand reached in through the barred window trying to grab his beck!

Chopper fell back looking up at the thing as it opened and closed it beck screaming at him, before he got up and started running. Everygriffon else started to run too, as he saw one griffon grabbed by the arm and got it pulled off. As one of the monsters tried to pull them through the window bars. Chopper just hopes the others are doing better than he was on the east wing.

In the east wing was overrun by mechanthralls, they screamed and roared at the closed doors that locked them out from the rest of the prison. Trying to force there way in. There was one survivor as they tried to crawl away from the mad hoard, the griffon was doing everything in his power to get away and live.

He stopped as something climbed through one of the windows, then another. As they entered through the new hole in the wall next to the window. That the monsters had dug out by hand and under fire. They were all wearing hoods and started looking over the dead. One picked up a orichalcum knife it almost seemed to be stung by just holding it before wrapping it up and putting it in a bag.

The griffon didn’t get to see more as he felt something piercing his back and quickly died. The unliving looked sadly at them, they were the ones who came with the reinforcements to help the vipers of cryx. She turned to the undead and gave one command and they stopped, to look back at her dumbly. A few growled but did as they were told.

The changling walked over and went down to one of the bodies and picked up a ring of keys, as she walked over to the door. More mechanthralls were climbing though the windows or climbing up to the upper level where gun fire could still be heard. She saw one light helljack push it way though one of the openings making it larger for it to fit though. They made room for her as she walked up and unlocked the door, gently pushed it open and said one word.

“Go.”

They rushed past like a pack of wild dogs, she turned away and looked at the bodies as the soul cage on her hip started to glow. Drawing the souls to her and trapping them inside it. Before looking out a window, she saw one of the iron lich’s and signalled to them they’ve breached the east wing. As the light helljack walked up to her for orders.

The lich gave a mental command and the scrap thralls started to move to the north of the building. Along with a number of their heavy helljacks. It wasn’t that hard to hide in a horde of undead, when they’re all wearing cloaks to help keep them dry from the rain.

Flinch was a griffon who was a crack shot with pistols, right now they had the monsters in a choke point. He wished they had a machine gun nest, they could use the fire power. Yet he settled for blocking them off and keeping them here.

What he didn’t understand was how they broke in, the door was reinforced and locked. So how did they get in?! He shot another of the monsters in the head, as it fell over in a heap. The only way they could get in is if one of them stopped to look for a spare key, these things didn’t seem the, stop to think type’s. These monsters were just mindless violence and nothing else, willing to take down their target even if it brought harm to them.

He saw one missing an arm but it did little to slow it down, Flinch pulled back after running out of bullets. On his way he passed another group acting as another choke point, he reached the ammo box and took out a few more clips. Each one held eight rounds each, he was about to go back when Flinch heard screams.

Flinch saw the guards running, one wasn’t fast enough as a metal beast with bone jaws fell on him. Biting down and shaking the griffon violently, he could see how the things tusks tore open the griffon body like wet paper. It threw the dead body to the ground and snapped its bone like jaws open and closed. Looking there way, as smoke bellowed from its smokestacks on its back.

“What is that thing!?”

Yelled one of his co-workers, Flinch didn’t wait for an order as he opened fire with the others! The bullets didn’t do much damage to it. The most they did was scratch the armour or their bullets left small dents. Flinch didn’t stop shooting, as it ran through their choke point and down the halls deeper into the prison! Knocking over or stepping on whoever was in its way.

He realised just how lucky he was, the fact this monster could crush a griffon arm by just stepping on it meant it weighed a few tons. When he heard the screams of the other monsters and cursed, he didn’t have time to go after it. He would have to trust the others could handle it.

The deathrippers were doing their job of being a distraction and breaching deeper into the prison. They were giving a few orders, kill any griffon guard you find, push deeper into the building, if you can’t find an enemy return to the warcaster.

It was interesting how each helljack intrepid these simple orders. Some would take it as killing anything they find, others kill a few and move on. And two or three look for the biggest threats and kill them. Or kill everything in their way. They only had five of them running around and only two of them had already found a way inside.

As a necrotech Overbite understood the inner workings of the helljacks and how they run. The scrapthralls were already busy trying to dig their way though one of the walls by hand. It helped some had a hand replaced by a pickaxe or drill. The point of this attack was to attack from many points at once. Making the griffons inside split there focuses.

The necrotech pushed his mind into one of the deathrippers that were in the building. He saw it was in the middle of goring a griffon to death, before the helljack saw the last few embers of life fad out. It dropped the body and started to run again, it was on the hunt eager for another blazing light to snuff out!

It stopped as it saw a group standing in its way, yet these were different. They were wearing something that seemed to void all magic, the helljack was growling as if some part of its cortex understood they were the real threat. As they pulled out their magic devouring swords.

The deathripper roared as it charged! The necrotech tried to send it a command to return but it was too late, they moved out of the helljacks reach as its jaws snapped shut. One stabbed it and it roared not in pain but anger, as it used the weight of its own body to slam the griffon into the wall! The necrotech was sure the deathripper would have killed them given enough time.

However one sword reached the cortex, as another griffon stabbed into it. Cutting off the link and silencing the helljacks core. Without the cortex it was just a lump of metal, the necrotech had to step back and rub their head in pain! Being forced from a link between warcaster and jack was a very jarring experience.

Overbite looked up angry now at the fact they had just destroyed the helljacks mind, did they have any idea how much work goes into building a cortex! The scraptralls had at last broken though, good he thought as he followed after them. It was time to end this little game.

Verbal pulled his sword free from the metal monster, the griffon in orichalcum armour had suffered a few broken bones. The armour may protect them from magic, but that did little good agent something that was several tons of raw metal running at you. One wrong move and its wright alone could have crushed any one of them.

“It's dead sir, don’t know what I cut but its not moving any more.”

He called out as they had to spelt up earlier in order to move from fight to fight to help where they can. It wasn’t easy, Verbal looked down the hall at the bodies of the griffon he had eaten with not long ago.

“Can you still fight?”

“Sorry sir, I think one of my wings is broken along with my ribs!”

The wounded griffon called out trying to breath while wincing in pain. Verbal was worried as he looked back to his group. There was only enough gear for 20 of them and they broke up in groups of five to cover more ground.

There should be over a hundred griffons working as guards, not counting the doctors who work here. There was no telling how many had already died in this opening attack, and they couldn’t be everywhere at once. They didn’t even have enough orichalcum bullets, this building was meant to be kept secret so how did these things find out?

“Hurry get him down stairs to get patched up.”

There was another hoard of screams as the sounds of metal feet rushed to meet them. Everygriffon got ready even the wounded griffon who stood up and readied his own sword. Verbal was not happy about this, these things were not going to even give them time to rest!

Mordan was in a panic, the monsters had breached the north wall and were now flooding into the building. Why did he agree to be posted in the middle of nowhere? They were so worried about anyone finding this place that he had a bag over his head for the trip.

Mordan was on the catwalk aiming his rifle and shooting at the monsters, the half skeleton and metal ones were slow and easy to shoot. Somegriffon got lucky and hit something that made one explode and kill a group of them. The dangerous ones were the fast ones that were trying to climb up the walls to reach them, they had metal arms and legs. Mordan saw one of these things crush a griffons head!

He panicked and dives for the floor as gunfire almost hit him! He looks back at the spider like monster, it had four metal legs and a metal jaw. It had goggles over its eyes and was wearing a hood. What shocked him the most was that this thing was a diamond dog. It held one of their machine guns in one hand and a strange staff in the other. It looked strange, as it looked like a half ranch and half blade.

How did they get a hold of one of their weapons?! Mordan though then remembered the night shift captain and his griffons were armed before they were attacked, the monsters had simply took them and are now using them. The thing that used to be a diamond dog threw the weapon away once it was empty.

It was making hand gestures to something outside, as something big walked through the wall making the new hole bigger. Just as Mordan thinks the metal beasts can’t get any bigger, unlike the small ones that were he thinks six feet tall. As tall as a griffon, this new monster was around ten, maybe eleven feet tall! It had metal tusks under its head.

The monster of a machine walked inside, its right arm was long and ended into a long spike. While it left arm, was that a harpoon gun? He asked himself, as the large thing just looked at everything that was happening. Then Mordan started thinking, it didn’t look that dangerous. In fact it looked slow and a bit pointless, whatever it was used for there was no way it could hope to hit a griffon flying. Unless…

They were him?! Mordan was told time and again his overeating would get him killed one day! He was both overweight and stopped using his wings to fly, he was more than out of shape. He made a run for it before hearing more of the wall being torn down! Once he was behind a pillar he risked looking back and saw what it was doing.

It looked like they were making the breach wider, so even more monsters could enter the building. When a group of griffons in armour and swords arrived, some even had the orichalcum bullets. One of them opened fire, as Mordan watched as without being given a command the metal monster quickly moved to put itself between the shots meant for the diamond dog.

One round did get through and the diamond dog called out in pain, holding it shoulder. Wait, it didn’t react when they were shooting it before. That didn’t mean the diamond dog was just standing there letting them shoot at it. Whenever they did land a shot it just looked at them as if annoyed but had no real concern. That means orichalcum can hurt them!

What walked in next Mordan filled him with both horror and fear, what walked in was a griffon with a second head grafted to their neck. But that wasn’t the worst part, he had seen this griffon in the newspaper saying how he died years ago. It was general Ironclaw, now he understood what these things are. They were undead!

The undead general then pointed with it talon, as one of the griffons moved in to try and kill him! Then another metal monster walked through the opening in the wall, it walked on four spider-like legs and then pointed the large tube-like weapon at the attacking griffon and fired! The griffon used his sword to try and block it, before the projectile even reached him. It exploded but there wasn’t the spray of fire, force or shrapnel.

What hit the griffon was a spray of sticky liquid that covered them and the griffon started screaming in pain as they fell to the ground! Mordan watched in horror as the griffon flesh was being eaten away as smoke rises off their body, yet left the orichalcum metal behind. What made it worse was the sudden sound of the blade revving up on its right arm. He then saw its head, that was the top of a beast skull covered in armour.

Mordan wasn’t sure how much more of this he could take, it was just one horror show after another. The rest of the team tried to charge all at once but after the slow death of their comrade they quickly forgot about the first one. That fired it harpoon and impaled one of them mid flight, and started to reel them in as the griffon struggled to try and free them self from the large metal spear in their chest.

The three who could still fight, tried to distract the one who could shoot at them while the other two dealt with the harpoon one. While it was swinging its spike arm at one, the other landed on its back, then Mordan saw the diamond dog staff reach up and close around the griffon leg pulling him off the metal monster back. As he was quickly dogpiled on by the numberless undead.

Mordan ran, he couldn’t stay here any more. To stay here meant he was going to die! He didn’t look back as he heard another scream of pain, and tried to block out the sound as he reached the doors. He was already trying to shut them as he saw another group of guards fly over to his side of the catwalk, as everything was being overrun.

Once they reached him they joined him in trying to stop the monsters from following them, they heard a number of screams and pleas for help and sealed the door shut. Mordan gasped for air as he tried to understand what happened, but that wasn’t important anymore as he looked to one of the cells and saw the young ponies staring at him. In fear as they huddled together in the corner of their cell.

Mordan didn’t think about them as he started running again, he needed a place to hide. Somewhere safe! However, he wasn't sure if there was a thing as safety anymore. They quickly ran to the lower level to lock those doors as well, before they were overrun again.

Overbite growled as he worked his tools into his shoulder digging around for the metal, then smiled as he found the bullet and pulled it out. He frowned at it, as a scrapthrall walked over with a box as he dropped the bullet into it.

“So this is orichalcum, the dragonfather was right to warn us about it. If this had hit me in the head I’d lose more than just my unlife.”

Overbite said, as he looked at the remains. The Reaper looked at the griffon it stepped on in order to pull it harpoon free, it left a big mess but that was nothing next to the Desecratot that was using its vivisector trying to dismember bodies. There was something wrong with that helljack, he would need to look over its cortex once this battle was over.

He called it over to get it refuelled. As it walked over he opened a hatch on the helljacks back, as the scrapthralls started loading bags of coals into them. They used a simple charm on the bags to make them waterproof, the jacks needed it. After all, they didn’t know how long they would be stuck here for.

Overbite saw his packmates get to work on the dead bodies, making repairs to the mechanithralls. As well as replacing their numbers, he smiled darkly to himself. If the guards thought this was all they would throw at them, they were wrong. His smile turned into a wicked grin as he saw the iron lich making his way over to join them.

Flinch was fighting for his life gasping for air, one of the undead monsters had punched him in the chest and it caved in on itself. He was sure a number of broken bones had already punctured something inside.

It wasn’t enough to kill him outright, however it was enough to put him out of the fight. He didn’t even know what they were after. He then saw how the things were taking away their dead before moving on to the griffons he was just fighting besides. He pointed his pistol at one when it walked up to him and shot it.

It did nothing to the undead skeleton, as it reached out for him but Flinch didn’t give up as he kept shooting at it! Then a clawed metal hand rested on the thing's shoulder and gently pushed it aside.

“Well look at you.”

The thing was tall and stood on four thin metal legs, like some kind of nightmarish stick insect. With a spine of smoke stacks sticking out from it back. The thing's head was the skull of a changeling. He was always told they were wiped out, yet this thing was looking over him like a prised meal! Flinch took aim and pulled the trigger again and nothing.

Flinch looked on in horror as he had already run out of bullets. The undead monster just tilts it head to one side looking at him. It then reached out over to the other empty pistol next to his crushed arm and looked at it.

“Interesting, do you pride yourself on your skills as a gunman?”

Flinch didn’t understand what it meant, yes he had skills with a pistol. Sometimes he would even do tricks with his weapons when on brake. He coughed up blood as he had trouble breathing.

“I will offer you a choice, you’re free to turn it down. But I will find another use for your corpse once you’re dead. You can join our ranks and aid us in our mission to free your people from being controlled. It may take years, lifetimes even, you may linger here longer than you would want to. All you know and love will pass before you, this is still a choice. You may not have much time but please think carefully now.”

Flinch didn’t understand why this thing was giving him a choice at all, he didn’t have any family. And all he had was his skills, yet even so he was pushed to be a guard in the middle of nowhere. Yet he had questions, questions he wanted real answers for. What was really going on, what was the point of the war? Their own lands were vast and they had more than enough room to expand their cities.

Flinch reached out to it as he struggled to speck, his life was already fading. Yet his talon was soon enclosed by the long claws of the undead changeling. It moved over him, with a number of spider-like arms with tools attached to each one.

“Do not fear, for soon you will understand and once you do. You will have no need to fear death.”

The captain of the dayshift did not expect to deal with a night attack, sure maybe a small raid by rebels, that wouldn't last long. However this was a full on assault by an unknown military power. He was on the third floor that was made to help hold off attacks, but the enemy was relentless!

Everygriffon quickly worked out they were fighting undead, in some parts of the prison his troops were holding out. In others they were forced back or made to retreat. It didn’t sit well with him, three guards just told him about the massacre in the cafeteria. As well as the fall of both the east and west walls. They had no choice but to give up the outer parts of the building to better defend from attack. Even if that meant fighting in the cell block. For now the doctors were safe in the basement until they got help. If any was coming at all.

“What of our magic slayer teams? How many are still fighting, what are our total losses?”

“Unknown sir, the unit sent to the cafeteria only one came back wounded. Another team has not reported and one of the other two teams sent a runner saying they have wounded.”

It was just one mess after the next, everygriffon ducked as they heard the sound of the enemy machine gun that shoots spikes at them! It was a damn good shot whatever that thing was, by the time somegriffon saw it. The thing would run off to attack from another angle, worse any griffon trying to escape outside would get attacked by the birds. Or shot down by that metal monster.

They were trapped with no way out, yet the enemy had not made any demands. He still didn’t understand what they wanted, what was their goal. There was one way out of this, but they needed everygriffon to follow there orders .

“Tell everyone to lock down the cell block, and have guards posted at every door. Then get me all the sergeants, looks like the only way out is to make a push!”

“Do you see anything?”

Asked a young voice in one of the cells, the one trying to see was an earth pony filly trying to find out what was happening. The first warning that something was wrong was when the alarms went off and woke everyone up, then all the guards started running around turning on all the lights. Then the alarms were turned off, it was quiet for a long time before they heard yelling and shooting.

She heard one of the big doors being locked before a group of griffon guards ran past and didn’t look back. They didn’t even stop to scold her trying to stick her head out the bars.

“No, I still don’t see anything.”

She said turning back to her friends, one was a pony unicorn who wasn’t old enough to use magic and a pegasus who can’t fly yet. As well as a few yaks who looked worried, apart from one who was the oldest.

“What do, pony friend. Starburst think happening?”

Starburst wasn’t sure, maybe they were being rescued? But she wasn’t sure, she could see some of the older ponies take notice in the other cells. Unlike her friends the older unicorns had a ring on their horn, or if they tried to escape or use magic had their horn cut down. She felt bad for the pegasus because they had their flight feathers clipped. Meaning they could never fly again.

Starburst looked at her friends, she was worried what would happen to them once they’re old enough. She saw the guards were in such a panic on the lower levels they were dragging boxes. She really didn’t understand what was happening, but she took notice how everypony in the other cells was trying to hide under their beds. Apart from the yaks, as a few tried to ram the bars to break free. They’ve tried before and it didn’t work.

“Maybe we should do what everypony else is doing and hide under the beds. I think something bad is going to happen.”

They agreed and did their best to hide under the bunk beds, it wasn’t easy as these cells could hold up to ten filly’s or three ponies and three yaks. The guards didn’t seem to care about them having enough space. Or if too many are kept in one cell. Starburst waits with her friends, unsure what will happen to them.

Chopper was trying to calm down after watching one of his friends be mobbed and pulled apart. Like a pack of dogs on raw meat, he got word that they were dealing with undead. It made sense now, that's why these things were so hard to kill.

For now it has been a few hours, they could hear the monsters outside the sealed doors but they aren't attacking. The time was four AM, and they started the attack two maybe three hours ago? Chopper wasn’t sure as his mind was only now being given the time to understand what had happened.

It was unnerving just to wait after seeing first claw what these things can do. Chopper was given ammo and saw it was orichalcum bullets, as he loaded it into his rifle the griffon warned. As the guard gave him a meaningful look.

“This should be the last of it, so make sure you don’t miss. Captain orders.”

He said before handing it out to the others and walked away. If what he said was true, that was a worrying thought. Not everygriffon got inside as another group of griffons was put in charge to protect the armoury. No telling if anygriffon was still alive or not, not like they had any other choice right now.

Chopper looked behind him at the cells, as he saw a pony looking at them though the bars. Lucky an older one quickly moved the younger one deeper into the cell out of sight. Chopper for the first time questioned what they were doing here, and why they were doing this?

Chopper jumped as something hit the doors, everygriffon took up arms and aimed at the door. Thud thud thud, it sounded like they were trying to get in. Then more sounds were hitting the door at a faster rate. It worried him as he saw the door was starting to vibrate. Like hundreds of fists hitting all at once!

“Hope the captain can think of a way out of this.”

Chopper asked himself, as the sounds were getting louder. Then a large metal spike like claw burst through one part of the door. They were getting though. He then heard a number of gun shots behind him as griffons fell over dead. He turned back and saw a ghostly griffon standing over him with two pistols in their claws.

As Chopper looked at it, he saw something about it look familiar. Like his seen it before, he then noticed the rank and it uniform as he realised who this was.

“Flinch?”

The ghostly griffon didn’t answer, as it moved the barrel of its gun to Chopper head and pulled the trigger.

Verbal was panting, most of his team was dead now. They were unlucky to be trapped outside when everygriffon else locked them out. At first he headed north but quickly hid when he saw the large number of undead in the cafeteria. He wasn’t sure what they were doing at first, but left when one of the monsters started opening the chest of a dead guard.

Verbal was making his way back to the south, it was as far as he knew the only place that wasn’t hit. With the loss of both east and west wings, surely someone made it out alive? He was in the middle of making his way back, when something felt wrong.

On the way the metal monster he had killed was gone!? That was impossible, he was sure it was dead. Well yes it still had power in its engine but it wasn’t moving. So where did it go? That didn’t matter as he made his way in deeper back tracking. He at last reached the south wall and saw nothing, nothing but blood stains on the floor.

That wasn’t right, where were the bodies, he carefully made his way into the hall. He could see the damage of a fight but still no bodies. Verbal held up his sword as he looked around, as he got half way into the hall. The door he entered slammed shut and locked, then the other door did the same!

Verbal held up his sword ready for an attack, yet still saw nothing. Then he heard something and quickly ducked into a roll! Verbal was lucky as he looked up and saw a pony clade in strange slim armour, while holding a large sword of their own.

Then another pony fell from the ceiling, unlike the first one. This one’s armour was bulker and had an engine attached to their back. As well as carried a large hammer and what looked like a blunderbuss hanging off her hip. They were also wearing a large gauntlet over their left hand. He then saw the pony face as one of their eyes glowed, before smiling.

“It appears I missed, sister.” Said the one in slim armour.

“Ha! Told ya it wouldn’t be that easy. This one got their fantasy magic eating swords. Unlucky for him, we’re ready for it.”

The pony in the bulky armour swung their hammer, Verbal looked between them quickly. The bulky one was an earth pony, however the other one he wasn’t sure. But going by the spike on their helmet that covered half their face they must be a unicorn. Verbal at last found a face to the attack, it must have been the enemy.

“Alliance scum! If you surrender now and call off the attack, you’ll at the very lest get to live.”

Verbal maybe looking at the one with the hammer, but kept his sword pointing at the other pony. The earth pony laughed and the unicorn giggled to herself.

“You silly sod, we’re members of cryx. We’re not part of any alliance, you daft prick!”

“We’re followers of the dragonfather, he welcomes all who are willing. If you like, we can save your soul as well.”

Verbal didn’t know what a cryx was or who this dragon father was ever. But the way they talked was odd, they said they follow a dragon? Were they some kind of mercenaries or cult? If they were, they were reckless, attacking this deep into the griffon empire. Before he could say more they attacked!

Verdal had to dash into the air up above some rafters, standing on a metal beam. When he looked down all he saw was the earth pony. Where was the other one?! He jumped back using his wings to keep his footing in the rafters. The unicorn was standing on one of the support beams and smiled at him. How did she get up here so fast?!

Verdal question was pushed aside as she attacked, she was fast. If nothing else worse she had skill. He had to dive back down to the floor, then the earth pony charged with their hammer! Verdal managed to dodge by a hair as her hammer slammed into the wall, cracking the wall and leaving a small crater.

If that had been his arm or wing he was sure it would have been broken. Verdal took to the air once more and was met with a sword strike! They were working together, he knew that he was having a hard time with it. They were meant to be an anti-riot unit, fighting armed trained soldiers. Wasn’t part of their training.

He managed to knock the unicorn off the beam, only for her to fall into the floor and pass though it?! He looked confused as he saw her land on a beam ahead of him. Was this some kind of magic and if so what kind?!

He was so forced on her he didn’t register the sound, boom! His wing explodes in both pain and gore, as he falls. Verdal looked at his wing and saw it was a ruined mess of meat and bone. Before hitting the floor! Pain ran through his body as he quickly got up and locked swords again.

“You know what the big problem with your armor is lad?”

Before he knew it, Verdal felt a gantlet hand close around his hamlet. He thought nothing of it until he felt the pressure slowly closing down on his head! He parried thinking of the best way to attack, until snap! His leg was broken at the knee joint as the earth pony used her hammer on his leg!

“Sure it gets stronger, and harder when it makes contact with magic. But like any other metal it has weaknesses. The fillies and clots back home have been looking over that crap for years now. And you know what, it's so simple.”

Verdal in order to get free cut the strap holding his helmet on his head with his sword. He fell to the floor gasping as he heard crunch. He looked back and saw the orichalcum helmet was crushed like tinfoal.

“Any metal can bend and break, you just need to apply enough pressure.”

Just then the room spins as Verdal blinks in confusion, why was he laying on his side? Why couldn't he feel anything? It wasn’t until he saw his own headless body fall in front of him that Verdal was having his last thoughts. He understood now why his body was over there, it was because his head was just cut off.

Overbite smiled as they flooded the halls, he left the heavy helljacks behind. They were more useful outside, being moved to open another path into the building. As he walked passed a pistol wraith.

It must have been summoned from one of the dead. He was surprised how one of the guards was so willing to be brought back to kill his own co-workers. Still Overbite didn’t question it, it is not like it could disobey its new master now.

Overbite was going to follow the others when he saw something, it was a stairwell going down. He frowned at it, even after becoming an unliving, did nothing to take away his sense of smell. What he smelt down there was antiseptics, drugs, blood, waist and burnt flesh.

Overbite growled as he stopped a few nercotechs then had them gather some scrap and mechanithralls. Before taking control of a Ripjaw, its body build was the same as the deathripper. The only difference was the ripjaw had a whirling saw that was inside of its mandible jaws.

Overbite led them down to find out just what they were doing in this place. Cryx could do some horrible things to the living if they wanted too. However Asphyxious had made some clear rules about how to handle the living, and even told them he was not perfect. Sometimes he himself would act without thinking, and inflict such suffering that their lord would then ask to be punished for his own actions.

Overbite felt sorry for their king, Asphyxious was willing to take on such actions that it would only bring himself harm. It didn’t matter if the rest of the clan thought he did the right thing or not. Asphyxious held himself to the same standards as the rest of the pack no matter how much power he had.

Overbite didn’t know what he would find in this place, yet if he did end up disappointing his lord. Then he will face his punishment, just like the dragonfather.

Mordan had pulled himself away from the rest of the unit, when he started to hear sounds from one of the doors. He was trying to find a good place to hide, the only place to go was the basement. Mordan passed through the doors and rushed down the hall, the lights only lit up the floor leaving the ceiling and walls dark. As Mordan was making his way, he saw a griffon in a lab coat carrying a cardboard box full of papers. The doctor jumped before yelling at him.

“Don’t just stand there, hurry up and help!”

Mordan didn’t know what they were doing but grabbed a box full of papers, and then followed after the doctor. The doctor led him past a number of rooms where other doctors and their assistant were helping them. Fill up cardboard boxes and then find what looks like the main boiler room.

He saw they were all throwing boxes into the fire of the furnace, he joined them as he helped. Not really understanding why they were doing this. Then Mordan stopped as he saw something burning in the fire, Mordan quickly backed away as he saw bones in the flames!

“There's a body in there!?”

“Of course there is, it is one of the failures. What did you think we did with the dead ones?”

Mordan didn’t know what to say as he stared at them in horror, he had no idea what was really going on in this place as he backed away. As he backed out he saw the first room on his right had a small body on a table, and he vomited all over the floor.

Mordan had no idea, he didn’t pay any attention to the sounds coming down the hall. Or the screams as both doctors and assistants ran past him. Mordan dropped to his own knees no longer caring if he lived or died any more. He turned his head and looked up at the undead looking down at him.

It was the diamond dog with one of those metal monsters next to him, growling by revving it saw at him. Mordan didn’t care any more as he just sat there, waiting to die. Meanwhile Overbite looked at the fat griffon over, he looked broken and knew why as he looked at the open cadaver in the room.

Overbite told one of his pack mates to watch him, as he walked past into the boiler room and saw the panicking griffons. Most stopped what they were doing and dropped any boxes they were holding. Only a few kept burning papers, seemingly ignoring him and his pack.

Overbite grabbed one by the throat with his vise claw, having the griffon dangle in the air. And pins him to the wall, the griffon cries out in pain as one of his wings hits the boiler. Yet Overbite ignored his begging and grabbed a handful of papers. It was mostly about brainwashing, using drugs and bombarding their minds with propaganda over and over again. There were also experiments, if you could call it that. Even the cryx had a logic to their craft. This was nothing more than butchery.

“I take it you’re in charge?”

He asked yet the griffon was still screaming, his screams only grew louder as he pushed the griffon whole body next to the hot metal of the furnace. Until he heard a voice from the group cowering in the corner.

“No I am.”

Overbite threw the griffon aside and let him go, the griffon was in so much pain they tried not to move. As it sent waves of pain throughout their body. The doctor held up his claws and Overbite walked over to him and grabbed him by the throat and pulled him close.

“Do you have any idea what you have done? I can smell the fear in this place, I can taste the suffering. I can hear the souls screaming for help…”

Overbite growled, as he dragged him into one of the operating rooms. As the others were forced to follow in order to watch. Overbite pins the doctor to the table and the scrapthralls started to tie the griffon down. Only then did he let go and started looking around at the room to see what he could work with.

“Y-you won’t get away with this, once the army finds out we didn’t report in, you'll be hunted down. You and the rebels will wish you were dead!”

Overbite started to collect a number of tools, a number of scalpels and bone saws. As well as a few drugs as that should work for what he had in mind.

“What are you doing?”

Overbite put each item down on a small table next to the bed, as two scrapthralls carried over a deathripper that had its cortex destroyed next to the table. Before taking it apart. Overbite smiled as he started moving things around and pulled up a metal claw. Then held it up next to the griffon arm before putting it on the table.

“You see nercotechs like myself always push the limits of what we can do with our knowledge of both. Necromancy and engineering, sometimes we get a case like yourself who think they can play god with the living. Or think life has no value, a large number of them end up like this. As we have to work on the move as it were, working with whatever we find on the way.”

He said tapping the shoulder of the scrapthrall, as the griffon looked on in horror at what the unliving had in mind.

“You can’t do this!”

“Oh I can, by your own people laws might make right? Those with power make the rules, the ones without must obey. You don’t have any power at this very moment and are under my mercy.”

The other griffons looked away as the doctor that was tied to the table could only watch in horror, as Overbite picked up a scalpel in his metal claws and smiled. Mordan was numb to it all as his mind shut down from finding out the truth of this place.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you’ll live through every moment of this.”

The captain was making his leave with the riot unit, what was left of them. As they sneak out when the undead breached the cell block. They managed to get out the windows and climbed down the side of the building. Everygriffon else was told the captain was going to get help and that they should hold out for as long as they could.

That was a lie, he was using them to save his own skin and wasn’t about to die in this place. It turned out the birds were gone, he didn’t question where they went or where they were. But quickly took to the skies so they could all escape. They got about halfway to the forest, as a flock of birds burst out of the woods heading towards them!

“Fall back!”

The captain yelled, as two of their number fell to the birds, one griffon tried flying away. Only to be intercepted by the large metal birds, he only got word from the guards there was one not three! The captain watched as the griffon was pulled apart like a scrap of meat.

“Congratulations. I didn’t think you would get this far.”

Said a voice behind them, they all turned to the voice as they saw something tall standing behind them. Standing in their way back into the prison, it also had the skull of a griffon for a head. They all turned their weapons on the undead yet he remained calm.

“Open fire!”

It took to the skies on metal wings, before they took aim. The large metal birds dive at them! Some got cut by their wings with blades on the ends of them. Or were picked up and thrown into the building behind them, one monster had pinned down one of his griffons as it used its metal beck to try and pry their armour off while stabbing their large beck into their neck.

The ones who tried to fly were attacked by the crows, as the birds were going after every opening in their armour. The captain took aim when he heard the main gate opening. They had managed to kill one of the metal monsters, three of their group were injured while one was dead.

The undead who can talk lands in front of the doors as they open, and then to his horror he sees that every slan griffon walking out as an undead horde. With blank looks on their faces. The captain could do nothing but stare as the horde as they moved in on him and who was left. Then the undead monster that was leading it all spoke again.

“My name is Grimscythe the iron lich, I am here to set you free. For we are the Vipers of Cryx!”

Three weeks later.

It took two weeks just to clear the roads, then another week to send out a unit to check on the building in the middle of nowhere. The location wasn't even named, they arrived only to find the building was destroyed. It looked like a fire broke out making large parts of the building fall in on itself.

“Sir we’ve found the bodies of the griffons station here however they’re having problems IDing the bodies. Because of how badly burned they are. Also half of them are still missing.”

The aid said as the investigator was looking at the ground. He could see faint marks as if metal was dragged over the concrete floor as well as soot. The griffon stood up and looked at the building. The idea that the building somehow burned down didn’t sit right with him, not only that he didn’t even know this building existed until he was sent here.

The investigator lights a cigarette and starts smoking it, not only that the fire was so strong. According to the other teams it burned the prisoners to dust. They don’t even know who the prisoners are, or where they came from.

He walked away from the aid as he looked at one of the bodies, well the armour of one body. Some of the orichalcum looked stained or warped? It was hard to tell, it was like someone dropped a liquid on it and there was a reaction. Not enough to badly damage it but enough to mark the armour.

He moved on walking into the building despite the warnings of the aid it wasn’t safe. The investigator walked over the rubble looking at the damage, nothing stood out to him. It was just a feeling he had, along with the notice they got from another team the main lines to keep in contact were destroyed by wild animals.

That was unlikely, wild animals don’t dig up buried wire lines for communications. It was very unlikely, he found something that looked like a half burned teddy bear and picked it up. He blew smoke out from the counter of his mouth as he made his way back. Once he reached his aid he saw a new group arrived giving out orders.

“Don’t you think it's strange? The number of trees that blocked the roads were just enough to hinder our way here?”

“Sir?”

“I mean it's bad enough that the rains have washed away anything meaningful, not only that we’re late to the scene. Meaning any evidence we could find has long gone cold. The head office will just write this up as another rebel attack.”

The investigator blew out another breath of smoke as he watched everygriffon moving. It looked like they were in a hurry, as his aid looked confused before he added.

“Did you know anything about this building? What was it used for or who was even out here? Seems odd to have griffons all the way out in the middle of nowhere.”

“I don’t know sir, maybe they kept pow’s from the war?”

“Pow’s don’t carry teddy bears with them, my guess is something rotten happened here. Best to not ask questions and keep what you hear to yourself. Just agree to whatever they think happened here, understand?”

His aid nodded as he dropped the half burned bear and walked up to the new group. His aid quickly followed. As they met the griffons in uniform.

“I am lieutenant Dreed, I take it you have news about what happened here?”

“Only guess work at this point sir, ever a freak act of god. Or rebels broke in and burnt the place to the ground. Nothing useful at this moment sir.”

“I see… Here is what you will report. A lighting strike hit this weaver monitoring station, everygriffon inside sadly lost their lives. But they will be remembered, understand?”

“Yes sir.”

The investigator replied and walked away with his aid following in worry, as they both got in the car. Once inside the investigator put out his cigarette and looked out at the griffons where being told to leave, as a large number of workers were brought in with tools and a bulldozer.

“I don’t understand sir, we’ve only been here a few hours. Why are they telling us to lie about what happened here? From what I saw there wasn’t any equipment like the lieutenant was saying.”

“Remember what I said, agree to whatever they say happened out here. You’ll live longer, to be honest. We’ve been getting cases like that a lot lately. Not like this but, gangs going missing or a new group pops up out of nowhere and suddenly they get a big pay off. Whatever is happening, it's best we lay low and not get involved.”

He said starting up the car and started driving back home, it was an eight hour trip to get here. And now it will be another eight hours before they get back home. Sometimes he hated his job.

“What do you mean you can’t take them?”

Grimscythe asked, confused about this. It was hard enough to get the prisoners out of their cells. Let alone trying to keep an eye on hundreds of hatchlings who were scared of them. The only ones who could get near them were the unliving, well most of them.

“I’m sorry it’s out of my hands, it would be too risky for both the children and our own troops to try and get them out. And the newu was never meant to transport hundreds at a time. Also mother has some concerns about letting children use them.”

Replied Mable on the holo screen, Grimscythe had left the others behind in one of the liveable levels of the tunnel network. They took all the food and water from the prison before destroying it, doing their best to make it look like an accident. They also made beds that could hang off there helljacks. It was a good thing they cleaned them off before doing that. Some children were even riding the deathrippers as long as a warcaster was on hand.

“Well what do you want me to do? They can’t stay here and we can’t hand them over to the rebels ever. They will tell them about us and that is too much of a risk to our lord plans.”

“Well like lady Ave would say, take responsibility for your actions. You will need to raise these children.”

“What?”

Grimscythe thought she was mad, they can’t raise them. They were undead, they weren’t even ready for living members yet. It was meant to be a slow build up, not getting a few hundred youths and being responsible for their upbringing. He was worried, it was bad enough the unliving were already getting attached to them. One kid called one of them their mother.

“Talk to Axphyxious, I’m sure he can help you work this out. Goodbye.”

Mable said in a sweet tone before closing the line, leaving Grimscythe alone with his thoughts as he makes his way back. With a million thoughts at once. He really didn’t want to waste his lord time with such things. Maybe asking for guidance would help him come to a decision on this matter.

A little idea I've been playing around with GameJunkie7 story. This is just Asphyxious cryx helping out where they can, to deal with Ave enemies on there world.

No worries I had the green light by GameJunkie7 and had him look it over before hand. So everything should be cool. With small edits here and there. Nothing lore breaking so it should be find, I'm sure they will tell me if I missed anything.

Enjoy.